Oyster Bay may borrow $6.8M to fix garage at LIRR station

The Oyster Bay Town Board on Tuesday approved borrowing $14.1 million for various purposes, and set an April 10 hearing to discuss borrowing $6.8 million to repair the parking garage at the Hicksville LIRR station.

Supervisor Joseph Saladino provided general information about how the town planned to spend the money, which would be raised by selling bonds, in response to a question from a member of the public.

The board-approved borrowing included $4.6 million for park improvements. Town spokeswoman Marta Kane said in an email that $2.5 million of that will be used at the former Liberty Industrial Finishing site in Farmingdale, where the town is expanding the Ellsworth W. Allen Park. Town officials have previously said the project will cost $9 million, not including sports lighting. The town has solicited bids for the first phase of the project.

The rest of the park funds include: $200,000 for playgrounds; $1 million to improve and repair a field or fields; $100,000 for “electrical expenses”; $300,000 for building construction; and $500,000 for “general improvements.” Town officials did not respond to a request for more specific information about those projects.

The approvals also included $6.1 million for road reconstruction.

“The public has asked for the roads to be repaved,” Saladino said at the meeting. “We hear that call and we are responding.”

The town hired Syosset-based LiRo Engineers Inc. to conduct an assessment of the condition of the town’s 707 miles of roadway. That assessment is expected to be completed in May or June.

Kane said in an email that the road projects will be determined after that assessment is completed.

Councilman Anthony Macagnone said Wednesday that the town shouldn’t borrow money for capital spending until the projects are all known and made public.

“I know they’re developing a road plan; why don’t we wait for that before borrowing money for this?” Macagnone said. “Before we receive these funds we should have a list of the projects and let the public have some input on it.”

The town expects to be reimbursed by New York State for about $1 million for certain road construction costs under the Consolidated Local Street and Highway Improvement Program.

The borrowing also included $3.4 million for sanitation equipment. Kane said $2.4 million would be used to purchase 10 garbage “packer” vehicles, and $940,000 would be used to buy four dump trucks.