The Oyster Bay Civic Association is preparing for the new year. The nominating committee members, Peggy Bundas, Jean Marotti and Toni Junjulas, presented their slate of officers for 2005 at the November meeting. Because there were no additional names added to the ballot, the nominating committee's choices were accepted by the secretary in one verbal vote. At the Dec. 7 executive meeting, the new officers were elected by the board.

This year they are staggering the terms of office to one, two and three years. Marie Knight, president, and Sean O'Toole, director, are finishing the second year of their two-year terms that end in 2005. Newly elected to the board are: Stan Spiegelman, vice president to serve for two years; Judith Ann Barnett, secretary, to serve for three years; Peggy Bundas, treasurer will serve for two years; and new board member Joe Mimmo will serve for one year, replacing John Hammond who resigned from the board.

The next OBCA meeting will be on Jan. 20, 2005, at 7:30 p.m. at the Italian-American Club at 48 Summit Street, Oyster Bay. "It will be our annual meeting and I will give the President's Report and Peggy Bundas will give the Treasurer's Report. The goals for the civic association will be presented at the same time, they include: parking, Mill Pond Overlook plans, AvalonBay Communities proposal, and Island Properties development plans," said Ms. Knight.

As for the parking issue, the OBCA recently received a letter from a woman who parked in an empty reserved spot in the public parking lot behind Audrey Avenue. Ms. Knight related the story told in the letter saying the woman was going to the bank and to Buckinghams's at about 1:30 p.m. and couldn't find a parking space. She spotted an empty reserved space and thinking the person had left for the day, pulled in. When she and her husband returned to the parking lot, they found a car parked behind them, blocking them from leaving.

The woman went to town hall and they looked up the name of the owner of the car and said she was in a meeting and couldn't move the car at that time. The woman and husband went into Taby's to have a cup of coffee while they waited. An hour later the car was still there, so they called the 2nd Precinct and talked to Officer Rebino who said he would call town hall himself, and if the car was not moved in 10 minutes, to call him back.

Ms. Knight said, "In about 10 minutes the couple returned to the car and waited for the woman to come down. When she did, she scolded them about using her parking space, saying they shouldn't be there. Now the woman who was blocked said she is not going to shop in Oyster Bay anymore until the parking problems are solved. She said it was a very frustrating day and the problems were unnecessary."

This newspaper called town hall about the issue, since forcing someone to remain in a parking space could have serious repercussions. A town spokesperson looked into the issue and reported that, "What she [the town employee] did was wrong and knows it and won't do that again. The reserved parking spaces are there and it is not fair if they are taken, but they should not be blocked [from leaving] by anyone when taken."

If you would like to reach the OBCA you can call their hotline at 922-5068. That number accepts faxes.