The mayor and the village board voted 4-1 in favor of executing a Memorandum of Understanding on the proposed MTA intermodal center, a four story parking lot to be built on the south side of the LIRR tracks between the train station and the KeySpan building on Old Country Road. In addition, a deal has been struck between KeySpan and the MTA for the sale of the KeySpan building to the MTA. As a result of the village board passing the Memorandum of Understanding, the village will cooperate in the project with the MTA and KeySpan.

A major problem the project may cause the village is once the MTA takes ownership of the property, the property comes off the village tax role since the village is unable to tax the MTA. Therefore, the village loses $220,000 in tax dollars. In addition, the village will be losing the revenue from 60 to 84 parking spaces that have to be abolished as a result of the project.

All of the members of the board, including the mayor, voiced concern about the loss of revenue that will come as a result of the project. However, the project is going forward regardless of the village's approval. The village cannot deny the MTA ability to purchase the KeySpan property and building a parking garage since the MTA is a quasi-governmental entitity.

The logic behind executing the Memorandum of Understanding, which was voted in favor of by Mayor Jack M. Martins, Deputy Mayor Larry Werther and Trustees Lou Santosus and Linda Fairgrieve, is that by the village acting as an active participant in the process, it would be in a better position to protect the interests of the residents and businesses by possibly negotiating some benefits for the village from the project.

"As an active participant in the process, I find we are in a better position to get what we need," Mayor Martins said. "We're better off being part of the process than bucking the system."

Deputy Mayor Werther has reservations about the project, but believes it is better to cooperate than be left in the dark. "I am not happy with this deal," he said, but added, "This village is not in any position to challenge the MTA."

Village attorney John Spellman has been negotiating with the MTA to try to get some benefits for the village which will help offset some of the lost tax and meter revenue.

According to Mr. Spellman, Senator Michael Balboni has pledged to deliver significant amounts of money to help reduce some of the tax loss. The village could also supplement its revenue by either selling or leasing Station Road, which will be occupied by a new bus terminal. The village may prefer to lease it since it can collect a recurring revenue.

Now that the village is a partner in the plan, it may also have some say in the aesthetic look of the building, similar to the way it had with the new Mineola Boulevard Bridge.

The village is trying to get the MTA to agree to a site plan review for the project so that the village can collect some permit fees. However, the MTA is not obligated to do so.

Despite the possible loss of revenue, studies indicate that there will be some benefit from the project. The project is said to address the need for more commuter parking near the LIRR station by providing 660 spaces to the public, reduce unsanctioned commuter parking in local residential streets, lots for offices, municipal parking lots and department store lots.

Trustees Santosus and Fairgrieve believe the village could then restrict parking on village streets such as Horton Highway, Marcellus Road, Wellington Road and as far as Lincoln Avenue and Jefferson Avenue with the cooperation of village residents.

In addition, the parking garage is considered by some to be critical to the downtown revitalization and there is a theory that a community is driven by the success of its downtown.

However, some do not agree that these benefits will come to fruition. A resident who spoke at the June 25 special meeting during which the Memorandum of Understanding was approved said he feared such a large parking facility would bring commuters from different areas to use the parking lot. "The minute that people realize there's a parking facility here, it's going to attract more traffic to the village," the resident said.

The sentiment that vehicles from surrounding communities will come to fill up the garage was also expressed. If that was to be the case, then parking on village streets may not be alleviated.

In addition, the possibility of a third track running through Mineola may also bring more commuters to the Mineola train station, which has many benefits to city commuters.

Also, there is a belief that because the parking garage would be located off Old Country Road, it would increase traffic on Old Country Road making it harder for residents who live on streets on the south north side to get off their streets.

Trustee Steven Franzini cast the only negative vote on the Memorandum of Understanding. Trustee Franzini believed that the parking facility would not be in the best interests of the residents and taxpayers of Mineola. However, with the garage already set to move forward with or without the village's approval, the rest of the board felt the village is now in a better position to give input into the project thereby having some aspect of control in its development.

Mayor Martins accepted the motion to execute the Memorandum of Understanding with the MTA and KeySpan with the understanding specifically that:

* The village previously approved the acceptance of the grant for the construction of the intermodal center.

* The MTA and KeySpan have already reached an agreement as to the purchase of the property and indicated a willingness to proceed with or without the village.

* Construction of the intermodal center does not require village approval and, in fact, will be built with or without the village's approval.

* The indermodal center had been recognized by the village's planners and master plan committees as a positive investment in the infrastructure of the village and the future development of the downtown area.

* The village is ultimately in a better position to protect the residents and businesses of the village as an active participant in the process.