(Editor's Note: The following letter was sent to North Hempstead Town Supervisor Jon Kaiman and the Town Board regarding the Oct. 2 scheduled vote on Flow Control. The vote, however, was rescheduled for Oct. 21.)

As you are aware the North Hempstead Republican Committee has opposed the imposition of flow control on the villages and garbage districts in our town. Tonight you will vote on the proposal. I urge you to defeat this measure.

Flow control is a mechanism for municipalities that operate garbage disposal systems to ensure that there will be an adequate flow of garbage to either a burn facility or landfill and to allow it to run such a facility without interruption and with adequate funding. North Hempstead does not operate any such facility. Indeed, it merely uses its transfer station as a drop off point to ship garbage brought to it to other places for disposal, either by burning or as landfill.

Under these circumstances, imposition of flow control merely allows the town to broker the sale of garbage from the villages and garbage districts for a profit. In other words it is being used as a way to raise money for the Town, rather than to allow it to operate a garbage disposal system. That is not a proper purpose.

Furthermore, at the last hearing, the supervisor indicated that the town was contemplating contracts with the operators of burn facilities in the surrounding areas. This could result in every garbage truck in North Hempstead traveling throughout the town to places and points that are yet to be defined. This is not acceptable.

This process takes place in the context of the town's stated purpose of eliminating the existing special garbage districts. Such a move would make the town responsible for the pick up and disposal of garbage. Thus flow control coupled with this takeover result in the town becoming a broker for the sale of all garbage, without the checks and balances of local community based control. This is bad government.

I urge a no vote.

Francis X. Moroney, Chair

North Hempstead Republican Committee