Pre-council:

Glen Cove Councilman Michael Zangari resigns

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A letter was read at Tuesday night’s pre-council meeting saying that City Councilman Michael Zangari was resigning from his position “effective immediately” as a result of a medical condition. Upon hearing the news, the tone in the conference room turned solemn.
In September, Zangari wrote to the Herald Gazette to inform readers that he had been diagnosed with cancer but wrote off the obstacle as “no different than other medical adversities” he had faced in his life. Zangari is disabled.
“It has truly been an honor to serve,” Zangari’s resignation letter read. “I must now dedicate 100 percent of my energy on my health and family.”
The letter stated that he has been undergoing treatment for the past few months for a rare type of cancer, but recent test results revealed that a “more aggressive treatment plan” would be required prior to surgery, resulting in an extended period of post-operative recovery.
Mayor Tim Tenke acknowledged Zangari’s tenure on the City Council and thanked him for his service. “I know there’s a battle ahead of him and I wish him all the best,” Tenke said.

Discussion quickly turned towards filling the vacant seat, but only for a moment. Councilman Joseph Capobianco suggested a proposed replacement for Zangari: Donna McNaughton, the chairwoman for Glen Cove’s Board of Zoning Appeals. He circulated copies of her résumé to city officials.
“I think we need to get a replacement as quickly as possible, and I’d like to put it on Tuesday’s agenda,” Capobianco said.
Tenke countered, “We’re not going to go into this tonight,” and recommended the council discuss potential candidates at the first pre-council meeting in December. “I also would like to possibly put some names up as well and give you an opportunity to look at some résumés,” he told council members.
According to the city charter, “If a vacancy shall occur in any elective office of the city, the mayor and City Council shall appoint a person to fill such vacancy until the next general election.”

City receives grant for wells
Lou Saulino, who heads the city’s Department of Public Works, attended the meeting to provide an update on Glen Cove’s wells. Earlier this year, three of the city’s six wells had been closed due to high concentrations of Freon 22, and another was closed for unrelated repairs. The mayor also noted that the Seaman Road well, which had been operational, had stopped producing the volume of water required by the county.
This week, the City of Glen Cove received a $3 million grant from New York State after requesting funds to complete construction at the Seaman Road well. The project is currently in the design phase with expected completion by early 2020.
“Seaman road will be built with an air stripper that will be able to handle any potential contamination that that well encounters,” Tenke said.
Over the summer the DPW performed work to rectify two wells on Duck Pond Road and reviewed old records to institute a game plan to replace the city’s entire water main system over a 10 to 20-year period. “Our biggest problem is the age of the system,” Saulino said.
He added that the department is considering a seventh well at the Coles School property, and that a “small study” is in place to determine its feasibility.