Lake Success seeks to showcase itself, eyes fitness center and field fixes

Janelle Clausen
Mayor Adam Hoffman asks if it's possible to move the field up 10 feet to avoid clashing with drainage along the track, make room for seating, and take the tree "out of play." (Photo by Janelle Clausen)
Mayor Adam Hoffman asks if it's possible to move the field up 10 feet to avoid clashing with drainage along the track, make room for seating, and take the tree "out of play." (Photo by Janelle Clausen)

Lake Success village trustees heard presentations on fixing the softball field, updating fitness center and an open house on the village’s offerings on Monday, deciding to allocate up to $3,000 toward the open house but holding on the first two matters.

Sam Balooch, the village’s fitness instructor, pitched spending about $32,522 on new equipment for the village’s fitness center, the bulk of which – $26,000 – would go toward new treadmills with TV and Internet.

The proposal presented also called for a $4,325 elliptical trainer with television and Internet and trading in older, unused equipment.

Balooch said three of the current treadmills are breaking down “fairly often” but have no warranty. It’s also getting difficult to get parts, he said.

“Consistently, there is one to two treadmills out of order,” Balooch said.

Under this proposal, Balooch said it would come with a lifetime warranty on the frames of the equipment, 10 year guarantees on the motor, and a three year guarantee on labor and repairs.

While getting refurbished equipment might seem cheaper in the short term, Balooch said this wouldn’t come with warranties and it’d be “like buying a used car” in terms of guessing how long the equipment could last. New equipment, by contrast, would last 10 years and come with the warranties.

“The fitness center is starting to get a lot more use, which is a great thing,” Balooch said, while noting that equipment breakdowns threaten to “curtail [the] growth” of the center.

Trustees and Balooch discussed whether part of the order could be fulfilled now or if a compromise could be reached soon.

The Board of Trustees ultimately decided to hold off on approving a purchase, with Hoffman saying the village needs to see where they can find money in the budget and that Balooch would get an “answer in a week or two.”

In other business, trustees discussed possible fixes for their softball field.

Trustee Robert Gal said there are a number of issues with the field, which closely abuts the village’s new track, like need to repair fencing and make room for seating near third base, while protecting the track from cleats.

Hoffman suggested trying to move the field up 10 feet to make more room, which would take a tree in right field – which can get in the way of games – out of the way, while also making room for a dugout on the third base side.

“Money no object, time no object, sure,” Gal said, before noting it would be a “big project” – as well as a possibly costly one.

Trustee Peter Chang asked if the village, using its own equipment, could simply move the backstop forward.

Trustees ultimately took no action on the ball field.

In unrelated business, Bradly Rudman, a Lake Success resident, said he saw the open house as an great opportunity. Representatives from the fitness center, golf course, public works department, police department and others would be present, he said, while CulinArt, the village’s caterer, would offer food and refreshments.

“The idea is to educate the community” on what the village has to offer, Rudman said.

Trustees approved allocating up to $3,000 for the March 24 event, which is currently scheduled to go from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Most of the money would go toward signage, mailings and postage, Rudman said.

Of the cost, Mayor Adam Hoffman said, “I don’t think it’s extravagant.”

Share this Article