Threat to parks

Nassau County's Solution

The county's solution to the recession is apparently to destroy Nassau County in order to save Nassau County...................... Bushwah!

In a blatant attempt to bludgeon county civil service workers to surrender 7% of their negotiated salaries, the County Executive is threatening to close parks, museums, lay off police, social workers, park workers, clerks etc. In a national crises where unemployment is at historic highs, Nassau will fire employees. That may make sense to the County Executive if no one else. As usual the workers bearing the brunt of this "solution" are the lowest paid employees who do the actual work of government. Will the high priced political appointees be let go? Not likely!

County administration is constantly touting how they have reduced personnel costs since they have been in office. How many more jobs at the operational level can be terminated and the county still function? How many parks, preserves and museums can be "closed" and not deteriorate beyond repair? Once they have reached the point of no return, the cost of building anew will be astronomical. This latest assault on the county parks system should not surprise anyone. This administration is the one that divested itself of 13 parks in North Hempstead. Eliminated park rangers and maintenance personnel. Reduced annual employees in the parks system from 400 to 163. Featherbedded Park Administration with 13 Commissioners, Deputy Commissioners, Special Assistants, etc. etc: most earning in the 6 figures. This is in just one department, imagine countywide!

We have heard from the PAL administration. Their county wide sports program will be destroyed when the few police officers assigned are eliminated. County museum supporters and patrons are upset that the venues for passing on the history of Nassau will be gone, probably forever. Adult sports leagues see their programs failing due to lack of available athletic fields. The Quality of Life in Nassau is in jeopardy; not by outside forces but by those elected to protect it.

What must be done immediately is to establish a list of political appointees to county jobs. We are not Pollyannas, we realize the system rewards those who help get our politicians elected. However, there must be limits. Once the list is established, and we would warrant a guess that it may entail hundreds, it must be vetted for two criteria:

1. The position must be a real job that cannot be filled through civil service with specific duties and responsibilities, with adequate supervision and reasonable compensation.

2. The appointee must be qualified by knowledge or background to outperform the average person in that job.

If these conditions are not met, the political appointees must be let go. We can no longer afford them. Our elected officials can thank them (for handing out fliers at railroad stations at 5:00 am), commend their civic enthusiasm, and wish them well in their future endeavors. These will not involve cushy jobs with the county.

As to the parks, preserves and museums; they must be adequately staffed and remain open for the recreational use of our taxpayers. This is critical during these times of economic distress where reasonable public facilities provide a safety net for our unemployed, under-employed, seniors on fixed incomes and young families starting out. Nassau county residents deserve no less.

The time for all park users to speak up is now. Regardless of your particular interest in the county parks system, we must all stand together to insist on a viable and available Department of Parks, Recreation and Museums.

Complaint Numbers

The county has set up telephones to receive complaints about the parks system, though they are probably regretting it by now. I understand every county legislator's office has already called to address the myriad issues in virtually every park.

Now it is our turn. Please call these numbers on any condition in any county park not being addressed by Parks or DPW (now that they have eliminated the Parks Department Maintenance). In addition, please pass these numbers on to your membership and any other county parks users you know with the same request.

Perhaps we might even stimulate an administration response to reestablish a in-house maintenance department in Parks.

The numbers are: (516) 571-6930 or (516) 571-6935