By Mary Malloy
Waving homemade signs, wearing masks and biochemical garb one participant was dressed as a toilet bowl residents from Bay Park, East Rockaway, Angle Sea, Oceanside, Island Park and Long Beach joined Hempstead Town Councilman Anthony Santino who called the rally to protest the consolidation plan.
Our message is simple, said Santino. Rather than shutting down the plants in Lawrence and Cedarhurst, and spending, by some estimates, $15 million to build a pipe ... that money can be used to rebuild a plant in Lawrence and Cedarhurst ... our cause is right and just.
New York state Sen. Dean Skelos reminisced about fishing for snapper in Reynolds Channel when he was a young man. The reason we live here is quality of life for ourselves and our children, Skelos said. We want to make sure that what you catch is safe to eat. I pledge to work with Santino to see that Bay Park does not get dumped on.
Kristin Octera, spokeswoman for the residents, marveled at the size of the crowd. Look around you, she said as she scanned the small sea of people. We are together on this. We want to tell the county that their decisions affect our lives. We will not be deterred.
Legislator Fran Becker, who joined the protest, recalled the meeting at which the consolidation plan was passed. I stood with all of you, and they shut the microphone off on me, Becker said. Look at all these kids, he added gesturing toward the crowd. Look at what they-re learning. I-m so proud of each and every one of you, and I was ashamed of the way the Democrats took the vote that day. I pleaded with them to table it. It was passed 9-10 along partisan lines. They have shut you and me out.
Becker likened the rally to the Boston Tea Party, and jokingly suggested throwing something into the bay in protest. Someone from the crowd shouted, Throw Toback in!
Mayor Brian Curran attended the rally to show his support. We in Lynbrook care about this issue, and we stand behind you 100 percent, he said.
East Rockaway Mayor Ed Sieban said simply, We will get our bay back again.
In addition to writing to county officials on the sewage plan, Hempstead Town Supervisor Kate Murray and Santino have commenced a petition drive against the plan to increase the sewage that Nassau will pump into Bay Park. To date, the town leaders have collected over 1,000 signatures.
We-re hopeful that Nassau officials will be persuaded to listen to the united voice of hundreds of Bay Park and East Rockaway neighbors, Santino said. Indeed, there is only one thing worse than the stench emanating from Bay Park, and that is the foul aroma of government that refuses to address the concerns of the residents it represents.
Comments about this story? MMalloy@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 202.
Photos by Mary Malloy/Herald
