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Also serving Amityville, North Amityville, Amity Harbor, Copiague, and East Massapequa
Clocks move forward one hour on Sunday, March 9 VOL. 130 NO. 10
Obituary: Harold Olsen, AFD volunteer Page 8
Joanne Anderson’s Pet Column Page 4
MARCH 5 - 11, 2025
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Amityville voters to choose new leadership amidst debate on growth and fiscal stability By CAROLYN JAMES
Carolyn James/Herald
Ryan Stanton of the LI Federation of Labor, left, and S.C. Leg. Sam Gonzalez, right, stand in support of nurses at rally. At left union officials Joanne DeAntonio, NYSNA President Nancy Hagans and Jenna Kuhn-Plaza address their members.
Northwell nurses hold rally demanding fair contract and adequate staffing By CAROLYN JAMES
cjames@liherald.com
Members of the New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA) at Northwell Health/South Shore University Hospital in Bay Shore gathered outside the hospital last week to demand that Northwell negotiate a fair contract. The nurses and their union leaders have been pushing for months for improved staffing, higher wages, and better benefits to help recruit and retain nurses and ensure quality care. “It is crucial that nurses have adequate staffing to protect both patients and the community,” said Joanne DeAntonio, president of the local union. Nurses have raised concerns about the challenges of understaffing, especially during breaks when managers cannot meet minimum staffing standards. A July/August 2024 poll found that nurses reported lacking break coverage on more than 61 percent of shifts. Ninety-nine percent p of union members voted in favor of authorizing a strike last week unless a fair contract is reached. Marie Boyle, a nurse for five decades and a member of the union’s board, said striking is a last resort. However, the vote gives elected nurse leaders
the authority to submit a 10-day strike notice to management, though negotiations will continue. Over 900 nurses could strike if no tentative agreement is reached. “Of course,” Boyle said, “the goal is to settle.” Entry-level nurses earn $99,000 annually. Northwell has offered a 2 percent raise, which Boyle said does not keep pace with inflation. However, Boyle emphasized that the issue goes beyond money. “The real goal is to secure a contract that encourages young nurses to stay in the profession,” she said. “We’re losing bright, young nurses because the job is too difficult, and maintaining adequate staffing is a challenge.” Some nurses are concerned that staffing shortages could affect their ability to provide adequate care and jeopardize their licenses. “The patients we see are sicker, and our emergency room is dramatically busier,” DeAntonio said. “Despite the increase in demand, Northwell has refused to hire more nurses and retain experienced staff. As a Level 1 trauma center, the hospital’s level of care is vital to a broader community. We’ll continue to speak up until we get the fair contract that nurses and this community deserve.” CONTINUED ON PAGE 11
cjames@liherald.com Amityville Village voters will be able to choose from a crowded field of candidates running in the Village election on March 18. Seeking the office of Mayor are Trustees Kevin Smith and Mike O’Neill, and retired Amityville Police Officer and firefighter Eric Onderdonk. Seeking election to two trustee seats are incumbent Owen Brooks, Peter Collorafi, Rob Russo and Santiago “James” Gallinat. The trustee election is at large, which means the two candidates who receive the highest number of votes will be seated. In addition, Village Justice Joseph L. Calabrese is running for reelection and is unopposed. All the seats are for four years. The election is Tues., March 18 and the polls are open from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Incumbent Mayor Dennis Siry cannot run for reelection since the v illage adopted term limits for its mayor and trustee positions. Under the law, they cannot serve more than two terms. MAYORAL CANDIDATES Michael W. O’Neill: Amityville For All party Mike O’Neill served on the Village Planning Board for two years before being elected to the Village Board six years ago. “I always had it in the back of my head that I wanted to run for mayor,” said O’Neill, a lifelong resident of the village. “I believe I have the temperament and experience and that I am the right person for the job.” During his tenure on the board, he said, the village has increased tax revenues by more
than $1 million, largely the result of “approving the right kind of development, and giving Amityville an A-1 bond rating, which translates into lower interest costs on borrowing. “ He added, “We also retired three bonds, bringing significant fiscal stability to the village while maintaining tax rate increases that were always below the tax cap.” O’Neill has 30 years of corporate experience managing multimillion budgets and working with hundreds of employees, and that experience has helped him work to move the Village forward. “With all our success, however, there are still things that need to be addressed, but I am confident working with all the departments in the Village combined with outside resources such as grants we will be able to accomplish many things. But those projects must be well thought-out,” he said. For example, he added, he opposed the development of Avalon South, believing it was was too large a project. “I believed then and still believe now that we can’t rush into things doing too much too soon,” he said. Finally, he said he would like to work with the state and the DOT to address traffic on Broadway. “Ours is the only village in neighboring communities that has four lanes on its main north and south thoroughfares” he said. “Wellwood Avenue in Lindenhurst has one lane north and one lane south, as does Deer Park Avenue in Babylon and Front Street in Massapequa Park,” he pointed out. “That’s because we have a state road running through our village and we have less control, CONTINUED ON PAGE 10