The Oyster Bay Main Street Association looked back at the past year, elected new officers and asked the community to volunteer to help them proceed. They have created four committees that will focus their energy at improving the downtown area of Oyster Bay.

Committee heads have been chosen and they are seeking volunteers with specific interests to join. They are Design, chaired by David Lamb, Promotion chaired by Jerritt Gluck, Economic Restructuring chaired by Jack Bernstein, and Organization chaired by John Specce.

The OBMSA voted on a new slate of officers at the annual meeting on Oct. 25 at the Doubleday-Babcock Senior Center on East Main Street. Peter Tilles, the nominating chairman, announced the slate, confirmed by a vote, that Bill Sheeline is the new president of the organization, Jerrit Gluck is vice president, Chris Lalonde is treasurer, Ed Mohlenhof is secretary.

Retiring president David Lamb gave a rundown of the start of the group, including funding from the Community Foundation of Oyster Bay and mentioning his presence on the Town of Oyster Bay Hamlet Steering Committee which has produced a master plan. Newly Elected President Bill Sheeline continued the review of the year saying they had hired Katie Schwab as executive director, and opened their office on East Main Street in the landmark Wilson House. He said there are copies of all the hamlet plans, available for the public to look at there. They include the newest Dan Burden Plan, the Main Street Market Study, the Island Properties Plan and the Town of Oyster Bay Hamlet Plan.

He said they had a panel on Historic Preservation from which good ideas came out, adding that historic building status is a way to get tax credits.

The MSA brought Dan Burden to Oyster Bay to get ideas which were incorporated into the hamlet plan, he said.

Although there has been no membership drive, Mr. Sheeline said there are about 250 signed up, but not as official members. "We are developing a productive relationship with the Town of Oyster Bay, the Friends of the Bay and the local religious organizations," he said.

Mr. Sheeline characterized the Main Street Association as a communications network that forms an agenda in the community. He mentioned several previous attempts to create a hamlet plan saying "A lot of good plans were developed but there was no follow-through with them."

Historically speaking, the Oyster Bay Chamber of Commerce was actively pursuing its latest plan when the recession hit in the mid-1980s and the needs of the economy took over. The chamber had reached the stage of trying to get the hamlet landlords together but that attempt failed. Now, with Island Properties owning about 70 real estate parcels in town, and Mr. Poznanski, president of IP, on the MSA board, they are looking at an easier group to work with.

Mr. Sheeline noted parking, another item the Oyster Bay Chamber of Commerce has dealt with from its inception, saying, "Parking is an attitude problem, not a parking space problem. The parking spaces can be managed better," he said. "We met with Town Supervisor John Venditto." He said they are working on the issue with him. "We are equally vigilant in other parts of the hamlet plan. The list of ideas is very long," said Mr. Sheeline.

Mr. Sheeline said they are looking for committee members, about seven to nine per committee, who "have a passion for their area."

"They will put together their proposals to pass on to the board for perusal, to use the money we have," he said. "If you have ideas, talk to the committee head. We need grass-roots volunteers.

"If you can commit to one hour a week or two hours a month, give us your name so Katie can call you." She is available at 922-6982.

This is a big topic, said Design Committee Chair David Lamb. "I chose the people who were really out there. I said, okay, this is the area where we can do something. We have the talent for the task."

The first project has been chosen - the four corners where South Street, Audrey Avenue and East Main Street meet. "They are the center of town," he said. They plan to use wastebaskets, signage and add bike racks (there are none now). He said they had a month to do the job.

The second project is the work of Gerry Hanrahan and Susan Oleson who are creating an International Holiday Window concept to offer to all the retail stores in the hamlet. They are being designed by a team of students from local schools, for those stores that choose to use it, he said.

"It is a start-up program to make the downtown more special than in the past."

The third project is a storefront restoration project. "We will provide designs and find the funding. Many businesses here don't have the financial resources to do so," said Mr. Lamb.

He said, "Parking is the next project. It needs analysis to create a program that will work for the town."

Board member Jack Bernstein is heading the committee on Economic Restructuring. It is for strengthening existing businesses to see that they survive. They will come up with ideas to make them more productive, he said. "We will also try to bring in the kind of mix we need - there are businesses we are lacking in town," said Mr. Bernstein.

"They are putting together the existing studies, including the MSA marketing analysis and the Island Properties analysis. Their aim is to help merchants become better business people; many are devoting time to the nitty gritty and not the big picture," said Mr. Bernstein.

The help will include financial assistance. Using grants to fix the storefronts. For example, there are state and federal programs that are available, he said.

They plan to let the merchants and property owners know what is out there for them. The Economic Restructuring Committee includes: Chair Jack Bernstein, Marie Knight, Bill Sheeline and Abraham Poznanski.

"We are very lucky we have Abraham Poznanski of Island Properties on the committee. We've had these plans before and nothing happened. We have better hope now with Island Properties having bought up a great many sites in town," he said.

He said the committee also includes Daria Lamb, Ed Minicozzi and Joe McLaughlin.

John Specce and Angela Koenig are on the organizational committee. They will handle finances, fund raising, recruiting members and managing staff. "We need volunteers; without good cooperation of volunteers there is no Main Street. We need talent and time," said Mr. Specce. "We have had paralysis by analysis. Please contact Angela or me. Our only plan is that we need your assistance."

Promotion will be handled by Jerritt Gluck who said, "Our business is to make people aware of what is available in town. Things like how to get to Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Park. There is no signage and no information kiosk and no means to get around." He said his committee included Peter Tilles, Rich Ciechiuch and others working on ways to integrate ideas.

"If you are not part of the solution, you may be part of the problem," said Mr. Gluck.

At this point in the meeting Abraham Poznanski of Island Properties spoke saying that they will soon unveil their hamlet plan, which he said takes into consideration the Town of Oyster Bay hamlet plan.

His speech was printed in the Nov. 1 issue of the Oyster Bay Enterprise Pilot.

During the Q and A period, Tom Reardon said, "The only way to get things done is through a Business Improvement District." Jack Bernstein said, "We are looking into it."

Mike Rich said his personal dream for Oyster Bay included a statue of Theodore Roosevelt visible to people as they enter Oyster Bay. "There is a statue offered, but it is not free. The sculptor, Mr. Proctor has offered a third copy of an existing statue of TR that is now in Oregon and North Dakota.

"When people come down Route 106, they will see the triangle with the statue, not unlike the boulder in Smithtown with a bronze bull on top.

"The statue will be here for hundreds of years while the stores might last one hundred years. I don't think anyone would tear down a statue of TR," said Mr. Rich. The triangle currently houses the Busy Bee - Coastal Gas Station.

There was some applause for his idea.

Someone commented the town is like Disneyland without Mickey Mouse.

David Lamb said he loved the idea of the statue.

Mike Rich had another good TR project to share. "Next week with the help of Island Properties, the NYS Department of Motor Vehicles is creating a special vanity license plate featuring TR and Oyster Bay that will be available. The official notification will come from the Department of Motor Vehicles," he said.

It will feature a picture of TR on one side and say "Oyster Bay" on the other. "It will buy a lot of Oyster Bay-TR pride," he said. Mr. Rich said he asked for and got financial backing for the project from Island Properties.

Hazel Weiser said in the aftermath of the events that have been happening nationwide, it was very important for young people to have a sense of place, and was appreciative of the work of the MSA to improve the hamlet.

A question was asked of Abraham Poznanski, as president of Island Properties, about their plans for Commander Oil property. Mr. Poznanski said they can't just get rid of it, that it is an important business asset to the community and brings in oil for all of the community, but he said they have to see what they can do considering the current Town of Oyster Bay hamlet plan.

Charles Gaulkin asked about dredging at Commander and Mr. Poznanski said Commander Oil doesn't own the terminal so it is not an issue. "We have no intention of dredging," he said.

There was applause from the group.

Throughout the Doubleday Babcock Senior Center room there were sign-up sheets set out for people to add their names to in hopes of getting the Main Street Association plans out and running. If you are interested in joining the group please call 922-6982.

Those attending included Andrew Batten, Denise Woodin, Legislator Brian Muellers, Barbara Lipman of Cove Point Realty, Rotarian George Meyer, Oyster Bay Civic Association board member Charles Doering, Ginnie Rothschild, Eve Bernstein, Luz Torres, Mike Rich, Tom Reardon, Patsy Randolph, Barbara Hadel, Rev. Bruce Griffith and Lillian Soricello.

The MSA Board of Directors include: Jack Bernstein, Eric Best, Rich Cieciuch, Jerritt, David Lamb, Angela Koenig, Marie Knight, Christine Mills, Edward Mohlenhoff, George O'Neill, Abraham Poznanski, Bill Sheeline, John Specce and Peter Tilles.

You can reach Katie Schwab, MSA executive director at 922-6982.