Freeport Report 1998-03

              VOLUNTEERS RESPOND TO CALL IFOR HELP
Five Electric Department workers travelled to upstate
New York in early January in response to a call for assis-tance
from utility companies in the five counties hit by a
devastating ice storm that left the residents without heatj
hot water, electricity and clear roads for over two weeks.
"We have a mutual aid agreement with power compa-nies
throughout the state," explained Superintendent of
the Electric Utilities Hub Bianco. We received a call for assis-tance
and we were glad to be able to help out." The five-county
area in New York State's North Country had been
declared a federal disaster area by President Clinton.
Just as the electric department workers were returning,
10'volunteer fire fighters journeyed to Watertown, New
York to help answer fire calls.
Members of the
Electric Department team
were interviewed
by an NBC-TV reporter.
Pictured in the photo are:
Victor Hili, Reporter N.J. Perez,
Patrick Cullin,
Electric Utilities Director
Hub Bianco,
Anthony Capozzoli,
Deputy Mayor
Renaire Frierson-Davis,
Jerry China and
Jarrod Smith.
MARCH 15, 1998
ll:00am - 6:00pm
CRAFTS FAIR
U ARTS COUNCIL - 223-2522
MARCH 21 & 22, 1998
GEM & MINERAL SHOW
JOHN ANDERSON - (516) 781-8410
MARCH 28 & 29, 1998
LI QUILTERS CONVENTION
APRIL 4, 1998
10:00am - 4:00pm
BASEBALL CARD SHOW
KAREN WEINTRAUB - (516) 623-2781
*" * SPECIAL MARCH
APRIL 19, 1998
10:00am - 4:00pm
ANTIQUE TOY SHOW
VINNIE PUGUESE - (516) 484-6321
APRIL 25, 1998
10:00am - 4:00pm
URECORD
& CD FAIR
(973) 773-6067 .
APRIL 26, 1998
10:00am - 4:00pm
LI CAMERA SHOW
(973) 838-4301
The Home
of Champions
MAYOR UNVEILS UPDATED
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PLAN
As pan of the continuing effort to respond to
the needs and concerns of every resident, we have
undertaken an improved emergency management
program. After an extensive review of the previous
program, we realized that a re-education con-cerning
the use of sirens was in order. The follow-ing
key points are included in the updated plan.
* SIRENS DO NOT ALWAYS MEAN FLOODING.
Residents have become accustomed to hearing sirens to
indicate flood warnings. We plan to expand the use of
the sirens to warn residents of other problems.
* MEDIA ADVISORY.
The updated plan includes the phone and fax numbers
of 24-hour news radio stations, television stations,
cable news stations, along with daily and weekly
newspapers. This information will be on file and
_ ;-available-to everyone-on the emergency-management-team
in the newly set-up Emergency Management
Operations facility in Village Hall.
ESTABLISHMENT OF A PERMANENT EMERGENCY
MANAGEMENT OPERATION FACILITY.
A room has been designated in Village Hall to house
the phones, both land line and cellular, along with
the radio communications, controls for stand-by
generators, FAX machines, maps and Internet-accessible
computers.
EXTENSIVE PUBLICATION OF EMERGENCY
MANAGEMENT HOTLINE PHONE NUMBER. ..
A new Emergency Management brochure will be
mailed to every resident of Freeport detailing the
Village's planned responses to various types of
emergencies including natural disasters such as
hurricanes, floods, fires, chemical spills, or major traffic
accidents. The first step in any emergency situation will
be to update the message on the emergency
management hotline phone, 377-2400. In addition, the
hotline has been upgraded, to take more, than one
thousand calls per hour.
Mayor Bill Glacken presenting a citation
to Grace Shen at her farewell luncheon
II ARTS COUNCIL BIDS FAREWELL
TO GRACE SHEN
The Long Island Arts Council at Freeport said goodbye to its Executive Director, Grace
Shen, last month. Ms. Shen will relocate to Westchester County where her husband has been
transferred by his employer. Mayor Bill Glacken was among the large number of friends and
supporters on hand to wish Ms. Shen good luck and thank her for the incredible job she has
done in expanding and modernizing the Li Arts Council during her seven-year tenure. "We
will miss Grace and her dedication to ensuring that the arts are made accessible to every-one,"
said Glacken.
A MESSAGE FROM OUR MAYOR
Dear Freeport Neighbor,
March is a good time to say thank you to all the
volunteers who make our Village such a special place.
From the men and women who donated blood during
the recent drive sponsored by the volunteer firefight-ers
to the residents who dedicate their time and
expertise to the civic organizations, Freeport owes a
debt of gratitude.
I know from personal experience as a past
President of the Freeport Little League the time, ener-gy,
and manpower required to put together teams for
over 650 children every year. The men and women
who serve as managers, coaches, and assistants could
never be paid enough for the amount of work they do
for our sons and daughters. The same is true of the
volunteers for P.A.L, Arrows Youth Hockey, and the
other sports organizations that teach our young
people the importance of teamwork, a strong work
ethic and a commitment to excellence in developing
character.
Many Freeporters know first hand of a volunteer
fire fighter or an emergency medical technician who
came to their aid. These men and women risk their
lives to save our loved ones. Often they must run to a
fire or an emergency situation, leaving their homes
and families late at night in order to protect us. March
is a good time to thank them.
It is also a good time to thank the Salvation Army
for all the help it provides to those of us less fortu-nate.
The Interfaith Nutrition Network and the Parish
Outreach Center at Our Holy Redeemer Church, along
with several other religious-affiliated groups, offer
food and clothing to those in need. The local civic
associations, including South of Sunrise, Northwest,
NEFCA and Stearns Park, work to bring neighbors
together to solve problems, respond to concerns and
beautify our streets.
The Veterans of Foreign Wars and the American
Legion Post provide continuing support to the surviv-ing
servicemen and women and honor those who
gave their lives to guarantee our safety and freedom.
Generations of boys and girls have learned loyalty,
integrity and dedication to their communities from
the selfless men and women who volunteer countless
hours to the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts organizations.
Our waterfront village benefits from the hard
work of the environmentally concerned members of
SPLASH, who patrol our local waterways collecting
debris that would otherwise foul one of our most
valuable natural resources. The Spring and Summer
Festivals and the Rum Runners events brought thou-sands
of visitors to our fabulous Nautical Mile thanks
to the great work of hundreds of volunteers, shop
owners and restaurateurs.
The Long Island Arts Council at Freeport does an
outstanding job promoting an appreciation for the
arts by children and adults alike.
~ ~The"list^of service organizations and-individuals
who donate their time is endless and in listing some of
these groups, we risk offending those who serve qui-etly
and without fanfare. So this month take the time
to thank every volunteer you meet for their dedica-tion
and service. Without them, Freeport would not
be the very special place it is to live and raise a family.
Thank you.
CHANGES IN THE
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS
Superintendent Louis DiGrazia in his office
FROM TEAM PLAYER TO MANAGER
Mayor Bill Glacken has announced the promo-tion
of Louis DiGrazia to Superintendent of Public
Works. Mr. DiGrazia has served either as Assistant or
Acting Superintendent of the department since
1995. "Lou has done an exemplary job of running
the department for the past three years, and I
believe he is the best person to lead Public Works as
we embark on several major capital improvement
projects throughout the village," said Glacken. A
native Freeporter, Lou played baseball all through
high "school," and went on tb~earn degrees in
Engineering and Business Administration from
Nassau Community College. "Lou DiGrazia brought
to his responsibilities at Village Hall the attributes
of teamwork, loyalty and leadership, lessons he
learned growing up here and taking part in our
local sports teams," Glacken concluded. Lou and his
wife, Grace, another native Freeporter, are raising
their three daughters here.
BOB CAPOZZOLI NAMED
ASST. SUPERINTENDENT
Few people in the Highway Department can
remember a time when Bob Capozzoli wasn't there.
"He is a worker we can rely on," explained Lou
DiGrazia, Superintendent of Public Works. "He's
dependable and conscientious and the right person
for the job." Capozzoli has been employed by the
Village for over 30 years and served as superinten-dent
of highways for the past 15 years. A life-long
Freeport resident, Bobby is a familiar sight around
town driving his red pickup truck. Mayor Glacken
announced the promotion of Capozzoli to Assistant
Superintendent of Public Works, saying "He has
served the people of the Village with the same quiet
dedication as his father before him did."
Bob Capozzoli and his well known red pickup