Our area was pummeled by Storm Sandy and we all learned some very valuable lessons.
The first lesson should be that the Town Of North Hempstead and Nassau County needs to spend considerably more energy focusing on problems such as lose of loss of electricity and lost phone service. When power went out, many found their cell phone service became spotty if at all. This was more alarming after residents learned that cordless phone do not work without electricity. This is why I have three old fashioned corded phones which when plugged into the phone jacks made up for the spotty cell phone service. This was important considering some residents did not have Cablevision's triple play service after power went out.
So while everyone was focused on the rezoning of Main Street local government seemed to forget that we were in the season where a major storm or hurricane could cripple Long Island. Whammy, it happened and few were ready for it. Gas stations had no back-up plans for getting fuel or generators. Only a few stores operated on generators without running freezers or any refrigoration. LIPA prtoved to be totaly incompetent to offer adequate information. Out of state crews offering time and labor could not be adequately depolyed to the most needed areas of the Island. Even Cablevision was left in the so-called dark as to where they could come in and performed much needed repairs.
Town Of North Hempstead executive John Kaiman should have teamed up with every other county municipality to come up with a long overdue plan to overide the poor services which other companies were offering Long Island. Too bad Kaiman did so little to aid is constiuents especially after he has been said to be the top choice to take over the failing LIPA. This is the very same individual who has led some of the most horrendous meetings concerning rezoning Main Street in Port Washington and angered many residents.
In retrospect we should look back and learn a lot from the past storm and what should have been done and what was not done and who is responsible for prolonging the problems we faced. Even after I try to convince myself that this was a storm like one we never saw in this area there still is the shadow of doubt of whether or not some of the present officials should remain in their positions.
Had this been a private company I know heads would have rolled so fast that the media would not have had time to cover the issue.
For those who suffered, my heart goes out to you and those who fared better I think it is time to take a hard look at what others went through and why they suffer so much.
Anyone wish to comment? The leaders need to hear from us as soon as possible.
Jonathan Winant
Port Washington
Probably not the last time either.
My intentions were simple, as we and the Town Of N. Hempstead are spending too much time on the revisioning, Rezoning or beautification (whatever the heck they wish to call it) project when some REAL serious issues need to be handled. The list includes. Pushing LIPA/National Grid to modernize and come into the 21 century so we do not have nearly as big a fiasco as we recently had to endure. Tree triming by whomeever is responsible to do so (Private, ToNH, LIPA, Nassau County) so we do not has the same enormous outages we recently had. Garbage problems which a rezoning will not change. One problem trash receptacles along Main Street are innefficient in size. Policing issues and what the Police needd to do to make Main Street a little safer for pedestrians and drivers. IE; Cell phones, texting, illegal u-turns and running red lights, double parking and parking in "no parking" zones. Graffitti problems which in the past year have become more prevalent. Anyone wish to add to the list?
I would like nothing more than to not have to discuss rezoning any further, but rezoning is like that gnat that won't go away.
Whether your against the rezoning plan or in favor of it I do not think many would just ignore it. The intentions behind writing my blog was to stir up some interest in the fact that ToNH, Nassau County and Port Washington has to stand and speak out about the other issues facing our community which are clearly being left unaddressed. Forget burying power lines it aint going to happen for numerous reasons. Too damn expensive (many might say money has better use), To distruptive to the community for the amount of time it wil take to complete. To name a few reasons. Maybe other measures can be taken to make the delivery of electricity, Cable Televison and verizon service more reliable.
The best thing is to contact ToNH and speak out loud and clear. Any meetings of the ToNH or the rezoning groups are supossed to be open to the public.
Disrespecting the will of the majority has been the trademark of Kaiman , just look at his handling of the Country club issue .
Last month Port Washington learned that tree LIPA failed us. The cut back in tree trimming cause significant outages in our area. Restrictions on generators might have created problems for those who could have had generators on their properties. Gas rationing should have been implimented as soon as the line started to form. The only thing which did not fail us was the Port Washington Manhassett Office of Emergency Management which being a volunteer operation did a superior job of keeping us informed. Every other service which we should haqve relied on failed misserably John Kaimain needs to be impeached as soon as possible and his name needs to be taken off any list of those being considered for office at LIPA. My recommendation is that Peter Forman be nominated to take over the CEO of LIPA. Peter has proven that he is a person of deep concern for our area and someone who can be relied on when the going gets rough. Thats what LIPA needs not someone who screw up at the worst possible time.
Thanks
NO more RFMBPW!
No one has adeqwuately discussed the impoact rezoning might have on municipal and private services which residents rely heavily on. Example nore residents, more cars impact Policing which does not adeqwuately adress traffic and driver along Main Street. That opinion comes from the countless comments on this issue seen in the Patch. Garbage, presently it is an issue along Main Street. Wait until more residents and businesses move in. Parking, this issues speaks for it's self. Schools,can they handle more students? The big question is if we had this much trouble getting through a major storm how can we handle the matter ater there is possibly more residents living in the middle of Port Washington? First things first as I was taught.
Whoever at "Residents" is claiming this is "not a change in zoning" issue is lying -- or completely deluded and duped.
Major concerns should be getting rid of John Kaiman (keeping him away from LIPA position), Road safety (rethink Policing),Storm prepardnes.
And the more you hear it, the less sense it all makes.