Statue displayed at Adelphi Info On NEXTG

To The Editor:

As a concerned resident of Garden City, I would like to impart the following regarding NEXTG:

NEXTG applied to the Village for permission to erect antennae in front of residential homes in the Village. the Village is free to approve or disapprove this proposal. However, since there is tremendous opposition from residents against this proposal which will affect their quality of life, value of their property and possibly even their health, State Law requires the Village before approving any application that a public hearing be held in a venue large enough to hold the opposition and also a referendum. Also, the Village should request a full SEQRA (State Environmental Quality Review Act) using the full SEQRA process which is very expensive and delaying for the applicant. Let’s hope our Village will consider the ramifications of this proposal and deny NEXTG approval.

NEXTG is a telecommunications company under the regulation of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) not the Public Service Commission (PSC). In 2003 NEXTG applied for a “Certificate of Necessity and Convenience” which only means they are registered with the PSC but not a recognized utility such as LIPA, National Grid or Verizon. Also, in 2003 the PSC admonished NEXTG that “The Company must obtain any required consents of municipalities before commencing construction of telephone lines.” This clearly states that the right of way belongs to the Village for whatever services the Village provides to its residents. Anyone venturing to use this right of way needs village approval.

NEXTG has a very contentious past. It is in litigation with many municipalities, including a $100 million lawsuit by residents in Merrick. Also early on Saturday morning on December 5 th , two NEXTG employees in unmarked cars, not NEXTG trucks, tried to erect a pole with equipment in front of a residence on Stratford and Wickham Roads. The men did not have a Village permit to do this and did not disperse until our Mayor arrived. This is very unsavory behavior for a company looking to get approval from our Village.

LIPA and Verizon provide services to our village. NEXTG would provide no services. Instead they would install their unsightly and perhaps dangerous equipment on our lamp posts in front of residential homes and then try to SELL these installations. Our reception for TV and cell phones is more than adequate and these antennae are not needed for our Village. In fact they would cause undue harm to the quality of life, value of our properties and possible damage to the health of our residents.

NEXTG states it is consistent with other utilities such as LIPA or Verizon but this is totally inaccurate. LIPA and Verizon provide needed services to our Village. NEXTG is not needed as it provides no services. Also, why would it be paying us for the use of our lamp posts if they had the right of way and did not need Village approval?

We do hope that our trustees, as other villages have done, will inform NEXTG that its proposal is not in the best interests of our residents and is neither needed nor accepted. Please call the Village and voice your concerns.

Rochelle Dowling

GC’s DNA

To The Editor:

Congratulations to the Garden City Historical Society for its successful sponsoring of the designation of Saint Paul’s School as one of Long Island’s most endangered properties. Grand Gothic Victorian architecture is honored in most Long Island precincts, but not Garden City Village Hall.

In the online Newsday article concerning that designation, the longtime Garden City Village Administration is reported to have concluded that “demolition is the only prospect left for the school as several alternatives have been rejected.” One prospect never considered is the best and tried and true alternative - tax credits.

The Village of Garden City has never issued a request for proposal (RFP) which would require a potential developer to limit the project to the footprint of the building and no more and adhere to the U.S. Department of Interior guidelines for structures on the National Register of Historic Places in order to obtain the 20% federal tax credit (as good as cash) available for restoration. this 20% tax credit calculated on the gross restoration costs is the economic engine that all over this country has been is fueling the restoration of historic buildings. If given the time, it will be the economic engine for the restoration of St. Paul’s.

The Village of Garden City is behind the times. Go into lower Manhattan and take a look at the old Police Headquarters on Centre Street, restored as apartments, and see what can be done with the 20% tax credit. The examples throughout the country are too numerous to list.

There may be no hope for this generation of the opportunity to preserve Garden City’s DNA by demolition of the structure. The present leaders and voters, if demolition occurs, will be remembered for what they destroyed, not what they preserved.

By the way, what will be the method of demolition: blowing it up in one grand explosion or piecemeal demolition? Either way, it is government sponsored vandalism.

James M. Kenny

Happy New Year

To the Editor:

Happy New Year! As we start the official 15th Anniversary Year at our community nature preserve, we are using this opportunity to thank you all for your support and to give you a bit of a summary of what’s been happening with “sump-thing” at the Bird Sanctuary. The year 2009 had its ups and downs— like much of the world economy, but we accomplished a lot. The year 2009 started with a car accident outside the Bird Sanctuary knocking down some of the perimeter fencing on Tanners Pond Road, but that was quickly replaced through the driver’s insurance. The original ‘Winterfest’ tree was stolen in February, but has been replaced and 2 additional evergreens planted.

It rained. And it rained some more. And some more. We saved nearly $3,000 in watering expenses, but our poor mower died trying to keep the grass under control. Thanks to generous donations from Robert Taylor, Julia Giacinto, Rhonda Brittan and others, the mower was replaced (a $2,500 expense) and has served us well since. The frequent rains also resulted in frequent postponements of our events, but the May Twilight Cocktail Party and October Halloween Fest were both successful and well attended - and we gratefully thank the Garden City HS HOPE club and Adelphi for their extensive help! Thanks again to Chaminade for their long-term support, and to Nixon Peabody and Timberland Roosevelt Field for their volunteers! In 2009 Rob Alvey was honored with a bench at Bethpage Park (compliments of Jim and Gina DeBold and a Lifetime Volunteer Award for the Long Island Volunteer Hall of Fame, but mainly because so many people have helped make “sump-thing” a success. ‘Mark Twain’ also gave a benefit performance lecture raising much needed funds. (Thanks Rob!)

We had our first Annual Benefit Yard Sale in April (again thanks to HOPE) raising nearly $1000 for each organization. Save your stuff for next April!! We also dedicated a dozen new memorial trees, thank you Rev. Adelmann and Rabbi Goodman . We completed the Urban Forestry grant program and received reimbursement of the NYSDEC $7,500 grant. We’ve also worked closely with Nassau County’s Department of Public Works and they are designing and planning to install a “wet meadow” at the Bird Sanctuary through the 2006 Nassau County Environmental Bond that designated the GCBS for a $55,000 project. Congratulations also to Bobby Horvath as the Bird Sanctuary’s Environmental Stewardship Award winner for 2009, and Kelsey Whitney, Garden City Middle School, for winning the 6th grade Environmental Essay Contest. Volunteer efforts of the Nature and Wildlife Photo-graphers of Long Island and Suzie Alvey resulted in fantastic October exhibit at the Garden City Public Library.

Congratulations also are extended to John Cassano, Andrew Kuruc, John Valenti, and Jack Farley for their Boy Scout Eagle projects. John, Andrew, and John all received their awards this year and Jack installed a vegetable garden and raised over 200 pounds of fresh vegetables for the Interfaith Nutrition Network with assistance from Timberland, the Della Ratta Family and William Chu. We added Jeanette Chu as a new Director, and hope for a continued recovery to Director Marye Heston after a fall lead to a serious injury. We also have our first movie thanks to Ryan Sukhdeo, a York College student volunteer who filmed a four minute introduction to the Bird Sanctuary. Another “teaser” film is on U-Tube about the famous lizard colony from GC. Thank you Marcus!

We’ve also thank our first “Lifetime Members” of the Garden City Bird Sanctuary, Peter and Kaye Negri, Nancy Fardelman, Robert and Phoebe McMillan, and Marye Heston. Membership continues to grow and we hope you renew for 2010. Come join us at the main entrance opposite 181 Tanners Pond Road on Saturday Jan 9 from 4-5 for Winterfest 2010, light a candle and have a cup of hot chocolate.

The Garden City Bird

Sanctuary Board of Directors

Adelphi University Display

To The Editor:

On Christmas morning while jogging across the Adelphi University campus, I noticed some concrete statues on the quad opposite the Swirbul Library. There were six approximately three quarter scale figures, standing in single file facing the walkway. When I inspected them more closely, I saw that the first two were clothed in full Arabian type robes with their faces covered, only the eyes showing. The first two of these figures were also wearing sculptured dynamite sticks in a “Suicide belt.” Pictures enclosed.

It should be apparent to any thinking person that this obscene depiction of murderers who kill innocent men, women and children should not see the light of day. Calling it “Art” is NOT an excuse.

These statues are offensive in the extreme and they are facing a library dedicated to one of the fathers of Grumman’s aircraft division, which made the planes that helped win a world war against other murdering thugs. Mr. Swirbul must be hanging his head in shame.

The student who made these “things” should be taken to the woodshed by his parents. They should also cancel his credit cards.

Worse still is the Adelphi University President and Administration including the Chairman of the Art Department who permitted this attack on common decency to be placed in the name of art, in full public view. It is not art it is an affront to decency at the hands of political correctness.

This community which has been always welcoming to Adelphi should re-evaluate itsviews especially those relating to renovations and new construction.

Richard R. Dolan