A Word From Mayor John Watras

• Install a UL certified battery-operated or battery back-up Carbon Monoxide Detector in your home and check or replace the battery when you change the time on your clocks each spring and fall.
• Carefully follow manufacturers’ instructions for placement, use and maintenance.
• If the detector sounds, leave your home immediately and call 911 or call the Fire Department at 746-2800.
• Recognize symptoms and seek prompt medical attention if you suspect carbon monoxide poisoning.
• Adhere to manufacturers’ instructions when using appliances such as furnaces, ranges, water heaters and room heaters.
• Have a qualified technician clean and check fuel-burning appliances and chimneys at the beginning of each season to make sure that they are operating properly.
• Have your vents and chimney checked and cleaned annually.
• Never use a generator, charcoal grill, camp stove or other gasoline or charcoal-burning device inside your home, basement, garage or outside near a window.
• Never run a car or truck inside a garage attached to your house, even if you leave the door open.
• Never burn anything in a stove or fireplace that isn’t vented.
• Never heat up your house with a gas stove or oven.
• Never sleep in a room with an un-vented gas or kerosene space heater.

Budget Work Sessions: I would like to advise you that the board of trustees will be conducting work sessions to review the proposed 2014/15 Operating/Capital Budgets on:

• Saturday, Feb. 8, 8:30 a.m. (Budget Overview/Tour of Facilities)
• Thursday, Feb. 13, 7:30 p.m. (Budget Study/Work Session 1)
• Thursday, Feb. 27, 7:30 p.m. (Budget Study/Work Session 2)
• Thursday, March 13, 7:30 p.m. (Budget Study/Work Session 3, if necessary)

These sessions are currently scheduled to be held in the boardroom at Village Hall, 351 Stewart Avenue, Garden City. All residents are welcome and encouraged to attend.

Shop and Dine in Garden City: There are many things which make Garden City such an appealing place to live and work. One of these is our viable and welcoming business districts with their fine restaurants, unique shops and regional stores.

Many residents consider shopping and dining in our business districts as “experience shopping” because they meet friends and neighbors along the way and have an opportunity to interact with them. This is in stark contrast to frantically dashing through the crowds in the mall or the big box retailers.

I encourage residents to make a conscious effort to choose Garden City as the place to shop and dine. It would be extremely helpful to our business community if you could make one purchase daily in the village stores. Customer service, selection and quality are outstanding. While shopping or dining let the merchant know that you appreciate them and all that they offer. I look forward to seeing everyone in town.

Board of Trustees' Meeting Schedule: The next regularly scheduled board of trustees’ meetings will be on Thursday, Feb. 6, and Tuesday, Feb. 18, 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.