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Friday, February 25, 2022
Vol. 7, No. 8
Port WashingtonTimes TOP BUSINESS LEADERS PAGES S1-S64
FIRE AT NORTHWELL CONSTRUCTION SITE
ADL CEO TALKS RISING THREAT OF HATE
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Dems block DeSena’s picks for ethics board
HAPPY TRAILS
Cite lack of notice, geographic diversity in abstaining from vote BY B R A N D ON D U FF Y Democratic town council members blocked North Hempstead Town Supervisor Jennifer DeSena’s picks to fill seven seats on the Board of Ethics last Thursday during a contentious meeting that lasted more than four hours. DeSena’s recommendations included Isma Chaudhry, chair of the Islamic Center of Long Island in Westbury; Mineola Mayor Scott Strauss; Robert Reilly, former assistant dean at the Fordham University School of Law; LIU associate professor Qiping Zhang; Rabbi Anchelle Perl of Chabad of Mineola; Derek Chan, president of the Greater Roslyn Association for Chinese Enrichment (GRACE); and Francisco Vazquez, a bankruptcy lawyer and Port Washington native who also helps his local Knights of Columbus group as its attorney. “It’s very important we have an independent Board of Ethics
with appointed terms so they can render opinions and not worry that it could cause them to be dismissed,” DeSena said. “Some of these board members’ terms have expired months and even years ago.” Board Democrats said they abstained on the selections because they were not representative of the town’s geographical diversity and the board members did not receive the resumes on DeSena’s picks until shortly before the meeting. The Board of Ethics is responsible for implementing the town’s code of ethics, according to the town. The board currently has six members, including Chaudhry, with one vacancy. Its responsibilities include approving and reviewing financial statements, rendering advisory opinions to town employees on the code of ethics and enforcing the code while determining penalContinued on Page 43
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE PORT WASHINGTON SCHOOL DISTRICT
The Port Washington school district honored longtime crossing guard Kelly Cummings, who retired from her post last week.
Hochul pulls disputed housing plan from budget BY R OB E RT PELAEZ
position from elected officials on Long Island, according to multiple reports. Part of Hochul’s affordable Gov. Kathy Hochul withdrew a section of her afford- housing plan, which was introable housing plan from the duced in January, included the state budget after strong op- statewide expansion of acces-
sory dwelling units, which was removed from the state budget, according to reports. Local governments, according to the proposal, would have been required to allow Continued on Page 43
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