Mineola residents oppose school lease plan
Cross Street School in Williston Park. (March 21, 2011) Credit: Howard Schnapp
Nearly 200 people opposed to the Mineola School District's plan to lease Cross Street School to Solomon Schechter Day School came to Village Hall in Williston Park last night to voice concerns over busing, traffic and use of the school's athletic fields.
Mineola has already announced plans to close Cross Street and Willis Avenue schools because of declining enrollment.
The lease plan has caused a great deal of controversy in the school community because it will leave residents with limited use of the fields.
At the meeting, which at times was contentious, Williston Park Trustee Kevin Rynne said "it would hurt a lot" for residents not to have access to the fields.
Other residents complained children living near the school will have no place to play.
John L. O'Kelly, of East Williston, said the plan will choke the surrounding streets with traffic and severely restrict the public's access to the school's playground.
O'Kelly said his 10-year-old son, Sean, who attends neighboring St. Aidan School, will no longer be able to use the school's athletic fields to play soccer.
"We're going to lose one of the few green spaces available to residents of Williston Park with virtually no gain for the taxpayers," he said.
"My son and all the other affected children in our area are going to be standing outside on the sidewalk watching other children -- with no connection to the community -- playing on the fields of their childhood."
District Superintendent Michael P. Nagler said the lease is not final, but it is essentially "a done deal," with both schools moving forward on the plan.
Williston Park resident Kevin Kiley said he found it audacious that the superintendent would come to the meeting and answer questions when the deal has essentially been completed.
Kiley asked the superintendent how he could agree to a lease without first knowing how it will impact traffic.
Nagler said he is currently in discussions with a traffic safety expert. In an earlier blog post on the district's website, Nagler said the revenue generated from the lease "absolutely helps our programs," at the same time helping to offset cuts to state aid.
'No one wants to pay more taxes than they need to' Nearly 20,000 Long Islanders work in town and city government. A Newsday investigation found a growing number of them are making more than $200,000 a year. NewsdayTV's Andrew Ehinger reports.
'No one wants to pay more taxes than they need to' Nearly 20,000 Long Islanders work in town and city government. A Newsday investigation found a growing number of them are making more than $200,000 a year. NewsdayTV's Andrew Ehinger reports.
