Mike Caputo
Library officials directed voters to the registration tables and, to their delight, PPL officials and their supporters were showered with best wishes and compliments. Many affirmed the significant nature of the special vote, which
may greatly impact the future of the library.
"I would never miss an important vote like this," one man told a library board member as he approached the voting booth.
When the unofficial results rolled in late Tuesday night, library officials and supporters truly earned double rewards for their recent efforts, including phone, mail, poster and other outreach campaigns to get out the vote.
The library's desired results came to fruition: Proposition 1 - the transfer of ownership of the land from the school district to the library's Board of Trustees - was overwhelmingly approved. In addition, Proposition 2A - the transfer of the property without any future payments to the district - also passed by a significant margin. All results remained unofficial until the Lawrence Board of Education meeting on Tuesday night, Nov. 20 - after press time - when the board was expected to authorize and approve the results of last week's library vote.
Now, with deed in hand, the library board has options to decide how to improve the aging facility, which has stood on Central Avenue for nearly 50 years. One reason the library board coveted ownership of the property was that the library would be eligible to receive funding from the New York State Dormitory Authority (DASNY).
Last year, the library presented a proposal to the Village of Lawrence that included a move to nearby Zion Park, which neighbors Village Hall and the Lawrence train station. Village and library officials have emphasized that the move would impact the parking lot, not the park's open space. However, such a move would require state funding, library officials have said.
According to the DASNY Web site, the agency "provides financing and construction services to public and private universities, not-for-profit healthcare facilities and other institutions which serve the public good."
Two days after the election, a DASNY representative spoke to the library board and introduced what the agency could offer the library and its community.
Because the vote results remained unofficial and the village has yet to commit to the Zion Park proposal, the library could not employ DASNY's services just yet, said Joan Lepelstat, co-president of the PPL board. It did, however, provide library trustees with potential visions of the future, she said.
"It was very useful and eye-opening," Lepelstat said of Thursday's presentation.
Upon hearing the results of the library vote, Lepelstat said the library board would begin to assess its options and come up with the most "cost-effective" solution to upgrading PPL's facilities.
If Proposition 2B was passed instead of 2A, the library would have been required to compensate the school district more than $800,000 if it were to sell the current property and move to a new one, like Zion Park. Such a cost would have prevented a move, library officials have said.
Flexibility for the library board may be important, but community support is what struck Lepelstat and other library officials the most. Ron Goldman, who acts as president of the Community Action Committee to the Peninsula Public Library and of the Foundation for the Peninsula Public Library, explained how the voter turnout and results revealed the public's positive view toward the library.
"The vote of the public just confirms what an asset and what a jewel the library is to the district and shows they recognize it as such," Goldman said. "This is just the beginning of a long road, but a very happily traveled road to, eventually, the construction of a new library that will serve every single resident of the village."
For an update on the Lawrence Board of Education's authorization of voting results and for the final tallies, visit the Herald's Web site at www.liherald.com.
Update
At the Tuesday, Nov. 20 regular meeting, the Lawrence school board passed a resolution to authorize the results of the library vote. Although 99 absentee ballots were not included in the final results announced by Board President Murray Forman, Proposition 1 and Proposition 2A both passed overwhelmingly.
*Vote results announced at Nov. 20 meeting*
Prop. 1
1252 Yes
91 No
Prop. 2A: 1,161
Prop. 2B: 103
*Resolution passed by Lawrence school board*
"RESOLUTION SHOWING TABULATION OF VOTES CAST AND DECLARATION OF THE RESULTS OF THE BALLOT AT THE SPECIAL DISTRICT MEETING, HELD IN THE PENINSULA PUBLIC LIBRARY 280 CENTRAL AVENUE, LAWRENCE, BY THE LAWRENCE UNION FREE SCHOOL DISTRICT OF THE TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD, NEW YORK ON TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2007.
WHEREAS, the Special District Meeting of the Lawrence Union Free School District of the Town of Hempstead, New York, was duly called to be held on November 13, 2007 and was held on said date in the designated location within the School District for the purpose of voting on the Propositions and Elections set forth in the notice calling said Special District Meeting:
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT:
RESOLVED by the Board of Education of the Lawrence Union Free School District of the Town of Hempstead, in the County of Nassau, New York as follows:
1. It is hereby determined that said election/meeting was held in all respects in the manner prescribed by the Education Law of the State of New York.
2. The respective statements of the Inspectors of Election have been announced to the Chairman and presented to the Board of Education of said School District and said Board has examined said statements and tabulated them as attached.
3. It is hereby further determined that Proposition No. 1 was approved by a majority of the votes cast thereon, and it is hereby declared to be approved.
4. It is hereby further determined that Proposition No. 2a was approved by a majority of the votes cast thereon, and it is hereby declared to be approved.
As evidence of the determinations herein above made pursuant to Section 2034 of the Education Law of the State of New York, as amended, this Board has caused this resolution to be signed by the members of this Board and does hereby adopt the propositions as approved by a majority of the votes. This resolution shall take effect immediately."
Comments about this story? MCaputo@liherald.com or 516-569-4000 ext. 210.
