Village Seeks Hospital Facility

Massapequa Park Mayor James Altadonna says he'd like to see a hospital facility return to the area.

"We're underserved, our community is underserved," Altadonna said following Monday's Village Board meeting. 

"We don't have a hospital, years ago, we used to have two."Massapequa had been served by Brunswick Hospital and Massapequa General Hospital, which have both closed.

The mayor said that he had met with officials from South Nassau Community Hospital within the last month and he also planned to meet with representatives from North Shore LIJ.

Altadonna said that Oyster bay Town Supervisor John Venditto was also involved and that some of the properies being considered for an Emergency facility site were outside of the village.

"The ideal thing would be to get a full fledged hospital, but obviously there isn't enough space," Altadonna said of the decision to pursue an emergency facility.

The mayor said he's looking for a "facility with some beds and a stabilization area for critical cases. 

The facility would also need enough parking. One piece of property officials might consider is the site of the former Nautilus Diner, but there may be an issue because the Diner is near wetlands that can't be developed.

Also at the meeting, the board approved the sale of used broken down equipment that was put up for public bidding.

A 1997 Ford Escort and a Meyer 8-foot snow plow went for $340.75, and $71.80 respectively, while a Jacoboson Lawnmower sold for $250. Officials said the sales prices were higher than the equipment would have fetched if they had been sold for scrap metal.