The Stony Brook Grist Mill, circa 1751, 100 Harbor Road, Stony Brook opens for the season on Saturday, April 13 and will be open weekends from noon to 4:30 p.m. through Oct. 31.
Long Island’s most completely equipped working mill, it is listed on the National and New York State Register of Historic Places. Visit the Country Store and watch the only female miller in the U.S. grind grain into flour just as it was done during the Revolutionary War.
Admission is $2 adults, $1 children 12 and under. For additional info, call 631-751-2244.
Port Jeff sophomore attack Daniel Koban, right, celebrates with his older brother Nick after Daniel scored one of his three goals against Babylon April 8. Photo by Bill Landon
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Port Jeff freshman keeper Peter Murphy clears the ball after a save on the road against Babylon April 8. Photo by Bill Landon
Port Jeff freshman keeper Peter Murphy in net against Babylon April 8. Photo by Bill Landon
Port Jeff freshman keeper Peter Murphy vacuums up 1 of his 12 save in the game against Babylon April 8. Photo by Bill Landon
Port Jeff senior attack Nick Koban looks for an open lane against Babylon April 8. Photo by Bill Landon
Port Jeff’s Kyle Scandale passes towards the crease against Babylon on the road April 8. Photo by Bill Landon
Port Jeff freshman Kyle Scandale with a wing pass against Babylon on the road April 8. Photo by Bill Landon
Port Jeff sophomore attack Daniel Koban, right, celebrates with his older brother Nick after Daniel scored one of his three goals against Babylon April 8. Photo by Bill Landon
Port Jeff senior defender Daniel Shaughnessy fires at the cage against Babylon April 8. Photo by Bill Landon
Port Jeff sophomore attack Daniel Koban uncorks a shot on goal against Babylon April 8. Photo by Bill Landon
Port Jeff attack Aidan Kaminska fires at the pipes against Babylon April 8. Photo by Bill Landon
Port Jeff attack Aidan Kaminska lets one rip against Babylon April 8. Photo by Bill Landon
Port Jeff junior Aidan Kaminska looks for a cutter from behind the cage April 8. Photo by Bill Landon
Port Jeff junior Aidan Kaminska sets up the play against Babylon on the road April 8. Photo by Bill Landon
Port Jeff attack Aidan Kaminska drives past a Babylon defender April 8. Photo by Bill Landon
By Bill Landon
After going down four goals in the opening quarter, Port Jefferson’s boys lacrosse team shifted gears in the second, scoring three goals and then surging in the third quarter and finding the net four times to take a
one -goal lead. Babylon countered in the final 12 minutes of play to retie the game and then scored the go-ahead goal with four minutes left, defeating the Royals 11-10, April 8.
Sophomore attack Daniel Koban and junior Colton VanOverberghe each scored three goals for Port Jeff, while senior midfielder Jonathan Moshe netted two. Junior Jack Speidell and sophomore Gage Jampol also scored one goal apiece.
The loss drops the Royals to 2-4 in league and 4-4 overall in the Division II standings as they approach the midway point of the season with eight games remaining
The Royals continued their road trip against Deer Park April 10. They will be back on their own home turf April 24 when they host Miller Place. Game time is 10 a.m.
Shoreham-Wading River junior Xavier Arline fires at the cage in an 18-8 victory at home April 6. Photo by Bill Landon
Shoreham-Wading River attack Xavier Arline pushes up-field in an 18-8 victory against Sayville April 6. Photo by Bill Landon
Shoreham-Wading River attack Xavier Arline takes a check from a Sayville defender in an 18-8 victory at home April 6. Photo by Bill Landon
Shoreham-Wading River junior Xavier Arline drives past a Sayville defender in an 18-8 victory at home April 6. Photo by Bill Landon
Xavier Arline fires at the cage for the Wildcats in an 18-8 victory at home over Sayville April 6. Photo by Bill Landon
Shoreham Wading River sophomore Sean Miller wins at X against Sayville April 6. Photo by Bill Landon
Shoreham-Wading River junior Liam Daly makes another save in net in 18-8 victory over visiting Sayville April 6. Photo by Bill Landon
Wildcats celebrate after scoring a goal where they defeated Sayville at home April 6. Photo by Bill Landon
Shoreham-Wading River junior Liam Daly clears the ball in an 18-8 victory over visiting Sayville April 6. Photo by Bill Landon
Midfielder Johnny Schwarz rips a shot on goal got the Wildcats in an 18-8 victory at home over Sayville April 6. Photo by Bill Landon
Shoreham-Wading River junior Liam Daly makes the save against Sayville April 6. Photo by Bill Landon
Midfielder Johnny Schwarz rips a shot on goal got the Wildcats in an 18-8 victory at home over Sayville April 6. Photo by Bill Landon
Wildcat Johnny Schwarz a sophomore draws a crowd in an 18-8 victory at home over Sayville April 6. Photo by Bill Landon
Wildcats celebrate after a goal April 6. Photo by Bill Landon
Long stickman Jake Wilson a sophomore, clears the ball up-field for the Wildcats in an 18-8 victory at home over Sayville April 6. Photo by Bill Landon
Shoreham-Wading River face-off specialist Gavin Gregorek-Ali finishes what he started against Sayville defender April 6. Photo by Bill Landon
Shoreham-Wading River junior Gavin Gregorek-Ali shoots at the cage in an 18-8 victory at home over Sayville April 6. Photo by Bill Landon
Shoreham-Wading River junior Gavin Gregorek-Ali drives by a Sayville defender April 6. Photo by Bill Landon
Shoreham-Wading River’s faceoff specialist Gavin Gregorek-Ali wins at X against Sayville April 6. Photo by Bill Landon
Senior midfielder Anthony Cimino looks for a cutter in an 18-8 victory at home over Sayville April 6. Photo by Bill Landon
Senior midfielder Anthony Cimino drives past a defender in an 18-8 victory at home over Sayville April 6. Photo by Bill Landon
Shoreham-Wading River sophomore Daniel Mercado looks for an open lane against visiting Sayville April 6. Photo by Bill Landon
Shoreham-Wading River junior Cristian Mercado manages to get a shot off despite being double teamed by two Sayville defenders April 6. Photo by Bill Landon
Wildcats celebrate after scoring a goal where they defeated Sayville at home April 6. Photo by Bill Landon
Shoreham Wading River senior Anthony Cimino shoots at the cage in an 18-8 victory at home over Sayville April 6. Photo by Bill Landon
Shoreham-Wading River senior Anthony Cimino uncorks one at the cage in an 18-8 victory at home over Sayville April 6. Photo by Bill Landon
Shoreham-Wading River senior Anthony Cimino rips a shot on goal in an 18-8 victory at home over Sayville April 6th. Photo by Bill Landon
A Wildcat passes the ball. Photo by Bill Landon
By Bill Landon
The Shoreham-Wading River Wildcats boys lacrosse team is on a tear, making short work of visiting Sayville with an 18-8 league victory April 6 to remain unbeaten. The Wildcats, a perennial powerhouse in the postseason, sit atop their division at 6-0.
The Wildcats have outscored their opponents 86-29 through six games, where their closest was an 8-6 win against Bayport-Blue Point in their season home opener. The Wildcats were back in action when they hit the road April 11 taking on Islip, where they won 18-7. SWR next hosts Harborfields April 12 at 7 p.m., and later Comsewogue April 16 at 4 p.m.
Village Mayor Margot Garant, left, and John Jay LaValle, right. File photos
Both sets of candidates gearing up for the Port Jefferson village mayor and trustees race will be available soon for two separate “meet and greets.”
The Residents First Party, which includes John Jay LaValle, Tom Meehan and Tracy Stapleton, will be at Harbor Grill located at 111 West Broadway in Port Jefferson April 15 from 6 to 8 p.m.
Contributions are encouraged but not required. Checks can be made payable to Residents First Party.
Prospective attendees must RSVP by April 12 to John Jay LaValle at [email protected].
Meanwhile, the Unity Party, with current Mayor Margot Garant, current Trustee Stan Loucks and trustee candidate Kathianne Snaden will be available at the Waterview at the Port Jefferson Country Club April 16 from 5:30 to 8 p.m.
A suggested donation is $75 per individual and $125 per couple. People must RSVP at [email protected]
Check back soon for more village election coverage.
Map of 1,4 Dioxane across Long Island by highest level detected within each water district. Photo from Citizens Campaign for the Environment
Many have attributed New York state of having “the champagne of drinking water,” though in recent years concerns over water quality have grown, especially on Long Island.
After toxic chemicals have been found in Long Island’s drinking water, 1,4-dioxane, has been found to be the chief concern on the Island, and currently it is not regulated by the state.
The chemical has been designated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as a likely carcinogen associated with liver and kidney damage after a lifetime of exposure to contaminated drinking water.
Images: The Citizens Campaign for the Environment shares the test results of common products for 1,4-dioxane. From Citizens Campaign for the Environment
In March, 1,4-dioxane was found in private drinking wells of two homes on Oakside Drive in Smithtown where results showed concentrations higher than 1 part per billion, which is the proposed recommendation by the New York State Drinking Water Quality Council in December 2018. It is not a definitive standard, and the state Health Department is expected to propose a water standard for 1,4-dioxane in the near future.
As a result of the uncertainty surrounding the Island’s drinking water, the Suffolk County Department of Health Services, beginning on March 25, sent informational letters and planned on visiting the 29 homes served by the wells along Smithtown’s Landing Avenue, Oakside Drive and Valley Avenue. From there, each homeowner would set up an appointment with the SCDHS and its staff will come and secure water samples from the wells.
Grace Kelly-McGovern, public relations director at SCDHS said as of April 10 every homeowner received a letter regarding the surveys and 15 of the wells at these homes have already been sampled. Three more homeowners have requested samplings, but the department has yet to receive a response from the other 11 homeowners.
According to Kelly-McGovern, once the samples are collected, they will be sent to the Hauppauge SCDHS lab, along with the New York State lab in Wadsworth, and will be tested for 1,4-dioxane and other contaminants. The process should take one to two months. She added it could take several months until homeowners are notified of the results of the samples.
A concern of 1,4-dioxane is that it can’t be removed through conventional treatment methods and involves a complex process of mixing the contaminated water with hydrogen peroxide, treated with ultraviolet light and then gets sent to tanks filled with carbon where the rest of contaminants are filtered out. The Suffolk County Water Authority’s Central Islip treatment system currently has the sole advanced oxidation process system capable of removing 1,4-dioxane on Long Island, though it required state approval to get it.
At a forum in early February, the Long Island Water Conference estimated the cost of treatment systems for close to 200 water wells contaminated by 1,4-dioxane to be at $840 million. Implementing these treatment systems, they said, could lead to higher water rates for homeowners.
The conference coalition asked for additional state aid and for a delay in when they would have to meet the standard.
As the issue for Long Island’s water providers continues, the SCWA board voted to create the first tiered-rate structure in the agency’s history April 1.
The new rate structure took effect the same day and the base drinking water charge for all customers will increase from $1.95 per thousand gallons to $2.028 per thousand gallons.
Images: The Citizens Campaign for the Environment shares the test results of common products for 1,4-dioxane. From Citizens Campaign for the Environment
The new tiered rate will be $2.34 per thousand gallons for all consumption over 78,540 gallons per quarter. Customers will only pay the tiered rate on water above 78,540 gallons per quarter, and the standard rate up until that point.
According to the authority, the action is in accordance with an initiative undertaken by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, which established a goal for suppliers of reducing peak season water use by 15 percent by 2021 in order to ensure the sustainability of water resources.
“Conservation rate structures have been adopted all across the country to encourage Americans to adjust their water-use habits for the long-term preservation of available water resources,” Jeffrey Szabo, the SCWA chief executive officer said in a press release. “We expect the new rate structure to help protect ratepayers who are careful in their water use and help provide the continued viability of our aquifer system.”
The 1,4-dioxane chemical has also been found in industrial solvents. A March study released by the Citizens Campaign for the Environment indicates the chemical is present in 65 of 80 household products tested, including baby products, shampoos, detergents and body washes. According to Adrienne Esposito, CCE executive director, the products were tested by the ALS environmental laboratory in Rochester which is certified by the state Department of Health.
The CCE argues that the chemical could end up down the drain and seep into drinking water through septic systems or wells.
Similarly, state Assemblyman Steve Englebright (D-Setauket) has introduced a bill that would ban household products containing 1,4-dioxane in the state except in trace amounts. The bill is currently in committee.
This post has been changed to reflect the accurate location of the SCDHS lab and other lab to be doing the water testing.
‘The most important day I remember in all my life is the one on which my teacher, Anne Mansfield Sullivan, came to me. I am filled with wonder when I consider the immeasurable contrast between the two lives which it connects.’— Helen Keller
By Heidi Sutton
Theatre Three continues its 49th season with William Gibson’s beautiful play “The Miracle Worker,” the inspirational story of Helen Keller and her teacher Annie Sullivan.
Born in Alabama in 1880, Helen Keller was afflicted with an unknown illness (possibly scarlet fever) at the age of 19 months that left her deaf, blind and mute. By the age of 7, she had become frustrated in her dark and silent world and frequently threw tantrums to get what she wanted.
In a final attempt to help her before having her institutionalized, her parents reached out to the Perkins School for the Blind, which sent its top student, 20-year-old Annie Sullivan, to live with the family and teach the child sign language. Helen would later recount that the day she met Sullivan was her “soul’s birthday.”
Expertly directed by Bradlee E. Bing (“12 Angry Men”), the dramatic production keeps the audience fixated from the beginning — a darkened stage where we hear Helen’s parents realize what has happened to their baby — to the final climactic water-pump scene where we all feel a lump in our throats.
From the moment Sullivan arrives, Helen is determined to fight her every step of the way. Used to being spoiled, she sees no need to learn the alphabet or eat with a utensil. The tumultuous relationship between teacher and pupil is played out in the physically violent scenes choreographed by Steven Uihlein. Forks and spoons and plates of food are often strewn about the stage, and the two often engage in outright brawls on the floor. It is exhausting to watch but also succeeds in revealing Sullivan’s determination to show Helen how to communicate through “a light of words.”
Not making any headway and with constant interference from the family, Sullivan moves Helen to the seclusion of the garden shed. Given only two more weeks to make a breakthrough, she tells the girl, “Now I have to teach you one word — everything.”
Eleven-year-old Cassandra La Rocco is superb as Helen, while Jessica Mae Murphy (“The Addams Family”) is outstanding as Sullivan in the roles made famous by Patty Duke and Anne Bancroft.
The supporting cast is equally impressive, with powerful performances by Michael Newman as Helen’s Civil War veteran father, Captain Keller; Susan Emory as her overindulgent mother, Kate; Eric J. Hughes as the half-brother James; Linda Pentz as Aunt Ev; and Cameron Turner and Meredith Szalay as servants Percy and Viney.
The elaborate set by Randall Parsons; costumes by Teresa Matteson and Toni St. John; and lighting design by Stacey Boggs tie everything together to produce a wonderful evening at the theater. The standing ovation on opening night was well deserved. Don’t miss this show. It will leave a lasting impact on your heart and soul.
Theatre Three, 412 Main St., Port Jefferson will present “The Miracle Worker” through April 28. Running time is 2 hours with a 15-minute intermission. The Mainstage season closes with “The Wizard of Oz” from May 18 to June 22. Tickets are $35 adults, $28 seniors and students, $20 children ages 5 and up. For more information or to order, call 631-928-9100 or visit www.theatrethree.com.
Photos by Peter Lanscombe, Theatre Three Productions Inc.
Pat Vecchio, right, with local historian Noel Gish during one of Smithtown's 350th Anniversary events. File photo by Chris Mellides
Former Smithtown Town Supervisor Pat Vecchio in his office in 2013. File photo by Rachel Shapiro
Pat Vecchio at a Smithtown Veterans ceremony in 2011. File photo
A plaque honoring former Supervisor Pat Vecchio's 40 years of service hangs in Smithtown Town Hall. Photo from the Town of Smithown
Pat Vecchio, right, talking with former New York State Gov. Mario Cuomo in 2004. File photo
Former Smithtown Town Supervisor Pat Vecchio during a town board meeting. File photo by Phil Corso
Former U.S. Congressman Tim Bishop presenting Pat Vecchio with a check in 2008. File photo
Pat Vecchio stands by an electric car in 2005. File photo
Former Smithtown Town Supervisor Pat Vechhio with members of the 350th Anniversary Whisper Committee in 2014. File photo
By Donna Deedy
It was a life well-lived. A first-generation American, the child of Italian immigrants, born during the Great Depression and dedicated to public service.
“At the end of the day, I’ve done something for people. And that’s the guiding principle of my life,” said former Smithtown Supervisor Patrick Vecchio in a 2015 interview with The Times of Smithtown.
“At the end of the day, I’ve done something for people. And that’s the guiding principle of my life.”
— Patrick Vecchio
Patrick Vecchio died Sunday, April 7, at age 88. For a record 40 years — nearly half of his lifetime — he held the Town of Smithtown’s highest office. During his tenure, seven different U.S. presidents held office, while the residents of Smithtown re-elected the same man to represent them again and again for 13 terms.
Roughly half of his years in office, he served as a Democrat, the other half a Republican. Today, people in both parties recognize his distinct leadership qualities. In fact, his portrait hangs in the Town of Smithtown Town Hall, and the building itself bears his name. The gesture, announced while Vecchio was still in office during a March 3, 2015 board meeting, surprised Vecchio and left him humbled and teary-eyed.
During the 2015 town hall dedication ceremony, Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone (D) made a point to say that Vecchio had served Smithtown the right way. At the same event, New York State Sen. John Flanagan (R-East Northport) was equally complimentary.
“He’s cheap, and he wears it like a badge of honor,” he said. “He never forgot, never forgets and never will forget where the money is coming from.”
Vecchio was legendary for his fiscal restraint. Town Historian Brad Harris said with a laugh that it’s more apt to call him “tight.” But Vecchio’s 40-year Smithtown legacy is rich and storied on a range of topics from open government policies to environmental conservation.
Under his leadership, Smithtown earned national recognition for many environmental and clean energy projects. The town pioneered a development rights program that enabled — at no cost to taxpayers — the preservation of important land such as the historic Harned Saw Mill site in Commack and the Saam wetlands at the headwaters of the Nissequoque River. Thanks to Vecchio, Smithtown was the first community in the nation to voluntarily convert its diesel-powered fleet of refuse trucks to run on compressed natural gas, which saved money and reduced noise and
air pollution.
“I’ve been here for 35 years; the Town of Smithtown never had a better friend than Pat Vecchio.”
— Russell Barnett
Smithtown was also an early adopter of wind generators and solar panels. Under Vecchio, the state awarded Smithtown in 2016 a $250,000 clean energy grant. Thanks to that award, solar electric projects are still underway at Smithtown Landing Country Club and town hall.
“I’ve been here for 35 years; the Town of Smithtown never had a better friend than Pat Vecchio,” said Russell Barnett, the Smithtown environmental protection director.
The community regarded Vecchio as a man with conviction. And people, whether they agreed with his position or not, said that they respected his opinion.
“He’s a feisty guy … ready to take on an issue or political opponent,” said Harris, after the town hall dedication ceremony. “He does battle for the people of Smithtown.”
People consistently note the leader’s commitment to the local community.
Smithtown Supervisor Ed Wehrheim (R) said that he recognized Vecchio as a true public servant. “In his historic time in office, he always did what he thought was best for residents … that was always at the forefront of his every decision,” he said.
December 12, 2017 was Vecchio’s last board meeting as Smithtown supervisor. The occasion drew a crowd that filled the board room and trailed through the hallways and down staircases. People bid farewell and thanked the supervisor for implementing his vision on their behalf. Suffolk County Legislator Rob Trotta (R-Fort Salonga) noted during the tribute that Vecchio was leaving Smithtown with a budgetary surplus rather than debt.
“This town is in such good financial shape, it is all because of you,” Trotta said. “You should be a model for every other town in the nation, the state and certainly the county.”
A ship Orsted plans to use to transport the wind turbines. Photo from SKDKnickerbocker
The wind was whipping along the shores of Port Jefferson Harbor April 3, ironically as local and state officials, along with representatives from energy corporations, advocated in support of a proposal to build an offshore wind “hub” in Port Jefferson to use wind for renewable energy.
Danish energy company Ørsted, the largest energy company of its home country, teamed up with Eversource, a Massachusetts-based energy company, in submitting a joint bid to the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority. Their project, a wind farm called Sunrise Wind, would be located over 30 miles east of Montauk Point, but using Port Jeff as its base of operations.
Assemblyman Steve Englebright (D-Setauket) at a press conference hosted in Port Jeff. Photo by David Luces
Fred Zalcman, head of government affairs for Ørsted, said once the wind farm is operational the hub in Port Jeff would create up to 100 permanent full-time jobs as well as temporary construction jobs while the hub and its facilities are being built.
“When completed in full scope [the project] will provide up to 500,000 households with clean and renewable electricity,” Zalcman said. “All without any visual impacts to Long Island beach goers and residents.”
Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone (D) praised the proposal for promoting the transition to clean energy on Long Island.
“This is about jobs and economic development,” he said. “We have talked about the importance for Long Island transitioning to clean energy — and that transition needs to happen quicker than a lot of people thought.”
The operations and maintenance hub in Port Jeff will provide dockage for a 250-foot service operation vessel. The ship would come to port every two to four weeks for approximately one to two days at a time to exchange crew and materials for the wind farm. The vessel will be able to accommodate about 60 technicians and 40 crew members.
The county executive mentioned the proposed project is an opportunity to create a “21st century industry of high paying jobs.”
“These are the jobs of the future, and these are the jobs we want to see on Long Island and in Suffolk County,” he said.
Zalcman said if they are awarded the bid by the state, they would need to break ground and begin construction in Port Jeff within 18 months to meet deadlines. Development could last through the mid-2020s.
Kevin Law, president and CEO of the Long Island Association has been promoting offshore wind for the past 10 years, and he said it works.
“We now have multi-billion-dollar international companies looking to invest in our region,” Law said. “I’ve always said our energy challenges are economic development opportunities.”
Ørsted is also the owner and operator of the Block Island Wind Farm, the first and only operating wind farm in the U.S. currently. Last year, they acquired Deepwater Wind, the company originally handling the Block Island project, and now are responsible for New York’s first offshore wind project, the South Fork Farm under contract with the Long Island Power Authority.
“I’ve always said our energy challenges are economic development opportunities.”
— Kevin Law
Maria Hoffman, chief of staff for Assemblyman Steve Englebright (D-Setauket), said the bid amounts are not made public until after the awards are announced. Each of the four major developers seeking the NYSERDA funds submitted several proposals with varying megawatt capacities.
In conjunction to the project, Ørsted announced in February it will invest $10 million to create a National Workforce Training Center at Suffolk County Community College to train students in offshore wind and renewable energy technology. The creation of the hub in Port Jeff and the training center are contingent on NYSERDA selecting Sunrise Wind in its pending offshore wind request for proposal.
NYSERDA has said it plans on announcing the winner of the award within the month, according to Ørsted officials.
Jim Seaman and Christine Seaman-Story view memorial dedicated to their father, former Selden Fire Department Chief Arnold Seaman. By David Luces
The Selden Fire Department remembered the life of former chief Arnold Seaman by dedicating a new memorial park April 6. Photo by David Luces
The park named in Chief Arnold Seaman's honor was built on the corner of Hawkins Avenue and North Bicycle Path near the site of the fatal crash that killed him. Photo by David Luces
The Selden Fire Department remembered the life of former chief Arnold Seaman by dedicating a new memorial park April 6. Photo by David Luces
The Selden Fire Department remembered the life of former chief Arnold Seaman by dedicating a new memorial park April 6. Photo by David Luces
The Selden Fire Department remembered the life of former chief Arnold Seaman by dedicating a new memorial park April 6. Photo by David Luces
The Selden Fire Department remembered the life of former chief Arnold Seaman by dedicating a new memorial park April 6. Photo by David Luces
The Selden Fire Department remembered the life of a fallen hero by dedicating a new memorial park April 6.
Fifty years ago, Chief Arnold Seaman was killed in the line of duty while responding to a fire at Newfield High School. On the way to the high school April 10, 1969, Seaman was involved in a car crash. He was taken to the hospital but did not survive his injuries.
The park named in his honor was built on the corner of Hawkins Avenue and North Bicycle Path near the site of the fatal crash. Friends and family paid tribute to the late Seaman, hailed as a true American hero.
Jack Emr was the assistant fire chief of the department at the time of the crash and took over as chief after Seaman’s death. He said burying his close friend took a big chunk of his heart.
“Every April 10, I have a beer and I say, ‘Chief, save me a seat for me on the fire truck, I’ll be there soon,’” he said.
In the center of the park is a memorial honoring the late chief with a bronze helmet, an exact replica of the one he wore 50 years ago. The area around the park was designated as Chief Arnold Seaman Way.
Jim Seaman, Arnold’s son, thanked the crowd for coming to the dedication and said since the day of the crash 50 years ago, the Selden Fire Department has had the family’s back. “It is a debt we can never repay, and I thank them,” he said.
Jim Seaman reminisced about being named an honorary fireman back in 1969, displaying to the crowd the badge he was given all those years ago. He also mentioned an experience about ten years ago, when at an installation dinner he was called up and handed a fire chief’s jacket, calling it the greatest honor of his life.
“I know my father is looking down and is beaming ear to ear right now,” he said.
Later in his speech he added, “This [park] is something as a family we can be proud of. It’s something 10 years from now my father’s great-grandchildren can come and visit.”
Superintendent Jessica Schmettan. File photo by Kyle Barr
Board approves 2019-20 district budget
The Port Jefferson School District named the first female superintendent to the post Tuesday, and to top it off, she’s a nine-year Port Jeff resident.
At the board of education meeting April 9, the board named current Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction Jessica Schmettan, 42, as the new superintendent effective Nov. 1 this year.
“I’m a resident, a taxpayer, and I have two kids in school,” Schmettan said of her connection to the village. “I’m just so excited to be chosen.”
The Port Jefferson School District welcomed new upcoming superintendent Jessica Schmettan, center with black coat, April 9. Photo by Kyle Barr
The upcoming superintendent beat out a field of over 20 candidates, many of whom Kathleen Brennan, the board president, said were highly qualified for the position.
“Just because she was an inside candidate, she was not tossed any softballs,” said Brennan.
Schmettan holds a bachelor of science in special education from Long Island University, a master’s degree in instructional technology from the New York Institute of Technology, and School District Leader certification from the College of
New Rochelle.
Before coming to Port Jeff in 2016, she began her career as an educator in the Three Village Central School District. She also has experience with special education from the Roosevelt Union Free School District and United Cerebral Palsy of Long Island. She went on to work for seven years in the Sachem Central School District as administrative assistant for instructional support and programming and later assistant superintendent for elementary curriculum and instruction.
Though there was one other female interim superintendent in the past, Schmettan is the first full-time woman appointed to the position
“It’s exciting for my daughter so she can see what she’s capable of,” the upcoming superintendent said.
In August 2018, current Port Jeff superintendent Paul Casciano declared his intention to step down from his position. In the following months, continuing into the new year, the district worked with Suffolk County BOCES in the process of finding a new superintendent. Deputy Superintendent Sean Leister said most of the costs to the district were from advertising in newspapers, including The New York Times. While he is still waiting for the bills to come back with precise amounts, he estimated the cost to be about $15,000 to $17,000 to the district.
While Casciano originally intended to stay until July, he extended that until Oct. 31 to aid in the transition.
“I’m so proud of Jessica as the first woman to be appointed to the head of schools in Port Jeff,” the current superintendent said. “She’s proved she has a deep knowledge of our core mission, teaching and learning.”
During the meeting, Brennan spoke directly to Schmettan. “One of the things you said in response to one of the questions you asked was you’re going to have to have courageous conversations. And that phrase struck me, and that kind of describes Port Jeff going forward, we are going to have to have a lot of courageous conversations.”
“I’m a resident, a taxpayer, and I have two kids in school.”
— Jessica Schmetta
Many of those conversations will revolve around the impact of the settlement with Brookhaven town and the Long Island Power Authority over the taxes levied on the Port Jefferson Power Station. The settlement agreement cuts LIPA’s taxes on the power station in half incrementally for the next eight years.
Schmettan said she plans to resurrect the budget advisory committee, so the public can get involved in the process of crafting future budgets. She expects the district will continue to see cuts and will have to make some difficult decisions, but she is optimistic about the future of the district, saying “we’re up to the challenge.”
Board adopts 2019-20 budget
The Port Jefferson school board has approved a budget that, while consolidating programs, will still see a small increase. Along with the budget, the board is asking residents to approve the use of capital reserves to fix sections of the high school and elementary school roofs.
The board approved a $43,936,166 budget April 9, a $46,354 and 0.11 percent increase from last year’s budget. The tax levy, the amount of funds the district raises from taxes has also gone up to $36,898,824, a $464,354 and 1.27 percent increase from last year, staying directly at the 1.27 percent tax cap. Officials said they had a lower tax cap this year due to a reduction in capital projects funded by general appropriations. If the district pierced the tax cap, it would need 60 percent of residents to approve the budget come the May vote, rather than the normal 50 percent.
Leister said the district has slashed and consolidated a number of items, including professional development for staff, private transportation allocation, and a $142,000 reduction through scheduling and enrollment efficiencies for staff. The district has also cut the teacher’s retirement system by $25,000 and staff retirement system by $60,000. The biggest increases in budget came from health insurance for staff, increasing by approximately $555,580, and benefits, which increased by $408,480.
The district also plans to use $400,000 in the general fund budget to relocate the middle school office into an existing upstairs science classroom for what district officials said was security reasons.
Leister said the district should be creating a tax calculator for district residents to roughly calculate their school taxes. The program should be available up on the district website in about a week.
The board is also asking residents to vote on allowing the board to allocate funds from capital reserves, the funds built up over time from money unused by the end of each school year, to fix portions of the elementary school and high school roof, equaling $3,600,000.
The board will have its budget presentation May 14 at 7 p.m. in the high school auditorium before asking residents to vote on the budget May 21. Residents can vote from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. in the high school cafeteria.
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