Authors Posts by Lauren Feldman

Lauren Feldman

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File photo by Raymond Janis

By Lauren Feldman

At its Oct. 17 meeting, the Smithtown Town Board announced the 2025 preliminary town budget.

“I am pleased to present the 2025 tentative budget, which is both balanced and under the tax cap, despite years of inflation, national economic climate and costly unfunded state mandates that are forced upon local municipalities to manage,” said Supervisor Ed Wehrheim (R).

The supervisor said over the last year, the town completed significant upgrades to popular facilities. 

“I am pleased to report that our path will continue forward to complete the total renovation of the Smithtown park system — expanding open-space preservation, tree planting and inventory efforts,” he said.

The town is also making efforts to increase cybersecurity and disability accessibility. 

“We have accomplished all of this despite a 16.6 percent increase to health care insurance, New York State retirement contributions, minimum wage and other state mandates with over $2 million added in operating costs solely for health care insurance for our union employees,” Wehrheim continued. 

“These vital investments have already proven to be a benefit for our community and will continue well into the future.” 

The supervisor thanked his fellow town officers for their tireless work on the budget proposal. 

The budget has been balanced with a focus on quality of life, which includes prioritizing essential services and local infrastructure. 

The budget will result in a $29.60 increase for the average household for the year, which is under the tax cap limit.

An additional $3 million will be bonded for highway repaving and drainage projects. 

Solid waste residential fees will increase by $4 from $540. The increase includes leaf and brush removal.

The supervisor also addressed the state’s minimum wage increase, set to take place in 2025, which will consequently increase the cost of services the town uses. 

Extremely difficult budget

However, no reserve funds were used to balance the budget. “I will add that this was an extremely difficult budget,” Wehrheim said. “It gets more and more difficult every year.”

He said that increases and pressures from the state have contributed to the stress of the budget. While he was proud of the team for coming in with an increase under the tax cap, this may be even more challenging next year.

“I think you will find that getting more difficult for next year, but we’ll see what happens,” the supervisor said. “Perhaps the economy improves. But we did our due diligence, and I think we produced a budget that’s very fair to the Smithtown taxpayer while continuing to provide all the services that we do.”

At the end of the budget presentation, John Savoretti, came forward to say, “As a resident and business owner in Smithtown, I felt it was important for me to come out and thank you for the hard work that you did keeping this [budget] under the cap.”

Wehrheim thanked Savoretti for his kind words. “This was a lot of hard work by our department heads, our Comptroller’s Office and this Town Board. It was not easy to achieve at all, but we strived to achieve it and we made it work.” 

The tentative 2025 budget is posted on the town’s website at www.smithtownny.gov. 

Board of Education meetings are typically held at William J. Brosnan School. Photo credit GoogleMaps

By Lauren Feldman

The Northport-East Northport Board of Education meeting, held on Oct. 10 at the W. J. Brosnan Building, shed light on the vast array of construction work that had occurred over summer break, now completed. 

The report was presented by John Lackner, director of facilities, and John Piersa, assistant plant facility administrator.

There were two capital projects in the report, the roof of Ocean Avenue Elementary School and Northport Middle School. The middle school project, begun last year, had a late start according to Lackner. But the director said he is happy to finally see the project concluded.

“It was very much needed. We got a lot of calls to go over there to make repairs,” he said. 

Lackner emphasized that projects are often determined as a matter of safety. “We do a lot of health and safety when we do work here. We look at things that need a lot of TLC and we refurbish those areas.”

The rest of the projects were internal, and there were many of them.

The library of Pulaski Road Elementary received a new floor, after the carpeting and old flooring containing asbestos were removed. An updated air-conditioning unit was added to the all-purpose room, and the walkway to Pulaski Road was repaved.

At Norwood Avenue Elementary, the library was also de-carpeted and refloored. Sections of cracked sidewalk were replaced.

At Ocean Avenue Elementary, an old storage room was gutted and renovated from top to bottom. The new therapy space will offer a unique place for students and staff to decompress or catch a few minutes of quiet.

The school board worked in conjunction with the Village of Northport to remove the old retaining wall and cut back trees to install a wider path and stronger new wall.

The school’s second-floor hallway was also replaced.

Staff members at Fifth Avenue Elementary were excited to find that a newly-renovated bathroom awaited their return from summer vacation.

Northport Middle School’s gym floor was sanded, repainted and refinished, brightening the space and better outlining court configurations. Alongside the gym updates, a new walkway was built outside from the main office hallway to recess areas.

At the William J. Brosnan Building, a cracked set of tennis courts were repaired and also turned into hybrid pickleball courts with new lines, increasing their versatility for residents and students.

The presentation concluded with Northport High School, at which many big changes had been made.

The tennis court facility was reconfigured to add another court. The original handball courts were removed to make space for a new tennis court, as well as adding a court solely for pickleball and two hybrid courts that can be used for either sport. In total, the court capacity increased from six to seven. The courts were resurfaced and repainted.

Superintendent of Schools Dave Moyer oversaw much of the project. Robert Howard, assistant superintendent for business, credited Moyer’s insight for the addition of the seventh court.

He “brought it to our attention that just resurfacing the courts wouldn’t solve the problem,” Howard said. “We didn’t have seven varsity courts to play on, and that was actually prohibiting the team from making use of daylight to prepare for matches.”

In addition to the tennis courts, the ‘little commons’ also received a massive update with the total removal of the lockers and installation of couch-and-lounge spaces, alongside new flooring and a paint refresh.

Moyer said the students were the inspiration for the space. “We do try to have our students feel like the schools are theirs. They take a lot of ownership over the school.”

“Our students are really instrumental in leading what goes on in our buildings, and you can feel that when you walk in,” he added.

The second-floor center partition was removed to open up the space, and in the music wing a creative floor tile layout creates the illusion of piano keys.

Finally, the upper commons bathroom is now fully ADA compliant.

With the schools refreshed and ready for the year ahead, students and staff can focus on what’s most important: a strong education at upgraded, welcoming schools.

“[I’m] really proud of the staff, of the leadership, and I’m really excited to see our facilities being used,” Howard said.

By Lauren Feldman

Stony Brook University opened its doors for another CommUniversity Day on Saturday, Sept. 28. The event was held at the Academic Mall, central to the university’s main campus.

The open house showcases a variety of majors, clubs and houses of study available at the university.

“This is a celebration of all things [Stony Brook] University,” said Paul Newland, outreach director at Stony Brook’s Staller Center for the Arts.

Newland said letting the “community” aspect of CommUniversity Day is essential to the continued success of the university.

“It’s almost like a city here, and not everyone knows what’s happening at the university,” he said. “So it’s a way to invite the public in to see what’s going on, all the different opportunities at Stony Brook.”

And members of the community certainly seemed to be taking in all the university has to offer.

“I know I want to pursue something in medicine, but I’m not totally sure what specifically,” said Emily, a high school junior who is considering applying to Stony Brook. “I like how each department has their own booth. I definitely got a lot of information to help me think about my future.”

Introduced in 2017, CommUniversity Day has grown into a celebration of the university’s relationships with its community partners.

Around the Academic Mall, several majors, departments and clubs set up booths with information and fun activities.

“CommUniversity is one of our favorite events of the year,” said a member of the Women in Business organization on campus. “We get to give back to the community and show how much we love Stony Brook University.”

“You get to see all of the talents at Stony Brook,” added another member. “It’s so fun and really cool to see everyone get together.”

At the Speech Pathology group, visitors could spin a prize wheel if they could answer a speech/language based trivia question. The Study Abroad booth offered visitors a pin to place on a world map printout based on where they were from. At the dental booth, visitors were offered a free dental screening.

Two popular events for children, the Teddy Bear Clinic and Storytime with the Tooth Fairy, filled up fast, and there was a long line to bet on the rubber duck race. The Lego Booth, a new addition this year, was teaming with kids and adults alike, excited to participate in timed challenges or to simply sit, and stretch their creative muscles.

Also present were community partners, including the Three Village Chamber of Commerce, Girl Scouts of Suffolk County, local fire, police and first responders, as well as a plethora of local food trucks.

CommUniversity Day served as a platform for Island Harvest, and attendees were encouraged to bring two non-perishable food items to contribute to the food drive.

“It’s really sweet that [Stony Brook] does things like this,” said Terry, a Stony Brook mom. “I mean, it’s not just about the school – even though we love Stony Brook. It’s about helping our neighbors, and I think that’s really special.”

Richard L. McCormick, who is serving as the university’s interim president, called the day “an opportunity for our campus to join with our surrounding community and neighbors to talk, listen, collaborate, discover and celebrate just how lucky we are to be here, on Long Island, at one of the best universities in the world.”

By Lauren Feldman

By popular demand, Huntington Public Library brought back its puzzle competition on Sunday, Sept. 15.

This was the second puzzle competition the library has hosted. The first competition, which took place in early June, was a hit with residents, who flocked in pairs, trios and quads to complete a 500-piece puzzle in under two hours. Both were held in the auditorium of the Main Branch at 338 Main St. 

For this round, four teams faced off to complete a fall-themed puzzle. The puzzle is kept a mystery until the clock starts counting down, and all teams are given the same puzzle to keep things fair. 

The first group, who called themselves the Puzzled Parents, completed the puzzle in just under half an hour. 

Jacqueline Basso, resident programming librarian, said, “The first puzzle competition was very popular, it was a fully-booked program and everyone wanted more. All the comment cards were really favorable. So we scheduled this one in the fall.” 

First and second place teams received a swag bag from the library, as well as a first and second place trophy. 

Basso indicated the library plans to host another competition in the coming months, possibly closer to the fall holidays. “It seems like something our patrons are enjoying, and I hope to highlight it more in our newsletters going forward,” she said.

LIMGC rehearsing at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church. Courtesy Danny Schrafel

By Lauren Feldman

The Long Island Gay Men’s Chorus held its first rehearsal for the 2024 holiday season on Wednesday, Sept. 4, at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in East Northport. 

The chorus aims to entertain audiences with high-quality choral performances, while affirming the contributions of Long Island’s LGBT+ community. Programs include challenging contemporary music, and performances of an ambitious, traditional repertoire alongside music from various world cultures. 

The chorus affirms, by example and through song, the worth and dignity of a cross-section of the diverse population that is reflective of Long Island and the nation as a whole.

LIMGC rehearsing at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church. Photo courtesy of Danny Schrafel

Christian Cederstrom, chorus treasurer and member of the baritone section, joined the group around eight or nine years ago. “This group is so special because it really is the culmination of a brotherhood coming together to create something beautiful. The people are here for that shared mission,” he said. 

“You never know what someone’s life is like,” he added. “Being able to retreat into a safe space, especially a queer safe space, makes it all the more lifesaving. It’s a means of survival for some people, and even having that one or two hours a week where they can just be is so important. The climate out in the world is so dog eat dog, but here it’s about creation and beauty.”

Michael Conley, a tenor 1 and founding member of the LIGMC over 17 years ago, said the chorus holds a lot of value as an LGBT+ space on Long Island. “We’re in the shadow of New York City. And yes, we have Fire Island, we have the village, but Long Island is a conservative place. So it’s nice to have these spaces where we can come together. And then by practicing and having something really special, we’re able to go out and share it with others.”

Practices are led this year by Jeanette Cooper, artistic director and accompanist of the LIGMC. Cooper will also lead the chorus through its concert series, as she has for the past few years. She is looking forward to an exciting season, the first half of which is themed after the joy of singing and the second half around Christmas. 

She is glad to return for another series after a break following the chorus’ summer series. Of all her hats to culminate a season, Cooper said she enjoys working directly with the members of the chorus most. “My favorite part of them is them. Because they are a group of wonderful men. No matter who joins us, they seem to fit right in. They are a delight, they are the reason I come back every week.”

The partnership with St. Paul’s has been ongoing for four years, and members of both the church and chorus have celebrated its success. Cederstrom said, “I’ve been very thankful to be housed by different churches in the community who have been really affirming to the queer community. St. Paul’s of East Northport has been very supportive of our mission here, and I’m very thankful that we are able to have a safe queer space to create music.”

Cederstrom’s father, Bob Cederstrom, has served as an associate pastor at St. Paul’s for 18 years. He said it has been a blessing to house the chorus over the last few years. “This is a very generous congregation, who opened their doors and welcomed [the chorus], and they’ve been here now for four years. They’re a blessing to have here. And we’re blessed to have them.”

For the elder Cederstrom, welcoming the Long Island Gay Men’s Chorus is simply following his faith. “Jesus welcomed everybody. He didn’t say ‘but’ or ‘if’ or ‘maybe.’ Everybody is welcome. … This is a wonderful, inviting congregation here.”

The group will continue practicing weekly at St. Paul’s. Rehearsals will lead up to the Sunday, Oct. 27, afternoon fall cabaret and concerts in December.

Interested singers can follow LIGMC on Instagram and Facebook or email LIGMC’s board of directors at [email protected]  for more information. 

Board of Education meetings are typically held at William J. Brosnan School. Photo credit GoogleMaps

By Lauren Feldman

At the Sept. 5 Northport-East Northport Board of Education meeting, Superintendent Dave Moyer and his team presented on Professional Learning Communities, an educational plan that has been under consideration by the board in recent months.

The presentation goals included introducing foundational Professional Learning Community principles, providing examples of teacher collaboration, discussing the role of eduCLIMBER in supporting PLCs, and sharing district plans for year one implementation.

“PLCs are not a program, they’re not an initiative, they’re a culture,” Moyer said.

Moyer began by discussing John Hattie, who performed a study to help determine the most crucial aspects of schooling that affect learning. Hattie identified the top factor as what he called Collective Teacher Efficacy, or a collective belief of teachers in their ability to positively affect students. This is the concept on which PLC is based.

The PCL Method focuses on the surrounding areas which impact student growth. Courtesy Northport Board of Ed

PLC promotes that the purpose of schooling is to unite teachers in student education, not just rely on the efforts of a single teacher. “When teachers share their best strategies with one another, students win,” according to a PLC video that Moyer played for the board. “By sharing strategies, resources and data, teachers create more opportunities for their students to reach grade level and subject proficiency. PLCs give you the opportunity to improve your teaching practice with a team that shares your vision.”

Moyer explained that, crucially, PLC is teacher collaboration based on measurable evidence. “There are things we do in school that we think affect student learning, but in actuality don’t impact student learning,” he said. “Collaboration is critical, and the practice has to demonstrate results.”

PLC collaboration seeks to answer four questions: What is it we want our students to learn? How will we know if each student has learned it? How will we respond when some students do not learn it? How can we extend and enrich learning for students who have demonstrated proficiency?

The superintendent’s team also talked about work the district has done over the summer to begin to implement PLCs in Northport schools. One action is the implementation of a new way to track data, called eduCLIMBER.

This system is designed to provide district data alongside nondistrict data to better inform schools of the status of its students. On a student level, eduCLIMBER can help chart academics, but also attendance, behavioral incidents and interventions. On a district level, the tool can be used to track student, parent and staff surveys, school climate and culture and budget. 

Teachers can then use this data to better inform specific goals in the PLC process.

Moyer also discussed plans for implementing PLC this academic year. During a recent administrator retreat, attendees reviewed concepts from “Cultures Built to Last: Systemic PLCs at Work,” a book by Richard DuFour and Michael Fullan.

The first Monday of every month would include teacher collaboration time: meetings designed to complement and strengthen the work of PLCs, where faculty can discuss what is and is not working in their classrooms.

Principals will also have to assess the specific needs of their schools and provide the district with a focus area for their PLC plan. This will help the district understand what each school is aiming to improve for the academic year.

Members of the board posed some follow-up questions. When asked for data on what other schools have implemented PLCs, the superintendent and his team were unable to provide that information, though Moyer said there are lots of reasons a school may not implement PLCs, including insufficient data systems, or districts being otherwise unable to report on their students.

The superintendent emphasized that PLCs take a long time to implement. In high schools, they may take up to 10 years to flesh out. However, he sees this system as a positive way forward for Northport schools.

The board thanked the superintendent for his presentation, and many members valued the vision of PLC for the district. Northport schools will move forward with PLC implementation, and track student and school progress as the year continues.

The next BOE meeting is scheduled for Sept. 18.

The new sign marking St. John’s historic cemetery. Photo by Lauren Feldman

By Lauren Feldman

St. John’s Episcopal Church of Huntington unveiled the new sign fronting its cemetery on Sunday, Sept. 8. The unveiling was accompanied by a lecture on the complex history of both St. John’s and the cemetery grounds, provided by local historians and preservationists.

Locals will note that the cemetery, located across from Huntington Hospital, is more than a stone’s throw from the church’s current location on the corner of Main Street and Prospect Street. 

They may also find it odd that the church located next to these grounds is not, in fact, St. John’s, but the Bethel AME Church, which represents an entirely different congregation.

Joel Snodgrass discusses preservation and restoration plans for the cemetery. Photo by Lauren Feldman

Historians Toby Kissam and Robert Hughes were on-site to explain the strange location of the cemetery grounds. 

The church building today is the third one in the congregation’s history, erected at the beginning of the 20th century on land donated by Cornelia Prime. The first services were held in the new church on Pentecost, 1907. A new parish hall was built, and the church was consecrated in 1917.

The cemetery itself marks the grounds of the original church site. In the 1740s, the Rev. Samuel Seabury Sr. of St. George’s paid a visit to Huntington, where he found a small group of like-minded people. By the following year, enough settlers in the area were invested in forming their own parish. 

A small church building was erected a little north of the Village Green, located along Park Avenue on the north side of Route 25A. 

Throughout the Revolutionary War, Kissam said, there were no permanent ministers at the church, as Long Island was a region of divided loyalties. While there were many Tories loyal to the king, Huntington was a town of patriot sympathizers and no minister associated with the official church dared settle in the area. 

Following the war, the church struggled to reorganize, and after five decades the original building was in a state of extreme disrepair. 

By the 1860s, the vestry was debating whether to rebuild on the existing grounds or move elsewhere. The location of the church was perceived as inconvenient for most people to attend, consequently lowering attendance and enfeebling the church. But in spite of these disadvantages, the church was rebuilt on the original site.

Then in 1905 a fire destroyed the church’s building, and the church was rebuilt at its new (current) location, with the land provided by Prime. 

And so it came to be that the church and its cemetery were separated across town. With the new sign in place, as well as inviting members of both the congregation and the village, the clergy of St. John’s hopes to continue to raise awareness for the ongoing efforts of the church to restore these sacred grounds.

Architectural conserver Joel Snodgrass walked visitors through the plans for preserving and restoring the grounds at St. John’s. The process will include bringing in professional landscapers to clear out the severe overgrowth of the grounds, as well as repairing and replacing some of the damaged ancient stones. 

The unveiling of the cemetery sign comes at a pivotal time for the parish, which will be celebrating its 280th anniversary in 2025. Plans are underway to host and fundraise for a series of events in celebration of the longevity of the congregation. This information will soon be available on the parish’s website.