Deputy Mayor Lynn Pombonyo
Thank You, Floral Park!
I want to say thank you to all of the voters who went to the polls in Tuesday’s re-election of Mayor Fitzgerald, Trustee Chiara and me. It will be an honor to continue working for all of you in our Village, and working with Trustees Jennifer Stewart and Mike Longobardi, our hard-working Village staff, and our committed residents and businesses.
Police Department
Tonight we congratulate Police Officer Ryan Paroulek who was just sworn in to our Department. Officer Paroulek is filling the position held by Sergeant Michael Tangredi who was promoted earlier this month.
Officer Paroulek, a Floral Park resident, comes to us following a ten year career as a Police Officer, first in the New York State Park Police, then the Larchmont Police Department in Westchester County. During his time there, Officer Paroulek completed his required Police Academy training as well as training in specific weapons use, radar enforcement, DWI detection, crisis intervention and others. In Larchmont, Officer Paroulek received several service and merit awards. He has a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice/Sociology. We wish Officer Paroulek success in his new position in our FPPD.
Our FPPD directed patrols continue to focus on standing/parking violations in the cross-hatched emergency zones that enable first responders to do so quickly and safely. This is especially critical for our firetrucks that must negotiate tight corners onto and off Tulip Avenue and other nearby intersections. Blocking the box and blocking intersection enforcement is also a priority. As the spring weather happily returns and motorists are out and about, FPPD is enforcing the vehicle and traffic laws that will ensure a safe and reasonable flow of traffic (uninterrupted by those breaking the law).
And, as our business district parking lots become more crowded with vehicles, FPPD will be strictly enforcing parking limits. These limits are in place to ensure that shoppers, restaurant customers and others doing business in the Village will have available parking. Those motorists who exceed the parking limits are taking away the parking spaces and opportunities needed by others to do business in our Village.
Business owners are asked to remind their customers and clients of the nearby parking regulations to avoid FPPD summonses.
NY Forward Downtown Revitalization Funding Program
For the past several years, the Village has applied for New York State funding to revitalize and enhance business districts in our Village. As we’ve previously reported, in October 2024, we applied for $4.5 million for the revitalization and enhancement of sections of the Jericho Turnpike business district and thoroughfares connecting it to the Floral Park LIRR Station (such as South Tyson and Tulip Avenues). Our application was well-received by the Long Island Regional Economic Development Council (LIREDC), the judging body, and we were invited to present our vision and proposed projects to that Council in November.
This week, the Governor announced that the 2024 NY Forward grant was awarded to the Village of Farmingdale. Recently completed in Farmingdale were the Sterling Green apartments on Route 109, a seventy-one unit complex with one hundred percent affordable housing. This project meets the Governor’s goal to increase residential housing in New York.
We are proud of the fact that Mayor Fitzgerald, Village Administrator Bambrick, Building Superintendent Marcus and I were invited to present our NY Forward vision and proposed projects to the LIREDC, and we will soon begin our 2025 application process with great passion and determination.
Chambers of Commerce and Our Businesses
The Covert Avenue Chamber of Commerce is planning their March meeting on Tuesday, the 25th, 7:00 PM at Trinity Restaurant on Jericho Turnpike. The featured speaker will be Nassau County Comptroller Elaine Phillips who will share important information and helpful tips regarding why it’s great to be a small business in Nassau County. For meeting registration and membership, visit: covertavenuechamber.org.
The Floral Park Chamber of Commerce next meets for dinner and networking on Thursday, April 3rd, 6:00 PM at the Villa d’Este Restaurant on Jericho Turnpike. For meeting registration and membership, visit: floralparkchamber.org.
So now, let’s SPRING into action and SHOP AND DINE LOCAL here in Floral Park and Stewart Manor.
Conservation Society (FPCS)
“A Walk on the Garden Path” is an eloquent feature story coauthored by FPCS long-time Volunteers extraordinaire Ann Gribbins, Rich Burgess, and Frank D’Amico. Published on page two of the March 7th issue of the Floral Park Villager newspaper, it tells the fascinating story of the half mile brick path, and blossoming trees, bushes and flowers located outside of our Floral Park Centennial Gardens and Bird Sanctuary. This path is “a place of relaxation and beauty for many.”
Ann, Rich and Frank go on to write, “Along the path are trees and organized gardens. Eighty trees and twenty gardens can easily be counted. During the winter, the trees and gardens have been resting. Take a deep breath, soon the buds, the flowers and the leaves will be appearing. The gardens are newer than the trees. It is easy to see that the trees range in age from new to decades old. This article is in appreciation for all the giving people who planted the trees and gardens. It is also a thank you to all who continue to care for every planting and blade of grass.”
The Floral Park Parks Department and FPCS joyfully announce the 2025 opening of the Gardens on Tuesday, April 1st. The Gardens hours will be noon to 5:00 PM, seven days a week, through the month of November.
Trustee Frank Chiara
I would like to thank everyone for their support in my re-election. It is an honor and privilege to serve this wonderful community. We have a great team of hardworking and dedicated Village staff, wonderful volunteers, as well as my fellow Board Members, Mayor Kevin Fitzgerald, Deputy Mayor Lynn Pombonyo, and fellow Trustees Jennifer Stewart and Michael Longobardi. Together in partnership we all work together to keep our Village a vibrant place to live. Thank you for allowing me to continue my service to our community. I remain committed to our mission of keeping the Village of Floral Park a great place to live and raise a family.
Congratulations to Mayor Fitzgerald and Deputy Mayor Pombonyo on their successful re-election and looking forward to our continued work together.
Library
At the March 12th Annual Election Meeting of the Friends of the Floral Park Library a new Friends Board of Directors was ushered in for the first time in over seven years. Based on the show of attendees’ hands, the votes were strongly in favor of the slate of nominees.
Also, in great favor was attendees’ gratitude for the many contributions of the outgoing Board including: fundraising, lawn sales, raffles, special events, the opening of the Library’s Book Nook, and the ongoing support of and for the library.
The library would like to extend a big Thank You to the outgoing President Maria Tetro; Vice President Mary Ann Pugliese; Treasurer Terry Meagan; Recording Secretary Maryann Pugliese; and Corresponding Anne Marie Santangelo.
The Friends of the Floral Park Library’s new Board of Directors feature: President Terry Paterno; 1st Vice President Kathy Sweeney; 2nd Vice President James MacDonald; Fundraising Kerry Cormican; Treasurer Christine Conway; Recording Secretary Stephanie Fattorini; and Correspondence Secretary/Social Media Annie Pollack.
The new Board members bring diverse community, corporate, education, public and private sector experience to their respective roles, and have previously worked together on a number of community and charitable initiatives.
Everyone at the Library is excited to see what the new team has planned!
If you’d like to become a Floral Park Library Friend, you can download an application from the library website at www.floralparklibrary.org, or stop in during normal business hours.
The Floral Park Library Urban Explorers are having their next outing on May28th. It will be a coach bus tour of Harlem. The day will start at the library with the first stop in Harlem at the historic Apollo Theater. Lunch will be at the famous homestyle southern cuisine, Amy Ruth’s. The last stop will be at the Hamilton Grange, the country estate built by our founding Father in uptown Manhattan. The trip should end around 5:30 pm. Cost and details of the trip can be found on the Library website or at the reference desk.
Fire Department
Our Volunteer Fire Department responded to the following number of calls:
Active Company – 23 calls
Alert Company – 23 calls
Reliance Company – 23 calls
Hook and Ladder – 23 calls
Rescue Company – 23 calls and 3 ambulance calls
NYU Langone – 80 ambulance calls
They responded to 4 mutual aid calls, assisting our neighboring communities. Total calls for the month of February were 100.
Trustee Jennifer Stewart
Four Village Studio
Here are some highlights of the on-air schedule for the remainder of the week. Bill Corbett Jr. presents Inspiring Stories featuring the “Tumbleweeds Foundation” with Co-Founders John Cavallo & Meagan Kinney, as they discuss their amazing organization whose mission, as stated on their website, is to enhance the lives of families and individuals affected by trauma through comprehensive support, compassionate care, and transformative advocacy. John Cavallo is the owner/operator of Sempre Fame, which I believe is Floral Park’s only BBQ Restaurant at 347 Tulip Avenue. The Tumbleweeds Foundation is one in a long line of ways John Cavallo and Sempre Fame give back to our community. Another program featured this week is Wes Houston Presents “Walker” with Singer-Songwriter-Guitarist from “The Brotherhood of the Grape” and “Uncorked” with Rex Whicker featuring “Cars & Claret” in which Rex pairs Family Autos with Deserving Wines.
DPW
The Parks Department is performing spring cleanup at all Village parks and getting ready for longer days and outdoor activities. Potholes are being filled, and old, faded street signs are being replaced. The DPW works in tandem with all other departments in the Village to develop solutions for ongoing problems, such as parking in fire lanes. One such solution has been to place stanchions in front of certain locations to dissuade parking in prohibited areas, where it is difficult for large vehicles, such as fire trucks or ambulances, to make turns when responding to emergencies. Please make sure you park legally, no matter how long you intend to stay in the Village.
Cultural Arts Committee
As Daylight Saving Time begins this Sunday, March 9th, and we think about warmer weather and outdoor activities, planning is already underway for our Summer Concert Series. One new concert we are planning is a High School/College Band Showcase. If anyone of high school or college age is interested in performing, please reach out to me at jstewart@FPVillage.org. We are hoping to showcase a variety of talent this summer!
I would also like to congratulate the newly appointed Sergeant Tangredi. I wish Sergeant Tangredi a long and safe career. Additionally, I wish Sergeant Mayo well on the occasion of his retirement. He will be missed.
If you have not already done so, please take a moment to check out our new and improved website at fpvillage.org. Our enhanced website is smartphone-friendly, has easy-to-navigate pages and links, and features all the up-to-date information you could want from a municipal website. This upgrade could not have been possible without the day-to-day hands-on efforts of Deputy Village Administrator Darlene Lanza, Ashley Siragusa, and Building Superintendent Renee Marcus.
Trustee Michael Longobardi
Congratulations to my fellow board members, Mayor Fitzgerald, Deputy Mayor Pombonyo,, and Trustee Chiara on their re-election for another term. It is an honor to serve with them. I look forward to continuing this great team and working with them for the benefit of our amazing Village.
Building Department
The various projects around town continue with no major announcements or changes. One Carnation Avenue is on target to be completed shortly and will open in late Spring. The restaurant on Covert Avenue is also expected to be completed in the spring. There are no meetings scheduled for the proposed large-scale mixed-use development project at 144-162 Jericho Turnpike, formerly Stella’s Restaurant. Dates will be announced when the meetings are scheduled. The project for 50 Carnation Avenue, Storage Post, has submitted a zoning application to expand their storage buildings. This case will be heard at the April 10th zoning meeting.
Spring arrives tomorrow! A reminder to all residents and businesses that you are responsible for keeping your properties and adjacent sidewalks clear of weeds and debris. As you plan your Spring and Summer improvements, please call the Building Department to discuss any code issues as well as required permits for any improvements you are planning.
Recreation and Pool
Preparations continue on the ballfields for the April 12th opening day. A reminder to all coaches that the fields are not available for practice during this time. We had a very productive Pool Committee meeting last week, and I would like to thank the Committee for all their hard work and input. This year’s pool booklet is being developed, and we hope to have it available soon. A reminder to everyone that this is the time of year to renew or apply for leisure passes. They are required for Tiny Town, basketball, tennis, pickleball, and other activities.
Town-Village Aircraft Safety & Noise Abatement Committee (TVASNAC)
The next meeting will be Monday, March 24, 2025, at Hempstead Town Hall, One Washington Street, Hempstead. If you want to make a noise complaint regarding air traffic, you can call 1-800-225-1071. You can also visit the Village website, which has the links under the TVASNAC noise complaint contact information page on our homepage.
Mayor Kevin Fitzgerald
First and foremost, I’d like to thank the voters of Floral Park for re-electing me, Trustee Pombonyo, and Trustee Chiara. I look forward to continuing the work we’ve done over the past couple of years and to keeping Floral Park a great place to live. We all enjoy this job immensely, especially seeing all the positive changes that have occurred throughout the years.
I would also like to thank Superintendent Ginnane for all his work on the Cedar-Hickory project, as well as overseeing the work National Grid is doing. I’d like to thank the residents of Cedar Place and Hickory Street for their patience. Hopefully, we are at the tail end of the project and will have a nice new road with good drainage in a couple of weeks.
Lastly, thank you, Deputy Mayor Pombonyo and Superintendent Marcus, for the work on the New York Forward application. Even though we have not won in the last few years, it does not mean we will stop trying. There is a learning curve each time we submit the application, and small positives—such as including resident comments—can help inform future changes, even if they are not directly related to the award.
