From The Mayor's Office

COMPLIMENTS TO DEPARTMENT OF

PUBLIC WORKS PERSONNEL

There are many things that set the Village of Garden City apart from our neighboring municipalities. One of these is the extraordinary level of services that is provided by the Incorporated Village to our residents. Such was the case last Labor Day weekend when heavy rains and high winds felled trees and limbs blocking streets and sidewalks. I want to thank our Public Works employees for leaving their families and planned family activities to respond to emergency conditions within the Village and for affecting such a rapid and efficient removal process which assured the safety of our residents and opened roads for emergency equipment and vehicular traffic.

PARKING FIELD 7S - CONSTRUCTION UPDATE

In spite of the poor weather conditions, slow progress continues within Village Parking Field 7S. The replacement of drainage structures, adjustment of castings and installation of tree planters is complete. The installation of light pole bases and conduit will follow before milling, base repair, paving and striping. I hope to be able to provide more specific information in my next column that will apprise everyone as to the dates that portions of the field will be closed.

GARDEN CITY BREEDER'S CUP RACE

AT BELMONT THIS SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 9

The gates open this Saturday, September 9, 2006 at 11:30 a.m. for the Garden City Breeder's Cup Race which will be held at Belmont Park. Some of the festivities that will be included in the day are the celebration of the 100th Year Anniversary of the Garden City Estates Property Owners' Association, come meet at the Secretariat Statue in the Paddock, greet Garden City resident owners, trainers, jockeys and Sam the Bugler. The hat contest begins at 12:30 in the festival tent, show off your most stylish or unique chapeau, 1:00 p.m. is post time and at 2:45 p.m. the National Anthem will be sung by Justin Bergson, a fifth grade student from Stratford Avenue School. Please bring your family and join your friends and neighbors for a day of fun filled festivities.

MOSQUITOES - WEST NILE VIRUS

With just a few weeks before the end of the summer, it is still important to keep up your guard against mosquitoes and the viruses they carry. According to the Nassau County Board of Health, five additional mosquito pools have tested positive for West Nile Virus (WNV) in Nassau County. Twelve mosquito pools and two birds have tested positive for WNV and one horse has tested positive for Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE). Although no humans have tested positive for WNV in Nassau County, residents should still take precautions to avoid mosquito bites. Although the disease is rare in humans, when someone does get infected, EEE is a life-threatening illness.

The Nassau County Departments of Health and Public Works are conducting mosquito control efforts by inspecting breeding sites and when necessary, applying larvicide. Mosquito surveillance will continue at 42 trap sites located throughout the County and will be increased in those areas where virus activity has been reported.

The risk of serious illness from mosquito-borne disease is real. Although many mosquitoes are

most active at dawn and dusk and when the air is calm, others will feed any time of day. Outdoor workers should protect themselves by using a repellent containing DEET and wear a hat, socks and loose fitting long pants and long sleeves to limit the amount of exposed skin.

To reduce the number of mosquitoes around your property, eliminate standing water in the yard, make sure all widows and doors have screens and that all screens are in good repair. In addition:

- Avoid areas with high mosquito populations.

- Replace outdoor lights with yellow "bug" lights.

- Turn over plastic wading pools and wheelbarrows when not in use.

- Change the water in bird baths twice a week.

IN PREPARATION FOR HURRICANE SEASON

I was recently reviewing a publication that was published by the Western Long Island Coastal Alliance, Ltd. on the subject of hurricane activity. It was interesting to note that the years from 1995 to present have been the most active on record for both the number and intensity of hurricanes, the implications are that we can expect more hurricanes which will have a greater impact on Long Island in the foreseeable future.

While the Incorporated Village of Garden City subscribes to an emergency weather service and carefully monitors regional storm activity, in preparation for implementing its storm emergency plan, there is a lot that residents can and should do to make preparations for the upcoming hurricane season. In this and succeeding columns I will share information so that you can be prepared in the event that a major storm hits Long Island.

The following are just a few important ways we can all prepare for a hurricane:

+ Make a physical inspection of your property prior to the hurricane season.

+ Keep trees and shrubs trimmed. Remove any damaged or dead limbs or any branches that could contact your home. Do not trim trees once a hurricane Watch or Warning is announced.

+ Clear loose and clogged rain gutters and down spouts.

+ Fix and secure any loose vinyl/aluminum siding and roofing materials as well as and loose or damaged facing.

+ Know where the water, gas and electric turn off switches and valves are in your home.

+ Learn safe inland routes and the locations of inland shelters (in Nassau County, these include the Nassau Coliseum and Nassau Community College).

+ Review the working conditions of emergency equipment such as flashlights, battery powered radios and make sure there are enough non-perishable food and water are on hand.

+ Prepare an inventory of important household items that may need to be replaced if your home is damaged by a storm. Photographs or videos of your home and its contents may prove useful. Review your insurance policies with your insurance agent.

+ Obtain and store any necessary materials (such as plywood) to property secure your home.

+ Choose a friend or family member out-of-state for everyone to call if any family members become separated.

S.T.O.P. PROGRAM

The Town of Hempstead Sanitation Department will conduct its monthly S.T.O.P. (Stop Throwing Out Pollutants) program on Saturday, September 9, 2006 the program, which is being held at various locations throughout the Town of Hempstead, will make hazardous waste facilities accessible to as many residents as possible.

This Sunday's program will be held at the Newbridge Road Park, 2600 Newbridge Road in South Bellmore. The hours of operation will be 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Under the S.T.O.P. program, residents are able to take polluting materials to the facility and have them disposed of by a registered professional disposal company, free of charge. The facility will not accept the following materials: Ammunition, Explosives, Fireworks, Infectious or Medical Waste, Propane or Oxygen Tanks, Radioactive Materials, Unlabeled Materials and Fire Extinguishers.