After taking a short summer break from public meetings and work sessions, the village board returned last week where it was back to business as usual with the board of trustees keeping residents updated about upcoming village events.
However, Mayor Scott Strauss took some time to address a recently published article that would make the Village of Mineola a possible bus transit hub for Nassau County at the village’s Long Island Rail Road station.
“My personal feeling is that if someone plans to make Mineola the county’s parking lot or the “hub” for some type of bus rapid transit system, someone should reach out to us and include us in the discussions instead of having us read it in the paper,” Strauss sternly said. “I would think that things should have been better handled and hopefully they will reach out to us and include us in the discussions. I think we do enough for this county and Long Island here in the village and I’m a little perturbed that I have to read this in the paper that they’re trying to make us some sort of bus rapid transit hub—whatever that means.”
RXR Realty, who would become the master developer and BSE Global, which operates NYCB Live’s Nassau Coliseum, recently agreed to build and finance a $1.5 billion project that would include housing, retail and office space around the coliseum. The area, which is also known as the Nassau Hub, would have buses connect to the Mineola and Hempstead LIRR train stations. Nassau County Executive Laura Curran has made the redevelopment plans a top priority of hers since taking office.
Deputy Mayor Paul Pereira reminded residents that the day before the annual Mineola Street Fair on Sunday, Sept. 23, Mineola High School will have its Homecoming Day parade on Saturday, Sept. 22, down Jericho Turnpike.
Trustee Paul Cusato informed residents that the Mineola Historical Society will be having their open house on Sunday, Sept. 30, at their headquarters on Westbury Avenue from 1 to 4 p.m. Strauss urged residents to stop in and see what the society has been up to.
“They are cataloging and memorializing our history and they can certainly use newer members,” said Strauss. “It’s a great organization to be a part of and they do a lot of great things in maintaining our history. Hopefully you come down and see what they have. It’s a tremendous collection [of artifacts].”
Trustee Dennis Walsh provided an update about the garbage situation that has been affecting areas of the village such as Station Plaza North.
“Several weeks ago, one garbage can down by Station Plaza North and another one by Te-Amo, which is on Main Street, were a magnet for household garbage,” Walsh explained. “The one near Station Plaza North, I’ve seen pillows in and I saw a mattress next to it. I saw a chair more than once. It just becomes a magnet for people who live above these stores to pile up garbage.”
In conjunction with the village’s Buildings Department, notices and summonses were given out to landlords—quelling the situation.
“I have driven around the Station Plaza North area at least two to three times a day, every single day since this plan was implemented,” said Walsh. “It’s much cleaner down there.”
Disagreeing with complaints from those who say that the village board is destroying the Station Plaza North area, Walsh said that there are multiple garbage cans on Long Island Rail Road property that are available to use.
“This one particular magnet is gone and I’m glad it’s gone,” concluded Walsh.
The next village board meeting will be held on Wednesday, Sept. 12, at 6:30 p.m. at Village Hall.
