Long Island briefs

HUNTINGTON

Candidate screening

to go on at Oheka

The Nassau and Suffolk Independence Party will screen candidates for Long Island House seats at Oheka Castle tomorrow, the minor party's top official said yesterday.

Frank MacKay, state and Suffolk Independence Party chairman, said the screening will be held at the estate of developer and political player Gary Melius, who was shot in the head by a masked gunman Monday and remained hospitalized yesterday.

As many as a dozen contenders could appear before minor party officials, said MacKay, although he could not provide a list of those who agreed to attend.

MacKay said the screening was planned before the shooting and will go forward. He said his party has used the castle for screening contenders each year since 2008, usually in the Chaplin room, named for Charlie Chaplin, the silent film star whose memorabilia is displayed on the walls. The screenings were scheduled for this weekend because congressional candidates will begin circulating petitions to get on the ballot beginning Tuesday.

"We never hesitated. It's business as usual," said MacKay, a close ally of Melius. "Gary may not be here in person, but he'll be here in spirit."

GLEN COVE

Council changes benefit rules

The Glen Cove City Council has lengthened the time nonunion employees need to work in government in order to receive retirement health insurance coverage -- to 10 years from five.

Under the rules approved Tuesday night, those employees will also need to work full time for a minimum of five years in Glen Cove. The new rules affect employees hired after Jan. 1, 2015.

The council also voted to require nonunion employees hired after January 2012 and eligible for retirement health insurance to pay 10 percent of the premiums.

"It's a small step, but it's a start," said Mayor Reginald Spinello. "The costs of running a municipality, the expense of medical insurance, grow and grow, and the city's ability to grow revenue is obviously not comparable."

Spinello said the only current employees who would be affected by the 10 percent premium rules were himself, his secretary and Deputy Mayor Barbara Peebles.

The city pays more than $5 million annually for health insurance, $2 million of which is coverage for retirees and their families, Spinello said. He also said the city has absorbed the long-term retiree insurance costs for employees who have spent the bulk of their career outside of Glen Cove.

Spinello first proposed the changes at the Feb. 11 council meeting, but they were tabled after several members said they needed more discussion.

GREENPORT

Board approves law on animal waste

Greenport's village board has given its residents a gentle reminder that if they walk their dogs in local parks or on the streets, they should clean up any mess the pet leaves behind.

The board on Monday night approved a law creating a new section in the village code dealing with animal waste. It requires any person bringing a dog or other pet into any public place to clean up after it. But the village board imposed no penalty for failure to clean up after a pet.

Village officials said they saw no need for penalties at this time.

NORTH HEMPSTEAD

Recycling plan aimed at boat shrink wrap

Boaters in North Hempstead can now recycle their boat's plastic shrink wrap under a new initiative announced by the town yesterday.

The program, available only to town residents, will allow for the wrap used by boaters to protect their vessels during the winter to be recycled rather than sent to a landfill.

The shrink wrap can be taken to the resident drop-off station at the Solid Waste Management Authority Transfer Station, 999 West Shore Rd., Port Washington, from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. every Sunday, except for holidays.

Commercial marinas and residential boat owners also can drop off their shrink wrap at the town dock.

The town asks that the plastic wrap be free of lumber, rope, nails and other materials, and that it be clean.

Town Supervisor Judi Bosworth said in a statement that the program would "help keep our waterways clean, while preventing plastic from piling up at our landfills."

LINDENHURST

Fee waivers extended for Sandy rebuilding Lindenhurst Village has extended fee waivers for residents rebuilding homes that were damaged by superstorm Sandy.

The modified building department fee schedule will be in effect until Sept. 1, the second extension since the schedule was adopted on Nov. 20, 2012, just weeks after the storm hit.

Residents who sustained damage to their homes from Sandy will not have to pay fees, such as those for building permits, in order to rebuild or elevate their homes as long as the rebuilding occurs within the home's existing footprint. The waivers do not include decks or other outside structures, officials said.

Village building inspector Tom Maher said the building department receives about six new applications each week. But out of the nearly 200 homes in the village that sustained substantial damage from the storm, less than half have submitted paperwork for rebuilding, he said, adding that fewer than a dozen of those have completed the process.

"There are people who we determined were substantially damaged and we know we need to hear from them," Maher said. "Soon we'll be sending out letters to those people."

Some residents may be waiting for federal money to pay for the work, he said, and others are likely still trying to decide whether they should elevate their homes or take a buyout.

WEST HEMPSTEAD/

GARDEN CITY SOUTH

Ambrosino to host town hall meeting

Hempstead Town Councilman Edward Ambrosino will host a town hall meeting to give West Hempstead and Garden City South residents an opportunity to meet with town officials and address problems or concerns in their communities.

The meeting will be held Thursday at 7:30 p.m. at the West Hempstead Middle School, 450 Nassau Blvd. in West Hempstead.

Residents will be able to meet Ambrosino and his staff and get information about programs and services offered by the town.

For more information, contact Ambrosino's office at 516-812-3179.

VALLEY STREAM

Get strong with winter exercise

The Valley Stream recreation department is hosting six sessions of its winter exercise program in March and April.

The hourlong sessions that focus on improving cardiovascular endurance and strengthening muscle groups take place on Mondays in March and on April 7. They will be held at the Fireman's Field clubhouse at 120 Albermarle Ave.

The class utilizes light hand weights and is open to people of all fitness levels and ages, Valley Stream officials said in a statement, and also suggested that participants bring a mat or towel. The fee for the program is $50.

More information is available by calling the recreation department at 516-872-6003 or instructor Marilyn Bunger at 516-825-1548.

NORTH HEMPSTEAD

Public hearing on

proposed bond

The North Hempstead Town Board plans to hold a public hearing March 11 on a proposal to issue $6.5 million in bonds for improvements in the Great Neck Park District.

The bond would cover several projects throughout the district, including a new park administration building to replace the one on Beach Road, a new roof to replace the 100-year-old red clay tile roof at Great Neck House, backup generators for Great Neck House and the Parkwood Sports Complex, renovating parts of the athletic field at Memorial Field, and repairing and repaving the district's commuter and park parking lots.

The hearing is to be held at the town board meeting.

LYNBROOK

Village awarded public works honor

Lynbrook has been awarded the Public Works Project of the Year citation from the New York Metro chapter of the American Public Works Association for an energy savings campaign.

The village installed and implemented new LED streetlights, solar equipment and pool pumps, which resulted in energy savings of more than 32 percent, village officials said. Lynbrook paid for the work with federal stimulus funds, utility rebates and money saved on service contracts, officials said.

Electric usage is the village's third-highest expenditure, officials said in a statement.

"Lowering the amount of money spent for energy enabled the village to maintain, and in some cases enhance, current service levels to residents, along with lower operating costs on our municipal buildings," Mayor William Hendrick said in the statement.

ROOSEVELT

Forum on black radio to feature Law, Byrd

The Roosevelt Public Library will celebrate Black History Month with the "Saying It Loud" forum about the historical legacy of black radio.

The event will be held on Wednesday from 6 to 8 p.m. at the library, 27 W. Fulton Ave.

It will feature radio personality Bob Law as host and moderator. The guest speaker will be multimedia radio personality Imhotep Gary Byrd, whose career spans more than 40 years. Byrd broadcasts from three different New York City stations: WLIB/1190 AM, WBLS/107.5 FM and WBAI/99.5 FM.

The focus of the celebration will be on how black radio stations gave "Black America" a voice and helped to build the careers of many, from civil rights leaders such as the Rev. Al Sharpton and Rev. Jesse Jackson to entertainers such as Issac Hayes, Gladys Knight and Smokey Robinson, organizers said.

For more information, contact black heritage librarian Carol Gilliam at cgilliam@ rooseveltlibrary.org or 516-378-0222.

BABYLON VILLAGE

Trustees approve tax cap exception power

Babylon Village trustees have given themselves authority to exceed the state's 2 percent cap on tax levy increases in the 2014-15 budget if needed.

The move was approved by a 5-0 vote Tuesday night.

Babylon Village's $8.9 million 2013 budget included a 9.71 percent increase that Mayor Ralph Scordino said was driven by a need to replenish the village cash reserves after superstorm Sandy and other expenses.

The tax rate is currently $14.24 per $100 of assessed valuation.

The village will adopt a budget this spring for the next fiscal year, which starts June 1.

KINGS PARK

Jazz festival marks

Black History Month

The Kings Park Heritage Museum will host its annual Ranny Reeve Jazz Festival today in celebration of Black History Month.

Reeve, 88, who has been called an improvisational legend, is a music teacher and Coram resident.

Musicians at tonight's event, which runs from 7 to 9, will include amateurs and professionals.

"We mix it up with high school kids just starting out and professional guys who will knock your socks off," Reeve said.

The evening will close with his Jazz in the Living Room ensemble.

"Because of him, Kings Park community members have gone on to have successful jazz careers," said museum volunteer Lois Valpis.

Reeve, in a telephone interview, recalled one of the first times jazz had an effect on him.

"One night I had my radio on and I heard Benny Goodman's theme song. It was 1937 and I was 11 1/2," he said.

Reeve said he is now determined to keep jazz alive, calling it "America's music."

The celebration is free and open to the public. The event has been held for about 10 years. The Kings Park Heritage Museum is at 101 Church St.