Tuckahoe Seeks Voter Approval to Renovate House for Superintendent

A planned District referendum on spending $95,000 of reserve funds to renovate a house that the district bought last year got a cold reception Tuesday at a meeting of the Southampton-Shinnecock Hills-Tuckahoe Citizens Advisory Committee.

In a letter to district residents this month, the school board said that once the house, which is adjacent to the schoolyard, is completed it will be rented to superintendent/principal Chris Dyer — a plan that the committee especially took exception to. Unanimously, the committee members voted to write to the Southampton Town Board condemning the school district's decision to hold the referendum.

"I can't believe that they would even suggest doing this," said committee member Lorraine Duryea.

Tuckahoe parent David D'Agostino said spending reserve funds on renovating a house for an administrator is "an arrogant use of the money," and said that even though drawing from reserves funds will not increase the tax levy, a yes vote is not free.

"This money came from taxpayer dollars," D'Agostino said. "It didn't fall from the sky."

Bill Pell, a district resident in the audience, quipped that having an administrator live on campus is a good idea for a Catholic school or a church — but not for a public school.

Committee member Rick Sobrevinas said the district should stay out of the rental business.  "This is totally outside the mission of a public school," he said.

Tuckahoe voters approved the purchase of the house at 46 Sebonac Rd in March of 2009 in a referendum that also included signing off on the purchase of another adjoining property, 430 Magee St, an undeveloped wooded lot. The house had a $515,000 price tag and the lot on Magee Street cost $580,000.

The house belonged to long-time Tuckahoe custodian and bus driver Stanley Oldakowski. Dyer said in an interview last week that the house was built before World War II and used as a cottage at the National Golf Links in Tuckahoe before Oldakowski bought and moved it for his home.

Moderning the house and bringing it up to code so that it can be rented out will allow the school board to attract administrators to work in the district by offering it as an extra incentive, Dyer said. Additionally, he said having someone live it in will keep the house in a good state of repair to preserve it as a capital property.

Dyer encouraged voters to attend an information session on the referendum that will follow the 7:30 p.m. school board meeting Monday.

Voting will take place Dec. 21 in the Tuckahoe School gymnasium at 468 Magee Street. The polls will open at 11 a.m. and close at 8 p.m.

To apply for an absentee ballot, voters can visit the district clerk's office at the school between 9 a.m. and noon or 1 and 3 p.m. Monday through Friday, except holidays. Absentee ballot applications must be turned in at least seven days before the vote if applicants want the ballots mailed. If the ballot will be personally delivered to the voter, the application is due Dec. 20, the day before the election.

Absentee ballots must be received by the district clerk, Linda Springer, by 5 p.m. on Dec. 21.