Bill would put armory in village’s hands

 Village trustees on March 21 endorsed a home rule request to state Assemblyman Brian Curran in support of his Assembly bill A9467 that would transfer ownership of the Freeport Armory to the village of Freeport. At the March 7 meeting the board of trustees had taken similar action, endorsing a request to state Sen. Michael Venditto who is pushing for approval of the Senate version, bill S3823A.

    Deputy Mayor Jorge Martinez urged community members to contact their legislators or the governor’s office to voice their support of the bills. “This is something we need,” he said.

     The Board of Trustees, including Mayor Robert Kennedy, wants to relocate the village’s Department of public works from its present location in a flood zone, where its property saving equipment is in danger of being damaged or destroyed during a storm, to the Freeport Armory on Babylon Turnpike.

     Prior to the regular agenda meeting, trustees held a public hearing to amend the cable television franchise agreement between the Village and Cablevision Systems Long Island Corporation. The board approved the amendment on the definition of gross revenue and accepted a $160,000 technology grant that would increase payments to the Village.

    During public comment, Alan Jay urged trustees to “send a group to the Netherlands to learn how to control storm surges and flooding.”
    Coincidentally, Mayor Robert Kennedy informed the audience that board members have reached out to U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer and other officials and entities to get funding for a study on dealing with storm surges. He said a floodgate at the entrance to Jones inlet would “protect all of Nassau County,” adding, “We need to get this done.”

    As the mayor spoke, Trustee Ron Ellerbe exhibited a panel of photographs showing such a flood control system that is in use in the Netherlands.