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Walgreen's Pharmacy says "no go" to deal on Merrick Road First there was a CVS drug store on the corner of Merrick Road and County Line Road. Then another strip mall, by developer Michael Korff, was approved nearby at Ketcham Avenue, and rumors circulated that a Walgreen's was interested in the site. That would have made two CVS drug stores, and two Walgreen pharmacies in close proximity to each other in two places in the Village, one on Merrick Road and the other on Broadway. The developer's deal with Walgreen's has apparently not materialized, however, according to Amityville Village Building Inspector John Lauria. "From what I understand, they came and looked over the site, but decided it did not suit their needs," said Lauria. No formal plans for the Walgreen's were filed with the Village, said Mayor Peter T. Imbert. "There were some informal discussions with the building department but that is as far as it got." Korff was not available for comment. In other Village news: •Mayor Imbert said this week that the new Village Hall project is moving forward, on schedule and under budget. The Village had lost some time early on in the process when it ran into a union snafu. Apparently the lowest trade bid was for a company that paid prevailing wage, meeting the standards of law, but did not have a union shop. Readers may remember the large union "rat" placed at the site by the trade union. "Fortunately, I was able to make a few phone calls and get the thing resolved and the project back on track," said Imbert. "That has enabled us to keep on schedule." •The Village board has decided to put approximately $650,000 of its reserve funds into the coming year's budget to offset the tax-rate increase. The budget-to-budget increase for the coming year is approximately 12 percent on the current $11.8 million spending package. The current tax rate is $24.09. Driving up the budget for the coming year are costs for fuel and utilities, health care and retirements. Gasoline increases alone are up $20,000, said Imbert. That is complicated by a reduction of revenue, primarily as a result of the slowdown of mortgage loans and refinancing. But the news isn't all bad, pointed out Imbert, who said that the Village has several major projects underway that will increase the tax base substantially over the next two years. They include the housing project at Wellington Place and Railroad Avenue, the units on Louden Avenue, the new Suffolk County National Bank and the strip malls on Merrick Road at County Line Road and Ketcham Avenue. "Using the reserves this year when revenues are down, costs are up and it is tough for everyone is what this money is designed to do," said Imbert. "We anticipate being able to more than make up for that money when these projects are completed."
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