Trustee Lynn Pombonyo

It’s been a very special week celebrating the 100th Birthday of our award-winning Floral Park Library and the installation of our 2023-24 Chiefs and Officers in the Floral Park Fire Department. It was an honor to join both of these great Village Departments on these momentous occasions.

Police Department

Our Floral Park Police Department will tell you that this is one of the busiest times of the year for them with many important Village events taking place.

At about 2:30am Tuesday, three Jericho Turnpike businesses were burglarized: Wendy’s and two nearby salons. Windows were broken in all three places. A relatively small amount of money, all in coins, was stolen from one of the businesses. There appear to be two perpetrators. Our FPPD detectives, along with those from the Nassau County Police Department, are investigating.

On Saturday, April 22nd, our Village participated in the DEA National Drug TakeBack Day, sponsored by our Police Department at their headquarters. Throughout the day, residents dropped off their unused medications, reducing the dangers in their homes and adding to the four large boxes of medications/drugs, collected by the end of the day. Thanks to the Floral Park Lions Club and Village Board members who assisted. Collection boxes are always available inside police headquarters, so you may drop off your unused medications at any time. The next DEA National Drug TakeBack Day is scheduled in October.

Our FPPD Motor Carrier Enforcement has been active. This is the unit in the Department in which our police officers, who have been trained and certified as NYS Vehicle Inspectors, monitor the trucks that pass through our Village. Certified Vehicle Inspector Sgt. Brian Naughton and our officers recently conducted eleven truck inspections on Plainfield Avenue. They issued a total of fifty-one moving and equipment violations. Four trucks and two drivers were taken out of service, with two of the trucks towed away. Many of the businesses that own these trucks will follow up with appearances in our Village Court.

Three of our recently hired police officers, who replaced retiring or promoted officers, are completing six months of comprehensive training at the Nassau County Police Academy. The important final phase of this training focuses on supervised field training within the Village. Our new officers are paired with and shadow our current, experienced officers, who are trained as NYS Certified Field Training Officers or FTOs. This hands-on training consists of patrol duties in the field as well as operations and administrative instruction. Shortly after the required 160 hours of supervised field training, our new police officers will graduate from the Police Academy in June. Please congratulate our new officers and welcome them to FPPD!

Chambers of Commerce and Our Businesses

Blank Slate Media, through its New Hyde Park Herald Courier and other newspapers, is continuing its exciting 2023 BEST OF NASSAU COUNTY Contest. Among this year’s nominees are our award-winning Centennial Gardens and Bird Sanctuary, nominated for BEST PUBLIC GARDEN and BEST PARK; our award-winning Floral Park Library for BEST PUBLIC LIBRARY; and our Floral Park Pool for BEST POOL/WATERPARK.

Our Floral Park businesses also made an impressive showing amongst the hundreds of other BEST OF NASSAU COUNTY nominees.

For the popular Food/Restaurants, Floral Park and Stewart Manor have at least one nominee in the following sampling of categories: BEST AMERICAN RESTAURANT (with five Floral Park nominees); BEST BAGEL SHOP; BEST BAKERY (two local nominees); BEST BREAKFASTS; BEST CANDY STORE; BEST DINER; BEST FAMILY RESTAURANT (two nominees from Floral Park); BEST ITALIAN RESTAURANT (two nominees from here); BEST PIZZA (two local nominees); BEST RIBS; BEST SEAFOOD RESTAURANT; BEST STEAKHOUSE; and many of our popular eateries nominated in other categories.

Some of the non-food categories with local nominees include: BEST CHAMBER OF COMMERCE; BEST DANCE STUDIO (two nominees from here); BEST DOG GROOMING; BEST PAINT STORE; BEST HOME ORGANIZER; and many more!

It’s time to keep voting, now until May 26th! Go to: theisland360.com/contest2023; check out all our impressive nominees; and vote, vote and vote again for your BEST OF NASSAU COUNTY favorites in Floral Park and Stewart Manor!

Conservation Society (FPCS)

Visit our award-winning Centennial Gardens to see our spectacular flowers and trees bursting with vibrant color! We’re open daily, noon to 5pm.

And save the date for our annual FPCS Garden Party, this year, on Friday evening, June 23rd. Come and enjoy your friends, nature and sunset at our BEST OF NASSAU COUNTY Centennial Gardens and Bird Sanctuary!

Trustee Frank Chiara

Floral Park Library

On Friday, April 28, the Library held a 100-year anniversary cocktail party celebration. The event was attended by many individuals who had an impact on the Library’s history.   Library Director, Pat Eren, would like to thank all who attended for sharing in this kickoff anniversary event. She thanked and recognized the supporters of the Library for all that they have contributed to the Library’s history.  It was a fun and enjoyable night. Stay tuned and keep an eye out for some other 100-year celebration events that will take place throughout this season.  The Library’s website will be posting details on these events.

Here are a few upcoming events:

On Friday May 5, the Library will be holding a shredding event.  ASHRED Away, Inc. will be curbside at the library to shred up to 5 boxes of papers that residents would like to dispose of.  This event will be from 10am to 12pm. No registration is required.

On Thursday May 18, the Library will be hosting a walking tour of Centennial Gardens. Registration is required.  The tour will start at 4pm and attendees are asked to meet at the Floral Parkway entrance to the gardens. For information on the many upcoming events in the month of May, go to the Library’s website at www.floralparklibrary.org. Please don’t forget to vote for our Library to recognize them as the best in Nassau County.  Blank Slate Media holds this annual contest and our Library is up for this recognition for the third year in a row. To vote go to the Library’s website, register and vote daily up until May 26.

Floral Park Fire Department

Also on Friday, April 28, the Fire Department held its annual installation dinner. Chief Jep Dodson gave his farewell remarks to a packed house.  He was given a heartfelt THANKS for all that he has done for the department during his tenure as Chief of the Department and for his many years of service in the Fire Department.

Newly appointed Chief of Department Brian Hamerman, along with 1st Asst. Chief Salvatore Arrigo, 2nd Asst. Chief Gil Luger, 3rd Asst. Chief Eric O’Connor and 4th Asst. Chief William Laura were installed into their positions. Also sworn in were all the Officers from the Engine, Hook and Ladder and Rescue companies. Service Awards were issued to members with a remarkable 50 years of service to Ex Captain Richard Kosinski, 40 years Ex Chief Charles Rassiga and 25 years Ex Captain Larry Goerke and Ex Chief Brian Naughton.  Ex Captain Donald “IRISH” Gorman was posthumously honored.

This night was filled with THANKS and GRADITUDE for all that these Volunteers do for our community. It was a well-deserved, relaxing, enjoyable evening. Thank You once again to Chief Dodson for his service as the Chief of the Department. I would like to wish our new Chief’s staff, the Officers of the companies and all the members of the Department all the best and a safe year ahead.  THANK YOU all for your volunteer service!

On Sunday, May 7, there will be an installation breakfast for our Explorers.  These are teens who have shown an interest in the fire service and have been attending training with some of our Fire staff.  We are hopeful that this program will lead them to consider becoming members of our Volunteer Fire Department. Also on Sunday, May 7, members of our Department will be attending the annual Nassau County Memorial event which honors all members of the fire service from Nassau County that were lost in 2022. This year, the Memorial will be held in Port Washington where Ex Captain Donald “Irish” Gorman from our Department will be remembered.

May all that we have lost  rest in peace with the Thanks and Gratitude for the service that they provide to our communities.

Trustee Jennifer Stewart

Congratulations to the newly installed Chief of the Fire Department, Brian Hamerman and his staff. We are all truly grateful to you and your families for the sacrifices we know you will all make to keep us all safe in the coming months.

At the last meeting of the North End Civic Association, the guest speaker was Town of North Hempstead Supervisor Jennifer DeSena. Some of you may not be aware, the section of Floral Park north of Jericho Turnpike is located in the Town of North Hempstead. We thank Ms. DeSena for her visit and for providing residents with important information about happenings in North Hempstead Town, including Project Independence which assists aging residents to remain in their homes. Please visit northhempsteadny.gov and look for senior services for more information.

Congratulations to the FP Little League on their wonderful parade and opening day festivities on Saturday 4/22. Much fun was had by all.

Department of Public Works (DPW)

This week in the Highway Department, a stop sign was installed at the Caroline and Carnation intersection, which was a recommendation from the traffic study done along Tulip and Carnation Avenues, crews removed meter posts from spur to prep for multi space meters, pot holes were filled Northside, DPW happily put all plows and salt spreaders in summer storage, and road repair work was completed on Pansy. In the Parks Department, all parks had lawns cut and maintained and mulch was put down at the Library where beautiful plantings were completed. Trees have been trimmed and new trees maintained by the Tree Department. The Sanitation Department collected 65 tons of household waste, 18 tons of recycling, and 23 tons of bulk rubbish.

Muni-meters are coming to the Spooner lot and the Creedmoor spur, meters will take credit cards as well as coins, the app will allow residents who use credit cards to replenish their time from whatever business they happen to be patronizing.

Road reconstruction projects are expected to begin in early July on Clayton and Hinsdale Avenues. As we prepare for these reconstruction projects, trees are being examined for possible removal. The Village takes the removal of trees very seriously, we employ the assistance of a certified Arborist and only remove trees when absolutely necessary. Unfortunately for some street reconstruction projects, more trees will have to come down than we would like. This is done for the safety of the residents, as well as the success of the project. Additionally, once these projects are complete, new road-friendly trees are planted.

Four Village Studio (4VS)

4VS volunteer staff members led by Operations Manager Jim Green recently solidified its mission statement: “Four Village Studio is a student-driven ‘Government Access’ television studio dedicated to creating and maintaining a real-world educational environment for local students interested in media-related careers.”  Tune into 4VS for the “A Great Grandmother’s Day” community spotlight and “4VS Flashback 25!” specials.

MTA/LIRR

In response to two residents who reached out to the Village regarding their difficulties in getting answers from the MTA regarding their claims of damage to their homes during the 3rd Track construction, the Village has reached out to 3TC to assist them in getting answers regarding their claims. The Village does not take a stand regarding damage or the extent of such damage, that is between the resident and the contractor, we are only trying to facilitate communication for residents.

The 3TC contractor held their final monthly Mayors’ meeting on April 20th. This is another signal that the 3TC work is finished and the 3rd Track will be fully turned over to the LIRR. We continue to advocate for safety at the Tunnel Street gate, as well as to push the MTA/LIRR to honor the MOU.

Trustee Michael Longobardi

Building Department

The demolition has started on the remainder of the Covert Avenue Fire property.  This is expected to take several weeks and construction of the new building is expected to start in late spring.  The fire property at 266 Jericho Turnpike is being reviewed and evaluated to determine the extent of the damage. Once all agencies involved have completed their investigations, it will be evaluated for reconstruction options. It is important that we understand there is a lot involved here and this process will take some time.

The new lighting at the Recreation Center has been installed and is going through the alignment process at this time to balance the lighting and remove any dark areas on the fields.  The landscaping has been completed at the Library entrance.  All is now complete at the new entrance except the new door which we are waiting for a delivery date.  Thank you to our DPW Department for the beautiful landscaping job. The work with the Village-wide Energy Performance project is ongoing.

Pool and Recreation

On April 22nd, I, along with my fellow board members, had the honor of marching in the FP Little League parade and attend the opening ceremony at the park to kick off the 2023 season.  The FP Little League is such an amazing part of our Village and leads to many great memories for the kids and parents.  Thank you to President Doug Madden and the entire Little League Board for a great opening day. Have a fun, safe season ahead.

We also took a tour of the upgrades to fields 2 and 7.  They look great.  Thank you to Recreation Superintendent Kurt Meyfohrt and his team for a great job while working around the lighting upgrades and completing the fields in time for opening day.

Pool registration has begun. This year our pool will open the first weekend of June. The Recreation Center is now open full hours from 8am to 10pm.  We are still looking for summer help in both the park and the pool. This is a great opportunity for our local teenagers as well as anyone looking for work. Please contact the park or visit the village website for more information and job applications.  The summer program book is currently available with the list of activities and registration. You can get a copy at the Recreation Center or click the link online on the village website. Come out and join the fun this summer.

Mayor Kevin Fitzgerald

Last Friday night, I attended the Floral Park Library’s 100th Anniversary Celebration.  It was a wonderful evening.  I had the opportunity to speak and I noted that there are not too many institutions that can say they are celebrating 100 years.  It has been a century of Library employees and volunteers, Library Board members, Friends of the Library members, and many former Mayors and Trustees of the Village that preceded all of us that helped create and sustain a full-service Library for its citizenry. The FP Library is a beloved institution endeared and cherished by its patrons and a big part of the fabric of the Floral Park community. Congratulations to Library Director, Patricia Eren and her staff for providing these vital services and for allowing Floral Park to boast that its Library is deservingly the “Best in Nassau” for 2021 and 2022!

It appears that as the state budget is on the cusp of being approved, it will include funds for the New York Racing Association (NYRA) to upgrade the grandstand at Belmont Racetrack. A NYRA press release is imminent. Trustee Chiara and I plan to attend the upcoming Community Advisory Board meeting to see what the project entails.  NYRA has been transparent in it plans in the past and we are hopeful that it will continue.  NYRA is beefing up security at the perimeter of Belmont and is installing a new fence at the dead ends of Calla and Walnut Avenues. There will be more information forthcoming as plans develop and we will be reporting at future West End Civics and Board meetings.

On March 3, a commuter in a wheelchair fell onto the LIRR tracks at the Floral Park station.  Three commuters (two who were identified but wish to remain anonymous) immediately jumped onto the tracks and rescued the person and all were safe.  Within two minutes a train passed on those very same tracks.  This incident is a reminder that everyday heroes (who want no recognition of heroics) live among us – our own residents and neighbors.  It is a stark and tremendous example of the best in humanity and of why Floral Park truly is such a “great place to live”.

Speaking of heroes, on Monday, May 29, the Village will celebrate Memorial Day with its traditional parade ending in the ceremony at Memorial Park, where the Board will be joined by the Floral Park American Legion, FP Fire and Police Departments and many other organizations and guests.  At this year’s ceremony, Floral Park will be designated as a Purple Heart Village and will honor veterans who were recipients of the Purple Heart, a United States military decoration awarded in the name of the President to those wounded or killed while serving, on or after 5 April 1917, with the U.S. military. If you know of any veteran who has received the Purple Heart that you would like to have Floral Park include in the ceremony, please let us know. I invite all residents to join us on this historic occasion.

Thank you to Felix Procacci from Just the Facts Media and Annabel Hofmann from Blank Slate Media for attending this evening.