Coliseum Meeting, Jerusalem Avenue Beautification Project Discussed at July NBCA Meeting

Board members and residents discussed a number of ongoing and upcoming community-related topics at the July 11 North Bellmore Civic Association meeting.

Nassau Coliseum

Nassau County Legis. Dave Denenberg, D-Merrick, announced three upcoming meetings, including one in Bellmore at which he would discuss details of the Aug. 1 referendum vote to authorize bonding for construction of a new Nassau Coliseum and minor league ballpark at the Nassau Hub.

Denenberg said absentee ballots would be available at the meetings and through his office.

Jerusalem Avenue Project

Denenberg also spoke about the Jerusalem Avenue Beautification Project, for which he located matching funding through an intermunicipal agreement to the original dollars earmarked for the project through community revitalization block grants, which could only be used for one side of the block.

“We can’t do one side of the street and not the other,” Denenberg  said.

The agreement is pending town board approval to move forward. The project is expected to include decorative light poles, new street signs, brick paving, benches, planters and possibly a gazebo.

Aqua Water

Jay Reinhardt, a member of the South East Nassau Water Authority (SENWA) and the Town of Hempstead Water Commission, attended the meeting and was asked to comment about developments with Aqua Water.

Reinhardt talked about the agreement announced Monday between Aqua America, Inc. and American Water Works Company, Inc. He said the SENWA board was putting together a letter expressing their concern and asking that the Public Service Commission open this takeover to public comment.

Crime Update

As at last month’s meeting, Nassau County Police Sergeant Michael O’Mara said Bellmore was quiet, joking that the booklet he passed out last month offering tips for preventing burglaries may have made the difference.

“Nobody left their windows open,” he said, referring to his warning last month that in warm weather residents need to be more aware of closing their car windows and locking their cars.

O’Mara also had asked residents to call 911 if they see anything out of place, offering his contact e-mail, momara@pdcn.org, to report long-term issues.

Bylaws Committee

At last month’s meeting, Bob Podolski suggested that a bylaws committee be formed and association president Reinaldo Nunez called for it to have five members -- three from the board and two members at large.

The two members who volunteered were Richard Schary and Ed Raboy, and Podolski himself offered to be on the committee.

At Tuesday night’s meeting, when asked why the bylaws committee had not yet met, Nunez told the volunteers, “You will be contacted.”

Also, no date was announced for board elections, which were postponed at the last meeting.

The next monthly Civic Association meeting takes place on Monday, Sept. 12 at 7 p.m. in the North Bellmore Library's community room. There is no August meeting.