This petition is to, SAY NO TO THE WYANDANCH PUBLIC LIBRARY RE-CHARTER!

The Wyandanch Public Library Board has taken steps towards a re-charter. The main goal of this re-charter is to separate from Wyandanch Union Free School District. The Wyandanch Public Library has not opened at all since the start of the COVID-19 Pandemic in March of 2020. It is the only one of Suffolk’s 56 libraries not to open and resume services.

The board president Ghenya Grant states that the HVAC system is not up to standard to meet guidelines and regulations to safely open. The HVAC system's deterioration predates the COVID-19 Pandemic. The repairs to the system are estimated to cost $700,000, which they claim they cannot take from the library budget. They claim they need to separate from the School Board because it might be in a deficit, and if so the Library cannot receive a bond from the school. The library has already hired a lawyer to move forward on the re-charter, without any community input on the matter. 

Here are some points worth noting:  

1. The residents do not get to vote on it first.

2. According to Newsday, the Town of Babylon, will not issue a Tax Anticipation Notice (TAN), if the re-charter goes through. Meaning loss of a funding source.

3. The library will go from having 4-5 loan options to stay funded to only 2.

**Photo Credit: Newsday/John Paraskevas