Board of Trustees Hires Hub Consultant
By Stephanie Mariel Petrellese

The Garden City Board of Trustees voted to hire government relations and public affairs consulting firm Bolton-St. John's, LLC, to make sure the Village's opposition to the proposed Nassau County Hub Plan is heard loud and clear.

The Hub plan calls for a transportation link in the center of Nassau County connecting Long Island Rail Road train stations with activity centers. The technology being considered for the transportation link includes a Bus Rapid Transit system, Light Rail Transit system or an Automated Guideway Transit system similar to the Airtrain JFK at John F. Kennedy Airport.

In a 6 to 1 vote at its May 1st meeting (Trustee Gerard Lundquist was absent), the Board authorized Mayor Peter Bee to enter into a contract with Bolton-St. John's after Village counsel addresses a few issues trustees had with the contract, including charges for secretarial and support staff. As of press time, the contract was in final draft form, according to Village Clerk Brian Ridgway. The consultant will be paid an hourly rate, which Ridgway could not reveal until the contract was finalized.

The Hub includes the EAB Plaza, Nassau Coliseum and Eisenhower Park on the southeast side, and the Source Mall to the north. It encompasses Nassau Community College, Hofstra University and Roosevelt Field, and extends west to the Nassau County Government offices in Mineola. Hempstead Village and Mineola are also included because of their Long Island Rail Road lines.

"By itself, the development of the coliseum property has no direct connection to the issue of mass transportation running north-south in Garden City," said Mayor Bee. "However, some have suggested that the success of the coliseum project is ultimately dependent upon a larger development of the so-called Hub area, which includes Garden City. Others have pointed out, including the county executive, that the ultimate success of the Hub development may involve mass transportation, the ability to move people within that Hub, including the possibility of north-south transportation through Garden City. I believe, as one individual, that that interconnection makes us very interested and properly concerned..."

Second Deputy Mayor Thomas Lamberti voted against the item, saying he was "saddened and disappointed" that the Board was not including the Village of Mineola in the decision to hire and pay for a consultant.

"Garden City can't stand alone," he said. "For us to stand alone is a disadvantage...I have a problem with this government, which is we do not do things in a thoughtful manner and set aside time to think ahead and plan."

Mayor Bee responded to Lamberti's comments by saying he intends to make this a "multi-village issue," but believes Garden City should enter into this contract alone because it will be impacted the most by the proposed transportation link. Mayor Bee said he has received support from Mineola Mayor Jack Martins, as well as mayors on the executive board of the Nassau County Village Officials Association.

"I certainly encourage that we cooperate with the surrounding villages and have advocated that position from the first time that this topic arose," Mayor Bee said to Lamberti. "Where we may part ways is I think that Garden City should initially, at least, separately engage its own consultant to assist Garden City and to advocate Garden City's point of view. That does not preclude the cooperation with other villages in the area, whose cooperation I have actively sought."

The Board is especially concerned with upcoming public scoping sessions to be held by the Hempstead Town Board on Thursday, May 22 at 10 a.m. and Tuesday, May 27 at 7 p.m. at Town of Hempstead Nathan L. H. Bennett Pavilion, located at One Washington Street in Hempstead. For more information, call (516) 794-8300.

Trustee Nicholas Episcopia said the Village only recently learned about the sessions. He said he has discussed the matter with former Garden City Mayor Harold Hecken, who leads the Mayor's Citizens Committee and has kept a watchful eye on development in the eastern section of the Village, and Dennis Donnelly, who is the president of the Eastern Property Owners' Association and chairs the joint conference of property owners' associations. "We would love to be able to get together with a consultant to help us formulate the proper plan to talk to these people [at the scoping sessions]." Episcopia said.

Mayor Bee said the Board has been searching for a consultant, and believes it is important to actually select a firm now given the upcoming scoping sessions. "I don't think anyone knew, or could have known, that the Town, just about two weeks ago, suddenly decided to schedule zoning hearings for the development of the coliseum property," Mayor Bee said.

More information on the project, including the Nassau Hub Major Investment Study, can be found online by visiting www.nassaucountyny.gov.