THE INCORPORATED
VILLAGE OF FREEPORT
PRESENTS
A
HOLIDAY
WONDERLAND
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2003
6:00 pm
Meet us at Sunrise Highway
and the Cannon Triangle
for the Lighting of the
Village Holiday Tree
6:30 pm
Santa arrives at the
Freeport Recreation Center
Visit Santa's Workshop
7:00 pm
Enjoy the Holiday Ice Show
Performed by the Freeport Skating
Academy
For more info call: 377-2314
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Fall Leaf Collection
During the fall, the Village will
provide weekly leaf collection service
except on Christmas Eve, which falls
on a Wednesday this year.
During the Fall, DPW maintains
a variety of equipment to collect
leaves that accumulate on village
streets. Initially, the street sweepers
collect leaves and as the leaf fall
increases, additional equipment is
utilized including two vacuum trucks
and a payloader.
Among the t resp-onsibilities
of the
"Public Works Depart-ment
is to remove leaves
from the street in order to minimize
disruption to parking.
Please do not rake leaves into
the street or burn leaves. This is pro-hibited
by Village Codes. Residents
are urged to bag the leaves, and
place the bags at the curb for collec-tion.
The Sanitation Department col-lects
yard- waste, on, Wednesdays
throughout the year except during
holiday weeks. Yard waste includes
leaves, grass clippings, garden waste
as well as twigs or branches with a
diameter of less than 6 inches.
All property owners should observe the following guidelines so that
the DPW may serve you better through the leaf collection program:
• Leaves should be placed in plastic leaf bags and must not weigh more
than 50 pounds per bag.
• A maximum of twenty leaf bags may be left at the curb each week.
• Place leaf bags between the curb and sidewalk, not in the street.
• Do not park motor vehicles on leaf piles. This could cause a fire when
dry leaves touch hot mufflers.
Christmas trees are collected on Wednesdays with yard waste.
Place undecorated holiday trees at the curb between 6:00 pm
Tuesday and 7:00 am Wednesday.
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NOVEMBER, 2003 www.FreeportNY.com THE HOME OF CHAMPIONS
Theme of Veterans Day Celebration:
"Freedom Isn't Free"
Freeporters young and old
came to the Veterans Day com-memoration
service at the vil-lage's
Memorial Library to pay
tribute to American heroes of
the past and present.
"Protecting freedom and ensur-ing
peace has always required
sacrifice," said Brigadier
General Harry J. Mott III, the
guest speaker at the event.
"Brave men and women of the
U.S. military service continue to
faithfully give their lives in con-flicts
around the world to pre-serve
and protect our freedom.
Today we honor their sacrifice,"
he said.
Mayor Bill Glacken added,
Freeport High School's Select Chorale joined representatives of the armed services, members of the High School Junior ROTC and
organizers of the event for a photo. Left to right are: Chairman of the event and past commander of the American Legion Post
#342 Charles Jackson; Commander Robert Pachas; front, the young men representing the Navy: Morris McDermott, Rafael
Acevedo, alongside Marine Corp Juan Surly. In the back, Trustees Bill White, Jr., Don Mauersberger, Brigadier General Harry J.
Mott III, Police Chief Michael Woodward, and Mayor Bill Glacken.
"It is the role of each genera-tion
to nurture and protect
the next. The younger gener-ation
pays tribute to its par-ents
and grandparents by
joining today's struggle
against tyranny and terror-ism.
On Veterans Day we
honor those young men and
women who so honorably
and courageously risk their
lives in order to protect our
country and the freedom we
hold sacred. God protect
them all and return them to
us safely."
Mayor Glacken Joins Statewide Effort to Cap NY Pension
Fund Contribution
Freeport Mayor Bill Glacken
recently joined with other New
York State mayors and municipal
officials at a news conference in
White Plains, NY. Organized by
the New York Conference of
Mayors and Municipal Officials,
(NYCOM), the group called on
State Comptroller Alan Hevesi to
reconsider his demand that gov-ernment
entities increase the
amount each must contribute to
the state pension fund.
Freeport, along with every
school district, library, village,
town, city and county through-out
New York State, with the
exception of New York City, has been advised
by the comptroller's office to budget for a
major increase in its contribution to the state's
pension fund in next year's budget. "The
amount the Comptroller is requesting from
Mayor Bill Glacken speaking at the news conference hosted by White Plains Mayor Joseph Delfino and led by NYCOM Executive Director
Edward FarreD.
the local governments," explained Mayor
Glacken, "is unconscionable, and will put an
enormous financial burden on these entities."
Freeport's projected contribution for the
2004/2005 budget is approximately 12% of the
civilian payroll and 17% of the police payroll.
The village's state pension
fund contribution in 2002
was approximately $1 mil-lion.
In December of 2003.
the amount is $2,396,185.00,
and in December 2004, it is
scheduled to be
$4,233,451.00. That figure
represents a 323% increase
over a two-year period.
Mayor Glacken, along with
the other officials, called on
Comptroller Hevesi to recon-sider
the current contribu-tion
requirements on the
municipalities. "We need a
reasonable limit on how
much this contribution may increase from year
to year. We would like to see a cap of just 2 to
3% of our payrolls each year, rather than this
drastic increase that has the potential finan-cially
to cripple us all."
Fall Festival a Major Success for the Village and
Chamber of Commerce
"No act of kindness, no matter
how small, is ever wasted." Those
words written centuries ago by the
Greek fabulist Aesop in the tale, The
Lion and the Mouse, are worth
remembering at this time of year. So
often we think that our small contri-bution
to a charity or the little time
that we can spare to help out an
elderly person is too insignificant to
have any meaningful effect in the face
of devastating poverty or the loneli-ness
that often accompanies aging.
The downturn in the economy
over the past few years, exacerbated
by the terrorist attacks on September
11, 2001, has had a chilling effect on
food banks and homeless shelters.
Among the many disheartening statis-tics
is the number of veterans who
find themselves lost and abandoned
during the holidays. Families with
young children also populate shelters
or live in temporary accommodations,
isolated from their schools and other
youngsters.
Sometimes we are discouraged by
the thought that we will not be able
tp^ m eet. ihe.de man ds, pjLvpJ .UD Jeer i n g_
time with the elderly, or that we will
be pursued by too many groups, or
forced to make difficult choices
among many worthy causes, and in
the end, it is simpler to say to our-selves,
"I'll do it next year." But the
power of one person, making a com-mitment
to do just one act of kind-ness,
can make a difference.
In the United States, charities
receive the most substantial amount
of their total contributions from mid-dle
and low-income families. In fact,
donations from moderate-income
families far exceed the contributions
by upper-income and wealthy donors.
This phenomenon is attributed to the
ability of those in modest circum-stances
to empathize with the poor.
-The first Christmas following the
horrific tragedy of September 11, a
group of New York City firefighters
traveled to Afghanistan to bring food
and gifts to youngsters at a local
orphanage, where the level of poverty
appalled these compassionate individ-uals
who had the ability to look
beyond their own grief. Among the
volunteers was Freeporter Joe
Higgins, a New York City firefighter
who had lost his own brother, Timothy
1=Higgins,^a_fellow.,cityJ:ir.eman,_in-,the,
terrorist attacks. Both men were also
Freeport volunteer firefighters.
The anthropologist Margaret
Mead, said, "Never doubt that a small
group of thoughtful, committed citi-zens
can change the world." This
year, vow to make a difference with
your own personal act of kindness.
Have a safe, happy holiday season.
Mayor Bill Glacken reads to the youngsters at Transfiguration School.
Mayor Reads to
Youngsters at
Transfiguration
School
Youngsters in the nursery and pre-kindergarten pro-gram
at Transfiguration School listened carefully
recently while Mayor Bill Glacken read the wonder-ful
story, Jubal's Wish. It is the story of a happy frog
who wants to share the joy of a beautiful day with
all his friends.
The Mayor was one of the visitors to take part in
the National Reading program, which encourages
parents and friends to read to young children to
develop their vocabulary, enhance their imagination,
and encourage them to love reading.
Mayor Glacken, along with other elected officials and members of the Chamber of Commerce congratulated the winners of the chowder contest. Left to right,
Chamber of Commerce President Christopher Creamer; Nassau Legislator David Denenberg; Bedell's at West Wind co-owner Fran Meisinger; Nempstead Town
Clerk Mark Bonilla; Rachel's Restaurant owner Ivan Sayles; Cafe By the Sea owner Brady Land; Otto's Sea Grill manager Dana Lamb; Hempstead Town
(ouncilwomon Angie Cullin; Chamber of Commerce First Vice President, and owner of J.C. Cove Restaurant, Jane Dugan; Mayor Bill Glacken, Trustee Bill
White, Jr., State Assemblyman Dave McDonough, and Trustee Don Mauersberger.
The Mayor poses with the Freeport High School Junior ROTC students who were volunteers on board the Bounty
Freeport's Fall Festival, which featured a visit
by the tall ship, the H.M.S. Bounty, was a sold-out
success. The 180-foot square rigger, decked out as
a Ghost Ship complete with scary sailors and long-gone
skeletons, drew crowds to the Nautical Mile
where adults and youngsters were able to tour the
decorated ship during its two-week stay, culminat-ing
in a special Halloween night performance on
Oct. 31st.
Visitors to the Fall Festival enjoyed the nauti-cal
displays and maritime demonstrations, as well
as the gift booths and the food section where
local restaurants featured their seasonal special-ties
including roasted corn, "shrimp kebobs; andj
The children attending Freeport's Hi-Hello Child Care program took port in the annual Halloween Parade disguised as princesses, angels, Cinderella,
Superman, Minnie Mouse, Spiderman, Blues dues, and the Hulk. Among the elected officials invited to the parade were Hempstead Town Clerk Mark
Bonilla, who dressed as Zorro, Councihvoman Dorothy Goosby, Freeport Mayor Bill Glacken, Hi-Hello's Executive Director Joann Bousquet, and
Hempstead Town Supervisor Kate Murray.
Pirates waiting to board the ghost ship.
also took part in a special "Best Chowder" contest.
The event was sponsored by the Village of
Freeport and the Chamber of Commerce. It pro-vided
an opportunity for visitors to see the revital-ized
Woodcleft Ave. during the Fall season,
extending the public interest in the waterfront
area past the summer months. "It was great to see
so many people coming to the Nautical Mile at
this time of year. It encourages the restaurants
and shops to benefit fully from the improvements
we made and it gives the area an 'open all year'
appeal to visitors," explained Mayor Bill Glacken.
"We hope to welcome the H.M.S. Bounty again
next year along with many other tall ships. These
visits offer wholesome entertainment for the
whole family," he concluded.
