Residents within the Town of Brookhaven could see a 1.89% tax hike for 2022 if the newly released potential budget gets adopted in November, staying within the state’s 2% property tax cap.
According to the tentative operating budget, all major tax districts are structurally balanced, and no fund balance is utilized to balance the budget for the six major tax districts for the fourth year in a row. The total tax levy increase for all tax districts is 1.89%, and the six major tax districts levy increase is 1.85%
Proposed by town Supervisor Ed Romaine (R) earlier this week, the $316.8 million budget would restore a total of 36 jobs (4.4%) that were cut last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The town’s 2021 adopted operating budget planned for a continuing pandemic environment and I am happy to report that we have performed as expected financially, with revenues on target in most departments and expenditures expected to meet budget despite the sharp rise in prices for many commodities,” Romaine wrote. “I expect no erosion of fund balance in all major tax districts at the end of 2021, other than the use of surplus in one fund to address hazardous trees throughout the town.”
Romaine noted that while certain facilities and programs are still not fully open due to the pandemic, he expects everything to be as it was before coronavirus early next year.
“My 2022 tentative budget assumes a return to normal operations beginning in January 2022 with all government services available both in person and virtually,” he said.
The tentative budget also highlights a growth in the landfill post-closure reserve by $1.2 million to an anticipated $21.2 million, and stabilization of snow removal costs.
The board will hold a budget public hearing on Nov. 4 at 5 p.m. at Town Hall.
The New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets (AGM) is asking for the public’s help in combatting the Spotted Lanternfly (SLF), an invasive pest from Asia. First found in New York State on Staten Island in August 2020, the population has now been observed in all NYC boroughs. SLF is a destructive pest that feeds on more than 70 plant species, including tree-of-heaven, and plants and crops that are critical to New York’s agricultural economy, such as grapevine, apple trees, and hops.
Spotted Lanternfly
“The Department has been working diligently to mitigate the impacts of this destructive pest, which can weaken plants and have a devastating impact on agriculture. Despite intensive survey and the implementation of targeted management plans, AGM has continued to find SLF around the New York City area. We are once again asking for residents’ help, this time with spotted lanternfly control measures, particularly in this area. Outside of NYC, we’re asking for the public to continue to be vigilant and report any sightings to help slow the spread of this invasive,” said State Agriculture Commissioner Richard A. Ball in a recent press release.
New York City Region
NYS AGM has been receiving increased reports of SLF in the five boroughs of New York City since early this month. While inspectors continue to survey and respond to these reports, AGM is asking residents to destroy SLF adults. Later in the fall the public can help further by scraping off and destroying SLF egg masses. The public can also reach out to Cornell University’s Integrated Pest Management Program (IPM) to learn about control measures or a certified pesticide applicator for treatment options to help combat SLF.
Because NYSAGM is aware of the population spread, it is asking NYC residents to forgo reporting sightings of SLF at this time. In addition to reaching out to Cornell, AGM encourages the public to thoroughly inspect vehicles, luggage and gear, and all outdoor items for egg masses and adult SLF before leaving the New York City region.
While these insects can jump and fly short distances, they spread primarily through human activity. SLF can lay their eggs on any number of surfaces, such as vehicles, stone, rusty metal, outdoor furniture, and firewood. Adult SLF can hitch rides in vehicles, on any outdoor item, or cling to clothing or hats, and be easily transported into and throughout New York.
Residents can also help by allowing surveyors access to properties where SLF may be present. Surveyors will be uniformed and will always provide identification.
Upstate New York
SLF has also been detected in several isolated areas upstate, including Ithaca, New York; however, that population is relatively small and scheduled for treatment.
Reporting in Upstate New York is critical, helping inspectors identify any newly impacted areas.
Brian Eshenaur, Sr. Extension Associate at Cornell University’s NYS Integrated Pest Management Program, said, “In New York, we’re particularly concerned about the impact Spotted Lanternfly could have on our grape and wine industries. Our NYS Integrated Pest Management Program has been working with our colleagues in Pennsylvania over the past few years to learn from their experience and prepare our growers for this insect advance. We are currently scouting vineyards and have NYS appropriate management options available for producers and tips for residents as well.”
In February of this year, the State also launched an innovative effort to combat the spread of SLF in New York State. A new online interface allows volunteer members of the public to assist in surveying for SLF in a specific area, or grid of land, and tracking associated data. The program encourages broader surveying for SLF and increased public awareness of this invasive pest.
The State is holding a series of training webinars to educate volunteers on how to identify SLF and tree-of-heaven, a plant that SLF commonly feeds on. Each training webinar will focus on a different life stage of SLF based on the time of year that stage would be most likely found during survey. Currently, the training focuses on identifying adult SLF. The training will also cover how to use iMapInvasives, how to sign up for a grid and track data, and details about land access. The next webinar will be held on October 27, from 1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. More information about the program, including upcoming webinars, can be found at https://www.nyimapinvasives.org/slf.
Spotted Lanternfly Devastating to New York Agriculture
SLF feeding can stress plants, making them vulnerable to disease and attacks from other insects. SLF also excretes large amounts of sticky “honeydew,” which attracts sooty molds that interfere with plant photosynthesis, negatively affecting the growth and fruit yield of plants, devastating agriculture and impacting forest health.
The estimated total economic impact of invasive insects in the US exceeds $70 billion per year, and if not contained, the SLF could have an impact to NYS of at least $300 million annually, mainly to the grape and wine industry.
SLF also has the potential to significantly hinder quality of life and recreational activities due to the honeydew and the swarms of insects it attracts.
First discovered in Pennsylvania in 2014, SLF has since been found in New Jersey, Maryland, Delaware, West Virginia and Virginia. Given the proximity to the Pennsylvania and New Jersey infestations, New York State is at high risk for infestation.
Since 2017, AGM, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, New York State Department of Transportation, and New York State Thruway Authority have taken an aggressive approach to keeping SLF from establishing in New York State, conducting surveys of high-risk areas across the State; inspecting nursery stock, stone shipments, and commercial transports from quarantine areas; and launching a comprehensive education and outreach campaign to enlist the public’s help in reporting SLF.
Identifying SLF
Adult SLF are active from July to December. They are approximately one inch long and half an inch wide at rest, with eye-catching wings. Adults begin laying eggs in September. Signs of an SLF infestation may include:
Sap oozing or weeping from open wounds on tree trunks, which appear wet and give off fermented odors.
One-inch-long egg masses that are brownish-gray, waxy and mud-like when new. Old egg masses are brown and scaly.
Massive honeydew build-up under plants, sometimes with black sooty mold developing.
With the ending of daylight saving time around the corner and the fall season officially here, it’s beginning to get dark earlier.
While cool autumn nights are a nice break from the hot and wet summer we’ve just had, what comes with the pleasant weather is also nighttime appearing closer to 6 p.m.
The worst part about the darkness creeping up is that many people still act as though the sun is still out during the late evening. It’s not, and we all need to be careful.
When the sun is shining, drivers are able to see pedestrians walking, biking, skating — but not so much anymore with the season change. Dog walkers are normally good about bringing a flashlight, and cyclists almost always have reflectors on their bikes — but a few do not, and they can get seriously hurt if both parties are not paying attention.
But it isn’t just the people outside getting their exercise and enjoying the fresh air who are at fault. Drivers need to slow down.
The combination of darkness plus speeding can cause a catastrophe. Both parties would be at fault.
And then there are the deer and the other woodland critters that live in our backyards. Unfortunately, they don’t own a flashlight, so it’s our responsibility as good humans to keep an eye out for the animals who dart into the street.
If we are driving slowly and cautiously, there’s a good chance we can avoid them and let them be on their merry way. If we don’t, not only could we kill the poor animal, but they can cause serious damage to the car and to us.
While we appreciate the lights we have on our local streets, it’s not enough. Please, don’t wear all-dark colors while out during an evening stroll. Do bring a flashlight or indicator that you are there. Be aware of your surroundings — if you want to listen to music on your earphones, keep it down so you can hear if a car is heading your way. Remember to walk against the traffic. If you’re a cyclist, go in the same direction as the vehicles.
And drivers, as we said, be mindful of our neighbors taking advantage of our beautiful North Shore. Slow down and enjoy the ride, too.
Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone released the 2022 Recommended Operating Budget that will allow the county to recover and reemerge stronger from the COVID-19 pandemic, and focuses on strategic investments in water quality infrastructure, public safety, small businesses and local downtowns to foster a strong economic recovery.
Additionally, the budget freezes General Fund property taxes and complies with the New York State 2% Property Tax Cap for the tenth year in a row.
Suffolk County will once again project an operating surplus in 2022 for the third year in a row. The total 2022 Recommended Budget is $3.88 billion.
“Even as we continue to battle the COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s recommended budget focuses on a strong recovery by making large-scale investments in water quality infrastructure, public safety, main street businesses and our county workforce,” Bellone said. “The budget does all this while remaining structurally balanced, protecting taxpayers at all costs and securing the county’s financial future.”
Highlights of the County Executive’s Recommended Budget include:
Water Quality Infrastructure Investments
Bellone has made Suffolk County a recognized leader statewide in efforts to protect and improve water quality.
Scientists have identified the lack of wastewater treatment as a significant threat to Long Island’s environment and economy.
For decades, cesspools and septic systems have discharged excess nitrogen pollution into the environment, culminating in recent years in beach closures, toxic algae and fish kills.
To stop and reverse nitrogen pollution from cesspools and septic systems, Bellone launched the Reclaim Our Water initiative, which includes connection to sewers in some areas, and the installation of Innovative Alternative Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems where sewers are not a practical or cost-effective solution.
The Recommended Budget will invest $125 million in a Water Quality Infrastructure Program, funded by the American Rescue Plan.
The Main Street Recovery Program
Small and Main Street businesses were hit especially hard by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Many of them had to alter operations, invest in new technology, supplies, and tools to remain open, and some had to shutter their doors entirely. Businesses needed to be able to pivot in real-time to navigate these ongoing challenges.
Last year, to assist struggling businesses, Bellone launched the Suffolk County Business Recovery Unit, which has worked to address the concerns and questions of the business community during the pandemic.
The unit launched a number of initiatives, including but not limited to, a Small Business Grant Program, Business Recovery website with information and resources, Business Recovery call center, job board and in partnership with Stony Brook University College of Business, a technology assistance program, gift card program and Pandemic Shift workshops.
With challenges still lying ahead, this year’s Recommended Budget includes $35 million in funding for The Main Street Recovery Initiative, which will be funded by the American Rescue Plan.
The county’s Main Streets and downtowns are critical to the long-term economic success of this region. Suffolk’s economic development plan, Connect Long Island, is centered around this fact. Downtowns are the places to develop the kind of housing diversity that the region needs and that will support small businesses.
They are also the places to build a mix of uses that will ultimately reduce car trips and thus reduce traffic congestion. Downtowns are also the places to create the kind of vibrancy that is necessary to attract young people, innovators and entrepreneurs to the region.
These recovery funds will be used to invest in downtowns, invest in infrastructure and projects and in cultural arts institutions.
The Main Street Recovery Fund will help provide direct assistance to Small Businesses and rent relief to help businesses impacted by COVID-19 and to reduce vacancies in the region’s downtowns.
Public Safety
This budget makes public safety a priority. Police Academy classes, which will begin in January and September of 2022, will graduate approximately 220 new Suffolk County police officers.
The Budget also includes funding for a Deputy Sheriff’s class of approximately 30 officers, two Correction Officer classes in June and September of 2022 that will graduate approximately 110 new officers, and 20 new Probation Officers.
The budget also provides funding to implement Police Reform in the Police District and additional funding for east end police departments and other local departments.Part of that funding will pay for the implementation of Body Worn Cameras.
County Workforce
This year’s budget provides funding to staff departments to ensure superior delivery of county services and adds funding for 120 new positions, including new mechanics, nurses and public safety dispatchers. The budget also continues to fund positions that previously remained vacant due to the pandemic such as 66 various titles in the Department of Public Works.
The budget also includes funding for positions in Human Resources and Procurement to better support the county government’s most valuable resource, its workforce, and to save taxpayer dollars by centralizing operations to better coordinate and streamline purchasing processes.
Opioid Settlement Fund
Suffolk County was the first county in New York State to bring litigation against drug makers in connection with the opioid crisis. The county has since reached several multi-million dollar settlement agreements with three major opioid distributors, Amerisource Bergen Drug Corporation, Cardinal Health Inc., and McKesson Corporation, and major retail pharmacies including Walmart, CVS and Walgreens.
The 2022 Operating Budget creates a separate fund for the restricted and non-restricted opioid settlement funds for use in addressing the opioid epidemic.County Executive Bellone has convened an intra-agency committee with Presiding Officer Rob Calarco, who sponsored the initial legislation to commence litigation against the companies responsible for the Opioid epidemic.
The Committee is tasked with developing priorities related to the settlement agreements the county is receiving from Opioid distributors, manufacturers and pharmacies. The Committee has engaged with key stakeholders within the substance abuse community, including non-profit service providers with expert-level experience in harm reduction, prevention, treatment and recovery services.
Protecting Taxpayers
The 2022 budget, which freezes the County Tax for the 10th year in a row, also includes a number of additional financial measures designed to protect taxpayers in Suffolk County. The proposed budget takes an intensive approach to building reserves and contingency funds to safeguard future years’ finances. The County’s Tax Stabilization Reserve Fund is funded at the highest level in its history. Additional reserve funds including the Retirement Contribution Reserve Fund, the Debt Service Reserve Fund and Insurance Reserve Fund are also funded.This budget also creates several contingent funds to further stabilize the county’s long-term fiscal position.
The Budget includes contingencies for snow and ice removal and road repair costs, accrued liability from employee benefits, and most notably a contingent fund to pay every deferred employee salary ever implemented – including those instituted by prior administrations.This budget pays off previous debt from deferrals and pension amortization and from the sale/leaseback of the H Lee Dennison Building.These fiscally responsible actions will help deliver lower interest rates and eliminate the need for short term borrowings, both of which will ultimately save taxpayers tens of millions of dollars.
Phil O’Brien (left) and his brother Patrick show off their apperal company, Anchor East, with their slogan,’No suits, just sand.’ Photo by Julianne Mosher
Updated Oct. 11: This event has been postponed until further notice.
Anchor East — a Port Jefferson Station-based apparel company — has been known as more than just hoodies, tee’s and swimsuits.
Brothers Patrick and Phil O’Brien started the brand earlier this year with two goals in mind: with the revenue received, they wanted to donate money to beach cleanups and different associations dedicated to diabetes.
Throughout the summer, Anchor East hosted several beach cleanups on both the North and South Shores, and now, they are to host their first Walk to Cure Diabetes.
On Saturday, Oct. 16, from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m., participants can gather at Heritage Park in Mount Sinai for a good cause.
According to Patrick, the duo has organized a big fundraiser to raise money for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.
“Since we have opened, we donate a portion of our sales, but we wanted to do more,” he said.
Along with the walk, there will be a $5 raffle, with donated goods and services from over 30 other local businesses.
“The support and outpouring of love from our community has been amazing,” he added.
The event is sentimental to Patrick, who is a Type 1 Diabetic, himself.
“People should come down to support local community businesses, take part in an active, healthy day, and be part of a fundraiser to help raise money for the many, many people living with diabetes that affects more people than we all realize,” he said. “Being a diabetic, stuff like this never existed when I was growing up, so it’s part of our mission to raise awareness.”
Those interested can find out more information on the brand’s Facebook and Instagram pages, or online at anchoreastapparelco.com.
After a long and intensive search, Suffolk County Community College has officially welcomed its new president, Edward Bonahue.
Now overseeing the college’s three campuses — Ammerman in Selden, Grant in Brentwood and Eastern in Riverhead — Bonahue said he’s excited to come back to Long Island after leaving for his education and career decades ago.
Bonahue grew up in Setauket and attended Nassakeag Elementary School, Murphy Junior High and then Ward Melville High School, Class of 1983.
“It was wonderful,” he said. “Growing up in the Three Villages was a wonderful privilege, just because it taught me about the value of education.”
Ed Bonahue graduated from Ward Melville in 1983. Photo from SCCC
As a teen, he taught swimming lessons for the Town of Brookhaven, which he cites as the reason he became so fluent in the different areas of Suffolk County.
“I had taught swimming everywhere from Cedar Beach to Shoreham,” he said. “I taught at the Centereach pool, Holtsville pool, West Meadow — it was one way of getting a sense that we live in a bigger place.”
Bonahue said he was “one of those kids” who was involved with the arts more than sports — although he did run track during his junior and senior years.
“Ward Melville was lucky to have a great arts program,” he said. “They have a great jazz program and I was in that generation of kids where I was in the Jazz Ensemble all three years.”
His love of arts and humanities led him to North Carolina upon graduating, where he received his B.A. in English Literature at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem.
After his undergrad, Bonahue took a job in Washington, D.C., working as an editor at the U.S. General Services Administration and then as managing editor for Shakespeare Quarterly at the Folger Shakespeare Library.
“That convinced me: ‘Oh, yeah, I kind of like this. And I think I’m going to go back to graduate school.’”
Bonahue enrolled at the University of North Carolina where he received his M.A.and Ph.D. in English Literature. He then moved with his wife to Gainesville, Florida, to hold the position of visiting assistant professor of humanities at the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at the University of Florida.
In 2009, he was a Fulbright Scholar with the U.S. International Education Administrators Program in Germany, and in 2016-2017, he was an Aspen Institute College Excellence Program Presidential Fellow.
And while in Florida, Bonahue eventually headed to Santa Fe College, also in Gainesville, serving as the provost and vice president for Academic Affairs, along with several other roles.
But as the years went on, he decided he wanted to head somewhere new and began looking for fresh opportunities. Through networking, he heard about a post back on Long Island – a place he knew very well.
New appointment at SCCC
Bonahue took on his new role officially on June 28. Under his leadership, he oversees the current enrollment of more than 23,000 credit students and 7,000 continuing education students.
“One of the one of the opportunities for Suffolk going forward is to think about how we’re serving all of Suffolk County,” he said. “It’s no secret that the number of traditional students graduating from high school is going down every year. Over time, that’s a lot of students.”
While the majority of SCCC students are on the traditional path, Bonahue said that moving forward they need to figure out ways to do better outreach to nontraditional students.
Bonahue said one of his many goals is to converge with employers and help their workers continue their education through Suffolk or connect them with future employees while still in school. He added that in a post-COVID world where there can be gatherings, he would like high school guidance counselors to come and visit.
“I think high school students get a lot from recommendations from their teachers and guidance counselors — especially students who are underserved because of the parents haven’t been to college, they don’t have that network of what it’s like to go to college,” Bonahue said. “So, they rely on their teachers and guidance counselors for that information.”
He added that one thing that was learned during the 2020 census is Long Island is becoming a more diverse place.
“Many have not had the privilege of any exposure to higher education,” he said. “And that’s what community college is for — providing access to educational opportunity and access to economic opportunity for folks who, without it, might be stuck in some kind of dead-end, entry-level service sector job.”
Bonahue noted that SCCC as a college needs to internalize its mission is not only to serve 19-year-old students.
Photo from SCCC
“Our mission is also to serve a mom with a baby at home, someone who’s taking care of parents, someone who’s working in a family business, could be a worker who’s already been on the job and has been displaced— those are all of our students,” he said. “I think our mission is to embrace that larger sense of community, and then on top of that there are areas of Suffolk County that have not been particularly well served, or where services are not as strong as elsewhere.”
Appointed by SUNY Chancellor Jim Malatras, the SUNY Board of Trustees and the Suffolk Board of Trustees, Bonahue said that in his new role, he wants the college to be an agent of change.
“I think they wanted someone who understands that Suffolk County is a diverse place — that it has many constituencies and that the three campuses have different personalities,” he said. “So, someone used the phrase that I checked a lot of boxes for Suffolk. My hope is that also I can present pictures of best practices that are practiced in high performing community colleges across the country, and if those best practices have not been adopted by Suffolk, then I think we have huge opportunities in terms of best practices that relate to community outreach, to academic and student support services, programming, workforce development, transfers and so forth. I think I think I can make a big contribution to Suffolk in a variety of ways.”
Bonahue said he plans on being not just on Selden’s Ammerman campus, he wants to be active on all three.
“I’m going to try to celebrate Suffolk across the whole county, including being present on all three campuses,” he said. “Each college serves a slightly different demographic, but one of the things I sense is that the college is hungry for a coherent and unified strategy.”
Coming back to Long Island was an exciting moment for Bonahue over the summer, but now it’s time for work. Since school started Sept. 2, he has been busy meeting faculty, staff and students, while focusing on his plans to better the local community college.
“I loved growing up on Long Island,” he said. “And so, it’s been a pleasure to return here.”
Julianne Mosher is an adjunct professor at Suffolk County Community College.
This time of year, my dog walks with relief and trepidation.
The relief comes from temperatures that have cooled off enough that his heavy fur doesn’t exacerbate the humidity and discomfort from stifling heat.
The trepidation arises out of the emergence of ominous additions to the neighborhood that change the world he knows.
The spiderwebs along fences and hanging on bushes and trees don’t bother him, but the ghosts planted in the ground, the green glow-in-the-dark skeletons and the hanging vampires terrify him, as he prefers to scamper toward the street and passing cars rather than walk near an inexplicable figure swaying in the wind, hovering over him like some supernatural predator.
And so it was, recently, that we took an early October walk through our neighborhood.
While these figures create anxiety for him, I was mulling the numerous global threats to the future for which we Americans and we humans are grappling. Global warming, debt limits, infrastructure bills, gun violence, the pandemic, partisanship, educational deficiencies, a destructive oil spill in California and everything else ricocheted around my head as I thought of the many looming crises.
A sight on the horizon snapped me out of my anxiety labyrinth. There, around the corner, appeared to be roadkill.
In the distance, I couldn’t recognize it, but I was sure that, once we got closer, my dog would pull desperately to inspect the flesh and innards of a former living creature.
Generally, when I try to pull away from decaying matter on the road, my dog seems eager to get as close as he can, like a forensic photographer or a police inspector from Law & Order, trying to figure out who might be at fault for the end of a life, whether the driver tried to maneuver away from the animal based on any skid marks nearby, or, perhaps, whether the animal contributed to its own untimely end.
I try to distract him, whistling, calling his name, tugging ever so slightly on his leash to redirect him away from these sites, hoping to keep far enough away that the flies feasting on rotting animal flesh don’t land on us.
Usually, such maneuvers have the same effect as making suggestions to my kids about what to do, like studying the bassoon because every band needs a bassoon player and many schools are lucky to have one or two such double-reeded wonders: they cause an equal and opposite reaction.
I’m sure Newton’s third law wasn’t referring to parenting, but it seems that when we say “here” they want to go “there,” and when we say “there,” they want to go “here.” My dog seems to have studied the same playbook in response to any such guidance or direction.
As we walked, I pulled left, trying to figure out what was on the road, which seemed broken into four parts. This could be a particularly unappealing mess, I thought, trying not to make a subconscious suggestion through the leash that he head straight for it.
I held my breath as a slight wind picked up from the other side of the detritus, hoping I wouldn’t smell something awful and that, somehow, neither would my dog.
As we got closer, I used my peripheral vision. That’s when I noticed something unusual. Amid the odd red and brown colors was a mixture of an orange and blue mess. What kind of animal’s innards are orange and blue? Was this a Halloween roadkill?
I deciphered letters on the ground. That was definitely not blood. It was a Burger King wrapper, with obliterated fries, a flattened Whopper and a crushed cup.
Perhaps too focused on the Halloween decorations, the dog wasn’t at all interested or enticed by the fast food roadkill.
Author Jocko Willink signs copy of his bestselling book. Photo from Andrew Harris
By Andrew Harris
It was 4:15 in the morning. As a 62-year-old teacher, I found myself begrudgingly running through the streets of New York on our way to Bryant Park. I ran alongside a student from our Comsewogue High School — an aspiring Navy SEAL, and several hundred other people all huffing and puffing our way past the bewildered eyes of cab drivers, truck deliverymen and the very early morning commuters.
Everybody was astonished to see us as they sipped their coffee. My student was helping me keep pace to make it without collapsing. “What great teamwork,” I thought.
Navy SEAL JP Dinnell doing some Jiu Jitsu with Andrew Harris. Photo from Andrew Harris
Teamwork and leadership are some of the most important traits that a Navy SEAL could have and this concept would come up often over the next two days of intense training. Perhaps my student fit the mold to one day become a Navy SEAL. Their name is derived from the U.S. Navy Sea, Air and Land Teams.
It was all part of Extreme Muster, an event held by Echelon Front — a group of Navy SEALs and other elite performance professionals who were about to educate us on the leadership tactics used in combat. There were a wide variety of people such as former military operators, athletes, businesspeople and even a few other teachers.
We were all hoping to use the skills we were about to learn and apply them in our everyday lives. It was the most powerful event I have ever attended.
The person we met first was Jamie Lynn Cochran, chief operating officer of Echelon Front — a company started by retired Navy SEAL Jocko Willink. Although Cochran was not a SEAL, she was obviously well versed in many of the leadership tactics we were about to learn over the next two days.
“Cover and move” was one of the most important principles we would come to learn. Cochran was obviously Willink’s cover and move person, handling any problems with kindness and humility — another important principle we would soon learn — along with her gentle friendliness and charm.
Of course, this threw me off being from New York, and smack in the middle of a normally fast-paced and often rude city atmosphere. She put us at ease and fixed any logistical challenges we had to smooth out that day. I soon realized that I was the one who had made the mistake, yet immediately she took all responsibility for it. It was another principle called “extreme ownership,” and important enough for Willink to write a book about it. She even gave us some valuable gifts.
Photo from Andrew Harris
My student was elated to get a signed copy of Willink’s book, “Leadership Strategy and Tactics: Field Manual.” I admired how the author gave him the personal one-on-one attention he needed to find out about becoming a peak performer and hopeful Navy SEAL.
A big part of the teaching is “to put your ego aside,” and here one of the top heroes of our country was not in any way talking about himself, but intently listening to this young student.
This was far different than any other of the popular leadership conferences I had ever attended. I noticed that Willink and the other team members would welcome any conversations and were generous with their time during breaks.
At the events I have attended in the past, the leaders would often disappear into a back room and didn’t have conversations with the attendees.
A few months later, I was even more impressed when I heard that none of the leaders had a chance to sleep the night before because they had to solve problems to make the whole event run smooth. I’m sure that they have pushed themselves beyond what any typical human being does on a daily basis — after all, they had seen life and death situations in real combat. Willink’s response to this type of adversity was “Good! No factor — get some,” meaning that he welcomes problems and challenges because they force you to learn, get stronger and be better.
The two days of training went fast. Surprisingly we had a lot of energy despite the ungodly hour and all the exercise we did that particular morning. Our minds were open, and we learned much valuable information.
This year, I told some of our mostly female club members at the high school about the experiences at the muster. They started asking me if they could attend in the future. When I told them that it was 90% men and they were some really rugged ex-military dudes, it seemed to make them want to prove that this was something they not only wanted to do but something they could be highly successful at.
I said it was nearly impossible since the next muster would be in Dallas March 2022 and we had no money in our club account. We were not able to fundraise for the past two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
This seemed to make their drive increase even more. First, they asked the principal, Michael Mosca, if they could start their fundraisers again. Then they started suggesting that perhaps they could work off the tuition for the event by helping out at the Dallas muster.
“If you are willing to do the hard work during the events and do whatever it takes, I’ll go to bat for you,” I said. They agreed, and I reached out to Cochran to see if she could help in any way. The folks at Echelon Front are very kind people and I have seen them help many people in the past. In addition, this summer I met some great people from the Whalen Foundation who fund scholarships and grants for people in the special education field. As a group, we will contact them and ask for help. If there is a will, there is a way.
The students may not desire to be SEALs but are looking forward to becoming better leaders in the future. I am, too.
This week the students had their first fundraiser for their hefty travel expenses and hotel rooms. They had a pizza fundraiser and raised $38 of what they expect to be more than a $2,000 bill. Their response? “That’s OK, we will continue to fight — we have a mission.” Another important principle is to focus on the mission you want to accomplish and everything else falls into place.
Stay tuned to see if the “mission” is accomplished.
Andrew Harris is a special needs teacher at the Comsewogue school district. Triple C stands for Comsewogue Culture Club.
Agood idea during this later stage of the pandemic is to have an at-home rapid COVID test, which indicates a result in 15 minutes. Sometimes you just don’t know whether it’s a simple cold that’s arrived and is making your throat sore, or if the situation is more dire and you need to seek help. Or perhaps you find that you have been exposed to someone who has now tested positive, and you want to check yourself accordingly. Or you are about to visit grandma and you want to be sure you are not carrying the pathogen to her.
Besides the personal value, the tests can be an important public health tool, although for the moment demand is high and they are hard to find. I was able to locate two tests at a local drug store by calling around. They can be purchased at pharmacies for anywhere from $10 to $40 a test. The following are available without a prescription, according to The New York Times article, “At-Home COVID Tests: Valuable if Used Right,” in the issue of Oct. 5, and written by Emily Anthes: Abbott BinaxNOW, the Ellume COVID-19 Home Test (although there was some issue with this one yesterday), and the Quidel QuickVue At-Home COVID-19 Test. The tests “detect small viral proteins, called antigens,” and they “require rubbing a shallow nasal swab inside your nostrils, and then exposing the swab to a few drops of chemicals,” as described by the article. OraSure also makes them, among many other companies rushing their products to market.
While the manufacturers’ tests are fairly simple, their directions have to be followed carefully in order to provide a correct answer. And while their results are correct 85% of the time, the tests can give a false negative if taken too soon after exposure. Further, the tests are more sensitive to people with symptoms, especially during the first week, and when people are most infectious and can be actively transmitting the virus, according to Anthes.
The successful detection rate goes up to 98% when the tests are used repeatedly, say every three days for screening. But again, those with symptoms may test immediately, while those who have been exposed to the virus should wait 3-5 days to let the antigens accumulate in the nose, if they are there, before testing. In the event of a positive result, people should take the usual precautions: isolation, monitoring symptoms and calling for medical help if necessary. They should also get a second test to confirm the result.
Rapid COVID-19 tests are for sale in grocery stores for one euro (a bit more than a dollar) in Germany, and in Britain a pack of seven are free. Policymakers around the world realized that rapid tests were a valuable public health aide. We here in the United States must make them available and more cheaply so that we can know who is infected, who is a carrier and where the outbreaks are. President Joe Biden (D) has recognized this need and is working to make the tests accessible and more affordable. He needs to make the rapid tests official public health tools rather than medical devices. That would only take an executive order. And it would allow global manufacturers of COVID-19 tests to enter our market and immediately increase our supply.
According to a piece on the Opinion page of The New York Times in the Oct. 2 issue, written by experts Michael Mina and Steven Phillips, “Past economic analyses predicted that a major government-funded rapid testing program that reached every American could add as much as $50 billion to the gross domestic product and save tens of thousands of lives or more,”
There is, happily, bipartisan support for making all this happen. Vaccination plus rapid testing would mean no more unnecessary isolations, no more missed holidays with families, no more randomly closed schools or businesses. We would, in effect, be able to live with the bug.
Robert Gitto of The Gitto Group cuts the ribbon with members of the Port Jefferson Chamber of Commerce. Photo from PJCC
Robert Gitto with son Ryan and wife Kerry. Photo from The Gitto Group
Robert Gitto with mother Meryle Gitto and son Ryan. Photo from The Gitto Group
Peter Capobianco and his wife Marlene. Photo from The Gitto Group
From left, Councilmember Jonathan Kornreich, Rob Gitto, Tony Gitto, Peter Capobianco and Mayor Margot Garant. Photo from The Gitto Group
Councilmember Jonathan Kornreich, Rob Gitto, Tony Gitto, Peter Capobianco and Mayor Margot Garant. Photo from The Gitto Group
The Port Jefferson Chamber of Commerce hosted a ribbon cutting for the grand opening of The Brookport on Tuesday, Sept. 28.
Located at 52 Barnum Avenue in Port Jefferson Village, the complex features 44 apartments (100% leased) and two retail stores, one of which will be Southdown Coffee. Located at the former site of Cappy Carpets, the mixed-use project by The Gitto Group has won the Vision Long Island Smart Growth Award and features amenities including a fitness center, parking garage and furnished rooftop.
A second ribbon cutting for the community was held on Wednesday, Sept. 29 and was attended by Port Jefferson Mayor Margot Garant, Brookhaven Town Councilmember Jonathan Kornreich, Rob and Tony Gitto, Peter Capobianco of Cappy’s Carpets, and members of the community.
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