Many thanks to Town of North Hempstead Supervisor Jon Kaiman and Councilman Fred Pollack for holding a Town meeting on Thursday, Sept. 9, to listen to community concerns about the school district's dangerous and poorly planned proposal for a parking lot on Bogart Avenue. It was a fine experience of democracy in action.

And thank you to the many citizens who came (almost every seat in the meeting room was taken and many people were standing) and spoke against the proposal. Over and over again people expressed grave concern for the safety of children and neighbors, especially in light of the very heavy traffic conditions that already exist on Bogart and the nearby vicinity. The school district did no traffic studies, no environmental studies, no safety studies. No one from the school district contacted the Port Washington Police Department to ask for input about traffic and safety. The Police Department never saw a site plan. Moreover, the proposed site (some 12,000 square feet) impinges on the already limited athletic fields.

We urge the school district to withdraw its request.

Patricia Maher