Oyster Bay OKs $7M in bonds for improvements

The Town of Oyster Bay will use $7.45 million in bonds for parks, lighting and solid waste district improvements this year.

At a meeting Tuesday, Town Board members approved the issuance of the bonds, including $4.5 million for parks work, $1.6 million to repair the roof of the Syosset transfer station, $700,000 for public parking and $650,000 for street lighting.

"Every dollar that is being spent is for a very legitimate purpose," said Town Supervisor John Venditto. "It's not like we're bonding to pay our operating expenses or salaries."

In 2011, the town will carry a debt of $580 million, and make $55.5 million in bond principal and interest payments, according to the annual budget.

Greg Yatzyshyn, a Hicksville civic leader, said some residents are becoming wary of frequent municipal borrowing. "It's almost like code for raising taxes," he told the board. "There's a little concern over that."

Town leaders said the alternative would be to allow infrastructure to deteriorate. "You've got to fix the roof when it starts to leak," said Councilman Chris Coschignano.

The parks bond includes replacing playgrounds and bathrooms and repairing pool and irrigation systems. The lighting bond will add town poles to a GIS system for maintenance tracking.