Library Employees Seek Civil Service Status
Shirley Dickheiser, a spokesman
for 26 out of 28 Farming-dale
Library employees asked
the Library Board on Tuesday to
recognize their membership in
the f ivil Service Employees Association
and designate theCSEA
as their bargaining agent.
Mrs. Dickheiser asked the
Board to consider action immediately
because of the present
conditions in the library and ' in
order to preserve the dignity of
our position and as our rights
and privileges of employees.'
The Library board then looked
over the architect's plans for the
building of a mezzanine at the
South Farmingdale Branch Library.
The estimated cost was
$ 38,000, which would come primarily
out of book fines and fees.
The Board also voted to restore
former library hours including
Sunday service, as a result
of the recent budget passage.
The board approved the 9 a. m.
to 9 p. m. weekday hours and also
passed a motion to extend the
Friday library hours to 9 a. m.
to 10. p. m. in order to accommodate
the late shoppers. The
library, which has been closed
on Saturdays will now be open
from 9 a. m. to 5p. m. The library
will be open on Sundays from 1
to 5 p. m. beginning October 15
when an open house will be held.
During the meeting library
trustee Carl E. Gorton constantly
asked Library Director Orrin
B. Dow to put pricetags on his
recommendations. Earlier in the
meeting, Gorton said he could not
approve the minutes of the last
meeting because of several inaccuracies.
He specifically alluded
to no mention of his motion
at the last meeting to discontinue
the library use of Brandon Films,
on the basis of the ' record of
that firm.' The minutes were
amended to that affect. It was
decided to set up an appointment
with the library board attorney
to review the minutes of that
meeting which were also taken on
a tape recorder.
Gorton also questioned why
Dow used a Midland 3 exchange
number for library use when the
areas numbers are CHapel 9 and
Myrtle 4. Dow explained to the
75 persons present that the Midland
3 number was a Suffolk
County exchange. He contended
that Suffolk County business telephone
users get a " rate break".
The payment of a one time line
charge enabled the library to
take advantage of a saving.
Dow explained that there was
a drop in circulation during July
due to the curtailed library hours
as well as the fact that the book
mobile was not in operation.
A heated discussion took place
on Dow's recommendation that
the salary of Mrs. Hortensia
Stoyan, Assistant Library Director
be raised from $ 11,000
to $ 12,000 a year. Gorton objected
pending a review of her
personnel records during an executive
session. Gorton's motion
to table the increase in salary was
not seconded. The motion was
passed. Dow's recommendation
to promote several pages to assistant
clerk's was also challenged
by Gorton who stated that
the 25% increase in salary was
out of line. He also called for a
discussion on this matter in executive
session. He then referred
to library employee Kenneth Uva
as a ' liar'. Uva's father then
tried to interrupt the Board meeting
by asking for a retraction
or proof of this statement. He
was informed that he was out of
order and would be given an
opportunity during the public par -
ticipation part of the meeting.
Gorton then again asked for an
executive session to discuss personnel.
This time Trustee Dr.
Albert Meyer stein seconded the
motion which passed by a 3- 1- 1
vote with Trustee Mrs. Khan
Musa abstaining.
A lengthy discussion followed
on the use of a husband and wife
who have been engaged by the
library for cleaning purposes
since December, 1964. It was
brought out that they are paid an
annual salary of $ 5,940 with
$ 1,300 in fringe benefits for a
total of $ 7,245. Dow recommended
to the Board that they
be retained. Gorton asked that the
motion be tabled to determine
the law pertaining to a firm which
handles other accounts getting
fringe benefits on an individual
basis. Dow said that the couple
were thinking of resigning.
Trustee Paul Tilford was then
called upon to make a statement
of thanks from the library
board to those that had helped
in the recent budget passage.
Gorton objected on the grounds
that he was not previously aware
of the statement.
The Board tabled the review of
the remedial reading project report
since the hour was getting
late and the report was a lengthy
one.
Referring to the previous
meetings minutes, Gorton asked
the library director whether he
had made a cost analysis of the
library's community room, to
which Dow replied that he had
not. Gorton then moved for the
library to post a schedule on
the library bulletin boards of
groups that use the meeting room.
The motion was not seconded.
Gorton made a motion to reinstate
a 40- hour week for library
employees from the present
35 hour week. He claimed
that employees now received a
total of 39 days off. Library
Board President, Robert Callahan
then asked if this meant a
decrease in wages? Gorton answered
in the affirmative. The
motion received no second.
Gorton then asked that the
board review the possible use of
a time clock for library employees.
Again, the motion received
no second.
During the public participation
period, the father of library employee
Kenneth Uva asked for a
retraction of Gorton's charge
against his son. Gorton said that
his statement was in the record
and that the statement would
only be retracted if the charges
were proven false.
Edward Werner of North Mas-sapequa
said that there was preferential
treatment given to
Friends of the Library. He stated
that he had requested books from
time to time and referred to a
specific book which the library
had not obtained because they
claimed it was ' out of print'.
Werner said that he picked up
a telephone and was able to obtain
the book in five minutes.
He charged that the library director
refused to buy a book,
" Hysteria 64," despite the fact
that there were many left wing
magazines in the library. He
asked why the USA magazine
and the New Guard magazine
were not on the library shelves.
Dow said that it was not up to
the standards of the library.
Gorton made a presentation
of the library, " Peddlers of
Fear", which had been given to
him by Alan Burke for the library.
Gorton said that he had
pasted in the back of the book
the California legislature report
on the John Birch Society,
which now contains both sides
Petito Seeks Night Meetings,
Advance Info On Zoning Changes
• The Oyster Bay Town Board
should be required to hold night
public hearings on any matter on
its calendar if 100 residents petition
for such a night hearing,
Oyster Bay Town Supervisor Michael
N. Petito said this week
as he introduced a resolution
before the Town Board on the
Matter.
In a second resolution, the Supervisor
asked the Board to require
that all applicants for Zoning
Changes, Special Use Permits
and requests for the Lifting
of Restrictions and Covenants,
spellout specifically on all
notices sent out to School Board
and residents within 300 feet of
such proposed changes, exactly
what the changes entail.
On his first resolution, Petito
said that many residents
who may be adversely affected
by a matter on the Board Calendar,
cannot now appear to voice
their opinions because they cannot
get to daytime hearings.
" I think that if 100 or more
residents want a hearing held
at night," Petito said, " and get
up a petition requesting a night
hearing, that Town Officials owe
it to the residents to hold such
a hearing so that all interested
parties can attend."
" I believe there are many
matters on which residents want
to be heard," he said, " but they
can't because they cannot get
away from daytime obligations."
On his second resolution, Petito
said he had often been deluged
by calls from Town residents
who had received general
notices of Zoning Change applications,
asking him just what
the applicants wanted to do with
the property.
" At the present moment," the
Supervisor said, " all an applicant
has to state on his notice
to School Boards and residents
living within 300 feet of such a
proposed change, is that he wants
a change from one Zoning Classification
to another. But he doesn't
have to say what is going
to be done on the property if
the change is granted."
" This is also true on a Special
Use Permit application and
on applications asking for the
lifting of restrictions and special
covenants," he added.
" If an applicant wants to put
up a glue factory on a piece of
property on which he is asking
for a Zone Change, he should
have to say so when he notifies
residents living within 300 feet
and affected School Boards," the
Supervisor said.
" If a man wants a Special
Use Permit to operate a Shooting
Gallery, he should be required
to tell affected persons
that in advance," Petito went
on. " And if an applicant wants
to cut down, parking space, for
example, ' otr an office building
site in order to enlarge the
building, people should know exactly
that in advance."
" I believe that until there is
a Master Plan in force in Oyster
Bay Town," Petito concluded,
" our residents deserve
every protection to prevent the
despoliation of their Town. These
two resolutions will help preserve
the Suburban nature of
Oyster Bay Town."
Mc Partlin Pledges Full Time
To T0B Post If Elected
Joseph P. McPartlin, aMassa-pequa
School teacher and Democratic
Candidate for Town Councilman,
this week pledged to be
a full time councilman and to
devote his entire energies to the
problems of the township of Oyster
Bay.'
McPartlin pointed out that all
of the present councilmen have
outside interests which severely
distract from their efficiency in
meeting the problems of the
people of Oyster Baby. He stated
he would resign as a teacher in
the Massapequa School District
if elected, in order to give this
position the time that is obviously
needed.
McPartlin said " that with the
recreation vacuum existing in
Plainedge and the pollution of
the Great South Bay and many
other Town problems, it is obvious
that full time councilmen
are needed.
of the issue. Dow said that he
wondered when Gorton would give
the library the book since he had
received it some time ago and
that the pasting in of another
writing could constitute a violation
of copy right law so that
it would not be placed in this
manner on the library shelves.
A Dr. Abramowitz spoke in
behalf of the library board majority
and the library director.
He said that it was proper business
and educational procedure
to have staff members attend
conferences. He referred to an
earlier recommendation by the
library director that three staff
members should attend a library
conference in Rochester at an
estimated cost of $ 150 per person.
Gorton had contended that
two staff members should be
sufficient. Abramowitz also
spoke in behalf of library employee
Kenneth Uva that it was
unfair for Gorton to publicly
charge without bringing out the
facts. There were several attempts
to shout him down, but
at the end he received a round
of applause.
A Walter Kooker concluded
the public participation portion
of the meeting by urging the library
board to get down to business
and to cease the personality
clashes.
Complain Roaches
All Over Place
Supervisor Sol Wacntler, the
Republican candidate for County
Executive raked the Nassau Welfare
Department for " the incredible
situation" at 89 Baltimore
Avenue in Massapequa.
The house, which is owned by
the welfare department, has been
empty since May. According to
Wachtler who made a first- hand
inspection there oh Saturday,
" There are roaches all ovett the
place, old clothing and children's
toys are strewn about, the refrigerator
is full of rancid food.
The place is a health hazard.
Yet repeated pleas to the welfare
department by neighbors
have been ignored."
The charge was first voiced
at a Board of Supervisors meeting
when Oyster Bay Councilman An-gelo
Roncallo reported the condition
of the house. Roncallo had
asked County Executive Eugene
Nickerson to do something about
it. '' We don't want another
slum in Massapequa''.
Christian W. Diehl at 87 Baltimore
Avenue, Massapequa
asked for action since he lived
next door.
Nickerson thanked the local
residents for bringing it to his
attention.
That day an exterminator had
been engaged by the County to
remedy the situation.
Slate Boating Course
The United States Coast Guard
Auxiliary, Flotilla 13- 2 of
Massapequa, will conduct a ten
lesson course in Basic Seamanship
at Berner High School
beginning Wednesday, September
20.
Water Pollution Control Plant To Service This Area
Architects under contract to
Nassau County have designed a
water pollution control plant to
be built at Wantagh. A 200 acre
recreational park and wetlands
area will surround the plant complex.
The plant will serve the 550,000
residents of Disposal District # 3
which extends from Meadowbrook
Parkway to the Suffolk line and
from the bay to Syosset. Initial
capacity will be 45,000,000 gallons
per day. Construction is expected
to start in September,
1968, with completion scheduled
for January, 1971 at a cost of
$ 23,000,000.
State and Federal aid will pay
for most of the cost of the $ 93
million project.
Free Economics Course To Be Given At Library
The Henry George School from
its headquarters in New York
City has been giving classes in
Economics at selected locations
on Long Island. A free course
in Fundamental Economics will
be held at the Massapequa Public
Library, located at 40 Harbor
Farmingdale OBSERVER Thursday, September 14, 1967
Lane, beginning September 27
at 8: 30 p. m. The course will
run for ten weeks.
Further information may be
obtained by contacting Stan
Hubenstein, Director at 938-
0564.
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