After garnering national media attention by banning smoking on sidewalks last month, the Village of Great Neck Board of Trustees quietly named the enforcers of the law at a meeting Tuesday.
The board approved a measure, which was listed on the meeting agenda as “an update to the parking-meter attendant job description,” to give two village parking attendants the authority to issue no-smoking citations along Middle Neck Road.
With a simple request by Village of Great Neck Mayor Ralph Kreitzman to correct a “technical point to the job description,” the proposal was unanimously passed with no discussion – until after the vote.
“We’ll submit this to the Civil Service and see what their reaction is,” said village administrator John Dominsky to the board.
“Uncivil service,” replied the mayor.
In Great Neck Village, the written descriptions of agenda items are consistently vague and sometimes hard to follow at meetings.
The board clarified the new job description for parking attendants only when questioned by Blank Slate Media during the public comment portion of the meeting, well after the vote.
According to Kreitzman, maximum fines for specific violations can be authorized by the board under general provisions of the village code. For smoking on village sidewalks, the maximum fine is $1,000 and 15 days and jail.
“That’s under our general provisions because we didn’t change it yet,” said Kreitzman. “I don’t think you’re going to see a lot of those.”
The smoking ban, enacted Jan. 4, prohibits smoking tobacco and other substances on sidewalks within 125 feet in front of commercial establishments, the Village Green Park and the Village Housing Authority. It also outlaws smoking on benches in municipal parking lots with access to Middle Neck Road.
Village officials cited health concerns and the complaint of a store owner in enacting the law, which made the Village of Great Neck the second municipality in the nation to have such a law. The village’s decision was picked up by national media outlets including the Associated Press and CNN.
Also with little or no discussion, the board quickly and unanimously approved a retainer rate increase of 1.63 percent to the law firm of Ackerman, Levine, Cullen, Brickman and Limmer without Trustee Jeffrey Bass, who had briefly left the room, absent from the vote. The law firm has represented the village for more than a decade, according to the board.
Kreitzman said no request for proposal is needed by the board to renew the long-standing agreement of representation between the firm and the village for legal advice and representation on the planning board, board of appeals and for prosecution cases.
“For professional services like this, we don’t have to,” Kreitzman, who called the rate increase “nominal.”
According to last year’s village financial report, $161,737 was listed under law expenditures.
Listed simply as “Employment Counsel Services” on Tuesday’s agenda, the board authorized a no up-front retainer fee agreement with Littler Employment and Labor Services Worldwide, specifically attorney David Wirtz, to deal with legal issues involving village employees.
After the vote, Kreitzman was again asked by Blank Slate Media for clarification of the proposal.
“When we need him, now we can just call him up and use him when necessary instead of waiting for a board meeting and authorizing it,” said Kreitzman. “We now have someone lined up if we need someone.”
Village resident David Zielenziger asked the mayor after the meeting if progress has been made by Kings Point or Nassau County police in their investigation of a string of recent home invasions in Great Neck Village, which has terrorized some residents in the area.
“They asked us not to talk about it, but the police are working on it,” said Kreitzman. “I just don’t think we should be discussing it.”
After a request by Blank Slate Media for a comment regarding the affects of recent winter storm cleanup on village finances, Kreitzman said the heavy snow has resulted in increased employee overtime and high salt and maintenance fees that are taking their toll on the budget.
We haven’t run the exact numbers yet but “at this point, we are getting close to our budget,” said Kreitzman.
An application for restaurant use was granted to Dunkin’ Donuts, soon to be located at 566 Middle Neck Road. The eatery is expected to begin construction in about one month and plans to offer kosher donuts.
Reach reporter Rich Jacques by e-mail at rjacques@theislandnow.com or by phone at 516.307.1045 x203
