Schools

Residents Vote on the Sale of Carll Farm

One poll worker calls turnout low for vote to decide if the Holiday Organization can buy and build on the site.

Residents on Thursday hit the polls to decide on a controversial proposal to sell the Marion Carll Farm to the Holiday Organization, a development company that plans a mixed-use development for the site.

Polls at Commack High School were open from 6:00 a.m to 9:00 p.m. for residents living north of Jericho Turnpike, and the Middle School was open the same hours for residents living south of that thoroughfare. According to poll worker Nora Reinhardt, those are the same poll locations used for other district votes, including budget votes and school board elections. 

"It's been a light turnout, but that might be because they moved the polling place from the gym, where they are painting, to the back of the school. People seemed relieved to have found it," Reinhardt said.

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The vote comes a week after the  Commack Union Free School District gave an informational presentation on the Marion Carll farm project, hoping to drum up support for the plan. The sale would net $750,000 for the district.

Kathleen, another poll worker, also said it "wasn't a good turnout."

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"Many people didn't know about it. They didn't get the pamphlet sent out by the board of education and weren't aware that it was happening today," she said.

Commack Community Association members were at both poling places all day to speak with residents and encourage voting.

CCA President Bruce Ettenberg was at the High School from 6:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and then returned at 6:00 p.m., when there was a "spike" in voters, he said.

"It was a light turnout. I think I changed some minds today," Ettenberg said.

The Setalcott Tribe, Native Americans living in Bayport, also came to the high school.

"There was a cranium of a Native American child found on the land, which is why the Selacott Tribe is involved. It's a burial ground," Ettenberg said.

At the informational meeting, Selacott representative Quangant Rose spoke about their involvement with the Marion Carll property.

"I would like to pose a question to the builders, would they build a home or a playground on the graves of their grandfathers and mothers? We are here to save the property to utilize it for education," Quangant Rose said.

According to Ettenberg, the district did not mail out any other information before the referendum vote.

"They updated their website and cited the $200,000 figure again. They never spent that; that's what they think it will cost," Ettenberg said.

The district had earlier said it would cost $200,000 to maintain the site.

The poll workers at the Middle School declined to comment on the situation. CCA members Vito Cottone and Cathleen Sullivan were at Commack Middle School throughout the day.

Cottone requested a guided tour of the property at the informational presentation and was denied.

"A picture is worth a thousand words—when residents saw the state of the home, they knew the school board wasn't being clear. That's why the district didn't want me to go on the property, but they didn't know I already had the pictures," Cottone said.

Commack residents living in The Hamlet, a gated community owned by the Holliday Organization, also made their way to the polling locations.

"I'm all for it. I've lived here 14 years and I was a teacher, so I know all about budgets and I'm all for it going to the kids. There are fixed expenses where we live and it will give us more homes to support the Country Club expenses," Maxine Pollack said.

The construction, according to Pollack, will not interfere with operations in The Hamlet.

"The gate to the farm on Commack Road will be opened and that's how the trucks will go in and out. Then when the roads are built, it will be added to the community," she said.

The results will be posted on the district's website after 9:00 p.m.


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