Before beginning the Sea Cliff Village Board meeting of Monday, Aug. 8, Mayor Eileen Krieb acknowledged the passing of Henry Hollman and shared the words she read at his memorial service this past Sunday. Mr. Hollman was the first village administrator and Mayor Krieb praised his work in keeping Sea Cliff the small and special community that it is. A moment of silence was held for Mr. Hollman.

During the public comments section of the meeting, a resident who rents a house on 8th Avenue by Reservoir Street stood to make an impassioned plea to the mayor and trustees. Sylvia Domarabzki said she has received multiple parking tickets for not moving her car from Reservoir Street by 10 a.m. on Thursdays. The village cleans the street Thursday mornings and requires all cars off the road. Mrs. Domarabzki has no driveway and cannot park her car on 8th Avenue. Mrs. Domarabzki, who lives with her daughter and 4-year-old grandson, has cardiac arrhythmia, and while her new medication seems to be working, she is not always well enough to get to her car on time; added stress exacerbates her physical condition. "Sometimes I get there a few minutes after 10 and they still give me a ticket," she said.

The tickets augment her problems, but Mrs. Domarabzki's primary reason for attending the meeting was to report the vandalism that has been occurring on Reservoir Street. She stated that in June vandals badly damaged her 1993 Dodge Shadow. "They smashed the windshield, bent the antenna, and keyed the paint in the back of the car," she said. Police Detective Lt. Kevin Smith of the 6th Precinct confirmed that "criminal mischief in the third degree" occurred on the date and place asserted by Mrs. Domarabzki. He said the report confirmed a smashed windshield, keyed paint, a bent antenna, and other damage.

That attack was not the only one. Last Thursday, Aug. 4, Mrs. Domarabzki invited a friend to spend the night, since it was late when the guest was ready to leave. In the morning, said Mrs. Domarabzki, she found her friend's car had a smashed windshield, a broken window, and a CD case was missing with about 100 compact discs in it.

Resident Bruce Kennedy confirmed this attack, and alleged that another occurred to a friend on Reservoir Street. A neighbor's son had his car vandalized and his golf clubs stolen that same Thursday evening, he said.

Mrs. Domarabzki and Mr. Kennedy remarked that vandalism also occurred last summer. Vandals attacked Mrs. Domarabzki's 1993 Nissan Sentra, she said, damaging the body. They stole her license plates and replaced them with plates used for an attempted robbery. The 6th Precinct first questioned her, before realizing that her plates were stolen and replaced. Mr. Kennedy said he had a black laptop on the floor of his SUV which has tinted windows, black leather seats and black flooring. He said he is not sure how the vandals knew the computer was there, but they broke his window and stole it.

Mrs. Domarabzki said she has spent around $800 in damages from the attacks, but does not have the money to pay the tickets she receives for leaving her car on Reservoir Street Thursday mornings.

Her landlord has recommended parking on 7th Avenue, but Mrs. Domarabzki does not feel comfortable walking a block in pitch dark at night, especially with the recent vandalism. "I'm at the end of my rope," she said. "People park on 7th, why not 8th? I don't get it; the road is wider."

Mrs. Domarabzki said at times she brings her grandson home at 3 a.m., tired, and then runs a few minutes late waking up to move the car. She questioned why she cannot park in front of her house. "I'm paying a high rent and I don't feel safe and I'm angry." she said.

In ending she asked the board to look into cameras, additional lighting, or plain clothes officers on patrol as possible solutions.

Trustee Haim and Mayor Krieb both said they would call the police and the board agreed they would look at additional lighting in the area. "This is not the usual graffiti crowd," said Trustee Villafane. The mayor said there should be patrols in the area and thanked Mrs. Domarabzki for sharing the information with the board. Bruce Kennedy also remarked that he believes the Thursday parking situation in the area could be looked at.

Some residents attending the meeting questioned the board about a property on Franklin Avenue whose owner has attempted to seek permission for building a second house on the land. Two residents, neighbors to the property, have fought along with the village at planning board meetings to have the application for a second house denied. The property, whose owner does not live there, has overgrown grass and according to neighbors, a raccoon family living in the cellar. "It's a real eyesore," confirmed Mayor Krieb. She said she would call code enforcement and have them place a time limit for the resident to clean up the property. Sea Cliff attorney Richard Siegal said that by Aug. 30 the planning board would announce a decision on the application for the second house.

Also during public comments, John Kle, a resident of Prospect Avenue, said the village did an excellent job repaving streets in his area, and on behalf of his neighbors and himself he thanked the board.

In other business Trustee Hayes announced that the previous year's budget ended with a $276,642.22 surplus due to unexpected grants and receipts.

Trustee Villafane reported that the village suffered beach graffiti to the boat shack and the tables and swings in the area. The shack will need to be repainted as marker was used to write inappropriate tag names.

Trustee Waechter announced that the village would begin to solicit bids for a wooden boardwalk from the Tilley Steps to the Sea Cliff Beach Pavilion, as soon as final specification for the project is received.

The next Sea Cliff Village Board meeting will be held Sept. 12 at 8 p.m. in village hall.