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Post by Go Plainedge! on Oct 6, 2007 20:21:43 GMT -5
OK...Lets cut right to it....no used car salesmen lines.
Please post why you believe this to be a good deal or a bad deal.
What made you come to that decision? If you are on the "fence", tell us why. People say they're for it or against it, but never really tell what influenced their decision. Nows the time to tell.
I'll even start.....
At first glance, I liked this deal. Now I am on the fence because of two reasons....I don't believe (and this will require some more research on my part) that the money exchanged is fair market value and I don't know what shape Picken is in. Additionally, I am a bit gun-shy to rely on the information given by the BOE and administration. It's been skewed in the past.
Who's next?
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Post by 78ptownpower on Oct 6, 2007 20:42:43 GMT -5
Here's the deal... Packard can hold up to 42 subdivisions, Picken can hold 27. The appraisal is for $350,000 per subdivision. The simple math says the difference is 15 subdivisions multiplied by $350,000 = $5,250,000 So I ask how did they arrive at the $1.5 million number? That's alot of money we'd be throwing away instead of it going toward the kids.
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Post by 1plainedge on Oct 6, 2007 22:06:41 GMT -5
The value set by plot size is fine but we all know we can never ever build another house in this community on what is school property. The past administrations and community should have held onto the properties that were sold in the past and we wouldn't be needing a park or a new PMS.
Like it or not there is a VALUE to building and maintaining a park. We could hope for more than what has been offered but ultimately will have to chose.
I vote for having a park which will last forever, am dead set against any housing development which will give me a $50 one year tax break and then put more stress on our existing schools, and have always been open to another use for the building BUT HAVE NEVER HEARD OF A LONGTERM VIABLE SOLUTION.
Make the deal now so my kids can use the park in a few years and not just me utilizing the senior center
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Post by 78ptownpower on Oct 7, 2007 7:15:05 GMT -5
Nobody wants houses to be built there. I certainly don't. But, for the use of determining the dollar value of the properties that was the method that was chosen. Again, as someone who lived through the debacles of Southedge, Picken and Baldwin Dr. school we want to make sure we get market value for the property. That's more money for the kids.
My view is I want the swap, I want market value for the property. The town needs to come up with another 3.8 million to make it right. Reopen the negotiations and get it done right. I'm not in the habbit of throwing 3.8 Million dollars away that can pay for many programs for the kids or to pay down some of the debt such as the eastplain expansion.
Let me put this another way..... I'll buy your house for $150,000. Yes, I know your house is worth $600,000 but that doesn't matter because I'll also give you a house worth $200,000. I'll build myself a nice new home + a playground that the entire town can use but the entire town will have to pay me to tear down the house and to build the playground. Then the entire town can pay me for the upkeep. This is esentially what the deal with the town is.
I'm just voicing my opinion and my concerns. Trust me, nobody wants to see the Packard building demolished and that park put in more than I do. But we shouldn't be giving land away neither. Land is the scarecest(sp?) resource on Long Island, especially in Nassau County. As such, it is at a premium and we're looking to give it away. Shame on us.
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Post by honebee on Oct 8, 2007 7:12:06 GMT -5
Maybe you should all look at it this way. If we don't go ahead with TOB taking Packard for 1.5 mil plus the Picken swap, we will continue to pay taxes on the property and land that we can't use. TOB is not going to pay us 5 mil. If they did, which they won't, we will be paying for that one in our town taxes anyway. We will be holding onto a dead horse, as we have all these years, to no one's benefit. If we do the swap, we may have some money to offset next years taxes, a beautiful park and fields for your kids and the Picken school available in case of more needed room. Don't cut off your noses to spite your faces. Packard will just languish if TOB doesn't take it and we will still be holding the bag in taxes, repairs, etc., that is unless we sell the property to another developer, who will make more homes which will make more traffic, cars, craziness, do we want more of that? This neighborhood is congested enough with very little Green Space.
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Post by 78ptownpower on Oct 8, 2007 7:28:32 GMT -5
The town will only be paying us $100,000 per lot. Where can you by a piece of land on LI for $100,000? They know they're screwing us. They want that land and will pay for it. We just need to ask for it. Heck, insist on it. I not looking for the town to give us more then it's worth. I want them to give us what it's worth. They're banking on us being naive. I know we're not. Add the 3.5M and it's a done deal.
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Post by plaintalker on Oct 8, 2007 8:06:21 GMT -5
Hi Honebee, good post. Just a few points you made that were not accurate. The money we are paid, right now it is offered 1.5 million, will not offset taxes next year. That money will go into a Capital Fund that will be used over the next few years to make much needed improvements called capital projects for our buildings. The money will not offset taxes next year but will eventually have an effect on our taxes when they do the capital improvements over the years which we would have to pay from the budget eventually. The second thing is that I believe we do not pay taxes on the Packard Property because we are exempt. ANy Board mebers want to verify this for us. Thanks, keep the good dialougue coming, there's some good points here.
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Post by Go Plainedge! on Oct 11, 2007 7:23:13 GMT -5
So far we've heard about property value and what we gain on the Packard property. Both good points.
However, can anyone answer with comlpete and acurate factual knowledge that you know what we're getting in Picken (besides a building a some property)?
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Post by techie on Oct 11, 2007 9:25:24 GMT -5
GO,
I don't know the answer to your question but, I know from seeing them that a lot of the rooms have been changed. Some of the old classrooms have been made into small offices and others have had walls taken down to make large sprawling rooms. With these changes came all the changes in lighting and electric service. To make these rooms usable as classrooms again will cost WHO? Are we in the School District going to cover the conversion costs, or are we as the Town going to? Its not as simple as throwing up a couple of walls. And for our kids safety everything will have to be brought up to current code.
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dborg
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Post by dborg on Oct 11, 2007 10:01:55 GMT -5
but Techie, if we needed to build a new school or add on to an existing structure who would be footing that bill? the same would apply whether we acquire pickens or not...pickens was appraised for $6.1MM, we get $120K from the town annually for 3 years or longer depending on how long the construction takes at the packard site. How much would you venture to guess it would take to bring Packard back up to code after years of neglect and rot?
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Post by techie on Oct 11, 2007 10:46:32 GMT -5
DBORG,
I'm not saying to squash the deal. Its just that there are a lot of things to be considered in what condition and value Picken has. Its not just a building for a building and a little cash deal. We will have to change the things that the Town has changed at Picken. They changed it. Should those costs be included in the deal also? With the added traffic in that area over the years, is it still a good location for a school? Just wondering.
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dborg
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Post by dborg on Oct 11, 2007 11:27:28 GMT -5
I agree, its not just a building for building exchange...we are getting a beautiful park with amazing fields that both our school teams and town teams can utilize, plus additional money, plus an annual rental for at least 3 years. From what i've heard the Dec vote has been postponed so they will have more time to provide information to other questions.
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Post by Go Plainedge! on Oct 11, 2007 12:02:57 GMT -5
I agree, its not just a building for building exchange...we are getting a beautiful park with amazing fields that both our school teams and town teams can utilize, plus additional money, plus an annual rental for at least 3 years. From what i've heard the Dec vote has been postponed so they will have more time to provide information to other questions. You're usually "in the know". Why was it postposed?
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dborg
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Post by dborg on Oct 11, 2007 15:07:25 GMT -5
that i don't know but there is another BOE meeting that I would encourage all those interested attend tonight at 8:00. The trade will be a topic of discussion.
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Post by devilsrus on Oct 11, 2007 18:45:05 GMT -5
i apologize for my absence...that being said my only question is this: in all this time has there been one better deal or offer? Has one person knocking the deal brought a better deal or offer to the table? If not now then when? If not the town then who?...sorry thats more than one question but there is a distinct air of naysaying on the part of a few with no other viable solution being offered. The deal should and hopefully will proceed; if it doesnt how long will the district (us) be saddled with a crumbling building that will soon (?) be an eyesore and an ever increasing liablility?
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