Trailers Trouble Resident
By Stephanie Mariel Petrellese

Trailers installed by Nassau County to house the county's probation department workers. (Photos by Garden City resident Thomas Bencin)

The safety and appearance of temporary trailers installed by Nassau County on their property along County Seat Drive has raised the concern of a Garden City resident. After seeing the photos he provided, The Garden City News decided to further investigate the matter.

"The trailers...are unsafe and do not present an image consistent with the building standards of Garden City," wrote Thomas F. Bencin in a letter to The Garden City News. Bencin provided photos which show trailers placed on cinder blocks on top of asphalt that appears to be cracking in several places.

Michael Filippon, superintendent of buildings for the Village of Garden City, explained that according to New York State law, the county is responsible for ensuring that all construction on their property meets the standards specified in the New York State building code.

And the work is up to code, ensured Raymond A. Ribeiro, commissioner of Nassau County's Dept. of Public Works. He said it is "not unusual" for trailers to be placed on top of vertical supports such as cinder blocks or timber. Members of the department's construction management unit are on site to inspect all installation work. They will also keep an eye on the condition of the asphalt.

The trailers are supported by stacks of cinder blocks

Starting this month, the trailers will be used as temporary office space for a portion of the county's probation department. "In the eyes of Nassau County, it has become one of our regular office buildings," said Raymond Stefanowicz, senior deputy commissioner with Nassau County's Dept. of Public Works. The trailers are being leased and were installed by ModSpace.

The county's facilities department will maintain the trailers, just as they attend to the county's buildings. The trailers will remain for a maximum of two years, according to Dermot Kelly, director of the county's Dept. of Real Estate Planning and Development.

Asphalt around the cinder block footings has large cracks