Jacobs approves $2.8 M for 88 new, unmarked police cars
Also secures funds for Senior Citizen home weatherizing program

Nassau County Presiding Officer Judy Jacobs (D-Woodbury), chairperson of the Rules Committee, approved $2.8 million for the purchase of 88 new, unmarked police cars.

“It is our duty as lawmakers to provide our police force with the most up to date vehicles so that they can do their jobs to the best of their ability,” said Legislator Jacobs.

"I am grateful that our public officials support our efforts to better serve the public,” said Nassau County Police Commissioner James Lawrence. “Maintaining the integrity of our fleet with replacement vehicles only enhances our ability to protect and serve the public.”

Jacobs also approved $197,544 for a senior citizen Weatherization Referral and Packaging Program (WRAP), which provides client outreach, screening, referral to and administration of weatherization services to eligible, low income county residents 60 and over, who are receiving SSI or disability benefits. It helps cover the cost of improvements to doors, windows, boilers, etc. that will make homes more energy efficient.

The full legislature also approved:

• a grant agreement with the State Department of Transportation for $308,000 and $660,000 to provide dedicated police enforcement for HOV lanes on the Long Island Expressway.
• an amendment to a county ordinance that established a taxi and limousine commission and to provide for the registration of for-hire vehicles.
• an offer of purchase, by the Long Island Housing Partnership, for the six parcels located in Hempstead, Uniondale, Roosevelt and Long Beach and intended to be developed as 17 units of single-family, two-family and multi-family next generation housing. The County will receive $15,000 per unit.
• the appointment of Raymond Maguire to the Vocational Education and Extension Board
• the appointment of Brian Muellers and Mary Adams to the Nassau Community College Board of Trustees.

In other business, committee members approved supplemental appropriations to the following programs:

• $74,350 for the Office of Housing & Intergovernmental Affair’s HOME investment Partnership which supports a wide range of activities that build, buy and/or rehabilitate affordable housing for rent or home ownership or provide direct rental assistance to low-income people.
• $48,790 for the Health Department’s Bathing Beach Water Quality & Monitoring Program
• $289,708 for the Health Department’s Adolescent Tobacco Use Prevention Act to maintain a registry of licensed retailers and venders in compliance with the NYS law prohibiting the sale of tobacco to persons under 18. It is accomplished by sting operations and compliance checks.
• $197,544 Senior Citizens Affairs Weatherization Referral and Packaging Program (WRAP), which provides client outreach, screening, referral to and administration of weatherization services to eligible, low-income county residents 60 and over, who are receiving SSI or disability benefits. It helps cover the cost of improvements to doors, windows, boilers, etc. that will make homes more energy efficient.
• $50,000 for Senior Citizens Affair’s Long Term Care Insurance Education to inform and educate the general public about long term care insurance, including those available through the NYS Partnership for Long Term Care. $10,678 for Senior Citizens Affair’s Operation Restore Trust Program for recruitment and training of volunteers to provide outreach in assisting seniors, their families and the general public to identify, prevent and report Medicare and Medicaid fraud and abuse.
• $20,000 for the Youth Board’s Local Law Enforcement Block Grant for expenditures by the Youth Board and the Uniondale Community Council Youth Project to implement an education program for youth and parents and caretakers with a focus on gang and violence prevention and intervention. $100,000 for the Youth Board’s Runaway & Youth Homeless Basic Care Center to encourage stable living conditions for youth, assess and refer for crisis intervention.
• $176,000 for the Police Department’s JAG-Police Crime Reduction Project which focuses on violent activity related to drugs, gangs and guns as well as witness protection and informant information; intervention services for victims of domestic violence and for prosecution of perpetrators through a partnership between the N.C. Police and the Coalition Against Domestic Violence; and, for the purchase of hardware and software to track, analyze, map and present crime patterns to inform and enhance crime reduction strategies.
• $87,215.56 for the Police Department’s Bulletproof Vest Reimbursement Program Funds are to be received from NYS Division of Criminal Justice Services to purchase bulletproof vests for new hires and $90,000 for the Surveillance Apprehension Vehicle Enforcement Program which provides training and seminars to identify and arrest persons who commit the crime of vehicle theft and/or related insurance fraud in targeted high vehicle theft locations, i.e. Green Acres Mall and Valley Stream Railroad Station.
• $12,000 to the Health Department’s Health Promotion Pilot Project to provide start-up support for a community-based Health Promotion Project to assist community institutions to establish health demonstration projects to promote healthy lifestyle choices and behaviors; $135,973 for WIC to provide nutrition services and food vouchers to women, infants and children based on income and nutritional risk; $132,000 for EPA Underground Well Injection Control Program to protect the water and environment by identifying and testing businesses with potential bad dumping practices. Target groups include dry cleaners, auto repair shops and paint related industries.

The legislature’s committees also accepted a donation of $1,000 to the Department of Parks, Recreation and Museums from the Starbucks “Make Your Mark” volunteer program to thank Starbucks employees who volunteered 1040 hours.

All committee items will go before the full legislature at the Oct. 26 meeting for final approval. The meeting will begin at 6 p.m.