NCVOA MAY 2017 NEWSLETTER
Published br the Nassau County Village Officials Associatuion
Post Office Box 484, New Hyde Park, NY 11040
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NCVOA MAY 2017 General Membership Meeting
Tuesday, May 9, 2017 -6:30 PM
Westbury Manor, Westbury, NY
Guest Speaker
Mr. Patrick Nowakowski
President LIRR
Patrick A. Nowakowski, a civil engineer and veteran operations manager, was appointed President of MTA Long Island Rail Road (LIRR), the nation’s largest commuter railroad, on May 12, 2014.
Nowakowski is a career railroad professional with broad experience in operations, engineering, infrastructure and planning. Prior to his appointment at the LIRR, Nowakowski served five years as Executive Director of the Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project, building a 23-mile extension to the Washington, D.C. Metro system. He previously served more than 27 years with the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA), including seven years as Assistant General Manager of Operations.
A resident of Garden City, Nowakowski is committed to strengthening the LIRR’s dedication to safety as its No. 1 priority. He also will focus on laying the groundwork for meeting future transportation demands, including preparing the LIRR for new service to Grand Central Terminal (GCT) via the East Side Access project.
As LIRR President, Nowakowski oversees more than 7,000 employees – one of Long Island’s largest workforces – and directs a commuter rail system with more than 700 miles of track that serves more than 86 million customers a year at 124 stations and terminals located in virtually every community on Long Island.
Please mark your schedules for Tuesday, May 9, 2017 to hear Mr. Nawakowski’s view of the future of the LIRR.
From the President’s Desk:
Dear Mayors, Trustees and Friends:
Once again, the recent New York State budget negotiations kept villages on the edge of their seats for several weeks as the governor and state legislators jockeyed for position to ensure that their key initiatives were funded. As I have been communicating to you throughout my tenure as NCVOA President, our main priority has been to advocate a long overdue increase in State aid to municipalities (AIM funding). I believe we made substantial progress in having this message heard in Albany as we garnered the support of NYCOM, the NYS Association of Towns and the Suffolk County Village Officials Association. In the end, while we were unable to secure an increase, we were able to maintain AIM funding without a reduction and secure additional monies to augment our annual CHIPS allocation. I am hopeful that we have set the tone for continuing progress towards additional State aid for villages for the next budget cycle.
Just as important as our AIM initiative was our participation in the joint response to the governor’s original shared services proposal that was included as part of the executive budget. We were successful in obtaining significant modifications to the original proposed legislation. Here is a summary of the approved legislation:
Vision Long Island Executive Director Addresses Membership
Eric Alexander, Executive Director of Vision Long Island, a regional organization promoting smart growth, was the guest speaker at the April General Membership meeting.
Mr. Alexander, a long-time proponent of village government, began his remarks by stating, “Other groups of people want to control your zoning and copy your economic development plans. It is time for villages to stop playing defense and start to play offense.”
He went on to say that villages must quantify the economic benefits resulting from their vibrant downtowns. Of the 27 Nassau County downtown areas experiencing growing main streets, 19 are villages. Mr. Alexander particularly referenced ongoing main street growth in Westbury, Farmingdale and Mineola.
“Compared with unincorporated areas where there is widespread stagnation, village governments are working. People have more trust in their local governments. Don’t be shy – plant your flag. We believe in how you are managing your main streets and we want more of it.”
We thank Mr. Alexander for appearing at our meeting and his organization’s staunch support of villages.
Long Island Railroad President to Speak at May 9th Meeting
If you have residents commuting to Manhattan, chances are that recently they are not very complimentary about the Long Island Railroad. The LIRR is under intense scrutiny as commuters have been subjected to an onslaught of delays caused by derailments, broken tracks and malfunctioning switches. You will have the opportunity to hear directly from the LIRR’s top executive as President Patrick Nowakowski will be the guest speaker at our May 9th General Membership meeting. He will provide an update on the LIRR’s plan of action to address ongoing challenges as well as take questions regarding issues directly impacting your village and residents.
Please make your calendars for Tuesday, May 9th at the Westbury Manor. I look forward to seeing you.
Yours in good government,
Bernard D. Ryba – President NCVOA
Officers Wanted:
As previously reported the NCVOA is accepting resumes for a chair officer’s position in the Association. At present, the Nominating Committee, under the direction of Mayor Peter Cavallaro’, is looking for candidates to fill the positions of President, 1st Vice President, 2nd Vice President and Treasurer.
The term of office will be for a period of one year. Chair officers meet with the other members of the Executive Board on the last Thursday of the month, unless order wise posted.
The election for office will be at our June 29, 2017 General Membership meeting and will be held in the Westbury Manor.
Interested candidates may send their resume’s to the Executive Director at exec@ncvoa.org.
Thank you
Warren Tackenberg
Executive Director
April 2017 Meeting Attendees
![]() Vision Long Island Executive Director Eric Alexander was the evening’s guest speaker and discussed the positive impact of villages’ downtown revitalization projects |
![]() NCVOA President Bernie Ryba updated the membership on the items impacting villages in the 2017 New York State budget |
![]() East Williston Mayor and NCVOA Past President David Tanner with guest speaker Eric Alexander, executive director of Vision Long Island |
![]() Farmingdale Mayor and NCVOA Treasurer Ralph Ekstrand with Lynbrook Village Administrator John Giordano |
![]() Former Great Neck Mayor and NCVOA Past President Ralph Kreitzman with Thomaston Mayor Steven Weinberg |
![]() Great Neck Plaza Mayor Jean Celender with Freeport Mayor and NCVOA 1st Vice President Bob Kennedy |
![]() Great Neck Plaza Trustee Jerry Schneiderman and North Hills Trustee Elliott Arnold |
![]() Great Neck Plaza Trustee Pam Marksheid with newly elected Great Neck Estates Trustee Ira Ganzfried |
![]() Mineola Trustee Paul Cusato, Baxter Estates Mayor Nora Haagenson, and former Great Neck Mayor and NCVOA Past President Ralph Kreitzman |
![]() Mineola Trustee Paul Cusato, Village Clerk Joe Scalero, and Mayor Scott Strauss |
![]() Newly elected Hempstead Trustee Charles Renfroe with newly elected Mayor Don Ryan and Special Assistant to the Mayor Sedgwick Easley |
![]() Newly elected Sea Cliff Mayor Ed Lieberman, Old Brookville Mayor and NCVOA President Bernie Ryba, and Upper Brookville Mayor Elliot Conway |
![]() North Hills Deputy Mayor Dennis Sgambati, Mayor and NCVOA Past President Marvin Natiss, Trustee Elliott Arnold, and Town of Hempstead’s Bert Patterson |
![]() Plandome Heights Mayor Ken Riscica with Baxter Estates Mayor Nora Haagenson |
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The Last Word: “Learn from the PAST. Live in ther Present. Plan for ther Future.” Anon |
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