Theft of Garbage

To the Editor:

Every so often I clean out my basement of unwanted furniture and stuff piling up over months of non-use. I also toss out lots of papers and old documents that are no longer needed. With that said I am also aware of identity theft. I am conscience of taking these documents and papers to the dump myself to put in the trash. I do not put them in the regular trash because I am uncertain of people who would go through garbage looking for papers and other items that can be used to open accounts and destroy one’s credit. (I think the term is dumpster divers)

I have noticed for several weekends when I have taken this stuff to the dump that there are people there going through garbage with the approval of the Garden City Sanitation employees standing right there. I assumed that as soon as I dump this trash into the prescribed Garden City location that the town would look out to “safeguard” this trash. I see people shifting through the bags and other items deposited there. They put items in their cars and the town’s staff says nothing to them. I am taken back with this and would think the town would have a policy of not allowing anyone to remove discarded trash and items left for destruction.

Name signed by withheld upon request

Editor’s Note: Garden City Village Administrator Bob Schoelle replies, “Residents should use caution in disposing of documents which might be used by others to steal ones identity and they should shred or tear up anything that they are disposing of. These materials can be combined with kitchen garbage and placed into their trash cans for rear yard pick up. The bags are directly placed into our compactor trucks and delivered to the Covanta facility on Stewart Ave where the materials are burned.

“The transfer station at the Village Yard is provided as a convenience to residents Materials collected there are placed in large dumpsters and removed under contract and transported to facilities where the materials are sorted and disposed of. The paramount concern at the facility is the safety of those residents who are dropping off materials for disposal.

“There is no prohibition against removing items which have been left by others for disposal, however residents are not encouraged to do so.”

More Debt,

Less Voice

To the Editor:

Our Trustees confirmed to me, at last weeks Board Meeting, that they have approved a 40% increase in our bonded debt (to $20 million). Apparently, all residents do not get to vote on Village bonds/debt like we have to for School bonds/debt. That does not seem right and I appeal for them to change that rule. They cited the purpose of the debt to be a water project and the elevator-related renovation at Village Hall. I guess they could say its for anything they want, but if we didn’t have such high and growing debt and employee retirement costs then we probably wouldn’t need more debt.

Ron Tadross

Helpful Placement

To the Editor:

I just wanted to thank you for your generosity in placing my article into the Garden City News (especially since it was placed next to the “From the Mayor’s Office” column). I have been told that this column is read by almost everyone in Garden City). It has contributed in a monumental amount towards collecting funds for my project, and it could not have been possible without your help.

Paul J. Amato

Reconsider Plan

To The Editor:

Bernard Marson, the architect representing Eskar Ltd of London U.K. has wrote in the Jan. 22 issue they are still interested in developing St. Pauls.

I have written on Oct. 30, 2009 following his previous Oct. 23, 2009 letter suggesting the village reconsider this updated proposal, Mr. Marson wrote again on Jan. 29, 2010 suggesting people can email him, another writer wrote here to the editor supporting his plan, in the Feb. 5th , issue.

Could the village reconsider yet?

Steve Brent

Seek A Solution

To the Editor:

As a Garden City resident for more than 50 years I’m deeply disturbed by the possibility of losing yet another of the Village’s architectural treasures: St. Paul’s. Earlier I had been saddened over the loss of other structures that had defined our Village as something special.

Knowing how hard so many dedicated parents and alumna worked to make The Cathedral School of St. Mary a first rate educational institution (one that would be emblematic of Garden City’s commitment to academic excellence) its ultimate demolition left more than a hole in the ground. It left hundreds of mourning alumna and it deprived countless other young ladies in future generations the possibility of having the St. Mary’s experience. Watching the wrecker’s ball smash into bricks that had been laid by loving hands so many years ago and seeing the soaring cross and parapet disappear from the Village skyline was a painful experience. With this cruel crumbling Garden City lost part of its soul, corrupted its tradition and blemished its image of prominence in education, making it instead an illustration of suburban decay.

That unfortunate image had its genesis with earlier architectural carnage. I remember so well watching the same ugly specter when the once famous Stanford White, Garden City Hotel was destroyed in 1973. And before that, where the modern library building now stands, the yellow brick Administration building was reduced to rubble.

For a village, its beauty is only architecturally deep. That’s why I couldn’t understand why a majority of my fellow residents would want to spend millions more of our dollars (mine included of course) to destroy yet another building that has been one of our community’s most emblematic and admired features since its founding. My faith in my fellow citizens was greatly restored when I found the admittedly close referendum (2,330 for preservation Versus 2272 destruction) wasn’t a thumbs down message for extinction of St. Paul’s, but a rejection of Avalon Bay.

The ensuing ambivalence has cost the community dearly. The divisive, well publicized rhetoric has been shrill and tiring. Although I can fully understand why many battle fatigued warriors have left the fray, I still think we must find a way to rejoin the debate to seek a solution that would satisfy those who want :

* to reduce the Village’s tax burdens by expanding its housing base

* to restore Garden City’s image as a focal point for academic excellence

* to provide seniors with an alternative to leaving the Village

* to give our students the best facilities we can offer

* to have a spacious and gracious gathering place for community activities

* to have more green acreage.

* To make efficient use of tax revenues

* To preserve a memorial to our founder, A.T. Stewart

Many viable options have been proposed that could save this beloved building. Two that had significant merit were published in The Garden City News. Simply stated:

Situation:

* Garden City has just borrowed 35 million dollars to repair its various schools.

* It has already purchased a school for $7.5 million and invested hundreds of thousands more in restoration of playing fields and building new structures.

* It is considering the feasibility of borrowing millions more to demolish the school

* The Village is now spending over $100,000 annually to maintain a distinctive yet deteriorating structure.

Solution:

* Could we not use some of the funds already borrowed (plus other funding) to build a state of the art high school within the St. Paul’s building now standing, reconditioning its facade and reconstructing its interior to conform with modern codes and needs?

* Could not the land upon which the current high school stands be re zoned and sold or leased to a developer ( leaving the football stadium with its track in tact), and putting the proceeds into the restoration while increasing the tax base?

* Could not the students use St. Paul’s existing magnificent athletic and recreational facilities?

* Could not the Village be proud of having the most architecturally significant, technologically equipped high school on Long Island ?

* Would it not to be better to be seen as a citadel of excellence in secondary school education than as a symbol of suburban decay?

Another promising idea was published in a letter from a resident, Bernard Marson. For those who didn’t read it, his proposal suggests that his company, Eskar Ltd of London has everything in place to do the following:

* Build 46 luxury apartments and 8 middle income apartments in St. Paul’s and 10 townhouses on the site.

* Pay the village $250,000 annually as a ground lease as well as full real estate taxes of an estimated $420,000 per year.

* With no Village subsidy, restore for community use important first floor South Wing spaces and the chapel.

* Renovate the school structure in accordance with the Federal Tax Incentive Program.

* Construct apartments, 75% of which will be marketed to people over 55 without school aged children.

* Provide parking within the townhouses and underground for the apartments

* Use geothermal energy for environmental and efficiency considerations

* Provide for creative and tasteful lighting both within and outside.

* Use a professional landscape architect to surround the buildings with beauty enhancing, eye appealing plantings.

While there may be other plans that have merit, these two certainly deserve a hearing. Either one of them should make our citizens proud and richer.

Let’s not let our village make a tragic irreversible mistake. Let’s not become a tax burdened “any town.” Let’s dust off our past frustration, discouragement and dismay to join together to protect the Stewart’s legacy and restore Garden City’s soul.

We have entrusted our dedicated, long suffering trustees to lead us in this matter, and I pray they will respond affirmatively to this letter.

John Rhein

Every Day, They Slowly Kill Us

To the Editor:

Wake up America, It is time to take back the United States.

I recently found on the internet that on October 17, 2008, Dr. Tersea Ghilarducci, a professor at the New School of Social Research, was invited to testify before a sub-committee (House Committee on Education and Labor) on her program to eliminate the preferential tax treatment of IRAs and 401Retirement plans.

This is very similar to the Argentine plan which went into effect, five days later, on October 22nd. Investor plans were seized and guaranteed by Govt. Bonds. Investors then fled Argentina and the value of the bonds collapsed.

I then find out that our 2010 budget has, as one of its proposals, a provision calling for automatic workplace pensions which would be run by the Government and have a fixed rate of return of 3%. This proposal is to “operate alongside Social Security, that is expected to dramatically increase”.

Watch out, the conversion of these IRAs & 401s into these “Govt. annuities” will be backed not via stocks or bonds, but via Treasury debt.

A plan such as this, only shows our politicians are in panic mode and in need of plenty of money.

We should tie their pensions to the financial strength of our country.

Stand Up America! Enough is enough!

We are losing our freedom and our own politicians are taking it away from us.

Frederick G. Garttner

Support Our Merchants

To the Editor:

We are all facing trying economic times - particularly our Garden City Merchants. I don’t have to quote national statistics to prove our financial condition - just read the front page of any newspaper.

The purpose of this letter is to inform the citizens of Garden City about the “state of affairs” of our merchants. I’m sure many of you know of several store closings, but the current number is alarming with more soon to face a similar fate.

To date, these stores have either closed or moved on to less expensive space. In no particular order, Atlantis Chemist, Panoteca Bread, Wardrobe Room, GC Shoe Shop, Unique Boutique, Andrew Roberts GC Deli, Mahalo, Quizonos, DiSalvo Interiors, Things and Stuffs (closed and then reopened). And there are more to come.

For years, these same merchants and those fortunate enough to still be in business, have supported our village in so many ways. As a former director for the Garden City Men’s Association, I know these merchants have spent thousands of dollars by taking out ads in our annual Yearbook, bought raffle tickets, donated their goods and services for raffles, and that was for one organization. Think of the many other organizations in the village, our schools, churches, and other charities, too many to mention, that have been supported by our merchants.

We are fortunate to have The Garden City Chamber of Commerce, through a sub committee - The Garden City Merchants Group chaired by John Wilton, to take on the task of our own “stimulus package” in an effort to support our merchants. John’s committee has been meeting for months and collecting dollars from our merchants to promote and advertise as a group in hopes of generating business for all merchants in town.

Yes, our merchants may be slightly more expensive than Costco and other large chains, but when the time comes to ask for donations and support for the many charities and groups soliciting funds, who do they go to?

As a member of the Merchants Group, we are asking you before you go out for a meal, buy a good or need a service, to please think of our merchants. They are all local and some live in Garden City, but most important, they provide excellent goods and services and you can be assured they will go out of their way to accommodate you any way they can.

John E. Appelt

Member of the Garden City Merchants Group

Thank You

To the Editor:

I would like to thank the Mineola-Garden City Rotary Club and the Community National Bank for hosting last weeks Art Auction with partial proceeds going to RotaCare.

RotaCare is a free health care facility supported entirely by volunteers to provide care for individuals who do not have health insurance and are unable to pay for care. Please view our website to see how you could volunteer or contribute to RotaCare (www.rotacareny.org).

Thanks again for committee members, Jennifer Poupis, Alba Spinelli, Carmen Armstrong, Peter Marshall and Connie Deckel as well as King’s Supermarkets, 7th St Café, Maxxels, Garden City Pizza, Eleanor Rigby’s, Piccola Bussola, Romeo’s, Carle Place Diner, Bagelman and City Cafe for providing their culinary specialties.

Jim Brady

President, RotaCare