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Michael and Noel Zirpolo of Boxer Court in Huntington Station have been living next to a derelict Town of Huntington owned garage since the 1950’s. The facility has been a neighborhood eyesore for more than forty years.
Newly elected Councilman Eugene Cook responded to the Zirpolo’s concerns and organized a partnership between public and private entities in order to find a way to remove the derelict structure in a cost effective manner. Councilman Cook organized personnel from the Town’s Highway and General Services Departments as well as private sector workers from the community. Councilman Mark Mayoka and Highway Superintendent William Naughton were also on hand to oversee the operation.
Local business owners John LaVertu and Walter Milback of EZ-Sewer & Drain Service, www.e-zsewer.com donated machinery and an operator for the day to help complete the demolition project. The donated machinery and operator time alone saved thousands of taxpayer dollars that otherwise would have been used to complete the task.
This project is one of many in the Town that could be completed in the same manner, thus saving additional taxpayer dollars while removing unwanted blight. Michael and Noel Zirpolo were very thankful that Councilman Cook took immediate action to demolish this eyesore that plagued the local community for forty years.
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Talk about phot-ops! Why no nasty comments from the usual critics of other town board members who do the same thing? I think we know why.
wundaboy
September 4, 2012 9:55 am at 9:55 am
@wundaboy. I’m curious. Why do you think?
J.Christopher
September 4, 2012 4:38 pm at 4:38 pm
Because there is a double standard. If supervisor Petrone or any Democrats have “photo-ops” they are bashed for exloiting an event for publicity purposes. The reality is that any politician from any party does this.
wundaboy
September 4, 2012 5:16 pm at 5:16 pm
The big difference here is that Gene Cook took it upon himself with the help of others to fix a problem that had existed for a long time. This was fixed due to the personal efforts of Gene Cook. Most importantly it was done at little cost to the taxpayers.
Many of the other photo-ops you mention take place when the elected officials stop in for a few minutes after, before, or during an event having had absolutely nothing to do with the planning, organizing or managing of the event. Or they show up to get their picture taken at a site that is being worked on with our tax dollars. They make it look like they paid for these things out of their own pocket.
1653
September 4, 2012 6:12 pm at 6:12 pm
While I commend Councilman Cook, Mayoka, and Highway Superintendent Naughton for seeing this eyesore raised it gives me pause to think of why this article lacks any information as to where the demolition debris were brought to, whome brought them there and how much, if anything, the carting and disposal of these debris cost the taxpayers? The article states that local business owners donated machinery and [an] operator but where did the truck(s) and driver(s) that removed the debris come from? Perhaps a deal may have been struck for this work too but no mention of such is made. Follow the money, please. There’s no such thing as a free lunch.
NJ12
September 4, 2012 7:26 pm at 7:26 pm
I don’t think there is really a big difference. The photo of Mr. Cook, Mr. Mayoka and Mr. Naughton is as self-serving as any photo-op you will ever see. But that’s okay. Community groups, organizations and businesses want and invite the political leaders to be present at these awards or opening ceremonies. I know from personal experience that there is usually disappointment or even anger when no elected official show up for the event and photographs. There are also many projects that the supervisor and council members helped create and worked hard to get funding to implement.
wundaboy
September 4, 2012 10:25 pm at 10:25 pm
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