Letters to the Rockville Centre Herald Dec. 1, 2011

Where’s the beef, Ed?

To the Editor:

Let me see if I have this straight. Trustee Ed Oppenheimer voted against allowing South Nassau Communities Hospital to lease parking in Rockville Centre’s Municipal Parking Field 12 two years ago, thereby losing more than $100,000 in revenue for local taxpayers. He then did not oppose allowing other groups to park there for far less revenue than would have been received from the hospital. Now he votes against the new SNCH agreement that generates revenue that far exceeds any of the previous agreements.

Make sense? Maybe for him, but not for the taxpayers he represents.

There’s more. Ed next challenges Anthony Cancellieri, who volunteers his time on the SNCH Board of Trustees, since, as a result of his actions, the hospital is paying more for the same spaces Ed approved for Molloy and the Farmer’s Market and disapproved for the hospital.

I’m confused, Ed!

Ed then says that Mr. Cancellieri works for South Nassau, and that’s why South Nassau paid Rockville Centre more. Good job, Ed!

Finally, no one has been parking in that underperforming asset for 30 years except restaurants and car dealers — for free. Perhaps some of Ed’s undisclosed relationships?

So, where’s the beef?

Jeff Greenfield

Rockville Centre

Let’s work things out together

To the Editor:

To many of us, the Christmas/Hanukkah season begins with the great old jolly elf himself appearing at the culmination of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City. For some reason, that day ushers in a magnificently joyous feeling of merriment with a keen sense of the treasures the holiday season has in store for us. Hearts melt into a mush of love and kindness toward our fellow man, and the giddy spirit of giving exceeds every logical thought of fiscal responsibility. A feeling of goodness envelopes all but the eternally wicked of heart.

Exceptions, of course, at times rise to an unfortunate crescendo, as is displayed on Black Friday, when we see just how evil and insane people can become when competing for a marked-down item wanted by other people just as it becomes the last one in the inventory. Shoppers push, shove, crush, threaten and even use pepper spray to achieve victory over their neighbors. A sad example of what we are becoming — mankind at its worst.

In “Tempers flare at board meeting” in last week’s issue, the Herald reported on the village board meeting on Nov. 21. Unfortunately, an exchange of charges and counter-charges between Mayor Fran Murray and Trustee Ed Oppenheimer served no purpose and showed just how juvenile, petty and outright unprofessionally both men acted. I was totally disappointed at the actions of both Ed and Fran, whom I have known for many years. I expected much more civility from both, and in fact I thought the issues raised should have been conducted in private rather than in a public forum.

The people of Rockville Centre have had enough political squabbling on the federal, state and county levels, let alone at a board meeting in their own village. We’re all neighbors and are supposed to have the best interests of all of us at heart. Disagreement is one thing, but vitriol has no place here. Both the mayor and the trustee have been disappointments to those who would seek public office and those who expect more than childish schoolyard brawls from our elected officials. Set a better example! It’s expected of you both, especially in this holiday season of peace and joy.

We have a long and arduous time ahead of us in the coming years. Let’s not lose our American spirit of working things out together.

Mickey Clark

Rockville Centre