Freeport Report 2007-02

              Annual Dollars For
Scholars Event Takes a
Turn Around the Ice
This year the Dollars
For Scholars organization
will try a different
approach to raising money
to help Freeport high
school seniors further their
education. On Saturday,
March 24, the group will
sponsor the public skating
sessions from 1:30 p.m. to
3 p.m. and 3:15 p.m. to
4:45 p.m. at the Freeport
Recreation Center's ice
skating rink. A portion of
the funds raised during
the two sessions will be
donated to the scholarship
program.
The Dollars for
Scholars group awards
financial aid to students
with excellent grades and
strong recommendations
from their teachers.
Recipients., have earned
degrees from top univer-sities,
colleges and voca-
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tional institutions, includ-ing
Harvard, Yale, Johns
Hopkins, Penn State,
Hofstra, Potsdam, Queens
College, the Eastman
School of. Music, and the
Culinary Institute of
America.
If you are interested
in donating to the pro-gram,
please contact Jim
or Madeleine Parola at
623-1041, or send a contri-bution
to the Dollars for
Scholars Fund at Freeport
High School, 50 South
Brookside Ave., Freeport,
NY 11520.
UlIlNARyjDElIlG
FOOD3ESTABi!ISHMENTS
Tickets:
„ $25 Advance Purchase
$30 Purchased at Door
For information call: 516-378-1111
-. i-'iBjeWSzCa Freeport Report
New York
FEBRUARY, 2007 www.freeportny.gov THE HOME OF CHAMPIONS
Freeport OfficiaUy
Re-Opens Guy Lombardo Avenue
Village Takes Ownership Of Reconstructed County Road
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Mayor Bill Glacken welcomed Nassau
County Executive Tom Suozzi and Legislator
David Denenberg, along with other elected
officials to the ceremony on Guy Lombardo
Ave. The event marked the finish of the $5.5
million project, which rebuilt the major north-south
connecting roadway, from Sunrise
Highway to Atlantic Avenue.
The project was funded by
Nassau County and managed
by Freeport's Department of
Public Works as the result of a
unique inter-municipal agree-ment
between the county
and the village. The project,
on the back-burner for 13
years, was finally brought to
fruition through the innova-tive
partnership forged
between the village and the
county by Mayor Glacken,
County Executive Tom Suozzi,
and Legislators David
Denenberg and Kevan
Abrahams.
Under the terms of the
agreement, the village com-pleted
the design work, bid
the contract, selected the
contractor, acted as the pro-ject
manager, and handled
contract administration and
inspection services. Now that
the reconstruction and
rebuilding of Guy Lombardo
Avenue have been completed, the county has
officially turned over ownership of the street
and responsibility for all future maintenance
to the village.
"We are thrilled with the success of this
project," stated Mayor Glacken. "The new
roadway, along with the special touches,
which are in keeping with the general theme
of revitalization throughout Freeport, will go
a long way in bringing new economic growth
to the Central Business District," he said.
County Executive Suozzi described the
Maya BS Gtatoarviounc^iteofflcicilrwjpeningofGuy Lombando
Executive Miick Duggaa fteepat Fire Department Executive Diecta Ray Magise, Fteepat Iiustee Don Mauetsbetaet Nassau Ifigjstaia David
Denenbeig, Nassau County Executive Tom Suoa, Maya Glacken, Hempstead lownX^uwtoomm
Fteepai Chamber of Commerce VP Ed Rie*m and Fteepai Planning Commission Vice ChamanJageMafinez.
We are pleased to see that the project worked
out so successfully," added Suozzi.
The reconstruction work included replace-ment
of all curbs, sidewalks, driveway
aprons, and the road pavement. In addi-tion,
the storm water drainage system was
improved, sediment collectors were installed,
and the county's
traffic control signal
system was upgrad-ed.
The area
between Sunrise
Highway and
Atlantic Avenue has
been revitalized
with the installation
of brick pavers on
the sidewalks, along
with antique light-ing,
benches, and
curb trees. This
Spring, bus shelters
will be installed.
"Completing the
much-needed and
long-awaited recon-struction
of the Guy
Lombardo Avenue
roadway is an exam-ple
of what can be
accomplished when
municipal govern-ments
work togeth-er
for the greater
arrangement between the county and the vil-lage
as a "win-win" for both parties. "The
county was scheduled to repair the road. We
appropriated the necessary funding and the
village was willing to provide the assistance.
good. We are grate-ful
to County Executive Suozzi and Legislators
Denenberg and Abrahams for all their help,"
concluded Mayor Glacken.
A MESSAGE FROM THE MAYOR
"' This' """month""" 'the' "Glacken"
Administration marked a major milestone
for the village and an important step in
our long-range plans to revitalize the
downtown business district. The event was
the official completion of the reconstruc-tion
of Guy Lombardo Avenue from
Sunrise Highway to Atlantic Avenue, and
the transfer of ownership of that roadway
from Nassau County to the Village of
Freeport.
The plan to completely overhaul Guy
Lombardo Avenue had been on hold for
nearly 13 years. The project was first dis-cussed
in 1994, between previous Nassau
County and Freeport Village administra-tions.
However, due to a variety of reasons,
the actual reconstruction work was never
started.
Now, through rthe efforts of the
Village's Public Works Department, and
the unique arrangement between the
county and the village, we were able to
complete the project on time and under
budget. This was a major accomplishment.
The county had originally earmarked $6.2
million for the work; however, when all
of the finishing touches are completed this
Spring, the total cost will be closer to $5.5
million.
This project is a key element in our
overall plan for the downtown revitaliza-tion
of Freeport. Over the next three years,
we will be spending approximately $8.5
million to rebuild and revitalize the
Central Business District. Guy Lombardo
• Avenueras'a^mUjbrnorttesouth-thorough^
fare running through the heart of the
business district, and as a leading connec-tor
to the Nautical Mile, is critical to the
success of this plan.
Our experience with the revitalization
of the Nautical Mile provides a model for
the redevelopment of our downtown
area. The reconstruction of Woodcleft
Avenue brought new life to our water-front,
while the rebuilding of Guy
Lombardo Avenue will do the same for the
Central Business District.
By applying the waterfront revitaliza-tion
formula, including the complete
reconstruction of the roadway, as well as
adding the aesthetic elements of brick
pavers, benches, flower planters, curb
trees and antique-style lighting, we have
created a climate for the successful rede-velopment
of the Central Business District.
And just as the improvements to the
Nautical Mile encouraged professional
people, merchants and property owners to
reinvest, expand or open new businesses,
so, too will our revitalization efforts
encourage economic growth in the Central
Business District.
With the completion of the recon-struction
of Guy Lombardo Avenue, and
the storefront and commercial building
rehabilitation projects underway through
the Freeport Community Development
Agency's Fagade Improvement Program,
we can see the same telltale signs of
progress in the revitalization of the
^Central-Business "District that "occurred 'dn'
the Nautical Mile. The renovations to
three buildings which benefited from the
rehabilitation project, and which were fea-tured
in the December issue of the
Freeport Report, have created a favorable
impression among local shoppers, and
encouraged interest in the Facade
Improvement Program from other proper-ty
owners. Several other buildings are now
under consideration, and are expected to
join the program this year.
Just as it is difficult to remember
today exactly how Woodcleft Avenue
looked before the Nautical Mile revitaliza-tion
project was completed, so too will the
old downtown business area be hard to
visualize after we rebuild our Central
Business District.
Freeport Firefighters Read to
Leo F. Giblyn Students
Ex-Fire Chief Roy Moguire surrounded by the third grade stu-dents
wearing their new fire helmets, Iheir teacher, Mr, Marc
Skjner is in the background.
Ex-Capta»i Ed Friedman held the boys and girls
attention during the reading session.
Ex-Fire Chief Ray Maguire and
Ex-Captain Ed Friedman were invited
to read to second and third grade stu-dents
at Leo F. Giblyn School as part of
the Parents As Reading Partners pro-gram.
The two-week long project
encourages parents, family and
friends of the youngsters to spend
time reading to them.
Ex-Chief Maguire read
"Alexander, Who Used to Be Rich Last
Sunday" which was written by Judith
Viorst about her own son, Alexander.
When Ex-Chief Maguire finished read-ing
to the children, he answered their
questions and distributed red fire hel-mets
to all the students. Ex-Captain
Friedman also gave the children fire
helmets and some important advice
about avoiding fires and how to stay
safe if you have a fire break out in
your home.
Human Rights Awareness Conference
Features Deputy Mayor Frierson
The annual Nassau County Human said Ms. Frierson, "you can see that we are the same respect that we all want for
Rights Awareness Conference was held at talking about having respect for each other, ourselves." The program is aimed at high
Adelphi University in Garden
City on Feb. 8th. The theme
for this year's event was
"Your Human Rights Are My
Responsibility." Sponsored
by the Nassau County Human
Rights Commission, under the
direction of the Commission's
Executive Director, Renaire
Frierson, who also serves as
Freeport's Deputy Mayor, the
conference .explored a.variety,
of topics promoting human
decency, respect and sensitivi-ty
for people of all races, reli-gions,
cultures, ages and gen-ders.
"When you examine the
issues that we are discussing,"
school students and teachers.
This year, more than 300 students
and teachers from 56 school
districts in Nassau County, both
public and private, took part in
the event.
Ms. Frierson added, "We
want to help our young people
understand that human decency
is not an abstract idea but a
down-to-earth, day-to-day per-sonal
responsibility to .promote
throughout the year at home, in
school and in the community. We
believe that this program can
help these students create a
-Pictured in the photo oe, center, Nassau County Human Rights Executive Director Renaire Frierson arrfmembersofthecormiission y^,.^ ^ng^ celebrates character
staff including the conference coordinator Daniel Russell. Also in the picture are conference partfcipantsChaimareCtate.Ailene and. . ,, . .. , challenges prejudice and
bigotry."
Cub Scouts Celebrate At Annual Blue and Gold Dinner
More than 100 youngsters
filled the upstairs lounge at the
Freeport Recreation Center
February 4th for their annual din-ner
event. This year's theme was a
Hawaiian Luau, and each den's
table was decorated with
Hawaiian-inspired centerpieces.
Among the special guests
attending were Mayor Bill Glacken,
who told the—youngsters' that •
scouting prepares them for the
adult world by teaching them to
work together as a group, while
learning to recognize and appreci-ate
their individual talents.
"Scouting provides an oppor-tunity
to combine both of these
important traits that, will be very
important to you when you are
adults," he added.
Other honored guests includ-ed
Josephine and Jim Lucci and
Assistant Scoutmaster of Troop 36,
-.Tonr Preston. The Reverend
Maryann Tomecek, Pastor of the
Christ Lutheran Church, Freeport,
also attended the dinner. Den mota Suzanne Colder, Jim Lucci, Josephine Lucci, Maya Bill Slacken, Cubmasteis Kurt Corel
and Artie Juers and the membeis of the Bears Den which is mode up of third graders,
Black History Month Stamp
Honors Singer Ella Fitzgerald
On the left side of the stamp is Joysetta Pearse, Ruth Breidenbach, Dr. Eric Eversley, Superintendent of Schools,
Hempsteod Town Councilwomaa Angle Culin, and Freeport Postmaster Dermot Twouhy.
On the right side is Postal Supervisor Roxanne GreeaHempstead Town Counciwoman, Dorothy Goosby, Mayor Bll
Glacken, New visions Principal Renee Crump, and Jufius Pearse. In front, New Veions School students,
A special ceremony unveil-ing
the 2007 Black History Month
stamp took place at the Freeport
Memorial Library on Feb. 8,
at 10:30 a.m. The event was
sponsored by the Freeport
Memorial Library, the Freeport
Post Office and the African
Atlantic Genealogical Society, Inc.
The ceremony included
musical performances by stu-dents
from the New Visions
School and the Freeport High
School.