As a very longtime resident of Garden City, and as a past participant in various village activities, I've agreed to help organize a citizen's group to provide information and support, of the proposed development of the entire St. Paul's property, which was purchased by the village from the Cathedral Chapter approximately five years ago.

Our group, the Committee for Residential Retirement Living at St. Paul's, feels the proposed program has a broad base of support within the village. We are seeking the active participation of those who have lived in this outstanding village for many years and have a deep interest in its extraordinary environment and services.

The total St. Paul's property consists of 48 acres. The school and its associated buildings occupy 10 of these acres, while 38 are currently utilized as athletic fields for community activities. It has been proposed that a first-class retirement community be developed within the buildings on the 10-acre plot occupied by St. Paul's. Within the buildings will be rental apartments for both normal retirement living and assisted retirement living, which, as projected, will be occupied primarily by current residents of Garden City. Discussions and negotiations have taken place with a number of prominent retirement community developers and operators, although at this time no final agreement has been reached. Litigation is under way as a result of action taken by a small number of individuals in Garden City to prevent the development of the retirement community.

We feel very strongly, as do many others within the village, that the best possible usage of the historic St. Paul's buildings and attractive environment, will be in the development of a retirement community, which will provide living quarters for senior citizens, long-and short-term residents of Garden City, who have the desire to sell their individual homes, and move into a less hectic, and highly compatible environment. There will be no cost to the village, and in fact, based upon the proposed agreements, income will accrue to the village. There will be very little, if any, additional traffic congestion in the St. Paul's, Stewart Avenue area and there will be no affect upon the athletic programs on the 38 acres of playing fields.

It has been almost two and one-half years since the lawsuit was initiated by the Kennys and Raffertys. Much expense has been incurred by the village as a result of this legal action. It is now time to move ahead and provide for senior citizens in Garden City a residential facility that would enable them to remain in Garden City, and that will be a huge credit to, and provide pride in, our community.

As all of us get older, and particularly those of us who have lived in Garden City for so many years, we feel that it is highly important for us to give serious thought and consideration to the provisions that will be available in the village for those who want to remain in this village after they have decided not to remain in private homes. We also feel that it is of extreme significance to maintain the marvelous St. Paul's buildings, and can think of no better usage of these facilities than that of a top-of-the-line retirement and assisted living community.

Mort Chute