Angry outbursts and heated arguments dominated the most recent Village of Massapequa Park board of trustees meeting, when more than 150 local residents turned out to voice opposition to a group home that a non-profit agency is planning to establish on Broadway.

Residents at the Dec. 13 meeting expressed fears about property values and safety when commenting on Family Residences and Essential Enterprises' (FREE) proposal to purchase a four bedroom house at 35 Broadway and convert it into a six bedroom home for six developmentally disabled adults. The home would be the lifelong residence for the adults, who are between the ages of 23 to 68, have some independence, and function between mild and moderate levels of mental disability, according to Dr. Richard Timo, director of support services for FREE. All six of the participants are from Long Island; and of the six one is from Massapequa Park and another is from Massapequa. The facility would be staffed by various support staff, including administrators, nurses, physical therapists, and aides, and would include one unmarked van to transport the participants. The participants would attend day programs, such as paid employment or volunteer work, as well as perform chores at home, and strive for independent living and integration into the community.

The angriest speakers at the meeting were the closest neighbors of the property. Some said the residence would cause oversaturation of the area, which they said has two other group homes within a mile. Many said they believe the facility would drive down property values of nearby homes. Others expressed fears that the participants would be a danger to children.

"When someone goes off in a rage, can you promise that none of our children will get hurt?" said Wendy Slatky, a resident of Pacific Street. "How can you guarantee the safety of our children when the staff ratio is horrendous?"

Dr. Timo responded that all participants have been screened and found to pose no threat to the community. He added that none of the participants has a history of violence or of causing harm to children, and that the facility's staff to participant ratio of 2 to 1 adheres to state guidelines.

Many were also annoyed that the village, which learned of the proposal on Nov. 12, did not notify neighbors about the plans sooner, and that the entire village was not told about it. Others expressed resentment that Mayor Camillo Giannattasio recently sold his house on Broadway.

Shouts of, "You don't live there anymore!" and "You moved, you bailed!" were directed from the audience at the mayor.

Defending himself, Giannattasio explained that he and his wife decided to sell their house on Broadway in order to have a new home built on Van Buren Street, which they moved into on Halloween.

One man said the proposed group home was 150 feet north of one of the most dangerous intersections in the village, and that it is one block away from the firehouse. "You have the support of this board and mayor. But as far as I'm concerned, he's a one-term mayor," he shouted, gaining applause from the audience.

Dr. Timo noted that the location was found to be suitable because of its accessibility to public transportation, which participants hope to use once they achieve a sufficient level of independence.

Another village resident commented, "This is a residential neighborhood. You have people there who are not related," adding, "I think we are oversaturated. This is being shoved down our throats."

The proposal did gain support from a few lonely voices, however. For example, Harry Jacobsen, a former village trustee who has volunteered with disabled youngsters for the past 10 years, said, "These kids can manage by themselves. They are good. It's an asset to the village."

Giannattasio noted that this would be only the third group home out of 6,000 houses in the Village of Massapequa Park, and that therefore the community is not oversaturated with group homes. He added that over saturation is the only premise that the village would have for challenging the proposal in court, because the establishment of group homes in residential areas is allowed by the state Mental Hygiene Law. Further, he said that, at the behest of residents, former Mayor George Nussbaum brought two lawsuits in an attempt to keep out a group home, in 1992 and 1993, and was unsuccessful. Therefore, he said, he and the village board have decided not to challenge the proposal. "We are not anywhere near oversaturation," he said. "We have no right to stop them. I would not be legally able to stop them."

In a speech following the conclusion of public comments on the proposal, Giannattasio acknowledged that his decision not to challenge the proposal was politically unpopular. He added, "To challenge this home would be socially irresponsible," and that it would "show a lack of political courage."

FREE is currently in contract to purchase the home, and hopes to close on the deal by the end of this year or early next year, according to Dr. Timo. He added that the agency hopes to work with nearby residents to alleviate their concerns.