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Trustee says community-benefit talks with Alpine Developments are ongoing; financial contribution not finalized
Summary
During the Westbury budget hearing, a resident asked whether a financial contribution reported at a village hearing had been made to the school district. Trustee Continier and administrators said any community-benefit agreement with developer Alpine Developments is still under negotiation and not yet finalized or approved by the board.
A resident raised a question at the Westbury Union Free School District's May 6 budget hearing about a developer's reported financial contribution to the district. Trustee Continier and other administrators said the village and the developer, identified in comments and the transcript as Alpine Developments, have been negotiating a community-benefit package but that no final, board‑approved contribution had been received.
"It's called a community benefit, and that is a negotiation that happens between the village and the developer," Trustee Continier said. He told the audience that Alpine is proposing a 187-unit apartment development on Skelly and Union (as reported at the village hearings) and that the village's agreement with the developer is not yet finalized. "You have two unknowns right now. One is the village has not finalized that agreement with Alpine in terms of the community benefit. And second, we haven't approved their project," Continier said.
Continier described the district's interest in more than a financial contribution: potential nonmonetary benefits could include internships and industry exposure for students in construction, architecture, electrical and other trades. "Part of the community benefit is gonna be financial, but part of it is going to be also a process where we will have a revolving door, opportunities for our scholars over the years as projects come online," he said.
When the resident pressed whether a cash donation had already been made and whether that amount would be recorded in district records, the trustees said they could not confirm any completed transfer. Administrators directed the resident to provide more details so the district could check whether a resolution accepting funds had been posted or acted on. Board President Robert Troiano was described as having had conversations with Alpine and its counsel; trustees said any formal acceptance of funds would be recorded in a future resolution and communicated to the public.
No vote or resolution on a developer contribution was taken at the May 6 hearing. Trustees said they would disclose details when agreements are finalized and when any formal board action occurred.
