Serving Williston Park, East Williston, Mineola, Albertson and Searingtown
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Friday, January 18, 2019
Vol. 68, No. 3
GUIDE TO WINTERTIME
W. PARK NAMED 1 OF BEST PLACES TO LIVE
SUOZZI APPOINTED TO HOUSE COMMITTEE
PAGES 37-60
PAGE 12
PAGE 8
E.W. trustees OK 24% rise in water rates
TA S K F O R C E
Increase intended to cover cost of new Williston Park water tower BY J E D HENDRIXSON The Village of East Williston Board of Trustees voted to approve a nearly 24 percent water rate price increase Monday night. At a public hearing, the board unanimously adopted a resolution approving a contract with the Village of Williston Park, and increasing the water rate for village residents from $5.47 per 1,000 gallons up to 100,000 gallons to $6.79 for the same amount of water. After 100,000 gallons, the price has been raised from $5.72 to $7.04. The rate increase is a result of the construction of a new water tower underway in Williston Park. The former tower and system were old and needed repair, according to Williston Park officials. The current potential cost of the project is around $4.9 million, according to Williston Park officials.
Williston Park residents saw an increase in their water rate in December. The rate increases for both villages will pay for the construction of the new tower over the course of several years. The new Williston Park residential rate is $5.14 per 1,000 gallons, up from $3.92 per 1,000 gallons effective in 2012. The residential minimum for the village was raised from $39.20 to $51.14 for 10,000 gallons or less. The residential rate for every 1,000 gallons over 50,000 per quarter rose to $5.36 from $4.09. The commercial rate in the village is uniform at $5.67 per 1,000 gallons up to and exceeding 99,000 gallons. Williston Park residents are billed quarterly by their village, and East Williston residents are billed twice a year, in April and October. There was some disagreement Continued on Page 82
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE NASSAU COUNTY LEGISLATURE MINORITY CAUCUS
Nassau County Executive Laura Curran announcing the new county marijuana task force with the group’s co-chairs, Legislator Josh Lafazan (left) and Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder. See story on page 6.
Mineola delays decision on mixed-used proposal BY J E D HENDRIXSON
mixed-use space has been reserved for a later date by the village board following a secA decision on the devel- ond public hearing. Though a noticeably opment of a vacant lot and abandoned building in down- smaller crowd gathered in optown Mineola into a four-story, position to the project at 86-88
Main St. last Wednesday night than for the first hearing in November, issues of parking and congestion in the area were brought up by Fox’s of Mineola owner Bob Fox. Continued on Page 83
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