The Town of North Hempstead approved multiple town code amendments Tuesday through a series of housekeeping changes that the town attorney called an effort to “clean up” its laws.
“This is just really housekeeping,” town attorney Richard Nicolello said.
The seven amendments included adding definitions, removing outdated language to swap for updated verbiage, and complying with the requirements of FOIL, or the Freedom of Information Law.
All amendments were passed unanimously by the town board.
Changes included defining what “policymakers” and “explosives” are, removing the requirement of the clerk to file various documents in the loose leaf book which no longer exists, removing a 1972 law capping the cost of attendance to outside conference at $50, and adding the possibility of certified mail as a form of service.
For both the cannabis and governmental operations code, Nicolello said they opted to remove the description of the 45-filing period for a permissive referendum to avoid confusion. He said some local laws are subject to these referendums, but these have since expired and are moot.
One amendment to town laws on circuses was continued to the April 8 meeting after Nicolello requested more time on the change before facing a vote. The change would lift the current provision that prohibits circuses to be held on Sundays.
Council Member Marian Dalimonte thanked the town’s former attorney who had started the efforts to update the town code through these various amendments. Nicolello said that when he took over last year, he was supplied with a memo that outlined the efforts which had not yet been brought to completion.
Town Supervisor Jennifer DeSena thanked Nicolello and his office immediately after Dalimonte made her comment. Council Member Dennis Walsh then also extended his thanks to Nicolello’s office for bringing these changes to completion.
The town board will convene again for its regular monthly meeting at 7 p.m. on April 1. The board will then have its public hearings at 10 a.m. on April 8.
