Vehicle Entry(Use) fees for non-residents in county parks

Vehicle Entry(Use) fees for non-residents in county parks



To facilitate park usage by county residents (taxpayers), Parcnassau recently made the following proposal:



"We would like to propose a pilot program for paid admittance to county parks by non-residents. Technically, the Nassau county park system is a “closed” system with admittance for residents only. The exceptions were and are museums, historic sites and preserves.



In fact, for all intents and purposes it has evolved into an “open” park system with unmanned gates and little or no screening which allows anyone to enter and enjoy the facility. Most park amenities have both resident and non-resident rates already. So the effect would be minimal on non-resident use. To facilitate and control usage of our neighborhood parks, which would be all but Eisenhower, we are suggesting all parks’ gates to be monitored with only residents' vehicles permitted in without restriction. Non-resident vehicles would be charged a fee, consider $5.00, to enter and issued a receipt.



This would have two benefits. The first is that the park directors could control and monitor access and when necessary restrict non-resident access when overcrowding or other problems exist. It would insure that tax-paying residents would have priority to use their parks. The second benefit would be the revenue generated would pay for the seasonal help used at the gates with the profit deposited in the county treasury.



Eisenhower Park presents a unique problem, in that the main road through the facility is a major commuter road in the mornings and evenings. In addition, the ethnic festivals all summer long have always permitted free access to anyone. A dual fee system at the golf courses and other amenities is in place and could be increased as an alternative. The Aquatic Center, because of the federal and state monies used in its construction must be open to everyone. It therefore has its own entrance from Merrick Avenue and its own parking lot, separate from the rest of the park. The center too has a dual fee system."



The county has indicated they will implement the pilot program. As usual the devil is in the details. The simplest solution to all the "what ifs....." is that county residents sign up for a 3 year leisure pass for $25 (works out to about $8.33 per year). Presenting that at the gate would speed up entry and most park amenities, i.e., pools, golf courses, etc require the pass anyway.



Car pooling, using a resident vehicle might be considered for family picnics, ball teams, etc. Day camps hat bus their children into county parks should pay a entry (use) fee based on the size of the bus. Forty dollars for a large school type bus and $20 for a small ????



Bottom line is if non-residents wish to enjoy our parks they must help support them, financially. In all cases, residents should have priority in entering and using all Nassau County Park facilities. Monitoring the gates permits the county to deny entrance to those with a history of anti-social or illegal behavior. What do you think?

Nassau Taxpayers Repossess Their Parks

By Bruce Piel

Last week the current county administration and the county legislature codified the public’s innate right to full access and use of its county parks. They, in effect, evicted private day camps from county parks.

For over 9 years, the Park Advocacy & Recreation Council of Nassau and its constituent organizations have argued and lobbied against the privatization of the Nassau County Parks system. The proponents of this poorly disguised dissolution of our parks, preserves and historical sites included the former county administration, abetted by a compliant majority in the county legislature and general public unawareness.

This resulted in the issuance of permits for private day camps to use 8 county parks and the transfer of 13 county facilities to the Town of North Hempstead, excluding other county residents from having a say in those parks. Each year more and more park facilities were being offered to private operators; including golf courses, the Aquatic Center, park pools, preserves, ice rinks, etc, etc. The final straw was the county entertaining the privatization of the entire Cedar Creek Park in Wantagh/Seaford by a developer that planned an “amusement park” at that site.

The public response which had been building for years against privatization, focused on this monumental travesty with demonstrations, intense lobbying and publicity. Nassau citizens led by these two communities began to protect their parks physically and vocally. Resultant publicity doomed the Cedar Creek project, the sale of acreage in the Roosevelt Preserve and the takeover of the pool at Christopher Morley Park. It also was a factor in the 2009 county elections which put a new team in Mineola.

The battle was won but the war is not over. There are still advocates of public/private partnerships in the park system and county government. There are still private companies looking to make a profit at the public’s expense misusing park facilities. Vigilance by advocates such as PARCnassau and the public must be maintained to insure our parks, preserves, museums and heritage sites are maintained by the county for the use and enjoyment of all Nassau residents. We must urge our county officials to make every attempt to recover the parks given to North Hempstead and begin the process of restoring the Department of Parks, Recreation and Museums. The Day Camp issue was a great first step. Congratulations!

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