Disturbed that several residents have complained to him that they have received solicitations even though they filed a “Notice of Objection” form with the Village, Deputy Mayor Donald Brudie said he would like to develop a “No Solicitors” door sticker that residents can purchase for $1.

He withdrew a motion to vote on the matter at the Feb. 4th meeting of the Garden City Board of Trustees after Village Counsel Gerard Fishberg said it would not be a good idea for reasons he would discuss in executive session.

With four requests for solicitation permits on the meeting’s agenda, Brudie expressed concerns that the Village has become a more popular place for solicitors. Anthony and Nicholas Sampogna of Miller Place requested a permit to operate a mobile knife and tool sharpening business through the remainder of 2010; Kathy Yoo from the Garden City Community Church requested permission to solicit funds or canned goods for the people of Haiti on Feb. 27 between 9 a.m. and noon in front of Kings and Key Food Supermarkets; and Rev. E. Edward Robinson II, director of public relations for the New York Youth Club, Inc., requested permission to conduct a door-to-door fundraiser within the Village between the hours of 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. on the following Saturdays: Feb. 20, March 13, May 1, May 8, July 3, July 10 and Aug. 28.

All requests were unanimously approved by the Board. Brudie reminded Village Administrator Robert L. Schoelle, Jr. to make sure that all organizations have submitted their state and federal credentials with every request.

Garden City resident Robert Orosz also expressed concern with what he sees as an increase in solicitors in the Village. He said he would prefer that they only be allowed to set up stands outside of supermarkets as opposed to walking door-to-door.

Orosz also questioned whether the solicitors are showing valid identification. Village Clerk Brian Ridgway said once solicitors are approved by the Village they are given an official letter by his office, which they must carry with them during their neighborhood canvas.

Trustee Dennis Donnelly reminded Orosz and residents that they do not have to open their door to unknown individuals. Trustee Laurence Quinn said people should call the Garden City Police Dept. if they see a suspicious person in the area and question the validity of their identification.

Solicitation requests from organizations have often been met with resistance by trustees. Village Counsel Gerard Fishberg has said that it is difficult to restrict charities and those who wish to speak about a cause as long as they are “of good character.” There are more restrictions on commercial speech, he explained.

The character issue can be seen as debatable by some when it comes to the New York Youth Club, Inc., an organization that has successfully submitted requests to the Village in the past, but has also had several brushes with the law for allegedly endangering the welfare of several children. According to their Web site, www.nyyc.info, the club is a non-profit organization based in Smithtown that helps teens develop job skills as well as provide financial assistance and recreation opportunities.

Most recently, the Nassau County Police Fifth Precinct reported the arrest of a Centereach man on January 30 at 6:30 p.m. According to a Fifth Precinct officer on patrol, at approximately 6:10 p.m., she observed a 12-year-old female and a 13-year-old male standing on the corner of Hempstead Turnpike and Carl Avenue in Franklin Square without adult supervision.

Due to the cold temperature and the time of night she stopped to investigate. It was determined that the youths had been dropped off in the area by an adult to sell candy and other items for the New York Youth Club. While the officer was transporting the youths to the Fifth Precinct Stationhouse to continue the investigation, one of the youths was able to contact their supervisor, Jule W. Huston Jr., 25, of 39 Tree Road, who had dropped them off.

When Huston arrived at the Fifth Precinct Stationhouse, he had a 13-year-old female and a 14-year-old male with him. It was determined that these youths had also been sent out unsupervised to sell items in the area. Huston was then arrested in the stationhouse after a brief struggle.

Officers then learned that there were an additional seven youths ranging in age from 12 to 15 still unaccounted for. All the youths were eventually located by 10:15 p.m. in the Valley Stream area and returned to the Stationhouse.

Huston was charged with Resisting Arrest and 11 counts of Endangering the Welfare of a Child. He was arraigned in First District Court, Hempstead on Sunday, January 31.

Section 155 of the Village Code, which can be accessed online by visiting the Village’s Web site, addresses peddling and soliciting. According to section 155-21, the Board can investigate the organization “and if the Board shall, after such investigation, be satisfied that the purpose of the solicitation is not fraudulent or misleading and would not be detrimental to the best interests of the village and the public, the Mayor, or such village officer designated by him, shall issue a license signed by the Mayor, or such designated officer.”

The Village’s solicitation law prohibits all unwanted commercial solicitations and distributions on all private residential property in the Village and prohibits non-commercial solicitations and distributions on private property to the extent desired by the resident. Any resident requesting not to be solicited should complete a “Notice of Objection” form at Village Hall.