A Word From Mayor John Watras

Autumn Splendor: In this delightful time of year with the leaves on the trees changing colors and the holidays coming, we invite you to visit the autumn display on the Village Green located at Hilton and Stewart Avenues. We thank our Village Recreation/Parks Department for this splendid decoration.

Traffic Enforcement: All residents are reminded that the Village Police Department is cracking down on speed, right turn on red without stopping, full Stop sign violations and failing to observe speed in school zones as well as other motor vehicle traffic violations.

Special Thanks to the Fire Department: Special thanks is due to the Fire Department for their efforts in making Fire Prevention Day/Week the success that it was. Our Fire Department puts a lot of time, effort and expenses into this project which is designed to make the residents and children aware of the inherent dangers in household fires. If you were not able to attend this past Sunday, Oct. 6, please make an effort for your own safety, and the safety of your children, to attend next year. Fire Chief William Castoro and our Fire Department do an outstanding job protecting our lives and homes and we are grateful for their dedication to the community.

Happy Birthday Vivian Shattuck Jorgensen - 100 Years Old: Last Sunday I had the honor of attending village resident Vivian Shattuck Jorgensen’s 100th birthday celebration. Vivian has been a resident of the Village of Garden City for over 50 years.

It was nice to spend time with Vivian and to present a proclamation to her on behalf of the Village of Garden City. I wish her continued good health and happiness.

Fall Festival Street Fair and Homecoming Parade: Saturday, Oct. 26, will be a very festive day in our village marked by the Chamber of Commerce’s 34th annual “Fall Festival Street Fair,” combined with the annual High School Homecoming Day Parade. There will be lots of activities for the children including two trackless kiddy trains carrying youngsters 12 years of age and younger up and down Seventh Street, an inflatable “bouncy” house, the ever popular money cube (kids catching flying money) and returning for 2013 to liven up the street will be “Fivestone,” a contemporary rock band. There will be face painters, young dancers from Broadway Bound of Garden City; sidewalk sales and lots of good food. I hope that you are planning to come to this fun day in the village and I hope to see you all there to enjoy the community spirit and fun.

The Chamber's Street Fair on Seventh Street and Franklin Avenue is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. and will run through to 3 p.m. Seventh Street, between Franklin and Hilton avenues, will be closed to all traffic from 7 a.m. until 3 p.m.  For your convenience, please use the Hilton and Franklin Avenue entrances to Parking Field 7S and the Stewart Avenue entrances to Parking Field 7N. The High School's Homecoming Parade will step off promptly at 1 p.m. from the most easterly end of Seventh Street and proceed west along Seventh Street to Cathedral Avenue, north onto Stewart Avenue, west to Oxford Boulevard and north to the High School parking field. The Homecoming festivities and football game will follow the parade at the Warren King Field.

Board of Trustees' Meeting Schedule: The next regularly scheduled Board of Trustees’ meeting for the month of October is on Thursday, Oct. 17, 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.