The seven villages that use the services of the Old Brookville Police Department are trying to attract the attention of their residents to the need to stop setting off false alarms. The villages are Old Brookville, Matinecock, Muttontown, Brookville, Upper Brookville, Mill Neck and Cove Neck. At the Monday, Nov. 8, Village of Muttontown trustees' meeting Mayor Richard Murcott said they were planning to raise the fees for false alarms with Local Law 4-2004.

The present system of fines allows the first false alarm to be free - there is no charge. The second false alarm costs $10, the third costs $20 and the fourth $40; the fifth and sixth cost $60; the seventh and eighth cost $80; the ninth and on are $100 each. The new law will allow two false alarms at no charge but the third alarm will cost $50 and the fourth and on will cost $100. "Most villages in the Old Brookville Police Department will adopt the new fining schedule. There are three alarms a day in our village and the other villages have a similar range," said the mayor.

A resident asked if it will work, or will it just mean a raise in fees and the board said they hope it will work.

Village Deputy Clerk/Treasurer Barbara Madden, who collects the false alarm fees, said some people have been fixing their alarms when fined. Trustee Richard Entel said the new system gives residents two opportunities to have their alarms fixed before they get a fine. "Yes, we think it will be a better deterrent than a $10 fine for which nothing happened," he said.

Mayor Murcott said some people thought it would take a $1,000 fine to get people to take notice. Trustee Laura Shapiro said there was no sense in raising it to a minimal amount. "I don't think $50 will work, it's not large enough to get people to fix the problem. If it's a mistake, it's one thing, but the problem is that the police have to go out each time the alarm goes off. Often it's a mistake but the police still have to go out."

Village Clerk/Treasurer Vivien Van Wagner added that all six villages want to increase their fines. Highway Commissioner Raz Tafuro added to the discussion saying that two cars have to respond to each alarm and then someone else in the villages lacks coverage.

The board voted unanimously to pass the new ordinance. It will go into effect on January 1, 2005, after it goes to Albany for approval as a new law. The mayor said they would inform residents of the increase in fines, possibly in December when a letter will be going out about the new assessment. The mayor said his new assessment is up 55 percent but added, "My taxes haven't gone up."

Trustee Ed Henn reported on a fatal accident that occurred on Oct. 26 at 4:51 p.m. on Route 25A. "It was late afternoon and the sun was shining into her windshield. She turned in front of a cement truck as she drove into the Calumet Horse Farm," he said.

The 2nd Precinct police report carried the information about the accident explaining that a cement truck was traveling eastbound on Route 25A at Linden Lane when a westbound 1995 Ford Mustang operated by 42-year-old Valerie Kelly made a left turn in front of the truck. Ms. Kelly, a Syosset resident, was taken to North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset where she was admitted in critical condition, reported Det. Fitzgerald of the 2nd Squad, but she didn't survive.

On Veterans Day, Nov. 11 there was a car accident on Route 106 in the area between Muttontown Road and the Muttontown Village Hall. The fence and sign post were knocked down in the accident. A woman was traveling with her two dogs, and in the accident one escaped. The woman was taken to the hospital with one dog and Highway Commissioner Raz Tafuro called residents to alert them to find the missing dog. "He was a Rottweiller and is friendly," he told people. Some posters were put up through community efforts and on Saturday the dog was found, said Mr. Tafuro.

Mr. Henn said the Old Brookville Police Department project to create a new headquarters building on the site of the DeMatteis Center is moving along. He said, "The six mayors recently met and discussed the new contract, it will not be for five years, but for 20 years. Usually police contracts are signed in five year periods but state law says that when financing is for a longer period contracts can be for 20 years as is the case with us going out for a bond issue."

The project involves only six of the villages that use the services of the OBPD. Cove Neck has a special agreement for police services. The village has only four streets.

Mr. Henn said, "The building committee have a proposal out for a construction manager. By January they should be ready to have plans developed for the new headquarters building."

Julianne Beckermann, a member of the planning board asked how the Kirby Hill Development will impact the headquarter's payment. Mayor Murcott indicated that it would not affect the payment since it is not completed.

Mayor Murcott said the bond issue cost will be divided between the six villages based on the January 2005 assessment. At that time they will determine the percentage each village is responsible for. Any further increase in the village assessment would go into the yearly budget payment for police services.

Trustee Richard Entel said there was nothing to report from the East Norwich Police Department. Highway Commissioner Raz Tafuro said he has finished working on patching streets in the Shady Meadows area in conjunction with the Town of Oyster Bay as per a 1967 agreement. Mr. Tafuro was concerned with the cost of cleanup for the village when landscapers leave sand and dirt on the roads. He said he had to hire a sweeper at a fee of $800 for the day to clean up sand left by a landscaper. He suggested landscapers be licensed.

Mr. Tafuro oversees the maintenance of the village roads and after they are repaired he sees landscape and construction trucks tear them up again. He said Circle Road was brand new but a landscaper's Bobcat has dug up the road already.

The board discussed the issues involved and Bob Ryder, code enforcement officer for Muttontown and Upper Brookville told the board that Upper Brookville is writing a new law to license landscapers. Mayor Murcott said they would look at it when it is passed. He said the proposed fee would be a nominal fee amount, adding that Old Westbury charges $150.

Mr. Henn said the ZBA had three applications to hear. William Floyd-Jones reported that the Planning Board had 10 cases to hear at their Oct. 30 meeting; seven were for existing issues, two were for new items and one is a re-hearing.

Trustee Laura Shapiro had nothing new to report from her Beautification Committee. She has been very busy during the summer between overseeing new signage in the village and beautifying several areas with landscaping.

Vivian Van Wagner told the board they need an administrative assistant for the clerk's office and will present the board with a job description at the December meeting.

Peter MacKinnon, village attorney said he is working on a new local law describing what is and what isn't an accessory building. He has also been meeting with three property owners to discuss the access road that is part of the St. Dominic project.

The next meeting of the Muttontown Board will take place on Monday, Dec. 13.