Elmont Public Library Director Janis Schoen is hoping Christmas comes a little bit late this year - January to be exact. That's because on January 21, residents of not only Elmont but all residents of the Sewanhaka Central High School District, which encompasses Floral Park, Elmont, Franklin Square and New Hyde Park, will be voting on a referendum crucial to the new Elmont Public Library project. Polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. at residents' home elementary schools.

There will be two propositions on the ballot. The first proposition will ask residents of Floral Park, Elmont, Franklin Square and New Hyde if they favor selling 3.745 acres of the 21-acre Alva T. Stanforth (ATS) property on Hempstead Turnpike in Elmont to the Elmont Public Library for $3 million, which will pay for the removal of asbestos and lead, demolition of the ATS school building and the construction of a road and parking lot to service the ATS property athletic fields, which are still used by the Sewanhaka Central High School District.

This referendum must take place since the Sewanhaka Central High School District currently owns the ATS property.

A second proposition will be voted on by residents of the Elmont School District only and will ask residents if they favor the construction of a new Elmont Public Library on a portion of the ATS property at a cost of $14.5 million.

The first proposition calling for the sale of a portion of the property to the Elmont Public Library figures to pass since the eight Sewanhaka Board of Education members (two from each of the component school districts of Elmont, Franklin Square, Floral Park and New Hyde Park) supported the agreement to sell a part of the ATS property.