Lawrence village board reorganizes, replaces Park Commission with Advisory Council
The newly constituted Lawrence village board was busy at its reorganization meeting on July 11. Along with the usual items on the to-do list there was this: The announcement that the Park Commission had been eliminated, and replaced by the Park Advisory Council.
“The main difference between the two is, one is advisory to the board of trustees,” Village Administrator Gary Castro said of new advisory council. “They would hear suggestions and they would take it to the board of trustees, as opposed to having certain powers themselves to control employees and or other items that pertain to the country club.”
The advisory council is responsible for overseeing the village’s recreational facilities, which include the Lawrence Yacht & Country Club and Zion Park.
The new village board comprises Mayor Samuel Nahmias and Trustees Aaron Felder, Steven Gottesman, Aaron Parnes and Tammy Roz. The July 11 meeting was the first since the June 18 election, in which Nahmias captured the mayoral seat, defeating former Deputy Mayor Paris Popack, and Felder and Gottesman ran unopposed.
On July 16, Nahmias told the Herald that he was resigning as chairman of the Nassau County Bridge Authority to concentrate on his mayoral duties. “This is to ensure I can remain focused on the Village of Lawrence and help my constituents without distraction,” he wrote in a text message.
Raymond Webb, executive director of the NCBA, said that former Vice Chairman Vincent Pasqua had succeeded Nahmias, and that Monica McGrath was now the authority’s vice chairman.
Nahmias presented a list of appointments at the reorganization meeting, including Roz as deputy mayor. She was elected to the village board in 2023, after serving on the Park Commission. Nahmias will be the village’s police commissioner; Felder, fire commissioner; Gottesman, finance commissioner; Felder, public works and highways commissioner; Parnes, sanitation commissioner; and Roz, parks and recreation commissioner. The posts serve as liaisons to the Nassau County Police Department, the Lawrence-Cedarhurst Fire Department, the village finance and public works department, Sanitary District 1 and the Park Advisory Council, respectively.
Deputy Village Administrator Gerry Castro was promoted to village administrator, succeeding Ron Goldman, who retired. Steven Losquadro is the new village attorney, and Lina Fusco became the village clerk/treasurer.
Other village business
In response to residents’ concerns about pedestrians walking along busy roads, Nahmias said that license plate-reading cameras and digital speed displays have been ordered and will be installed near the corner of Broadway and Causeway, and that lines had been repainted at the corner of Broadway and Causeway.
“The bigger problem that we were experiencing was that cars were going through the intersection of Causeway and stopping right in the middle with a light,” he said.
The board discussed a Town of Hempstead public hearing on July 2 at which council members voted to approve a 30-day comment period on whether a transit-oriented development plan for Inwood and North Lawrence should be rescinded. Judi Bernstein, of the Lawrence Civic Association, urged Nahmias to send out a letter reminding community members to comment on the plan. The comment period ends July 31.
“I’m with you, and we will send out a reminder,” Nahmias said. “Our Councilwoman, Missy Miller, had asked for feedback, and I think that the town wants our feedback, so I would strongly urge anyone who speaks to please explain to them that this is an important matter and that every voice matters. Remember, my constituents are their constituents, and they need to hear from you.”
The board approved salary increases for the village administrator and treasurer.
Fusco said that a mitigation grant program application to the Federal Emergency Management Agency for engineering, sampling and dredging of the village’s marina and upgrading of bulkheads had been verbally approved by FEMA.
Finances were also high on Nahmias’s list. “I entered office with a budget of $7,771,400,” he said. “(It) comes with a $1,538,398 deficit, meaning this money was coming from our bank accounts, from our reserve accounts — money that we shouldn’t be taking from our bank accounts. This reckless spending stops in my administration.”
Comments on the transit-oriented development can be sent to DonClavin@hempsteadny.gov, or to Hempstead Town Hall, 1 Washington St., Hempstead, NY 11550.
Have an opinion on Lawrence village? Send a letter to jbessen@liherald.com.
