Observer_1983-11-09; East Rockaway/Lynbrook Observer

              Official
Newspaper
INCORPORATED VILUGE
East Rockaway
SCHOOL DJSTRICT
INCORPORATED VILUGE
Lynbrook
SCHOOL DISTRICT
"THE GOOD NEIGHBOR NEWSPAPER "
m m i^oji^G^aii^djG'
• o y fork
H e w l e t t P oW
Since 1967 by Mailed Subscription
Executive Offices: Seiffert Building, 2787 Long Beach Road, Oceanside, NY 11572|
Post Office Box 91, East Rockaway, NY 11518 (516) 764-2500
"YOUR VOICE IN THE
COMMUNITY" USPS t65080
VOL. 31 NO. 52 WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 9,1983 25c PER COPY
Observer Readers Respond: ^
"VOTE NO ON BOND ISSUE f f
BEAUTIFYING THE VILLAGE. Mayor William P. Geler
and Jack Woessner of the Department of Public Works
check out a new tree planted on Webster Street. Over 85
trees were recently planted throughout the village as part of
Lynbrook's tree planting and beautification program. More
trees will be planted next year. (Photo by John Cribbin)
By an overwhelming
majority,, the residents of
East Rockaway oppose the
proposed bond referendum
which would tear down
Rhame and Centre Avenue
schools and construct two
new elementary schools at
the cost of over $10.4 mil-lion,
according to a survey
conducted by the Observer.
More than 150 people
responded to the ballots
published in the last two
issues of the Observer, and
expressed the near unanim-ous
opinion that the bond
issue should be defeated.
83% of those responding
favored the option of a less
costly renovation program
for the schools. Those in
opposition to both repla.ce-ment
and renovation consti-tuted
16% of the people
responding, while 2 people,
constituting 1% of those
responding, favored the
replacement plan.
The results of the Observer poll are as follows:
YES, I believe that the school district needs two new ele-mentary
schools.
The bond issue should be passed. 1.25%
NO, I do not believe that the district needs two new schools,
but I instead favor a less expensive plan to renovate our
schools. 83.13%
NO, I do not believe that the district needs two new schools
and 1 do not favor the renovation program either. 15.13%
The poll was conducted from October 26 until November 6.
Only those ballots that
were accompanied with a
name and address were
counted for the purposes of
tabulating the results. No
anonymous ballots were
counted.
Many who responded to
the poll added comments to
their ballots. "Thank you for
the opportunity to express
my views," read one. Most
of the respondents expressed
concernfor the conditionof
the schools, but seemed
unwilling to accept the $ 10.4
million pricetag fhat"
accompanies replacement.
One reader wrote, " I favor
only necessary renovation.
The proposed renovation
for the high school is extrav-agant.
An amphi-theatre in
the library is an unnecessary
luxury." One couple who
voted against the idea of
replacement but favored
renovation stated, "My hus-band
and I are retired and
living on a fixed income. We
cannot afford any more
taxes."
Some who responded to
the Observer poll agreed
with one who wrote, "Why
have these buildings been so
neglected? Each year the
taxpayers vote on a budget
that includes money for
maintenance and repair o?
facilities. What has this
money ffeen used for, if not
for the purpose (for which) it
was intended?" Another
posed the question, "What
must learn to do this on a
yearly basis."
There were no comments
on those ballots returned by
those favoring the bond
issue.
School Board Creates Committee to Pass Bond Issue Quick Stop of Diner Fire
The East Rockaway
Board of Education held a
publicity planning meeting
with a newly formed Joint
Advisory Committee con-sisting
of repesentatives of
PTA, the- Technical Advi-sory
Committee, interested
community residents and
students who wish to help
pass the upcoming Con-struction/
Renovation Bond
Issue.
Many of those present
asked the Board why they
chose to submit a proposal
which calls for constructing
two new buildings instead of
renovating the existing
structures which would be
an easier concept to sell to
the community.
Rose Marie Brande,
Board President, explained
"It will cost $6,000,000
spread over 15-20 years, to
renovate all three buildings.
This will cost the avprage
taxpayer $87.00 per year. To
build two new elementary
schools and renovate the
Junior/Senior High School
will cost $10,423,465.
Spread over thirty years
this will cost the average
taxpayer approximately
$121.00 per year.
The committee then pro-
'Ceeded to form subcommit-tees
to help disseminate
information to the commun-ity.
A speakers bureau was
suggested, and several
community groups, includ-ing
PTAs and Civic Associa-tions
have already requested
speakers. In addition, Kof-.
fee Klatches will be held.
Anybody who wants a
speaker for their organiza-tion
or wishes to join the
Joint Advisory Committee
ff
should contact Superin-tendent
of Schools Michael
Maiden at 599-4550.
Citizens Against the
Bond Issue" Formed
New Residents Night
The East Rockaway Vil-lage
Board sponsored its
annual "New Residents
Night" at the Village Hall on
Monday, November 7.
Approximately 60 new resi-dents
attended the meeting.
The new residents were
given an extensive overview
of the Village government
and its departments by
Mayor Theodore Reinhard.
Each member of the Board
introduced himself and gave
a brief presentation on the
committees with which they
are connected.
Each department head
was given the opportunity to
discuss the objectives of his
or her department, and
familiarize the new residents
with the existing policies of
the Village. Extensively dis-cussed
were sanitation
procedures, library facili-ties,
the Grist Mill, as well as
many cultural and athletic
organizations in which all
residents are urged to
participate.
Stating that action had to
be taken to combat the cam-paign
of lies and distortions
which the school board and
a d m i n i s t r a t i o n have
resorted to in order to pass
their "budget-busting bond
issue", a • group of East
Rockaway residents have
banded together to form the
' ' C o n c e r n e d C i t i z e ns
Against the Bond Issue."
The purpose of this
g r o u p , a c c o r d i n g to
members present, is to
"present both sides of the
bond issue question to the
voters. Left to the campaign
of distortion and scare tac-tics
which the Board of Edu-cation
has mounted in
recent weeks, the populace
will almost certainly pass
this fiscally irresponsible
measure."
The Concerned Citizens
Against the Bond Issue will
avail itself of the local
media, as well as mailings
and leaflets to get its mes-sage
to the taxpayers.
The Concerned Citizens
Against the Bond Issue
favor the defeat of tjie prop-osal
which wilk cause the
demolition, of the Centre
Avenue and Rhame Avenue
Schools at a cost of 10.4 mil-lion
dollars. Instead, they
favor the passage of a reno-vation
bond issue, at a cost
of $2.3 million which will
make the needed repairs at
Rhame and Centre Avenue
Schools. It was noted at the
meeting that New York
State will help finance a ren-ovation
bond issue by pick-ing
up nearly 47% of the
costs of renovation. It was
also noted that renovation
could be paid for by a long
term loan-extending over a
15-20 year period—thus
further lessening the tax bite
f o r East Rockaway
taxpaayers.
The goal of the Con-cerned
Citizens iS to impose
fiscal restraint on the School
Board and the School
Adniinistration while at the
same time providing the
children of East Rockaway
with a safe environment
conducive to learning.
On Friday, October 28, at
11.19 am, the Lynbrook Fire
Department responded to a
General Alarm fire at the
Lynbrook Diner on Sunrise
Highway.
Deputy Chief Robert
Gleason upon arrivig at the
scene found the fire alredy
blowing out the back kit-chen
window and through
the roof. Gleason imme-diately
broadcast a "signal
10" (working fire) to all
responding Lynbrook fire
units. Hook and Ladder
Company, whose firehouse
is just one block away, was
on the scene immedijftely,
followed by Hose Company
and Vulcan Company.
Hook and Ladder along
with the Lynbrook Police
Department helped to evac-uate
the building and also
laddered the building. Hose
Company dropped a hose
line at the hydrant at Forest
and Sunrise and proceeded
to the rear of the diner. Vul-can
Company took the
hydrant at Randall Avenue.
Hose, Company members
with the assistance of fire-men
from other arriving
units ran a line through the
rear door of the kitchen to
the fire. Vulan Company
provided a back-up line at
the door. With an aggressive
interior attack the fire was
extinguished within min-utes.
All units were released
(Continued on Page 14)
K a V
DINER FIRE* Members of the Lynbrook Fire Department
responded quickly extinguish the blaze at the Lynbrook
Diner. (Photo by John Cribbin)