Post by onthejob on Nov 5, 2011 14:24:16 GMT -5
Mangano: 2 Nassau museums won't be closing
November 5, 2011 by ROBERT BRODSKY / robert.brodsky@newsday.com
Reversing a past decision, Nassau County Executive Edward Mangano said two county museums will not shut next year to help close a projected $310 million budget deficit.
Instead, Garvies Point in Glen Cove and Tackapausha in Seaford will cut their operating hours, said Mangano spokesman Brian Nevin. The plan also calls for the layoffs of museum workers.
Mangano said in September that Nassau would be forced to close two "non-revenue generating" museums. While he didn't name them, Mangano said the most likely were Garvies and Tackapausha.
Mangano said he can achieve the necessary savings, which he did not detail, by opening the museums part time.
Starting Jan. 1, Garvies will be open Tuesday-Friday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., while Tackapausha will open Wednesday-Friday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The museums will continue to host summer camps. Tackapausha's nature preserve, which recently underwent $300,000 in renovations, will remain open full time.
Nevin said that while it "pains" Mangano to open the museums only during peak hours, "it pales in comparisonto the personal difficulties our residents are experiencing due to the stagnant economy."
Legislative Minority Leader Diane Yatauro (D-Glen Cove) said she is skeptical that the administration wouldn't eventually close the museums. "I'll believe it when I see it," she said.
Jim Brown, president of the South Shore Audubon Society, which "adopted" Tackapausha, advocating for it and holding events there, said he was disappointed about the reduced hours and layoffs.
"It's bittersweet," Brown said. "I am happy it will not close but aspects of their plan are surprising and troubling."
Savings from closing the two sites were included in the parks department's museums budget, which was cut from $3.7 million to $591,000 in 2012. The department "will have to live within this budget and achieve these savings," Nevin said. Some savings, he said, could be offset by union concessions.
Employees at the two museums will be laid off to meet the budget reductions, Nevin said. The Civil Service Commission is processing a layoff list, which must be approved by the legislature.
Tackapausha has one full-time employee and six seasonal workers. Garvies Point has one full-timer, one part-timer and seven seasonal workers.
The long-term future of Tackapausha remains unclear.
The Girl Scouts of Nassau County say they are interested in buying or leasing the property and possibly running the museum. The Scouts are looking for expanded space in Nassau for administrative, programming and training needs, said Donna Ceravolo, the Girl Scouts' chief executive. Ceravolo will meet with Nassau officials later this month.
And why would that be?
November 5, 2011 by ROBERT BRODSKY / robert.brodsky@newsday.com
Reversing a past decision, Nassau County Executive Edward Mangano said two county museums will not shut next year to help close a projected $310 million budget deficit.
Instead, Garvies Point in Glen Cove and Tackapausha in Seaford will cut their operating hours, said Mangano spokesman Brian Nevin. The plan also calls for the layoffs of museum workers.
Mangano said in September that Nassau would be forced to close two "non-revenue generating" museums. While he didn't name them, Mangano said the most likely were Garvies and Tackapausha.
Mangano said he can achieve the necessary savings, which he did not detail, by opening the museums part time.
Starting Jan. 1, Garvies will be open Tuesday-Friday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., while Tackapausha will open Wednesday-Friday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The museums will continue to host summer camps. Tackapausha's nature preserve, which recently underwent $300,000 in renovations, will remain open full time.
Nevin said that while it "pains" Mangano to open the museums only during peak hours, "it pales in comparisonto the personal difficulties our residents are experiencing due to the stagnant economy."
Legislative Minority Leader Diane Yatauro (D-Glen Cove) said she is skeptical that the administration wouldn't eventually close the museums. "I'll believe it when I see it," she said.
Jim Brown, president of the South Shore Audubon Society, which "adopted" Tackapausha, advocating for it and holding events there, said he was disappointed about the reduced hours and layoffs.
"It's bittersweet," Brown said. "I am happy it will not close but aspects of their plan are surprising and troubling."
Savings from closing the two sites were included in the parks department's museums budget, which was cut from $3.7 million to $591,000 in 2012. The department "will have to live within this budget and achieve these savings," Nevin said. Some savings, he said, could be offset by union concessions.
Employees at the two museums will be laid off to meet the budget reductions, Nevin said. The Civil Service Commission is processing a layoff list, which must be approved by the legislature.
Tackapausha has one full-time employee and six seasonal workers. Garvies Point has one full-timer, one part-timer and seven seasonal workers.
The long-term future of Tackapausha remains unclear.
The Girl Scouts of Nassau County say they are interested in buying or leasing the property and possibly running the museum. The Scouts are looking for expanded space in Nassau for administrative, programming and training needs, said Donna Ceravolo, the Girl Scouts' chief executive. Ceravolo will meet with Nassau officials later this month.
And why would that be?
