Politics & Government

Mayor's Message: Volunteer Ambulance Awards, Term Limits and 2013 Street Fair

Mineola Mayor Scott Strauss congratulates members of the Mineola Volunteer Ambulance Corps.

The following are the opening remarks of Mineola Mayor Scott Strauss made during the public meeting of the Mineola Village Board on September 4, 2013:

Good evening ladies and gentlemen. I hope everyone’s summer was everything that they wanted it to be. First I’d like to wish all of our neighbors who are celebrating Rosh Hashhanna a very happy and healthy new year as today is the first day of this 10-day celebration. Nashava Tobah. 

A few weeks ago I attended a ribbon cutting marking the opening of the American Community Bank on Jericho Turnpike; we welcome them to Mineola and wish them lots of success.

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Pool season is over – it was a very quick pool season, a very quick summer season, can’t believe September’s here – and I want to thank the entire pool staff, especially Mr. Rini as well as the pool director Dan Kopetic for another great, successful year. The pool’s one of the village jewels, I hope everyone got a chance to go there and enjoy it and everything it offers.

The Emory Road park project has been delayed due to the backorder of some items; hopefully they’ll be in soon and we can get that park open for everyone to enjoy there.

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The Mineola Volunteer Ambulance Corps., one of the first responding agencies, has received several awards this year from the National Regional Emergency Medical Service Council. They received an honorable mention in the EMS Agency of the Year category; Kevin O’Donnell received an honorable mention in the basic life support for fireman of the year category; Don Franz received an honorable mention in the EMS leadership award category and Neil Velasco was recognized with an honorable mention in the communication specialist of the year category. Congratulations to all of them as well as the entire membership for all they do for us in our time of need.

This coming Sunday is the street fair in downtown Mineola; Mineola Boulevard, First Street, Second Street area, Main Street. It’s from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., please come down and enjoy the celebration there. The chamber of commerce has worked incredibly hard, let’s show our local businesses the support that they certainly deserve.

Next Wednesday we will not be holding a meeting. Instead I ask that you all join us and attend our 9/11 remembrance ceremony at Memorial Park. The ceremony will begin promptly at 7 p.m. at the 9/11 memorial. Please come out and show your support to those affected by this attack, show them that they and their loved ones have not been forgotten.

Finally, as I mentioned last month, we will be holding a hearing to discuss the idea of changing our current configuration of village elections from two years to four years. I floated this idea at community forums I have held over the last year. It has been very well received by everyone in attendance in those forums. There are many benefits to making this move and as a matter of course of my fellow board members can take a vote on it any time. However, all of us want to know the feelings of our fellow residents. So instead of just voting on it, we decided to hold a hearing on the topic as we want your input. Since the formal hearing night is September falls on the night of the 9/11 ceremony, we have decided to move the hearing night to September 18 for that input on that topic. Please come down to the hearing, listen to the discussion and let us know your thoughts. Thank you.


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