A new PPL is best for the community

The Peninsula Public Library’s potential move is an important issue for all residents of District 15, not just Lawrence. The move must happen, and would clearly be a positive development in the community.

The current PPL facility is woefully inadequate, and has been since day one. There isn’t enough on-site parking, there aren’t enough resources and, until recently, there was only a single driveway for both entry and exit. The community certainly needs something new and better, and the only way to make that possible is to forge a compromise between the Village of Lawrence and library trustees.

Both sides seem to understand how important relocating the PPL to the area near the Lawrence Long Island Rail Road station is for the community, but neither side will budge. Blaming each other for the standstill on this project won’t help it move forward.

The library trustees need to make the village a legitimate offer for the property, and the village shouldn’t be looking at the land the library wants as a business transaction. They are both public entities that need to stop acting as adversaries and do what’s best for the public good. And what’s best for both sides and the residents of District 15 would be a new, state-of-the-art library.

Although library trustees seem to be looking for a freebie, the village can’t legally give the land near the LIRR station to the library, nor can it sell it for $1. Procuring the property is a long and difficult process that might not end the way the trustees are hoping. The village would first have to declare that the land has no public use. If village trustees can prove that it serves no purpose to the community, they must put the property up for sale and entertain bids. If someone other than the library board makes an offer to buy the land, the village has to entertain that bid, but does not have to accept it. If there are no others bids, the village can do as it sees fit with the land.

There must be some sort of agreement that could help both the village and the library. The two boards should sit down together in private and work out a deal for the good of the community. Grandstanding and foot-dragging accomplishes nothing.