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Letters To The Editor The following letter is a response to a letter from Mr. Levinson to Mr. Parola which was printed in last week's paper. Harvey B. Levinson Chairman Nassau County Board of Assessors Dear Mr. Levinson, I am in receipt of your correspondence dated May 7, 2008 with respect to the prospective sale of the Garden City Hotel and the request from the purchaser for tax benefits from the IDA. Our agency thanks you for your input. At the outset, I appreciate your support of our agency's professionalism in that you state you have "no doubt that the legal requirements..." were followed with respect to the public hearing that was held in Garden City Village Hall on Tuesday, May 6, 2008. In fact, the notice was conspicuously published in Newsday on April 4th. All local taxing jurisdictions were mailed the notice by certified, return receipt on April 2nd. This included circulation to all Village trustees and the Mayor. An acknowledgment from the Village was received by this agency dated April 3rd. The notice was posted on the IDA web site and in two locations at Town Hall, one of which has 24 hour a day, 7 day a week viewing. The Village was well represented at the hearing by its Attorney and the Village Clerk. A representative of the present owner of the Garden City Hotel was also in attendance. As the closing is to be completed in a short time, there is not ample opportunity to schedule another public hearing. However, this Agency would welcome any comments mailed to our office. I would personally be delighted to speak with anyone who wishes to express his or her views at 516-812-3134. Any such comments will be shared with the members of the IDA Board prior to any vote to extend benefits. From a substantive standpoint, I will share with you the fact that the prospective developer/purchaser has set forth a convincing presentation, that without IDA benefits, this project, from a financial standpoint, would be difficult to bring to fruition. As you may be aware, it is the purchaser's intention to fully upgrade every room as well as all the banquet and dining facilities. Any tax assistance contemplated to this project will not include any reduction in the current level of real property taxes exacted by and paid upon the property. The savings realized by the new owners will provide additional needed dollars committed to improvements. This investment will ultimately benefit the taxpayers of Garden City when the IDA incentives terminate and the enhanced value of the property is fully taxed. Thank you for the opportunity to further explore the issues presented by this project. Frederick E. Parola Executive Director/CEO TMA Sponsors Pool Party To the Editor: I read the recent letter from the Garden City Community Council on Substance Abuse and Violence Prevention applauding the PTA for withdrawing sponsorship from the Graduating Class Pool Party. You can only applaud a group that says that its mission is to seek to ensure safe choices for members of our community. Based on the letter last week, I felt it only fair to announce in this forum that The Men's Association has agreed to take over sponsorship of the Pool Party this year. The Pool Party and the earlier dance at Adelphi are both substance free events. In preparing for this year's pool party, we have taken a number of new steps to insure that the party is safe for all of our graduating seniors. Among the new features of this year's party is the hiring of an outside security firm to greet all of the students attending the pool party. This security firm will inspect everyone and everything coming into the pool area. The pool area itself will be checked before the party to insure that nothing that might be an issue has been left behind. In addition to the professional security, we will have dozens of volunteers on hand that evening to make certain that there are no problems during the party. We are also arranging for mandatory bus transportation from the Adelphi Dance to the pool party. In order to attend the pool party, the senior must attend the Adelphi dance and must ride the bus to the pool. In considering whether to take on this sponsorship, the TMA was most persuaded by the argument from certain parents that the dance and pool party gave the seniors a controlled alternative to a myriad of private parties that would inevitably spring up that evening. We are pleased to be able to be a part of this special day in the lives of our graduating seniors. Dennis Mullins, President, The Men's Association of Garden City Thank You To Men's Association To the Editor: Sincere thanks to The Men's Assoc. for recognizing the need to continue offering organized, safe activities for our teens. It is shortsighted to believe that eliminating every activity that poses safety issues is the answer. I also commend them for doing some much needed fine tuning to the post graduation pool party. The increased security, added parent supervision, mandatory busing from the graduation dance and open dialog with the village/ police will certainly go a long way towards making the event safer. We as a community know all too well the need for this type of activity and I applaud them for stepping up and recognizing it!!! Nancy Leone Avalon Bay/St. Paul's Project To the Editor: Like every resident, I recently received the 'Avalon At St. Paul's' mass mailed brochure listing among other items the Top Ten Questions And Top Ten Benefits. However, nowhere do they mention anything concerning the additional taxes to be bear by the Village residents. In my letter to The Garden City News of March 21, I stated the following: 'I just read the full page newspaper advertisement by Avalon Bay where among other things, they mention to have the financial resources needed to save and preserve the Main Building at St. Paul's without major taxpayers expense. I also added in my letter: 'To that, I say Thank you Avalon Bay but no thank you. We just don't need any more taxes!' After my letter was published, all subsequent full page advertisements continued but the 'taxpayers expense' part, magically disappeared and any further reference whatsoever to the taxpayers expense, was deleted from the text. Coincidence..? Now that we are lucky to have Mr. Lamberti as the new Chairman on the St. Paul's Project, I am certain that each item will be scrutinized and every detail closely analyzed including, of course, the critical questions concerning cost/benefit to the Village and its residents. Mr. Lamberti has promised full transparency and residents involvement in this and other Village projects. I know that he will deliver. Certainly, it is about time to settle once and for all a task that is taking an inordinate and dare say, abusive amount of time. This procrastination, lack of cohesion and agreement on the part of the Committee members is ridiculous and absurd. As I also mentioned in my letter of February 22, I truly hope that the bickering, accusations, finger pointing, mistrust, flaring tempers and name calling within the 'gentleman' trustees of this Executive Committee, has finally ceased and common sense will prevail within and among the rank and file for the sake of the Village and its residents. Even if the building must come down, let it be. Enough is enough! Antonio Moreno A Bad Sign To the Editor: Thank you for reporting the cost of the memo of understanding between the village and AvalonBay. If the cost of approximately $40k for the memo is not a sign to cut our losses, I don't know what is! Damian George Priorities To The Editor: Suffolk County has seen the light with respect to up to date sewers and clean water. The Romans completed their sewer system before the coming of Christ. I am advised that Garden City's sewer system is of the 1906 vintage, that there are still cesspools in some areas of Garden City and we all know that some roads and avenues in Garden City have no sewers at all. After living in Garden City for more then fifty-six years, I had hoped that our sewers and water would be improved. What is more important to our Citizens, St. Paul's or an up to date sewer system and improved water? If we were to ask Mr. Keating what would he say? What would Mr. Pittoni say? As far as my family is concerned, St. Paul's is nothing but a cynosure, while sewers and water would bring Garden City good health and would be a giant step into the future. What do you think? Joseph A. Calamari P.S. Many citizens have agreed that we need a stronger and broader code of ethics and a code of ethics committee that will render advisory, as well as conflicts of interest opinions, published in writing for all to see. Why is our government dragging it's feet? If we had contested elections all of this would have already occurred. P.P.S. It was gratifying to note that our village is moving to improve water well number 7. A Fable: A Tale of G C & The Beautiful Pauline To the Editor: Once upon a time there was a gentleman farmer known to his friends as GC. With keen foresight and good farming principals, he built the most successful farm in the land. He was so proud that he owned a magnificent and beautiful cow named Pauline. Lords and Ladies traveled from near and far to visit GC's farm and bask in the glow of the Beautiful Pauline. There was something magical about the Beautiful Pauline that everyone could see but no one could put into words. In a nearby town lived Farmer Avalon. He was young and aggressive and had a dream of owning the grandest herd of cattle in the land, but only owned a lowly bull named Alfredo. If only he could breed Alfredo with the Beautiful Pauline to create the grand herd of his dreams. One day Farmer Avalon had a brilliant idea and traveled to visit Farmer GC. GC, he said, I know of your love of the Beautiful Pauline but you are growing old and the chores of the farm and caring for Pauline must be a great burden to you. I have had an idea and am sure in your wisdom that you will find my proposal fair and grant favor to it. Farmer GC, you should give me your farm and the Beautiful Pauline for say, 100 years. I will breed the Mighty Alfredo with the Beautiful Pauline and produce the grandest herd of cattle in the land. In return, I will tend to the farms chores and groom Pauline everyday to maintain her beauty for the rest of your life. Of course you may continue to live in your farmhouse by paying me a mere 450,000 pieces of gold each year. In return, I will walk the Beautiful Pauline past your house everyday on the way to pasture and in the distance you will be able to see the grandest herd of cattle in the land that I will own. Pauline is so beautiful, You will be so happy. I will build a grand Inn on the farm and provide the kingdom with fresh beef and milk for sale. I will build a special entrance for you alone so that you may purchase fresh beef and milk at everyday retail prices. Pauline is so beautiful, You will be so happy. Farmer GC thought about Farmer Avalon's proposal at great length. It was difficult because he had grown old and very confused. What should he do? Who will care for his Beautiful Pauline? Everyday Farmer Avalon would visit Farmer GC and tell him that he was the only farmer in the land who could care for the Beautiful Pauline and that his proposal was fair. When GC agreed, he could then live happily ever after. Each visit would end with Farmer Avalon saying, Pauline is so beautiful, You will be so happy. The family and friends who visited the farm discussed Farmer Avalon's proposal with GC. Some said that they knew of the love Farmer GC had for the Beautiful Pauline and that her beauty should guide his decision over anything else. Others encouraged GC to remember the good farming principals he had used to build the grandest farm in the land. They said there were other paths to follow. GC could hire more farmhands to tend to the chores and groom Pauline. He could buy a bull himself and raise the grandest herd in the land. Alas, GC became so confused, so confused. He could not reach any decision. Days turned into months, months into years and decades passed. As time passed, Pauline grew less beautiful. The heated discussions about the Beautiful Pauline and Farmer Avalon's proposal replaced tending to the chores of the farm as disrepair and disarray set in. The Lords and Ladies of the land no longer came to the farm because they grew weary of the controversy and arguments about the Beautiful Pauline and Farmer Avalon's proposal. Other farms became so much more desirable to visit. Eventually, the Beautiful Pauline passed away, soon followed by Farmer GC. The grandest farm of the land was no more and was sold at auction to the local peasants. There are two morals to be learned from this very Grimm Tale of Farmer GC And the Beautiful Pauline. One should never let the pursuit and rapture of beauty dominate and replace good farming principals. And, Beware the Farmer Avalons of the world who seek success and wealth but have nothing more to offer other than bull. THE END Richard Bankosky
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