26 The Great Neck News, Friday, August 13, 2021
GN
G.N. Estates opts out of cannabis sales Mayor Warner cites desire to keep marijuana away from residential areas as reason Continued from Page 1 mately unanimously voted to opt out of the law. Warner also cited the accessibility of marijuana to children if the board chose to opt in as a reason not to do so. “The idea of having marijuana available in stores and consumption centers so close to our residents is something that I’m not interested in,” Warner said. Great Neck Estates chose the same path as Flower Hill, Floral Park, New Hyde Park and Williston Park, which also opted out of permitting retail cannabis stores and consumption sites in their villages. Great Neck Estates Deputy Mayor Jeff Farkas also brought up a point that if another municipality was in close proximity to Great Neck Estates, people in the village would be able to walk into a dispensary or consumption store. Nikki Kateman, the political and communications director for Local 338 of the Retail, Wholesale and Department
PHOTO BY JANELLE CLAUSEN
The Village of Great Neck Estates Board of Trustees unanimously voted to opt out of permitting recreational cannabis sales throughout the village on Monday. Store Union, representing workers in the cannabis industry, spoke on that point at
the Village of Flower Hill’s Aug. 3 meeting.
State passes buck to schools Continued from Page 2 school districts should develop plans to open in-person in the fall as safely as possible, and I recommend following guidance from the CDC and local health departments.” One hour later, the Education Department released a statement urging Zucker to reconsider and hinting at the latest developments in Cuomo’s sexual harassment allegations. “The circumstances enveloping the Executive Chamber this week should not prevent the Department of Health from the execution of its responsibilities to the public, as has been promised by the Governor’s office for months,” read the statement. Department of Education Commissioner Betty Rosa put strong pressure on Zucker to “consider DOH’s statutory responsibilities as the state agency devoted to protecting the public health.” Then, on Tuesday, Rosa said in a memo to school superintendents shared with Blank Slate Media that her department will issue guidance to schools on preventing the spread of coronavirus, based on advice from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Academy of Pediatrics. “Although the Education Department does not have direct jurisdiction over matters of public health, the Department does possess oversight authority for schools,” Rosa wrote. “We anticipate the forthcoming guidance will address questions around the wearing of masks, social distancing, remote learning, transportation, community transmission tracking and potential funding sources available to schools and districts that may help with
preparing for the upcoming school year and beyond.” Education experts have called the state’s reversal surprising and very frustrating. Regardless, local school officials are likely working on their reopening plans right now. Rosa’s initiative came moments before Gov. Andrew Cuomo, the subject of a sexual harassment scandal, announced his resignation effective in less than two weeks. But for local districts and Rosa, it’s still full steam ahead, said Jay Worona, deputy executive director and general counsel for the New York State School Boards Association. Districts could implement a range of preventive measures, but a vaccine mandate for eligible populations is not considered to be legally possible, according to Worona, though he acknowledgd it depends on whom you ask. “In the absence of there being express legal authority in the law for districts to be able to impose that type of a mandate, that therefore, they don’t have the authority,” Worona said about one legal interpretation. “Even if they had the authority, they would still have to collectively bargain it because it is going to be a term and condition of employment for our staff.” Cutting a deal would mean working with the New York State United Teachers union, which released a statement Aug. 2. “We would support local efforts to encourage more vaccinations, such as through programs that require that those who are not vaccinated get tested on a regular basis,” the statement said. “What we have not supported is a vaccine mandate.” “That was a forecast that if a district
decided to impose it, they would be there to bring a legal challenge,” Worona said. “They didn’t directly threaten that, but I think that’s the implication.” In other words, districts could not unilaterally require their unionized employees to be vaccinated, according to Robert Lowry, deputy director for advocacy research and communications at the State Council of Superintendents. In a statement last Friday morning, Nassau County Executive Laura Curran said district officials are speaking among themselves about next steps. “While the State Department of Health seems to have abandoned their responsibility to provide COVID-19 guidance to our school districts, I have been in contact with school administrators and parents to help address any confusion,” Curran said. “The Nassau County Department of Health is available to help districts with any questions regarding safety protocols, as they have been during the entirety of the pandemic.” And at a news conference the previous day, Curran said she trusted local administrators to use their judgment. “I really do believe just as with businesses, I believe the school officials are best equipped to make these decisions for their school communities,” Curran said. But no matter what decision a school makes on physical distancing, COVID testing or universal mask wearing, a fraction of the community is sure to be up in arms. Perhaps there is good news in local control and flexibility, Worona said. “The bad news is, you don’t want people to just be succumbing to community pressure, because that can make people happy on an immediate basis. If there’s loss of life
“People are going to be purchasing cannabis products, but they’re going to be doing that in other jurisdictions who will then be collecting that tax revenue,” Kateman said. “Opt-out means in a lot of ways opting out of revenue.” The opt out may not be permanent, however. Residents can petition the outcome of the recent vote, which if successful triggers a process that places the law on the ballot at the next state or local election. Michelle Fields, cannabis attorney and member of the New York Cannabis Association for New York City, spoke on the financial benefits for villages that choose to opt into the initiative at a Williston Park meeting in July. “This is a $40 billion industry and New York state is going to have the largest marketplace in the nation, and talking about multiple weed consumption lounges with a license and dispensaries, that’s significant revenue, especially when you have such a high demand,” Fields said. that follows, those same people will not be happy with the decision that [your] school district allowed.” Speaking of Rosa’s memo to public and nonpublic schools, Worona said: “I don’t think she’s hardly suggesting that districts should just go ahead and decide locally what they want to do in vacuum. It should be based upon and be connected to science.” As of Wednesday, no school district on the North Shore had fully outlined reopening plans. But Herricks School Superintendent Fino Celano indicated how his guidance is being drafted. “The Herricks Reopening Task Force Health and Safety Committee, consisting of parents, teachers, administrators and medical professionals, will be reviewing local DOH and CDC Guidelines and developing recommendations for Covid protocols,” Celano said in a statement. “Protocols will be updated as needed, based on the changing landscape of the pandemic.” The neighboring Manhasset school district also indicated that guidance from the CDC and county Department of Health will serve as a basis of its plans. “We ask for your continued patience as we build a reopening plan that prioritizes in-person learning and ensures the safety of our school community,” read a letter sent to families. The latest guidance from the CDC and the American Academy of Pediatrics, along with encouragement from the White House, recommends that all students older than 2, teachers, other staff members and visitors wear face masks in schools. Also strongly recommended is the vaccination of eligible populations. Mineola schools will present their reopening plans at the next Board of Education meeting, set for Aug. 19, according to a statement. Efforts to reach other school districts in the area for comment were unavailing.
