OntheWilderSide

Commack School District threatens to sell historic farm…fast!
(Images of farm and some of the previous restoration process: here.)

KW: This story sounds fishy to me. If it is so important to sell this land to corporation that will preserve it on any level, then why wasn’t a plan presented the community, and notice of the sale and transaction allowed on the free market, for a much longer amount of time? If I were a community member of The Commack School District, I would put the brakes on fast, and make the district at least take new proposals and new bids. I think there might be a few people or organizations who would want to buy a historic barn, on property on Long Island next to a golf course, for $750,000. I would also suggest that someone scan the bios of board members for any links to the corporation at hand…this all seems fishy and should be investigated more…Land is a valuable thing. Land on Long Island is even more valuable. This decision should be considered extra carefully. (There are many school districts who made similar decisions and came to regret them years later. Years later, you have lost precious land, and the money is only a memory…)

(excerpt from) Newsday
Sale of historic farm on Commack school ballot
Originally published: June 12, 2010 / Updated: June 14, 2010
By STACEY ALTHERR  stacey.altherr at newsday dot com

Commack School Board wants to sell 1860 Marion Carll property for $750,000 to a developer who plans to build 30 single family homes. Community association says it wants June 24 vote delayed.

The cost of upkeep for  a historic property entrusted to its care has prompted the Commack School District to put the property up for sale, much to the chagrin of a community group that wants to find other ways to save the property.

The Marion Carll property, a former farm dating back to 1860 and located near Commack Road, was willed to the school district by its owner in 1969, with a covenant that it be used for educational purposes…

The property is in contract to be sold to The Holiday Organization, which built the Hamlet, a community centered around a golf course in Commack. The Hamlet surrounds the Marion Carll property on three sides.

A public vote slated for June 24, following a June 17 school board meeting, will ask residents for permission to sell the property for $750,000. The agreement would restrict how the land could be used.

Commack Community Association members said they want the sale delayed until they can find an alternative to selling the land and buildings.

“Our position is that we would like the district to hold off so we can look at this as a community,” said Bruce Ettenberg, president of the association. “To give the information on June 17 and then vote on June 24 . . . we have only one week to decide this.” [emphasis added-KW]

Filed under: Action Alert!, Education, local, long island, Long Island Politics, Long Island schools, News Tagged: | bequests, Commack, Commack School board, Commack School District, Commack School vote, developers, educational issues, educational purposes, farm preservation, land preservation, Long Island developers, Long Island farms, Long Island real estate, Marian Carll, Marian Carll Farm, Marian Carll Property, Marion Carl, preservation, The Hamlet, The Hamlet Golf Course, The Hamlet in Commack, The Holiday Organization