Park Avenue Complex-completed. Photo by Joe Turner

This year, two Amityville School trustees, Bill Manton and Marietta Mee, left the board. Both had worked tirelessly over the past five years to rectify major problems with the multi-million Park Avenue project, and to protect the public’s interest and its money. Without their dedication, we are sure, this project would not be where it is today, and we did not want them to retire from public life without recognizing their efforts and thanking them for their dedication.

The public, at least those who regularly attend school board or other governmental meetings, know that the give and take of a public body such as a school board is not always a pretty thing. It is often fraught with difficult decisions, divisiveness, and challenges. And, the hope is that in the end, the interests of the public is better served because of those struggles.

In the instance as it relates to the Park Avenue project, that is evident. Manton and Mee’s clear vision for the project, and their determination with other members of the board to do the right thing for the people of the district, did not waver. They sacrificed time with their families, and professional opportunities to do the people’s work. We applaud them here for that and wish them good luck in the future.