TRUSTEES UPDATE JANUARY 2015  

We hope that all our residents of the Estates had a wonderful Holiday season and wish you a Happy New Year.  

There are a few items that we would like our residents to be aware of that are upcoming in the next few weeks at the Board of Trustee level.  

2015 Budget Meetings  

We are commencing budget discussions for the fiscal year beginning May 1, 2015.  The schedule is as follows:  

            Saturday, February 7th - 8:30 a.m. -- Budget Overview  

            Thursday, February 12th - 7:30 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. -- Budget Study - Work Session 1  

            Thursday, February 26th - 7:30 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. --  Budget Study - Work Session 2  

            Thursday, March 12th - 7:30 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. --  Budget Study - Work Session 3 (if necessary)  

            Monday, April 6th - 8:00 p.m. -- Adoption of Budget  

These sessions are currently scheduled to be held in the Board Room at Village Hall, 351 Stewart Avenue, Garden City, New York.  All residents are welcome and encouraged to attend.  

Senior Center Renovation Plans  

Following the Village’s initial budget discussions to be held on the morning of Saturday, February, 7, 2015 at Village Hall, the Board of Trustees expects to include a public work session and discussion of the plans to redevelop the Senior Center on Golf Club Lane.   

The Village’s architect and engineers for the project will be taking part in the discussion and walking through the current draft plans.  The original plans called for renovation of the existing facility with a new add on addition.  The initial bids for this original plan were higher than expected and were rejected by the Village last fall.  

The Village was able to obtain a donation of a building from the firm of Engell Burman Group which has developed the condominiums at the former Doubleday site on Franklin Avenue. The building, approximating 3,800 square feet and appraised at approximately $1.7 million, will allow for a larger senior center than originally proposed to a total space of approximately 6,200 square feet.  The one story structure donated to the Village was originally used to show model of apartments and as a sales senior.  The building has been moved to the site on golf Club Lane and its sits on a new foundation. Engell Burman also graciously donated the sum of $175,000 to help with the relocation of the building.  

The Village’s architects and engineers and Recreation Department have been working with the Board of Trustees Senior Committee and a group of seniors to revamp the original plans and meld the existing building together with the old building.  Trustees Daughney and DeMaro serve on the Senior Center Committee.  

The discussion is expected to occur after the formal portion of the budget discussions.  The budget meeting commences at 8:30 am and is expected to finish by 10:30 am, which will then be followed by the Senior Center discussion.

Hearings on Proposed New Laws  

Social Host Law  

At its meeting on February 5, 2015, the Board of Trustee will be discussing, but not presenting for adoption, a local law designed to allow our Village to enact its own social host law to include anyone over the age of 16. Currently, we enforce the county social host law which only targets individuals over the age of 18.  Our police department have advised us that most of the parties that its responds to involve a resident under 18. Adopting our own law to include persons over the age of 16 would greatly enhance our ability to effectively enforce and/or deter these alcohol related parties.  Adopting our own law would allow tickets to be sent to our Village court, where the fines, punishment, and consequences  could actually be steeper, than are currently imposed by Nassau County courts.  

Law to Prohibit Storage of Vehicles in Residential Yards  

At its meeting on February 5, 2015, the Board of Trustee will be considering adopting a local law to restrict the ability of residents to store vehicles on their property.   The Board has received numerous complaints through the years of residents placing vehicles on grass areas and other places, including vehicles that cannot be driven.

The law will state:  

            Motor vehicles can only be parked or stored in garages and driveways;
            No motor vehicles shall be parked or stored on lawns, grass-covered areas or bare soil areas  

 Law to Ban Bamboo  

At its meeting on February 5, 2015, the Board of Trustee will be considering adopting a local law to ban the planting of bamboo in residential yards.