Williston Park 2021_06_25

Serving Williston Park, East Williston, Mineola, Albertson and Searingtown

$1

Friday, June 25, 2021

Vol. 70, No. 26

HEALTH, WELLNESS AND BEAUTY

MINEOLA CHAMBER TREASURER DIES

RYDER REJECTS CALLS TO STEP DOWN

PAGE 23-26

PAGE 3

PAGE 6

E.W. water meter opt-out comes at cost Village homeowners face hundreds in fees if they do not upgrade BY S A M U E L E PETRUCCELLI Approaching the finish line of a years-long initiative, East Williston residents could face hundreds of dollars in fees if they do not upgrade their water meters. If they haven’t already, homeowners must purchase at least part of a new meter under a modernization effort taken up by the village. Though residents can opt out of the installation, they will be faced with annual fees upwards of $250. Mayor Bonnie Parente said East Williston was among the last villages not to have water meters read from outside the home, rather than requiring a technician to enter. “It is old-fashioned, outdated, antiquated technology,” Parente said of some of the meters that were installed in the 1950s. “Like all of our surrounding municipalities – who for several years have had meters that you could read

remotely outside of the home, not necessitating residents to be home and make appointments – we felt the need to catch up to modern technology.” Catching up will come at a price. The village said last year that the updated meters would cost $270 to $917, depending on the size, including installation. Though the cost of replacing meters could have been absorbed into village taxes, Parente said that would make some residents take on a portion of commercial properties’ fees, and being billed per household is more cost efficient. “The majority of people are saving money this way,” Parente said. “Instead of making our single-family home residents pay for homes with larger meters, which is what you would have to do if you built it into the taxes, we decided to do a one-time fee where everybody pays for the meter that fits into their own home.” Continued on Page 34

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE WHEATLEY SCHOOL

The Wheatley School’s class of 2021 graduated outdoors on Sunday afternoon.

Wheatley grad’s speech met with backlash marks and make aggressive up for any injustice that you

BY S A M U E L E gestures, and has sparked ac- see,” the senior, Huda Ayaz, P E T R U C C E L L I A N D cusations that administrators said in her speech at the ROBERT PELAEZ provided false information to school’s graduation Sunday

members of the school com- afternoon. “Educate yourself A Wheatley School senior’s munity. about international dilemgraduation speech led some “Speak for those who mas, including the ethnic attendees to shout racist re- don’t have a voice, and stand Continued on Page 35

Support local journalism and get real news Subscribe to the Blank Slate Media newspaper of your community https://theislandnow.com/subscription/