November 6, 2007 Important Issue: The DeMatteis Center, Old Brookville. Dear Residents: Our organization would like to take this opportunity to update all of our residents on a current issue of great concern that could dramatically impact the “quality of life” that all our residents treasure and hold dear to theirs hearts. To our new residents, since we have not sent out a mailing in over one year, our organization is an apolitical, civic association, incorporated in 1958, serving the residents of Brookville, Old Brookville and Upper Brookville. Our sole purpose is to promote the general welfare of all the residents in our communities. We are here to study and ascertain local conditions. We formulate methods whereby local conditions will be improved for the benefit of the greatest majority of our residents. We give consideration to all matters concerning civil and environmental issues that would impact our residents and/or villages. After extensive research and fact finding, it has come to our attention that the facility, known to all of us as “The DeMatteis Center” and referred to in all legal documents as the “St. Francis Corporation, is currently operating in violation of its permitted use. In addition to this, we have learned that it is the intention of St. Francis Hospital to expand its services at this site. The DeMatteis Center, St. Francis Corporation, currently operates and resides in the Village of Old Brookville, on a 51+ acre parcel that was purchased in 1991 from the New York Chiropractic College, which operated under a “special use” permit granted by the Village’s Planning Board in 1978, classified as Medical Educational Use. At the time of purchase the total lot coverage of the Chiropractic College was 12.45% or 6.4 acres of the total 51+ acres. In October of 1991, the Village of Old Brookville, Board of Zoning Appeals granted a variance request to St. Francis Corporation to change the use of this property, “as a community education center, cardiac fitness and rehabilitation center, medical educational seminars, administrative offices and clinical research facility”. St. Francis Corporation proposed to hold public education programs and classes on the property as well as continuing education seminars for doctors and nurses, specifically stating in their request that their use would have “far less impact” on the surrounding property than the Chiropractic College did. The corporation specifically stated that this property “shall not be used for clinical treatment of patients”. In May of 2002, St. Francis Research and Educational Corporation applied to the Board of Trustees requesting a building permit for interior renovations/alterations to the DeMatteis Center for the specific and limited purpose of expanding the existing cardiovascular rehabilitation function. In granting this variance, the Village Board, (very wisely): issued restricted use of the property with numerous restrictions. In our opinion, the most important ones being the following: 1. There will be absolutely no medical treatment or surgery (diagnostic or otherwise) of any kind performed. 2. The facility will not be used as a substitute or supplemental location for the main St. Francis Hospital facility for MRI imaging or other outpatient treatment. 3. There will be no fee for service of any kind charged to any of the “clients/patients attending the research facility. Based on the above information being obtained and extensively reviewed, Mammograms, sonograms, MRI’s, steriotactic biopsies as well as other numerous services are being performed on a daily and ongoing basis. (See attached informational brochure). Upon further investigation, we learned that the New York State Department of Health has licensed the “DeMatteis Center” as an extension clinic of St. Francis Hospital. It is currently licensed to provide the following services: 1. Clinical Laboratory Service St. Francis has never informed the Village board of obtaining the above. This center has violated village code in allowing outpatient services and collecting fees for these services all along. On August 9, 2007, St. Francis Research and Educational Corporation applied to the Board of Zoning Appeals to amend their 1991 variance to modify their “Special use” restriction permit to allow for: “patient services on an outpatient basis including diagnostic procedures, radiation/chemotherapy and other therapies” as well as small animal research. At this time, they also requested a permit to construct 2 acres of the westerly property, as the police headquarters of the Old Brookville Police Department. Upon review of the minutes from this hearing, the CEO of St. Francis Hospital, Dr. Guerci also spoke about creating a satellite facility in orthopedic surgery, building office space for doctors, building a “busy” cancer center and he said on the record regarding breast biopsies, “We don’t do that. We are not allowed to.” They do perform biopsies and I have personally witnessed this myself. When Dr. Guerci was asked about the police station being built on the proposed police department being built on this site, he answered on the record, “if this Board, for whatever reason, chose not to grant us this extension of our permitted uses, we would withdraw our support for the new police station.” Is this the kind of neighbor our residents want? A busy clinic/extension of St. Francis Hospital, generating more traffic, more building additional use of existing property as well as becoming an additional burden of our services, including but not limited to our police and fire departments, all while operating as a tax-exempt entity. Traffic on 107, Glen Cove Road and 25A would dramatically increase. Please help us in our support of the residents of Old Brookville as well as their Mayor and Board Members in stopping this “giant” from invading our neighborhood and forcing them to conform to the restrictions that were originally and wisely rendered. On November 19, 2007, The Board of Trustees of Old Brookville is holding a meeting at their village hall. Please try to attend to show your support. Call Sandy Albo, the village clerk, at 671-4664 to confirm that the meeting is on schedule. For additional information and to sign up for updates to be sent to you via email, please visit us online at BrookvilleTa.org We are also requesting at this time, to please renew your membership dues to this association in the amount of $100.00. As always, our organization will keep you informed of this issue as well as any others that might impact the Brookvilles. Sincerely yours, Joan S. Romero Steve Glazer
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