A Word From Mayor John Watras

As a precaution, this past week, the village opened up the Recreation Center on Golf Club Lane, Wednesday through Friday, between the hours of 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. The Garden City Library was open on Wednesday between the hours of 9:30 a.m. and 9 p.m., Thursday between the hours of 1 p.m. and 9 p.m. and Friday between the hours of 9:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. This information was also posted on the village’s website - www.gardencityny.net.

Updates to the community will continue to be made in the weeks ahead based on weather conditions.

Police Advise Residents to Lock Their Cars: In recent weeks reports have been filed with the police department by residents who have experienced illegal entry into their unlocked vehicles which were parked in their driveway during the evening and overnight hours. In most cases materials were removed from the console and glove box. The police department recommends that residents take caution and lock automobile doors, set the alarm and also keep their exterior front door light or other lights on that would illuminate their driveways and discourage criminal activity.

If you see or hear anything suspicious please call the Garden City Police Department. Our police department is here to help and protect our residents, but they cannot be omnipresent in the village, they rely on your help. Better to call us before, to prevent a problem, than later to investigate a crime scene.

Well Check Program: During the summer and the days of extreme heat, serves as a good reminder to check on any neighbor who is alone, disabled or otherwise in need of assistance.

The Garden City Police Department in its continuing effort to provide service for the residents and in keeping with the department's less than two-minute average response time to emergencies, wishes to remind the residents of the Police Department's Well Check Program. This program is available to any senior citizen, a person with a disability or to any person suffering a hardship.  Police Commissioner Kenneth Jackson has advised me that residents can contact the Police Department and be placed on its Well Check log. Each morning, a person who is placed on the Police Department's log can call in to check in and let us know if they are okay or in need of assistance. If a person who is on the list does not contact the Police Department, an attempt will be made to contact that person either by phone and/or in person. Any person who wishes to be placed on the Garden City Police Department's Well Check log may contact the Desk Officer at 465-4101.

LIPA Has Sufficient Supply to Meet Demand During Heat Wave: The Long Island Power Association (LIPA) has advised the village that with forecasts calling for hot and humid temperatures exceeding 90 degrees, they ask all of its customers to use electricity efficiently as a way to conserve energy and avoid spiking bills.

LIPA Chief Operating Officer John McMahon states that they have enough capacity available to meet the projected service-area peak demand for the forecasted heat. They would like customers to use energy wisely in a heat wave which will help avoid heat related local outages. LIPA will have extra crews available to address heat-related outages in a quick and safe manner.

To use energy efficiently during periods of high heat and humidity, LIPA customers should:

• Put air conditioners on timers, don’t let them run when not at home;
• Set air conditioners at 78 degrees;
• Use fans to circulate cool air, which helps cut air conditioner use;
• Set refrigerators and freezers at most efficient temperatures; and
• Run major appliances, such as clothes and dishwashers, in the morning or late evening to avoid the peak demand hours of 2 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Please Continue to Shop and Dine Outdoors in Garden City: The residents of Garden City are very fortunate to have viable retail businesses on Seventh Street, Franklin Avenue and New Hyde Park Road where there is a good variety of quality merchandise and family dining experiences available to be enjoyed.  Please support these businesses and enjoy the products, variety and outstanding customer service. Keep in mind that these merchants save you from traveling outside the village for your needs. Consider the harsh reality if we did not have these businesses here to service our needs. I look forward to seeing everyone in town.

2013-14 Sanitation/Recycling Guidelines and Schedule: The Sanitation/Recycling Collection Schedule and Guidelines for 2013/14 were mailed to residents last week. Due to some inaccuracies, a replacement “Collection Schedule” page will be mailed out to all residents shortly. When you receive the new “Collection Schedule” page, please replace that page with the new page.

I encourage you to review the schedule and to please retain it as a reference source for the upcoming year. If anyone has not received a copy, please call the Department of Public Works at 465-4003.

Please also be courteous of your neighbors and do not place any refuse at the curb on the weekends. All refuse should be put out before 7 a.m., on your scheduled pick up day, but not more than 12 hours before collection.

Concert at Gazebo: Once again, compliments are due to the Recreation Department for arranging the 2013 season's outstanding Concert Series at the Village Gazebo, located on the Village Green at the corner of Stewart and Hilton Avenues.

Next week’s program is scheduled for Thursday, July 25, and will feature Stan Zizka and the Original Del Satins, featuring music of the 60's. I hope that I will get a chance to see you at one of the concerts this summer.

The program will begin at 7:15 p.m. and admission is free. Please bring your lawn chair or blanket and enjoy a very pleasant evening. In the event of inclement weather, the concert will be held at the Cultural and Performing Arts Center at Cluett Hall at the St. Paul’s School. Please call the Recreation Office at 465-4075 if you have any questions pertaining to the concert.

S.T.O.P. Program: The Town of Hempstead Sanitation Department will conduct its monthly S.T.O.P. (Stop Throwing Out Pollutants) program on Saturday, July 20. The program, which is held at various locations throughout the Town of Hempstead, will make hazardous waste facilities accessible to as many residents as possible.

This Saturday’s program will be held at Town of Hempstead, Parking Field L2, in Levittown on Division Avenue. The hours of operation will be 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Under the S.T.O.P. program, residents are able to take polluting materials to the facility and have them disposed of by a registered professional disposal company, free of charge. The facility will not accept the following materials:  ammunition, explosives, fireworks, electronic recyclable waste, infectious or medical waste, propane tanks larger than 20 pounds, oxygen tanks, radioactive materials and unlabeled materials. Non-conforming or damaged propane tanks can be returned to the establishment that refills your barbecue grill tanks.

The S.T.O.P. Program also offers you a way to promote energy efficiency.  Bring your old incandescent light bulb and exchange if for a new energy efficient bulb (limit of five bulbs per household, while supplies last). Also, help us keep mercury out of the waste stream. Bring your old mercury-based thermostat to a S.T.O.P. event and receive a $5 gift card to a local home center.

Board of Trustees Summer Meeting Schedule: During August the board of trustees meets one time. The next meeting will be held on Thursday, Aug. 22 at 8 p.m. This meeting is held in the boardroom at Village Hall. I encourage all residents to attend board of trustees meetings so that you can be informed of what is happening within the village.

Questions for the mayor? Email Mayor@gardencityny.net.