City Considers Shared Police with Sea Cliff
Highlights from Tuesday's Glen Cove City Council meeting.
At Tuesday's Glen Cove City Council meeting, resident and 2011 mayoral candidate Paul Meli brought up the rumor that Glen Cove and Sea Cliff executives have pursued a shared-service agreeement.
Meli inquired about the nature of the service in question, and after Mayor Ralph Suozzi said he could not discuss the matter, the mayor announced the service was police.
Meli cited a May 2 resolution from the Sea Cliff Village Board authorizing a contract for a feasibility study as to how the agreement could work.
After the meeting, Mayor Bruce Kennedy of Sea Cliff said the agreement would benefit both sides.
"I think it's a great idea," said Kennedy. "If we get increased service for a price lower than we're paying [Nassau County] now, and if it won't effect Glen Cove service, then it's a win-win for both municipalities."
Assessments
2011 council candidate Reggie Spinello expressed concern over his property's assessment. Citing a school board assessment hearing, Spinello announced that out of over 6000 homes, 2800's assessments have gone down.
"Because of the overall assessment of the city down 20 percent, what it means is the school has to get the tax number they need, so the tax rate which was about $10.38 (per $1,000), is now $13.41, so if you're assessment stayed the same, with a $500,000 home, your new school tax bill will be $1500 more. In two years, I've had an 18 percent increase on my school tax bill, so I'll be paying $2,000 more. This is a tough pill to swallow."
Suozzi explained that when assessments go down, the rates must go up, to reach the number. "The school district raised their budget about 3 percent, about $2 million," he said. "The money has to come from somewhere amongst the 7,004 homes in Glen Cove."
While the Glen Cove School District levies school taxes on property, the city manages assessment processes.
2010 Fiscal Results
Suozzi announced the city received its annual audit report for 2010, and that the city delivered a surplus by underspending the expense limit by $1.2 million, even though revenues fell short by about $130,000.
Resolutions
The city council authorized two significant resolutions Tuesday night.
The first was a resolution rescinding Resolution 6O from June 28, 2011, to Newborn Construction, Inc., and awarding bid to the lowest bidder, Carlo Lizza and Sons Paving, Inc., in the amount of $1.4 million.
The second authorized the issue a Serial Bond to finance payment for tax certiorari settlements.
Sept. 11
Suozzi announced the city would hold a candlelight ceremony on Sunday, Sept. 11 at 6 p.m. at Morgan's Park in Glen Cove.
Earthquake
Suozzi reported that though a few alarms triggered as a result of Tuesday's earthquake, there was no damage in Glen Cove.
cc
8:51 pm on Wednesday, August 24, 2011
What happened to transparency Ralph? I hope the electorate see's threw you finally.
Isabella
12:12 pm on Thursday, August 25, 2011
At least Ralphs Supporters know how to spell the word "through", and I'm still trying to figure out the word "see's". Educated much??
pocopazzo
1:29 pm on Thursday, August 25, 2011
Dude, use the spell-check.
Steve Withers
5:55 pm on Thursday, August 25, 2011
Not as much as "Ralphs Supporters." Some may know how to spell but they don't know grammar.
Robert G. Schaffrath
8:55 am on Thursday, August 25, 2011
Considering Sea Cliff already gets some services from Glen Cove, such as fire dispatch, perhaps adding the police makes sense too. Up until the formation of the NCPD, Sea Cliff did have its own police and an interesting story in the August 21, 1904 New York Times talks about the force consisting of one person; Joseph H. Brundage, Chief.
pocopazzo
9:20 am on Thursday, August 25, 2011
There was a series of home burglaries a couple years ago in Sea Cliff; I think that crimes that do not stop at the border of Sea Cliff and Glen Cove would be better handled by one group. Just sayin'.
Suzanne Anderson
9:53 am on Thursday, August 25, 2011
Regarding the assessments..the mayor stated the money must come from somewhere...how about sharing some of the code enforcement fines with the school district? When unscrupulous slumlords takes advantage of tenants and pack as many families into a one family taxed home as possible and is caught and fined (hopefully a very large amount of $$) where does the money go? It cost the GCSD $12,000 to educate the average child (up to $19,000 for special needs). Share some of the fine money with the school district so some burden can be taken off of the taxpayers. Our school district already does an amazing job educating every child who walks through the door, just think of what could be done with some extra resources, and provide some relief for those of us who pay the proper amount of taxes.
If the bulk of the tax burden has shifted from business to homeowners - let's make sure everyone is doing the right thing and protect all of us by prosecuting and fining those who don't follow the rules!
John Jay
10:21 am on Thursday, August 25, 2011
@ CC, what do ya think abut those unscrupulous slumlords takes advantage of tenants and pack as many families into a one family taxed home as possible and is caught and fined????
cc
11:44 am on Thursday, August 25, 2011
To: John Jay
I think that they should be fined heavily with the threat to confiscate. Then maybe you would see a slow decline in over crowding. You don't think city hall looks away when it pays too. I am sure a lot of the landlords are active politically to safeguard their investments. While we are combining police protection why not consolidate the school districts?? I am sure NSSD would love to be married to Glen Cove? What we also could use a city council with a backbone and a mayor that is responsive to the citizen of the city and not the people that have only their special interests. What we need short of a revolution is a house cleaning throughout city hall. Everyone should hand in resignations and the the new city council can pick and choose who stays and who goes. Not to be saddled with the cronyism that prevails there for years.
cc
11:44 am on Thursday, August 25, 2011
To: John Jay
I think that they should be fined heavily with the threat to confiscate. Then maybe you would see a slow decline in over crowding. You don't think city hall looks away when it pays too. I am sure a lot of the landlords are active politically to safeguard their investments. While we are combining police protection why not consolidate the school districts?? I am sure NSSD would love to be married to Glen Cove? What we also could use a city council with a backbone and a mayor that is responsive to the citizen of the city and not the people that have only their special interests. What we need short of a revolution is a house cleaning throughout city hall. Everyone should hand in resignations and the the new city council can pick and choose who stays and who goes. Not to be saddled with the cronyism that prevails there for years.
Mike G.
9:13 pm on Thursday, August 25, 2011
Good job Mr. Meli. I'm glad someone had the guts to question this idea. Why couldn't Mayor Suozzi discuss this?
Kristina S. Heuser
2:16 pm on Friday, August 26, 2011
Its not so much the idea of shared services that's the problem, its that our Mayor sat there and told the residents in the audience that this was a matter that he was not at liberty to discuss and only having preliminary discussions with Sea Cliff about (or something like that;I was there but didn't record his exact words, but that was about the gist of it). Meanwhile, Sea Cliff has had a number of open meetings on the subject and the Sea Cliff Mayor was right there in the audience, too, ready to divulge all the details! Its crazy how this administration thinks its ok to do everything in secret. What are they, the KGB?!
John Jay
4:03 pm on Friday, August 26, 2011
What was the Sea Cliff mayor doing there? Who invited him? Did Mr. Melli? What kinda politics is going on here with a outside mayor? So now Suozzi is lke the KGB? I remember the red scare, you don't know what you are talking about!
Kristina S. Heuser
4:12 pm on Friday, August 26, 2011
I was exaggerating to make a point. The point is that the residents of Glen Cove, and everywhere in America, are entitled to transparency in government.
John Jay
4:58 pm on Friday, August 26, 2011
So, you like the idea of sharing the police, but ya wanted someone to tell you sooner?
Kristina S. Heuser
5:11 pm on Friday, August 26, 2011
No, I haven't been given the opportunity nor full information to consider the proposal. I cannot form an opinion without knowing all of the ways in which it will impact the City. As a preliminary matter, though, I am not ok with us spending 33k (compared with Sea Cliff's 7k) to have "experts" conduct a study to explore the idea.
Mike Sevich
2:21 pm on Friday, September 2, 2011
Oh what a surprise! The Libs point out things that have no relevancy to what is being discussed! What a surprise! If you really can't figure out what he meant Isabella, you shouldn't be commenting.