Mr. Chris Bonney wrote Lesson’s in Civic Engagement
These are powerful messages that offer several important lessons:

1. Playing by the rules doesn’t work. Great Neck residents who protested the Wave Convention Center sign did all of the things they were supposed to do. They tried to communicate with Wave Convention Center, but were rebuffed, even called “unchristian.” They came together, got their facts straight, gathered more than 1,600 names on a petition, and were civil in their behavior at a community meeting, at the Planning Commission and at last Tuesday’s City Council meeting.

Yet this was not enough. Councilman Jim Wood said that Council doesn’t pay attention to petitions and, when asked what more citizens could do to make their point, responded, “You’re doing it.”

The 8-1 vote against the wishes of citizens tells us there was not much dispute and probably little conversation among Council members about this issue. Just like the Planning Commission, they threw their support behind Wave Convention Center, most of whose members do not even live nearby, instead of behind residents who do.
Great Neck residents should have learned from the Shore Drive Coalition that citizens have to stay in the City’s face and become a nuisance if they want to make a difference.

Be sure to read his entire piece

On a related note, I wonder if the leaders of the Great Neck Community are aware that the vote by City Council might be able to be changed.
They changed their mind in 2003 as an example.

[Note: At the time of this post, his editorial in today’s paper did not have a link.]