The North Hempstead Town Board unanimously adopted its 2025-2029 Capital Plan on Jan. 8, which encompasses a myriad of projects from infrastructure, parks and building improvements.
The estimated cost for all capital projects in 2025 is nearly $44 million.
The capital plan is a non-binding collection of projects the town has earmarked for the next five years. There is no obligation that these projects have to be completed nor at the designated cost.
Town Supervisor Jennifer DeSena referred to the capital plan as a planning guide for the town.
“This is not like our budget that is required by state law to be done by a certain date,” DeSena said. “This is something that has evolved over the years that the town board can use as a planning document for future projects and future borrowing.”
The 2025-2029 Capital Plan includes project requests from throughout the town’s departments and from the town board council members.
Projects include infrastructure improvements such as road resurfacing, drainage improvements, sidewalk replacement, LED lights in street lamps and replacement equipment for town departments.
Parks listed for improvements include Broadway Town Park, Blumenfeld Family Park, Manorhaven Beach Park and Martin “Bunky” Reid Park.
Other projects include upgrades to the 9/11 Memorial at Manhasset Valley Park and the inclusion of ADA-compliant seating, improvements to Gerry Pond, extension of the Port Washington Bay Walk, various replacements at the Town Dock building and wetland restoration at Hempstead Harbor.
For a project to be initiated, and therefore the money spent on it, the town board would have to vote on the project via a resolution.
Several bonds are being suggested to kick off the capital plan. These resolutions are proposed to be voted on at the board’s Jan. 14 meeting.
While the board unanimously approved the capital plan, council members Robert Troiano and Mariann Dalimonte criticized the process for being rushed and omitting some projects they proposed.
Dalimonte criticized the capital plan process for not including a public work session, something she said has historically been done. She said this would have bolstered the town’s transparency in its planning.
DeSena said it is not legally required for the town to even vote on adopting the capital plan, as the board has opted not to do in the past, nor is it to have a work session.
Dalimonte and Troiano said the process was also rushed, having not received the capital plan until the Friday before the meeting. Dalimonte suggested a work session be conducted in December before adopting it in January.
Troiano agreed on the importance of a work session, saying that it focuses the board’s and the residents’ attention on the issue.
“Whether or not it’s binding, it’s an important document,” Troiano said. “Plans are important. Capital plans are especially important. It gives the constituents, our residents, the taxpayers and us a sense of what we might be asked to borrow money for.”
Council Member Dennis Walsh disagreed, saying the process is already transparent.
Another issue raised was the exclusion of some projects identified by council members and residents.
Town Union President Tom McDonough said that while the plan includes many needed projects, there is more he thinks should be done. This includes making Town Hall ADA- accessible and providing bathrooms for the town’s union employees located in a trailer at the Westbury field.
“They’ve been in the trailer for eight years, walking to go to the bathroom during the rain, during the snow, during the heat,” McDonough said. “Anytime, they have to go outside to go to the bathroom. That’s wrong – 100% wrong.”
Michael O’Donnell, a New Hyde Park resident, asked why sidewalk repairs for Marcus Avenue between Major Lane and Florence Avenue were not included in the capital plan. Council Member Christine Liu said she had requested it be included but was not told why it was left out.
DeSena said the Marcus Avenue sidewalk repairs were left out because there were no cost estimates for the project. But she said the town can continue assessing the project to be completed in the future.
DeSena said projects could be added to the capital plan via an amendment, but said there is no reason to amend it after voting on it.
She said projects not included in the capital plan for 2025 can still be pursued.
The start of the 2025 capital plan follows what Town Director of Governmental Research Steven Pollack called a “busy year” for capital projects in 2024.
The town spent about $18 million on capital projects in 2024, according to Pollack.
In 2024, the Town of North Hempstead’s Purchasing Department reviewed 136 capital purchases, according to Pollack. He said an additional 230 capital claims were reviewed and paid.
Outside of the town, Pollack said the accounts payable staff reviewed 770 capital claims on behalf of commissioner-operated special districts.
The town board also passed 34 capital-related resolutions over the year. These include awards to bids and issuing requests for proposals.
Projects that were completed in 2024 included the track, turf and parking lot renovations at Michael J. Tully Park, the pool filtration building at Martin Bunky Reid Park pool, HVAC improvements at the town animal shelter, site improvements at the solid waste management transfer station and exterior concrete improvements at the Yes We Can Community center.
