Plan Would Include Private Investors Gordon Urges Referendum
To Develop RR Stations On County Charter Revision
" An exciting new concept" for
the Long Island Rail Road that
would result in an end to station
maintenance charges, hold the
line against future fare increases,
and broaden the Nassau County
tax base was proposed today by
Supervisor Sol Wachtler the Republican
candidate for County Executive.
In a letter to Dr. William J.
Ronan, Chairman of the Metropolitan
Comm Jter Transportation
Authority, Wachtler outlined a
plan for " Total Development and
Re- Development of Long Island
Rail Road stations and Right of
Way."
Wachtler, who is Chairman of
the Nassau County Board of Supervisor's
Transportation Committee,
suggested, " Private investors
should be encouraged to
develop Long Island Rail Road
stations into desirable, tax producing
business locations consistent
with local community
planning."
Wachtler proposed that the Authority
lease station properties
to the investors " with covenants
making them responsible for station
maintenance coupled with a
partial rent abatement schedule to
compensate for the costs incurred."
Wachtler said that among the
businesses which he felt would
find the station locations desirable
were bank branches, beauty
shops, barber shops, specialty
food stores, restaurants, hobby
shops, clothing stores, etc.
Wachtler asserted, •' Such a
program could produce valuable
new revenue for the Rail Road
that could be used to hold the line
against future fare increase, and
would be consistent with similar
lease arrangements at Pennsylvania
Station, Grand Central, Jamaica,
and key locations throughout
the City's Subway System."
Wachtler said that " The stations
would be developed in accordance
with the zoning rules
and regulations of the municipalities
affected."
In a second part to his proposal,
the North Hempstead Supervisor
suggested the Authority
" look into using air rights to
develop revenue producing commuter
parking, especially in
areas where the line is presently
running underground."
Wachtler said, " Such an overall
development and redevelopment
of the Rail Road properties
would provide sorely needed additional
acreage to broaden the tax
base of our County, Towns and
Villages and would be a major step
forward in an effort to relieve
the burden of the property tax
and the constant threat of escalating
fare increases."
Town Eligible For Federal Funds
But Reports Show Fund Shortage
Stuart R. Gordon, unsuccessful
Democratic Candidate for the
State Assembly in last November's
election, this week called
the action of the Nassau Board
of Supervisors to hold a
November referendum on County
Charter revision as the " first
major step toward greater local
representation at the County
level"
Under the proposal, supported
by a majority of the Charter
Commission, the Board of Supervisors,
now consisting of six
representatives of the Counties
three towns and two cities acting
under a weighted voting
system, would be composed of
twelve supervisors each with
one vote, elected from equal
population districts.
The plan would prohibit Town
or City Supervisors from sitting
on the County Board.
Gordon said that this proposed
change would enable the
residents of Massapequa to have
a delegate to the County Government.
Unlike the present system,
which permits the Town Supervisor
to represent our problems
visor to represent the entire
Town; we would have a delegate
who would be familiar with our
problems and responsive to our
needs.
Gordon contends that the proposal
would end the stranglehold
that the Town of Hempstead
now holds on the Nassau
Board of Supervisors.
Gordon also pointed out that
in view of the recent decision by
the Court of Appeals, declaring
weighted voting to be unconstitutional,
it clearly requires the
position of the majority of the
Charter Commission to be
adopted rather than theCasoplan
which is an alternative to this
program.
Gordon said that he is now considering
creating a by- partisan
committee to sypport the
majority position of the Charter
Commission. He also urged the
residents of Oyster Bay to appear
at 8: 00 at the public meeting
on August 3rd, and to make
their views known.
The Oyster Bay Town Board
has been urged to initiate a
drive for a state seminar on
available state funds for municipalities
similar to the one recently
held1 in Washington " to
enable local governments to
understand what aid they are
eligible for and how to qualify
for that eligibility."
This is the recommendation
made to the Town Board by
Ralph Diamond, the Town's
counsel on state and federal
aid after attending a five- day
seminar conducted by the National
Recreation and Park Association
on Federal Assistance
Programs.
Diamond, in submitting his report
to the Board for its consideration,
indicated that the
Town is eligible for varied funds,
but that applications for funds
far outweigh the money available
for these projects.
" There is a pressing shortage
of funds at present that is
likely to continue for quite some
time in the future," Diamond
said. " A list of priorities is
another obstacle that would make
it difficult for Oyster Bay Town
since need, emergencies, low
income, high density and similar
guidelines would put other communities
ahead of Oyster Bay
Town when and if funds become
available."
The report stated that virtually
all Federal funds are funneled
through the State and the income
level, value of its homes
and existing facilities and programs
when compared to other
communities place the Town well
down on the priority standing.
Diamond also cautioned that
any Town accepting State or
Federal grants must keep the
facilities utilizing these funds
open to the general public regardless
of residency. .
In the report's recommendations,
Diamond suggested that
in addition to completely exploring
what the State has a-vailable
so the Town can properly
anticipate what funds are a-vailable
and act accordingly,
several other steps should be
considered.
Conduct survey to determine
if there are low income or high
intensity areas which would
raise Oyster Bay on the priority
list.
Determine if there are any
Federal lands within the Town
that could be used for recreation
and which the Federal authorities
would be willing to donate to
the Town.
what Town- owned
be used for multi-
Evaluate
lands can
purposes.
File for all Federal grants
which Town Board deems de-sireable
to establish eligibility
when funds become available
dollar- wise.
Alert various department
heads to review the various
pieces of literature regarding
Federal programs relating to
their departments so they can
make recommendations to the
Town Board.
Police Alert Alcoholic Beverage Sellers
About Sale To Minors
Nassau Police Commissioner
Francis B. Looney announced that
county police have begun distribution
of a letter to owners and
operators of liquor stores, bars,
delicatessens, and other businesses
licensed to sell beer,
wine, and liquor reminding them
of the law regarding sales to
minors.
" With the onset of summer,
' lie said," we are concerned
about preventing incidents that
could be triggered by drinking
among those under the age of
18."
Looney pointed out that the
county police district has
experienced only isolated incidents
in the past; none presenting
large scale problems.
" We want to take every step
to insure that the problem does
not grow. And , to do that, we
need the cooperation of those
persons who sell beer, wines, and
liquors," he added.
The letter cites the pertinent
laws and notes that a defense
cannot be based on a child acting
as the agent or representative
of another person.
It concludes: " All licensees
are urged to verify the age of
young persons attempting to purchase
alcoholic beverages either
for on- premise or off- premise
consumption as the above cited
I
William J. Casey of Roslyn Harbor presents a check from the
Casey Foundation for a challenge grant to Barbara Marten
who just graduated Plainedge High School to teach sewing
skills to young girls. Miss Marten, was teenage columnist for
the OBSERVER publications for the past several years.
l: ormi-, Jtfjl3 Dft'>: « Wg « i rSursdo/, J u l / 13,1967
provisions of the law will be
strictly enforced by this department."
Motor Vehicle
Bureau Lines Busy,
Add New Line
Nassau County Clerk Franklin
H. Ornstein announced that the
Nassau County Motor Vehicle
Bureau has completed installation
of a new telephone system
to speed service to the public.
The new telephone number is
248- 2900.
Before the installation of this
new number, Ornstein noted,
residents wanting to contact the
Motor Vehicle Bureau would have
to go through the Pioneer 2- 3000
County number, which was often
overburdened. The caller would
either receive a busy signal or,
if they got through to the switchboard,
they were frequently told,
that they would have to wait as
all the Motor Vehicle Bureau
extensions were busy. To help
alleviate this situation, Ornstein
has a special. Motor Vehicle
Bureau number PI 1- 2900 installed
in 1965. The increased
volume of calls and the limited
number of lines available soon
made this service inadequate.
It is expected that the new number
and additional trunks under this
number will provide sufficient
service for several years to
come.
Keud the Legal Notices for Your
Information and Protection
Wachtler Forms Crime
And Narcotics Task Force
" Supervisor Sol Wachtler, the
Republican candidate for County
Executive, announced the formation
of his first campaign Task
Force which will deal with the
problems of Crime and Narcotics
in Nassau County.
" The continued increase in the
crime rate and in narcotics use is
cause for greatalarm," Wachtler
commented. " I have therefore
sought out eminent experts to
work with me in drafting positive
programs to combat these problems."
Serving on the Task Force will
be Dr. Donald Louria, chairman
of the New York State Council on
Drug Addiction; State Senator
John R. Dunne, chairman of the
Senate Committee on Penal In-stitutons;
Professor Howard
Ball of Hofstra Universi* y's
political science department, and
Dr. Keith Schneider, Narcotics
Education Coordinator for the
Town of North Hempstead.
Wachtler said, " I intend to
work with this Task Force and
the others I will appoint to develop
positive programs in every area
of concern to the Nassau resident.
These will be workable programs
which I will be prepared to institute
after January 1."
He added, " We are beginning to
face now the same problems New
York City faced thirty years ago.
Our response to these challenges
will determine the future of our
Country."
Wachtler said each Task Force
will be assigned to develop a
White Paper in its subject area
which he will present '" well in
advance of Election Day."
He explained, " I intend topre-sent
to the voters a comprehensive
picture of the kind of administration
I will be prepared to
offer, i will advance specific,
action proposals designed to
remedy Nassau's ills."
Pequan Killed In Vietnam
Pfc. Robert J. Kubinciak, 19,
of 156 Toronto Avenue, North
Massapequa, a 1965 Plainedge
High School graduate was killed
in action in Vietnam.
Kubinciak, a ladio man, was
stationed in Cu Chi, when he was
hit by a fragment of an antitank
shell. He enlisted in the
Army in October 1966 and received
basic training at Fort
Gordon, Georgia, before leaving
for Vietnam in April.
Kubinciak is survived by his
parents and sisters Linda 16
and Diane 19.
Free Tennis Clinic Expands
To Five Evenings
Due to the
attendance at
Youth
clinics,
unexpected large
the Farmingdale
Council evening tennis
the clinics will now be
held five evenings each week
instead of the usual three.
For the remainder of the six
week program through August
16 the clinics will take place
each week day evening, Monday
through Friday, from 5: 30 to
8: 30 P. M. at Farmingdale High
School.
Free individual instruction by
experienced instructors will be
given.
How to put out a fire aboard a boat was part of the annual
Safe Boating demonstration held at Tobay Boat Basin last Saturday
by the Coast Guard Auxiliary.
Pa- H 3
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