Letters To The Editor

A Solution To Fence Issue

To the Editor:

At the September 14 Board of Trustees Meeting, I listened with interest to the long debate on the above-referenced fence. I sincerely believe that this matter need never have escalated into a polarized issue that assumes greater importance than some of the County's proposals that could truly change the complexion of Garden City.

However, since the issue of safety has been raised, it cannot be ignored. Although there appears not to have been a catastrophic motor vehicle accident at the site, should one occur in the future, it will raise a serious question of liability for the Village. The safety of all persons, adults and children alike, while on the St. Paul's field near Stewart Avenue, should be a matter of concern. Likewise, preserving the aura of open green space is equally important to many residents.

The fence discussion has been going on ad nauseum for several years. In that there seems to be no movement to seek a compromise, I make the following suggestion which, I believe, addresses both the issue of safety and aesthetics: Use low shrubbery to conceal a steel guardrail on both sides.

Perhaps this simple arrangement, which does not require the retention of a design consultant, would have the same effect as a snow fence in winter, solve the issue of safety, and preserve the vista since guardrails on highways are designed for safety and clearly do not block the passing view. We do not need to "start over" and/or design another park, as was suggested.

Albeit, I have no idea of the dollar cost to purchase and install such an arrangement, or to maintain what would be a very long row of shrubbery. I do know, however, that the cost of spending more time on acrimonious debate is potentially far more expensive. As a resident of the East, and having 30 years of experience with civic matters in this Village, I think it is far more important to find a sensible compromise regarding the fence, make a decision, and move on to other issues.

Spending more time on whether or not the St. Paul's fields will look like Holy Rood Cemetery pales in comparison to the danger of such things as the third track on the Long Island Railroad main line, or Mr. Suozzi's plans for the HUB and his proposed light rail system. Should the LIRR plan or Mr. Suozzi's visions of grandeur come to fruition, they will forever alter this Village by physically destroying neighborhoods.

It's time that all residents, no matter where they reside in Garden City, are made aware of, and become energized about, these far more serious issues facing the Trustees who are working to stop the wave of external threats that will negatively affect our Village. It's time that we all focus on these things too.

Dorothy M. Episcopia

Past President, EPOA and Former Chairperson of the Mayor's Committee to Monitor Development to the East of Garden City

Parking Field Woes

To the Editor:

As many Garden City citizens may know, the Seventh Street Parking Lot Site Improvement and Re Paving Project, originally scheduled for completion in August, has not gone well. As reported in last week's Garden City News, delays and mistakes by the paving contractor have led to large sections of the 7 S parking lot being closed off to vehicular traffic during peak shopping hours of the day.

This has, in turn, resulted in a disastrous business environment for the merchants and businesses on Seventh Street and parts of Franklin Avenue, with some reporting seventy and eighty percent drop offs in their weekly sales volume.

Over the years many of our store owners have grown to be a daily part of our community. Most are very gracious when asked by many of the one hundred volunteer organizations in town to help with their raffles and fund raisers.

So, on behalf of the Garden City Chamber of Commerce and all of our members affected by this serious loss of business, I am requesting that the residents make a special effort over the next several weeks to SHOP IN GARDEN CITY FIRST! While we always hope that people will do their shopping in Garden City, it would be especially helpful when you go to dinner, try a Seventh Street restaurant, or if you need groceries shop at our fine super markets or other top rate food stores. If you need a gift, try the shops on Seventh Street. Please try to help our merchants out. I know that they will appreciate it!

Roger Eltringham

President, Garden City Chamber of Commeerce

Shame On Board

To the Editor,

Once again, Mayor Gerard Lundquist and the Board of Trustees missed an opportunity, at the recent public hearing on the Village's "Restore NY" application, to listen to residents who wanted to speak about St. Paul's, share their feelings about the fundamental need for rehabilitative work on the historic structure, and perhaps even commend the Board for considering the taxpayers' pocketbook. Our trustees passed up an opportunity, too, to gain valuable information, free of charge, from the Committee to Save St. Paul's consultant, Murray Gould, who is highly regarded by our State Parks and Preservation Departments and an expert in preservation and adaptive reuse of properties from North Carolina to Oswego, New York.

As far as we can tell, the "required" legal notice, buried in the back pages of this newspaper, did not state that the Board of Trustees would solely accept "negative" comments for inclusion of the St. Paul's building in the grant application. At the opening of the hearing, Mayor Lundquist chose to note that grant funding would go to depressed areas, brownfields recovery, Empire Zones and those communities affected by the June 2006 floods. But, did he mention that Empire State Development Corporation's criteria said that these areas would receive "special consideration"? Did he mention that the application specifically asks if the building for which funds are being sought has federal or state historic designation (St. Paul's is on the National and State Register of Historic Places)? Did he mention that this information has been communicated to the State Historic Preservation Office (The Office is aware of the designations)?

In the few moments the Committee's consultant, Mr. Gould, had the microphone at the beginning of the session (the only speaker of the night), he was able to emphasize that public-private sector financing is common on redevelopment projects. He commended the Village for taking the initiative, and told the trustees that the "Restore NY" application is one of many the Village could consider.

Peter Negri, a former Trustee and current President of the Committee to Save St. Paul's, asked Mayor Lundquist to allow Mr. Gould, who had traveled from Oswego to attend the hearing, to provide more information on the grant application process and implications. But the Mayor brusquely refused. Mr. Negri further asked the Board to hear from the residents assembled. Again, the request was refused. After ascertaining that the 25 or 30 people in the audience had "no negative comments," our trustees chose to curtly adjourn the hearing without a word from residents who had taken the time out of their evening to attend.

While it was gratifying, in our view, to see that there were no negative comments to the grant application, the Board of Trustees set themselves up for an uncomfortable and counterproductive meeting with the public. Are they simply going through the motions? To our trustees, the Committee says, shame on you.

There is a title given to those who seek government office and it is public servant. At this public hearing, the public was not served. The Mayor has said in the past that the Board wishes to get residents' opinions on St. Paul's. Here was an opportunity-missed! We ask: can residents only speak on the days and designated times when our trustees choose to hear us? We continue to question, too, if our trustees can be trusted to treat all of the St. Paul's RFP responses even-handedly, even those that may be thinking "out of the box" and presenting unique solutions to the St. Paul's impasse-solutions that encompass grant funding, such as "Restore NY," tax credits, and other innovative ways to reduce costs for taxpayers, and yet, bring significant benefits that can be enjoyed by residents for generations to come.

Committee to Save St. Paul's

Executive Committee

(Submitted by Maureen Traxler

Administrative and Communications Director)