GC Basketball Responds

To the Editor:

This is the GC Basketball perspective of the Friday December 11, 2009 Garden City News “Decision Rendered in Team Scheduling Dispute”.

Do you believe 5-6-7 year olds should have a 4pm start time on Saturdays for basketball at St Paul’s? GC Basketball and its participants do not believe that 4pm is an appropriate or reasonable start time for a youth basketball program. The decision by the Village Recreation Commission is unprecedented. Indeed, since the creation of GC Basketball in 2006, the latest start time assigned to GC Basketball was 1:30pm. The afternoon start times since 2006 have been; 1:00pm, 1:30pm, 11:30am, and is now 4pm. I have reached out to dozens of youth organizations across the country. I have not found an organization providing youth basketball instruction to this age group of children assigned to a start this late on a Saturday.

On November 20, 2009, Judge Diamond issued an order to the Village respondents and the GCAA to show cause why (i) GC Basketball should not be issued a preliminary injunction, and (ii) Village respondents’ permit issued to GC Basketball on November 5, 2009 should not be vacated, annulled or modified. The GCAA was included in the lawsuit because the decision of the court could impact their permit and thus are a necessary party and are entitled to notice to voice their position in court. All respondents were ordered to answer and respond by December 1, 2009. Despite being ordered by the Court to answer GC Basketball’s petition, both the Village respondents and the GCAA failed to file an answer and therefore defaulted. However, at the discretion of the Judge, the Village respondents were permitted to file a late answer after the due date. The GCAA failed to properly respond and elected not to retain counsel.

Despite the characterization of Judge Diamond’s decision by the GC News and the GCAA, the decision covers only our application for a preliminary junction. Accordingly, the Article 78 proceeding, which is a lawsuit, is still pending in court. None of our claims have been dismissed by the Court.

Some of the “facts” in the GC News article need more color and require proper context.

GC Basketball did not challenge the amount of time assigned in the permit. We challenged the start time. We did not challenge that the GCAA is larger and receives more time. Our filing does present the alternating of mornings and afternoons as well as the safety of children as an issue. We believe that a START TIME of 4pm is too late for children 5-6-7 years old. When spring time 6pm weeknight softball/baseball events are mentioned, this is not the weekend. When it is pointed out that we provide a couple of optional special events (which has a small percentage of participation) on a weeknight, this is still NOT the weekend.

GC Basketball is often presented as the new kid on the block. I have been running youth basketball programs in our village for a decade. I ran the GCAA basketball program for six years and now GC Basketball for four years and counting. When I began with the GCAA program ten years ago there were under 200 children in the program. When I left (through the dedication of myself and many other volunteers) we added uniforms, adult referees, travel, and the program grew to almost 900 children. In March 2006 I left the GCAA (of course others may say I was asked to leave... an opportunity for another article showing how sports and politics work in our town). At the suggestion of my children GC Basketball was formed in May 2006. The articles and advertisements of that time, which were intended to attack the launch of our program, were “comical”. A rogue organization reaching out to your children... identify theft... theft of trade secrets... stolen non-existent databases... lots of silly stuff... a conflict not unlike the Palestinians and the Israeli’s. I have never claimed to be the only person that made the GCAA program better. When it is mis-represented that I am the only person that makes up GC Basketball, this is an insult to the efforts of dozens and dozens of volunteers that make our program what it is.

The GC News referenced the Village guidelines. The guidelines adopted by the Village in 2003 were done so because THE VILLAGE LOST A LAWSUIT (to a village resident requesting space for baseball) and were required by a Federal judge to provide space fairly based upon enrollment. Space was not fairly being allocated. Who was involved in this? The Village, some members of the Recreation Commission, and some members of the GCAA were. Moreover, the guideline allocation methodology doesn’t say contiguous blocks of time need to be used. Why were there numerous emails between the GCAA and the Village prior to even the 2008-2009 season on this topic? Why does the GCAA really believe an eight hour block is needed? What is the “inconvenience to the coaches to have a four hour break”? As with all other sports, the coaches aren’t there all day long. Coaches are coming and going depending on the ages of their children. Most residents leave the facility and come back even if there is a one hour break in between sessions.

The timeframe stated in the article of the GCAA season “December through early March” is also in dispute. The GCAA receives time in September through the end of March if not into April. If you have travel tryouts in September, practice starting in October, games November to March, and playoffs in April... that is your season. The Village rules state that permits longer than six months should be approved by the trustees. This is not being done.

Yes we believe the late start time hurts and could kill our program - a belief expressed even by the Village. However the use of the word “kill” comes from an email chain. The emails are between the GCAA, Village, and some members of the Recreation Commission discussing our requested noon start time and the GCAA’s desire for an eight hour contiguous block. “Sounds like a cage match”. “they... the GCAA... will never go for... that”. In considering whether the GCAA should be given contiguous time, there is an email from the recreation department to a recreation commission member stating “so we kill the other program?” Context and intent can always be debated. We are more than willing to print the entire chain and let you decide for yourself. We view these statements as either an objective to kill our program or at the very least acknowledging the assignment of a 4pm start time would be very bad for GC Basketball.

Yes, both the GCAA and GC Basketball provide programs in the same age groups. About 40 percent of our participants are 5-6-7 years old and we believe this has not yet been properly considered.

We appreciate the phone calls, emails, and personal words of encouragement that we continue to receive, as we have worked hard across the last eight months to represent the interests of our participants and are working to resolve this situation. GC Basketball is not-for-profit and is not being run as a business and although space is based on enrollment, we are not looking for market share. We volunteer to help give back to where we live, to be part of children learning and having fun.

Probably because enrollment is important and space of our village resources is precious, the number of participants in our program seems to be an issue for the GCAA. In a given year where we submit 345 participants (2008-2009 season) to the village to be used for our space allocation...we will later say “we have over 400 participants that season”... this gets represented as not being truthful... as “fuzzy”... well... we did... our enrollment continued and we had more than 400 participants in 2008-2009 with rosters that back it up. We don’t have a late fee. We don’t ask for nor get credit for these additional participants. The permit process is over for the season. We also don’t include the head count of the numerous children that attend our JrNBA events. We are more than willing to publish the names of well over 1000 children that have participated in our program since we began. I’m sure the GC News will simply acknowledge that the list was indeed received and not print this massive content.

Who didn’t want the now famous coin toss?

Who asked to alternate the start time where that is not done for any other sport in town?

Do we alternate boys lax and girls lax?

Did we alternate Centennial and GCAA soccer?

Who asked to have participants counted?

How much did counting kids on courts for an entire season cost?

Wasn’t counting wasting village resources and taxpayer monies?

What was the result of counting?

The courts were being used... I asked for pheromone detectors to be installed...our participants are happier... shouldn’t we get more space?

Who wrote emails in September/October 2008 planting the seeds of an eight hour block of time is needed for December 2009?

Who requested that rosters be “attested”?

Who asks you to proxy your votes away on their applications?

Do you know who the president of the GCAA is?

Who has a closed-not public annual meeting that isn’t published to vote on its officers?

As for attacks, I was threatened at St Paul’s in-front of a village employee by a board member of the GCAA. This was discussed with the Garden City Police and the Recreation Department is fully aware of this confrontation. This event has even been discussed in public at commission meetings. There are board members of the GCAA that represent they have never heard of such an event. Wake-up... the person in question is your immediate next door neighbor. They really didn’t know? Maybe they don’t really know what is going on after all. So much for zero tolerance.

We know of no other program where a SATURDAY game time of 4pm is used for 5-6-7 year olds. This season our program, because of the later time, has seen over 100 kids refund/drop out. The issue of our start time has been our focus in emails, recreation commission meetings, and in our petition (these materials are available along with other documents for those that would like some light reading). Was there real dialogue to resolve this? Not with the GCAA. We believe we did all we could to resolve this issue and filed this action as a last resort. Not a threat along the way. If people are worried about wasting taxpayer dollars, do a gut check... next time make an effort.

We consider the proposal we made in September and published in this paper a number of times as very fair and in the best interests of the Village. Some of the members of the Recreation Commission could not believe how good a proposal we provided. Of course no one has to accept any proposal. We have heard (via the Mayor) that the GCAA was concerned with how we would properly train 5-6-7 year olds entering their program (seriously?). In the GCAA board members letter to the court it was mentioned that GC Basketball wanted to associate itself with the GCAA. And the GCAA didn’t want to associate with our program. The last thing we have ever wanted to do is to be associated with the GCAA. People should separate the simple fact...we’ll run K-1-2 and an anti-drug & alcohol program for older boys and the GCAA could run everything else. If our proposal had been accepted and we released 300 hours of time to the GCAA, maybe their travel record could improve. Last year their travel program was about 125-166. How many teams were under .500 last season?

The efforts of the Recreation Commission volunteers is appreciated. The efforts of Kevin Ocker and the staff of the Recreation Department are also appreciated. We simply do not agree that 4pm is an appropriate start time. Hundreds of people don’t formally challenge a decision, our organization does representing them.

The only letter to the editor I recall writing in almost twenty years was one on the possibility of using St Paul’s as a recreation center. I have been basically silent on the basketball topic for years. There are many sides to a story. Good and bad in all organizations. I will not give up. I will continue to volunteer my time for the children of our village.

I anxiously await the campaign of mis-information and the pot that calls the kettle black.

John Skramko

President,

Garden City Basketball

No Wings Vs.

No Building

To the Editor:

The Saint Paul’s demolition is nearing and I see no action that will stop it.

About four years ago, I proposed an option for the Saint Paul’s main building to take down the east and west wings and try to save the entire facade that you see from Stewart Ave plus the chapel. This idea was first proposed by one of the early architectural experts the Village hired to review options for the building. It was proposed as a cost saving alternative since the Village was concerned about the estimated total cost of renovation. What most casual observers don’t understand about Saint Paul’s is that the renovation of the building requires completely new systems for the building-electrical, plumbing, heating, and also a new roof, new windows, new floors, new walls, new ceilings and significant brickwork. Since the wings comprise a very large part of the total building (approximately 50,000 sq ft-100 small rooms and 250 windows), by taking down both wings we substantially reduce all these costs. It also reduces the space for which no one has found an adequate use. In 2005, it was estimated to cost $1.5MM to remove the wings and replace the rear brick façade. (I have no idea if this is a accurate number.)

Demolition is near!!! The total demolition cost has been estimated to be about $8 million. This number includes the demolition of Ellis Hall, the small building east of the main building, estimated to be about $800,000. Your tax money will be paying for the demolition of Saint Paul’s.

Why not consider partial demolition of the main building and keeping our options open for the part of the building with historical value and potential Village use. This idea needs the support of the Save Saint Paul’s Committee, the Historical Society and a large percentage of the residents if it is to be considered an option. Let your Village Trustee know how you feel. Take no action and the building will be gone. It’s your choice!!!

The only option before the Village Board is complete demolition. Since this is the case, I envision a very swift Village Board process to finalize details for a complete demolition of Saint Paul’s and to pass a Bond resolution to pay for this project. This may or may not require a public to vote.

Jonathan Schwieger

Consider The Taxpayers

To The Editor:

I am writing this in response to Mr. James M. Kenny’s letter in the Garden City News dated Dec. 4th, 2009. Court actions taken by several families hold St. Paul sacred - over and over again. That legal cost to the Garden City property owners has been a small fortune over the years. Those legal court cases I know were not cheap by a long shot. Mr. Kenny writes about St. Paul and DNA. DNA is a human body genetic substance. Asbestos is a building structure’s fire protection substance. This statement will be explained in the next paragraph.

I did read in the Garden City paper that the Historical Society requested a visit to see the interior of “the St Paul Building”. The request was denied. Several reasons were given. One of which was “Asbestos” which is a key word for “EPA” & massive “$ signs”. Keeping this asbestos fact in mind, I will continue.

I will quote [Superintendent of Schools] Mr. Robert Feirsen’s statement published in a previous Garden City News letter, on a $35.5 million issue concerning the High School. After he described the condition of the high school roof; cracks in the high school foundation, new state laws that have to be met, bus problems, traffic problems etc. etc. He continued, “However... the economic environment provides an opportunity to realize the best return on the community’s investment by doing necessary repairs and renovations while interest rates are low along with many construction firms eager for the work”. Now this statement is admirable in part, mainly for the financial part, interest rates and construction firms.

My suggestion is a complete gutting of St. Paul. That would also be the removal of “asbestos”. May I add just a small note at this point? Asbestos removal would be necessary “no matter” which way this issue is resolved. Being an old building and assuming this fact, you do not have to be a rocket scientist to suspect asbestos does exist. The one big advantage or disadvantage is the tax burden on the homeowners. I am sure the property the high school sits on is worth much more then $35.5 million. Any additional monies needed for what I am suggesting would be substantially less then that amount.

We have been upgrading our schools. The last I heard was the high school needs or will need a major overhaul? If it has not been started already, sell the property the high school is located on now to a developer for housing. This would bring additional tax dollars to Garden City.

Completely gut St Paul’s and of course save what can be saved. Anything else can go to the Historical Society. Remake the interior of St. Paul into a more modern up to date High School. Even if an extension is required because of capacity needs. Even the now existing football field at the present high school can be re-located (as it exists now) on the south side of Stewart Ave. Yes where we just spent another small fortune on a few baseball diamonds. They can be relocated behind St. Paul on those forty-seven acres we bought years ago.

To further PREPLAN this idea, the cost of operating school buses can be cut substantially. By alternating the hours of the Intermediate School on the South side of Stewart and the newly resurrected St. Paul, High School on the North side of Stewart (school start and ending hours). Buses will terminate and start in the same area. I’ll even extend this idea further, a cross walk, across Stewart from the south side to the north side and then east and west would also be beneficial to traffic flow.

Financing for a project such as this would be paid for by the sale of the present high school property and it serves two purposes; it satisfies both antagonistic groups and solves the same problem. I’ll add to the benefit of the Garden City home owner.

If something like this is not done, then St. Paul has to go. Or we are going to have an ongoing situation that has gone on far too long a time and is costing the home owners more and more in tax dollars the longer it is extended. We have had enough of experts. It is about time the property owners were considered the experts. After all “ we” do pay the bills.

Mr. Michael A. Falabella

Where Is GCHS?

To The Editor:

The Long Island high schools ranked on the enclosed Top 100 Gold Medal list of America’s Best High Schools, as published by U.S. News & World Report, are: Rockville Centre (46); Jericho (49); Great Neck (61) and Cold Spring Harbor (85) - but our Garden City High School is not among them.

Several year ago, in an article that appeared in The Garden City News, the Garden City High School was touted as being the #1 ranked high school in the State of New York. So, what has happened since then?

No list can be ever relied upon to tell the whole story, but I am left with a disquieting and nagging feeling that perhaps I might not be obtaining a full return of value on the $15,000 of school property taxes and up each year to the Garden City School District.

John T. Harris

Smokescreen

To the Editor:

Our President, together with Congress, has put up the greatest smokescreen by offering our masses “A Universal Health Plan”. This plan has obscured the really true question:

Does the United States of America really want to turn itself in a European Welfare State?

The recession has already set us upon the socialist path; we have taken over the banks, insurance companies, auto manufacturers and put some others “out of business”. Our Government already owns an interest in a few and has now adopted a new slogan “Too Big To Fail” which in turn will grant them a permanent “TARP”. Thus, they will determine who survives and who will not. In reality the President of The United States fired the CEO of General Motors.

Has anyone objected to what is happening? They could not care less because the new generation (those expecting that the Govt. should take care of them throughout their entire life) believe it will get them some freebees and free healthcare. We know that nothing is free.

Remember the profound words of President John F, Kennedy: “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country”. We sure got that one backwards.

So here we are, expecting our Big Spending Government to fix the recession, straighten out and run the economy, and give us a Health Plan. Oh yes, they also want to change the Federal Reserve System. Since; they cannot handle fiscal policy, how could they handle monetary policy.

What does the future hold for us under the New Big Government American Socialism Movement? It will bring the United States down to the level of other socialistic nations, devalue our dollar (if we even keep it), increase our taxes to well over 50% and force us to decrease our Army, Navy and Air Force. Foreign investments will fade as investors will fear we will not be able to repay due to our huge debt deficit. We will be a nation in decline and we will not like it.

Is this the America you want for you children or grandchildren?

Let us reclaim the American Idea before it is too late.

Write you Senators and Congressmen or women now, tell them how you feel.

Frederick G. Garttner

Thank You

To the Editor:

On Saturday November 28th over 300 participants enjoyed some friendly competition, great weather and 70 pizzas. A combined effort from the Andy Foundation, GCAA and The Mens Association of Garden City made this a smashing success.

Many thanks to our sponsors Lane Office Furniture & Dirt T Walls, Donnelly Sustainable Energy Systems, The Kavan Family, Bob Hannan Agency, Sentinel Security, Vanasco Family, McGoldrick Family, Reilly Family, Ponzo Family, Alliance Plus Insurance, Eleni Andromidas/Paige Logan, Ferrara Brothers Building Materials Corp., Greg Burke & Family, Carney Security, Pat & Therese Gibbons, Capgen Financial, Adelphi Deli, Plum Tomatoes Pizzeria, Furman Family, Shelter Rock Insulation, Buser Family, John Ragnu, Garden City Deli, Mike & Tara Fargione & Family, Eltringham Family, Garden City Recreation Dept., John & Maureen Sullivan & Family, Garden City Volunteer Fire Dept., Jim Gorman & Family, Spencer Family, Mullins Family and Tony & Ruth Randi.

Many thanks to all the volunteers that made this event a tremendous:

Rosemarie Sglardi, Beth Spencer, Patty Scott, Judy Zerille, Maureen Sullivan, Suzanne Sullivan, Jenn Shmitt, Tara Fargione, Dorothy Montgomery, Eileen Buser, Patty Takash, Amy McGoldrick, Olivia Zimmer, Cailaigh McGoldrick, Cynthia George, Taylor George, T Ryan, Courtney Stapleford, Ryan Scott, Neil McGolrick, Liam McGoldrick, Frank McGoldrick, Tim Schmitt, Mike Fargione, Billy Spencer, Nick Zerille, Michael Travis, Bob Buser, Ryan Buser, James Buser, Alison Degroot, Dan Debold and Brian Debold.

This year we raised $12,927 which will be donated to The De La Salle School + $5,000 for the TMA.

Jill Palmieri

The Andy Foundation

Dan Donnelly

The Mens Association