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Students lobby MPK Village and get stop sign
The 10- and 11-year-old students, and their teacher, Ms. Zicherman, attended the Massapequa Park Village Board meeting January 8 and requested that the board consider installing the sign to address what they described as safety problems caused by speeding vehicles. "Congratulations on getting your sign," Mayor James Altadonna Jr. told the group at a meeting last week. He told the students he was impressed by their thoroughness in reporting the problem. The students had submitted letters and drawings expressing their concern. Statistics compiled from a car counter placed at the locale by the Village, 32,001 cars passed that area November 30 through December 7. Twenty-five and a half percent were traveling at speeds of 25 to 30 mph; 22.2 percent were traveling at 30-35 mph; 7.1 percent traveled between 35-40 mph; 1.1 percent traveled at 45-50 mph and 1 percent traveled at speeds greater than 45 mph. Village Clerk Peggy Caltabiano said that while speeding is concern, the volume of cars going through the area was more troublesome. The Mayor told the students that the sign would be installed shortly and that the Village would let the students know when the work was being done in the event they wanted to be on hand see it for themselves. "How much do we owe you for the sign?" asked one future trustee. "It's on the Village," the Mayor responded, laughing. In other Village news, +several Whitewood Landing residents asked the Village to look into the condition of the canal behind their homes, which they described as dirty. "I feel sorry for the ducks that have to wade through sludge," said one resident. The Mayor said that while the waterway may be dirty, the Village couldn't clean it since it is considered tidal wetlands and comes under the jurisdiction of the New York State Department of Environmental Control. "We aren't allowed to remove the sludge, but we do go in and remove larger items, like bikes," said the Mayor, who added that the Village would go in again in the spring to clean up the debris; +the Mayor advised representatives of the not-forprofit group, New York Youth Club, that they need a permit to go door-to-door to solicit. In addition, he raised concerns about the organization's operations. "I want to see working papers for the youngsters who are being dropped off in our neighborhoods," said Altadonna, who added the youngsters appear to be about only 15-years-old, and are working until late in the evening, annoying merchants and residents for donations. "I want to see where that money is going and make sure they (the organization) aren't just abusing these kids," said Altadonna about the Smithtown based club, which does need to apply to the Village for a permit since it is a not-for-profit agency. "No Villages can stop our fundraising even though they'd like to," said Ron Crowe, director of the faithbased Youth Club. He added that the youngsters hired were at least 14, the legal age to be selling. Crowe, whose organization was founded in 1997, said it works with at-risk youngsters from all over the state. The money made from selling chocolates and candles, he said, goes towards activities, bible study and a recreation center for the youngsters.
"They (the local municipalities) can stall and make it difficult for us, but they really have no say," said Crowe.
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