Town board approves five-year plan to address capital needs

The North Hempstead Town Council approved Tuesday a five-year capital plan that aims to make infrastructure improvements, enhance the town’s park system and protect the environment.
Town Supervisor Judi Bosworth said the capital plan, which runs from 2017 to 2021, is “essential to ensure that the town has its property maintained for future generations to come.”
“Some of the projects are critical to our residents’ safety and quality of life, like our annual capital application for road repaving, while other projects are protecting the town’s investments in its infrastructure by rehabilitating buildings, plumbing and roofs,” Bosworth said.
The town will make about $61.3 million in general fund expenditures, while it expects to spend about $20.5 million on projects from the town outside village fund.
Bosworth said the projects will be paid for through borrowing, grants and town operational funds.
The general fund covers residents across the town, both within incorporated villages and unincorporated areas.
The town outside village fund accounts for those who live or own property outside the borders of the town’s incorporated villages and goes towards departments that handle road maintenance, snow plowing, code enforcement, building safety and inspection, and community planning.
The town will borrow about $52.3 million for the general fund projects, while about $9.2 million in grant funds and $9.04 million in operational funds will be used.
One of the more expensive general fund projects is about $11 million in “general improvements” to be made at the Harbor Links Golf Course.
Other notable expenditures include $8.5 million in improvements made at Gerry Pond Park in Roslyn, about $1.57 million in vehicle and equipment purchasing and $2.16 million for a sanitation system at North Hempstead Beach Park.
For the town outside village fund, the town will borrow about $20.07 million for the projects, while nearly $500,000 will be paid for through grants.
The biggest expenditure is $11 million in road repaving projects.
The town will also borrow about $4.35 million to replace building department, public safety and highway department vehicles.
Jessica Lamendola, the town’s finance director, said the town expects to spend $18.9 million for general fund projects and $5.6 million in town outside village fund projects in 2017.
Also at the meeting, the town board approved expanding its Project Independence taxi transportation service to include town residents with disabilities who are at least 21 years old.
The town currently offers free taxi transportation services for senior citizens through Project Independence, a program designed to support town residents aged 60 and over so they can remain in their own homes and communities as they get older.
Bosworth said the state Department of Transportation grant the town received for the taxi transportation program would be used for the expanded program.