One of the more hotly contested trustee elections in recent East Williston history will take place Tuesday, May 18. Robert Kushner, in his second try for a place on the school board, is challenging incumbent Janet Entine.

The election has taken on a special significance due to a controversy over the possible construction of a fourth building on the Wheatley High School campus. The school board, by a 3-2 margin, recently voted to approve the construction which would have to be later upheld in a school bond vote, tentatively scheduled for this fall.

Ms. Entine was part of the slim majority who approved of the new building. However, her opponent, Mr. Kushner, has stated his opposition to the new building. So the election could determine whether that pro-new building majority of the school board stays in place.

The construction controversy has centered around such issues as projected enrollment changes and space for new technologies, plus the usual concerns over costs and taxes.

Mr. Kushner has said he would accommodate any enrollment changes by supporting "additions to and improvements on" the three existing buildings in the district.

He claims that the construction and staffing of a fourth building would "greatly deplete" existing resources and "severely impact" the district's ability to continue and enhance its "curriculum and educational opportunities."

Mr. Kushner noted that the last time he ran for the school board, he only lost by a 10-vote margin. Even though he lost, the closeness of that election convinced him that East Williston residents shared his educational philosophy, including his views on fiscal issues.

First appointed to the school board in 1988, Ms. Entine is currently finishing her third elected term in office. For the past five years, Ms. Entine has also served as president of the board. She is also the founder of the East Williston Education Foundation.

A supporter of the new building, Ms. Entine claims existing school buildings are already "stretched to their physical limits."

Noting the new curriculum requirements set by the state, Ms. Entine said that she hopes to implement a building plan that "will provide adequate space for all our children and the opportunity for already existing programs to flourish even more."

The East Williston School District includes all of East Williston, plus parts of Roslyn Heights, Albertson, Old Westbury, and Mineola. The district is unique in that it receives its students from communities that are often quite different in their socio-economic makeup. In addition, there is no commercial base in the district, so all revenue must be generated from property taxes.

The controversy over the election and the proposed school construction has occupied much of the "Letters to the Editor" section of the Roslyn News for the past three months.

Proponents of a new building have claimed that current economic times---with its low interest rates and tax credits from the STAR program---are right for the construction of the building. Supporters also note that a new building is needed to accommodate new technologies for the school district. They also agree that overcrowding is a real issue in the district.

Opponents counter that enrollment will level off in the coming years, making a new building unnecessary. They have criticized the current school district administration for spending money on a "public relations campaign" for the construction project and echoing Mr. Kushner, they believe funds could better be spent on curriculum enhancement rather than a new building.