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Merrick Life • Bellmore Life • Freeport-Baldwin Leader • Wantagh-Seaford Citizen

For Freeport residents at Monday’s Board of Trustees meeting, the event did not transpire with the greatest of ease, though a small contingent of daring young men (and women) hope the village will fulfill their dreams of allowing a flying trapeze (school).
   
The main flashpoint at the meeting involved a proposed plan by Gary Melius, owner of the former Brooklyn Water Works property, to build a 125-unit apartment building on the site.

 
But before the meeting got under way, members of the Freeport Interfaith Clergy Council, which included Rabbi Dr. Lawrence M. Colton, Bishop Ronald H. Carter, Pastor Steve Browser and others, offered a statement that was a mini-sermon on the need to conduct meetings with civility, respect and brotherly love. The complete text of the statement read by Bishop Carter had been published in advance in the February 24 issue of The Leader.
   
Proposed Water Works development
Most of the 26 speakers at the meeting addressed the proposed issue of the Water Works site apartments.
   
Their concerns were in part fueled by a letter from Mr. Melius to Mayor Andrew Hardwick, copies of which were placed on a table at the entrance to the Village Hall meeting room.
   
Mr. Melius  discusses his past unsuccessful attempts under the Glacken administration to receive approval for the project. He includes information on the proposed size and capacity of the building project, which he states is to be 355 feet long “on the north side” and 72 feet high.
   
He signs his letter “Gary.”
  
Responding to the first speaker on the issue, Stephen Malone, Mayor Hardwick said the project “is still not before the board yet.” 
   
Village Attorney Howard Colton responded that the proposed project “has to go through several layers of approval,” including the Landmarks Preservation Commission and the Zoning Commission. Mr. Colton said the landmarks commission members “have the right to reject or change” the plan.
   
A showdown on the issue appears to be looming for the Landmarks Preservation Commission’s next meeting, scheduled for 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 22, at the Freeport library.
   
Mr. Malone asked the mayor to poll the trustees on their stand regarding the project, but Mr. Colton responded that “As far as any proposed project, it is premature to discuss anything. What you see today may not be what is ultimately approved.”
   
The village attorney continued that asking trustees for their opinions at this point “could influence other boards if statements are made. I would advise the board to use caution.”
   
Mr. Malone said he disagreed and asked for comments from board members.
   
Mayor Hardwick responded, “Not at this time. We’re not going there. It would be premature. Let it go through the Landmarks Preservation Commission.”
   
David Chauvin of Maryland Avenue said he was “extremely concerned about this development process. There has been no official communication.”
   
Mr. Chauvin asked the mayor to “insist the developer engage the community directly on what this project is.” He added, “I have particular questions about Gary’s letter, and who’s Gary.”
   
Charles Hawkins said the property owner “shows a lack of concern for community. He is not contributing to our community.” He added, “This is the second time Melius has interjected himself in a meeting with a handout. This is our meeting.”
   
Serge Dodard said there is “a lack of transparency about the whole situation.” He called the letter “a joke” and that it gives the impression “as if the project is already set up. It’s putting the cart before the horse.”
   
Mr. Dodard further asked, “Let us know what is going on; we don’t know what the process is. This is very upsetting.”
   
Mayor Hardwick repeated that “the board does not get to decide on this project. It has to go through these commissions.”
   
Mr. Dodard replied, “So what is the relationship between the Gary letter and you?”
   
Another opponent of the proposed project, John Moore, noted, “You have a lot of angry people around. We’re going to that meeting and do our best to shut that down.”
   
Keith Cunningham observed that a certain bias exists “in how the board comes across with information about the Water Works.
   
He called Freeport residents “stakeholders” with regard to issues affecting the village, and noted that “No one has said anything about the impact” of the project. He warned of a greater increase in traffic and pollution in the area.
   
“The board has no say,” the mayor replied.
   
“The board does,” Mr. Cunningham responded. “You’re key stakeholders.”
   
“It’s illegal for me to tell someone they can’t build,” Mayor Hardwick said. “That’s the reason you have these other commissions.”
   
Former Village Justice Sue Lyons said that Freeport over the years had made many capital improvements, but none have been made in the past year. She said the Water Works building is not a capital improvement, rather, it is a development.
   
“The developer is raping us as residents through overuse of the property,” she said, adding that there are certain limitations to property zoned as a landmark and the proposed development does not meet the criteria.
   
Ms. Lyons drew loud applause from the audience when she said, “If the property is worth $2 million, then why don’t we buy it and put fields up for our kids.”
   
The discussion drifted to the recent lawsuit brought by Mr. Melius over the property being overassessed and the resulting court settlement that requires the village to pay him $2.82 million.
   
The mayor blamed the issue on actions taken by the Glacken administration and this resulted in a general discussion between Trustee William White, a trustee during that period, and Mayor Hardwick about the debt he inherited.
   
The mayor said the village’s debt went from $28 million to $161 million. “We had the highest debt of any village in the state by three times,” he said. “For the first time in 14 years the debt is paid down. For the first time we have a surplus in many, many years.”
   
But Mr. White replied that $74 million of the debt was incurred by the electric utility over the Power Plant 2 issue that didn’t meet state environmental standards, and that portion of the debt is paid by ratepayers, not through taxes. He added that Freeport has an agreement to sell power to LIPA.
   
He also noted that the village built two new water wells and raised roads near the canals and bay that were financed through bonds for the Water Department, which are paid back through utility users, and improvements to roads, the recreation center, parks and playgrounds and equipment purchases for the Fire Department.
   
“Mr. Mayor, when you took office, all the heavy lifting was done.”

But the mayor countered that the village gets no cost savings from the power plant. “It’s too expensive to run.”

Packing ‘heat’
Mr. Malone, a former deputy village attorney in the Glacken administration, raised another issue in addressing the meeting. He said he was “shocked and appalled that mayor of this village admitted in church that he carries a gun.”
   
“It’s sad when member of the board announces he has no faith in the Police Department.”
   
But Mayor Hardwick replied he didn’t say he didn’t have faith in the Police Department. “It’s no secret that my life and my family have been threatened many times. My personal property has been destroyed.” He noted that he is licensed by Nassau County to carry a weapon.
   
“When it come to the safety of my family, whatever it takes, Mr. Malone. Whatever it takes.”

Great job
Another speaker, James Caracciolo, expressed appreciation to Mayor Hardwick for his service.
   
“Thank you and your team for doing a great job that registered voters have elected you to do,” he said. Mr. Caracciolo also had high praise for Trustees Carmen Pinyero and Robert Kennedy. “Thank you for all your expertise, your business sense and your passions. Please keep on moving the business of Freeport along.”
   
He urged that the village “get the (Water Works) project moving, completed and on the tax rolls.”
   
He also said the mayor is “doing a great job with the taxes. You have been keeping the taxes down, in single digits.”

Other complaints
Alan Jay expressed his usual complaints about the teachers union and the increases in school taxes and, at the end of the meeting, received the usual rebuttal from Deputy Mayor Pinyero, also a member of the school board.
   
An agitated Pamela Robinson charged that “a lot of people in this room do not show enough respect” to the mayor, and singled out Trustees White and Jorge Martinez. “It’s disrespectful the way they disrespect you,” she said.
  
 In response, Mr. White said, “I do not believe I disrespected the mayor; I’ve asked questions with all due respect.” He added respect works both ways.” His statement was followed by resounding applause.
   
At the end of the meeting, Mr. Martinez addressed audience members and responded that “We never disrespect the position or the person of the mayor. Sometimes we see things differently, but we work for you. We’re here for you.” He also expressed appreciation to the residents for attending the meeting.

The Flying Freeporters
A small group of mostly young residents addressed the board to approve a circus arts school known as I-Fly Trapeze to operate on the Nautical Mile in Freeport.
   
Mayor Hardwick raised the issue of liability if the business is allowed to relocate to Freeport from Rockville Center, where it has been operating the past four years.
  
One of the speakers was the owner, Anthony Rosamilla, 31, a former Club Med circus act and trapeze instructor who lives in Farmingdale, and his brother Marco Rosamilla, 32, who lives in Manhattan, according to a Newsday story published Sept. 11, 2009.
   
“It is a very safe program, said Mr. Rosamilla. “The program puts smiles on people’s faces.” The Newsday story noted that the school had previously operated in Smithtown, but had to leave because of noise complaints about music from neighborhood residents. The school operates from April to October.
   
Twenty-six speakers later,  Anthony Miller appealed for reason and for speakers not to blame the past administration for problems in the Village. He noted that Mayor Glacken had traveled to Washington and to Albany to obtain start-up finding for the North Main Street Redevelopment Project. “Let’s try not to knock the prior administration. Not everyone gets everything done. Instead of knocking the work that someone else did, let’s move ahead and show them how you can do it right.”

Agenda items
    Under its regular business agenda at the beginning of the meeting, the board acted and received comments on several items, including.

• Approved spending $2,533.90 for sidewalk repairs at four locations. This brought a comment from Alan Jay who urged that homeowners be allowed to contest the charges. Village Attorney Howard Colton replied that “there is a mechanism if they wish to contest it.” Trustee Robert Kennedy added that residents have 15 days to get repair bids themselves before the Village advertises for bids.
• Tabled a proposed bid of $379,000 at the request of Mr. Kennedy to replace the recreation center boiler by CC Controlled Combustion Co. Inc., Bronx. A discussion followed about the availability of funds, which Public Works Director Scott Richardson said are not available yet but the item has been submitted for review. Mr. Richardson added that the boiler system, which was purchased in 1974, “is past its life expectancy.” Mayor Hardwick said the Village’s portion of the money, $171,250, would be available by April.  Mr. Colton said the funds would come from the Village’s capital plan, “not the budget itself.” Audience member Dewey Smalls raised the issue of whether the Village reached out to minority businesses in the bidding process. He charged that “minorities and women are not participating in the process.” The mayor and village attorney explained the process for advertising for bids and that minority publications are included in the media contacts used.
• Approved writing off about $140,200 in uncollectible customer accounts. Electric Utility Superintendent Anthony Fiore noted that a collection agency is retrieving about $7,800 a month in past due accounts and that $148,000 in a reserve account will help cover the uncollected amount.
• Awarded a $25,355 contract to Cipco Boarding Co. Inc of East Rockaway for emergency board-ups.
• Awarded a $42,575 auto parts contract to Steinway Auto Parts Inc. of Hempstead, and a$36,677 contract to J&J Miles Rubber Corp. of Freeport to supply and mount truck tires and tubes.
• Awarded at $20,727 contract to Liotta & Sons of Island Park for rock salt.
• Extended a contract for water treatment chemicals to Shannon Chemical Corp. of Malvern, Pa. for $24,600.

   
The board adjourned to executive session after the approximately three-hour meeting. Next regular meeting is scheduled for March 14.

By Jim Golding