By JUDY RATTNER and TIFFANY RAZZANO
Many also offered their opinions on the proposed temporary moratorium on certain types of construction in the village and the plan to amend the financial threshold for exterior design review. The discussion of those proposed local laws will continue at the next board meeting on Jan. 25, because the acting village attorney, Thomas Levin, was not at the meeting.
Opponents of the high school project took their arguments in a new direction, asking the trustees to have the village Building Department assume jurisdiction over the proposal for new lights and turf at South Side High School, rather than leave it to the Board of Education. They had outlined a similar point - that there is a restrictive covenant in the deed to the land - at a school board public hearing on Dec. 5.
"We're not sure at this time what our authority is," said Trustee Jeanne Mulry, referring to the village board. "[The neighbors] bring up a good point about a restrictive covenant in the deed of sale that would limit development. There is some sort of legal basis, although I understand it has never been enforced. It is an open question. I am impressed that the residents went digging and found this. They did their homework and we have to respect that.
"We're doing our own internal investigation because we have to give some sort of response," Mulry continued, adding that this issue only came to the attention of the board in December. On the other hand, she said, "The school district has a lot of authority. The New York State Education Department is very clear on giving school districts control over zoning without the approval of local municipalities."
Trustees fill vacancies
In other action at the meeting, the trustees unanimously appointed Thomas Domanico acting village assessor and acting secretary to the Village Board of Appeals. They also confirmed Harry Weed, the current head of the Department of Public Works, as the new head of emergency management for the village.
The police department expanded its force with the induction of a new officer, Tony Catalano, and the promotion of Robert Heinemann to sergeant. Catalano, an Oceanside native who graduated from Oceanside High School in 1999, felt personally compelled to serve his country in some form. Knowing he wanted to be involved in law enforcement, he enlisted in the Coast Guard after a year at Nassau County Community College. Serving for four and a half years, he was stationed in Florida, Virginia, Cuba and Staten Island as a gunner's mate.
Last July, Catalano began training at the Westchester Police Academy. He became a squad leader during his training, and graduated from the academy on Dec. 15, receiving the award for Best All-Around Recruit, which recognizes a high level of achievement in academics, physical agility, firearms proficiency, attitude, appearance, attendance and professional demeanor.
Heinemann is a Rockville Centre native who attended Riverside Elementary School and South Side Middle School and graduated from South Side High School in 1983. He was the starting first baseman on South Side's county championship team of 1982, and was named All-Conference as well as the county's outstanding defensive player.
Heinemann went on to attend Nassau County Community College. He is currently working toward his bachelor's degree in criminal justice. He began his career as a police officer in 1987, joining the New York City Police Department. He was an officer in Brooklyn for nearly four and a half years, working in the 71st and 77th precincts.
In 1991, Heinemann left the NYPD to work for the Cove Neck Police Department, and two years later he joined the Rockville Centre department. In both November and December of 2006, he was named police officer of the month.
Heinemann will celebrate his 20th year as a police officer in April. He has made nearly 200 arrests over the course of his career. He is a field training officer in the department, helping to train new recruits, and has attended Magloclen gang awareness courses and High Intensity Drug Trafficking Awareness courses.
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