Gillen, board trade blows over town property management, Siemens project

Tom McCarthy

Hempstead Supervisor Laura Gillen traded blows with Republican members of the Town Board on Tuesday over five resolutions, including one that could help the town get rid of excess property.

Action on the resolutions was postponed.

 

One of them involved hiring  the Smith & Degroat Real Estate firm of Mineola for property consulting to deal with the town’s excess property, according to Gillen’s office.

Gillen said that when she was elected she found that the town did not have a comprehensive list of the properties it owned. Gillen said that after getting a consultant her office discovered town properties like a supermarket parking lot in Roosevelt.

“If someone goes to their store and falls down, the town gets sued, and we have to pay,” Gillen said.

Adam Haber, executive assistant of economic development and government efficiency, reported that the town owns 750 pieces of property worth $4 billion and said that when he inquired about the owned property he was given a DVD video of all the properties rather than a comprehensive list.

Town Board member Bruce Blakeman challenged that, saying, “It is a fact that every property that the town owns is on the tax rolls and is easily identifiable.”

Blakeman said he wanted more time to discuss the issue of choosing the real estate consultant.

Gillen asked the board why it had delayed an energy project with  Siemens that her office reported would result in a projected $11.381 million in guaranteed savings, and over $5.7 million in positive cash flow, over 20 years.

Gillen’s office said that the project would bring about fixing 5,433 LED fixtures, 16 high-efficiency pool pump motor replacements, One 75-kilowatt cogeneration system at Echo Park, 19 high-efficiency transformer replacements and designing computer management software for 1,158 terminals.

“These items would save taxpayers millions of dollars,” Gillen said.

Blakeman said more time was needed so the board could discuss whether town workers could work on this project or whether members of the private Siemens Public Inc. should be working on the project. Haber said that the longer the town takes on finishing the project the more carbon emissions would be released by the town.

“Why don’t we go back to the drawing board and see, Mr. Haber, what can be done by our town workers and what does not have to be done by private contractors,” Blakeman said.

The Town Board also postponed a vote on a resolution authorizing the execution of an agreement for Granicus Novus Agenda software that would help the town clerk’s office go completely digital. Gillen said that would result in more transparency and generate meeting agendas online more efficiently.

Haber said that currently 72 typewriters are being used by the town.

The board did not act on another resolution to hire company to locate and recover, for a 15% fee, long-forgotten town-owned assets.

Gillen also called attention to the board’s decision to put off action on a resolution for the implementation of a 311 call center that she said is “constantly delayed.”

Share this Article