Letters To The Editor
Email: editor@ gcnews.com

Infectious Enthusiasm

To the Editor:

Though they've spoken so well, I am compelled to echo the sentiments of Steve Ilardi and Michael McGowan supporting GC Rec's outstanding- and lit-tle known - roller hockey program.

I, too, play in the Over-30 "Big Kids" games on Sunday nights. No checking, no meatheads, Just 20 or so GC dads sweating out the weekend like we did years ago. All abilities, all for fun. We've dubbed it the "Full Incidental Contact League" and everyone is fine with exactly that. Great exercise, great camaraderie and a great way to wrap up our weekends. But this is not about the old guys.

My two sons, Aidan (8) and Jack (5) play in the Mites Division and Learn and Play, respectively, and they, too, are completely addicted. And if you've been anywhere within a five mile radius of the Community Park any Friday or Sunday this fall, you know why. It's in what Mr. McGowan rightly called the infectious enthusiasm (not to mention the spacious lungs) of GC Rec Roller Hockey Coordinator Andrew Karen. Andrew is, quite simply, a force of nature. His anythingbut-dulcet tones reverberate across the Hempstead Plains and kids can't help but listen. His passion to teach is unmatched. His techniques, his style defy description.

Anyone who has coached youth sports - particularly first-year players - knows it can be difficult, to say the least. Andrew, together with Brian Johnston, Tom Hickox, Dan Hickox and James Crafa, instilled sportsmanship, respect, team-work and a love of pucks among kids who came to the program barely knowing which end of the stick to hold, let alone with the ability to skate.

Attrition? Forget it. If anything, the rosters seemed to grow as the season wore on. The crowds certainly did. Goofy games like "Chase the coaches" and "Cookie Jar" instructed in fun, kindergartner-friendly disguises. Before they knew it, the boys - and girls - in Andrew's charge were skating confidently, stick handling and shooting like they should have had no right to expect. For an age group where success is ordinarily measured just in atten-dance, the Learn and Play Program is extraordinary, too, in its effectiveness.

My older son also began in Learn and Play and my younger son is now following in his skate tracks. GC Rec Roller Hockey is a family affair made possible by one dedicated 23 year-old coordinator and a team of dedicated knuckleheads with really interesting hair. That, in itself, is another inspirational part of the program - their ages, not their do's. Hey, whatever they want, it's hockey! And they're doing a terrific job.

I and my boys, as well as an ever-growing contingent of their friends, will certainly be back in the Spring. Hockey, in general, is a sport relegated to the bottom tier in the youth sports hierarchy. But if Andrew, Brian, Tom, Dan and James have any say - and it appears they do - that is likely to change. All I can say to all GC parents and kids is, "Lace 'em up!" There are great things happening in a small corner of the Community Park. Check it out. Just follow Andrew's voice.

Kevin Ryan

Sewer Problems

To The Editor:

According to the Wall Street Journal of November 30, deteriorating sewer systems because of the reluctancy of local governments to raise taxes for a problem that voters can't see are now a $500 billion national problem. Without the repairs more and more sewers will overflow contaminating water.

Consequently, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the N.Y. State Department of Environmental Conservation have issued new requirements for cities, villages and towns with which to comply. New York State has 44 cities, 183 villages and 141 towns that are involved.

This probably explains why the village trustees met on November 6, 2007 to provide for the health, safety and general welfare the citizens of Garden City through the regulation of non-storm water discharges to the villages separate storm water system to the maximum extent practicable as required by Federal and State law. This law establishes methods of controlling the introduction of pollutants into the villages separate storm sewer system.

The more important item of the enforcement efforts deals with "municipal combined sewer overflows and sanitary sewer overflows." Accordingly, New York State is requiring Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems (MS4's) to establish fully functional storm water management systems (SWMPs) by January 8, 2008. The goal is to minimize the amount of storm water runoff and to require the effective management of what remains.

Newly authorized MS4s will have three years from the date of the permit to develop new SWMP and commence implementation.

A copy of the New York State Stormwater Management Design Manual is available on line.

The residents of our village should be pleased that our drinking water will probably be improved.

Joseph A. Calamari

Towards A

Proactive System

To the Editor:

Last week, I convened a public hearing at Farmingdale College investigating the response of the State Department of Health, the Nassau County Department of Health, and the Office of Professional Medical Conduct to the Long Island anesthesiologist reusing syringes and infecting patients with Hepatitis.

In this case, patient care and protections were disregarded, due to bureaucracy. In ALL cases, patient safety should be the priority.

To better serve the public health, I want to share with you my thoughts and focus regarding the improper procedures by Dr. Finkelstein, and the current disciplinary oversight and monitoring processes and procedures.

Foremost, the facts show a severe unexplained delay in both the public health system and the professional conduct system.

It is incomprehensible that immediate notice to prior patients was not given as soon as the overseers from the State and the County health departments witnessed improper procedures by Dr. Finkelstein.

It is incomprehensible that the Office of Professional Medical Conduct (OPMC) allowed this physician to continue to practice despite the current statutory provision stating the failure to adhere to sanitary practices is professional misconduct.

New York's existing statutory and regulatory infrastructure should have prevented this from happening; but we did not have sufficient monitoring/surveillance.

For instance, we have infection control standards from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention requiring sterilization of reusable medical devices, from 1996 prompted by AIDS/HIV; and we have, since 1992, required infection control training. A policy problem here is allowing doctors only to attest to their training at the time of re-registration every four years.

Also, there is a prescribed syllabus prepared by State Department of Health (DOH)/Department of Education which has as its first Core Element - "Professional Responsibility for Infection Control." The syllabus training appears to be adequate. We, the public, need certainty the doctors and their staffs actually understand it and will utilize it in practice.

We need to consider an actual on-site competency for doctors, especially those practicing outside of the hospital arena, as part of registration. Other states do this. Or we could require random on-site evaluation during the four-year registration period. Or we could consider extending the Office Based Surgery law to cover Medical practices who frequently administer medicine by injections.

The next policy issue is determining how quickly the Department acts once the Department is aware of a contagious disease. Who does it assemble and who does it inform? And when, and how, do patients get notified? The State Department of Health's internal practices and processes appear to be informal, intricate and arcane, begging for a clear and transparent structure so that doctors, county health departments, patients, and other providers all know and understand the sequence of events once something is reported.

Yet another policy issue is the Department's published concern about being reluctant to subpoena records. That concern is not well-founded. When public health or safety is at stake, then DOH has clear legal authority to obtain the records. The policy issue here is to examine this process and to reinforce this authority so the public's health is never put in jeopardy again.

Shifting to an analysis of the Office of Professional Medical Conduct (OPMC), the policy concern is the lack of anyone "policing" the physician profile. If a doctor continues to have medical malpractice settlements, especially if a substantial portion of them are "above average," it is incumbent upon somebody to review the situation. A standard should be established to trigger a Department of Health review with a possible OPMC intervention.

The Patient Safety Center could monitor the physician profile website. And if there is a cause for DOH to investigate a rogue doctor, then there should be a formal notification to OPMC and vice versa. If OPMC receives a complaint that it can reasonably ascertain has a public health threat, then it should notify DOH. The vagueness of the existing system cannot continue.

Note, the Patient Safety Center already has the authority to issue best practices; but to my knowledge has never done any of that type of work. It should be offering refresher information about infection control. This kind of information can be web-based and transmitted to the trade organizations that can get the information out. Clearly, the education potential of the Patient Safety Center has been left unrealized; although the Center could be the clearinghouse for the latest CDC policy recommendations.

In the end, the procedures for oversight and monitoring of health care in non-hospital settings are inadequate. The policies above must be amended to make the entire system, not reactive, but proactive. That is my focus to ensure quality health care and protection from harm for New York's patients.

Senator Kemp Hannon

Chair of the Senate Health Committee

Thank You

To The Editor:

Thank you to everyone who contributed in some way to our project of delivering meals to homebound senior citizens on Thanksgiving afternoon. Through the generosity of so many, 203 hot dinners were delivered throughout Nassau County to homebound senior citizens and people in need.

We are grateful to everyone who contributed in some way - by donating food, beverages, or money; cooking a turkey, making a dessert or bread. We are grateful to all the children who made cards and letters in their CCD class, Girl Scout Troop, or classroom. We are grateful to the art classes of Stewart School who decorated so beautifully the bags in which the meals were delivered. We are grateful to those who gave of their time on Thanksgiving Day to help us pack the meals and to those who helped deliver them.

We are appreciative of the generous support from the following groups: Garden City Middle School, Garden City Nursery School, the Woman's Club of Garden City, the Garden City Homemakers, the Kiwanis Club of County Seat, the Williston Park Rotary Club, the Co-workers of St. James Restaurant, the parishioners of St. Joseph's Parish and the Garden City Community Church, the Garden City Special Police and the Mineola-Garden City Rotary Club.

So many people contributed to make this project a success that it is impossible to thank everyone individually. Please know that we truly appreciate all your support.

It is our privilege to coordinate this program, which only continues because of your generosity. We wish all of you a blessed holiday season!

Melinda and John Alford

Fence Should

Be Halted

To the Editor:

I am writing an open letter to register a vigorous complaint about the opaque green plastic appearing fence under construction on the entire length of Edgemere Road - my home corners on Edgemere and both myself and my neighbors will have to view this eyesore every morning... every hour. This fence is different, substantially different from the open, dark-appearing chain link fence existing prior.

There is a sense of urgency because construction has started. This project needs to be halted immediately and an-other design pursued to replace this blot on the landscape.

It has been my understanding that Garden City has strict ordinances against fences for good purpose. This has allowed an open environment where the natural landscape (lawns, shrubs, trees, etc.) can be viewed everywhere. This has added to the Garden City experience and premier suburban environment we all enjoy and have paid for in the value of our homes. I support this open environment created by fence restrictions.

This obstructive opaque fence under construction goes against all that our fine City stands for. Furthermore, the green plastic appearance is tacky and reminiscent of the surrounding structures used to conceal many objectionable sights, including garbage dumps. Those of us on Edgemere Road and the western section are having our view of the open lands adjacent to our properties permanently obstructed.

It is my current understanding that because the fence is different, a building permit is required. The Country Club has not sought a building permit and thus far has ignored the building code, which requires adherence to zoning regulations and architectural review and approval, not to mention a platform for public commentary.

All property owners in Garden City should be concerned because, if this fence installation goes forward, it will set a Garden City precedent for acceptable fence construction. It will then most likely be extended to the entire circumference of the Garden City Country Club property. Then what other local institution will be next to block out view of their property with an opaque fence?

Would you want an opaque green plastic fence next to your property? Residents should make their opinions known before it is too late.

I have called and written to the President of the Garden City Country Club with no response and am currently in contact with the Garden City Building office and WPOA where many have raised complaints. Since the construction started on November 5th, I have been reluctant to seek a public venue and allow our city processes to take place. However, having heard from a reliable source that when the Club's representatives learned about their violation of the fence ordinance, their first reaction was to seek legal advice. Not to do the right thing, but to seek legal counsel.

Some sort of fence is needed and I do not want to give the impression that I am against all fences. I have been here since 1971 and have been satisfied with the former structure. A green chain link fence with dark green supporting poles is acceptable, so is the style of fence recently built at the Middle School field. Moreover, that fence is elegant and quite attractive, with little annual maintenance cost needed. Good job to all those who were responsible. Build these types of fences; the opaque green plastic fence is a gross mistake !

Frankly, I am surprised that a different fence structure of this objectionable nature would be started without any input from the neighboring properties. Our community is better than that.

Richard P. Bankosky