Winthrop Parking Agreement Reached
By Stephanie Mariel Petrellese

Winthrop University Hospital will pay the Village of Garden City $12,500 to use 250 parking spaces in Parking Field 6E for one year for hospital employees.

The hospital requested the use of 250 spaces in the southerly portion of the parking field from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Friday for one year while their parking lots are repaired. According to Mayor Peter Bee, the parking field (located near St. James Street South, across from the post office behind 226 Seventh Street) is rarely used. The hospital will provide a shuttle bus for employees who park in the designated portion of the lot.

The non-for-profit hospital had originally requested use of the lot at no charge. They had been granted permission by the Board to use the same lot close to 10 years ago when they were working on their parking garage.

However, this time around, the issue was debated at both the April 7th and 17th meetings of the Garden City Board of Trustees. At last Thursday's Board meeting, Village Administrator Robert Schoelle, Jr. said he met with hospital representatives, who agreed to contribute $5,000 to the Village for use of the lot. Schoelle said he determined the figure by reviewing expenses associated with the lot, including maintenance and lighting.

In a 5 to 2 vote, with Second Deputy Mayor Thomas Lamberti abstaining, the Board moved to have Schoelle ask the hospital for $12,500. Trustee Donald Brudie asked for the amount, which he arrived at by charging $50 a space. Second Deputy Mayor Lamberti recused himself from the discussion and vote because a partner in his law firm represents Winthrop in labor matters.

The Garden City News learned the day after the meeting that Winthrop agreed to pay the Village the new amount.

Deputy Mayor John Mauk and Trustee Nicholas Episcopia believed $5,000 was not enough. "We are an organization that has our own difficulties lately and some of our own budgetary constraints, and I don't think that we should be just giving this without asking for more of a contribution for their ability to use our facilities and the wear and tear that we are going to suffer as a result," said Deputy Mayor Mauk.

Episcopia said that more should be charged to be fairer to Garden City residents, who are charged $75 a year to use the lot at the Garden City Long Island Rail Road station, and $5 a day to use the parking garage in Mineola.

Mayor Peter Bee and Trustee Robert Rothschild voted against the item. Mayor Peter Bee argued that the parking field has been designated by the Village for free public use and the Village would benefit by having all of the employee vehicles in one area. Roth-schild commented that the hospital came to the Village as a "good neighbor" and therefore should not be charged.