Riverhead Library Vote on 4/17
The annual vote for the Riverhead Public Library will be held on April 17, (Tuesday) at the Library facility on Osborne Avenue. Total budget is for $2,499,133. Many improvements to the library are expected with an emphasis on teen facilities plus expansion of the wi fi signal to include the outdoor bench area. Many sections of the Library are being relocated for greater efficiency. It is only hoped that the improvements will include more and later book titles on the shelves as well as elimination of older titles, especially those in poor condition. Thumbs up for the projected improvements but results are essential if this entity expects automatic approval every year.


School Budget $6.4 Million Dollars Over Last Year
The budget for the Riverhead Central School District will hit a whopping $99,587,785 this time around. That is a 6.91 percent increase over last year. A home valued at $350,000 would see an increase of $208 in school taxes. In the event the budget fails (vote on May 15), a contingency budget will be adopted. This alternative budget reduces the proposed budget by about $3 million dollars.

Only two candidates will run for the school Board; Mary-Ellen Harkin and Chrissy Prete, both incumbents, running for the third and second time around respectively. No other candidates have submitted applications as of this writing.

Meanwhile at EPCAL
EPCAL must be getting hot. Jan Burman has come in with a new offer of $28 million for 300 acres. Beechwood had previously offered $28 million for 550 acres. Rechler is now offering $19 million for the same acreage and Soundview Associates is revising their offer for a large parcel.

Short Takes:
Gaffney resigns from IDA. He is full time President of Dowling.
Why hasn't Town published minutes of 3/6, 3/20 and 4/4 Town Board Meetings?
Do you get the feeling we are on a spending spree despite that $40 million dollar landfill in the wings?
Traffic Alert: They are finally paving the southbound portion of Rte 51 starting at the County Clerk building and ending at the Brookhaven line. Construction zone speed is 35 mph and South Hampton is giving out tickets on the narrowed highway.

Meetings:
Town Board, Tueday 4/17, 7:00 PM Town Hall
Planning, Thursday 5/3, 7:00 PM Town Hall