Most recently, a few of the same individuals had letters to the editor in the local papers complaining and denouncing some of the problems they think existed after the last storm.
The real problem is that their allegations are false. Most of the comments are unreasonable, alleging incorrect facts and not offering a positive plan as an alternative suggestion.
There were a number of trees that were knocked down after the last storm that created a hazard or danger to the homeowner, traffic, and the residents. Trees were cut and removed, and sawdust remained in many of those areas. The amount of work required was onerous and Louis Massaro and his department performed admirably.
The same person claimed that the wood chips were toxic and slippery if someone stepped on them.
Both of those allegations were also false. First of all, the only time wood chips are toxic is if pesticides or herbicides were used on the wood source. Since the claim was referring to wood chips in front of the Village Hall, they were not. They were never exposed to pesticides or herbicides that could leech into the soil.
Also, the groundcover in most of the playgrounds in parks and schools are composed of wood chips.
Furthermore, the paths throughout Kings Point Park which extends several miles is covered with wood chips. There has not been one reported slip and fall accident in Kings Point Park in over the last 70 years.
The other letter to the editor was a complaint about overdeveloping in the Village of Great Neck.
The letter was sent by an inexperienced attorney who knew very little about why and how Mayor Bral is solving the problem of all of us living in an area where stores have been closed for many years because of their locations on both Middle Neck Road and East Shore Road. The lack of success of any business in the areas in question is not a recent one.
Instead of being exposed to empty stores all these years, Dr. Bral has approved several projects which incorporate both apartments and very attractive retail stores, restaurants, and offices that will enhance the Village.
The mayor and the board will be purchasing a property in the range of $800,000 for the new Village Hall and spending approximately 2 million dollars to construct a Village Hall that will accommodate all of the needs of the residents and the supporting staff of the Village.
The $2.8-million cost will be offset by the sale of the current Village Hall to the Department of Education of Great Neck for approximately the same amount. The prior administration was building a new Village hall for 10-million dollars on East Shore Road.
The land where the Department of Public Works is located can be sold for ten-million if necessary, and the property on East Shore Road for nine-million resulting in approximately 19-million dollars in the coffers of the Village and an increase in the tax roll of more than $200,000 per year to the Village based upon new construction at those sites.
For the first time in many decades, we have a mayor that cannot be influenced by any developer.
Dr. Bral works endlessly each week in meeting with people who are all the residents of our Village to benefit by the new developments that should make our Village start to flourish with our residents supporting the new stores and restaurants being planned.
I was informed many years ago that it is better to have a positive attitude in life than a negative one that many of the people have in their letters to the editor.
Many of us are getting tired and annoyed by the false statements made by residents and non-residents who have constantly and continue to complain about non-issues that are not true.
That also includes the one or two who always have something negative to say at a public meeting even though they do not live in the Village and do not know what they are talking about. Those one or two are wasting a lot of everyone’s time.
Dr. C.J. Abraham
Great Neck
