Serving New Hyde Park, North New Hyde Park, Herricks, Garden City Park, Manhasset Hills, North Hills, Floral Park
$1
Friday, January 12, 2018
Vol. 67, No. 2
N E W H Y D E PA R K
Guide to
+0#0%'
'#. 56#6'X #0-+0) n
.#0- . #6' '&+# f +6/14
7$.+%#6+1 05 2'%+# . '%6+10 ˜
REAL ESTATE, BANKING & FINANCE
BLAKEMAN NAMED GILLEN DEPUTY
PAGES 31-34
PAGE 2
SCHNIRMAN SWORN IN AS COUNTY COMPTROLLER PAGE 7
#07#4; E FX FNEL
Nicollelo gets top spot in county Legislature
YEAR OF THE WOMAN
NHP Republican presiding officer pick BY LU K E TOR R A N C E Richard Nicolello, a longtime county legislator from New Hyde Park, was elected as the new presiding oďŹƒcer of the Nassau County Legislature on Friday. He said he wanted to reduce the county’s debt and end state oversight of its ďŹ nances. “It’s very exciting, and I’m looking forward to working with all my colleagues,â€? Nicolello, a Republican, said after the meeting. He defeated Kevan Abrahams, the Democratic minority leader, on an 11-8 vote along party lines, as many had expected. Nicolello takes over the position from Norma Gonsalves, who retired when her term expired last year. Nicolello has served as the legislator for the 9th District, which now snakes south from Manhasset down to Mineola and then west to New Hyde Park, since the county Legislature was established in 1996. He previously served as the deputy presiding oďŹƒcer under
Gonsalves, a position he had held since 2012. That position will now be ďŹ lled by Howard Kopel (R-Lawrence), who previously served as alternate deputy presiding oďŹƒcer. Denise Ford (D-Long Beach) was appointed by Nicolello to serve as the new alternate deputy presiding oďŹƒcer. Nicolello said that, as the presiding oďŹƒcer, he wants to cut down on shouting matches that have occasionally overwhelmed the chamber in the past. “What I want to focus on is getting business done in this chamber,â€? he said. “I think, the last couple of years especially, we tended to get sidetracked in these lengthy debates that really went around in circles.â€? There was no ďŹ ghting on Friday, as the ďŹ rst meeting under Nicolello was mainly one of housekeeping. Committee assignments were given out, and those committees briey discussed any rule changes. Then it was time for a Continued on Page 61
PHOTO BY REBECCA KLAR
North Hempstead Town Supervisor Judi Bosworth, after being sworn in for her third term, speaks with first-term Hempstead Town Supervisor Laura Gillen. See story on page 6.
NHP-GCP superintendent seeks to fix sub shortage BY R E B ECC A KLAR Jennifer Morrison, superintendent of the New Hyde Park-Garden City Park school district, conďŹ rmed a seemingly obvious but often over-
looked precept: if you want insight into what needs to be improved in a school, talk to the students. During Monday’s Board of Education meeting, Morrison said she met with all four student councils in the dier-
ent schools within the span of a week to hear feedback from the students. Overall, she said, the students feel safe and happy to be at school. As for improvements, Continued on Page 54
For the latest news visit us at www.theislandnow.com D on’t forget to follow us on Twitter @Theislandnow and Facebook at facebook.com/theislandnow