Village of Mineola Mayor Scott Strauss delivered his annual State of the Village address on Tuesday night, emphasizing Mineola’s economic health and the monetary benefits from current development projects.
“We have adhered religiously to our debt management plan. I am pleased to inform you that our outstanding bonding is now less than $14 million,” Strauss said.
He said Mineola’s bonded indebtedness has decreased from $33 million to $19 million in the past 10 years and further reductions are scheduled in the near future with the retirement of other bonds.
Strauss said the debt management plan is a continuation of a plan implemented during the administration of former Mineola Mayor Jack Martins.
Strauss also praised the work of Village Clerk Joseph Scalero and Village Treasurer Giacomo Ciccone for a recent settlement of all village tax certiorari claims for $262,7000.
The village, Strauss said, had budgeted $450,000 for tax certiorari settlements based on a demand by the certiorari plaintiffs of $464,950.
He said the village also prepaid a carry-over obligation from the prior year of $37,500, which was not due until the 2014-15 fiscal year.
“We will thus begin the 2014-2015 fiscal year with no carry-over obligations – a clean slate,” Strauss said. “We have not only seen the light at the end of the tunnel, we have reached it.”
Strauss said the village board has passed a budget with a “minimal” tax increase and said the village maintains a “healthy” unreserved fund balance for unexpected expenses.
Strauss also reported progress on all current construction projects, saying Winthrop-University Hospital’s new $80 million research center “will help drive the economic engine of our businesses.”
He said the building permit for The Winston, a 270-unit residential building at Old Country Road and Willis Avenue, has been issued and demolition of old buildings at the site had begun. He said a companion building, The Churchill, intended to provide affordable rental housing for seniors, is under construction on Front Street west of Roslyn Road.
At 250 Old Country Road, he said, the former LIPA/Keyspan Building will soon be razed to make way for a new 315-unit residential building, as final review of the plans by the village Building Department is being conducted.
Strauss said all current construction projects were approved by the village board under the village’s development incentive bonus law that provides prospective builders a relaxation of use regulations in exchange for providing public amenities to the community.
“More than $10 million of value in amenities or cash contribution in lieu of amenities will be received by the village from these projects,” Strauss said. “More importantly, however, these developments will bring new vitality to our downtown, increase our village tax base and provide additional customers for our businesses.”
Addressing the village infrastructure, Strauss said the long-standing storm water drainage problem in the area’s of Bruce Terrace and East Second Street has been resolved.
“We were able, through the assistance of Sen. Jack Martins, to participate in a three-party inter-municipal project with Nassau County and the Town of North Hempstead to correct this problem,” he said.
He said the project has hit a few obstacles in the area of Sheridan Boulevard but said it would be completed soon.
Strauss also thanked village Superintendent of the Department of Public Works Thomas Rini for his work on the project.
At the beginning of his address, he thanked Rini’s department, the Village Hall, the village Fire Department, the Mineola Volunteer Ambulance Corps and the village Auxiliary Police Department for their collective response to the “tremendous punch” Mineola took from Hurricane Sandy last fall.
“While we may have bent as a community, we would not be broken,” Strauss said.
He cited the cooperative effort between the public and private sectors of the village to aid the village in the hurricane’s work.
Near the end of his address to an audience that included members of the Mineola Chamber of Commerce, he praised the organization for running the “hugely successful” annual street fair and movie night, as well as the Taste & Style of Mineola charity fundraiser.
“Mineola’s future is bright,” Strauss said in conclusion. “Mineola’s future is strong and we will do everything we can to ensure it stays that way.”
