The Bayview Civic Association held its May 6 general meeting at the Greentree Foundation’s conference center located on the former Whitney family property in Manhasset.
Before the meeting was called to order, Nicholas Gabriel, president of the foundation that was created by Betsey Cushing Whitney in 1982, gave attending BCA members an overview of the history of the family and of the historic 400 plus acre property. The foundation organizes programs and hosts meetings for the advancement of peace, human rights and cooperation among nations; practices sustainable land and wildlife management; and makes grants to support Long Island philanthropies.
Gabriel and his staff also provided civic association members with a tour of the former Whitney residence before the guests returned to the conference center to hold their meeting.
Outside guests at the meeting included Nassau County Leg. Richard Nicolello. Nicolello represents almost all of Manhasset in the Nassau County legislature and he provided members with an update on many of the issues facing Nassau and its residents today including reassessment. Nicolello also interacted one-on-one with members during the social part of the meeting.
In addition to Nicolello, Nassau County police officers Joe Oginski and Sherman Payami, members of the problem-oriented policing unit, attended the meeting and spoke about what they are doing to improve safety along Plandome Road and in the surrounding area.
The Bayview Civic Association and its members noticed an increase in vehicle and traffic violations on and around Plandome Road including double parking, illegal U-turns, stop sign violations and parking in crosswalks, and asked the police department for help to increase safety for pedestrians, especially Manhasset’s children, seniors and the handicapped.
The problem-oriented policing officers and other officers have not only increased enforcement, something the BCA and an overwhelming number of its members support, they are also working on other solutions to improve traffic flow and safety including working with the town to create a loading area for commercial vehicles and educating new drivers by using cones in crosswalks and other methods. Increased enforcement is expected to continue in the Plandome Road area which includes Bayview Avenue and other local streets.
The Bayview Civic Association was formed in 1995 and the association and its members, have accomplished many things to benefit not only its own membership but also Manhasset-at-large. Some of those accomplishments over the years include proposing and leading the successful effort to create the Mary Jane Davies Playground, proposing and leading the successful effort to have the LIRR create the western LIRR entrance and pedestrian path so residents and Manhasset Park District parkers in the western lot could access the LIRR platform more conveniently and school children can walk safely parallel to the platform to the middle and high school. Additionally, the BCA has hosted more than 20 children’s holiday shows at the Plandome Road movie theater.
Submitted by The Bayview Civic Association
