(Editor's Note: The following letter, originally sent to Garden City Mayor Barbara Miller and the board of trustees, is printed here at the author's request).

The entire issue is about preserving the historic main building at St. Paul's. Those who have been writing letters opposing the library and community center option at this site appear not to want to give the vote to the public on this matter. Such individuals have obviously not been attending board of trustees' meetings, public forums on public and private uses or taken the time to read the official "real" Village Facts.

If they had, they would know that various boards have been deliberating on this matter for 10 years. Previous attempts to move forward with the Mayor's Committee suggestions of stabilization, threshold or moving village hall/police/fire were met with little or no support of the board or the residents.

It took the leadership of the mayor to break a tie in order to move the board forward. The notion of a library/community center was introduced in October 2002. Letter after letter, following public forums, pleaded with the board to make a decision. Now the board has made a decision.

They want to present to the public what it will cost to have the library/ community center in a portion of the St. Paul's main building. On top of this, they are promoting that the residents get to have a vote on it, something we don't have on the annual budget, which is the big ticket item that impacts our taxes.

How is this action pushing something down our throats? The board of trustees is demonstrating respect for the residents on this issue, which has divided the community for some time; a binding bond referendum allows us to vote it in or out. Exercise your right to vote.

Dr. Anice Campagna