Mayor Michael R. Koblenz and the Village of East Hills Board of Trustees stand ready to welcome local residents to their new 50-acre property on "Transfer Day," to be held this Saturday, Dec. 9. At that time, the New York Air National Guard will sign over the land, lower the flag, and raise the village flag.

The celebration ceremonies will be held indoors at the base and will begin at noon. The ceremonies will include appearances by military color guards, music, dancing, proclamations to state officials, and the burying of a time capsule scheduled to be unearthed 50 years from now. The time capsule will contain memorabilia about the Roslyn Air National Guard Base and the troops that resided in Roslyn. The village will contribute contemporary items about civilian life in East Hills.

Students from Roslyn High School, including cheerleaders, steppers, band, dance club and chamber singers are also slated to perform. In addition, one of the highest-ranking Air National Guard officials in the state is scheduled to attend. The village also intends to honor public officials and community representatives who have played a role in acquiring the land. This list includes Rep. Gary Ackerman, State Senator Michael Balboni, Assemblymen David Sidikman and Tom DiNapoli, former East Hills Mayor Larry Aaronson, and Jack Russo, who served as chairman of the Air National Guard Committee and now serves as chair of the Oversight Committee on the park.

Organizers predict a sell-out house for this Saturday's events. "The event will provide our residents an opportunity to see, firsthand, the beautiful and majestic property we are acquiring, and to celebrate a special day in the annals of the history of our village."

For several years, ever since it was clear that the Air National Guard base would close down, the village has been eyeing that property as the site of a park for East Hills residents. According to village officials, the property is being purchased for the minimal price of $2,980,000. The downpayment of more than $300,000 has already been paid from recent village budget surpluses. The remaining balance of the purchase price is planned to be offset by the sale of properties now owned by the village, including the current Village Hall on 20 Town Path Road.

During the negotiating process with the United States Air Force Base Closure Commission, the village obtained several concessions and assets which were then included in the purchase price. Among them was the purchase of a modern, 20,000-sq. ft. building constructed in 1987 at an original cost to the government of $3.4 million, a price that alone far exceeds the price paid by the village. The building will be used to house both a new village hall and courthouse.

The funds for the new park will be raised from bonds voted on by village residents. No date has yet been announced for the bond vote. Village officials claim that East Hill's strong fiscal condition and economic viability will minimize the debt service. They note that the village has a high bond rating and enjoys a Moody's Double A three designations.

Within weeks after Transfer Day, 24 local committees, which have been established to plan and then implement the new park, will begin their work. The committees will hold their first meeting on Saturday, Jan. 13, 2001 in the auditorium at Roslyn High School. So far, over 300 residents have volunteered to create what village officials are calling a state-of-the-art park, which will be simply named, "The Park at East Hills."