The Village
TIMES HERALD Stony Brook • old Field • Strong’S neck • Setauket • eaSt Setauket • South Setauket • Poquot t
Volume 41, No. 8
April 21, 2016
$1.00
Stony Brook museum gifted millions By Phil Corso
Musical tribute to Mickey Rooney
Also: ‘Cinderella’ at Theatre Three, Help a Horse Day in Smithtown
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Two landmark Three Village institutions have received a landmark gift. The Long Island Museum in Stony Brook and the Setauket Presbyterian Church were named beneficiaries of a $100 million charitable trust through the Kingsley Gillespie Charitable Trust, giving both groups a financial boost from a family that loved its community. The gift carried on the philanthropic contributions that both the Kingsley and Kenyon Gillespie families have made, keeping the arts, community service and faith strong. The charitable trust came as a result of Kenyon Gillespie’s death in March 2015, which built upon the success of his father Kingsley LIM continued on page A10
Photo by Phil Corso
the long island Museum’s gift shop should reopen soon.
Three Village adopts budget within 2.41 percent tax cap By andrea Moore Paldy
Bolstered by a $6.6 million bump in aid from the state, Three Village adopted April 13 a $198.8 million budget for the upcoming school year that school administrators say will enhance the district’s programs. There is also a plan to add transportation options for students not previously not included. Included in the $46.5 million aid package is a $2.9 million increase in building aid to defray costs for payments on the bond, which are due in the coming year. The aid contributes to the tax levy increase — 2.3 percent — being lower than the budget increase, 4.85 percent, said Jeff
Cleaner language
County lawmaker pushes legislation that bars misleading ‘organic’ label
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Carlson, assistant superintendent for business services. The end of the Gap Elimination Adjustment, which took money from school aid to supplement the state budget, has brought a $3.3 million windfall to the district. Since its inception during the 2009-10 school year, Three Village has lost $32.4 million, Carlson said. Carlson said the district will not need to reduce services to stay within the 2.41 percent tax cap — the allowable amount by which the tax levy can increase. Residents, though, will vote on a separate proposition that could raise the tax levy to the cap. The proposal is to eliminate the minimum distance
students must live to get bus transportation. If the measure passes, all junior high and high school students, who currently live too close to their schools to be eligible, will get transportation. The cost will be $160,000 for two additional buses, which will raise the tax levy increase to 2.41 percent. While the overall budget would increase to $198.9 million, the district will get an additional $70,000 from the state for transportation. Carlson said that providing bus transportation for all students would address safety concerns about crossing busy streets such as Nicolls Road and walking along narrow, sidewalk-less roads,
Photo by Andrea Moore Paldy
Superintendent cheryl Pedisich
such as Christian Avenue and Quaker Path. Not only will the district not need to cut programs to remain within the cap, the administration is recommending that positions be added — or reinstated — to enhance existing BOe continued on page A10
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