Michaelle C. Solages – 1/13/2025
- The working group met with with NYS Assemblywoman Michaelle Solages on January 13, 2025 at 2 PM
- In attendance: Mary Anne Grey, Katherine Tarascio, Adrienne McKenna, Nancy Youngfert, Darren Boerkel, and Bill Youngfert.
- Unfortunately the NYS Assemblywoman Michaelle Solages was up in Albany this week but her Legislative Aide Grace Amoafo wanted to meet with us and will pass along her notes to the Assemblywoman.
- We described for Grace all the recent discussions that the Franklin Forward Committee had with over 250 residents at our Oct. 17 meeting at the Plattduetsche Park Restaurant and about the plan to revitalize Franklin Square by reopening the FS Theatre.
- We also described our plan for an Architectural Historic District since we have some many landmarked buildings already in our town.
- We showed Grace the large boards identifying all the historic buildings in Franklin Square many of them have been landmarked already.
- Darren shared information on what he has been doing in regards to the theatre and is sending Grace by e-mail images of our large map on the boards to share with the Assemblywoman.
- We summarized our prior visits to elected officials Ed Ra, John Guiffre and Patricia Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick and how they were supportive of the plan.
- We mentioned our scheduled appointment with Town of Hempstead Supervisor Clavin and Councilman Muscarella on Friday – Jan 24th at 10 am.
- Grace advised that the problems we are experiencing in our unincorporated village are very similar to the same problems Elmont is also experiencing.
- She will share the contact info for some folks working on similar ideas in Elmont and we will try to meet with them to share our perspectives with them, along with inviting them to our upcoming Feb. 13 meeting at Plattduetsche at 7 PM.
- Grace also mentioned that the Town of Hempstead has Quality of Life Task Force and gave me a contact mi*****@*********ny.gov
- Bill will try to make contact with the contact for the TOH Quality of Life Task Force
- We asked about any state grants that could assist us in purchasing the theatre.
- Grace advised that the main type of state grants they have access to are the reimbursable grants (where the organization pays expenses up front and then the grant reimburses the organization)
- We also discussed the bill proposed by Brian Curran years ago that was co-sponsored by others but not passed into law – the bill would deny the ability for property owners who do not rent their building after three years, to deduct their losses from their income taxes.
- We expressed these concerns that due to the fact that we have so many absentee landlords that have vacant store fronts, many of whom do not maintain the property/storefronts, and do not keep it free from litter
- Bill will check with Curran’s office to see if there is any chance of getting this bill introduced and passed this year.