Library closure meeting draws hundreds
Resident Thomas Scarpantonio asks a question at a meeting about the planned months-long closure of the Mastics-Moriches-Shirley library. (July 25, 2011) Credit: Joseph D. Sullivan
A contentious meeting about the planned months-long closure of the Mastics-Moriches-Shirley library was packed with hundreds of people Monday night.
Many demanded to know how the library board came to its decision to close the ailing facility for 16 months this fall for renovations, a move that would also lay off most of the 200 employees.
"The board was very sensitive that it wouldn't be right to ask you for any more money," said library director Kerri Rosalia to the at-times confrontational audience.
The cost of the estimated $5 million renovation will be paid from the library's $9 million operating budget, according to board president Joseph Maiorana. A temporary library will be set up in a yet-to-be-determined location.
Rosalia said other libraries such as the ones in Sag Harbor and Westhampton have relocated to temporary locations during renovations.
Shirley resident MaryAnn Bechhofer, whose daughter is going to lose her part-time job at the library, said the East End communities were a "different culture" than the blue-collar area that the MMS library serves, and many local patrons don't have cars to travel to the temporary library.
Others were upset they were left out of the decision process.
"You should have asked us for the money to fix the building," said Shirley resident Joe Martino.
"We don't want this library to close and we don't agree with your plan," said Susan McKeon-Steinman.
Another public meeting will likely be scheduled, Rosalia said.
'I'm going to try to avoid it' A trip to the emergency room in a Long Island hospital now averages nearly 4 hours, data shows. NewsdayTV's Virginia Huie reports.
'I'm going to try to avoid it' A trip to the emergency room in a Long Island hospital now averages nearly 4 hours, data shows. NewsdayTV's Virginia Huie reports.
