Serving New Hyde Park, Floral Park, Garden City Park, North Hills, Manhasset Hills and North New Hyde Park
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Friday, June 14, 2019
Vol. 68, No. 24
N E W H Y D E PA R K
REVITALIZING DOWNTOWNS
LAST RITZ-CARLTON GOP DELAYS ASSESSMENT BUILDING OPENS PHASE-IN VOTE
PAGES 35-38
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Gillen calls to investigate H.R. contract Supervisor alleges political corruption BY TOM M CC A RT HY
PHOTO BY TOM MCCARTHY
Town of Hempstead Supervisor Laura Gillen will call for an outside investigation from the Nassau County district attorney’s office into a nearly $900,000 consulting contract.
Town of Hempstead Supervisor Laura Gillen is calling for an investigation by the district attorney into a contract signed by a former town commissioner and for a current commissioner to resign. “Our job is to protect the taxpayers of the town, not fill the pockets of the politically connected,” she said. At a news conference on Monday, Gillen said that the town corruption tax, which she described as taxpayer money diverted from helping the unemployed and given to “political patronage,” was a total of $886,000.
The news conference came after a report by Newsday that in 2017 Ana-Maria Hurtado, then the commissioner of Hempstead’s Department of Occupational Resources, signed a two-year contract with Alcott HR. The contract provided for extra staff, and Hurtado joined the company after retiring in July 2017. Hurtado and two other former town employees, Scott Surkis and Edward Kenny, now work at the company. Gillen is adamant about taking a stand against the contract, writing on Facebook on Monday, “My job is to protect the taxpayers of this Town Continued on Page 58
F.P. school superintendent resigns BY TOM M CC A RT HY
tendent and confronting larger first-grade class sizes. At the June 6 Board of The Floral Park-Bellerose school district has some chang- Education meeting, members es to face in the coming school had some news to discuss after year: appointing a new superin- granting tenure to educators and
making emotional farewells to retirees. The board announced that Superintendent Michael Dantona was resigning effective Aug. 30. He has been superintendent for two years. Laura Ferrone, president of the board, said, “The board extends its appreciation to Dr. Dantona for his service to the school district
and wishes him well in his future endeavors.” “Appointing a new superintendent of schools is one of the most critical responsibilities of the Board of Education. Please be assured, the board takes this responsibility very seriously and has made it our top priority. Knowing how soon the new school year will begin, the board has begun the search process for
a new superintendent,” Ferrone said. The board did not announce any potential candidates. It has not been revealed why he is stepping down. While Dantona did not issue a statement, he said in a brief interview after the meeting, “When you make some changes, you know you’ll miss the peoContinued on Page 58
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