Rockville Centre Letters to the Editor - 12/10/09

An opportune time for a worthy project

To the Editor:

The Board of Education has taken a brave step and proposed renovating the high school to the tune of almost $32 million. There are some people in the community who are questioning the wisdom of taking on this project at this time because of the poor current economic climate. We feel that this is not only a worthy project, but also an opportune time to take it on.

South Side High School is not falling apart; quite the contrary. It has been well maintained so that our students are in no imminent danger while attending school there every day. The problem is that the building is outdated — science classrooms are not up to current standards in size and equipment, and special ed rooms are inadequate to meet the requirements of the current state curriculum. Over the years, thrifty school boards have applied temporary fixes to other problems that have now reached the end of their useful lives. Portable classrooms that are not part of the main building are over 40 years old and need to be taken down because they are not large enough, they are moldy, and mostly because they aren’t part of the main building.

Since Columbine and 9/11 the world has changed, and South Side needs to change as well to secure our students’ safety. With the current configuration of the school and the inadequate size of the cafeteria, there is no way we can ever close the campus even if we decide we want to keep the students from driving around at lunchtime. An enhanced media research center will replace the current library, and yes, a turf field will replace the current overused grass one. That is why we support this bond.

Why now? Weren’t there drastic cuts made to the budget last year because money is so tight and the economy is so bad right now? The school budget voted on each year is what the schools use to pay their regular bills every month; when the economy is bad, just as in our own homes, we tighten our belts. That’s what happened last year — cuts were and still are necessary to keep the recurring expenses like heat, electricity and insurance at a manageable level. But just as we do in our homes, when a major renovation is necessary, we take out a loan to finance it. When times are tough, we can get lower bids to get the work done, and the cost of borrowing money to complete the job is also less.

The difference between this bond issue and a home loan is that for the bond, the payments won’t really begin for another four years, by which time the economy will have had a chance to recover. We wouldn’t take out a second home loan we couldn’t afford while we’re still paying the first, and neither would the school district. Now is the time that one of our older bonds is fully paid off, so we taxpayers won’t feel the increase of new debt.

For these reasons, we, the undersigned high school parents, urge all of you to vote “yes” on Dec. 17.

Mayda Kramer

Jeanette Meoli

Barbara Schoen

Nancy Howard

Dave Howard

Bond is the right move now

To the Editor:

Raising your kids in the same town you grew up in can be a wonderful thing. Watching your kids play baseball on the same fields that your brothers played on is great fun. Having your teenage sons work at the same deli their father worked at as a teenager is a joy.

Knowing your kids are walking out in the rain to go sit in the same smelly, moldy “temporary,” portable classrooms you sat in in 1978? Not so much.

On Dec. 17, Rockville Centre residents will go the polls to vote on a $31.8 million high school renovation project. The proposed renovations will correct many serious problems that the high school has, and has had for many years. Inadequate space, deteriorating facilities and the lack of security — the direct result of the use of the portable classrooms — make it essential to pass this bond.

In my opinion, the work done every year to try to maintain the facilities and fields at South Side High School has reached the point of throwing good money after bad. There have been many meetings at which the proposed renovation, and its cost to taxpayers, has been explained. I have been to most of them, and after careful consideration, I feel confident that this bond is the right move at the right time.

My son wants an X-Box 360 for Christmas to take back to his college dorm. I’m not sure he’ll get it. What I do know for sure is that for less than half the cost of that X-Box, I can pay for the bond that will ensure that his kids can go to a better, safer South Side High than he did. Please take the time on Dec. 17 to go out and support our kids and our community by voting to approve the bond.

Patricia L. Halley

Rockville Centre

New field has obvious benefits

To the Editor:

The school district plans to install an artificial-turf field as part of the bond it seeks to pass on Dec. 17. In the "School bond" item in School brief (Nov. 26-Dec. 2), it was reported that some residents living near the high school expressed concern that the turf field and lights “could encourage drug, alcohol and gang-related activities.” Yet the connection between a new playing field to be used mainly during the day and such behavior is not explained.

The new field is intended primarily to accommodate multiple practice sessions on a better playing surface for our high school girls’ and boys’ junior and varsity teams. An obvious benefit is that more students will be able to remain on campus for their daily practices rather than being bused to other locations. The school board has stated that it’s possible there may be one night football game played on the new field as well.

As for the lights, the board has already adopted a policy whereby they will be turned off at 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday and at 9 p.m. on Fridays. And the lights won't be used at all from November through March.

Wendy Spelfogel

Rockville Centre

It's time to stop spending

To the Editor:

I was reading the recent correspondence from the Rockville Centre Board of Education and I had a question. The December newsletter stated that a committee had been put together consisting of students, teachers, parents and the high school principal. I wonder why they didn’t include the architect and members from the construction company as well? With an unbiased group like that, it’s a wonder the bond issue isn’t for double the planned $32 million.

The December letter also stated that this increase in taxes will have “no impact” on the spring budget numbers. It’s good to know that the administration will be able to hit the residents of Rockville Centre again. I believe it’s time to send the same message to the board and the administration that was sent to Nassau County's politicians in November: People are sick and tired of tax increase after tax increase. It's time to stop spending and start cutting costs. A foreign concept, to be sure.

Brendan Cahalan

Rockville Centre

Residents stepped up to the plate

To the Editor:

I read with interest the story "Island Harvest works to keep food banks in supply" (Nov. 26-Dec. 2), about Island Harvest and how they have received far fewer donations this year. Well, last month Rockville Centre was hit by those cutbacks, but our residents and friends really stepped up to the plate to help local families in need.

The Tuesday before Thanksgiving, we were told by the officials at the Economic Opportunity Commission that staffers had gone to Island Harvest that day for 60 Thanksgiving turkeys, but had received only eight because of the cutbacks. Tuesday afternoon we contacted Tony Brunetta at the Recreation Center, who had organized the collection and distribution of more than 250 turkeys, but most of them had already been distributed or requested. Fewer than a dozen remained, but he promised to get more.

As Mr. B did his magic and he and his staff scrambled to get more turkeys, I sent out an e-mail to Rockville Centre friends on Tuesday evening, asking them to deliver turkeys to the EOC by early afternoon on Wednesday. The e-mail went viral: The Soccer Club, Lions Club, Youth Council and more groups all got the word out.