The clerk-treasurer of the Village of Westbury addressed the most recent meeting of the Central Westbury Civic Association (CWCA), and told community activists about the administration's efforts this year to improve the local area.

Speaking to a group of more than 50 civic group members during the Nov. 28 meeting at the Westbury Community Center, Village Clerk-Treasurer Thomas Savino described several projects.

The revitalization of the downtown business district has remained a major focus, he noted, as the village mayor and board of trustees continue to work with the Business Improvement District (BID). Through collaborative efforts with the BID and Nassau County, several storefronts on Post Avenue have been completely refurbished. Work on another storefront is set to begin after the holidays. The beautification program has continued, for example, with plantings throughout the community.

"The board believes that this revitalization is vital and crucial," Savino said, noting that the quality of the business district is directly linked to the quality of life of local residents.

The installation of decorative community welcome signs throughout the village have been a major part of efforts to beautify the area, he described. "The mayor and the board also approved the installation of several new decorative welcome signs throughout the village, which not only help to beautify, but also enhance the spirit of the community," Savino noted. The signs were installed on flower beds or island platforms at various entrance points of the village. Two of the signs were installed in the traffic island at the northeast end of the Union Avenue corridor, at the intersection of Rutland and Powells.

The village clerk-treasurer also announced plans by Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) to conduct a $2-2.5 million renovation of the Westbury Train Station. "LIRR has answered the call of the mayor and board and started to reconstruct the station," Savino said, noting that the initiative will produce "one of the nicest and safest railroad stations on the Island."

In the area of parks and recreation, the village acquired a grant from New York State Senator Michael Balboni and set up two new playgrounds, on modern safety surfaces, in Powells Lane Park. Officials also added new equipment at the Westbury Community Center, including a new scoreboard donated by Cablevision for local Little League teams.

Along the Union Avenue corridor, the village has pursued joint efforts with the Town of North Hempstead to enhance the area, Savino noted. For example, the village hopes to join in an affordable homes purchase program initiated by the town. To further that aim, the village has secured the necessary federal funding through Nassau County Community Development, and is close to finalizing the acquisition of some vacant property on Union Avenue. Officials hope to have a home built there and sold at an affordable price to a qualified first-time home-buyer from the Village of Westbury. Village officials will know within a few months whether the municipality can participate in this program.

Another project in the corridor involves the police booth. After building the police booth in the corridor, noted Savino, the village has encouraged its regular use by officers from the 3rd Precinct and local auxiliary police departments. "And, since our staff keeps the booth in better condition than most in the county, that level of use should continue to rise in the future," he said. "Besides moving the headquarters for the village's auxiliary police department into this booth, we have also opened its use to the New Cassel auxiliary police. In exchange for allowing use of this facility, the New Cassel squad has expanded their area of patrol to cover portions of our village as well."

The village has also been trying to encourage business owners along the corridor to use available county community development funds to refurbish their storefronts. Grants of between $7,000 and $10,000 per business are available, and therefore Manny Sweat, president of the CWCA who is also the village's community development coordinator, has been meeting with the business owners to try to persuade them to participate. "Hopefully, over the next few weeks, we'll be able to meet with some interested owners and county architects, and gain a commitment to have some of these storefronts refurbished," stated Savino.

Traffic and safety enhancements have also been a major push. For example, on the west end of Union, at the crosswalk in front of the municipal parking field, the village has replaced the lighting in the parking field and the street lights that illuminate the crosswalk. The board also encouraged the county to brighten the crosswalk striping and add overhanging blinking lights to warn oncoming traffic of the crosswalk. In addition, the village extended the parking lane cut-out, fronting the LIRR station, to discourage double parking and cars from blocking the crosswalk, Savino noted.

On the area of Union stretching from Sullivan to where the Wantagh Parkway meets Brush Hollow Road, the village has also painted 30 mile-per-hour speed limit warnings on the road. Officials took the same approach by painting the word "stop" at the stop signs by local schools, at the urging of CWCA's executive board, Savino noted.

The village also beefed up code enforcement staff this year, according to the clerk-treasurer. "In addition to writing commercial parking tickets and other violations, these officers add the element of observation and patrol for unusual property concerns, or to contact the police if they see suspicious activity," he noted. In addition, the village has worked to ensure that landscapers take away all their collected leaves. "Thus far, the message has clearly gotten out and many landscapers are in compliance," stated Savino. "Others, those who have not cooperated, have been issued summonses and may be deterred in the future."

The clerk-treasurer concluded, "In the village, we do all we can - within the boundaries of village law and what our resources will permit - to help the community reach its goals. However, it's important to remember that the village is merely an arm of your community, and can only take the community as far as its members are willing to go. Without an effort from each member, doing their part, the united team will not reach its goal, and the village cannot reach it for them."

Following the address by Savino during the meeting, Dan Whalen, superintendent of buildings, spoke about the village's work to deter illegal housing, through ongoing inspections, summonses and litigation. Following the presentations, both officials responded to civic association members' questions and concerns.