The Williston Park Village Board held a hearing at its last meeting to expand the duties of the village ticket agents to give them the ability to give appearance tickets to various violators in the village. In describing the expansion of the duties of the ticket agents, village attorney Richard Reers explained they now would be able to issue tickets, and he used landscapers as an example, and others who don't have the proper permits.

Therefore the title of the traffic enforcement officer was changed to "ticket agent" and their duties will be expanded so that they now can issue tickets to include code violations. The hearing was closed and the board voted unanimously on the proposed amendment but only after a resident questioned the amount of the parking fees.

The resident wanted to know why the parking fees have been raised so much and do those fees cover the cost of the agents who give out the tickets?

The same resident wanted to know why the parking spots that are reserved for the physically challenged, which are never used who, at the train station, can't be used for those with a disability pass for a reduced fee.

Village Clerk Walter Moloughney said that the village is mandated by the state to set aside a certain number of spots for those physically challenged.

The resident said that two years ago the parking permit was $20, last year it was $50 and now this year it is $100, so why not reduce that fee back to $20.

Deputy Mayor Ann Marie Smith, sitting in for Mayor Ludwig Odierna, who was on vacation, said that since the hearing was not really about this subject of fines, the board would address that subject when the general meeting is open to the public.

Another resident wanted to know if the expanded duties of the traffic agents also included those who double park on Hillside Avenue. Clerk Moloughney explained that was really considered a "moving violation" since the driver is usually sitting in the car.

A resident of Park Avenue wanted to know why the duties of the code enforcers, now ticket agents, have been expanded. Deputy Mayor Smith said that mainly landscapers are leaving grass cuttings in the garbage during the day and the ticket agents can now give them tickets on the spot. The landscapers are supposed to take the clippings and debris from yards with them. When added to the garbage of the village it costs the village approximately $80 additional per ton and grass clippings just make this fee more.

Further, Smith explained residents or merchants also leave the garbage out on the curb for an entire weekend and this is a violation of the code. "Garbage, " Smith explained, "is not to be left out until 8 p.m. on Sunday night."

Moloughney added, "The bottom line is that any garbage left out either on Hillside Avenue or through the village detracts from your home and adds an unsightly look to the village. Now these ticket agents, who will be out on Saturdays and some Sundays can now ticket those violators."

The regular meeting was then opened and Deputy Mayor Smith started it off by extending condolences to former trustee Christa Mills and her family on the death of her father.

She also announced that trustee William Darmstadt was also not able to attend the meeting.

Smith then went on to read the abstracts, or bills, and the board voted to approve and pay the bills as presented.

Deputy Mayor Smith reported that the village, in conjunction with the Town of North Hempstead, held a cleanup day in the village. She said that the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, along with about 70 to 85 other volunteers were present. She said the village wanted to thank Town Councilman Angelo Ferrara's office who provided bags, shirts and gloves to the volunteers who were doing the various cleanup jobs.

She said the village also wanted to thank Mineola Mayor Jack Martins and Nassau County Legislator Richard Nicolello for cleaning up the sump. She said, 'They cleaned up Memorial Park sump and we were told there was more than 10 feet of sludge."

She also reported that the Neighborhood Watch met at the police precinct and it was well-attended.

She also gave the police report. She said, "There was a robbery at National Jeans and the reason it was a robbery and not shoplifting was because there was pushing and shoving involved and therefore determined to be a robbery. Further, there were nine parking violations in the village with 57 movers and there were 10 auto accidents and one auto injury. There were 141 tickets issued for the month of April."

Smith went on to announce dates to remember: "June 14, the Roger Fay Pool opens. All residents are welcome. July 9, The Nassau Pops will perform at Cross Street School and July 25 will be the Moonlight Cruise to start at 7:30 p.m. from Point Lookout."

Trustee Dunn announced, "Honorable Alan Reardon heard 169 cases for a total of $13,799 in fines with a surcharge of $660. Honorable Kevin Kiley heard 49 cases for a total of $3,554 in fines with a surcharge of $605."

He also presented an application for the Williston Park Fire Department for Daniel Rosenthal and the application was approved by the board.

Dunn added, "The Town of North Hempstead is running an e-waste program which includes proper disposal of cell phones, computers and

DVD players. The program is available every Sunday on West Shore Road, Port Washington. Further, the town also has a STOP Program (Stop Throwing Out Pollutants) to be held on June 7 on West Shore Road, Port Washington."

Trustee Swendsen-Dowd announced that she has been appointed to the Water Board and also to the Long Range Planning Committee. She said, "Since they have not held meetings since I was elected I have nothing to report. Further, I have also been appointed to the Senior Citizen Committee and their big event will be held on June 12 at the Gazebo for a barbecue and concert." Attorney Reers announced that the village board approved the change of the name of the Williston Park Library to the Carl DelVecchio Library. He said that the board is awaiting the approval of the library board to put through the name change.

Jason Tunne, a representative of Divirka & Bartilucci, the engineering firm handling the Village Storm Water Management Program, gave an update on the water management program as required by the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC).

He said, "In 2003 the Storm Water Management Plan was prepared as part of the implementation of federal and state Phase II Storm Water Regulation. The main purpose of this program and these regulations is to manage storm water runoff from village facilities in order to prevent pollution from entering the storm sewer system. As required by general permit the village is required to have six minimum control measures."

He then listed the control measures including public education outreach, articles published in the village green; public involvement in meetings; village participation in the STOP program; the village working with the town to expand the list of recyclables; illicit discharges and the staff is to regularly check for those discharges; construction site storm water runoff control and the village conducts storm water management control; pollution prevention and good housekeeping to make sure that all storm basis are inspected and cleaned annually and the roadways in the village swept and cleaned. He ended his report by saying the village was in compliance with the state's 2003 plan. The next step he reported was to formally forward the report to the DEC by June 1."

Next to give his report was Superintendent of Public Works, Keith Bunnell. He said that the department has completed 17 tree complaints; 36 sidewalk complaints and 6 miscellaneous highway complaints that included road patches. He also reported that the department installed four water meters and repaired nine street lights and he said the landscaping guys planted all the buckets on Hillside and Willis and he said, "We're doing a pretty good job on keeping up with all the grass cutting. At the pool we are under way and the new chlorine system has been installed and it's running okay. At the gazebo, the floor has been repaired after vandals did damage and the same with the hockey rink; the doors have been put back on after kids used them for ramps for skate boarding. Harder Tree Service got rid of 12 large stumps and a couple of small ones. The Well 2 security system is being installed. Further, we have been contacted by the New York State Department of Transportation in reference to the street light on Board Street and Hillside. Apparently, there is a pipe that is where they need to go and we are going to meet with them to determine if it's a water or gas pipe. I believe, however, it is a gas pipe." Building Inspector Kerry Collins was next up. He reported, " There have been six residential building permits issued and three commercial building permits issued; residential plumbing permits -12 and seven commercial plumbing permits; two electricians have taken a yearly permit out to do work in the village; plus permits for carters, dumpsters, two landscaper licenses, two food and drink licenses and oil tank installation or removal, one sign permit, two sidewalk sale permits, three Board of Appeals applications amounting to a total revenue for the village of $21, 850."

A resident wanted to know how the American Legion could make donations to the library. Deputy Mayor Smith told him that trustee Darmstadt, who represents the library, was not present at this meeting, but if called village hall and left a message, he would get back to him.

The same resident said that many years ago a member of the Beautification Committee, Jack Zweibel planted trees between the sidewalk and the curb, which he said he thought was great idea.

He continued, "I went for the tree and unfortunately the roots of the tree now attacking my sewer; and in the past three years I have had to have the sewer lines cleaned twice a year and now, it's getting to the point where I have to have it cleaned every 90 days. My plumber has informed me that the roots have now reached the joint into the main sewer line and he's going to raise my sewer causing me to have a backflow or break-off and causing the deposit into the ground where we have a water tank on Nassau Boulevard and Sherman and it may affect that. So, I would appreciate it if you would remove the tree, since it's the village's tree, I will pay for the removal, I just want to get it done."

It was established that the tree was a London Plane. Superintendent Brunnel said he would discuss the situation with the board.

Another resident wanted to know the status of a bike lane on Park Avenue. Trustee Dunn said that right now it's just a concept. The resident said that it's hard to know what is going on if the community is not informed. It was also pointed out that in the Village Green, the plan was in the "planning process."

A resident asked, "Why do we need bike lanes?" Trustee Dunn answered, "Actually, it's one of the major traffic calming measures used by the state to slow down traffic."

A heated discussion ensued, but it was established by village clerk Moloughney, that he was the one who sent the grant application to the folks who establish trails to do something along the lines of establishing a bike lane on Vanderbilt Parkway, the old Motor Parkway, and he said he asked them if it would be something the village would be interested in.

He said, "What happened was a woman came from Albany and trustee Dunn went to a meeting, so I'll let him tell you what happened."

Dunn said, "Basically we talked about a bike trail from Old Motor Parkway/Vanderbilt Parkway to the pool and it has nothing whatsoever to do with Park Avenue."

It was also established that if a bike lane was instituted on any of the streets, that would be placed outside of where a resident would park in front of their home.

Moloughney said, "The situation is to explore ideas, it doesn't mean you are going to adopt them or embrace them, it just means we are looking at ways to slow down traffic. Now, let me ask you, what would be your suggestion to address the aggressive drivers that go up and down these streets?"

The resident said, "Excellent, I have experience in this. I have been a criminal justice traffic safety instructor and I have 25 years of experience. I will tell you a little bit about tickets on Park Avenue. I will tell you that 85 percent of those you are going to give summons to will be the residents. If you have speed counters on the streets you will have a pretty good idea. One thing you might want to request is to have the police put one of their LPR (License Plate Reader) cars and let them catch places they go and run the plates and you will be able to establish if it is the residents or the out-of-towners."

A resident said, "I have been coming here for two years and it seems be a lot of emphasis on Park Avenue. I don't know who lives there, but evidently somebody is making a big complaint. Very easily, put an unmarked car there with a radar gun. Why go through all this nonsense?"

It was established that such a request has been made to the 3rd Precinct and so far it has not been done.

Attorney Reers said, "How many tickets do you think have been issued by the village for moving violations on a daily basis? Between one and two. We have had countless meetings with the police department for additional resources and we get a few."

Moloughney said, "We have gone to the police a number of times, but if we can go with specific times, when the traffic is the heaviest, then we can go right to the inspector and tell him that we need somebody to be there during those hours. The counters allow us a tool to ask for resources during those hours."

It was established that the counters will be then moved to various other streets. Each time they will remain on the street in question for about 10 days.

The questioning then moved to a resident who wanted to know if the fees being paid to the village attorney Reers included working with the library board for the change of the name of the library.

Reers said, "Yes, I was instructed to draw up legal papers for that name change. "

The resident said, "Why is it necessary for you to do that, when it is inter-village business, couldn't the village clerk take care of that?

Attorney Reers answered, "No, it's a legal matter and legal papers had to be prepared and turned over to the library board."

The same resident inquired about the Water Board and would it be possible to get an ongoing account of what the bills will be.

Clerk Moloughney said the Water Board had to coordinate with East Williston. He then wanted to know if the American Legion and the pool had meters. He was told that the American Legion does and the pool does not, as yet.

The resident said that he is not a pool member and that he does pay water taxes and he thinks there should be a meter at the pool to at least have an idea of how much water is used.

Brunnel said the cost to install such a meter would be prohibitive in the area of ten thousand dollars.

The resident then wanted to know what accounting is in place at the pool to make sure the soda and ice cream monies are not just "slipping away."

Deputy Mayor Smith said that the village is now researching to see if perhaps they could get an outside vendor that would pay the village for the rental and the village would be getting a commission on the concession.

The resident said he just wanted to make sure the pool staff was not getting sodas whenever they liked or that they were not supplying such to their buddies.

In response to an inquiry of what was going on at a home on Canterbury Road, attorney Reers explained that three gentleman are living at the home and they were placed there by the Mental Health Association of Nassau County and he said there have been no incidents at the home except that one of the gentleman had gone missing and was later found.

The neighbor wanted to know if that was a danger to the neighborhood since nobody is there to check on the residents.

Reers said he did send a letter to the homeowners to make sure the home is in compliance with the village code on zoning. He said he did get a response from their attorney and he read it to the board meeting. The letter stated since the residents living in the home have not violated any village laws or codes and there is no probable cause to look into the residence and the lawyer for the residents' attorney said that the residents of the home do not consent to any search of their private property.

The letter also refers to the neighbors as having a "mob mentality." Further, the letter also states that the residents cannot enter their property without being met with curses and harassing actions by certain of the neighbors.

Reers said that he did not agree with the attorney's letter, but he said that is exactly why the village has to be so careful not to violate anyone's rights.

The very, very long meeting finally ended. The next Williston Park Village Board meeting will be held on June 16 at 8 p.m. at Williston Park Village Hall, Willis Avenue.