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JANUARY 19 - 25, 2022 • ANTON MEDIA GROUP
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Bentley Garners Senate Commendation
ich Bentley, president of the Council of Greater Manhasset Civic Associations, Inc. was recently recognized by New York State Senator Anna Kaplan (D–Great Neck) with a Senate Commendation. From Kaplan’s citation: Bentley has community service in his blood. Since his 1995 arrival in Manhasset from Whitestone, Queens. Rich and his wife Patti have became proud parents of two young men, Kyle and Sean. Bentley served as president of the Bayview Civic Association (2003 to 2005) and became a member of the Council of Greater Manhasset Civic Associations (aka Greater Council), serving as vice-president (2006 to 2008) and president since 2009. Bentley’s volunteer efforts include his parish service at St. Mary’s, with 25 years as lector coordinator, training and scheduling of lectors at Masses. He spent decades coaching youth baseball teams and leading scouting activities. Professionally, he is in his 38th year as director of Administrative Services at SUNY Downstate Medical Center in Brooklyn and president of its Faculty Student Association. No stranger to large government educational and hospital bureaucracies, his administrative management and communication talents clearly show in all his volunteer community work.
Richard Bentley spoke at a 2018 meeting of the Town of North Hempstead Board of Trustees regarding the banning of cannabis retail sales within the town’s jurisdiction. (Photo by Frank Rizzo) Significant issues face Manhasset, and often include Bentley’s involvement, working with all different involved parties and government entities to reach a best solution. Manhasset has enjoyed hundreds of successes in every proposed major property development, intersection improvement, permit application, and every town code change that
Bentley’s Reflections In retrospect, I believe my best accomplishment for the long term benefit of the Manhasset community was the expansion to involve more parties at the Greater Council discussion table. While primarily a residential-based civic association and watchdog group, all too often things weren’t getting accomplished in Manhasset due to the natural multiple agendas of all the notable constituencies that were rarely, if ever, at the same discussion table. With no entity providing a forum for the substantial Manhasset community constituencies to discuss to either support or object to matters as they arose, residents were not being served as well as they could be. In municipal terms, such fractionalization often leads to reduced accomplishments. Greater Council membership expanded, with increased “liaisons” of the relevant entities, more collaboration of goals, improved substantive agendas and improved communication that has brought far more collaboration and consensus among much broader Manhasset constituencies. As a result, the Greater Council has become a formidable and influential constituency and voice in the many affairs that impact Manhasset, at its root being a residential civic organization and far more proactive. Maintaining quality relationships with leaders at all levels of the many municipalities has achieved more timely notification of upcoming projects so that the Greater Council has far more impact at earlier stages of any new “projects at hand” facing Manhasset. There is also the “back to basics” education in which the Greater Council provides a quality training ground for new civic leaders to emerge, each learning from each other the ins-andouts of “how to get a particular problem solved” and “who to contact.” Civic work is evolutionary...a civic’s work is never done. —Submitted by Richard Bentley
arose. These are not one person’s success; it’s to the credit of every resident who gets involved in civic affairs. Issues do get solved when the time and effort is invested to work with all involved, and it’s perfectly natural that not everyone is satisfied. It’s in the process that the quality of the Manhasset community is both preserved and advanced, a process
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that includes much sweat, some tears, as well as joy. Times change, needs change, residents change, and the financial capacity to solve problems change. All that make community service an evolving constant and vital process. Bentley points to a significant disappointment being Manhasset’s loss of the treasured Gold Coast historic “Inisfada” estate, where the limited time and the root financials were just too vast to overcome. However, the concurrent Christ Church Parish House historic restoration and pivoted repurposing project was an achievement, as were the successful MedMen and 7-11 battles. Bringing sewers to Manhasset’s business and residential districts is in the forefront of the civic’s efforts. The Greater Council has effectively provided the discussion/planning table for many Manhasset successes. A colleague once described civic work in baseball terms: A win is often through many cumulative “single base hits” rather than a sole “home run.” Collect and enjoy the singles. While it includes struggles, residents chose Manhasset because it’s a great community to live and raise a family in, and it’s our collective job to keep it as such. To learn more, visit www. manhassetcivic.org. —Submitted by the Office of Senator Anna Kaplan
A Different Kind Of Meeting Place The Council of Greater Manhasset Civic Associations, Inc. held its December meeting at the Onderdonk House and was host to Supervisor-elect Jen DeSena (who represented the North Strathmore Association) as well as North Hempstead Councilmembers Veronica Lurvey and Mariann Dalimonte. Sitting, from left: Doreen McDonough (Shorehaven), Roxanne Fitzig and Rosemary Mascali (Plandome Heights), Jennifer DeSena, Patricia Barry (North Strathmore), and Councilwoman Veronica Lurvey.
Standing, from left: Joe Abruzzi (North Strathmore), Donald O’Brien (Manhasset Park), Charles Maass (North Strathmore), Rich Bentley (Bayview), Andrew Schwenk (South Strathmore), Sue Auriemma (Munsey Park and CASA), Councilwoman Mariann Dalimonte, Norman Nemec (Manhasset Park), Teresa Amato (Norgate) and Christine Roberts (North Strathmore). Absent were reps from Plandome, Plandome Manor, Strathmore Village, Strathmore Vanderbilt, and Terrace Manor. (Photo by Frank Rizzo)
