Reactions among school district and municipal officials has gone from frustration to elation over state grants apparently lost late last year and now recovered thanks to the efforts of Sen. Jack Martins (R-Mineola).
Martins succeeded in getting $4.7 million in state grants throughout the 7th state Senate District restored near the end of the recently concluded state legislative session.
The restored grants were part of an estimated $10 million in grants rescinded by the Democratic-led state Senate after Martins was declared the winner in his race against incumbent Democrat Craig Johnson, who pledged the grants to school districts, municipalities and fire departments.
“It’s wonderful. Anytime that money promised comes back, it’s always a good thing,” said Christine Napolitano, vice president of the Mineola Board of Education.
Among the grants restored is one for $150,000 for renovations to science labs in the Mineola High School and Middle School. The renovations to the high school labs will accommodate the migration of eighth graders to the high school next fall. The projects have been started but not yet completed.
It’s part of the school consolidation plan being implemented by the school board under the direction of Mineola Superintendent of School Michael Nagler, who cautiously expressed his satisfaction with the news of the money the school district will receive.
He said if a report in the Williston Times about the restoration of the grants proved to be true, “We are thrilled to have the monies restored for the children of the district.”
The Great Neck School District had a grant of $100,000 restored to retrofit a lecture hall in Great Neck North High School with new seats for $58,000, with the remainder of the money earmarked for renovation of a computer lab in the John F. Kennedy School.
Thomas Dolan, superintendent of schools for the Great Neck School District, praised Martins for his work in gaining a recommitment to the grants.
“Once again, we appreciate Sen. Martins’ effort to preserve funding that we’ve been promised and we know that it will be put to excellent use,” Dolan said.
The Village of New Hyde Park had a $100,000 grant restored for the renovation of the Marcus Gill Theatre and Youth Centre, the theatre that recently reopened on the second floor of the New Hyde Park Village Hall.
“That’s unbelievably great news. That’s a home run for us,” said New Hyde Park Trustee Donald Barbieri, who oversaw the project with former New Hyde Park Village Clerk and Treasurer Pat Farrell.
Some officials remained skeptical in the wake of having the grants pulled late last year.
“Until I see the check in our hands, we’re heard this before,” Patricia Rudd, New Hyde Park-Garden City Park Board of Education member said. “But I’m optimistic,” she added.
The list of restored grants provided by Martins’ office also included a $150,000 grant to be restored to the New Hyde Park-Garden City Park School District for various renovations at the district’s four school districts.
Martins has been working on compiling information on the grants with the objective of restoring them since he took his Senate seat in January.
He said he is hopeful of restoring more the grants in the next legislative session.
“They were restored as a result of the our efforts to express to our colleagues that these monies were committed,” Martins said.
