UGS Archive--2006
Links to UG Spectator articles published in 2006
Contents
Board raises annual charge by 25%
12-22-06
Invoices have been mailed out for UGPOA’s 2007 annual charges. They show that the Board has raised the mil rate from 4¢ to 5¢ per square foot of property. For an average lot of 14,000 square feet, this means an increase of $140. The voluntary payment for Association membership dues remains unchanged at $50. For the average property, this means a total of $750, compared with $610 in 2006.
The Board did not offer an early payment discount for membership in the Pool & Tennis Club. When this was tried in 2006, two-thirds of the community paid the $125-per-home club membership fee together with their annual charge at the beginning of the year. In prior years, only about 40% of the community joined when the fee was $475 per home.
At the annual meeting of the Association held in February 2006, incoming president Sy Coopersmith criticized the outgoing Board for its adoption of the low club fee. Considering this and the Board’s apparent need to replenish the treasury after some major spending during the spring, an increase in the club fee appears probable. In prior years, the club fee was announced about a month before the start of the pool season.
The Board's invoice also mentioned that payment of the Association dues is necessary for participation in the sanitation program. This appears to be a left-over statement from the 2006 invoice, when the former Board was attempting to organize a group sanitation contract for the community. Unless the current Board has a new program in mind, its statement is erroneous.
There they go again 12-22-06
We recently received confirmation that the town’s $10,000 “matching payment” for the UG tree pruning program was never made. Announced with some fanfare during the appearance of North Hempstead Town Supervisor Jon Kaiman at the Association’s mid-year meeting in July, the program was supposed to start out with a $20,000 contract to a tree service company, paid for in a 50-50 partnership by the Association and the town.
When we challenged Mr. Kaiman, noting that this sum was too little for the work that was needed, he replied that this was only a first step and that more money might be made available later in the year. As it now turns out, the promised matching funds themselves were never paid, much less anything additional.
The town has put a positive spin on this, however. Mr. Kaiman’s liaison to our community, Rafe Lieber, has advised Association President Sy Coopersmith that the matching funds will be spent next year. Mr. Lieber also advised that he was working on getting an even larger sum allocated.
In November 2005, Supervisor Kaiman advised members of the former board of his plan to contract out the UG pruning work because town workers could not handle it. This came after a series of unfilled promises by various town officials to get the pruning job done over the preceding two years.
When the spring of 2006 came and went without an appearance by the town’s contractor, the town and the board reached agreement on splitting the cost. The board’s gift to the town for its half of the contract was accepted in a resolution approved by the Town Board in June. As reported previously, town documents show that a contract was then given by the town to a tree service company, but only for the $10,000 payment received from the Association.
The following post is the last from John Campbell.
NOTE: The real estate page has been discontinued because it is too time consuming to keep up to date.
A new editor . . . the same goals 12-21-06
This site will now be under new management. My wife and I are in the process of moving to North Carolina. Since we will still have our house pn University Gardens, at least for awhile, and since we are leaving behind some good neighbors and good friends, we will still have an interest in what happens in your community--but I won't be in a position to report on it.
I wanted the site to continue because the conditions that led to its inception stilll exist. The current Board's policy is to operate mostly in the dark, with a watered-down newsletter that is mostly a cheerleader and a website that has been stripped of its news capability. University Gardens deserves better. While this site is no substitute for full information from the Board, we have done the best we can, and I am confident that the effort will continue.
The new editor will be Steve Perlman. No one has worked harder for this community than Steve has. A substantial segment of the community chose to ignore his efforts and accomplishments in last year's election, driven by fury or confusion orchestrated by his political opponents. They seized on his support for incorporation, a course he had the temerity to suggest we seriously consider, but personal motivations were at the root of the campaign. No one is more knowledgeable than Steve about the governance of this community, our relationship with the Town of North Hempstead, and our finances.
As the subtitle of this site suggests, you can expect to find both news and commentary, and they are often mixed. Steve and I have differing personalities and different writing styles, so the site now will have a different tone than in the past. But the aim will still be to keep you informed about what's going on.
Once, a certain home was a 'house' 11-28-06
A few years ago I wrote a history of University Gardens which can be found on the official UG website and, in installments, in past issues of the UG Reporter. At the time, I did not have much luck in getting local old-timers to sit down with me and tell me more of the colorful side the community's past.
This article, based on some belated, second-hand input from a couple of those old-timers who no longer live in the Gardens, may be a partial restorative. It has to do, indirectly, with the possible origin of the "90 min" parking signs that adorn some of our streets.
It seems that way back when--a number of decades ago--at least one "house of ill repute" flourished in our community. In good weather, the house's employees used to stretch out on the lawn to display, within limits, their attractions. Among the customers were some of the limo drivers who would visit while their employers were enjoying a meal at Peter Luger's restaurant across Northern Blvd.
It seems highly probable that the "90 min" signs were an attempt by the community to deal with extended parking by Peter Luger's customers and their drivers--but perhaps also by the house's employees. It's doubtful that many of the house's clients had to worry about a 90-minute limit.
We happen to know which house it was (actually, there may have been more than one), but we will not identify it. We don't know whether the present owner is aware of that aspect of the house's history, and we don’t know whether making it public would amuse, horrify, or embarrass him or her.
Let if suffice to say, we live in a neighborhood with a more interesting history than has been heretofore published.
So much for 'matching funds' 11-22-06
Remember the $20,000 tree pruning program? Promised for July, it actually happened in August. (See August 14 item.)
Except not quite. The Board had given the Town $10,000 with the understanding that the Town would chip in a matching amount and hire a contractor to make a start on the long-overdue maintenance of our street trees. A contractor did show up and do some work, mostly, if not entirely, on Wensley Drive. At the time, it didn't seem much like a $20,000 effort, but what do we know?
Well, as it turns out, the Town never did match our contribution of $10,000. A contract worth just $10,000 was let to Peter Colgan Tree Service, whose crew did, presumably, that much work and no more.
That information was released by the Town in response to a Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) request by former Association President Steve Perlman. He asked for an explanation more than two weeks ago but so far none has been forthcoming.
Floods at the pool should be over 11-22-06
While we were on an extended absence, the Board caused a ditch to be dug across the pool parking lot and the adjacent lawn, in which it buried plastic pipe. The pipe starts at the manhole and, judging from the evidence of disturbed turf, seems to end at a point near the northeast corner of the tennis courts.
We don't know whether this is a project in progress or supposed to be a final solution to a water problem. The manhole, complete with internal ladder, was constructed in 2005 with the aim of capturing an underground stream that sometimes flowed across the parking lot and, in freezing weather, posed a safety hazard. The original idea was that the manhole would function as a dry well, with the insides to be scrubbed clean every year or so to keep it operational.
The manhole seemed to work for a year, but last spring it began to overflow periodically. The new Board did not have any interest in the scrubbing approach, and its lack of interest was buttressed by resident Herb Warman, a retired architect, who said the soil was not suitable for a dry well--he called it "not a dry well but an artesian well." Meanwhile, Pool Director Larry Quinn came up with a temporary, partial solution. He immersed a sump pump in the manhole and piped the effluent down the north edge of the parking lot. This kept much of the parking lot dry, though it tended to flood the entrance and the sidewalk and median adjacent to the tennis courts (photos).
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The new pipe eliminates the need for the sump pump and should keep the parking lot dry in good weather. Whether it is a permanent solution to the problem remains a question. If the pipe indeed ends in the lawn, we can look forward to a marsh there next spring when the water table rises. But perhaps the Board's contractor found a way to connect the pipe to the storm sewer system or another underground stream.
The struggle to dislodge a tree report 9-27-06
In January this year, Rafe Lieber, then the Town government's "liaison" to University Gardens, told Association officers that an arborist had looked at "every single one of your street trees" and had prepared, or was preparing, a report for Supervisor Jon Kaiman. Subsequently, Mr. Lieber seemed to acknowledge, though he did not say outright, that the report would substantiate the Board's position that the trees had been neglected.
The Board, led by then-President Steve Perlman, pressed for release of the report but was told that it was under review and was being edited. The Board continued to press for release through the end of its term in February.
When June arrived with no sign of the report, and, incidentally, no sign that the new Board was pursuing the matter, ex-President Steve Perlman decided to take action. Acting as a private citizen, he filed on June 7 two requests for documents with the Town under the Freedom of Information Law (FOIL). One was for any "contract or letter of engagement, etc. relating to the hiring of a tree specialist to inspect and report on the trees of University Gardens ... and any such report or other information that was produced from 6/1/2005 to 6/7/2006." The other was for any records relating to the engagement of a company to conduct pruning of the trees in University Gardens.
After several extensions of the normal time required for response under FOIL, The Town's Records Officer finally replied on August 28. No records were found relating to the engagement of a company to conduct pruning as of June 2006. However, a resolution of the Town Board was released indicating its vote to accept the donation of $10,000 from the University Gardens Property Owners Assn. for the purpose of pruning. (The UGPOA gift was reported in our July 6 story.)
The reply to the other FOIL request included a copy of a proposal to the Town, dated December 16, 2005, from Peter C. Colgan, Jr., a certified arborist in Kings Park, offering "tree evaluation and risk assessment for University Gardens ..." and the printing of a report. Also included was a copy of an invoice for $2,500 from Mr. Colgan, strangely bearing the same December 16 date, which was stamped "Approved December 31, 2005."
The invoice raises questions. It seems highly unlikely that any certified arborist is going to inspect and report on every single street tree in University Gardens for $2,500--unless, perhaps, the inspection is limited to identifying limbs or trees that pose imminent danger, or, equally likely, that the arborist has been promised a lot of follow-on work.
The Town's reply to the FOIL request for the tree report itself was negative. The Records Officer checked off the explanation that the report sought is "intra-agency or inter-agency materials exempt from disclosure."
There followed an exchange of letters between Mr. Perlman, challenging the Town's response, and Town Attorney Richard S. Finkel. Mr. Perlman maintained that as a factual assessment, the report is within those categories which cannot be shielded from public access under FOIL even if deemed intra-agency or inter-agency material. Mr. Finkel said that the report sought "consists of subjective opinions and recommendations of the arborist for consideration by Town officials" and as such does not constitute "factual assessment." On September 18, Mr. Perlman suggested that at least parts of the report are "factual in nature," requiring that such material be segregated and released. Also, he said, if the report has been adopted as a basis for the Town's policies, it may not be withheld, as it would no longer be considered a mere recommendation (which may be withheld under FOIL), but in fact had become actual policy (which may not be withheld under FOIL).
To date there has been no further response from the Town. But the possibility that the report was more than advisory is suggested by the flurry of tree planting that occurred in the spring (see, for examples, the stories of June 7 and July 1) and, more recently, by the sudden appearance of tree pruners along most of the length of Wensley Drive (see August 14 story). Though no copy of a contract for the pruning was included in the Town's FOIL response, it is interesting to note that the pruning was done by a crew in a vehicle labeled Peter C. Colgan, Jr., according to a resident who spotted the truck.
Mr. Perlman reports that he has filed a follow-up FOIL request for any pruning contract that may have been signed after his original FOIL request was made. He is also planning further legal action to compel release of the tree evaluation report.
Pool's pillars get their caps 9-26-06
The pool season was over, but the new pillars at the entrance to the parking lot finally got their caps. Click here for the "before" look.
Our Maria, injured, is on the mend 9-26-06
We've been out of town quite a bit lately. So it was just in the last few days that we learned that Maria D'Amelio, the Great Neck Auxiliary Police captain who has been such a boon to our community for the past several years, suffered an injury in late August and has been out of action since. We hear she is on the mend, but have no idea when she will be able to return to her patrols.
Maria broke her arm when she slipped on a rock while, typically, trying to help a Somerset North resident. We're sure that all who know her--perhaps especially the children who attend the Lakeville School--hope for a speedy and full recovery. Cards may be addressed to her at 320 East Shore Rd., Great Neck 11023.
Meanwhile, some of Maria's forces continue to include University Gardens in their patrols.
It's a weekend? Don't call 311 9-2-06
It was windy last night, and one of the victims (the only one we've seen so far) was a street tree on Somerset Drive which lost a big limb (photo). The fallen limb blocked a driveway and partially blocked the street, and a driver gaping at it managed to dent the fender of a passing van. But that's not the point of this story.
Dutifully, my wife, Amy, called 311 in hopes that the Town would send out a crew to remove the limb. But an automated reply made it clear that 311 doesn't work on weekends. Apologetically,Amy then called 911. A courteous, even friendly operator said the police would respond, and that was that.
Except for one additional point: According to the operator, there is no 311 system anywhere in Nassau County. She's wrong--except on weekends.
'Post mortem' on our sidewalks 8-21-06
We don't want to seem ungrateful to the Town for patching our sidewalks. The crews seemed to do a good job of what they did. But the results do raise a few questions.
First, not all slabs or stretches that need attention got it. Maybe not all requests were forwarded, or maybe some of the adjacent homeowners didn't bother to ask for the fixes. (We did our best on this site to alert everyone but it might have helped if the Association had sent out a letter as well.) The question is: Why can't the Town survey the neighborhood and, in addition to responding to specific requests, decide for itself where work is needed?
Second, colorants are available for concrete, and some communities require that certain colors be used in the mix in order to avoid the blatant whiteness of the patches we now see throughout University Gardens. As an unincorporated entity, of course, we have no power to impose such a requirement. But it would be nice if the Town cared enough to do it on their own. Our new sidewalk look is not that of a high-class community.
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Left--Our patchwork sidewalks. |
When I mentioned this to a neighbor, he said, in effect, "What does it matter? It will age and in 20 years you won't know the difference." Those of you who expect to be around 20 years from now--which does not include me or, likely, my neighbor--may take some comfort in this thought.
Meanwhile, we hear that one of our residents tripped on a slab that was not fixed and was seriously injured. I don't know whether she sued, but I'm guessing that the incident had something to do with the sudden appearance of numerous concrete "ramps" connecting misaligned slabs. They're white and ugly but, I guess, fair warning.
Wensley trees get a pruning 8-14-06
Sometime last week a contractor showed up and pruned the street trees on Wensley Rd.--from the Rutland Dr. intersection to the cul-de-sac.
So far as we know, that was the first action under the promised $20,000 program for pruning our street trees. We don't know whether that work exhausted the budget or whether there is more to come.
That big hole is about to see a foundation 8-11-06
Since November, 2004, residents of Somerset South have been looking at a big hole in the ground surrounded by a chain-link fence. Now, finally, it appears that the house the hole was waiting for will actually be built.
The owner of the property, Gat Lee, has had to wait for approvals from both the Nassau County Planning Commission and the Town of North Hempstead Building Dept. The okay from the Planning Commission came some time ago, and approval by the Building Dept. came last month. Mr. Lee expects that foundation work will begin next week.
The explanation of what took 21 months is complex, but we'll try to keep it simple. It has not been printed before because of litigation concerns.
For many decades, the Kupferbergs owned three lots on Somerset South. When they moved out of No. 14 in 2003, they repackaged the lots as two parcels
of 1-1/2 lots each, and sold the parcel containing No. 14 to the Saras. Then, in the summer of 2004, they sold the remaining parcel to Gat Lee for $850,000. Mr. Lee submitted plans for a sizable house to the Association and to the Town and, after some changes, including three iterations with the Town, the plans were approved. In November 2004 the site was cleared and excavated, foundation forms were installed, and footings were poured.
Immediately, two problems arose. Because of a procedural failure by Mr. Lee, abetted by a procedural failure by the Building Dept., a construction inspector issued a "cease and desist" order, and Mr. Lee had to remove the forms. Ordinarily, that would have resulted in only a slight delay.
But there was a bigger problem. The mounds of sand heaped up to the north of the excavation were a shock to Gail Waller. She and her sister Wendy inherited No. 19 Rutland Rd. from their aunt, Rosalie Cohan. That property shares a boundary with Mr. Lee's property. The excavation, Ms. Waller says, destroyed part of her garden. Even worse, the stakes placed by Mr. Lee's surveyor indicated that his property line crossed a portion of her patio (see photo below) and came within a few feet of one corner of her house.
Gail Waller challenged the boundary lines staked out by Mr. Lee. In fact, the property lines staked out for the new house appeared to be in accord with the original University Gardens map. The crux of the issue is that, according to Ms. Waller, her aunt had received permission from the Kupferbergs to plant a garden on a portion of their property. (Mrs. Kupferberg later confirmed the arrangement to me.) "My aunt maintained that garden for 65 years," said Ms. Waller. Though apparently no supporting document exists, Ms. Waller said she intended to sue to maintain control over the disputed area on the basis of "adverse possession"--a legal doctrine under which adjacent property is sometimes awarded to a neighbor who can demonstrate a long history of using it.
Disputed boundary was at heart of dispute. |
It cut off a bit of the Waller patio. |
At the time, Mr. Lee seemed unperturbed. He said he was surprised when he saw where the boundary line was located but felt that his ownership rights were indisputable. The closeness of the boundary to the Rutland house--7-8 feet according to the survey--did raise a question about the original approval for the Rutland house. Under the Association's Declaration of Restrictions the minimum distance to a side line is 10 feet. However, it is not uncommon for code enforcers to forgive a few feet when a structure's side wall angles sharply away from the offending corner, as it did in this case. As for the Town, it had no building code when the house was built.
Ms. Waller, seeing no "give" from Mr. Lee, vowed to use litigation to "tie him up for a year," which she successfully did, and then some. Ultimately, Mr. Lee decided that he would rather get his house built than hold out for all of what he believed to be his land. To settle the matter, he has deeded to the Wallers a 264-square-foot triangle of land at the northwest corner of the property and has granted a "planting" easement of 372 square feet adjacent to that area.. But, he says, "it's not easy to give away land--the County wants to be sure it continues to get its taxes on it." Hence the involvement of the Nassau County Planning Commission.
Furthermore, since the house originally designed for Mr. Lee occupied the maximum allowable percentage of the land area, he had to come up with a new plan for a smaller house. The Association approved the new plan in February, and it has finally been ok'd by the Town.
Mr. Lee is a "semi-retired" electronics engineer who worked 38 years at Grumman Aerospace. He and his wife Ellie now live in Bayside Queens, but they lived many years in Dix Hills. They chose to move to the Gardens because, Mr. Lee says, it has a very similar feel and is a lot more convenient to the city.
Mr. Lee says that he and Gail Waller, with the dispute behind them, are now "very friendly." In late 2004, Ms. Waller said she has not decided whether to move into 19 Rutland, which was then occupied only by a caretaker, or sell the property, which includes a buildable lot at the corner of Rutland and Somerset, as well as a small triangular lot to the east of the house. We have no later news.
Those tree pruners--are they phantoms? 7-30-06
At the midyear meeting, Rafe Lieber, the Town Supervisor's liaison to University Gardens, said that the $20,000 initial program for pruning our street trees would start
"next week" (previous story). That would have been the week of the 17th.
Unless the pruners came in the dead of night with muffled chain saws, we don't think they made it that week--or the week of the 24th either. We did ask around in
case we missed the event, but elicited no contrary testimony. We even asked one member of the Board who should know, but he was clueless.
The Town's promises are notoriously unreliable, so there's no surprise here. But maybe this will be the week.
Welcome (back) to the Root family 7-16-06
For 14 years, David and Robin Root and their growing family lived at 7 Somerset Dr. S. Then, early in 2005 they
moved out, expecting to close on a larger house outside the community. Through no fault of theirs, the deal fell through, and they found
themselves crammed into a two-bedroom apartment in Great Neck Village.
Just one week ago, the Roots moved into the townhouse at 65 Somerset Dr. with their four children: Zachary, 15;
Sam, 13; and 12-year-old twins Jared and Sara. Their new house, while immaculate, actually has less space than their old one, but
"we love living in the Gardens," David says.
David works in graphics for a packaging company; Robin is a self-employed occupational therapist.
Want to contact the Recording Secretary? 7-15-06
More than two months ago, the Association's official newsletter announced that Brooke Struminger, who served the Association for a number of years
as lifeguard and pool director, was our new
Recording Secretary. We have waited patiently for the Board to post her phone number on
the official website or otherwise inform us as to how to contact her.
That not having happened, we approached Ms. Struminger at the midyear meeting and she cheerfully obliged
with the necessary information. Her phone number is (516)-773-7370, and her email for the purpose of Association business
is ugpoasecretary@yahoo.com. We have added this email address to the list you will see if use the link in the
lefthand panel to send a message to "UG Board of Directors." If you mislay her phone number, you can find
it by using the "index" tab at the top of this page to find this article, which will be indexed under "Secretary, Recording."
Pending official word, we suggest you contact her if you have questions about the ownership of a UG property,
the amount of the annual charge on a property, or the status of an Association bill or payment; to correct any
errors in your name on the Association's mailing list; to verify the date of a general meeting; to obtain copies
of the Declaration of Restrictions, the Bylaws, or the rules of the Pool & Tennis Club; or to learn the name of the Board
member you should contact on a specific Association matter.
A new camera's eye on the Gardens 7-14-06
see photo page
When Peter Niceforo moved into 14 Hereford Rd. last October with his wife Daniela and two twin daughters, he brought along his digital cameras. And despite the time demands of his job--and his youngsters, he has already used those cameras, in particular his Canon 30D, to capture in pictures some of the beauty of University Gardens.
You can see some of those pictures on a separate page. Many more of his non-UG photos can be seen on his own website. We can expect to see more photos of the Gardens in the future.
Pete, 39, met his wife-to-be when both were majoring in computer science at St. Johns University. Today, both work as information technology ("IT") managers for investment houses--different ones. "We don't talk about our work at home," he notes.
They moved here from Syosset, to be closer to Manhattan and especially to their parents, who live in Flushing. They miss the much larger backyard they used to have, and the wildlife that frequented it. But they love the ambiance of University Gardens.
While Pete has developed an interest in woodworking, it's clear that photography is his main avocation. As many of us know, storing photos on the desktop computer can eventually eat up a hard drive. Pete's Dell computer contains not just the standard 80-gigabyte hard disk but two added 120-gigabyte disks as well. And, after some misadventures, Pete now uses an incremental backup program to protect his work.
When Peter can escape for a bit, he likes to go hunting upstate, sometimes with a bow and arrow. He enjoys archery but, he says, has yet to bring down a turkey, let alone a deer, with an arrow.
A quiet midyear meeting, sparsely attended 7-12-06
The usual suspects showed up. No more than 30 residents, not counting the Board, attended last night's midyear meeting of the Association--despite the
advertised presence of Town Supervisor Jon Kaiman.
It was a typical turnout, but a far cry from the numbers who jammed the meeting halls last spring and for the hotly contested election this past February. Not
surprisingly, the mood was a lot calmer this time, and ultimately a fair amount of information was exchanged.
The meeting was chaired by Association President Sy Coopersmith, who characterized the meeting as
"informal." In addition to Mr. Kaiman, Rafe Lieber, his liaison to University Gardens, and our Town Councilwoman, Lee Seeman, were also present.
The meeting began with a lengthy presentation and Q&A session featuring Mr. Kaiman. He sketched out the range of the Town's responsibilities. Referring
to the multiplicity of villages, civic associations, and special districts, he said the Town was making a concerted effort to find ways to pool resources and even,
possibly, to consolidate districts.
He also described his efforts to promote what he calls "visioning," in which officials and residents sit in small groups around tables, exchange information, and "brainstorm"
broad community problems. Such an effort is now underway in the northern part of the Great Neck peninsula.
Mr. Kaiman pointed to the Town's efforts to cooperate with the Board on various projects. For example, it helped get the Manhasset-Lakeville Water District
involved in resident Richard Bullion's project to beautify the Sussex Rd. entrance. It will be much easier to maintain the flowers and shrubs that have been planted there
now that MLWD has agreed to install connections that will support sprinklers, a proposal initiated by last year's Board. Mr. Bullion calls the entrance-beautification program, hopefully, a "pilot program" for
UG entrances.
The tree-planting program was also covered. Mr. Kaiman said 37 new trees have been planted (when we last
checked on July 1 the total was 32--see previous story). In explaining the predominant choice of Patriot elms he said that the roots of the species
previously selected--ash, linden, and London plane--would have been too hard on the sidewalks. (This contradicted the July 2004 judgment of Highway Commissioner
Tom Tiernan that the medians in University Gardens were wide enough to support such trees without damaging the sidewalks.) Mr. Kaiman said that the
Bradford pears previously planted, which the previous Board determined were unsuitable, had been a gift from LIPA which was hoping to encourage the planting of trees
that would not interfere with power lines.
Some of the other major topics of discussion--pruning, garbage, and the pool--are covered in separate stories below.
Several residents expressed alarm about the unsafe condition of the sidewalk along Middle Neck Rd. This road and sidewalk are not the responsibility of the Town, but Mr. Kaiman
indicated that his office would try to encourage the County to improve the situation--or try to have the Town take over the road. Concern was also expressed over the
deterioration of the former Bombay Palace restaurant on Northern Blvd. Mr. Kaiman said that, one way or the other, that situation would be resolved within a few months.
In answer to a question, Dr. Coopersmith said that committees to study changes in the Declaration of Restrictions and in the Bylaws would be set up in the fall. Residents
will be notified and invited to participate.
Phyliss Bullion announced that the next issue of Voice of the Gardens would be mailed in August or early September.
Town's 311 system is still evolving 7-12-06
If you need help on streets, sidewalks, street trees, lighting, or traffic signs, or if you want information on park events, you can and should call 311. That was
the word from Town Supervisor Jon Kaiman at the midyear meeting last night.
But code enforcement is not yet "hooked into" the system, he said. On such matters as building violations, sidewalk obstructions, or excessive noise, you can call
311 or the Supervisor's office (869-7700), but you will probably be given another number to call.
All told, Mr. Kaiman said, the Town had received 10,000 calls on its 311 system. Of these, 37 were from UG residents.
Reminder: If your phone works via Cablevision or you use a cell phone close to the western edge of the community you will probably have to dial TOWN-311 instead
of just 311.
Should we join a Town garbage district? 7-12-06
The Town is studying the possibility of annexing University Gardens to the Great Neck Garbage District--one of many such districts in the Town of North
Hempstead.
"We will only propose this if it will save you money," said Town Supervisor Jon Kaiman at the Association's midyear meeting last night. For such a change to occur,
residents would have to petition the Town. Approval by households representing more than half of the community's assessed valuation would be required.
In the face of steadily rising charges for waste removal, last year's Board initiated a study to determine 1) whether residents would support a new waste-removal arrangement administered by the Association, and 2)
whether the Board could find a contractor that would charge lower fees than Waste Management, the current vendor. The resident response was not overwhelming, and vendors
were not responsive. So the Board was amenable when Town officials suggested that it explore the possibility of joining a garbage district.
Rafe Lieber said that preliminary examination indicated that UG residents would not pay much less than the over-$500 per year currently paid. But he
noted that since the new charge would be a tax line-item, it would be deductible. Within the commmunity, those with higher-value properties would be paying more than those with
lower-value properties. So an arrangement that lowers the total bill for the community, now about $113,000, could actually increase the bill for some homeowners. As it is now, everyone's garbage enjoys equal status.
$20,000 tree-pruning program will start next week 7-12-06
Town officials who attended the Association's midyear meeting last night said pruning of UG's street trees would resume next week.
No information was given on the streets
to be included. And, based on prior experience, it is unlikely that homeowners affected will be notified in advance.
The work, limited to an expenditure of $20,000, will be done by an outside contractor. The money will be contributed equally by the Town and the Association.
The work presumably is part of the "catchup" program suggested by Town Supervisor Jon Kaiman last November. When questioned as to how soon this work would be followed by
further pruning, however, Mr. Kaiman was noncommital.
Also remaining to be seen is whether, after "catchup," there will be a serious attempt to institute a systematic,
consistent program of pruning.
No information was volunteered about the fate of a comprehensive report on UG street trees that is supposed to have been compiled but has never surfaced. But when
questioned, Rafe Lieber, the Town's liaison to University Gardens, noted that Steve Perlman, former Association president, had filed a request for the report under the
Freedom of Information Law and that the report was being sought in the Highway Dept..
Belfer gives detailed report on the pool 7-12-06
We reported previously on the bright, attractive look of the Club grounds this season, and briefly summarized some of the equipment
problems that had to be remedied. At the midyear meeting last night, Andy Belfer, the Board member in charge of the pool, elaborated on those problems.
Mr. Belfer said that it had cost "$35,000 to $40,000" to replace a pump, heaters and wiring destroyed by submersion in "four feet of water." It was not clear whether that
figure included money paid to a civil engineer to help solve the water problem that has plagued the pool area, or whether it included expenditures for new umbrellas,
repainting the clubhouse, or other purchases. It appears that part of the solution to the water problem may be new drain lines
that will connect with the storm sewer system. A sump pump for the pump room has also been suggested. In the course of researching the problem, it was discovered that the site of the tennis courts used to be a pond--presumably when the
area was part of a golf course or perhaps long before that.
The unanticipated capital expenses will certainly bust the budget. But Mr. Belfer said that reserves built in recent years are more than ample to cover the overrun.
Though the water problem is not yet resolved, and there is repair work still to be done in the pool and on the gutters, Mr. Belfer said he felt the pool is "miles above where it's ever been." He cited in particular the absence of any violations
during the pre-season inspection. In previous years, he said, six to nine violations had been noted. He attributed the improvement in part to the advice given by Larry Quinn,
the pool supervisor, who he called "really a find."
Mr. Belfer plans to continue special events similar to those initiated by Jacob Majnemer, the former Board's pool honcho. These include pot-luck suppers and Wednesday night
pizza parties.
Pool membership, Mr. Belfer said, is 137 or 138. That's a tad below the 140 previously estimated on this page, but still an all-time high--thanks to the low membership fee
set by the previous Board and the incentive it offered for paying the fee along with the annual charge..
According to Mr. Belfer, only "seven or eight" residents opted for extended family membership, which allows them, for a higher fee, to bring in family members not
living with them. He said about $1,000 in guest fees had been collected to date. Some of those present said they had observed a number of non-Club members using
the pool without registering or paying, and suggested that the registration table be placed at the gate. Mr. Belfer said that would be done.
Please do attend Tuesday's meeting 7-9-06
Those of you who sat through last year's two special meetings of the Association (or the vote counting at the February 2006 annual meeting), and who were not part of the
mayhem, can be excused for thinking that Association meetings tend to be disgusting. Nonetheless, we urge you not to skip the midyear meeting at the firehouse next
Tuesday evening.
First, there are no emotionally charged issues to be voted on. Now that the folks who caused all the commotion last year are in the driver's seat, we suspect that the
meeting will be decorous.
Second, Town Supervisor Jon Kaiman will be present. A good turnout should help convince him that the residents of University Gardens are serious about protecting
the character of their neighborhood.
Third, the current Board unfortunately has adopted a minimal-information policy. As one board member said to me, "You elected us to do the job; why do you need to know what we're
doing?" We nose around and do our best to find out what they're up to, but we have no pipeline to the Board
and they have offered us none. Could be that they will cheerfully
bring us up to date on Tuesday evening. If they don't, we ought to be ready to ask questions and insist on answers. Otherwise, based on what we have seen of the Board's
newsletter to date, our next chance to learn anything could be the annual meeting next February.
What are the questions? Well, some are raised in the prior story below, about tree pruning. Beyond that: Will there be more tree planting, and if so, when? Will
any of the Bradford pear trees be replaced? Has there been any progress
in securing a more favorable garbage contract? How much money in guest fees are we losing at the pool because no one tends the gate? How much are we paying the
consultant to maintain the official website? Has the 2006 budget been
reworked to reflect those items as well as unexpected capital expenses and the new tree-pruning arrangement? What is likely to be the impact on 2007 assessments? Have committees
been formed to discuss amendments to the Declaration of Restrictions and/or the Bylaws? If so, who is on those committees and how were they chosen?
Those questions top the list for me, but former President Steve Perlman posed a whole bunch of others in a
bulletin-board post a month ago. You might want to check out that post before the meeting.
About the Town's latest move on pruning 7-6-06
Five days from now Town Supervisor Jon Kaiman is scheduled to speak at the Association's midyear meeting. According to the meeting notice, he will update us on "important new developments"
concerning University Gardens.
We presume that one of those developments will be what we have heard is an agreement that the Town will spend $10,000 to prune our street trees, a sum to be matched
by the Association. Since that's a paltry sum, it may actually happen. But lest residents read such a "development" as a breakthrough for the community, we feel that it is appropriate to review the history of the Town's prior
promises with regard to our street trees. Chronologically:
Given that history, there is no reason to take the latest announcement, which brings us back almost to where we started, at face value. Still, we hope that it proves out.
But there is additional reason for caution. Last November we were told that the Town did not have a certified arborist on its payroll, but that it was going to hire one. We don't
know whether that has happened. In January, Mr. Lieber informed the Board that the Town had commissioned a study of all of our street trees, but subsequent efforts
to get a copy of the resulting report have been unsuccessful.
Such a report may or may not exist. But in the absence of professional guidance, we may be in for some more dangerous cutting like that done on Merrivale Rd. last October. We have always called for a
program of "constructive" pruning, and by that we meant an annual program aimed at gradually bringing our trees into shape. Perhaps we should emphasize the word
"responsible" instead.
In any case, what we need is not a $10,000 gesture by the Town but a serious commitment to a sustained, multiyear program of professional tree maintenance. Let's hope we'll hear something
about that at next Tuesday's meeting.
Inaugurating our 'opinion' department ... 7-1-06
When we started this website, we said we would welcome outside essays on matters of interest to residents of University Gardens. Until now, the only outside contributions to the website (not counting the bulletin board) have been a few "responses" to items we have published. These can be seen by clicking on the yellow "responses" button at the top of the home page.
Now, we have our first outside essay, and we are using it to inaugurate our new "opinion" department, which you can reach with the orange button near the top of the home page. The essay, by Steve Perlman, former Association president, argues that a year after Supervisor Jon Kaiman appeared at an Association meeting and promised cooperation with the community, we don't have a lot to show for that promise. The full text can be seen by clicking here.
Responses will be welcome.
Essays don't have to be all that serious. We would love to have someone weigh in on, for example, the considerable attractions of this community, seasonal changes, and the like. So "opinion" may not convey accurately the range of submissions invited. But so far we have not been able to come up with a better tag for the department.
Townhouse sale pierces the $1-million barrier 7-1-06
With the boom in property values over the past few years, virtually no house in University Gardens now sells for less than $1-million. The exceptions have been some of the ranch houses along the north side of Somerset Drive North and the townhouses on the west leg of Somerset Drive.
Now it appears that some buyers are willing to fork over $1-million-plus even for one of our townhouses. Wendy Karafiol recently sold her house at 65 Somerset Dr. for $1,050,000. However, we must note that Wendy, an interior designer, had extensively reworked her house, making it into what we would regard as something of a showcase.
Just remarried, Wendy is relocating to Westchester County with her daughter Natalie and poodle Annie.
Still more trees, and two new stop signs 7-1-06
Having just returned from a couple weeks of what I guess Sy Coopersmith would call a "real" life, I looked around to see what had happened in my absence. Two bits of progress were apparent:
Sometimes it helps to disappear for awhile.
Midyear meeting to be held July 11 6-8-06
While no official announcement has been made, an email message from President Sy Coopersmith indicates that the midyear meeting of the Association will be held on Tuesday, July 11 at the Jayson Ave. firehouse, starting at 8 pm.
More new street trees arrive on a rainy day 6-7-06
In a cursory survey this drizzly afternoon, we found that at least a half-dozen new street trees have been planted here today (or perhaps yesterday and today), and that at least four holes are ready for more.
Two of the new trees are at the beginning of Wensley Dr.; four are on Somerset Dr. and Somerset Dr. S. Two of the holes are on Somerset, and one each on Surrey Rd. and Wensley Dr.
All of the trees are Patriot Elms like the seven planted on Sussex Rd. in early May (earlier story), except that they are bigger--5-6 feet taller and, at an average of 2-3/4 inches, more than a third greater in diameter and thus about twice as heavy.
According to the foreman we met on Somerset, other species are coming. He mentioned Prospector Elms, which are much like the Patriots, and Sycamores, of which University Gardens has a multitude.
We are not privy to the Town's schedule or the Board's recent communications with Town officials. But for whatever it's worth, you can see a copy of the tree-planting list submitted to the Town by last year's Board in September 2005 by clicking here. We make it available here because we discovered that, for some reason, the list on the official UG website is missing its second page.
About that construction mess at the Cross Island ... 6-7-06
A neighbor asked me recently what I knew about the long-running construction project at the intersection of Northern Blvd. and Cross Island Parkway. A few years ago I had known a fair amount about it, but what I was able to remember for my neighbor was very sketchy. So I decided to refresh my memory and pass along a bit of it--probably more than most of you will want to know.
In Great Neck we have a storm sewer system and a separate sanitary sewer system. But in New York City, as in most old cities, one system of pipes handles both storm water and sewage, feeding the diluted sewage to its treatment plants. In a heavy rain, the flow is more than the plants can handle, so the system contains a number of relief points known as combined sewer overflows, or CSOs. These allow the excess water to flow into adjacent waterways.
One of the CSOs is in Alley Pond Park. In a storm, diluted sewage, including oil and trash washed off city streets, flows into Little Neck Bay. The resulting levels of fecal coliform bacteria are such that swimming is often prohibited at the Douglaston dock for 48 hours after a heavy rain.
To clean up the bay, the city's Dept. of Environmental Protection decided to build a big storage tank, or oversized pipe, in Alley Pond Park to catch the overflow. It would then be pumped back into the sewer system on a dry day. The initial plan called for a capacity of 5 million gallons, though it appears that final capacity will be less. In any case, this project accounts for most of the mess you see.
The need for CSO storage there was exacerbated by other DEP projects intended to relieve local flooding. New storm sewers were built along several streets in Bayside, and a new combined sewer was built along a long stretch of Springfield Blvd.--all ultimately feeding the Alley Pond CSO.
The CSO storage is expected to be in operation about three years from now. But restoration of the wetlands is supposed to start very soon and to be complete two years from now.
Sidewalk work continues REVISED 6-7-06
Widespread sidewalk replacement in University Gardens, covered earlier on this site, started two months ago, and continues. While it appears that the campaign began mainly because our community was overdue for attention, the impetus now, says the foreman on this Somerset Drive job, is phone calls to 311 by individual homeowners. We have seen areas that still need attention. If one of those areas is in front of your house, do call right away--before the Town takes its equipment elsewhere. We have just learned that 311 (or TOWN-311 for Optonline users) is not yet handling the Sidewalk District; today a caller was advised to phone 739-6720.
For Firefox users: We really are trying! 6-2-06
If you don't use Firefox as your browser, or if you don't know what I'm talking about, just skip this article entirely.
According to our web host, fully 20% of the hits on this website are coming via Firefox. So, while we designed the site for Internet Explorer, we have been trying to make it more friendly to Firefox. We think we're close. We finally managed to get the horizontal rules to show in blue. We still can't figure out why Firefox handles spacing so erratically. But it seems to be a real problem only in the page header, where Firefox users have to scroll down a bit to see the links on the yellow panels--and, for some reason, the link labels are oversize and out of style.
Even our whiz-friend David Majnemer (see story below) was unable to figure out why this was happening. But he probably could have if he had had more time to fool with it.
So, this may be as good as it will get, at least for a while.
The 'small minority' was 74% in May 6-2-06
Earlier we expressed some skepticism about Sy Coopersmith's remark in the first issue of the Board's new newsletter that "we feel the website was used by a small minority of the community." At the time we wrote that our own gut feel was that about half of the community followed ugpoa.org.
The web host for ugspectator.com provides more comprehensible statistics than the ugpoa.org web host does. And we are gratified to see that during May 156 "unique" Internet addresses accessed this new website. We have carefully shielded this website from search engines, just as we did ugpoa.org, and we assume that residents are not urging outsiders to log on. So, it appears that we may be reaching as many as 74% of UG households. Okay, let's be conservative and say "two-thirds." We don't expect that number to grow much, but we'll take that "minority" every time.
Welcome to the Latos family 6-2-06
The Latos family of four, formerly of Bayside, moved into the new house at 9 Nofolk Rd. over the Memorial Day weekend. Andrew, 43, is an attorney specializing in real estate; he works in Astoria, Queens, where he grew up. Stephanie, 39, is the homemaker, originally from the Bronx. The couple has two children: Anastasia, 14, and Zachary, 12. The family also has a home in Greece.
The on-line bulletin board returns--here 5-31-06
"It seems to me we're going backward," a resident said to me recently. She said she liked the "transparency" of community developments that had been provided by a newsy website and an on-line bulletin board.
Exactly. That's why we started this website. And it's why we are, today, resurrecting the on-line bulletin board.
To access the bulletin board, click on the "bulletin board" panel in the header of this page. Of course, it may not contain any messages right now, so while you're at it, why not post a message. There must be something that is happening in University Gardens--or more likely, not happening--that you'd like to comment on or inquire about.
The organization of the board is slightly different from that of its predecessor. But like the earlier one, it not only provides a way to address community issues but also to try to reach out to neighbors--by way of lost and found, buy or sell, shared interests, or help wanted.
As before, you can read the board without "joining" it. If you want to post a message, you must join by registering.
But we did make some changes in the registration process. If you provide a phony email address, you won't be able to register. Similarly, if you fail to fill in the blank that asks for your last name and street address, you won't be able to register. As before, your email address and your personal identity will be invisible to everyone except the board administrator. The purpose of these restrictions is to encourage responsible discourse--and shut out nonresidents.
I encourage you use the links in the top panel to see the short file called "About This Board" and the longer, quite comprehensive file called "Help."
A 16-year-old BB whiz was a lot of help 5-31-06
The software used for our new on-line bulletin board, and for the earlier ugpoa.org bulletin board as well, is, internationally, the most popular "open-source" BB software in use today. By open-source, we mean that the code is no secret--anyone can fool with it, and its seems as though most everyone does.
We wanted to make a few changes in phpBB, as the software is known, many of which were beyond our skill level. So we turned to one of the four current developers of phpBB, a 16-year-old whiz who happens to live just a few blocks away. He is David Majnemer (below), son of Jacob Majnemer and Pam Levy at 17 Sussex Rd.
Since December, David has been recognized as one of the four-member "phpBB Group," the software's official developers. Two of his colleagus are in Germany, the other in Great Britain. They communicate by "IRC"--a sort of instant-messaging scheme. Because of the time difference, "I have to get up very early or stay up very late," says David.
David got interested in computers at about age seven, as he recalls. Now finishing his junior year at Great Neck South, he plans to spend his summer at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh taking two advanced courses in math and computer science. He hopes to study computer science at CMU after he graduates from high school.
At Great Neck South, David is president of the Great Neck South Computer Club and secretary of the Academic Team, which competes with other schools. He recently won a gold medal at the Long Island Math Fair, which was held recently at Hofstra University.
Lining a sewer 5-31-06
The current blockages at the Hereford and Merrivale intersections are caused by sewer repairs. The 76-year-old clay pipe in the sanitary sewer that runs along our side of Northern Blvd. is broken in two places. The workmen are inserting a plastic sleeve into the old pipe and using steam to inflate it and seal it in place.
Pool membership jumps by 33% REVISED 5-31-06
We hear, secondhand, that 140 UG families have signed up for membership in the Pool & Tennis Club so far. Based on previous experience, that number could still climb a bit more.
Even if it doesn't, it represents an increase of 33% over last year's membership, and a community participation of 66%--well over the 40% that was typical just two years ago.
Two factors are undoubtedly responsible for the increase. For the 2005 season, the Board lowered the Club fee from $475 to just $125, and membership climbed more than 25% from the 2004 level. For 2006, the outgoing Board kept the fee at $125 but announced it much earlier and made it contingent on payment by January 31, after which $75 would be added to the fee. Most residents interested in the pool opted for early payment.
With the lower fee in 2005, fee income was $22,000 less than in 2004. Assuming, conservatively, that all members paid the lower fee this year,
the higher membership should cut that "loss" by $6,000. In effect, then, the lower fee this year shifts a $16,000 cost burden from pool users to the general Association budget.
In the past, the Board has debated the desirability of making Club membership attractive to the entire community. A membership level of two-thirds is probably about as high as can be expected. Opponents of the low fee were concerned about the cost in lost revenue. But some were also concerned about the possibility that the pool would become overcrowded, especially on weekends. This is the season we will find out.
But that may not be the end of the story. Substantial capital investments in the pool were made this year, and more will likely be made at season's end. There may well be pressure to raise Club fees next year.
Houses get bigger--Rolands go for smaller 5-30-06
The last few years have seen a UG trend to "upsizing," with a tasteful addition to 8 Roseth Pl., a major sideways expansion at 19 Surrey Rd., and two major upward expansions on Somerset Dr. N., at Nos. 8 and 26. But what happens when you want less space?
Norman and Marilyn Roland (below), who have lived at 8 Kent Pl. for 38+ years, might have been willing to rattle around in their big Jacobean Tudor for a few more years. But Marilyn now needs a cane to get around, and the stairs were a challenge. So, the Rolands, both in their seventies, recently bought a more modest ranch house at 10 Hampton Rd., the next street over.
Norman retired from his at-home dental practice--specializing in root-canal work--a year ago after heart surgery made it inadvisable to continue. His wife, a radiologist, continues to work at North Bronx Hospital Network, is a professor of radiology and pediatrics at Albert Einstein School of Medicine, and has no intention of quitting.
The Rolands considered taking an apartment, but they discovered that Marilyn would have to do more walking there than she does when she commutes by car. "We really wanted to stay in University Gardens," says Norman. "It's beautiful, and its very convenient."
The downsizing was substantial--from 15 rooms to eight, and from 5,000 square feet to about half that. That's probably okay as long as their three children and five grandchildren don't all show up together. The Rolands left behind a beautiful garden, but already they have created a beautiful new garden at their Hampton home (below)--thanks in part to generous donations of rocks by neighbors presumably glad to get rid of them.
The Rolands attend many events at The Juilliard School, an institution they support, and they do a lot of travel, sometimes to Marilyn's far-flung medical meetings, When Marilyn is working, Norman is likely to be gardening, reading, walking, or working out at a gym--or sitting at his computer where, among other things, he seems to keep an eye on this website.
The Rolands paid ("somewhat overpaid," says Norman) $1.4 million for their new house, formerly owned by the Gensers. The adjacent lot, on the north side, is still owned by the Gensers, and since it has only a 66-foot frontage, under the new Town zoning law it can only be developed if a variance is granted. So far, says Norman, there have been no "reasonable" offers on 8 Kent Pl., which is listed at $2,195,000.
A perfect day at the pool and the buffet 5-28-06
A good-sized crowd (who counted?) turned out today to celebrate the beginning of the pool season--some to swim, many others simply to eat, chat, and loll in the sun or the shade. Compared to the last two years, the buffet spread was much less lavish, and there was no music. But we heard no complaints.
Those who cared to investigate found a clubhouse in sparkling shape--the result of an intensive redecoration effort supervised by Michelle Girardi. Fresh paint had been applied everywhere, and there are special decorative touches as well (see photo below). The kitchen now has a tile floor. Outside, attractive planters border the outer edge of the patio.
Those with a good memory or who are willing to follow this link will realize that the new decor represents a conservative departure from last year's--which some residents loved and others hated. This is especially obvious in the color of the fascia board on the front of the clubhouse and in the color of the lockers.
We like the fresh paint. But the whole facility got a fresh coat of paint a year ago--by the same painter. We can't help wondering how much repainting was really needed after what was, after all, a mild winter, and how much was done mainly to cater to a different taste.
The changes are not all cosmetic. The kitchen now has a freezer. And costly new replacement equipment--two boilers and a pump--has been installed in the pump room. The pump is about one-third more powerful than its predecessor, which means that the water in the pool can be recirculated through the filters more frequently. In addition, a vacuum system has been installed on the deck to supplement the in-pool system and permit more rapid removal of debris.
Two new boilers ... |
... a new pump (old at left) ... |
... and a leak. |
The mechanical changes were recommended by Laurence Quinn, the new pool director. Along with the repainting, they represent fairly sizable outlays of money and were not anticipated in the budget prepared by last year's Board. And other capital expenses lie ahead. There are at least two piping and wall leaks that need to be fixed. But, says Andy Belfer, the Board member in charge of pool operations, "they can wait 'til the end of the season."
See response
Reminder: Free party for all at pool this Sunday 5-23-06
The annual "opening-weekend" party at the Pool & Tennis Club gets underway at 12 noon this coming Sunday, May 28. As usual, it will feature a free buffet. All residents of University Gardens, whether Club members or not, are invited.
Almost, but not quite, ready for the occasion will be the new brick pillars at the entrance to the Club parking lot. The left pillar (shown below), which contains the new Association mailbox, was completed yesterday--except for a top stone slab which is on special order and will not be in place this weekend.
Applying the finishing touches. |
Mailbox is recessed. |
Ex-'Prez': It's propaganda, not information 5-14-06
Steve Perlman, last year's Association President, thinks I could have gone further in my comments on the Board's new newsletter. In a response printed in full elsewhere on this site, he says the publication is "more propaganda than information."
He singles out articles in the first issue of the newsletter, Voice of the Gardens, to show how the content, in his view, glosses over "gaps and distortions" in favor of "repeated self-congratulation."
According to Mr. Perlman, the Board has "eliminated the website news and bulletin board to spare themselves the inconvenience of having to timely inform or respond to the public."
UG Reporter index gone? Well, not quite 5-13-06
The Board's gradual demolition of the UG website continues, the latest apparent loss being the index to the UG Reporter. When you click on the link to UG Reporter now, you still see links to all the issues, but you no longer see a link to the index.
We don't know whether the removal of the link was accidental or deliberate. But if you happen to be among those who might care to look up specific topics in past issues of the newsletter, don't fret. We have provided that link for you, on this website. Click on "direct links" at the top of the left-hand panel. Then, at the bottom where you see "UG Reporter," click on the "index" link.
Asking price for new Merrivale 'twin': $2,388,000 5-13-06
The major development in the community right now centers on the property formerly occupied by the Krefetz house at 26 Merrivale Rd. A developer has razed the house and is building two new houses--nearly but not entirely identical--on the property. The asking price for each one is $2,388,000.
You can see the architect's sketch of one of the houses and learn its "specs" elsewhere on this site. What the house looks like today is shown below.
Also shown below is a Dorset-side view of the corner house. As documented earlier on the UG website, many trees were removed from the site. At the annual meeting, some residents drew attention to the removal of a row of trees along the Dorset boundary and asked whether the builder had permission for the removal. Review of the approved drawings indicated that he did have such permission, and it now appears from the site that a driveway will indeed justify at least some of that removal.
The northern of the two "twins." | 
The treeless Dorset boundary. |
Some comments on the Board's new newsletter 5-10-06
We received our copy of Phyliss Bullion's new newsletter yesterday. We hope that it signals a determination on the part of the Board to keep the community informed--if not about all that's happening, at least about all significant activities of the Board. The first issue does seem to indicate where the Board is focusing its attention. The newsletter's effectiveness will depend to some degree on its frequency of publication, about which no announcement has been made.
We appreciate Mrs. Bullion's nod to the now-defunct UG Reporter. We did our best, and we think we made a difference for the better. We hope she will, too.
Websites. We do take issue with the front-page "Message from the President" in its repetition of the statement that currently appears on the home page of the UG website to the effect that the website "was used by only a small minority of the community." Prefaced by "we feel that ...", this statement clearly reflects not statistics but a gut feel on the part of the President and perhaps other members of the Board.
My own gut feel, buttressed by statistics, is that about half of the community did refer to the UG website more or less frequently. Some messages on the bulletin board were viewed several hundred times, though there were undoubtedly multiple views in that count. The fact is that even the UG Reporter, though it reached the entire community, was not read by all it reached--as I discovered personally many times.
In any community, there are only a certain number of residents who really focus on what's going on around them. The editor of a newsletter or a website must learn to be content that he/she is serving those who do.
As to my new website, more than a third of the community visited us at least once in April. In the three weeks since this website went on line, there have been a total of 865 visits. For my own personal satisfaction, I'd like to see those numbers grow. But in any case, I am confident that our visitors--whether they become a majority or not--will be better informed than nonvisitors about University Gardens.
Congeniality. We were bemused by Mrs. Bullion's report on the meeting between members of the Board and Town officials. The report cited "a congenial atmosphere and a feeling of mutual respect" and celebrated "this face-to-face encounter." As a member of the previous Board, I can attest that all of our face-to-face meetings with Town officials were similarly congenial--and constructive.
The problem was that Town officials too often made commitments they could not, or would not, keep. The recent planting of street trees on Sussex Rd. appears to be the first installment in fulfilling a commitment first made in August 2004 and repeated a year later. We note that the Board apparently has requested the planting of 30 street trees, although the Town last fall agreed to plant 50 trees this spring In the revised chart the prior Board submitted in September 2005, we listed 69 locations for new street trees.
We had no expectation that all those plantings would occur in one year. But it is not clear in the newsletter as to whether "30" represents the a downward, revised judgment by the Town as to how many new street trees we need or is simply this year's allotment. Perhaps that can be clarified in the next issue of the newsletter.
Notably absent from the newsletter was any indication that the pruning of street trees was discussed with the Town officials. We would still like to rely on Supervisor Kaiman's assurance to us last year that a serious effort would be mounted, using an outside contractor to "catch up" with years of neglect. But it would have been good to be told that this project is still on the table.
Purchasing power. We noted with interest Supervisor Kaiman's reported suggestion that the Association could save money by purchasing "pool services" through his office. That sounds like a great idea. But the example given does not engender confidence.
According to the article, "we will save one-third of the pool chlorine purchase price using this method, which will save us $5,000 annually." A good trick if you can do it. In 2005, the latest year for which we have a breakout on the chlorine cost, the total spent was $3,000.
Photos. The new newsletter includes some photos. We had hoped that it would include mug shots of the new Board members, since the Board decided not to include them on its website. We were not privy to the decision-making process that has resulted in visual anonymity for the Board, and will not speculate on the reasons. But a word of advice to residents who do not know all the Board members personally: Be careful what you say about the Board in a local gathering--the person next to you may be a Board member.
There are walls and fences, but not many 5-10-06
One of the items on the pink sheet handed out at the annual meeting by the opposition slate charged last year's Board with "selective enforcement of covenants, including threatening lawsuits and then never following through, which only serves to weaken our covenants."
We can recall only one instance of a Board decision that might give rise to such a charge, and that is the decision not to litigate the case of a decorative wall that was construced without authorization last year. Article 5 of the Declaration of Restrictions clearly prohibits construction of a fence or wall that has not been approved by the Board, and in this case no approval had been sought prior to construction nor was the owner willing to remove it afterward.
The Board was badly split on how then to proceed. The wall in question (shown at right) is parallel to the sidewalk and set back to the front line of the house. Made of brick, it is attractive, not very high, and is well shielded by shrubs. (Now, in the growing season, it is hardly visible.) For these reasons, most members of the Board did not feel that the wall was a sufficient detriment to the neighborhood to warrant legal action. A minority, however, expressed concern that allowing the covenant to be violated in this case would set a harmful precedent.
The Board decided to pass. A different Board--the present one, for example--might well reach a different decision. As it happens, the statute of limitations in this matter has not expired, and the new Board could take action if it chooses to do so. We suspect it will not, and that its criticism of last year's Board was just politics. But we'll see.
There are precedents for "never following through." In 2000 (give or take a year), the Board objected to a tall, ugly chain link fence erected on another property, adjacent to the sidewalk. The owner did not respond, and the Board chose not to litigate. That Board was headed by Sy Coopersmith, who heads the current Board. With the ownership of that property now in the process of changing, we hope that the Board may persuade the new owner to remove the ugly fence.
There are at least four other fences, pictured below, in the Gardens. We have no idea whether they were approved by the Board, though it seems unlikely. Not counted in our recent survey are a hundred or more retaining walls, which are perfectly legitimate, nor fences that are an integral part of porches and patios or those that separate properties from the Northern Blvd. businesses or from adjacent communities. (We also ignored walls that probably predate the forming of the Association.) Someone with sharper eyes or binoculars might find a few more rear fences. The figure also does not include metal fences mounted on high retaining walls; such fences can probably be defended on grounds of safety.
We hope that this article, in documenting what existed in April 2006, may prove helpful to the present and future Boards. (We will furnish addresses for verification if requested.) As for "precedent," Article 21 of the Declaration of Restrictions does include the following clause: "The failure of the Association or any other person, corporation or association entitled to enforce any restriction, condition, covenant, charge or agreement herein contained to enforce the same shall in no event be deemed a
waiver by the Association or such person, corporation or association of its right to enforce the same or any other restriction, condition, covenant, charge or
agreement herein contained."
Fences in University Gardens
 A fence along the rear property line. |  Probably the most obtrusive fence. |
 Enclosing a yard set up for dogs. |
 A gateway to the backyard. |
Some not-obvious additions to this website 5-7-06
We'd like to make this website as useful as possible, which is why we have added the following three features:
We have also updated the "about this site" page to reflect the new realities of ugpoa.org.
Yep, seven new trees planted on Sussex 5-6-06
While we weren't looking, a Highway Dept. crew showed up and dropped trees into those Sussex Rd. holes created on May 3.
All of the new trees are Patriot elms, about 2 inches in diameter and 14+ feet high. They are spindly compared to the 4-inch-diameter trees the previous Board intended to purchase if it could get planting approval from the Town. But it is doubtful that the Town has the equipment needed to plant such heavy trees.
The "Patriot" is a hybrid elm and is said to be highly resistant to Dutch elm disease, which destroyed so many trees in University Gardens several decades ago. According to the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, this hybrid has only moderate resistance to elm leaf beetle damage, however.
The tree has an upsweeping crown, which develops into a sort of vase shape. The USDA says the tree achieves a height of 30 feet and up to 5-inch diameter in eight years. In 13 years it can reach to 43 feet, with a crown spread of 25 feet. The mature tree has large green serrate leaves averaging about 4 inches long and 3 inches wide which turn a yellowish color in fall.
One of the Sussex trees is shown at right, though it is hard to pick out from the foliage in the background. Two pictures below show more mature "Patriots," one of them in the fall.
The hybrid apparently tolerates a wide range of growing conditions, including poor or alkaline soils, salts, and air pollution. We assume the Highway Dept. will tell adjacent Sussex property owners what kind of watering schedule, if any, is desirable.
The Town planting is a welcome step, and we hope it is just the first step in an aggressive program to begin restoring our streetscape. The Town had promised to take this step in the fall of 2004, and then again in the fall of 2005. Then, last fall, it told the Board that the kind of trees we wanted were best planted in the spring. The Highway
Dept. has a list of more than 50 locations where new trees would be desirable.
A more mature Patriot elm. |
How it looks in autumn. |
There is one big catch. According to the arborists at Cornell University, the "Patriot" requires pruning to develop good branch structure. Pruning is attention that UG street trees have had to do without in recent years. We're still waiting for the "catchup" pruning program the Town said was coming.
(A possible correction: In the previous story we said that seven stumps were removed on Sussex Rd. That was a second-hand report and, upon reflection, we don't think there were seven stumps there--a number having been removed in prior years. Anyway, we're sure there were seven holes.)
Stumps are gone. Trees to come? 5-4-06
Yesterday a crew from the Town's Highways Dept. dug out seven tree stumps along the northern end of Sussex Rd. But instead of filling the holes and seeding the surface, as the workmen usually do, they left the holes, with adjacent piles of dirt, and marked the sites with orange safety cones.
Did the crew run out of time? Or is it possible that very soon, possibly within days, those holes will be filled by new trees? The Town did promise that it would plant street trees in University Gardens this spring, and Sussex Rd. was the street that last year's Board indicated was most in need of attention. So we're hopeful.
Several venerable Tudors for sale 5-3-06
Three of the oldest houses in the community are currently up for sale. Of these, 1 Dorset Rd., built in 1928, has been on the market for some time. Two newer listings are 8 Kent Place, also built in 1928, and 12 Sussex Rd., built in 1930.
Two other houses, 3 Rutland Rd., built in 1935, and 11 Surrey Rd., built in 1951, are also on the market, as are the two houses under construction at Merrivale and Dorset where the ranch at 26 Merrivale Rd.used to be.
Click here to see photos and and links to comprehensive data on the houses.
Local youth markets safety to his neighbors 5-2-06
Mike Kaffash (below) is a 20-year-old college student who wants to make some money--but also wants to make his neighbors safer.
The oldest of the four children of Masih and Modjgan Kaffash of University Gardens (address withheld by request), Mike also has been, for the past three years, a fireman and EMT with the Vigilant Fire Co. As a fireman, he is acutely aware of the delays that emergency personnel encounter while searching for house numbers, especially at night. "You can easily lose three minutes searching on a block," he says, "and that can make all the difference to someone who's had a heart attack."
That's why he decided to market a special sort of house-number display--numerals that are white-on-black during daylight hours but shine with a rosy glow at night, powered by a small solar array. The price listed on his website at solarrescuelights.com (click "product purchase," then "add to cart") is $7.99 per digit. With shipping and handling added, the cost comes to $10.49 for one digit, $19.93 for two.
We have mounted a two-digit unit on our own house at 61 Somerset Dr. so you can judge its visibility for yourself. (Because trees screen the front of the house you will probably see it only if you approach from the south.) We can't speak for the item's durability, but you can read the claims made on the website. The LED display turns on and off automatically depending on light conditions. The device is claimed to store enough sunpower so that it will operate even after several weeks of sunless weather. If you move, you can take it with you--each module comes with all 10 digits (but no letters).
We are happy to give Mike a plug because of our own concern for night-time visibility of house numbers in University Gardens. In June 2004 we did a survey with Capt. Maria D'Amelio, of the Great Neck Auxiliary Police. We found that 44% of house numbers were not visible until they were swept by a spotlight, and an additional 16% were not visible even then. And, as Mike Kaffash points out, fire engines and ambulances don't use spotlights to find houses. A full story on the survey was published in the July 2004 issue of the UG Reporter.
You will probably not be surprised to learn that Mike is attending business school at Yeshiva University, majoring in accounting. He expects to get his degree a year from now and then attend law school.
New Board's phone numbers now listed 5-1-06
In case you hadn't noticed, the new Board has now listed the phone numbers and email addresses of all seven members on the ugpoa.org website. Click here to see the list.
There are no photos. Perhaps they will appear in the newsletter, which should be out in a day or two.
As foretold, the bulletin board has vanished 4-29-06
The notice posted on the ugpoa.org website this week indicated that the Board had no interest in maintaining a bulletin board. And indeed, today the bulletin board disappeared from view.
We have mixed feelings about that. As suggested in our earlier article, we were far from satisfied with the implementation of the bulletin board--mainly because of the disruptive activities of a few users. More to the point, though, it was clear that members of the Board were paying no attention to it, either not seeing or just ignoring queries and comments addressed to the Board by BB users. So, the BB was not fulfilling one of its most important purposes. In contrast, last year's Board members welcomed input and did respond fully and informatively to queries and comments by BB users.
If there are posts on the BB--by you or others--that you would like to retrieve, you can do so. Though the link to the BB has been removed from the website, you can still access the BB by using this link. You can highlight the material you want and print it out using the "selected" button on your print screen. No doubt this option will vanish soon, too, so now is better than later. [The link became inoperative on 5-1-06.]
The message on the website home page also confirmed what we already knew--that there will be no more news on ugpoa.org, but that its reference pages will be maintained--though we're still not sure what the Board means when it says it will "maintain the website as a source of information." Maintaining what's there is one thing; keeping it up to date is another. As of today, there has been no updating since February. (An offer I made to do that updating was ignored.) If the information is not to be updated, the home page should carry a warning to that effect.
In its announcement, the Board explained the dropping of news and the BB by saying that "it takes a disproportionate amount of time and expense to operate that way." We will not quarrel with the "time" part of that sentence; clearly the Board has no one who can, or wants to, spend that time. But as to "expense," the total cost of the website last year was $190, about the cost of one four-page newsletter and not a sum that most would consider "disproportionate," even to serve what the Board charaterizes as s "small minority" of residents. We have to assume that the Board was referring to the cost that would be incurred if it had to pay an outsider to do the job, in which case we'd have to agree.
Thoughts about dealing with our 'wilderness' 4-29-06
see photo page
Although the stream is surrounded by University Gardens, it is not part of it. Most of the five-acre swatch of land is owned by Nassau County, which does little to maintain it.
In 2005, Steve Perlman, then Association president, discussed a cleanup of the area with our County legislator, Lisanne Altmann. Ms. Altmann suggested the possibility of the Association acquiring the land for one dollar, provided that the Association maintain it without structures.Mr. Perlman then raised this idea with the Board and suggested confining the stream to increase its flow rate and to some extent manicuring its banks to provide a pleasant small park or botanic garden. However, the homeowners whose properties back up to this parcel immediately and vociferously objected to the prospect of creating conditions that might entice strangers into or near their backyards. In addition, one resident reported sighting a slick on the water surface, suggesting the possibility that one of the many gasoline spills that had occurred in the past at Lakeville Rd. had worked its way through the soil and down the hill. The opposition of the adjacent homeowners and concern about acquiring a potential environmental liability caused the Board to quickly shelve any notion of pursuing acquisition.
Later, the Board commissioned a Phase 1 environmental study of the stream. As indicated in a brief article in the December 2005 issue of the UG Reporter, the results of the study seemed to indicate that the stream area was not likely to be contaminated by the nearby gas spills, but that only a much more expensive Phase 2 study could rule out certain contaminants. The Board chose not to take further action at the time.
Still, some members of last year's Board believed that, at the least, the Association should try to get the County to "clean up" the site--in particular, to eliminate the mosquito-breeding conditions. This would probably require confining the stream, as is done in Russell Gardens, where the stream continues.
We have heard rumblings to the effect that this year's Board may harbor similar sentiment. This would not be surprising given that three of the seven members of the Board own property backing up to the area.
As a possible assist to any community discussion, we are publishing a number of photos of our local wilderness. An extended article on the stream appeared in the July 2003 issue of the UG Reporter.
Board is seeking a new Recording Secretary 4-28-06
We previously reported the hiring of Janis Konig as the new Recording Secretary for the Board. Now we learn that she is no longer employed by Belfer Realty & Development Co., the company owned by Board member Andrew Belfer, and is no longer the Board's Recording Secretary. The Board is seeking a replacement.
Off-street parking: a good idea for next week 4-27-06
As part of its Clean Sweep program, the Town is scheduled to sweep our streets again next week. It would be helpful if residents avoid parking on the streets and advise visitors to do likewise. This time it will be especially important to avoid parking on grates, since Clean Sweep is when the Town's crews also clean out the catch basins below the storm drains--a precaution against flooding.
Get rid of hazardous chemicals on Saturday, April 29 4-27-06
The Town has designated this coming Saturday as a STOP ("Stop Throwing Out Pollutants") collection day. Household chemicals, aerosols, and oil-base paints, which should not be placed in the regular trash, may be deposited at the collection center at Michael J. Tully Park, 1801 Evergreen Ave. (off Denton Ave.), in New Hyde Park. Collection hours are 9:30 am to 3 pm. Materials will not be accepted prior to 9:30 am.
Three other collection days--June 10, September 9, and November 5--are scheduled for this year. The June and November collection site is the Solid Waste Management Bldg., 802 West Shore Rd. (next to the Harbor Links Golf Course), in Port Washington.
Note that latex paints are not accepted. They can be exposed to air until dry, then put in the regular trash. Explosives, ammunition, and radioactive materials also are not accepted.
For more details, call the Town's STOP hotline, 767-4600.
Resident weighs in on the '90 min' signs 4-27-06
Joel Bloom, 55 Somerset Dr., a long-time resident, has corrected our April 5 item on the '90 min' parking signs, pointing out that most UG streets don't have them. He lists the streets that do have them, offers possible reasons for their existence, and suggests that rethinking may be in order. He also wonders about the utility of the car sticker. See responses for details.
Waiting for the mason. |
Working rendering of new pillar. |
Existing post. |
What's that bunch of bricks all about? 4-20-06
Early-season tennis players and others who enter the parking lot of the Pool & Tennis Club may wonder why there are two pallets of blocks and bricks sitting there.
Actually they have been there since late last fall. Last year's Board agreed to replace the weathered wood posts at the driveway entrance with brick pillars, one of which would contain a mailbox for the Association. Ideally, the other pillar might carry a plaque with the name of the Club and perhaps the date of its founding. Unfortunately, freezing weather intervened before the mason could start work.
The mailbox would give the Club a mail address, 9 Sussex Rd., and eliminate the need for the current Post Office Box and the pickups it entails. It could also serve as a drop for notes from residents addressed to the Board.
That convenience coupled with a more attractive Club entrance would seem to make finishing this project a worthy and uncomplicated task for the new Board. We hope the Board sees it that way.
Subdivision application for 20 Surrey is withdrawn 4-14-06
We are informed that the subdivision application for the property at 20 Surrey Rd. has been withdrawn by the prospective developer.
Presumably this happened because the Town's new zoning law makes it unlikely that the developer would obtain the needed variance. However, it remains to be seen whether the developer will now sell the property or will seek other legal recourse. He might decide to challenge the new zoning law as an "unlawful taking" that deprived him of a portion of the value of the property.
The property is of special interest to UG residents because it contains a huge European beech tree believed to be 80-100 years old. The campaign to save the tree and to prevent narrow subdivisions was described in several ugpoa.org website stories dating back to last August. If you wish to review the sequence of events, follow these links: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.
Stop signs are coming to Hereford-Somerset North 4-13-06
The Town Council on Tuesday night approved a request by last year's Board that stop signs be added to Hereford Rd. at the intersection with Somerset Dr. N.
As a result, that intersection will become a four-way stop. The change will make that intersection consistent with those at Merrivale and Wensley.
When such a change is requested, it does not go to the Council until it is approved by the Highway Dept., which, in addtion to making its own analysis also interviews nearby property owners.
The new signs presumably will be installed within a few weeks. Hereford drivers have been accustomed to barreling through that intersection for many years. It will be advisable for Somerset drivers to be cautious and not assume that the new stop signs will halt all, or even most, Hereford drivers for a while--especially since many Merrivale drivers ignore similar signs that have been in place for years.
Where is the report on our street trees? 4-10-06
Last we heard, the Town was reviewing a report on the results of a comprehensive survey of our street trees that it had commissioned. Presumably this was to be the basis of a pruning program that would be assigned to an outside contractor. The Town had finally acknowledged that it couldn't do the "catchup" work with its existing resources.
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As of mid-February, the Town was not ready to show us the report. Being out of the loop now, we can't say whether the new Board has seen it yet. When it does become available, we hope that the Board will publish it to the community--either in print or on the UG website--so we will all know how much work is needed on our street trees.
Meanwhile, the pruning program, which had proceeded at best in fits and starts, has been dormant. As to the planting of new trees, which the Town told us would have to wait until spring--well, we're only three weeks into spring, so we remain hopeful.
Board seems to favor physical expansion of Club 4-5-06
Word has leaked out from the Board that it is seriously considering a major expansion of the Club building.
Actually, the opposition slate that is now the Board had this in mind during the campaign but, when asked, declined to elaborate on what it meant when it said that the Club "is not being used to its maximum advantage."
Expansion is an idea that was championed on last year's Board by Bob Leighton, who is also a member of the new Board and who undoubtedly inspired the current project. He felt that there would be better "utilization" of the facility if a general recreational area were added.
The initial idea was to put a second floor on the existing structure, and the 2005 budget included a $5,000 item intended for architectural studies. However, some members of the 2005 Board pointed out that we did not know whether the existing structure could physically support a second story. In addition, the need for handicapped access would require an elevator, which would be costly and eat up some existing floor space.
An alternative was to expand laterally, into the area now devoted to the patio where the parties are held. It was thought that it might be possible to design a structure that could be closed in cool or wet weather and opened to the air at other times.
In the end, the 2005 Board decided to put the idea aside, and the $5,000 was not spent.
We assume that the Board will, in good time, let the community know precisely what it is planning and seek input. However, it is none too soon to raise some basic questions that need, eventually, to be answered.
Note that we are not suggesting that the Board is trying to ram this thing through. We think they are entitled to the chance to do a thorough study and then to make their case--just as, say, the previous Board was entitled to, but did not get, that opportunity in its consideration of incorporation.
However, caution is in order. In the case of incorporation, there was no way the Board could legally proceed without a community vote. In the case of Club expansion, there is nothing in the Bylaws or the Declaration of Restrictions to prevent the Board from building--and spending a considerable amount of money--without a community vote.
The Bulletin Board: A good idea gone chaotic 4-5-06
We think the UG bulletin board was a good idea, but of course we're prejudiced: It was our idea.
Unfortunately, the strength of the idea--the chance for anyone to have his or her say--has turned out to be perhaps its biggest weakness. Freedom of expression is fine as long as it is exercised responsibly, and quite a pain when it is not.
In the case of the online bulletin board, we have been able to read responsible narratives, statements, and arguments. But they are too often interlarded with arguments--including falsehoods, unfounded rumors, and personal attacks--that would be more appropriate for drunks in a bar.
In fairness, most of the misbehavior is that of only a few individuals, who decline to register properly and thus cannot be reached personally by the board administrator. The only remedy has been to knock the errant user off the board.
Since the administration passed to a new entity on March 18, there is no indication that new posts are being monitored. But maybe they will be, eventually. Meanwhile it would be helpful if individuals who don't know what they're talking about would be content merely to read and not to post.
That ugly truck has moved away 4-5-06
For months a big, unsightly "semi" had been using the portion of Northern Blvd. between Wensley and Sussex as its own overnight parking lot. Not any more. It's still around, but on the other side of Northern Blvd.
That happened because Richard Bullion, around the corner at 2 Sussex Rd., got fed up. He spoke about it to Capt. Maria D'Amelio, of the Great Neck Auxiliary Police, and with the help of the 6th Precinct, she tracked down the owner, who lives nearby on Lakeville Rd. The owner agreed to cooperate.
That's at least the third time in the last few years that Mr. Bullion has had a constructive impact on his neighborhood. His complaint about the fire-safety hazard posed by two-side parking on Sussex Rd. led the Board to ask the Town to restore "no parking" signs to the north side of the street, where they were supposed--under statute--to be. And his warning about the dangerous condition of the overhead metal arches at the Sussex Rd. entry led not only to their repair but, thanks also to involvement by then-Board member Jacob Majnemer, to the addition of attractive electric lanterns.
Newsletter and website in new hands 4-5-06
It's hard to know whether "news" on the Bulletin Board eventually reaches everyone. So, at the risk of repetition ...
As many know, I created the newsletter, UG Reporter, in 2001, and the most recent issue appeared in February 2006, just before the election. The slate that eventually won the election let it be known that, if they won, they would ask me to continue the newsletter (and the website). However, I had serious doubts as to whether I could continue to run it, since some members of the Board and I had differing views of what professionalism requires. I expressed those doubts, and the Board decided to seek another editor.
Since then, I have learned that Phyliss Bullion will be the new editor, though I have no information on format or frequency.
As to the website, there were similar doubts and a similar resolution. In this case, though, the Board has turned over the website to Howard Yermish, vice-president of strategic development at World Wide Web Communications, Inc., located in Cherry Hill, NJ. I turned over the password to him on March 18 and so far have not noted any changes or additions to the site. In his communications with me, Mr. Yermish said his mandate for the website was "to maintain the existing content." That strongly implied that there would be no more "news." But it also raised a question as to whether other content that changes periodically--such as pool information, Board members, and meeting minutes--would be kept up to date.
Perhaps the Board will tell us. Or maybe we'll just have to wait and see.
Need a new sidewalk? Call the Town 4-5-06
When a Town crew starting pouring new sidewalk slabs on Merrivale Rd. recently, a neighbor asked a man who appeared to be the crew chief what inspired the sudden activity. "We're catching up from the '90s," he reportedly said.
Repairs were also being made on Rutland Rd., Sussex Rd., and Somerset Dr. S.
The man's answer implies that the project is a long-time leftover. But we'd like to think that if you have a piece of lousy sidewalk in front of your house, you won't have to wait quite that long for a repair. Call 311, and let's see.
This is a good time to remind you that sidewalk repair is the Town's responsibility, not yours. Anyone reading Chapter 48 of the Town Code could be excused for thinking that it is the property owner's responsibility to repair the sidewalk. But, in fact, the Town owns the sidewalk, and an official told the Board unequivocally in 2004 that repair is the Town's responsibility and should not be undertaken by the adjacent property owner.
While a 311 call should be sufficient, if you are concerned about possible liability claims you might want also to address a letter to Town of North Hempstead Highway Dept.. 285 Denton Ave., New Hyde Park, NY 11040, and keep a copy.
So you thought '90 min' was a joke 4-5-06
Most, if not all, UG streets have signs limiting daytime parking to 90 minutes. These made new residents nervous, but older residents were quick to reassure them that the time limit was not enforced.
On March 13, however, an inspector from the Town's Code Enforcement Div. appeared suddenly in our neighborhood and began writing tickets to overtime parkers. The tickets carrry fines of $30 plus a $10 County surcharge.
So far as we know, the enforcement campaign was spontaneous, though it might have been the result of a complaint by a resident. We are trying to find out.
Meanwhile, the obvious question arises: Do we really want a 90-minute limit? We can assume that it was instituted originally at the request of the community, and, even though it has not been taken too seriously in recent years, it probably contributes to the attractiveness of our streets. Along Somerset North, in particular, it does provide a legal basis for fining Northern Blvd. business owners who persist in using our neighborhood as a convenient parking lot for an overflow of vehicles. On the other hand, it does pose problems for residents with limited driveway space who, for example, need prolonged visits by caregivers.
A current post on the Bulletin Board suggests that the Board review the situation, which sounds like a good idea.
Thanks, Phyllis--hello, Janis 4-5-06
For three years Phyllis Hoffman (shown at left), a resident of Lake Success, served the UG Board as Recording Secretary. An opera singer by preference, she nonetheless performed conscientiously on behalf of our community and deserves its appreciation.
Just about the first action taken by the new Board was to fire Ms. Hoffman. So far as we know, no cause was cited, but it's clear that the new Board wanted someone with no connection to the old Board. It chose Janis Konig as the replacement.
Ms. Konig works as an assistant to Andrew Belfer, one of the new Board members. She can be reached in the evening at 466-4942 and during workdays at 482-1970.
UG elected a new Board--now who are they? 3-31-06
We got a call today from someone wanting to know who is now in charge of the pool. We know it's Andrew Belfer, but we didn't have his phone number, so we referred her to one of the other new Board members.
More than six weeks have passed since the election produced a new Board, but so far it has not published any information on how to reach its members. We can tell you that you can reach the President. Dr. Sy Coopersmith at 482-4735, Vice-President Amos Weinberg at 829-1139, and Treasurer Bob Leighton at 487-3182. You can also reach the entire Board easily by email--just click on the "UG Board of Directors" link at the top left of this page.
Other residents who were elected to the Board, and the areas of responsibility that were announced for them, are: Susan Einbinder, Secretary; Andrew Belfer. Pool & Tennis Club; Dr. Michelle Girardi, Community Affairs; and Dr. David DiJohn, tennis courts. We have since learned that Dr. Girardi will wear the "security" hat.
Yes, there was an annual meeting 4-5-06
In recent years, the annual meeting was followed within a few weeks by a newsletter giving details of what transpired. And last year, with the website in operation, a story on the annual meeting was posted just three days later.
This year, with the election of a new Board, the newsletter and the website (except for the bulletin board) were suspended the day following the February 14 annual meeting, and as of this date, seven weeks later, the community has not been officially informed of what transpired at the meeting. No doubt the news will come in time.
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| Listening ... | Voting... |
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| Counting ... | ... and kibitzing. |
However, in case you don't already know, one aspect of the meeting--the tumultous voting for the Board of Directors--has been publicly reported on the Bulletin Board. Under my BB pseudonym of "oldsalt," I posted a lengthy item, "How the voting went on Valentine's Day," on February 20 in the forum titled, "The Recent Annual Meeting" (see below). Though the voting procedure and result were controversial, no one has publicly challenged the accuracy of any portion of that narrative.
The bottom line: counting the legitimate ballots and proxies resulted in a 70-70 tie. Steve Perlman, presiding, broke the tie by allowing a disputed proxy for the opposition to be counted, thus avoiding what could have been a long and messy aftermath.
How the voting went on Valentine’s Day 2-20-06
The following predates this website and is reprinted from the UG bulletin board, which is now defunct, in order to preserve a bit of history which otherwise would be lost.
It now seems unlikely that our new Board will permit a true story of the voting for the Board to appear in the newsletter or on the website--and understandably so. The conduct of the opposition slate and its supporters--shouting and cursing directed at Association President Steve Perlman--was a disgrace to the community.
The origins of the disgraceful conduct--reminiscent of the May 31, 2005 special meeting--lie in the nature of the campaign conducted by the Past Presidents Committee and its successor, the Concerned Homeowners Committee. The dishonesty of that campaign has been noted previously in private mailings to the community. But the successor Committee made sure that its adherents would be "stoked up" by distributing a rehashed summary of its talking points--mostly inaccurate or misleading--at the firehouse door.
Ignoring the Bylaws
Technically, though, the disgraceful conduct to come owed much to the Committee’s failure to consult, or perhaps to comprehend, the Bylaws. The Board was careful to accept proxies only from members of the Association, since only members are entitled to vote. The Committee made no such distinction, with the result that ten of the proxies it offered were from nonmembers and thus automatically invalid. This became relevant when a count of the votes and valid proxies resulted in a 70-70 tie.
The declaration that ten proxies were invalid set off a convulsion of rage on the part of some Committee members and supporters. The shouts and curses directed at Mr. Perlman (and, it must be added, his wife) continued until the final resolution.
The Bylaws are certainly clear enough. As to voting, they say that "a member may vote at any meeting by proxy. The instrument appointing such proxy shall be in writing signed by the member and the proxy appointed shall be a member in good standing of the Association."
As for who is a "member," the Bylaws say, "Any such owner, upon payment in full of the annual dues, as described in Article II Section 4, and the annual charge or assessment, as described in Article VIII Section 2 (including any arrearages for prior years), shall be admitted as a member of the Association. Such payments shall be made solely by mailing a bank check, money order, or personal check (honored by the bank) for the required amount to the business address of the Association."
So, a proxy signed by a property owner who has not paid both the annual assessment in full (including any arrearages) and the current Association dues is not a member of the Association and is not entitled to vote or to offer a proxy.
Wallets and checkbooks
When those facts finally sank in, we were treated to a truly ludicrous sight. Various Committee members reached into their pockets and began to produce wallets and checkbooks, offering to pay the monies that they seemed to think would then make the proxies valid, ignoring the proviso that such amounts be paid by check and mailed to the Association.
President Steve Perlman pointed out that, under the Bylaws, a proxy must be signed by a member, so that a post facto payment did nothing to validate an invalid proxy. At that point, close to midnight, a Committee member decided that, nonetheless, she would persuade one of the invalid-proxy givers to come to the meeting, pay up, and thus "validate" her proxy. A woman, a long-time resident whom we will call Ms. X, was summoned out of bed, showed up in remarkably good humor, and did her duty. Until that moment she had paid neither the annual assessment nor the Association dues.
While this procedure still did not meet the requirements of the Bylaws, Mr. Perlman was prepared to accept Ms. X’s belated vote. But he pointed out that he himself was holding two proxies that he had not proffered because they had been submitted with checks to cover monies due--a procedure not in strict adherence to the Bylaws. If he accepted Ms. X’s check, he pointed out, the two additional proxies he held were equally valid. So, the vote count would then be 72-71 in the Board’s favor.
Mr. Perlman also pointed out that, under the Bylaws, Article III, Section 4, "In case any question shall arise as to the right of any person or persons to vote, the determination of the President, Secretary and Treasurer by a majority vote of these three officers shall be final and conclusive." It was clear that if Mr. Perlman chose to invoke that clause, he would have the support of at least one of the other officers.
The Committee thereupon made it clear that if at least two more of the invalid proxies were not accepted, they would take the issue to court. Alternatively, though less likely, it appeared that they might be ready, if necessary, to drag two more residents out of bed to repeat the Ms. X process.
A decision at last
At this point, Mr. Perlman conferred with the other members of the Board's slate. Almost certainly, in the face of the Bylaws, a legal challenge to the Board would have failed. But Mr. Perlman's colleagues felt that the Association should not bring on what could be a costly legal fight against individuals at least one of whom was assumed to have "deep pockets," nor should it be even the innocent cause of more residents being pulled out of bed. Perhaps more important, some members of the Board's slate expressed strong reluctance to serve on a Board that would be dogged by unrelenting hostility for another year and apparently was supported by only half of the community.
Mr. Perlman agreed with these sentiments. He indicated that he would not proffer the two additional proxies (which he was under no legal compunction to use), and he declared that the Committee had won the election by a count of 71 to 70.
This result was duly announced on the website the following day. The announcement drew fire from the new Board-elect, with its prime mover, in an email, calling the brief item "completely erroneous," adding, "I would not want the community to think that Mr. Perlman did anything of a gracious nature whatsoever." Another member's email called the item "one-sided and out of line."
In fact, the item on the website, while it did not include all of the detail above, was and is completely accurate. We can only assume that the ire it provoked is due to the lack of obeisance to the invalid proxies that were not counted. In the view of the Committee, those proxies, if counted, would have provided them with a comfortable eight-vote margin, proving that the community was on their side. They make no allowance for the fact that if the Board, too, had solicited and obtained illegal proxies, that margin could have disappeared and perhaps could have been reversed.
Attacking the Bylaws
The Committee’s fallback position in this entire matter was a claim that the Bylaws themselves were invalid. The Committee’s prime mover, in fact, accused Mr. Perlman of having "sneaked through" changes to the Bylaws.
Let’s look at the "sneaky" process: The Board in July 2003, when it was headed by Robert Leighton, later one of the Committee, announced that it would begin a review of the Bylaws and invited suggestions from residents. In February 2004, it disclosed in the newsletter some of the issues it was addressing. In May 2004, it disclosed in the newsletter the changes that it would propose, and announced that residents would have the opportunity to vote on them at a meeting on June 16, 2004. Shortly thereafter it mailed to residents detailed documents showing these changes and how they compared with the existing language. At the June 16 meeting, only 30 families cared enough to show up, and 80% of them approved the changes--more than the 67% required by the then-existing Bylaws.
Yes, Mr. Perlman was the chief architect of the revisions. But Mr. Leighton and other Board members participated, and the process was far from sneaky.
Among the loopholes filled in the revision: The new Bylaws made it clear that both the annual assessment and the Association dues had to be paid to qualify for membership in the Association. The old Bylaws inexplicably failed to require prior payment of the annual assessment. In addition, the new Bylaws required that these payments be made by the end of January for membership to continue uninterrupted. The old Bylaws were not specific.
There was one other issue in the voting. At first, the Committee refused to accept seven proxies offered by the Board because they were from residents who had previously signed proxies for the Committee. However, the Board's proxies carried a more recent date and contained, over the signer's signature, an explicit statement that "this appointment of proxy supersedes any prior appointment of proxy that I may have made ..." Reluctantly, the Committee's prime mover finally acknowledged the validity of the later proxies.
Winning is not enough
The argument about the Bylaws is just one more sign of the nature of the Committee. They clearly wanted to win at any cost, and they did--at a cost that we may not know for some years. But that was not enough. It is understandable that, after nearly a year of denigrating Mr. Perlman, they cannot bring themselves, even in victory, to acknowledge the strong and effective leadership that he provided over the past year. Beyond that, though, they don’t want there to be even a hint that he retired from the field of battle with honor.
The truth is that, while valiantly defending the principles by which the Association is supposed, under law, to operate, Mr. Perlman kept his cool while almost all about him were losing theirs. Of the vote counters and angry kibbitzers, he was almost alone in behaving with civility. Fortunately, not too many residents stayed around for the spectacle of the counting process, so it is possible that the majority of the community will assume that the leadership of the community simply passed, in a democratic way, to an alternate bunch of reasonable human beings.
As the foregoing narrative shows, this is a questionable assumption. But if the new Board can curb the predatory instincts of some of its members and perform well for the community, the means by which it came to power will gradually seem less important, and this narrative will eventually be relegated to the rich "ancient history" of University Gardens.