Civic associations in Roslyn recently won a legal victory when a federal bankruptcy court dismissed a lawsuit by the CCR of Roslyn, one designed to terminate the current lease it has on the Country Club of Roslyn. The ruling took place Thursday, Dec. 5 at a court in Central Islip. By ending the lease, the CCR, citing maintenance costs, had also hoped to raise yearly membership fees.

Vincent Lentini, an attorney for CCR, said that his client would either decide to file an appeal or enter into negotiations for a new lease on the country club. A new lease would probably mean no great change in the membership fees.

The defendants in the case were the Civic Association at Roslyn Country Club, the Roslyn Country Civic Association and "all other property owners" in the Roslyn Country Club area. According to David Levine, a Mineola-based attorney who is also a resident of Roslyn, the CCR had wanted to raise fees, not only negotiation but by getting court approval to break the original resident covenant. Mr. Levine has also claimed that the CCR was trying to deny country club membership to those residents who would resist paying higher fees.

Mr. Lentini has long denied such allegations. He said he tried negotiating with attorneys for the civic associations, but they refused to agree to any fee increase. And so, the CCR tried legal avenues to raise yearly fees.

Attempts by the CCR to raise fees, Mr. Lentini said, simply reflect current economic conditions. He has claimed that annual dues of $150 a year per family cannot pay the expenses of running a country club with all the amenities the one in Roslyn has. Mr. Lentini said the CCR pays $34,000 a month in rent alone. In addition, the company pays for utilities, pool maintenance, lifeguard salaries and other expenses.

Mr. Lentini also said that the total costs paid by the 668 families in the area doesn't even cover a month and a half of rent. Throughout the entire legal process, Stuart Fox, president of CCR, said his company has always left the door open for future negotiations between CCR and civic association representatives.

The Roslyn Country Club is located on Club Drive. The homeowners who pay the current country club fee are part of a unique situation that came into being in the 1940s, when the residential development was constructed by Levitt and Sons Inc. of Levittown fame. In order to attract residents, Levitt and Sons made country club membership part of the entire homeownership package. Levitt and Sons never operated the club. They had simply entered into a lease with a tenant who did the maintenance work.

Today, the country club covers about 10 acres of land in Roslyn and offers a swimming pool, a children's pool, year-round tennis courts, a playground, handball courts, gardens and a snack bar. The CCR operates the club and is responsible for its capital improvements, payment of all expenses, salaries, maintenance of grounds and equipment and general supervision of the club. In addition, the CCR is required to maintain and keep in effect fire insurance policies, property damage polices and all other casualty insurance.