State grants will help fix roads, fight crime

The Village of Rockville Centre will be the recipient of more than $70,000 in state funds, which it will use to repair potholes and fight crime.

The first part of the money, just over $33,000, will be used by the village to fill potholes. It was part of a special one-time allocation by the state to help municipalities repair roads after the exceptionally harsh winter.

“Due to the harsh winter elements, our roadways took a beating,” added Mayor Francis X. Murray. “Our Department of Public Works has been working tirelessly to try and repair our infrastructure that our residents depend on every day. Funding from the governor’s office will help to offset the cost to make these vital repairs.”

The second part of the funds is a $40,000 grant for the Police Department, to help fund more patrols to target robberies and thefts from vehicles. The RVCPD was one of only two police departments in Nassau County to receive a state grant, and one of only three on Long Island.

Police Commissioner Charles Gennario explained that the grant would be used for equipment and for covering overtime expenses related to robberies and thefts. However, the state has not yet told the grant recipients what equipment they can purchase. If possible, Gennario said, he would like to buy surveillance cameras for major areas of the village.

“The safety of our residents and visitors to the Village of Rockville Centre is my top priority,” he said. “Grants like this help to provide the tools we need to fight and prevent crime. The village experienced a 25 percent decrease in major crime in 2013 as compared to 2012, and [we] hope to build on that with the grant money from the state.”