Senior Center Reno Sparks Debate

Garden City senior Richard Bankosky, who serves as chair of the Senior Advisory Committee, said there's a broad base of support for the Golf Club Lane senior center expansion and can't understand why "no forward progress" has been made months following the board's approval of the project.

"It seems everything has increased the delay," Bankosky said, referring, in part, to the senior survey and the more recent recreation survey mailed to residents in mid-April.

The expansion project is expected to cost approximately $630,000, which will be bonded.

Bankosky argued that the senior center expansion and roller rink rehabilitation projects were both approved at the same village board meeting; the rink just celebrated its grand opening last month while the expansion project has not moved forward.

"There's different criteria and a different decision process for senior projects versus other projects. This is not right," he said. "What the seniors are asking for is a fair and equitable process. We need the board-approved senior center expansion to move forward."

Kathy Auro of Merillon Avenue said those serving on the focus committee are looking at an expansion where more than one activity could take place simultaneously. "We're trying to have many activities and also an area where people can just sit and talk," she said.

Fellow senior George Salem, who serves as co-president of the Garden City Retired Men’s Club, said that Eastern Property Owners' Association (EPOA) president Judy Courtney and trustee Nick Episcopia have been "most vocal" in their opposition to the project. "They cite the high cost and lack of need for the project," he said.

Salem read a quote he says was made at the most recent EPOA meeting by a POA member and witnessed by an attendee representing the Senior Advisory Committee. "'People move into Garden City because of the excellent schools and outstanding sports programs. Seniors do not add much economic value to our village.' If that wasn't outrageous I don't know what is. I guess this captures the thinking of the EPOA. Not only is this quote unfair, insensitive and prejudicial, but also does not recognize how our schools and sports programs are paid for ... The time has come for the trustees to recognize the unfair treatment of seniors and approve the much-needed senior center renovation and expansion."

Trustee Episcopia said he never specifically said he was against the expansion. "I've been a trustee here since 2005 and one of the jobs of trustee is to listen to everybody. It isn't just to listen and to give in to pressure," he said. "I haven't specifically said I didn't want an expansion of the senior center. I don't know who told you that but that's not true. I will continue however to listen to anyone who has an objection to something because that's what we're here for. We're supposed to listen to all parties. I never said that. It's wrong."

Mayor John Watras assured that all eight board members are "in accordance in terms of getting something done." "I promise you that," he told Salem. "I'm looking you right in the eye and telling you all eight of us we want to get something done with the seniors."

Courtney, who said she didn't recall that comment being made at the EPOA meeting, added, "The EPOA has no official position on the senior center ... Have there been discussions that have asked a lot of questions? Yes but quite frankly I take pride in the EPOA board as a group of people who ask a lot of tough questions. They've asked tough questions on St. Paul's. They've asked tough questions on this issue. They've asked tough questions on the recreation commission expansion of the pool and lots of other things. I have never said, and I will say again, I have never said I am against personally or as the president of the EPOA the expansion of the senior center."

Courtney did say that it might be frugal to wait until the recreation department's needs assessment survey was completed before moving forward with the project. "If we're going to spend a lot of money I think that's fine as long as we know what that should be spent on ... I am not against the senior center ... And quite frankly, I'm tired of feeling that if we discuss something and don't agree it's a personal conflict. I have every right to disagree. I have every right to ask questions and I have every right to take a position individually as does the EPOA board. And to start to feel attacked because we do that and quite frankly not have good conversation about it would be to the detriment of this village."