E.R. Fire Department Among Those Recognized at Village Meeting

Citations and certificates were given to multiple members of the village government at Monday night’s East Rockaway Board of Trustees meeting at Village Hall. 

Louis Bozolo and Ronald Chisholm were both recognized for 25 years of service in the East Rockaway Department of Public Works. 

“The place is never going to be the same when, someday, Louis leaves us,” Department of Public Works Superintendent Kevin Conklin said. “If you are there in the morning, you would understand. Even if I’m in a bad mood, I go down and see his smiling face and know there’s a good crack coming sooner or later. It just makes the day easier for everybody.”

East Rockaway’s Fire Department was given a citation for their work during Hurricane Irene. 

“The East Rockaway Fire Department’s officers and members anticipated the potential for significant loss of property and successfully executed multiple primary missions throughout the village in the wake of the storm,” Mayor Francis T. Lenahan Jr. said, reading from the citation. “...Every member of the East Rockaway Fire Department demonstrated superior professionalism, commitment, tenacity, humanitarianism, technical expertise, compassion, and support while maintaining a highest level of operation readiness.”

The Auxiliary Police were also recognized for their Hurricane Irene service.  

Following the presentation, the board adopted the fifth local law of 2012. The law expands the ability of the Department of Public Works to issue summons, or tickets, to residents, according to the board. 

The board also approved an application for Nassau County Community Development funding. 

The grant program is funded by the U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development. The Nassau County Office of Community Development receives direct applications for these funds every year. About 80 percent of the counties' funding in the grant system are distributed to participating municipalities who use the funds to finance local improvements, according to East Rockaway Building Department Superintendent Thomas Smith. 

Proposed East Rockaway projects that would reap the benefits of such funding would include phase four of the waterfront revitalization, resurfacing of parking field 12A (next to the Post Office), phase two of the John Street Community Recreation Center skateboard park, development of a community meeting center in the basement of Village Hall, development and refurbishment of the existing John Street Community Recreation Center, and Center Avenue and Rhame Avenue road projects, according to Smith. 

“This is money that we have applied for,” Trustee Richard Gogarty said of the potential funds. “If we are granted (the funding) it comes to us at no expense to the village.”

The board approved 21 resolutions before the meeting was adjourned, ten of which dealt with the property cleanup and assessing of taxes of specific East Rockaway properties. 

Other resolutions included the authorization of the village clerk to receive bids for the installation of playground equipment at Memorial Park. The clerk may also receive bids for the Althouse Marina Comfort Station. 

The board also ratified the installation of Matt O’Keefe into the East Rockaway Fire Department.