'It's a zero-zero for Baldwin'

A small gathering of residents expressed shock and outrage as details of the 1st Precinct lease were read off to them during a Baldwin Oaks Civic Association meeting held Oct. 29 at the Baldwin library.
   
Gasps went up from the crowd when it heard that taxpayers would be footing the bill not only for the construction of the new 1st Precinct, but for 100 percent of the rent and property taxes on the new facility.

"It's a zero-zero for Baldwin," said resident Gloria Pettway of Nassau County's proposed 30-year lease with Baldwin landlord David Rosen to construct a new 1st Precinct in Rosen's seven-acre shopping center on Grand Avenue. "This is ridiculous."

Baldwin Oaks Civic Association President Jackie Bell, who led the hour-long meeting, said that her organization has long followed the news surrounding the 1st Precinct deal, but that she, nor anyone she knows in the community, were made aware of the lease deal until Nassau police signs were posted on the proposed site in the Rosen Shopping Center. She said that she supports a new facility for the police, but that the community deserves to have a say in the deal.

"We want the 1st Precinct renovated," Bell told residents. "This meeting is not about the work stopping — it's about what's best for our community. We want to know what's going on in our community — especially if we have to pay for it."

Bell added that the civic group will host another meeting Nov. 4, after Herald press time, to talk about the lease. Legislator Joe Scannell (D-Baldwin), who has been touting the lease deal as a quicker and cheaper plan for taxpayers, is scheduled to be at the meeting. Legislator Kevan Abrahams (D-Hempstead) also may attend.

Doug Diana, a longtime Baldwin resident and campaign chairman for 5th Legislative District candidate Chris Browne, brought a copy of the lease document to the meeting and read off specific details.

Residents were seemingly in agreement that the landlord was getting a much better deal than the county, as taxpayers will be paying to build the new facility, the cost of its repairs, pay taxes and rent on it, and aside from having a new police precinct in town, never really get much in return.