A Word From Mayor John Watras

Garden City Historical Society's 8th Annual A.T. Stewart Flea Market: Please support the Garden City Historical Society by visiting the Garden City Historical Society’s 8th Annual A.T. Stewart Flea Market, tomorrow, June 1, rain or shine, on the grounds of the Garden City Historical Society Museum, 109 Eleventh Street, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. This event includes a wide variety of vendor merchandise, shopping in the A.T. Stewart Exchange and tours of the Museum. Parking is available in the public parking lots near Lord & Taylor. I hope that you are able to come by and that I will see you there.

Twilight Tours and Refreshments - Tanners Pond Environmental Center: Tomorrow, June 1, the Garden City Bird Sanctuary is holding a public event which will include free twilight tours and refreshments at the Tanners Pond Environmental Center’s Garden City Bird Sanctuary and Arboretum. The event is scheduled from 5 to 7 p.m. and is a way to thank the many people and organizations that participated in the April 21 Earthfest/Earth Run and the recent Benefit Yard Sale.

You will have the opportunity to meet some of the directors and volunteers as well as an introduction to Ms. Cally Benison, the new summer field manager, thanks to funding as an intern through Adelphi University. Beginning in June, the site will be open daily from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. and there will be three weeks of Nature Camp in July. I hope to see you there.

Nassau County Dog Runs: I am pleased to report that Nassau County offers several dog runs in the area where you can take your dogs to allow them to run without a leash. The following is a listing of locations within the County:

• Eisenhower Park, East Meadow, Merrick and Stewart Avenues - 572-0347
• Old Bethpage Restoration, Old Bethpage, 1303 Round Swamp Road - 572-8400
• Christopher Morley Park, Searingtown Road, south of the LIE - 571-8113
• Bay Park, First Avenue, East Rockaway - 571-7245
• Cedar Creek Park, Merrick Road, east of Wantagh Avenue - 571-7470
• Nickerson Beach Park, 880 Lido Boulevard, Lido Beach - 571-7700
• Wantagh Park, One King Road, just south of Merrick Road - 571-7460

Please remember that all dogs in New York State are required to be properly licensed and all rabies certifications must be updated. For more information consult the village website for the new regulations to license your dog in Garden City. As a reminder, dogs are not permitted to run freely in our village parks. If you are going to walk your dog, make sure that the dog is on a leash and to be considerate of your neighbors, by cleaning up after your dog and by properly disposing of the waste. In consideration of your neighbors and the health and quality of life within our village, I ask that all cooperate with this law so that it will not be necessary to have the Police Department issue appearance tickets to violators.

Village Tax Bills: The village mailed tax bills this week to residents and their banks. The first half of village taxes are due during the month of June and will be delinquent and subject to a penalty if payment is not made by July 1. If you have a question, please call the Tax Department at Village Hall at 465-4156 between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.

Reminder-Online Payment Option For Village Tax Bills: As a reminder, residents are able to pay their 2013/14 village tax bill using the village’s online Bill Payment Center. As with the village’s existing Water Payment Center, you will have the option of paying with either a credit card (Visa, MasterCard or Discover) or Automated Clearing House (ACH) payment. (Additional fees to the credit card company may apply). This option is located on the homepage of the village’s website, gardencityny.net (by the orange “Piggy Bank”) or from the Village Tax Department Information Page.

Please note that you will still be able to pay your taxes/water bills in person at Village Hall by cash, check or money order. We cannot process credit card payments at the village counter for tax or water payments.

Memorial Day Observance: On Memorial Day, the trustees and I had the honor of attending the Memorial Day community service at the Cathedral of the Incarnation and the parade. I would like to commend the efforts of William Bradford Turner Post No. 265 and the American Legion Auxiliary under the leadership of Commander Joseph P. Frey as well as The Very Rev. Theodore W. Bean, Jr., dean of the Cathedral. I would also like to congratulate the grand marshal of the parade, Fred Camp, who is a retired Second Class Petty Officer who served in the United States Navy. He received the Bronze Star Medal for his service as a medic on Omaha Beach, where he was there working with the wounded. It was an honor to be there to see this serviceman receive this medal.  If you did not get a chance to see the parade on Monday, please be sure to visit the village’s website to view some photos. Please keep all service personnel that serve our country proudly, and their families, in your thoughts and prayers.

Belmont Festival at Garden City: The Belmont Festival Committee is in the process of planning the 16th annual Belmont Festival at Garden City. Entertainment, live music and plenty of activities for the youngsters are planned and as always, great food. The festival's five great bands include the Fivestone Rock Band, Jerry & the Newcomers, the New Vintage Orchestra, Nor Easter Band (formerly Speak Easy) and the Village Music Makers, as well as, back by popular demand, young dancers from Garden City’s Broadway Bound Dance. There will also be pony rides, face painters and carnival booths with prizes.

Restaurants will compete for the best wings in the Wing-Off Competition. The proceeds of this contest will directly benefit the Long Island Red Cross for their efforts in the Sandy recovery. Restaurants interested in participating in the Wing-Off should call Tim Peoples at 917-747-3067.

As of this writing, contributing event sponsors include the New York Racing Association and Stifel Investment Services Group.

In order to accommodate the event as safely as possible, Seventh Street will be cleared of parked vehicles starting at 4 p.m. and will be closed to all traffic at that time. Parking fields to the rear of the stores (7S and 7N) will remain open. If your car is parked on Seventh Street, please make sure that it is removed prior to 4 p.m. so that the Police Department does not need to take action to move these vehicles. Please mark your calendar and make it a point to attend this annual family event. I hope to see you and your families there.

Shop Locally: Please continue to support the local merchants and I look forward to seeing everyone in town.

Board of Trustees Meetings: The next meetings of the board of trustees will be on Thursday, June 6, and on Thursday, June 20 at 8 p.m. I encourage all residents to attend board of trustees meetings so as to be thoroughly informed of village issues from a first-hand perspective.