Politics & Government

Town of North Hempstead Notebook: 311 Call Center

Black History Month celebrated.

The Town of North Hempstead’s 311 call center had a record number of calls this past year.

"The ‘One-Call-To-Town Hall’ concept has put an end to what often was a long, frustrating process of calls being snagged in bureaucratic bottle neck where they were transferred back and forth in order to get information or assistance,” Supervisor Jon Kaiman said. 

A record 181,483 phone calls were received last year.

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Earlier this month, Village of Hempstead Mayor Wayne Hall met with Supervisor Kaiman to tour the Town’s 311 Call Center with an eye on equipping the Village with a similar system.

Unveiled in 2005, North Hempstead’s 311 hotline has already responded to more than 500,000 calls.  The center is staffed Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m.–7:30 p.m., Saturday from 10:00 a.m.–6 p.m., and Sunday 10 a.m.–5 p.m. 

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Kaiman, Councilwoman Viviana Russell, and the Town of North Hempstead hosted the second Annual Black History Month Presentation last week at Westbury High School.

The event, which featured performances on African-American experiences, music, and dance, celebrated the diversity and contributions of African-American history-makers in North Hempstead.

Russell, who became the first ever African-American female Town Board member when she was elected in 2009, said, “The Town of North Hempstead has a rich history filled with prominent figures of African descent. I am honored to have the opportunity to help shed light on some of their contributions to this great town.”

More than 300 people, including North Hempstead Town Board members, Nassau County Legislator Robert Troiano, and Westbury School District administrators, attended the two-hour event inside the high school’s auditorium.

Grace Walker and Brian Rapelyea, the great-niece and great-nephew of black history-maker Hannah Chisolm Towsend, were also in attendance.

“We are happy that the Town of North Hempstead continues to educate others about the legacy of this trailblazer of the 1800’s,” Rapelyea said, referring to his great aunt, whose business acumen brought her great wealth.

“You can’t beat the positive energy found within this Westbury community,” said Powell’s Lane Elementary School Jazz Band Director Michael Costello, whose 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade students also performed at the event. “I believe that one of the best ways to honor the many contributions of black society is to see these kids fall in love with jazz, music that African Americans first established and then perfected over the past century.”


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