By Nicole Falco
"I'll tell you guys, what you really need is a mayor ... an incorporated village to solve these problems," Suozzi told residents who attended last week's public meeting at West Hempstead High School.
Some 200 residents -- mostly from West Hempstead and Franklin Square -- gathered in the high school on Aug. 20 to discuss the future of their communities. Garden City South was also visited during the bus tour and discussed during the public meeting. The meeting was called to give residents a voice in shaping their community and the county executive an opportunity to personally deliver the county's Economic Development Plan to residents.
The plan, outlined on the county's Web site at www.nassaucountynydevelopment.org, divides the county into 35 economic development areas. Suozzi kicked off the plan in February in Elmont and North Valley Stream with a bus tour and public meeting. The communities of Franklin Square, West Hempstead and Garden City South comprise the 12th zone visited by the county executive.
The residents of Franklin Square and West Hempstead don't have a mayor to turn to when they want to report a zoning code violation or request the cleanup of a local park, and chances are they probably won't anytime soon. Having to rely on whichever government entitity controls the area where the problem is, they were more than eager to relate their concerns to the county executive.
Approximately 20 community leaders representing the three communities' various civic associations joined Suozzi and other government officials on a two-hour bus tour of the downtown business districts in each community before the public meeting. According to Suozzi, downtown business districts are vital to the county's economic plan.
After a brief tour of Garden City South, the bus headed down Hempstead Turnpike in West Hempstead, where the community leaders pointed out what they considered to be "eyesores." They included the Capri Motel, where three prostitutes were arrested earlier this month. Some of those aboard expressed concerns over businesses like Hempstead Tire and National Wholesale Liquidators, complaining that they are not properly maintained.
Along Hempstead Avenue, Suozzi saw the empty storefronts, the infamous Courtesy Motel, the homeless loitering outside the OK Gas Station and Riesterer's Bakery -- a community staple. He spoke with the owners of the Lakeside Riding Academy on Eagle Avenue and DeMasco Salvage Yard on Wadleigh Avenue. He was told about the need for a stop sign on Whitfield Road. Suozzi's last stop in West Hempstead was Hall's Pond Park, where he saw the extent of the Canadian Geese problem and the park's unkempt landscape and lake.
Past Halls Pond Park, the bus tour took Suozzi along Franklin Avenue in Franklin Square, where he noticed a county-owned lot that could be moved as well as vacant and unkempt storefronts. As the bus motored along Hempstead Turnpike in Franklin Square, community leaders complained about the undocumented workers who wait for work most mornings.
The community leaders voiced a wealth of concerns not because they think their communities are in such bad shape, but because they know they could be better. "People drive down Hempstead Turnpike and that's what they think West Hempstead is," said Nikki Stamatas-Thaw, a member of the West Hempstead Kiwanis Club. "They don't take the time to really come into the community."
At the evening's meeting, Suozzi reiterated to the crowd many of the same points he made during the tour. He spoke of the need for economic development, including expanding the county's tax base and creating high-wage, high-skill jobs. He detailed the challenges, including the lack of space for development, the decline of downtown areas, congestion, the high cost of living and lax code enforcement. And he spoke of goals.
The goals of the county's Economic Development Plan are to promote high-tech/high skilled industries, revitalize downtown business districts, redevelop brownfields, create affordable workforce and senior housing, preserve open spaces and promote sports, entertainment and tourism in Nassau County. Suozzi hopes to realize these goals through a partnership with the Town of Hempstead, government officials and business and community leaders.
Joined by Legislator Vincent Muscarella, Town Councilman Ed Ambrosino, County department heads, a representative of the Fifth Police Precinct and other community leaders, Suozzi made a few short-term promises and set long-term goals for West Hempstead, Franklin Square and Garden City South.
Suozzi promised to have Hall's Pond Park cleaned up within a week. Since the parks department is half the size it once was, Suozzi encouraged the community to seek a partnership with a local business willing to take on the regular maintenance of the park in exchange for signage in the park.
Suozzi spoke of ridding the community of the Capri and Courtesy motels and possibly building senior and workforce housing in their place. He said he would try to expedite the improvements scheduled to begin in 2006 on Hempstead Avenue, including the creation of curbs and planting of trees. He said he would investigate the possibility of relocating the Department of Public Works yard now occupying the county-owned lot on Franklin Avenue. Suozzi said he would work with the town to pressure National Wholesale Liquidators -- a "good anchor store" -- to maintain its property.
When Franklin Square resident Sonia DiSimone brought up her concerns about the undocumented workers on Hempstead Turnpike, Suozzi proposed that the community take the same approach Glen Cove took when he was mayor: building a meeting place for the workers to get them off the streets.
"We've got to fix [the communities' problems]," Suozzi said. "It's not going to happen tomorrow. I'm not going to fix [them] this year. I promise that's not going to happen."
