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Friday, December 29, 2017
Vol. 77, No. 52
Comptroller calls Water District “mismanaged”
SENIORS CELEBRATE SEASON
BY GARY SIMEONE
Oyster Bay Town Supervisor Joseph Saladino (second from left), Town Councilman Louis B. Imbroto (left),ww and Town Community and Youth Services Deputy Commissioner Patricia Beckerle (third from left) recently joined with the Cusumanos (second from right) and the O’Briens, who came together for a wonderful party and to celebrate the holiday season at the Town of Oyster Bay’s Senior Citizen Holiday Party held at the Crest Hollow Country Club. The Town offers a wide variety of social and recreational programs for seniors. To learn more about the Town’s senior services please call the Senior Citizen Services Division at (516) 797-7916 or visit www.oysterbaytown. com.
In a financial audit released last week, Nassau County Comptroller George Maragos railed against the Plainview Water District, calling the district a “case study in mismanagement.” The audit focused on the district’s exorbitant rate increases over the past year, budget practices and nepotism policies. “We found a pervasive lack of control within the water district and nepotism where 60% of the people who worked there were related to the superintendent or water commissioners in some way,” said Maragos, in a phone interview. He added that the district showed expenses on the audit report without any kind of justification and that in two year’s time, 142 million gallons of water was lost or unaccounted for. Maragos also mentioned supposed business trips, where administrators would take addi-
tional days off and turn them into their own personal vacations. “There were a litany of issues that can be summed up with longterm administrative and fiscal mismanagement. Unfortunately, it was the worst special district we’ve performed an audit on” said Maragos. New Water District Commissioner Amanda Field, who was elected in December 2016, said that the district has taken the audit seriously, has taken on a new business clerk with financial experience, hired a new superintendent, and implemented a no-nepotism policy. “We knew we had to have a change in structure at the district,” said Field. “This audit is a starting point for us to really go and look and start making some changes.” Maragos said that with a new commissioner and superintendent coming in with a positive attitude, “indicated to us the audit will help them.
School building renamed for Billy Joel’s mother
BY GARY SIMEONE
In a special dedication ceremony on Tuesday, December, 19th, at Long Island High School for the Arts, one of the campuses buildings was renamed in honor of legendary singer Billy Joel’s mother, Rosalind Nyman Joel. The singer and songwriter, who was born and raised on Long Island, was on hand for the ceremony, which took place in the Music & Theatre building. LIHSA is part of the Nassau BOCES program. “It is very inspiring for our students
to have Billy Joel invested in our school and to acknowledge him through the naming of this building,” said LIHSA Principal Dr. Chris Rogutsky-Bleecker At the ceremony, Joel spoke about his mother,and how she was the main source of inspiration to him to pursue his musical career. “He told the people in attendance that his mother helped him pursue his passion, even when other people were telling him to take a different path in life,” said Dr. Rogutsky-Bleecker. “She
was his inspiration and beacon of light, so to speak.” Billy Joel has been a longtime advocate for arts and music education. He has also been a strong supporter of the LIHSA and all of its programs. In 2016, the singer pledged $1.5 million to the school to help them through recent financial trouble. The generous pledge was broken down into three gifts, with a $1,000,000 donation in 2016, $250,000 this year and an additional $250,000 in 2018. Joel has held master classes at the
school, and has even visited students in their classrooms. Dr. Rogutsky-Bleecker said that his sizeable donation in 2016 helped the school immensely. “We will be celebrating our 45th anniversary next year and we want to be able to keep the doors open for all students who are interested in the Arts and music.” The new building is officially named the Rosalind Joel Conservatory for Music & Theatre.
Bethpage HS runner breaks school record PAGE 5 Sharing the holiday spirit through music PAGE 4