Nickerson (Nassau) Beach Update

Nickerson (Nassau) Beach Park

The Parks Department sells seasonal vehicle parking decals for the beach park, $40 for seniors and $80 for everyone else. In previous years the decals were mounted inside the window glass on the cars where they are checked when one enters.

This year they decided to place the decals on the outside of the glass. They believe that due to tinted windows the seasonal kids manning the gate would not be able to read decals mounted inside. That doesn't happen to be true but we will address that in a moment.

The main problem is that the outside mounted deals can be peeled off by hand and reused or destroyed depending on the intent of the vandal. The county may have created a cottage industry at Nickerson in the theft and resale of beach parking decals.

When county residents brought this problem to the attention of the park director, she stated those were her orders and if a decal was stolen or destroyed, the victim would have to pay the daily entry fee of $8 until they reported the theft to the police, obtained verification of the report and brought it to the park. At that time the decal would be replaced and the new decal placed on the outside of the window. When concerned county residents contacted Eisenhower Park with the problem, they were told that was the policy but they would replace stolen decals ASAP.

First, the decals can be read through a legally tinted window, though a employee might have to actually stand up and look closely, Heaven forbid! NYS prohibits tinting auto windshields and front seat side windows "Limo Black", so here should be no problem placing the decals there. In addition, the county added bar codes on the decals this year. They can also be scanned through legally tinted windows. Unfortunately the county has no scanners, so that is not really a problem.

What is a problem is a system that is unable to recognize the validity of a resident's complaint, then investigate and change a defective procedure, when necessary. The 2010 beach season is just starting. So, Parks Department, place the deals on the inside where they are relatively protected from vandals and thieves!

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