Schools Need More Information

Advising the public, especially the school districts about heroin arrests and the like, is vital to the security and safety of school personnel and the children that attend the public schools. At this present time, there is no way of knowing if personnel from after-school programs could be a risk, not only due to their presence but also increase trafficking. We are all aware that children are unfortunately targets. The Civic Board, had approach this idea for some time, and hope that it would have been expanded to a complete background check to school board members.It is our hopes that the wording of the bill would be accommodated to meet the needs of both caucuses to ensure the safety of school personnel and most importantly the children of our public schools.

May 15 7:30PM , Next Civic Meeting

Next Meeting: Thursday, May 15, 2008 at 7:30 P.M.
Place: New Elmont Memorial Public Library.
Guest Speaker: Sewanhaka CHSD Superintendent, Mr. Warren Meierdiercks
Topic: Sewanhaka CHSD School Budget / Improving our area.



At our May meeting, our quest speaker will be Sewanhaka CHSDSuperintendent Warren Meierdiercks. It will be a great opportunity for usto discuss about the issues that are truly affecting our immediate area.The meeting will start promptly at 7:30 P.M. sharp. All our meetings arean open forum, and provide all our members the opportunity to askquestions and receive answers. Important components of our community areour schools and we encourage all our community members, neighbors andfriends to join this important meeting.Brainstorming ideas and solutions may help ensure a more tranquil, andenjoyable months ahead. Now that the weather is nicer, please interactwith your neighbors, participate in the civic and become better informedto what is going around in the community.We hope that everyone has taken the time to read and review the proposedschools and library budgets and we encourage everyone to vote. Inaddition, everyone should review the candidates running for the School andLibrary Board of Trustees and vote for those whom you feel would representour community well. The School Budget Vote and Trustees Elections willtake place on Tuesday, May 20, 2008. Members in our area will vote at theGotham Avenue School. We remind that you must be over eighteen years old,a resident of Elmont for more than thirty days, and be a United Statescitizen in order to vote. We hope that everyone who is able takes the timeto exercise his or her freedom to vote.On Sunday, May 11, we celebrated Mother’s Day in the United States.Washington Irving once stated that “A mother is the truest friend we have,when trials, heavy and sudden, fall upon us; when adversity takes theplace of prosperity; when friends who rejoice with us in our sunshine,desert us when troubles thicken around us, still will she cling to us, andendeavor by her kind precepts and counsels to dissipate the clouds ofdarkness, and cause peace to return to our hearts.”. On Mother’s Day, takethe time to thank, rekindle, and to appreciate the “mothers” in our livesand in the community.At the end of this month, we celebrate Memorial Day for all the men andwomen who served this country for the preservation and protection ofdemocracy. We asked all our members to show your support for theindividuals who had served in the armed services and who are currentlyserving. We especially must show our respect for all those who gave theultimate sacrifice for our great nation. They are the true American rolemodels and we must continue to display our gratitude for their service. Weask all our members who are capable to march with us in the Memorial DayParade. There will be more information pertaining to the celebration atour May meeting.Participating in the civic process help shapes the future of our communityand of our world. The civic understands that we all have busy schedules tokeep. However, we should give some time to help preserve the quality oflife of our neighborhood. This upcoming meeting is important to attendbecause there are serious issues that affect us directly. It is importantfor all members be informed, and to work together to resolve these issues.Together we can make Elmont the best place to live anywhere.Come on down on the 15th at 7:30 P.M. at the Elmont Memorial PublicLibrary and be a proactive component of our community. Bring your family,neighbors and friends. It is always great to see our neighbors togethersupporting a positive cause.A special salute to our troops and armed forces, because thanks to theirpatriotism and sacrifice, they help protect our freedoms and are aninspiration to all Americans.

Voicing Out Choice

The issue of VLTs, is something that must trigger debate as it should question ones values and ethics. What everyone agrees upon is that compulsive gambling is dangerous.
VLTs offer the most addictive form of gambling, and thus which creates the largest number of compulsive gamblers.
Visiting http://cagnyinf.org/ or http://www.ncalg.org/, you could see statistics, documents, reports that all state the obvious, expansion of gambling hurts communities.

Visiting http://www.nhptv.org/productions/theater.asp?streamdata=http://media.nhptv.org:8080/ramgen/outlook/nho04202008a.rm
offers an excellent documentary as to why states should oppose VLTs.

"Gambling is a very poor source of economic development. There is no evidence whatsoever that those states that have large sources of gambling revenues are better financially, or any better off in terms of what services they are offering and delivering. "
- Rhode Island Governor Donald Cariceri [R]

Elmont isn't a community in the middle of a dessert, or with a waterfront, or with a mountain landscape in the middle, it is surrounded by middle class, single family residential homes.
There is a difference that is obvious to see.

Fortunately, we have a choice. We do not need to have VLTs at Belmont. That is what many are not aware about. Belmont Park, is a world class racetrack, that offers the opportunity for many to invest in its development, and most importantly its recovery to becoming the finest race course in the world. Many are willing, however our voices need to be heard.

A museum and a cultural center that offer enriching concerts overseeing beautiful Belmont Park, a highlight to one of America's oldest sport, and a collection of history and triumph, at the Championship Course, that is Belmont.

We encourage everyone to voice out for choice, and sign our online petition.
http://www.petitiononline.com/novlts/petition.html

Opposition Voices of VLTs Rising.

The voices of those who oppose the VLTs at Belmont Park are rising.

January 2, 2007, Floral Park mayor Phil Guarnieri in his monthly message found at: http://www.fpvillage.org/ clearly shares the same sentiments of the "western" Elmont civic association.

Here are some quotes to highlight:

"Saratoga Racetrack, however, would be conspicuously exempt from VLT's and racinos because, as one observer put it, Saratoga is a gem that needs no polishing."

Unlike how our "Eastern" Elmont civic member noticed, Saratoga racetrack held by NYRA will not have VLTs thanks to Senatorial leadership.

"At the public hearing, I expressed deep reservations about state sponsored gambling in general and the proposed expansion of gambling at Belmont Park in particular. I do not see an Atlantic City environment as a blueprint for economic success of revitalization."

VLTs goes against everything we're working hard for improving. It goes against the basic objectives of the Sustainable Long Island Project. VLTs will become a disaster for revitalization of the community.

"As for those who think that the expansion of gambling at Belmont is the shortest route to an economic renaissance in western Nassau, I think they will be sadly disillusioned."

We agree.
As the forces in support of VLTs may seem inevitable, even the strongest forces will fall to the will and for the good of the people.

NYRA Gets Extension: Thoughts

NYRA been a bad neighbor. NYRA hasn't helped the surrounding stores and businesses. NYRA doesn't care about Elmont. These are the words of our locally elected representatives in Albany.
What can we say about their oversight on NYRA?
Probably the same things.

Truth is, NYRA isn't the typical bad neighbor; but one that got lazy because no one bothered to watch them. Their hands got caught in the cookie jar, and they vouch for change; and perhaps it is for the better. They've been there for over 50 years. In the early 1900s, that plot of land was up for sale. The mostly rural setting was worried, that another large plot of land (600 acres at the time), would be sold to add another cemetery in the community.
Fortunately, the likes of Belmont and Morgan, bought the land, back then known as the Oatlands. There was a Tudor-Gothic Mansion surrounded by "ancient trees" and where the Turf and Field Club remained till 1956.

1903, in part to immigrants (from Italy, Poland and Ireland) helped to build Belmont Park. Many of these immigrants later stayed and helped formed the first suburbia, and Elmont. So from its commencement in 1905 to 1965, it was the Westchester Racing Association that owned the property, led by Belmont II.

It was in 1965, that New York State, decided in order to provide a competitive and controlled (and the best) racing in America, a single entity should control the four major racing tracks in New York. Thus the Greater Racing Association of New York was formed. They purchased the shares and deeds of the 4 tracks. One year later, they become known as its current name, New York Racing Association (NYRA).

By 1966, NYRA was in full flight, and "modernizing" the tracks at Belmont and Aqueduct. The historic mansion was demolished, and big giant "ancient trees" were cleared to make way. However, the "old tree" remained, giving us a glimmer as to what this land was once before.

Thanks to NYRA, we were able to witness, the glorious racing of Secretariat, the tragic end of Ruffian, Seabiscuit cross the country in train to race, the record of the largest attendance at a sporting event, and the honor of hosting the first sporting event in the US, after the tragedy of 9-11.

With its history, lore and glamor, from the place where US Air Mail first took flight, where the Wright Brothers held their International Air Flight Competition, to where the French King sought asylum from political persecution. It is a place, where others would be jealous of what it means.

The 600 acres once known as the Oatlands, and now Belmont Park, is no longer 600 acres. Its Southwest corner, converted to a city park, its northwest corner, converted to an Elementary School, its Southeastern corner, converted to a small police hub, and its western corner having the Cross Island Expressway, and a train station. Nevertheless, it remains being 430 acres, give or take.

Belmont history and lore has been forgotten. Forgotten by even the politicians who swore to seek out what is best for our community. When approached with the idea of adding a museum, to attract visitors, restore and reunite the community; we got the rude response, "when are we going to be done speaking." Needless to say, this came from the same individual who said, "Who's going to pay for the traffic light," in regard to a dangerous place on Hempstead Turnpike where numerous accidents and fatalities had occurred.

However, VLTs took a higher priority. Where did these same individuals sought to gain support for them? By visiting a local elementary school. Let me ask you this. How would feel if your state elected official visited the elementary school of your child, and talked to them how VLTs (in simpler terms gambling) will help their education. This is extremely sad, and in one word: tragic.

Tragic in that, they can convince individuals that gambling money is the only way to help Elmont. It is tragic to see, the hard work of Italian, Irish and Polish workers to build the best Racing Track in America, be shortchanged and demoralized into a VLT parlor.

Todays residents of our great community, will suffer tremendously. Let's don't forget that less than 6% of the money spent on VLTs actually go to education. Simply think, of all the potential lives that are risk, the individuals and families who are ruined. I am concerned for the welfare of the children of the community. I am aware of what VLTs had done to that poor baby who died in her mothers car in South Carolina, because she had to go and gamble on VLTs. I am aware of likes of what happen in Kentucky, West Virginia, New Brunswick, Rhode Island, Quebec, Alberta, and others (just naming a few from news reports and studies) where children are affected, unable to get supplies for school, become addicted themselves and are unable to live a normal life cause of what VLTs had done to their families and community. These are the harsh reality, and the deep cutting price and long lasting affect VLTs have.

Let us bring back what Belmont Park was. Bring back the Turf and Field Mansion. Make into a museum, a community center. Have a place to hold concerts, community events and make it friendly, and family oriented place. The community wants an improvement at Belmont. not its destruction. We only hope that the media will not remain one sided by only listening to individuals who live across town, or in farther away communities, but take into account the opinions and sentiments of people that actually live around Belmont Park.

October 18 Meeting Review

Our October 18th meeting was a very informative and productive meeting and we thank all the members in attendance. Additionally, we welcome all our new and returning members.

Mrs. Jakab, announced as tradition, the October meeting serves as an opportunity for election candidates to come and have their voices heard. Our doors are open, and the only thing requested was for them to contact the civic announcing if they were planning to attend. Mrs. Jakab noted that only one individual called, and that was Ali Mirza, who despite having a fundraiser in his honor at the same time, will nevertheless spend time to communicate with our members.

Mr. Barker discussed the possibility of Belmont as a potential place for new businesses to take place, and made people aware that they are individuals who are interested in adding revenue such as VLTs casino, hotel and outlets. The community has had a lot of meetings, in that individuals were able to express their concerns and voice their opinions with this important matter.

In regard to future development of a Supermarket, Mr. Barker made the membership aware that there is a plan to have one along Hempstead Turnpike, and the talks is to have it at the old Argo Theatre. Mr. Barker suggested to have the supermarket be constructed in the current Home Depot shopping center. Mr. Barker opened the floor for additional suggestions.

Mrs. Singh asked why did the Wauldbaums supermarket leave in the first place. The response was that, the answer isn't clear, but it had to do with not enough profit and the termination or discontinuation of the lease. Also noted was that Home Depot did also expand.

Mr. Piil noted that the welding place on Hempstead Turnpike was knocked down, and the rumor is to have Supermarket at its location. Noted was that the property isn't large, and it lacks sufficient place for parking. He agreed that adding the supermarket by Home Depot would be better.

Mr. Smith noted, that the idea of adding a supermarket at the Home Depot Shopping Center is a good idea however there is the issue of the buses. He is concerned about the health and environmental damages that the buses cause to the surrounding properties and the health of individuals around. He believed that Elmont should not be subsidizing a corporate bus company, and feel that the other communities of the high school district is taking advantage of us.

Mr. Piil noted that with NYRA, the Belmont Park has become a dinosaur who gives more importance to housing horses than caring about people. Senior housing could be an alternative plan.

Mr. Mirza presented himself as the Democrat and Working Family candidate for the Nassau County Legislature, Third District, and is a father, single parent of a daughter attending Northwestern University. He became more involved with government, in regard to the continuous increase of taxes, and made people aware that we are paying more taxes than in Garden City. He mentioned that he helped to bring in Sustainable Long Island to Elmont, to help revitalize the area and to help bring in new ideas and advancements for business. To decrease taxes, Mr. Mirza believes that we need to increase the county tax base, without increase the burden on residents by revitalizing business in return will bring in more taxes and increase in sales tax. He hopes to have more people come into Nassau County to shop.

Committee Reports:
School District, nothing to be reported. Many of the members stop attending the meetings due to their displeasure of the atmosphere of the meetings and the tension portrayed.
Sustainable Long Island, Mr. Nicolosi reported that Walmart and other corporations are meeting with local officials, including our school superintendents, in regard to their interest in building in Elmont. Also mentioned was the report that Albany is looking into changing the way schools are funded by the state,
Civic Coalition Council, Mr. Nicolosi reported that a letter was sent to Town Supervisor Kate Murray, and State Senator Dean Skelos, individuals who represent us, to ask them to show up at a community meeting.

Mrs. Davidson, noted that Elmont is at a critical point. Our streets are dirty, many of our children are out of control, and large number of cars parked on the streets, even with properties having empty driveways.

Mrs. Jakab, mentioned that another issue, and perhaps the root to the problem with our streets filled with cars, is the issue of illegal apartments. There needs to be greater enforcement in preventing the use of basement apartments that are illegal, and a safety hazard.

In regard to parking, Mr. Rodriguez noted that in our area there is currently no parking between 10am to 4pm. He felt that enforcement of current codes should take priority over adding something like no over night parking. A return to the parking sticker, and enforcement of it is necessary. Once progress is met, then we can advance in regard to over night parking. The membership agrees that this is an appropriate step to take in the manner.

Mr. Rodriguez made the motion, that in regard to various complaints in regard to garbage, and businesses not cleaning, it perhaps be of interest to invite a representative from Sanitation Six to attend the meeting. The motion was moved by Mrs. Davidson, and seconded by Mrs. Jakab, and approved unanimously.

There was concerns about our next meeting being close to Thanksgiving, however the civic will still hold its next meeting on November 15th.