Additional bond information session scheduled for Feb. 4

As the Feb. 25 bond vote approaches for Riverhead, district officials have announced one additional information session to be held in February.

The extra forum, which will review the $96.5 million capital bond proposal and answer audience questions, is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 4, at Pulaski Street Elementary School. 

Superintendent Aurelia Henriquez said the forum at Pulaski Street is a joint presentation for elementary school PTOs and has been organized by Pulaski Street PTO president Nicole Gigante.

Upcoming forums that were previously scheduled are:

• Saturday, Feb. 1, 9 a.m., Riverhead High School 

• Thursday, Feb. 13, 7 p.m., Riverhead High School

The district posted a list of Frequently Asked Questions about the bond on its website last Wednesday. It addresses the scope of work developed, details of the first and second proposition, absentee ballots and more. 

“Through a lot of the bond presentations, and talking to a lot of people, we are realizing that there’s a lot of misinformation out there,” school board president Greg Meyer said at the meeting. He said he has teamed up with the district’s public relations firm, Syntax, to disseminate the flier in the near future.

Community members interested in find out how much more they will pay in taxes, Mr. Meyer said, should contact deputy superintendent Sam Schneider’s office. He added that district representatives can give a bond presentation at any location necessary. 

Later in the meeting, Aquebogue resident Amanda Golz echoed Mr. Meyer’s statement and said “people are misinformed” about the bond. She said if it fails, it will have negative repercussions on her children in the district and others.

“There’s so much talk about how much taxes will be raised with this bond,” Ms. Golz said. “But if you break it down and look at the big picture, that’s really only a small portion of it.”