I am astounded that the School Board for Great Neck could even try to convince itself and or the community that they followed due process and have continued a dialogue about the parking lot even though it’s already been answered.
At the start of the year, the neighbors learned of a 97-car parking lot developed on a beautiful soccer field for high school seniors who must park.
Since that time we have attended Board of Education meetings to address our concerns and try to convey our concerns for the safety, water flooding and environment this parking lot will bring on us and not one issue has been answered.
We are allowed to speak at the BOE meetings but not once have we been answered any of our questions and often eye contact is not made.
The only thing stated is “it’s already decided.”
We have FOILed the meetings to see when this was decided and how it was conceived. There are no records of it, only that it’s a parent wish list.
Once Dr. Pendergast convened a meeting inviting only 26 members, we have over 500 signatures or area residents.
The meeting heard our concerns and told us “it’s already decided.”
We were told basically that when we voted for the bond to better the education and the environment for all of our students in Great Neck we approved a parking lot.
We voted for air conditioners in classrooms not to congest our quiet beautiful street with 100 additional cars.
We asked for a traffic study for safety the BOE approved it and implemented it on a day students after AP exams and seniors were excused from class and attendance was lower. This traffic study is a farce and the community paid $8,700 for.
I wish they scratched the study so we could have used the money on security.
I observe the detail the school system and board takes to address so many issues carefully and I am amazed they took no interest in thinking this parking lot through.
Safety, water drainage, the SEQRA study none of this were addressed. The traffic and congestion in the neighborhood.
All this could be circumvented by seniors using Parkwood parking lot 1 block away with no expenditure or safety concerns .
This is a great idea for all those who don’t have to live with it or pay the price of it- we do and we demand change .
Ruth Gabay
Great Neck
