By Mike Caputo
Since the library unveiled its wishes to improve facilities and possibly move from its 280 Central Avenue location to Zion Park, PPL officials have yearned for a land title ownership in order to obtain additional funding from the state. To the displeasure of library board trustees and supporters, there is an additional catch to the voter's propositions. If a voter decides to cast a yes vote to transfer the property from District 15 to PPL, he or she must then decide whether or not the library would have to compensate the district if it were to eventually sell the property on its own.
Library trustees and supporters now plan to educate the public on the voting options. They have expressed hope that voters would allow the library to own the property without further financial burdens.
"We are counting on the people who recognize the fact that the library should be given the opportunity to determine the destiny of itself and its users and its patrons without any additoinal incumbrances," said Ron Goldman, president of the Community Action Committee to the Peninsula Public Library and of the newly formed Foundation for the Peninsula Public Library.
During last week's Lawrence District 15 Board of Education meeting, the board passed a resolution to establish the propositions and voting times.
Proposition 2B would legally obligate the library to compensate District 15 with $818,781 if it were to sell its current property. The library's expressed desire to move its building site - Zion Park being one of the possibilities - would warrant such a future sale.
District 15's inclusion of the compensation proposition 2B came to light as a result of an easement granted to the library upon the final sale of the Number One School in July. Over the years, library officials have approached the district on numerous occasions about the possibility of setting up an additional driveway on the west end of the building. Currently, there is only one driveway connecting Central Avenue to the parking lot in back of the facility.
At the Board meeting, president Murray Forman explained his logic behind setting the $818,781 as potential compensation for the easement that would have been included in the sale of the Number One School to New Central Realty LLC's condo development group headed by David Neuberg.
"This number was arrived at by virtue of a fairly specific computation," Forman said. "Consultation with our attorneys [determined] the amount of land that was actually encumbered to the easement and what can be translated into in terms of dollars and cents had that easement had not been granted and had the district conveyed that piece of property to Mr. Neuberg and his consortium as well."
Neuberg did not immediately return messages requesting comment.
Library officials have questioned the district's reasonings and computations behind the $818,781 figure. Even District 15 Trustee David Sussman made an inquiry to how the Board arrived at the number. He pointed out that a percentage could be more feasible for both sides rather than a monetary figure.
However, the resolution passed unanimously and District 15 voters have an opportunity to decide on Tuesday, Nov. 13 at the Peninsula Public Library between the hours of 7 a.m. and 9 p.m.
Goldman, who has strongly supported the library's cause, said he appreciates the hard work of the library board, but acknowledged that it is now up to the public to make the decision.
"This is an opportunity for the public to really back and support what is really a jewel of the community and that everybody acknowledges the fact that it is literally a diamond in the rough," Goldman said.
Comments about this story? Mcaputo@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 210.
Subhed: Special district meeting Nov. 13
A Special District Meeting of the qualified voters of the Lawrence Union Free School District will be held on Tuesday, November 13, 2007 from 7 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. at the Peninsula Public Library, 280 Central Avenue, Lawrence, New York
Personal registration is required in order to vote at Peninsula Public Library's election. Voter registration for the District is ongoing until Thursday, Nov. 8, 2007 from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays, at the office of the District Clerk, 195 Broadway, Lawrence, New York, and on Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2007 between the hours of 4 p.m. and 9 p.m.
The register of the qualified voters of said School District prepared for the Annual Meeting and Election held on May 15, 2007 shall be used by said Board of Registration as the basis for the preparation of the register for said Special District Meeting to be held on Nov. 13, 2007.
Any person whose name appears on such register or who shall have been previously registered for any Annual or Special District Meeting or election and who shall have voted at any annual or special meeting or any election held or conducted at any time since Jan. 1, 2002, will not be required to register personally for this Special District Meeting.
