From The Mayor's Office www.Gardencityny.net

By Peter A. Bee

FOURTH OF JULY

I am pleased to report that this year was a safe one for our Village. The Police Department has reported that it was a very quiet one and there were no incidents reported.

VILLAGE SPOTS AND STOPS WATER CONTAMINATION

Quick action by Garden City's testing laboratory last week identified volatile contaminants in one of the Village's wells and shut the well down within 20 minutes of being notified of the test results.

An investigation showed that a fan belt had failed on one of the blowers, causing the stripping tower to malfunction. Fortunately, the Village tests its water regularly and one of these tests helped the Village to quickly identify and halt the contamination.

The presence of these contaminants (trichloroethene and tetrachloroethene) posed no immediate health threat to residents since the substances are deemed harmful when ingested in large amounts over several years.

The stripping tower has been repaired and the well will soon be back in service providing clean water to our residents. The Village has also notified all residents of the incident in a Village-wide letter that contains more details and provides telephone numbers where residents can gain additional information. We are grateful to Water Superintendent Frank Koch for his and his staff's quick action in spotting and stopping this contamination and repairing the equipment to assure a clean water supply.

HELP THE VILLAGE KEEP OUR CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT CLEAN AND BEAUTIFUL

The Village of Garden City continues to invest a great deal of time and money to keep our central business district attractive and clean to make it appealing to our residents and to encourage people to shop in Garden City. While the shop and business proprietors are required to keep the front and rear of their properties clean and swept, the Village supplements these efforts by having personnel remove paper and debris and to operate a sidewalk sweeper throughout the business district several times each week. The streets and parking fields are swept once a week and the sanitation department collects refuse and garbage within the business district seven days each week.

In consideration of your neighbors, merchants and community, I ask that everyone do their part to keep our business district as attractive as it can be by returning shopping carts to their respective stores, using the street trash containers for refuse and by properly disposing of cigarette butts so that they don't collect in the flower beds and in the gutter.

SHOP IN GARDEN CITY FIRST

Residents in the Village of Garden City are very fortunate to have a vital business community comprised of merchants who are committed to serve our many needs from their shops and restaurants along Franklin Avenue, Seventh Street and New Hyde Park Road. I urge you to continue to patronize these local businesses throughout the year. Also, while you are in their store take a minute to comment to the merchant or their selection and quality and compliment them on their attention to positive customer service.

CONCERT AT THE GAZEBO

Once again, compliments are due to the Recreation Department for arranging the 2007 season's outstanding Concert Series at the Village Gazebo, located on the Village Green at the corner of Stewart and Hilton Avenues.

Next week's program is scheduled for Thursday, July 12, and will feature Jim Altamore singing Frank Sinatra.

The program will begin at 7:15 and admission is free. Please bring your lawn chair or blanket and enjoy a very pleasant evening. In the event of inclement weather, the concert will be held at the Cultural and Performing Arts Center at Cluett Hall at the St. Paul's School. Please contact the Recreation Program Line (742-5888) with questions pertaining to the concert.