Board Aims to Keep Solicitations in Check

Village trustees did not grant the Mental Health Association of Nassau County, Inc. a solicitation permit that would have allowed them to visit residents door-to-door every day for nearly eight months in order to be of assistance to those affected by Superstorm Sandy and provide referral information should they need it.

Village clerk Brian Ridgway, instead, offered to post a paragraph on the village's website explaining what services the association offers, through its federally funded Project Hope program.

"I had suggested to the gal when she came to village hall a week or so ago whether we could possibly entertain a paragraph on the village website which would give an idea about what their offerings are and contact information," he said.

Lisa Harris, association, had originally requested the association be allowed to solicit on weekdays during regular business hours and on Saturdays and Sundays between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. through October.

"That's an inordinate amount of time," mayor Don Brudie said. "We have to put the clamps on some of these solicitors. They can't just go on ad infinitum here."

Resident Bob Orosz agreed. "Nine months of knocking around the village here," he said. "If they really want to help people go to Long Beach or Breezy Point. Why here?"

Similar concerns were voiced last winter when Kenmore Road resident Bob Bolebruch, whose name will appear on the March 19 village election ballot after being nominated to serve as trustee from the West, approached the board about what he described as an "excessive amount" of solicitors being approved. "The amount of solicitiors we have in our village is off the charts," he said.

Project Hope was established through a FEMA grant obtained by New York State and distributed on the county level to be implemented locally in order to assist persons affected by Superstorm Sandy, according to Thursday's agenda.