Politics & Government

Village of Lawrence Notebook: Board of Appeals Member Lashes Out at Public Meeting

Trustees discuss alleged incident, along with budget, roads and other issues.

Trustees on Thursday were concerned about the behavior of a member of the board of appeals, who apparently badmouthed the zoning board during one of its recent public meetings.

“That type of behavior is not representative of the people we want there,” Trustee Joel Mael said.

Board of appeals member Elliot Feit was apparently upset with a decision made by the panel on Feb. 17 and accused the chairman, Lloyd Keilson, and the other members of railroading the decision, according to trustees. This has not been the first time Feit has spoken out, they said.

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A phone number for Feit was not working on Wednesday. Keilson could not be reached by press time.

Trustee Michael Fragin said that type of conduct is irresponsible and that anyone who feels the village is corrupt should resign their position.

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Mayor Martin Oliner said he is fully focused on the situation.

Other issues discussed at the meeting:

— There was an apparent miscommunication between the mayor and the board of trustees on proposed upgrades to Zion Park, which was reported on in the local paper. The proposal calls for the park to be expanded into the parking lot between the park and the train tracks.

“I read about it for the first time in the paper,” Fragin said.

After Oliner suggested that the expansion was up to the mayor alone, Mael questioned him, asking, “It wouldn’t be a board decision?”

“Probably,” Oliner responded.

“Probably?” Mael asked. He added that he would think it would be a board decision.

— The CNA insurance company has offered a settlement of $75,000 to the village in a dispute involving the insurance rating of the golf course at the .

“The lawyers tell us if we proceed, we won’t go anywhere,” Oliner said. “My concern is we won’t be successful.”

The insurance company has listed the course as public, yielding higher rates. Membership is required to use the club’s facilities.

— The village conducted a study on widening William Street leading to Central Avenue, and one option is to reduce the sidewalks to expand the street. The sidewalk currently ranges from 7 feet 4 inches to 7 feet 9 inches, and could be cut down to 4 feet, Smollet said.

That would increase the size of the street from 18 feet 3 inches to 21 feet 3 inches, “allowing two-way traffic more room,” the administrator said. The board will send out notices to affected residents and hold a public hearing on the issue at its next meeting.

— Mezza on the Green, which now resides in the country club, apparently owes the village money, according to the trustees.

Fragin said he wants an arrangement to be made. “If I had a tenant, I’d want that money in escrow,” he said.

Rent for a year at the club is between $30,000 and $35,000.

“We should bring closure to this,” Oliner said. “The golf course’s integrity needs to be safeguarded.”

Meanwhile, the mayor wants to put an RFP out for a kosher caterer at the country club.

— There has been a stint of thefts of copper gutters across the Five Towns, and Trustee C. Simon Felder said he has been a victim.

“If citizens see anything unusual, they should call 911,” he said.

— Felder said he wants the village to look into extending the sidewalk on Causeway near Rock Hall Road. The sidewalk currently runs on the east side of the road, continues on the west and then stops. There is a potential safety issue with pedestrians getting in the way of passing vehicles, he said.

— FEMA has given the village $44,000 to replace its tide gate at the country club between the first and 10th holes. Village Administrator David Smollet said that Lawrence would need to contribute about $56,000 of its own money for the project. If the village does not fix the tide gate in six months, it loses the federal money.

“This is sorely needed,” Mael said.

— The board voted to place flood insurance on the park house at the country club, but held off on deciding whether to cover other buildings at the club for a later meeting. The park house and three other buildings — the tennis facility, golf cart garage and Garage No. 2 — fall within the flood zone.

— Lawrence’s budget must be submitted by March 20, according to Village Attorney A. Thomas Levin. The board has to adopt the budget by March 31, and budget discussions have to start by April 15 and finish by April 20.

The board will adopt the tentative budget at a work session on March 23. The trustees will also meet on March 31 at 8 p.m, where they will hold a hearing on the budget.


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