Roslyn Estates appoints clerk

Bill San Antonio

The Roslyn Estates Board of Trustees named Franklin Square resident Bryan Rivera its new village clerk and village treasurer during its meeting Monday night.

Rivera, 34, replaces former clerk/treasurer Stephanie Butt, who resigned April 22 saying she had received another position, mayor Jeffrey Schwartzberg said.

“I did my undergrad in political science and had always been involved in local government,” Rivera said. “It’s something that interested me in my educational background, so when the opportunity arose, I thought it’d be a good opportunity for me and my family.”

Rivera said he last worked as a business developer in sales and marketing for Enviro Trac, an environmental consulting and contracting company based in Yaphank.

Rivera also said he has worked in politics before, for state Sen. Tony Avella while he was with the New York City Council and for New York City Councilman Mark Weprin, when he was with the state Assembly.

“I’ve known Bryan a long time,” Schwartzberg said. “He knows how to deal with people, he’s an excellent business manager, he understands budgets. He may not be from the village, but he has all the experience of knowing what a village clerk needs to do.”  

During the meeting, the board of trustees reviewed a draft of a proposed local law that would revise building code provisions and scheduled a public hearing for the June 10 meeting.

Schwartzberg announced that the village had received approval of its initial claim of $109,000 from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, of which FEMA would pay roughly $81,000.

Schwartzberg said that although the village would likely receive the check in the next few weeks, likely after the start of the 2013-14 fiscal year, the payment would be accrued under the 2012-13 year.

Schwartzberg also said he met with officials from the Long Island Power Authority after LIPA workers removed four trees from the village without the authority of a permit.

The four trees, Schwartzberg said, were removed at the request of a resident, though only two of them were on that resident’s property.

“I don’t understand why LIPA would remove trees at the request of a resident, but those trees aren’t even on his property,” Schwartzberg said.

The property owner is due in village court June 11, Schwartzberg said.  

Schwartzberg appointed Deputy Mayor Jeffrey Lindenbaum to spearhead a capital-planning committee for future projects, citing drainage, roads and curbs as the village’s most pressing matters.

“We have some immediate needs in the village, we had a rough winter, and I think we need a short-term solution and then we can think about the long-term budgeting,” Lindenbaum said.

The board opened discussion about enforcing village code on weekends, primarily a provision that limits landscaping to only three hours a day on Saturdays.

Though various members of the board have begun printing violation warning signs for distribution throughout the village, the trustees suggested appointing a code enforcement officer to work Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.

Schwartzberg suggested the local law limiting the work needed changing, though board members said they’ve seen landscapers working as late as 7 p.m. on Saturday nights.

“I think it’s ludicrous to squeeze landscaping into a three-hour window, and if you don’t license these guys, they won’t even be aware of your rules,” Schwartzberg said.

After the village appoints a code enforcer, village attorney Chris Prior said the board could explore revising its code enforcement methods, notably in setting a range for potential violation fines

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