The-Leader_2004-09-23

              mm Year, No. 39 Freeport, N.Y. 11520
The Community Newspaper
Thursday, September 23, 2004
Making a yful noise
Bishop Frank O. White, the pastor of the Church of God in Christ, Little Zion, and the members of the congregation, celebrated the Grand Opening and Consecration Service at the magnificent new building on Grand Avenue and Babylon Turnpike held on Saturday, September 4.
The service was led by Bishop White, and his son Dr. Frank A. White, the co-pastor of Little Zion. The Bishop was joined by clergy members from neighboring congregations and officials from the Eastern Baptist Association of Greater
New York.
Close to 1,000 people filled the church and took part in the prayer and music service in celebration of the opening of the new cathedral, which replaced an older building the congregation had outgrown. Bishop White thanked all of the public officials who had helped to make this accomplishment possible, including Mayor Bill Glacken. The mayor congratu­lated the congregation on the incredible achievement of con­structing a magnificent house of worship.
Viewpoint: Suozzi's 1 st Ifrecinct move maices waves
by Joan Delaney
County Executive Thomas Suozzi's proposal to move the First Precinct from Baldwin to Roosevelt, first reported in The Leader (August 19) has angered many residents, mobihzed political oppo­nents and caused dismay among legisla­tors of his own party.
His plan would relocate the precinct from Baldwin to property now owned by the Town of Hempstead on Nassau Road in Roosevelt. Previously, the property had been condemned and owned by the county and then condemned and owned by the town. Numerous proposals for development have fallen through, and for some, the steel skeleton of an incomplet­ed building has long been a symbol of a lack of government and private sector interest in the community.
County Legislator Joseph Scannell (5th L.D.), the chairperson of the Legislature's Public Safety Committee and a Democrat, as is Mr. Suozzi, has long supported keeping the precinct in
Baldvyin. In his most recent discussion with The Leader, he stressed that his position is "still consistent." He stated that Mr. Suozzi did not and has not dis­cussed the proposal with him. Both he and County Legislator Kevan Abrahams (1st L.D.), also a Democrat, are dis­cussing other possible options.
Meanwhile Anthony Santino, the sen­ior councilman of the Town of Hempstead and a Republican, has told The Leader that over 1200 Baldwin resi­dents have responded to his mailer requesting that they let him know their position on the issue. He is committed to keeping the precinct in Baldwin and says that the resident response overwhelming­ly supports his position.
Politically, the Suozzi proposal is par­ticularly puzzling because for it to suc­ceed, cooperation by both Town of Hempstead Republicans as well as Mr. Scannell is necessary.
In a July 15 letter to Town of Hempstead Supervisor Kate Murray (recently rumored as the possible
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Republican candidate to run against Mr. Suozzi in 2005), the County Executive outlines the situation in Roosevelt and then "proposes" three possible scenarios in order of preference
The first suggests that the Town of Hempstead transfer the Nassau Road property to the county at no cost. He indi­cates that the county would pay a PILOT (payment in lieu of taxes) to the Roosevelt School District. The amount or length of time of the PILOT are not spec­ified.
The second scenario suggests that the town sell the property to the county but notes that the cost would preclude the county being able to pay a PILOT. This scenario seems to be in direct conflict with Mr. Suozzi's previous statements saying that the county wanted to use already-owned property and not incur any costs for purchase.
The second.scenario suggests that the town sell the property to the county but notes that the cost would preclude the county being able to pay a PILOT. This scenario seems to be in direct conflict with Mr. Suozzi's previous statements saying that the county wanted to use already-owned property and not incur any costs for purchase.
The third scenario states, "The County will condemn the property." In this sce­nario, fair market costs would still be incurred plus legal costs. These same kinds of expenses simk the original pro­posal
to move the precinct to Grand Avenue in Baldwin. That plan had been promised many times during the past decade by both Republican and Democratic administrations and that option was eventually eliminated by Mr. Suozzi because of the county's fis­cal problems.
The letter concludes by asking that Supervisor Murray contact Mr. Suozzi to discuss a "partnership for the safety and well being of our mutual con­stituents." Only several lines below the threat of condemnation is a handwrit­ten note, "Let's do this together."
If this politically unlikely scenario were ever to transpire, the County Executive's proposal would still put Democrat Scannell in the position of having to vote on a proposal that he has long pledged to oppose. In fact, if the nine Republicans on the County Legislature voted as a block against the proposal and Scannell's fellow nine Democratic legislators voted for it, he could be in the uncomfortable position of having to cast the deciding vote.
In a phone interview with The Leader, Mr. Scannell stressed his con­tinued opposition to the plan. He noted, however, that he and Legislator Abrahams, whose district includes a small part of Baldwin as well as Roosevelt, have had an excellent (continued on page ?)