September 2016

SEPTEMBER 2016 NCVOA NEWSLETTER

Published by the Nassau County Village Officials Association

Post Office Box 484, New Hyde Park, NY

516-437-1455 (fax)516-437-1456

www.ncvoa.org

NCVOA Annual Dinner/Testimonial

Thursday, September 15, 2016

Westbury Manor

1100 Jericho Turnpike

Westbury, NY

Cocktail Hour 6:30PM

Dinner/program 8:00PM

Honoring

Mayor Barbara Donno

NCVOA Immediate Past President

Mayor, Village of Plandome Manor

For more information on this event, please email NCVOA Director Warren Tackenberg at “exec@ncvoa.org” or call 516-437-1455. Thank you.

From the President’s Desk:

NCVOA President-elect Bernie Ryba addresses the membership following the formal installation of officers

Dear Mayors, Trustees and Friends:

A few weeks after my election as President of the Association on June 30^th, I was disappointed to learn that the New York State tax cap for most municipalities will be .68 percent for 2017. As we are all aware, the 2% annual cap is not fixed but is adjusted for inflation annually by the State. Since July, 2013 the annual cap has been less than 2% falling to as low as .12 percent last year for most villages and all school districts.

While about 90% of municipalities comply with the tax cap each year, many have had to reduce fund balances in order to do so. A goal for the Association during the upcoming State budget cycle will be to initiate and participate in a coordinated multi-level municipal effort to reach out to and advise our State leaders that an increase in State aid is long overdue; particularly in light of the continued financial squeeze that villages and other municipalities are experiencing through compliance with the tax cap that has been less than 2% for the last few years.

During the past several weeks, NCVOA Executive Director Warren Tackenberg and I have started the process of holding and scheduling meetings to initiate a dialogue on this issue at all levels of government prior to engaging our State leaders. Warren, I and the Executive Committee look forward to continuing these discussions in order to participate in sending the message that there has been no increase in State aid to villages and other municipalities since 2008 while at the same time, the State has approved billions of additional financial aid for our schools and for other purposes.

Mayor Ryba Announces Executive Committee Appointments for 2016-2017:

NCVOA President Bernie Ryba has made the following Executive Committee appointments for 2016-2017

Steward Manor Mayor, Gerard Tangredi

Great Neck Plaza Mayor, Jean Celender

Garden City Mayor, Nicholas Episcopia

Lynbrook Trustee, Hillary Becker

North Hills Mayor, Marvin Natiss

Baxter Estates Mayor, Nora Haagenson

As past presidents, Westbury Mayor – Peter Cavallaro, East Williston Mayor – David Tanner and Plandome Manor Mayor – Barbara Donno are also Executive Committee members.

Honorable Roger Fay,NCVOA Director Emeritus,Former Mayor, Village of Williston Park

I would like to take this opportunity to recognize Roger Fay for his continuing service to the NCVOA over the past 52 years. Roger was elected Mayor of Williston Park in 1960 and became Association President in 1968. Ninety-seven years young, Roger will be seated at the dais at our annual dinner on September 15^th and will be recognizing the past presidents who are also in attendance. I look forward to expressing the NCVOA’s appreciation for his many years of service to our Association.

Berbard Ryba, President NCVOA Mayor, Village of Old Brookville

MTA Repeal Bill: There Still is Time to Have Our Voices Heard!

The following letter, which is self-explanatory, was sent to Governor Cuomo’s Counsel. The bill has yet to be delivered to the Governor so there still is time to send a letter to the Governor and your State Legislators asking for their support of the NCVOA position.

July 25, 2016

Hon. Alphonso David Counsel to the Governor State Capitol-Room 225 Albany, NY 12224

Dear Mr. David:

The Nassau County Village Officials Association (NCVOA) represents 64 incorporated villages with more than 450,000 residents. We are respectfully requesting Governor Cuomo sign into law A. 10421, which repeals a provision of a recent law that expanded the definition of “transportation purposes” relating to the Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA). This expanded definition, included in the 2016-2017 adopted State Budget, allows the MTA to undertake or facilitate a much broader range of development on MTA-owned property without having to comply with local zoning laws.

A primary tenet of village government is local zoning control. Many villages have MTA properties within their jurisdictions and this law directly circumvents village zoning powers that have been in existence for decades if not longer. This infringement could have an adverse effect on local residents living near these properties and negatively affect the overall quality of life for all residents. Property tax revenue that otherwise would have been generated by these properties would be reduced or eliminated.

Accordingly, the NCVOA supports A. 10421 and respectfully requests Governor Cuomo sign this bill into law.

Sincerely,

Bernard D. Ryba, President

Nassau County Village Officials Association

Preview of our October 2016 Meeting:

NCVOA OCTOBER 2016 GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING

VILLAGE CREDIT RATINGS 101

Presented by Executives of the Moody’s and Standard and Poor’s

Moderated by David E. Tanner, Mayor and former NCVOA President

Tuesday, October 13, 2016-6:30PM

(Please note the date change with respect to the Jewish Holiday of Yom Kippur)

Westbury Manor, Westbury, NY

If we all had to list five reasons for our Board’s success, while many reasons may vary from Village to Village, the one constant item on all of our lists would be sound fiscal management. Our guest presenters this evening will outline documented financial and debt management techniques that lead to better credit ratings, thus reducing borrowing costs.

A good credit rating is the most independent stamp of approval on your administration’s fiscal success. We cannot ignore public opinion that improved credit ratings are evidence of an administration’s fiscal success.

The presentation will be followed up with a roundtable open question and answer session. This is a very special event. Do not miss this unique opportunity to talk one on one with corporate leaders in this area of municipal finance.

JUNE 2016 MEETING ATTENDEES

NCVOA President-elect Bernie Ryba and his wife Rosemarie	Farmingdale Mayor and NCVOA Treasurer-elect Ralph Ekstrand with Centre Island Mayor Larry Schmidlapp

Baxter Estates Deputy Mayor Charles Comer and Mayor Nora Haagenson	Brookville Mayor Dan Serota and Village Attorney John Chase

Farmingdale Deputy Mayor Pat Christiansen and Trustee Cheryl Parisi with NCVOA President-elect Bernie Ryba	Floral Park Mayor Tom Tweedy, Great Neck Plaza Mayor Jean Celender, and Bellerose Trustee John Tweedy

Flower Hill Mayor and NCVOA 2nd Vice President-elect Elaine Phillips with Stewart Manor Mayor Jerry Tangredi	Freeport Deputy Mayor Jorge Martinez with Westbury Trustee Bill Wise

Garden City Mayor Nick Episcopia with NCVOA President-elect Bernie Ryba	NCVOA Executive Director Warren Tackenberg and Rockville Centre Trustee Ed Oppenheimer


Great Neck Plaza Mayor Jean Celender and Trustee Pam Marksheid with Westbury Mayor and NCVOA Past President Peter Cavallaro	NCVOA Executive Director Warren Tackenberg and Rockville Centre Trustee Ed Oppenheimer

Village of North Hills Deputy Mayor Dennis Sgambati, Farmingdale Mayor and NCVOA Treasurer-elect Ralph Ekstrand, Former Great Neck Mayor and NCVOA Past President Ralph Kreitzman, and North Hills Mayor and NCVOA Past President Marvin Natiss	The Last Word: “There are risks and cost to action. But they are far less than the long range risks of comfortable inaction.” John F. Kennedy
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