By Anthony Rifilato
Santino, who took the stage with about 11 town officials from various departments, introduced Lt. Rick Capece from the First Precinct. Capece, wearing civilian clothes, spoke briefly and gave a synopsis of crime in Baldwin and the police response.
Following up on comments he made at a Baldwin Community Association meeting two weeks ago, Capece reiterated the Community Response Team's increased patrols, which include 25 officers, 12 of them in plainclothes, and mentioned the incident outside Baldwin Senior High School Nov. 20. He said four of the main suspects had been arrested, and added that there are now extra police around the high school.
Capece also mentioned Baldwin's easily accessible roads, particularly Grand Avenue. "Baldwin has attractive hazards," he said. "I don't want to alarm people and make people think there is a unique situation in Baldwin." Capece explained that there has been an overall spike in suburban crime.
Speaking the crowd of 50 people, Santino highlighted the new parking lot on west Brooklyn Avenue, which is reserved for Baldwin residents and has 85 spaces. He also said funding has been approved to refurbish the east Brooklyn Avenue lot in the spring.
"The entire area surrounding the Baldwin train station will be revitalized," Santino said. He noted the success of the Baldwin Skate Park, and said 2,900 people have registered to use the ramps. He also said that legislation to improve canals did not pass the New York State Assembly, although Santino said the bill would be resubmitted in January.
He also mentioned that the Town is working with the Baldwin Chamber of Commerce to install light receptacles in the train station's new light poles to accommodate holiday lights and decorations.
For the most part, however, residents peppered Santino with comments and questions about traffic, parking and some issues that weren't town-related.
One resident was concerned about safety at Baldwin Park. He mentioned steel beams left outside in back of the baseball fields that could be dangerous, and suggested that the speed limit in the park be reduced because, he said, no one pays attention to the signs.
The same resident interjected some political commentary, saying that the town board lacks racial diversity. He pointed out that the board is made up exclusively of white males, with no minorities or women.
Santino strenuously disagreed, saying that the board has a number of outstanding minority and women officials in the administration, such as Raymond Rhoden, who couldn't be present at the meeting. "We have a diverse administration," Santino said, adding that he would look into his questioner's other concerns.
Traffic and parking seemed to be the evening's predominant issues. Dorothy Woodholm, who became something of a minor celebrity at the meeting -- she spoke twice -- addressed handicapped parking and what she said was an overall lack of attention to illegal parking, because she has had trouble finding spots. Santino said he would alert Capece to the issue.
Woodholm also inquired about recent Nassau County legislation that banned smoking in bars and restaurants. To the giggles of the audience, she wondered aloud if alcohol would still be allowed and that the smoking ban was a ridiculous law. Santino said it was a county rule, though he encouraged people concerned with county problems to call his office, where they would be referred to the proper departments. "In my next life I'm going to be a cop," Woodholm said to a round of applause.
She later addressed the board about the elderly being able to renew their driver's licenses. She said some shouldn't be allowed on the road. "There should be another test," Woodholm said as the audience laughed.
Others had more straightforward concerns, such as a lack of adequate street lighting, sidewalks in need of repair, speeding and hazardous exits.
Baldwin resident Mark Cohen alerted the board to what he said were hazardous traffic problems along Grand Avenue. Cars making left turns onto Sunrise Highway are increasingly becoming a problem, he said, and added that the area between Grand Avenue and Merrick Road has become a speeding zone. "The stop signs are a joke," Cohen said. Santino said the problem would be addressed, though Grand Avenue is a county road.
Peter Piechotta, a Sprague Street resident, said crossing Grand Avenue is "like taking your life in your hands." He asked for more enforcement in the area and proposed traffic cameras, and Santino said pressure would be brought to bear on the traffic problems.
Cohen asked Santino about a proposed project on Madison and Arthur streets in which roads in the area would be raised to alleviate flooding. A town official responded, saying that the goal is to raise the basin to five feet above sea level. Cohen wanted to know whether he would lose any frontage on his property, and the official said there would be no loss.
After the meeting, Santino said the plans are still in the design phase, though work is scheduled to begin in late summer or early fall. The project will require some property aquisition and work easements, but all the roads being raised, he said, would have new sidewalks and curbs as well as improved drainage.
There were not only complaints. Baldwin resident Beth Lucretz commended town workers for plowing her street, and Michelle Russo, a Parkway Drive resident, thanked the board for work done on Grand Canal.
Afterward, Santino said he thought the meeting went well. "It's a busy time of year," he said of the sparse turnout. "There were no particularly burning issues, but the little issues add up if you ignore them."
