Civic group is still going strong

As one of the few remaining homeowner’s associations in Valley Stream, leaders of the Mill Brook Civic Association say their group is as strong as ever. Close to 40 percent of the community’s 811 homes have contributed to the civic association’s treasury.

Marc Tenzer, president of Mill Brook Civic for the past decade, said the organization deals with issues such as potholes, street lights, garbage, parking, public safety and all quality of life issues. “We’re a watchdog for the community,” he said.

Tenzer said that when people call with an issue, he directs them to the right agency. If the homeowner hasn’t seen any action in a few weeks, Tenzer said the civic association will then step in and try to address the problem.

One recent issue, Tenzer said, was parking on Old Central Road. He said a medical office on Sunrise Highway offered valet parking and was using the half-circle street –– which serves as the northern entrance to the community –– to park the cars. “We were calling the police every day,” he said. “We went to the village and petitioned them to put up no parking signs and they did it.”

Tenzer said that the Civic Association has a good working relationship with the village, despite the fact that Old Central Road is the only street in the community actually located within village boundaries. Mill Brook Civic members also work closely with the Town of Hempstead, Nassau County Sanitary District 1, School District 30 and the Central High School District. “We have a good relationship with everybody,” he said.

Mill Brook, tucked behind the Green Acres Mall, has also dealt with issues relating to the shopping complex. Lee Feinman, the civic association’s treasurer, said the group was very active to protect its own interests when the mall went through an redevelopment project a few years ago which saw the construction of a BJ’s wholesale club. A 14-foot wooden sound barrier was constructed between along Forest Road and Flower Road adjoining the mall’s property to reduce light and noise in the neighborhood and improve safety and aesthetics. “This came about because of our direct involvement,” Feinman said.

The civic association was very influential in getting community members access to the village’s Henry Waldinger Library. Tenzer said resident Julie Olson led the push to affiliate Mill Brook with Valley Stream’s library. The 2002 vote got almost unanimous support from the community and the new district took effect in January 2003.

Library Director Mamie Eng said up until about 2000, individuals could pay for a library membership, but then a state law change prohibited that. That gave Mill Brook residents very limited access to library services for a couple of years. “Once they contracted with us, they got full privileges,” Eng said.

A home that was foreclosed upon the neighborhood became an issue recently, Tenzer said. There were mosquitoes in the pool and the lawn was overgrown. By working with the town’s building department and sanitation code enforcement officers, the issue was taken care of. Another example, he said, was when a stop sign in the community was knocked down. The call was placed to town officials at 3 p.m. on Friday and Tenzer said the sign was put back up less than three hours later.

The civic association’s volunteer board, of about a dozen members, meets once a month at the Forest Road School. Tenzer said the board is always looking for new members.

General membership meetings are held in March and October. Tenzer said he is looking to have an officer from the Nassau County Police Department’s 5th Precinct come down to speak at the next meeting. “We need to make sure that the police give us the coverage that we deserve,” he said, “and we want the people to know what they do for us.”

Earlier this year, Mill Brook Civic hosted representatives from FEMA about the new flood map changes which will affect the entire community. Past meetings over the years have featured Councilman James Darcy, County Legislator Jeff Toback, County Executive Tom Suozzi, Congresswoman Carolyn McCarthy and representatives from the electric and water companies. “If we didn’t have a civic association, we wouldn’t have that,” board member Jack Cohn said of the bi-annual meetings.

For new homeowners in Mill Brook, Tenzer said the civic association provides a welcome kit including a magnet with important phone numbers, local menus, school information, train schedules and a copy of the Valley Stream Herald. Cohn noted that the group maintains a list of children in the neighborhood who are willing to shovel snow for someone who might need the assistance.

The civic association’s Web site, www.millbrookcivic.com, will also be under going a “comprehensive upgrade,” Feinman said, to provide more information to the community including links to county, state, town and village governments and the local school districts.

Additionally, Tenzer said the civic association is lobbying the town to get some streets repaved in the community. “The problem we run into is it costs a million dollars a mile,” he said.

Civic Association Vice President Bob Brown said that the support of the community keeps the civic association active so they can continue to support that community. “Other civics have folded due to the fact that they’re not getting dues from their community,” he said.

Brown said he drives the community four times a week to check for any quality of life issues that may need to be addressed.

Feinman said that quality of life issues are very important to residents of Mill Brook. “It’s not the type of community where you see homes in disrepair,” he said. “There’s a lot of pride in ownership.”