A Word From Garden City Mayor Don Brudie

ANNUAL LEAF REMOVAL SEASON: The Department of Public Works began collecting leaves on Monday, Nov. 19. Collections began in the western section and will continue toward the eastern section. During the leaf collection season, the village’s website will be updated weekly to allow residents to track the collection process. The notice will be listed on the home page under “Notifications and Alerts.”

We ask that residents observe the following guidelines:

• Place only leaves in the street. Other items such as sticks and old plant material may damage machinery and slow down operation.

• Do not place leaves on medians and malls as this will kill or damage the grass.  For reasons of safety, our streets are cleaned of leaves on a more frequent schedule than are the medians.

• Avoid parking cars over leaves as this slows our operation considerably  and is also a fire hazard. Each year a number of cars are seriously damaged or destroyed by fire as a result of their being parked on dry leaves.

• Please do not obscure fire hydrants by piling leaves around them.

• If you have a gardener, instruct him to place your leaves in the street, and not on the malls. Many gardeners find it convenient to bring leaves in from other communities to which they work for disposal by the village. This practice is prohibited and the Police Department will be issuing summonses.

• For safety reasons, please do not allow children to play in the leaves once they are placed in the street for collection.

Last fall the Street Department along with the Parks Department removed 20,000 cubic yards of leaves. These leaves were then turned into mulch and were made available cost free for use by residents and landscapers. This recycling of leaves saves the village thousands of dollars annually in disposal costs. Our combined efforts will keep our village beautiful and reduce waste. If you have any questions concerning our leaf collection schedule, please call the Department of Public Works at 465-4003 or 465-4004.

TRADITIONAL CHRISTMAS TREE LIGHTING DEC. 2: On Sunday, Dec. 2, the Garden City Chamber of Commerce will sponsor its 58th village tree lighting ceremony beginning promptly at 3:30 p.m. on the Village Green (corner of Stewart and Hilton Avenues).

This year's program once again is sponsored by Astoria Federal Savings and will feature the Garden City High School Vocal Jazz Ensemble under the direction of Stephen Mayo, playing a medley of holiday music. Also featured will be the Fivestone Contemporary Rock Band well known for their performances at past spring Belmont Festivals and Chamber Fall Festival Street Fairs. They will be performing special renditions of familiar holiday tunes. As always, “Kingsley Bear,” King’s Supermarket mascot, will be on hand to pose with the little ones. The Garden City Volunteer Fire Department will deliver Santa Claus and hot chocolate will be provided to everyone.

Please bring your entire family to welcome Santa and the holiday season.

BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEETING SCHEDULE: The next regularly scheduled board of trustees meetings that will be held in December are on Dec. 6 and Dec. 20. I encourage all residents to attend board of trustees meetings so as to be thoroughly informed of village issues from a first-hand perspective.