By Joseph D’Andrea
Old Westbury Police Chief Stuart Cameron told the Board of Trustees Monday night that two juveniles were arrested on charges of stealing a vehicle after the village’s license plate reader detected them when entering the village.
On Thursday, Sept. 7, at approximately 7 p.m., the department was alerted to a stolen vehicle entering the village, according to police. After a coordinated search, the vehicle was located at Westbury High School and occupied by two juveniles, he said.
The juveniles were taken into custody and charged with grand larceny and criminal possession of stolen property, according to police.
Cameron also presented the August police activity report to the board.
“Since we last met, we did two commercial vehicle enforcement checkpoints with the New York State Department of Transportation,” Cameron said. “We spent $55,900 last month in overtime [since July’s board meeting] — it was a busy month with arrests and other activity, but we’re doing much better this month.”
Cameron noted recently increased truck enforcement in the village as well as citing issues including vehicles that had stripped tires and were overweight, which caused wear to the roads, as the reasons behind the improved safety measures.
Daniel Alves, the village’s superintendent of public works, delivered to the board his August report for the Department of Public Works and Water Department.
“Crews are working to restore paving and curbing and installation of privacy trees around our new generator,” Alves said. “All of this work is being done in-house and completely funded by the village. For the Water Department, we are currently up to date with the Health Department’s submittals. Lead and copper inventory is almost complete and ready to comply with the new Health Department requirements.”
Alves also explained that backflow testing was due Sept. 1, “but we are extending a grace period until the end of the month to perform this test. This backflow test is crucial in ensuring our water supply is completely protected at each home and for the village infrastructure.”
The board approved the application of Dr. Shahrokh Abiri & Hastings Realty Group, LLC to change the zoning of the existing 19.9-acre property from a B4 zone to a BB zone, subject to the Nassau County Planning Board’s approval.
Also authorized were two budget transfers. One was in the amount of $8,965.34 for a new Public Works/Water Department vehicle, to update a truck with 124,000 miles on it, and the other involved Lexipol software being purchased for the village’s Police Department, which the chief mentioned he had used when working for the Suffolk County Police Department. The outlay for the software is $30,000.
The Board of Trustees’ next meeting will take place on Monday, Oct. 16, at 7 p.m. at 1 Store Hill Road in Old Westbury.
