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Raymond Janis

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Suffolk County Legislator Nick Caracappa opens up during a one-on-one interview with TBR News Media. Photo by Raymond Janis

In the race for Suffolk County’s 4th Legislative District, incumbent Legislator Nick Caracappa (C-Selden) is running virtually uncontested.

Caracappa’s Democratic Party challenger, Tim Hall (D-Selden), is not openly campaigning and declined to participate in an office debate with TBR News Media. One-on-one with the incumbent, who currently serves as majority leader within the county Legislature, Caracappa outlined various quality-of-life concerns within the 4th District, touching upon the ongoing countywide wastewater debate, economic development, homelessness and finances.

Wastewater

This year’s county elections are happening beneath the cloud of the Water Quality Restoration Act, a proposed 1/8-penny sales tax to finance wastewater infrastructure in Suffolk County. Along with the Republican Party caucus, Caracappa voted no, pointing to several perceived deficiencies within the legislation.

He suggested that the debate over wastewater infrastructure is a matter of finding the correct balance between laying down seed funds for large-scale sewer projects and financing innovative/alternative septic systems, known as IA systems.

“The most critical flaw of that legislation was the distribution percentages,” he said. “No less than 75% would go toward IA systems, and the rest would go toward sewers.”

Caracappa contended that IA systems have not been requested or used by LD4 residents, saying that this technology is necessary for places along the East End that lack the density to support sewers.

“We have these hundreds of millions committed to shovel-ready projects,” he said. “Planning and development stages are already done. All we’re waiting for is to get the shovels in the ground.”

But getting those shovels in the ground, the legislator noted, requires significant state and federal subsidization. To tap into those large pots of cash, he said a reworded wastewater protection plan would be appropriate, devoting a much larger percentage toward sewers.

“We’re talking about hundreds of millions of dollars” to complete full-scale sewer projects, Caracappa said. “We don’t have that kind of money in Suffolk County, but we do have the tens of millions” to generate the local match necessary for full-scale subsidization.

He added, “I will continue to fight for legislation for the projects that are needed at this time,” namely for sewers.

Middle Country Road

Amid the countywide debate over wastewater, there remains the local matter of introducing sewers into the Middle Country Road corridor, extending a sewer line from Lake Grove to Coram.

Caracappa stated that various businesses and restaurants are interested in entering the Middle Country area, though the existing wastewater infrastructure cannot adequately accommodate these establishments. “Because of the lack of sewers, we can’t facilitate their waste needs,” leading to a local decline.

He said that new sewers would revitalize the Route 25 commercial strip, enhancing the quality of life for residents.

“The sewers, in this case, are for downtowns, for economic development and for new businesses coming in,” he said, adding that the project aims to incentivize “knocking down those small, shuttered buildings and attracting businesses that can come in.”

He pointed to downtowns such as Patchogue, Babylon and Sayville as a model for downtown development along Middle Country Road. “All those downtowns are thriving, and the common denominator is that they have sewers in the ground.”

He regarded sewers as a regional economic development tool. “From putting in the sewers to roadways to drainage to new businesses coming in, they’re going to need employees, and it’s going to create jobs,” Caracappa said. “Jobs give people a reason to stay.”

Affordability/housing

In attracting new businesses into the Greater Middle Country area, Caracappa said there would be several steps toward overseeing the planning for new developments.

“We have to recognize the housing issues here in Suffolk County,” he said. “That’s why I’m a staunch advocate and supporter — and I generated two bills signed into law — that for each development that’s built and that seeks county subsidies, they have to set aside a certain amount of affordable housing for veterans and those in our special needs community.”

Due to the high cost of living in Suffolk, he noted that many young people are struggling to find a place to live. He proposed that county subsidization should come with the caveat of setting aside workforce housing for those earning below the average median income.

Developers “may not get as rich or as quick as they want, but if they’re going to get county taxpayer funding, then there has to be a return on that investment,” he added. “That’s true workforce housing.”

Budgets

With long-term economic uncertainty and a county budget increasingly unstable, Caracappa offered his approach to reigning in the county’s budget. He highlighted some of the principles he said have guided the Republican majority in the county Legislature, noting efforts to improve the county’s bond rating and lower interest rates.

“The first initiative we took is to stop bonding everything,” he said. “We have cash on hand, so we stopped bonding out projects that were $50,000 or less,” adding, “Taking out a bond on $50,000 makes no fiscal sense because you’re going to pay more on interest than you are on the initial loan.”

He also advocated against appropriating funds for projects and programs with minimal return on investment. He supported filling vacant positions within the government and raising salaries for existing county employees.

The majority leader added that the county Legislature must consider a “full circle” approach to economic sustainability, exploring ways to keep young people living and working in Suffolk, where their money can be returned to the community.

“You have to create opportunities here, so they can work here, collect a salary here and recycle that money back into” Suffolk County, he noted.

Homelessness

Amid these fiscal and regional economic challenges, LD4 communities continue experiencing pockets of homelessness, notably in and around Coram.

In addressing the plight of homelessness, Caracappa supported a multipronged effort, tailoring unique intervention strategies to different cases.

“We have to provide opportunities,” he emphasized. “A lot of these homeless people are veterans or people who lost their jobs due to COVID. … For others, there are mental health issues, and we have to provide opportunities for that and get them treatment.”

He referred to homelessness as a “very difficult issue,” especially given the challenges within the shelter system. He noted, “There’s never going to be an answer to all of it because not everybody wants to be helped.”

Given the influx of migrants entering New York state, Caracappa expressed concerns over its implications on local homelessness. 

“Promises that are being made to these individuals who are crossing our border are fundamentally and outright lies,” he said. “They’re being promised an opportunity for a better life, and they’re all ending up in gymnasiums and warehouses.”

He added, “It’s a false promise for a false life that cannot be provided. I will not support having the taxpayer money of Suffolk County residents — who are already struggling day-to-day to help their own families — to provide for these other families.”

Political influence

When asked about the role of outside stakeholders in county government, Caracappa responded that these influences did not affect him personally.

He cited the wastewater bill as a moment in which he received considerable pushback from stakeholder groups, such as unions and environmentalists.

“My job is to protect and serve those in Suffolk County — be their voice and present legislation that’s going to benefit them,” he said.

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Town of Brookhaven Councilwoman Jane Bonner, left, and attorney Carol Russell debate the issues facing the town’s 2nd Council District. Photo by Raymond Janis

This year, incumbent Town of Brookhaven Councilwoman Jane Bonner (R-Rocky Point) is defending her seat against attorney Carol Russell (D-Coram).

The district lines for Council District 2 shifted substantially due to last year’s redistricting process. Covering the northeastern hamlets from Mount Sinai to Wading River, the district expanded southward and received a sizable chunk of Coram.

In a debate at the TBR office with the two candidates, Bonner, who was first elected to the office in 2007 and has held the seat ever since, explained the motivations behind her reelection bid. “I think my record has proven itself — hands-on, full time, civic-minded,” Bonner said. “I’ve been instrumental in putting the town on the right track, and I’m looking forward to serving four more years.”

Her opponent is a former critical care nurse who transitioned into the law and spent three decades representing nurses. After ending her legal practice in 2017, Russell became a more active member in her family farm business in Coram.

She cited her community involvement efforts, such as mentoring with the Dress for Success Brookhaven program and volunteering for the mock trial team at Longwood High School.

“I’ve been a patient advocate, a legal advocate, a women’s advocate … and I’m a voter-protection advocate,” she said.

Quality of life

In speaking with CD2 residents, Russell highlighted affordability and taxes as a paramount policy concern. She said public safety, particularly the opioid crisis, has been a significant local concern.

“Overdevelopment and the environment are big concerns of a lot of people,” she said. “We want to keep our open space. We don’t need any more 5,000-square-foot, multifamily, million-dollar homes. We need workforce housing. We need redevelopment of our blighted areas … and our abandoned properties.”

She also suggested that the town’s permitting process could be streamlined.

For Bonner, crime and public safety are her highest priorities. She said the district is seeing a high volume of “squatting issues” and vacant homes that have stalled in the foreclosure process.

She said preserving open space remains a critical policy focus for the 2nd District. “I was instrumental in helping to preserve the over 700 acres in Wading River that was slated to be clear cut for a solar farm,” the incumbent said. “I was instrumental in helping craft that legislation that you can’t clear cut woods to create solar farms.”

She added that being mindful of the tax burden on residents remains another quality-of-life concern for her.

Vacant storefronts

Lining some of the primary commercial corridors within CD2, such as state routes 25 and 25A, are vacant storefronts, signaling a difficulty in attracting and sustaining businesses within the area.

Bonner supported adjusting land-use policies to adapt to the new commercial real estate climate created by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“As we evolve out of this pandemic, we need to go back and adjust these land-use plans to allow for different uses than [those that] were originally adopted,” she indicated. “And we’ve started to do that.”

Russell referred to these blighted commercial areas as “very complicated.” She called for creating a master plan to guide the development of these commercial zones. “I think we really need to find a good, comprehensive plan to bring back the stores and the commercial industry,” she said. “It’s changed over the years, but it hasn’t changed that dramatically since COVID.”

The challenger added, “People want to shop local. They want to be engaged with the business owners. … I just think we need to do better with a comprehensive development plan to redevelop those blighted areas.”

Traffic/pedestrian safety

Russell stated that “the roads around here are horrible.” She raised concern over trail crossings, advocating for roadway reconfigurations at these intersections. She also supported other pedestrian safety enhancements to promote walkability in places with greater foot traffic.

“We need more sidewalks,” she said. “Wherever there are shopping centers and strip malls, and particularly where they are crossing the street, we need to have sidewalks so people can park on one side and get to the other side if they need to.”

Bonner cited a recent article referring to 25 and 25A as among the most dangerous state routes on Long Island. To ameliorate traffic safety concerns, she said she has coordinated with the town’s Highway Department in obtaining grants for sidewalks, driver-feedback devices and striping.

She said continued collaboration with the New York State Department of Transportation, which oversees the state roadways, remains challenging. “I will tell you that the DOT is one of the most difficult agencies to deal with,” she said. “We work with other partners in government on the roads that [the town is] not responsible for, but they are responsible to help bring about some traffic-calming measures.”

Affordability

Throughout the region, seniors and young people are becoming priced out, fleeing the region for places with a lower cost of living. Given the land-use powers within town government, Bonner said the town is already pursuing some “large-scale affordability projects” within the district.

“The Mount Sinai Meadows project and the amenities that they offer will be geared toward millennials to keep them on the North Shore and in the community in which they grew up,” the councilwoman indicated.

She added that wastewater remains a factor in supporting new residential units. “We lack sewers on Long Island, especially on the North Shore,” she said. “I have every confidence that whoever our next county executive is he is going to figure out this sewer bill” — referring to the county’s Water Quality Restoration Act — “so we can hit the ground running regarding affordability projects for our seniors” and youth.

For Russell, promoting affordability starts with reforms within the Brookhaven Industrial Development Agency. “I think the Town Council has the responsibility when it appoints members of the IDA to not reappoint them if they’re not bringing in affordable housing — workforce housing,” she said. “That’s what’s going to keep our students when they graduate here. That’s what’s going to keep our seniors here.”

She agreed with the incumbent’s assessment of the need for modernized wastewater infrastructure but said the 2nd District would likely require Innovative/Alternative septic systems instead of sewers. She advocated for the town to take greater initiative in modernizing the area’s wastewater systems.

“I think what has to happen is a little less of, ‘That’s the county’s job,’ or, ‘That’s the state’s job,’ and a little more of, ‘We all need to be working together,’” Russell said, adding, “All of the departments have to be working together.”

Voters will get the final say on these two candidates Tuesday, Nov. 7.

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Dorothy Cavalier, left, and Chad Lennon debate for Suffolk County’s 6th Legislative District. Photo by Raymond Janis

Two lawyers are vying to succeed incumbent Suffolk County Legislator Sarah Anker (D-Mount Sinai) who is term limited.

Dorothy Cavalier (D-Mount Sinai), Anker’s chief of staff, is running to fill her boss’ seat against Chad Lennon (R-Rocky Point), a congressional aide to U.S. Congressman Nick LaLota (R-NY1).

In a debate at the TBR office spanning over an hour and a half, the two candidates presented their respective visions for the county’s 6th Legislative District, which covers the Town of Brookhaven’s northeastern hamlets from Mount Sinai to Wading River, extending as far south as Middle Country Road.

Introductions

Cavalier has been a practicing attorney for two-and-a-half decades, working across the legal spectrum in such areas as personal injury, criminal defense and family law, among others. She was a traffic court prosecutor before entering Anker’s office in 2019.

Since entering county government, she said she has worked at “handling every aspect of the office,” from staff management, constituent services, drafting resolutions, reviewing the budget and advising the incumbent.

“I’m running for this seat because, for me, this is the next logical step,” she said. “I’ve come to love the job that I’m doing. I want to continue taking care of the constituents in the community that I raised my kids in and that I love.”

Lennon is a major in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve. He did four years of active-duty service, with combat deployment to Afghanistan, where he led over 50 combat missions.

In his professional life, he is an attorney at Tully Rinckey, specializing in military law, veterans law, security clearance representation and federal employment law.

“It’s all about service for me,” he said. “I’ve been doing it for 15 years and want to continue to do it.”

Wastewater

This year’s 6th District election comes at a time of countywide contention over the future of its wastewater infrastructure. Earlier this year, Republicans in the county Legislature blocked introducing a 1/8-penny sales tax to the November ballot, which, if passed, would have created a fund for innovative/advanced septic systems and sewers.

Lennon pointed to perceived deficiencies within the Water Quality Restoration Act, contending that too small a share of the revenue would have supported sewers.

“Right now, the problem is that three-quarters of that money is going to go to IA systems, and one-quarter is going to go to sewer systems,” he said. “We have hundreds of millions of dollars in shovel-ready projects to get sewer systems. That’s going to create more jobs, cleaner water and more affordable housing.”

Responding, Cavalier said she believed the proposed sales tax should have gone out for a public vote this November.

“The one-eighth of a penny in increased sales tax I don’t think is a burden,” she said. “It’s something that we should have given the people a choice on, whether to do that or not. Really, they just took the choice away from the people.”

She added that sewers are “not going to be a viable option” for much of the county, maintaining that IA systems are more likely to be implemented within the 6th District as well.

Economic development

Throughout the 6th District, commercial corridors are increasingly experiencing vacant storefronts and economic stagnation. Asked for the mechanisms the county can use to introduce public investment into struggling commercial districts, Cavalier touted the work she has done within the district office.

“We’ve worked with the Department of Economic Development and created a small business website so people interested in small business” can access grants and learn to finance their small business operations.

She advocated for creating a county department for prospective small business owners, who can receive advice to help tailor their business plans.

“I think we need to do more than just a job fair,” she said, saying the county could assist entrepreneurs by getting them on their path toward opening a business.

Lennon advocated hardening the built environment across commercial districts such as Sound Beach and Rocky Point, which he said are susceptible to flooding.

“Right where those downtown areas are, they can be really affected by four weekends in a row of heavy rain,” he said. “That could affect the businesses because if they get flooded, they get ruined, and when one business goes in that downtown district, it can have a cascading effect.”

Along with infrastructure improvements, he said the county must establish incentives not merely to introduce new businesses but to encourage them to stay in the area.

“We need to make sure that we incentivize businesses to stay with us,” Lennon said, endorsing the suspension of the county energy tax, which can eat away at proprietors’ bottom lines.

Affordability

The county is also experiencing a regional flight of seniors and young people who are becoming priced out due to the high cost of living.

Lennon identified several tax categories he would “suspend right away,” such as energy, mortgage, gas and some property taxes.

“We need to look at our first responders, such as our firefighters, and see if we can give them some type of incentive to stay here as well as our parents and grandparents — anyone 70 years and above,” he said.

Cavalier said the county could support seniors and youth by promoting affordable housing investments. “I think that we really need to take a look at how to make it more affordable for our children, our seniors and for our veterans to stay here and retire here,” she noted.

The Democratic candidate also cited vacant strip plazas as a possible destination for mixed-use redevelopment. “We have a lot of commercial buildings and office space that maybe we can consolidate,” she suggested. She added that cutting back existing taxes and reinstituting the county’s task force for retired veterans are necessary policy solutions.

Pedestrian safety

Cavalier suggested a civic-oriented approach to identifying areas for new sidewalk projects. She prided herself on the North Shore Rail Trail, noting that pedestrian safety along the trail remains a continual work in progress.

She suggested that state Route 25 and pockets along 25A have created a public safety hazard. She backed “working with [New York State] to try to get a light on 25A” to stop the speeding from Oakland Avenue to Miller Place Road.

Lennon supported greater coordination between the county and the Brookhaven Highway Department to construct new sidewalks and expand bike lanes.

“The problem that we have is that a lot of the main roads are state owned, and to get anything changed — for instance, having traffic lights put up — the state has to come in, recommend a study and do a change,” he indicated. “The state’s not even coming in right now, so we need to work with our state partners in the Assembly and the Senate.”

Veteran services

The 6th District is unique for its concentration of veterans. An area of focus for Lennon, he outlined a multipronged vision for bringing more veterans in touch with the existing benefits available to them. “The biggest thing is information,” he said. “Who do I speak to, and how do we get it to them?”

He noted that introducing veterans to union jobs and enrolling them in college programs on Long Island would be steps in the right direction.

To continue to support the veterans within the district, Cavalier said the county could lend a hand in coordinating with veterans groups and creating housing opportunities for homeless veterans.

She said there are various services and programs tailored for veterans that many do not realize exist. “We really need to not only strengthen those services, but we need to get the information out there that they exist,” she said.

Quality of life

Cavalier identified public safety as a top quality-of-life concern for 6th District residents. She expanded those public safety concerns to fears over environmental degradation and roadway safety. Summarizing her local priorities, she said, “For me, it’s public safety, it’s affordability and it’s traffic safety.”

Lennon agreed with Cavalier on public safety and the cost of living in the area. But he cited the ongoing migrant crisis within New York state as problematic for Suffolk County.

“We don’t have the infrastructure” to support new migrants, he said, identifying potential shortages of teachers and a lack of available resources. “You can’t just say we’re going to dump hundreds if not thousands of people into this county and think it’s going to be successful.”

District 6 voters will have the final say on these two candidates. Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 7.

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Suffolk County Legislator Rob Trotta discusses his plans for the coming term. Photo by Raymond Janis

“I think I’m going to win,” Suffolk County Legislator Rob Trotta (R-Fort Salonga) confidently told TBR News Media. That is because there is no other candidate on the ballot.

Without a challenger, Trotta, who has held the 13th District seat since 2013, will coast to a sixth and final term this November. The 13th District includes Smithtown, Fort Salonga, Kings Park, San Remo, Nissequogue, Head of the Harbor and St. James, as well as portions of Commack and East Northport.

During an office interview with Trotta spanning just under an hour, he painted a dreary portrait of the inner workings of county government, describing an “insane” world of hidden taxes, political diversion tactics and underhanded political games that predominate.

“It’s a broken system,” he said. “It’s all about money.”

The incumbent pledged to go out with a bang during his final term. “I’m giving one last shot to clean up this mess, this cesspool I call Suffolk County,” he said. “I want to finish cleaning up the corruption, and I want to buy some more open space. Those are my two top concerns.”

He based his open-space agenda upon a deep-seated fear of potential overdevelopment. He said protecting available parcels within his district and throughout the county would maintain the natural character, keeping it from “looking like Nassau County or Queens.”

Wastewater

Trotta’s reelection bid comes amid an intense countywide debate over wastewater infrastructure, notably the proposed 1/8-penny sales tax he and the Republican majority in the county Legislature had voted down earlier this year in connection with the Water Quality Restoration Act. 

“I would never vote for a tax increase for that,” he said in defense of his “no” vote.

Trotta pointed to the county’s roughly $1 billion budget surplus, saying that revenue pipeline is better suited for investments in wastewater infrastructure and treatment centers.

The county legislator suggested that the ongoing debate around wastewater infrastructure was little more than political subterfuge designed to stir confusion and blame the Republican caucus.

“They’re trying to make it look like the Republicans voted against giving people a choice,” he said. “No, the people of this county hired me to get inside and look at what’s going on. And when I look at what’s going on, it’s not what they’re being told.”

Outlining his vision for modernizing wastewater infrastructure, he said the county should actively work toward identifying and replacing cesspools in watershed areas or near surface waters.

‘Shams’

Along with the wastewater fight, Trotta addressed several perceived “shams” within the county government that he seeks to remediate in the coming term. He cited the county’s School Bus Safety Program as “the ultimate sham” designed to raise county revenues from unwitting victims.

“There’s a bus stop in Commack where 3,000 tickets were written on Jericho Turnpike,” he said. “No one’s crossing Jericho Turnpike, yet it raised $800,000 of taxpayers money.”

He added, “No kids are crossing that road, so this is strictly about money — make no mistake about it.”

Trotta also objected to the existing Red Light Camera Program, stating that roughly 95% of violations are for right-on-red turns.

Planning

To assist young people struggling to afford Suffolk’s high cost of living, the 13th District incumbent said he preferred promoting private ownership over renting.

“I don’t like apartments because I don’t want to see the rich get richer,” he said. “If you put something down by the railroad station and charge some young professional $3,500 a month, he’s never going to be able to buy a house.”

Trotta said the affordability problem is due to governmental mismanagement and ill-conceived tax breaks for developers.

“When you’re giving a tax break to a billionaire and making everyone else pay, it’s corrupt,” he said.

Reforms

In achieving policy victories for county residents, Trotta said legislators must conduct themselves with “integrity, honor and how about admitting that [county programs are often] nothing more than a money grab.”

Along with his reformer aspirations, Trotta touted a recent acquisition of 15 acres for open-space conservation in Head of the Harbor with plans for additional acreage in Fort Salonga, among other scattered parcels throughout his district.

Despite his efforts to reform the system, Trotta indicated that progress has been “very disappointing.” He nonetheless said he remains committed to carrying out his whistleblower role for this one last term of service.

“I shine the light in what’s going on,” he stated. “I have a view of it. You pay me to look at it, and I’m looking at it.”

But, he added, “I’m getting tired.”

The county 13th District voting will take place Tuesday, Nov. 7.

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Town of Brookhaven Supervisor Ed Romaine, left, and businessman Dave Calone debate the future of the Suffolk County government. Photo by Raymond Janis

This year marks the first open contest for Suffolk County’s top post since 2009 when three-term incumbent County Executive Steve Bellone (D) first won the job.

Bellone cannot seek reelection due to 12-year term limits for county offices. In his place, Town of Brookhaven Supervisor Ed Romaine (R) is opposing businessman Dave Calone (D).

At the TBR News Media office, the two candidates debated for roughly an hour and a half. Their conversation covered an array of policy matters from wastewater, municipal solid waste, public safety, budgets, homelessness and transit.

Introductions

Calone is a Setauket resident who said he is running because “we need people with new backgrounds and different skill sets as county executive.”

The Democratic candidate is a former state and federal prosecutor whose private-sector experience entails assisting startup companies and working with owners to help build their businesses.

Romaine is a Center Moriches resident who said he is running because he views the county government as headed down the wrong path. He served two terms in the county Legislature before serving five terms as Suffolk County clerk. He then reentered the Legislature before assuming the position of town supervisor via special election in 2012.

In his 38th year in public office, he contended that “experience is needed now more than ever, and I think you have to be able to start a job from day one.”

Issues

Identifying the issues motivating his campaign, Romaine cited budgets, administrative vacancies, public safety concerns and outdated infrastructure. He said he supported the federal $1.2 trillion Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and New York State’s $4.2 billion Environmental Bond Act, although infrastructure investments into Suffolk have lagged.

“We need someone that is going to be an advocate for Long Island to try to get that money because we need to rebuild our infrastructure,” he said. “Getting sewers, clean water — these are major issues that have to be dealt with.”

Calone said the voters he canvassed expressed great interest and concern over affordability, coupled with a lack of affordable housing options.

He proposed appointing a chief housing officer within the county government to coordinate with towns and villages, advocating for repurposing malls and strip plazas to address the county’s housing needs.

“Let’s identify housing priorities across the county, and then let’s say to developers, ‘This is the place to do it,’” Calone said, supporting streamlining of the permitting process and cutting red tape. He also emphasized public safety, affordability, well-paying jobs and the environment as other motivating factors.

Wastewater

This year’s election cycle is taking place concurrently with a countywide debate over the future of the region’s wastewater infrastructure. Over the summer, the Republican-led county Legislature blocked a 1/8-penny sales tax for wastewater investments from reaching the November ballot in the form of a referendum. If passed, the measure would have helped finance new wastewater investments.

Calone said he disagreed with the Legislature’s action. “What I would do as county executive is put that back before the Legislature,” he said. “If we need to tweak it in some way, I’m open to that.”

“The most important thing is that we have something we can put before the voters … that they can vote on because right now we are behind other places in going after” federal and state subsidies, he added.

Romaine condemned the process through which the current administration pursued instituting the sales tax, saying the correct approach would have been the county Legislature passing a Home Rule Message rather than including language through the state budget.

He also objected to the revenue split between IA, or Innovative/Alternative, septic systems and new sewer infrastructure. “To say that this bill is perfect, it’s not,” he said. “I want to see sewers because we have more densely populated areas in this county that do not have sewers and need sewers,” adding, expanding sewer access “would do more to clean our waters.”

Garbage

The planned closure of the Brookhaven Town landfill — which services the entire region — places uncertainty over the long-term future of the county’s waste management system.

Romaine said averting an islandwide garbage crisis would require a regional approach to garbage disposal.

“We need to get the 31 villages and the 10 towns on the same page, working with the county and maybe even Nassau County to create a regional approach to solid waste,” he stated.

To facilitate a regional program, he supported transporting garbage by rail. “Since it can’t be buried here, can’t be maintained here, can’t be kept here, it has to leave the Island,” Romaine added. “The best way to do that is by rail.”

Calone pointed to the Brookhaven landfill as a failure by Brookhaven Town. He said the county government must roll out a more comprehensive recycling and composting program with the goal of achieving zero waste, though this ideal is likely unattainable.

Given that the county will inevitably produce some waste in the years ahead, Calone endorsed the proposal to ship the remaining garbage by rail. “There’s going to be some waste left,” he maintained, “and it will need to be railed off of Long Island.”

Public safety

To combat crime within Suffolk County, Calone called for a fully-funded, fully-staffed Suffolk County Police Department.

“We need to make sure law enforcement has the technology and tools they need,” the Democratic candidate said. “We need to make sure that every school has a school safety plan and has school safety officers that are well trained — there’s no minimum training requirement for school safety officers.”

He also advocated for targeting drugs and drug trafficking into the county with more aggressive prosecutions while “taking guns out of the hands of dangerous criminals.”

Romaine centered his public safety priorities around vacancies within the police department, pointing to 51 unfilled detective slots.

“That’s also true for patrol officers, that’s true for superior officers, that’s definitely true corrections officers, it’s true for deputy sheriffs, and it’s true for a whole host and character of law enforcement,” the Republican candidate said.

Budgets

With long-term economic uncertainty and growing concerns over the county’s finances, Romaine said he would seek to achieve a AAA bond rating for the county government, pledging to apply the fiscal strategies from Brookhaven’s budget process.

“What we did is we began to pay off debt and reduce debt with any budget surpluses that we had,” the current town supervisor said. “We have, despite inflation, been able to put together structurally balanced budgets. We have been able to reduce our fiscal stress to nothing, our environmental stress to nothing.” He added, “I would do the same” for the county.

Calone highlighted the pending closure of the municipal landfill as deeply problematic for Romaine’s constituents, suggesting budgetary mismanagement by his opponent.

The businessman referred to the county government’s current financial state as “the best financial situation it has ever been in.”

With substantial reserves, Calone offered to return some surplus money to county taxpayers through a 10% general fund property tax cut.

“I want to look at the Suffolk County budget, one with an eye toward giving some of that money back to taxpayers, and two looking at it with a businessperson’s eye.”

Rebutting Calone, Romaine said that as revenue from the landfill gradually goes away, the town will install solar panels around the landfill complex and advance related alternative energy projects to recover the lost funds. “We have sufficient revenue for the town,” he said.

Responding, Calone noted that regardless of the recovered funds, a significant budget shortfall would likely befall the Brookhaven budget, triggering a sizable tax increase for town residents in the coming years.

Homelessness

In recent years, the county has observed a rise in homelessness, with many homeless individuals turning away from the shelter system.

Calone said the county government lacks adequate personnel within its Department of Social Services, with current staff inadequately paid.

He said addiction and mental health issues tend to be the primary drivers of homelessness and that the county is not tapping into various granting opportunities to address these problems.

“I propose having a county grants office,” he said. “We don’t have one now, and there’s no coordinated way of going after grants,” noting, “This is a way to tap into federal and state funding that we’re not getting right now when it comes to mental health, veterans issues and things like that.”

Romaine agreed that grant writing remains a deficiency within the county government and that social service workers deserve better pay.

He said the best explanation he has seen on homelessness came from a recent CBS “60 Minutes” interview by California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D), who is pursuing a new model for curtailing homelessness within the Golden State.

Newsom is “not of my party, but I’ve never heard somebody speak as well as he did on that issue,” Romaine said. “It impressed me. I’ve done some research on it, and I have some people working on it. If I have the good fortune to be elected, we’re going to take a look at it.”

Transit and trails

Officials have cited high costs associated with maintaining the county’s bus system as barriers to system expansion and modernization. To better serve the needs of riders, Romaine said modernizing the bus system begins with focusing on rails.

“We need to electrify our rail,” he said. But, he added, “None of our county buses meet the trains. You would think that you would want to create a synergy between trains and buses.”

Calone proposed reimagining the disparate modes of transit as “an integrated system.” He considered the current ridership within the county’s bus system as “ridiculously low,” arguing that empty buses give residents a sense that their government doesn’t work.

“We need to move away, I believe, from a fixed-route system everywhere except the far western part of the county,” he said. “As we move further east, we need to move toward more of an on-demand system” that uses smaller buses and modern technology to boost ridership and enhance the rider experience.

Along with traditional mass transit options, the county’s 2020 Hike-Bike Master Plan calls for expanding active-use recreation as an alternative form of transportation. To implement the ideas within the plan, Romaine supported connecting trails as part of an “overall transportation system.”

“I’d love to provide viable alternatives so that people don’t have to use a car-based system,” he said. He added that conserving open space would help expand nature trails.

Calone regarded the master plan as a “great plan” with many gaps to fill in.

He said the county must work with private landowners to acquire the lands to connect existing greenways and expand its linear park network.

“We need to have blueways [water trails] as well, where people can boat and kayak,” he said. “We’re going to put this sewer and septic program in place and, over these next bunch of years, are going to improve our water quality, and we’re going to make that available.”

He continued, “We pay a lot of money to live here, and we should enjoy what makes this place so special.”

Suffolk voters will pick one of these candidates to be their next county executive on Tuesday, Nov. 7.

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Earlier this year, Deputy Suffolk County Executive for Administration Peter Scully presents his wastewater plan to the Port Jefferson Station/Terryville Civic Association. Photo by Raymond Janis

Just ahead of this year’s countywide elections, wastewater infrastructure was back in the spotlight during a Thursday, Oct. 26, webinar hosted by the Long Island Regional Planning Council.

Deputy Suffolk County Executive for Administration Peter Scully updated the council on the county’s long-term wastewater infrastructure objective, indicating that it has made “significant progress” in recent years toward realizing its wastewater goals outlined in its 2020 Subwatersheds Wastewater Plan.

The plan delineates over 19 individual watershed areas countywide, Scully noted, establishing nitrogen reduction goals for each watershed zone. “It’s really, in a simpler sense, a roadmap to guide priorities in terms of replacing or eliminating 299,000 cesspools over the complete life of the program, either by connecting parcels to sewers or installing new clean water septic technologies,” Scully said. “We’re now at the point since the plan was completed in 2019 and approved by the Legislature in 2020 to move toward the implementation process.” 

Roadmap

To bring the goals of the clean water plan into reality, Scully said the county government must accomplish two separate tasks. First, it must produce an organizational structure, forming a countywide sewer district. The other is the creation of a recurring funding source to create a local match program for both sewer infrastructure and Innovative/Alternative (IA) septic systems.

“Having a local match to use when you’re seeking grant funding is incredibly important because the key to the success of this plan is to make it easy and affordable for property owners,” he said. “Sewer infrastructure is so very expensive that if the burden of financing sewer construction falls solely on property owners, it’s just not economically viable.”

Under the program’s life span, Scully said the county would connect roughly 35,000 parcels to sewers. In comparison, 264,000 parcels would have their cesspool or septic system replaced with IA systems. Scully attributed the discrepancy in funding between new sewers and IA infrastructure to the cost feasibility of IA infrastructure when assessed against sewers.

“In many places in the county, sewers are just not a cost-effective solution,” the deputy county executive stated.

On the whole, the program would provide $4.2 billion in county local matching funds, with an “equal amount for sewers and clean water septics,” he added, because “even though the number of parcels being connected to sewers is significantly lower, the cost per parcel for sewers is significantly higher.”

In places within Suffolk County where sewers are not economically viable, Scully said the plan seeks to phase out the use of existing and often outdated cesspools for new IA systems, calling this technology “a cost-effective and efficient alternative to sewers in areas where sewers are not cost-effective, and there are millions of them in the ground around the world,” he claimed.

Another central aspect of the wastewater plan, Scully suggested, is consolidating the county’s 27 separate sewer districts into one, creating a uniform billing structure countywide. Scully referred to the existing billing structure as “problematic” as it produces varying billing methodologies from district to district.

“We think by streamlining our sewer system and consolidating all the existing districts into the countywide district … we can reduce costs, streamline investments, stabilize rates and prevent large fee increases moving forward,” he said.

Wastewater debate

Earlier this year, the New York State Legislature included language in the state budget, the Suffolk County Water Quality Restoration Act, authorizing the county to advance a referendum to enable the voters to establish a dedicated fund for wastewater infrastructure. The measure authorized the inclusion of a 1/8-penny sales tax on the November ballot which would have generated an estimated $3.1 billion through 2060 for wastewater infrastructure. The county Legislature shot down the ballot measure in July. [See story, “Suffolk County Legislature recesses, blocks referendum on wastewater fund,” July 28, TBR News Media website.]

Outlining the next steps for the county’s wastewater future, Scully said the two bills that the Legislature did not advance would have to be considered by the Legislature. The first bill, if passed, would amend the Suffolk County charter to extend the county’s Drinking Water Protection Program — which is set to expire in 2030 — and create a 1/8-penny sales tax. The second bill would create a countywide wastewater management district.

With much work ahead, Scully said the future advancement of the plan remains unsettled: “The question becomes, will the plan be implemented?”

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Rocky Point VFW Post 6249 Cmdr. Joe Cognitore, left, and Suffolk County World War II and Military History Museum curator Rich Acritelli stand alongside the museum’s planned wall of honor. Photo by Raymond Janis

Long Island’s veterans will soon take center stage as organizers of a regional veterans museum put the finishing touches on the new complex.

Located at the former Rocky Point train station and across the street from the Rocky Point VFW Post 6249 on King Road, the Suffolk County World War II and Military History Museum will open its doors to the public on Dec. 7. Museum organizers seek to tell the stories of local veterans across Long Island, putting their uniforms, combat equipment and records on public display.

Buildout of this museum commenced earlier this year and is now entering its final stretch. Nearing the finish line, organizers are calling upon the community for support. In readying the complex for its public launch, museum curator and post member Rich Acritelli said the post is still seeking donations of military memorabilia and equipment.

“If anybody has any equipment, web gear, old shovels, knives, canteens, helmets, binoculars, bayonets, rifles, any cold weather stuff or any older hats,” the museum will accept and display that memorabilia, he said.

Along with artifacts, the museum is also accepting display cases, shelves and mannequins to enhance its displays.

A centerpiece for the museum will be its military wall of honor, located along the exterior of the premises. Acritelli said that he hopes to display 250 names of local veterans by the museum’s grand opening ceremonies in December.

“We want people to scratch their heads, and that’s what they’re doing,” he said. “They’re scratching their heads and saying, ‘I have a cousin, an uncle, grandparents’” who served in the U.S. armed forces, “and we’re getting a multitude of families” submitting names.

Joe Cognitore, commander of Post 6249, emphasized the museum as an extension of the VFW’s operations, designed as an education and outreach center to bring the region’s vets together.

“Learning is a never-ending process,” he said, adding that the envisioned complex prevents veteran combat experiences from “falling by the wayside.”

For local Scouts and students seeking community service hours, Cognitore added that the museum is welcoming assistance in its buildout, adding that this form of community service also fulfills the post’s mission of educating Long Island’s youth on the wartime experiences of local veterans. “We want them to dig in, look at the history and know some of the battles,” he added.

Throughout the process of creating the museum, both Cognitore and Acritelli agreed that the project has given rise to a burgeoning homegrown veterans network, connecting former service members around a new common cause. “We’re very busy, but it’s a good thing,” Acritelli noted.

To leverage this newfound connection, Cognitore said the post aims to become “a one-stop shopping VFW.”

“We’re going to get all walks of life through here,” the post commander added.

To donate to the museum or submit a name for the military wall of honor, email Acritelli at [email protected].

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Town of Smithtown Supervisor Ed Wehrheim cuts the ribbon on Oct. 24. Photo by Raymond Janis
New York State Assemblyman Mike Fitzpatrick speaks during a public announcement of new renovations at Smithtown Landing Tuesday, Oct. 24. Photo by Raymond Janis

By Raymond Janis

Town of Smithtown officials joined Parks Department staff and local business leaders at Smithtown Landing Tuesday, Oct. 24, announcing the completion of new renovations at the municipal golf and country club.

Town Supervisor Ed Wehrheim (R) described the Smithtown Landing renovation project as a $3 million investment into the facilities and amenities throughout the country club.

“This is the Smithtown residents’ country club, and this is what the residents of Smithtown deserve,” the supervisor said. “They deserve a country club that’s akin to any private country club that’s here in Suffolk County.”

Joe Arico, town park maintenance director, outlined the various improvements that were completed at the Landing, noting that the project aimed to bring the facility “up to code and modern-day standards.”

He referred to kitchen spaces that were “totally renovated,” roofs reframed with outdoor solar panels, construction of a new bar and lounge area, a newly-outfitted patio space and HVAC systems, and handicap accessibility upgrades, among other improvements.

“We can have meetings and weddings and events worthy of celebration at the club now that all of these facilities have been brought up to date,” Arico said, adding, “Aesthetically, we worked on this project tirelessly to make sure it looked good for the people of the community.”

New York State Assemblyman Mike Fitzpatrick (R-Smithtown) attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony. Fitzpatrick’s father, former Supervisor Paul J. Fitzpatrick, had acquired the property on behalf of the town during his administration in the 1970s, approved by town voters through a permissive referendum.

The younger Fitzpatrick commented upon the gradual development of the municipal country club since its acquisition, noting its central place as the “crown jewel” of the Smithtown parks system.

“This place is a place for everyone,” the state assemblyman said. “We have the pools, we have the golf course, and, of course, we have the catering operation.”

He added, “I think the vision that my father had — and brought along the Town Board and the people of the Town of Smithtown — it has paid dividends for many, many years and will pay more in the years to come.”

This park renovation is part of a multiphased $11 million renovation effort across the town, with similar renovations at town-owned facilities such as Long Beach Marina and Hoyt Farm Nature Preserve. The initiative will culminate with the completion of one further public amenity.

“We have one more major project that is underway, and that is Callahan’s Beach,” Wehrheim said.

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The Port Jefferson Station/Terryville Civic Association met Tuesday, Oct. 24, for a meeting covering public safety, land use, upcoming elections and multiculturalism.

Public safety

John Efstathiou, COPE officer for the Suffolk County Police Department’s 6th Precinct, delivered the department’s public safety report, outlining an uptick across several crime statistics.

When crime data was compared from the same period in 2022, the 6th Precinct received an increase in the calls for service throughout the hamlet from 646 to 845, “so we saw a big increase in calls,” Efstathiou stated.

While there were no reported aggravated harassments or assaults, there were two reported burglaries. A smoke shop and the Buddhist temple — both located on Terryville Road — were the two burglarized locations.

Criminal mischief went up from six to 10 reported incidents. One of those criminal mischiefs resulted in an arrest, five resulted in no pressed charges and the other four remain under investigation by the department.

Harassments spiked from seven to 11. Of those, one arrest was made, eight resulted in no press and two remain under investigation. Larcenies went up from 12 to 16.

Efstathiou reported a menacing incident at the Family Dollar located at Jefferson Plaza in which an individual brandished a knife to steal money. “He was unsuccessful,” the COPE officer indicated, adding the person was “charged for menacing on that. That is still pending and under investigation.”

A robbery had occurred at the Sunoco gas station on Old Town Road, resulting in the apprehension of the alleged suspect.

Total criminal incidents went up from 35 to 64. Disturbances went up from 135 to 167. Total noncriminal incidents increased from 611 to 821. Motor vehicle accidents jumped from 45 to 83.

Land use

Civic vice president Carolyn Sagliocca updated the body on proposed developments throughout the area. She said the Bicycle Path LLC group, owner of the parcel at 507 North Bicycle Path, contacted the civic regarding a potential redevelopment project.

“They want to present their proposal here for our civic for everyone to see, and that is going to be at our December 19 civic meeting,” she said.

Sagliocca emphasized the importance of the civic’s upcoming Nov. 28 meeting, during which the body will deliberate on the proposed redevelopment of Jefferson Plaza. “We’re going to see if we can get the community to give us input on what you want,” she said. “Because on November 30, there’s going to be a public hearing at Town Hall in Farmingville at 5:30, and we hope as many residents who want to voice their opinion on what they want could be there.”

Meet the candidates

Later in the meeting, the body met judicial candidates for Suffolk County district court and Michael Kaplan, Democratic candidate for Brookhaven highway superintendent.

Steve Weissbard is the Republican and Conservative Party candidate for the district court. He served as Suffolk County attorney in family court, later working for the Suffolk Legal Aid Society.

“I bring a very balanced experience … and I expect a very balanced judgment and open mind when I sit on the bench,” he said.

Opposing Weissbard is Cynthia Vargas, who serves as co-chair of the Suffolk County Bar Association’s membership services committee. She also served as president of the Long Island Hispanic Bar Association.

“I would bring all of my experience, common sense and integrity to ensure justice for all and ask that you vote Vargas, not politics, on November 7,” she said.

Kaplan is challenging incumbent Brookhaven Highway Superintendent Dan Losquadro (R), who did not attend Tuesday evening’s civic meeting. Kaplan is a U.S. Army veteran who worked as a road inspector in the Town of Islip before working directly for the superintendent of highways in the Town of Huntington.

“This town needs different leadership when it comes to highways,” he said, advocating for a “small-town mentality” within the Brookhaven Highway Department.

Multicultural panel

The meeting concluded with a discussion among faith and ethnic leaders throughout the community. Panelists included Mufti Abdullah Sheikh, resident scholar and imam at Selden Masjid, Rabbi Aaron Benson of North Shore Jewish Center and Shaorui Li, founder and president of the Asian American Association of Greater Stony Brook.

In a phone interview after the meeting, PJSTCA president Ira Costell regarded the panel as a means of opening a dialogue and creating understanding between the religious and cultural groups that were present.

“It’s been my agenda to bring programs as often as possible that add a dimension of education or awareness or understanding about broader issues,” Costell said. “I think this really went a long way — for me personally and hopefully for other people — to realize we can have a conversation with each other.”

The civic reconvenes on Tuesday, Nov. 28, at Comsewogue Public Library at 7 p.m.

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The Village of Port Jefferson Board of Trustees is weighing sweeping changes to Chapter 41 of the Village Code, which handles ethics. This was one of the items considered at the Oct. 16 business meeting.

The village’s ethics counsel, Steven Leventhal, is preparing a draft for revisions to the ethics code, to be presented during a scheduled public hearing in just over a month.

Trustee Drew Biondo outlined some reasons for revising the Code of Ethics, including the possible formation of a board of ethics.

“I think the whole purpose of this is to form a body, so that you have a board in place that can hear complaints, concerns, and then issue an opinion — founded or unfounded,” he said.

Mayor Lauren Sheprow said the envisioned ethics board would assist the village government by issuing advisory opinions for ethically complicated matters, such as determinations of possible conflicts of interest.

To resolve ethical dilemmas, “the board would consider the law, the case law, the ethics laws and make a decision,” the mayor added.

Deputy Mayor Rebecca Kassay inquired about powers to be conferred upon the proposed board of ethics, maintaining that municipal boards — such as the Planning Board or Zoning Board of Appeals — generally exercise greater latitude than advisory committees with decisions that are potentially legally binding.

“In my tenure here, boards are always looked at as much weightier” as “their decisions could then lead to lawsuits,” she said.

Kassay suggested forming an ethics committee, functioning similarly to other advisory committees to the village board, with the potential for upgrading that body into a board, noting, “While you’re working the kinks out, the stakes are a little bit lower as far as the decisions coming out of that body.”

Responding to these concerns, village attorney David Moran said the ethics board would function as an advisory body to the Board of Trustees, which would retain final authority to advance ethical controversies to outside agencies.

“They shouldn’t have the authority to send anything out to another agency, absent the approval of” the Board of Trustees, Moran said, adding that any other scheme would invest “way too much power” in the hands of private citizens appointed to the ethics board.

The board voted unanimously to advance the proposed ethics code changes for a public hearing Monday, Nov. 20. A draft of the proposed code amendment will be made available to the public seven to 10 days before the public hearing.

Resolutions

The board adopted an add-on resolution awarding a bid of $248,907 to Connecticut-based F&F Concrete to perform reconstruction of the Harborfront Park walkways. Over a third of this project is subsidized by grant money.

“This is critical timewise,” said village clerk Sylvia Pirillo. “We need to complete the work and pay for it and have proof of payment submitted so that we don’t lose our grant funding — all by the end of the year.”

The walkway reconstruction will take approximately five to six weeks, with administration officials targeting the first week of December for completion.

“There will be a lot of communication needs for what we’re doing with the farmers market and the closing off of the walkways,” Sheprow said.

The board also adopted a resolution to raise membership rates at the Port Jefferson Country Club. These rate increases were recommended by PJCC general manager Tom Natola and the Country Club Management Advisory Council.

Reports

Sheprow publicly thanked the Port Jefferson Business Improvement District for assisting the village in its holiday lighting expenses through a $5,000 contribution.

Kassay reported on a recent grant from PSEG Long Island for trees in PJV. She said the Conservation Advisory Council is exploring possible recommendations to the village board on potentially scaling back the use of gas-powered leaf blowers and other landscaping equipment, citing the issue of noise coupled with related environmental and health effects from the chemical exhausts.

Kassay maintained that the proposal would not ban the use of the equipment altogether but aims to reduce their use villagewide.

She also encouraged village residents to register for the various volunteer committees through portjeff.com/volunteer.

Following a recent Saturday sit-down event, trustee Bob Juliano conveyed several sentiments and recommendations from village residents, including concerns over the parking pilot program for Belle Terre residents, “the proliferation of apartments as opposed to condos in the village” and a question over the order of reports during public meetings.

Trustee Stan Loucks advised those who have not yet removed their vessels from the village kayak racks to do so by the end of November.

To watch the entire meeting, see the video above.

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