May 2018
Dear Neighbors,
Can it be that winter is finally over? What has to be the coldest April in history is now a chilly memory. Warmer weather ahead! That means the Memorial Day parade, bar-b-ques, the beach, summer vacation, concerts in the park, and all of the things we associate with what I hope will be a long, happy spring and summer.
At Village Hall, we spent the last few months putting another budget together. The Village fiscal year begins on June 1st. The budget increased approximately $236,000 over last year, driven largely by increases in health insurance for employees; even as many of our employees contribute between 10% – 20% of their premiums. The tax rate increased by 1.65%, translating to about $19.44 per year for the typical New Hyde Park home. The 2018 – 2019 budget can be viewed on the village website www.VNHP.org.
The Village Board has also been working on the railroad; seemingly all the live long day. We have had several meetings with the design-build firm, 3TC and the LIRR. Topics ranged from drainage plans to aesthetic treatments of the railroad platform, vehicular and pedestrian underpasses and how the plans integrate with the planned redevelopment of our industrial district along the tracks. We’ve engaged a design firm to produce renderings of our concept and we have retained an architect to help review the railroad plans to try to achieve a pleasing transition from the railroad platform to what promises to be the surrounding community district.
We have also engaged the engineering firm VERTEX to review technical plans from 3TC. VERTEX will provide the Village Board with their expertise to help mitigate any adverse effects that may be looming in the technical drawings. In accordance with the MOU we negotiated, all of the experts that we have hired are funded by the LIRR.
The rolling 6-week production plan for the project can be accessed on the village web site. This plan is updated weekly, so residents can see where the work is being done and when. This will become increasingly important to village life once the real construction begins. We may see some demolition going on this summer as buildings are razed to stage equipment and enable excavation for drainage at Covert Avenue. The elimination of the Covert Avenue grade crossing is scheduled to begin in January 2019.
I also wanted to draw your attention to plans to enforce metered parking on Saturdays. While the Village Code always specified that metered parking is effect on Saturdays, it was not enforced. We will begin enforcement starting June 2nd. We hope this will result in a greater turnover of parking spots on Jericho turnpike, so more people will have access to our local merchants. Please remember to observe the parking regulations.
Lastly, I implore everyone to attend our Memorial Day observance on Saturday, May 26th. This is the one day of the year when we as a village come together to honor those New Hyde Park residents who gave their young lives for our freedoms. Your presence is enough to show that our village will never forget the supreme sacrifice these courageous young men made for us. Please join us to observe the parade that kicks off from the Lakeville Road lot at 10:00 am and come to Memorial Park for the formal observance. I look forward to seeing you there.
Sincerely,
Lawrence J. Montreuil
Mayor, Village of New Hyde Park