Springs Taxpayers Could Benefit From Bus Barn

During the public hearing before the East Hampton Town Board concerning the Springs hamlet study November 15, a question was raised about the sale earlier this year of land on Springs Fireplace Road to the Village of East Hampton for use as a school bus depot.

Town Supervisor Peter Van Scoyoc explained the process and thinking that was involved, and the potential benefits for Springs taxpayers. “The property in question,” Van Scoyoc said, “was the former scavenger waste treatment plant site.” When the town deactivated it, the supervisor told the room, the land became surplus.

“At the same time, the school district in East Hampton which includes the high school, which all hamlets feed into, was looking for a bus depot site. They had actually considered placing it on school property on Cedar Street, which is a much smaller street,” he continued. Springs Fireplace Road was a more appropriate site for the depot, the supervisor said.

Van Scoyoc continued, “We entered into negotiations about [placing] the bus depot there. In addition to the bus barn being built, they would have a maintenance facility.” This, he said “would certainly benefit Springs, if they would have their buses maintained in that location as well, since they now send them up to
Patchogue to be worked on. There would be cost savings on the fueling as well. I think there are opportunities to save Springs taxpayers money.” The town will be accepting bids from surveyors for the project in the coming weeks, according to the supervisor’s office.

t.e@indyeastend.com