Letters to the Rockville Centre Herald Editor

‘I am honored’

To the Editor:

I want to thank the residents of Rockville Centre for voting me and my RVC United Party running mates into office on June 21. We are grateful for the support we received from our neighbors, and we are already hard at work to fulfill the mandate you have given us to foster a friendlier, more collaborative spirit between government and our residents and businesses and to restore a sense of pride in our village.

I thank our new deputy mayor, Nancy Howard, and new Trustee Michael Sepe for their hard work and dedication in explaining our platform during the campaign. We depended on the constant support of many people: our campaign managers, Bridget Kelly and Suzanne Sullivan, RVC United Party President Jim St. John, Vice President Patrick O’Brien, Treasurer Marion Ege and all our campaign committee members. I am also very grateful for the support and encouragement I received from my family, my wife, my children and grandchildren.

On behalf of the new village board members, I thank Mary Bossart, Dave Krasula and my brother-in-law Chuck Joyce for their years of public service to the village and for the dignified campaigns we were all able to run, staying focused on the issues, debating our differing visions of how the village should be run.

I am honored by the support I have felt from the village where I was born and raised, and I look forward to working with all members of our community to see that Rockville Centre continues to be a great place to live, work and raise a family.

Mayor Francis X. Murray

Rockville Centre

A plea for help

The following is an open letter to the mayor.

Again it is summer, and the grass, weeds and whatever at 1 Woods Place are wild and overgrown. Not only is this unsightly, but I’m concerned that the field mice that scared my children and enticed my dog last year will be back this year. They are the last thing I need in my house.

I understand, in talking to neighbors, that the house is in foreclosure with Wells Fargo. My firm manages commercial properties that have been taken back by the bank. We are required by law to maintain the grounds and keep them safe, as the bank does not want violations from New York City. Obviously, Wells Fargo doesn’t have the same concern for homes in Rockville Centre, and the village doesn’t take them to task. We spent the Memorial Day weekend with friends from Queens, who commented on how the village allows residences to go into neglect without a penalty. Even in Queens, this type of neglect is rare.

I have spoken with two families who said they were interested in the house. I understand the bank is asking $412,000 for the house, which has no garage, needs work and is on a main street. This is more than what the owner was asking, so I can only assume it will continue to be vacant. They would be interested in purchasing for the right price, but they don’t even know who to contact as there is no sign, anywhere.

In addition, the nearby liquor store is abandoned and still not sold, and the neighbors I speak to are concerned about its status, what may be allowed and why it hasn’t reverted to residential use. We will unite on this subject, as it is an eyesore and brings our property values down.

Please look into these matters, as the village has always been there to help us.

Jack Terranova

Rockville Centre

Wants more details on Coliseum plan

To the Editor:

Why is it that when a private group of developers led by Charles Wang was willing to invest $3 billion in the Nassau Hub area, the Republicans insisted on numerous studies and detailed plans? Granted, the Lighthouse was a much larger project, but they delayed and stalled any progress on this proposal for years until they finally killed it in 2010.

Now, when taxpayers will be footing the bill for a $400 million Coliseum and minor league ballpark, the Republicans ram the proposal through in three weeks, with one public hearing and no details on how the project will be financed.

Independent research shows that publicly financed stadiums never provide the type of economic benefits that politicians promise. In fact, residents of New Jersey are still paying off the $110 million debt on Giants Stadium, which was demolished last year.

For a county that is on the brink of bankruptcy, it doesn’t seem prudent to take on an additional $400 million in debt and tack on another $2 million just to hold a special election on Aug. 1. As much as I would love to see development in the Hub, I have serious reservations about this proposal, and need to see all the details before I make a decision on whether or not to support it. Without full disclosure on what this will cost the taxpayers, my vote will be “no.”

Mike Florio

Rockville Centre