I was truly blessed to live 12 wonderful years with great memories and milestones in Strong’s Neck. I wrote this non-fiction piece as a heartfelt thank you to a place that has so much enriched history and beautiful landscapes that, combined with my loving parents and sister, was “home.” Our new ventures take us to Queens and Manhattan. Thank you for reading.
Photo by Corinne Conover
This would be my last time at my “other home.” The home where we played volleyball in the rain — countless barbecues, bike rides around Conscience Point and round the bend to the church steeple, carriage house and the old tavern where George Washington would go to when he would visit, which now is a historic home.
The home where we would visit a secret garden at Avalon, where a wealthy father dedicated a park with hiking, and trails in loving memory to his young son who passed away. Endless kayaking trips with me and dad and Sonny, even after years later, when the kayaks finally gave in and deflated. We had to float back home with our arms spread out. Dad said, “We were penguins that day.”
I offered to take my sister’s dog Foster on the last day for a nice walk, just him and me. We made it to Conscience Point. Gazed at the sun starting to set. The tall tree overlooking the inlet to the ocean and headed to the shoreline. There, before us, sat hundreds of colored rocks from seaweed, salt and growth. And, thought “Who am I, to choose one rock that no longer gets to stay here in its natural state?” It is a lot similar to how I feel of the natural inward beauty that some people exude in life with a conscience. So, I left the rock in its place. “Home.” Looked up at the setting sun. Thanked God and solemnly said … Goodbye.
Matt Ryan, a Miller Place graduate, is a former Olympian and captain for Team USA in 1996. Photo from Matt Ryan
Miller Place native Matt Ryan keeps a phrase in his back pocket: “The harder you work, the luckier you get.”
“I knew I could control the hard work, and where it led I didn’t know,” he said. “But I knew the hard work would get me there.”
His athletic determination led him to a nine-year professional handball career, becoming Team USA’s 1996 Olympic captain and three-time U.S. Handball Player of the Year. His 225 official international matches are an American record and he’s noted as one of the greatest handball players in American history. Now, he’s part of the 2018 Suffolk Sports Hall of Fame class.
Matt Ryan, now the Executive Director of Regional Development at Georgia Tech, shows off his Olympic jacket. Photo from Matt Ryan
“It certainly paid off,” the current executive director of regional development for Georgia Institute of Technology, said laughingly.
A three-sport athlete for Miller Place, his Panthers success started in basketball. He also played for the baseball team and ran cross country.
“They say it takes a village to raise a child, and that was my case in Miller Place,” said Ryan, who has two older brothers and a younger sister. “Everyone was wonderful from teachers to coaches to parents, and the bond with fellow classmates, it’s a bond like none other. It’s reinforced daily, even now through Facebook. We always supported each other.”
Being in a large family on a block with many kids pushed him to his athletic limits.
“Older friends in the neighborhood pushed me to come up to their level,” he said. “I learned a lot in that — how to overcome obstacles and battle through any circumstance. A lot of my work ethic came from that as well.”
In 1984 as a high school senior, Ryan was the New York Basketball Player of the Year. As a junior, he was second team All-Long Island and won a gold medal at the Empire State Games with the Long Island squad.
Physical education teacher and baseball coach Don Pranzo met his soon-to-be outfielder in seventh grade, and said he knew he was destined to be a great athlete.
Matt Ryan competes in the Olympics for team handball. Photo from Matt Ryan
“He was amenable to teaching,” Pranzo said. “He was a good, nice kid who listened to you and tried out what you suggested.”
Pranzo introduced handball to his students during class after former Miller Place physical education teacher and field hockey coach Judy Kopelman presented it to the other teachers. Kopelman, a 2008 Suffolk Sports Hall of Fame inductee, was selected to the U.S. national handball team from 1974-76.
Pranzo said he had one problem asking Ryan if he’d play the game — the footwork was completely opposite of basketball. In handball, an athlete runs three steps before dribbling, and after dribbling once, can take three more running steps before dribbling again, passing or leaping into the air to shoot. Ryan was willing to give it a shot, and Pranzo said the teachers concluded that if it affected his basketball game, he’d be excused from class.
“As it turns out, he played with some intensity, especially during the tournament, and he continued to play basketball and had no problem with the footwork,” Pranzo said. “He had the visual skills, the physical ability at 6-4 to go over the defense and fire the handball at the goal cage. He was very good.”
Ryan went on to play basketball in college and said he thought it would be the last time he’d play handball.
The U.S. Olympic committee doesn’t have a pipeline for nontraditional sports, where team handball would fall, and instead sends recruiters out to college campuses trying to identify elite athletes across the country. Ryan took part in NFL combine-style testing after graduating, and emerged as one of the top 30 entering training camp.
“I was fortunate enough to know a lot about handball thanks to Miller Place,” Ryan said. “I took a shine to it there, looking forward to those end-of-the-year tournaments.”
“I was blessed, given a tremendous opportunity, and I wasn’t going to squander it. I was
going to make every drop of sweat matter.”
— Matt Ryan
He immersed himself into training three or four times a day, six days a week and competed internationally.
He said representing Team USA was the experience of a lifetime.
“I was blessed, given a tremendous opportunity and I wasn’t going to squander it,” Ryan said. “I was going to make every drop of sweat matter, whether it was in the weight room, on the track, through mental preparation and visualization, or being out on the playing field. I didn’t want to have any regrets. I wanted to walk away knowing I gave it my all.”
He said while many look forward to the opening ceremony of the Olympics, he was in it for more than that.
“I couldn’t wait for competition to arise,” he said. “That was an absolute charge, not only representing my team in the opening ceremony in 1996 but leading my team into competition for the six games we played.”
Miller Place pitched into his Olympic appearance. Having to fund his own training and trip to the 1996 Atlanta games, his mother hosted a variety show fundraiser that thousands attended.
“I was just overwhelmed with the response,” he said. “I shook everyone’s hand or gave them a hug. They sent me off with their well wishes and I was completely moved by that. It’s one of those experiences I’ve taken with me through the journey — to realize my life of sport wasn’t just on the court, but I was able to make an impact in the community and on other people in a positive way.”
Matt Ryan met then-president Bill Clinton during his Olympic journey. Photo from Matt Ryan
In 2004, Ryan was honored with the Boys and Girls Clubs of America National Service to Youth Award. In 2013 he was inducted to the Miller Place Athletic Hall of Fame.
“The success Matt achieved both as a Miller Place student and as an alumnus is a testament to his hard work and drive,” Miller Place Superintendent Marianne Cartisano said. “His commitment to positive sportsmanship is emblematic of Miller Place athletics.”
Ryan said he struggled through his Miller Place hall of fame acceptance speech because his father had just had a heart attack and wasn’t able to attend. He said he’d hoped his dad would be around if he were to be inducted into the Suffolk Sports Hall of Fame. He will be attending the induction ceremony May 10 at 7:30 p.m. at Watermill Caterers in Smithtown.
“My father drove me everywhere — completely gave of himself, and now being the parent of a 12-year-old who plays sports, I know how difficult it is when he did that with me, and had three other kids involved in sports,” Ryan said. “The opportunity for him to be there and embrace this recognition with me, which is an extension of him and my mom, it’s completely overpowering.”
Almost as moving as the induction honor itself.
“This whole thing is humbling, quite frankly,” Ryan said. “I never set out for successes. I just put the work and effort in, the focus and drive, and let the chips fall where they may. To be part of this 2018 class, mentioned in the breadth of so many Long Island greats, it’s pretty remarkable.”
Time to dust off those resumes! Northport Public Library, at 151 Laurel Ave., Northport will host a Community Job Fair on Thursday, March 22 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Presented by the Suffolk County One-Stop Employment Center, representatives from the following companies are scheduled to attend: AFLAC, Attentive Care, Bachrach Group, Better Business Bureau, Bob’s Discount Furniture, Brightstar Care, Burlington Stores, Canon USA, Castella Imports, Catholic Guardian, Combined Insurance, First In Service Staffing, Flexstaff, Helen Keller Services for the Blind, Home Depot, Interim Healthcare, LIRR, Lloyd Staffing, Northwell Health, NRL Strategies, Options for Community Living, People Ready, Prudential, Renewal by Andersen, SCO Family of Services, SCOPE, SCWA, South Shore Home Health, Suffolk County Civil Service and Well Life Network.
All are welcome and no registration is required. Bring copies of your resume and dress to impress! For more information, call 631-261-6930.J
WINTER’S GRIP Karen Brett of Sound Beach snapped this photo on March 7 after the Nor’ easter. The heavy wet snow bent the evergreen branches in her neighbor’s backyard, causing them to droop. She writes, ‘It looks like aliens trying to climb over my fence! Just a little bit scary.’
Smithtown shavees go bald at Napper Tandy's Pub March 10 to raise funds for the St. Baldrick's Foundation. Photo by Sara-Megan Walsh.
Smithtown shavees go bald at Napper Tandy's Pub March 10 to raise funds for the St. Baldrick's Foundation. Photo by Sara-Megan Walsh.
Smithtown shavees go bald at Napper Tandy's Pub March 10 to raise funds for the St. Baldrick's Foundation. Photo by Sara-Megan Walsh.
Smithtown shavees go bald at Napper Tandy's Pub March 10 to raise funds for the St. Baldrick's Foundation. Photo by Sara-Megan Walsh.
Smithtown shavees go bald at Napper Tandy's Pub March 10 to raise funds for the St. Baldrick's Foundation. Photo by Sara-Megan Walsh.
Ron Leli; Brian Tetrault, Smithtown Town Highway Department; Smithtown Superintendent of Highways Robert Murphy and Councilman Tom Lohmann go bald for the St. Baldrick's Foundation.
Smithtown bulls fourth-grade boys lacrosse team raised more than $12,000 for charity. Photo by Sara-Megan Walsh.
Smithtown shavees go bald at Napper Tandy's Pub March 10 to raise funds for the St. Baldrick's Foundation. Photo by Sara-Megan Walsh.
Smithtown shavees go bald at Napper Tandy's Pub March 10 to raise funds for the St. Baldrick's Foundation. Photo by Sara-Megan Walsh.
Smithtown shavees go bald at Napper Tandy's Pub March 10 to raise funds for the St. Baldrick's Foundation. Photo by Sara-Megan Walsh.
Smithtown shavees go bald at Napper Tandy's Pub March 10 to raise funds for the St. Baldrick's Foundation. Photo by Sara-Megan Walsh.
Smithtown shavees go bald at Napper Tandy's Pub March 10 to raise funds for the St. Baldrick's Foundation. Photo by Sara-Megan Walsh.
Smithtown shavees go bald at Napper Tandy's Pub March 10 to raise funds for the St. Baldrick's Foundation. Photo by Sara-Megan Walsh.
Dozens of people entered Napper Tandy’s Pub in Smithtown to boldly go bald at a St. Baldrick’s Day event March 10. The event raised more than $50,000 for the St. Baldrick’s Foundation, a nonprofit organization that funds childhood cancer research.
The top fundraising team was the fourth-grade boys Smithtown Bulls lacrosse team, coached by Rob Trites, which collected more than $12,000 for the charity.
“This is our third year doing it as a team,” Trites said. “It’s a great event to get the kids together at — a nonsporting event so they can bond and give back, shave their heads in solidarity with children fighting disease.”
Smithtown Town councilman Tom Lohmann (R) and Robert Murphy (R), the town’s superintendent of highways, shaved their heads this year. Lohmann and Murphy were part of a team that raised more than $11,000 in memory of Matthew Gonzalez, who died May 21, 2009 from non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
Ward Melville High School students walked out of classes March 14 as part of National Walkout Day to support gun legislation and remember the Parkland school shooting victims. Photo by Claire Miller
Ward Melville High School students were determined to make their voices heard.
Despite the Three Village school district’s official decision March 9 to not allow students to stage a walkout March 14, approximately 250 of them did so anyway. The walkout was held in conjunction with events across the nation honoring the 17 victims of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting Feb. 14 to call for stricter gun control laws. Parents and students were told it was a joint decision by the board of education, principal and district’s lawyer to not encourage the walkout.
The students walked out of the gym entrance and headed toward Old Town Road so they could be seen by drivers passing by. Across the street two dozen parents and residents stood, some with signs, to support the teens.
A student holds up a sign during the March 14 walkout. Photo by Claire Miller
During the walkout, the students chanted “enough is enough,” and stopped for a moment of silence. Bennett Owens, a Ward Melville student and one of the walkout organizers, delivered a speech.
“We, the students of Ward Melville High School, along with hundreds of thousands of students across the nation have had enough,” Owens said. “We’ve had enough of gun violence. We’ve had enough of Congress’ inaction while nearly 1,300 kids are slaughtered each year as a result of gun violence. We’ve had enough of the [National Rifle Association] buying our representatives with their blood-soaked money. We’ve had enough of the argument that since we’re kids, we can’t change anything. We’ve had enough of adults telling us we can’t.”
Owens said asking Congress to introduce or support legislation that bans assault weapons, like the AR-15, was part of the students’ goal. Parents standing across the street from the walkout said they were proud of their children and their friends. Caren Johnson, whose daughter is in 10th grade, said she had tears in her eyes watching the students march out.
“This is really the first movement my daughter has been politically active in and I’m here to show her support,” Johnson said.
Osbert Orduña, a parent of a 11th-grader, said he believes it’s important for parents to come out to support the social activism of their children, especially when it comes to protesting assault weapons and discussions like school staff members being armed. Orduña held a sign that said he was a Republican and veteran who is against the NRA and assault weapons in the hands of everyday people.
“The kids are out here, and they are doing the right thing by voicing their opinions and voicing their displeasure with our elected officials,” Orduña said.
A parent shows her support for students during the March 14 walkout. Photo by Rita J. Egan
At the end of the school day March 9, the school district released a letter from Superintendent Cheryl Pedisich and board of education President William Connors explaining the district’s position on the matter. Various discussions were held with students and staff to find the best way for students to participate in what has been called the #Enough movement, according to the letter.
“As a result of these discussions and with the guidance of our legal counsel, our district will not be encouraging or condoning a walkout involving students exiting the building or leaving campus,” the letter read. “We feel that this type of demonstration would not only disrupt the educational program but would severely compromise our mission to ensure building security and student safety.”
In the letter, the district also informed parents that any student who leaves the building without authorization will be asked to return to class. Parents will be contacted if their children disregard the direction, and students who are disrespectful or disorderly will be subjected to the district’s code of conduct. The district could not be reached by deadline to confirm if any parents were called or any students were disrespectful or disorderly.
As an alternate to the March 14 walkout, the district offered voluntary activities for high school and junior high school students, according to the school district. A moment of silence was held at the high school and both junior high schools. A forum moderated by instructional staff and supervised by administrators was held in the Ward Melville auditorium for interested students to discuss issues connected to the #Enough movement. R.C. Murphy Junior High School students had the opportunity to write letters to Marjory Stoneman Douglas students, and P.J. Gelinas junior high schoolers gathered in the gymnasium during fourth period to hear student government leaders read memoriam notes and listen to a brief music interlude.
The decision came a week after students interested in participating in a walkout sat with Principal Alan Baum to discuss their plans at a March 2 meeting. Both Owens and fellow organizers were optimistic after the meeting, but despite the students’ optimism, the district released a statement that read no plans were final after thatß meeting.
Students display the signs they created for National Walkout Day. Photo by Hannah Fondacaro
After the walkout, senior Hannah Fondacaro said it was energizing to participate in a peaceful protest.
“It felt amazing knowing that we are letting the MSD students know they’re not alone,” Fondacaro.
Samantha Restucci, 16, said she felt great after participating in the walkout. She said if adults refuse to fix the gun violence situation then it was up to young people to take action.
“It felt like I was a part of something — like I could do something important,” Restucci said. “It brought out a variety of emotions. I was angry for what happened but hopeful for what is to come. I hope this walkout wakes people up, and I hope that we are taken seriously.”
The morning of the walkout, parents received a message from Pedisich saying the administrative staff at the high school was notified about a social media posting that was a cause of concern. The student in question was immediately identified, removed from the school and the incident was reported to the Suffolk County Police Department, according to Pedisich’s message. It is unclear if the threat was related to the walkout.
“Please know that the district takes these matters very seriously and will investigate any suspicious act to the fullest extent possible,” Pedisich said. “I encourage you to take this opportunity to remind your child(ren) to be mindful when posting to social media. It is important that they understand a posting that they may make to be humorous can be viewed vastly different by another individual and/or misinterpreted to be dangerous.”
Event to be held March 14 from 11 a.m. to noon at the Nesconset branch
Smithtown Library Director Robert Lusak. File photo from Dave Berner
By Sara-Megan Walsh
The director of The Smithtown Library is preparing to boldly go bald to show his support for pediatric cancer research.
The Nesconset branch will be hosting a St. Baldrick’s Day event March 15, from11 a.m. to noon. Director Rob Lusak will shave his head to raise money for the St. Baldrick’s Foundation, a nonprofit organization that funds children’s cancer research.
Every two minutes a child is diagnosed with cancer worldwide, and in the United States one in five kids diagnosed will not survive, according to the foundation.
All members of the community are welcome and encouraged to attend this event and donate to the cause. Donations can be made on the day of the event by cash or check. Light refreshments will be provided
The Nesconset branch of The Smithtown Library is located at 148 Smithtown Boulevard in Nesconset. For more information on the event, call 631-360-2480 ext. 235.
Those who cannot attend the event but would like to make a donation, can contact Julie DeLaney at 631-360-2480 ext. 230.
After 15 years in business, Lombardi’s on the Sound is no more. File photo
Change is on the horizon at the Port Jefferson Country Club.
After a 15-year partnership with property owner Port Jefferson Village, Lombardi’s on the Sound is no more. The family-owned catering business with other locations in Holbrook and Patchogue will no longer serve as the proprietor of the hall located on the golf course on the shores of the Long Island Sound.
The village board unanimously passed a resolution at its March 5 meeting approving the transfer of the catering license at the facility from Lombardi’s Caterers to The Crest Group LLC, a Port Jefferson Station-based real estate group, effective immediately. Crest’s hospitality division also includes Danfords Hotel & Marina, a longtime staple in Port Jefferson Village. The country club catering hall will be rebranded as The
Waterview at Port Jefferson Country Club and is set to reopen in early April, according to Christina Whitehurst, director of sales and marketing at Danfords.
“It was time for a change for both them and us, but I can’t speak for what changed for them as far as their business plan,” village Mayor Margot Garant said. “Lombardi’s sold their business — bulk sale. We simply had to approve the new vendor to assign the agreement. We felt Danfords knows the village and would prove to be a good working partner, treating both our members and residents as VIP clientele.”
Garant said village personnel are meeting with Danfords staff throughout March to coordinate plans, names, menus and events.
“We will make a joint announcement on all when everything is ready to launch,” Garant said. “We are excited to reclaim our country club.”
The mayor added that the menu at the rebranded hall is “to be announced,” but to expect it will be compatible with a country club setting.
Guy Lombardi, one of the business owners who also oversees the kitchens at Lombardi’s various locations, said they made the decision because they wanted to focus more on their other locations, adding that he expected Danfords would do a great job with the location.
“I loved that place,” he said of Lombardi’s on the Sound. “I loved to go there. The mayor does a great job there. It was just time to move on. It was a great run. We’re going to miss the people.”
“We would like to express our most sincere gratitude and appreciation for allowing Lombardi’s on the Sound to provide you the exemplary food, service and catering experience during our 15 years at the Port Jefferson Country Club,” the company said in a statement on the Lombardi’s on the Sound website.
Whitehurst said in a phone interview Danfords would welcome back employees who had jobs at the country club catering hall, and also indicated those who had previously made reservations for events at the country club should get in touch.
“We care about our reputation and how we do business and how we treat our guests and the level of service we deliver, so no matter what it is, we’re not going in there like we’re in and out,” Whitehurst said when asked about duration of the contract. “We want to continue to have the same track record like we have at Danfords.”
Five years remain on the 20-year lease being assumed by Crest, according to the village.
A home on Stony Brook Road was condemned after the Town of Brookhaven found the homeowner had the garage and basement illegally converted into apartments that housed Stony Brook University students. Photo from Town of Brookhaven
Town of Brookhaven Supervisor Ed Romaine (R) had a warning for unscrupulous landlords who illegally turn residential homes into rooming houses.
“Don’t do it,” Romaine said. “We’re coming for you.”
One landlord found that Sept. 8 statement to be true March 9 when the Town of Brookhaven Law Department condemned a house at 1423 Stony Brook Road in Stony Brook, where eight people were sharing the home, according to a press release from the Town of Brookhaven. Seven of the residents were found to be students of Stony Brook University. The landlord of the ranch-style house that had been unlawfully converted to include living space in the garage and basement was not named by the town.
“This was one of the worst cases of illegal student housing that we have seen in the Stony Brook area,” Romaine said in a statement. “Off-campus housing that is not in compliance with town building and fire codes threatens the health and safety of the students who reside there and the neighbors who live nearby.”
Romaine attributed the discovery of the violations to the town’s law department and the vigilance of neighbors who contacted the town. He urged students and their families to ensure their housing compiles with town code.
At the Stony Brook Road home, the town found bedroom doors equipped with key locks, and some rooms containing refrigerators and microwaves. In addition to the illegal basement and garage apartments, with two bedrooms, a kitchen and bathroom in each, the basement had a coin-operated washer and dryer.
The law department issued the property owner several housing code violations, including no smoke detectors, no carbon monoxide detectors, no rental permit and illegal use as a rooming house. The owner’s school tax assessment relief property tax exemption was revoked, and both the Suffolk County District Attorney and New York State Attorney General’s offices have been notified for prosecution.
Bruce Sander, president of Stony Brook Concerned Homeowners, said the organization reported the house to the town, calling the members the “eyes and ears of this community.”
“We are glad that this landlord will get the fines, etc. that he or she deserves, and I hope they shut this house down permanently and sell it to a family,” Sander said. “This type of landlord does not belong in any community when they openly violate the laws and put the students at risk as well as destroy property values of the surrounding neighborhoods.”
SBU offered dorm rooms on campus to the displaced students. In the last five years, the university has been working collaboratively with the Town of Brookhaven, the Suffolk County Police Department and local community groups to address safety concerns for students living in off-campus housing, according to a statement from SBU spokeswoman Lauren Sheprow.
Before the house was condemned March 9, the town notified university administration, and a coordinated effort was conducted by the school’s government and community relations, campus residences, dean of students’ office and commuter student services and off-campus living to find rooms for the students, according to Sheprow.
At the Sept. 8 press conference, Judith Greiman, chief deputy to the president of SBU and senior vice president for government and community relations, said the school takes great steps to ensure students’ safety. Among measures the university has undertaken since March 2013 are prohibiting advertisements of off-campus rentals on SBU’s website, unless the landlord can provide a Brookhaven Town rental permit, and prohibiting posting on campus bulletin boards. The university also holds tenants’ rights workshops to help students understand what to look for when renting.
In 2013, Romaine launched a mobile phone app, available on Apple iPhones and Android mobile devices, to help fight illegal off-campus housing in the town. To download the free mobile app, visit www.brookhavenny.gov from a mobile device.
Residents can also call 631-451-TOWN (8696) between 9 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. to report housing violations. For more information or to access the town’s code book, go to www.brookhavenny.gov.
The approximate location for a proposed 120-foot cellphone tower at 300 West Main Street. Photo by Sara-Megan Walsh
Proposed plans to build a 120-foot cellphone tower on Smithtown’s West Main Street may have hit additional interference from Smithtown Town officials.
The town board voted unanimously March 6 to require a full environmental impact study from Deer Park-based Elite Towers on its proposed plans to construct a cellphone tower opposite the Stop & Shop plaza.
Supervisor Ed Wehrheim (R) said the decision to require an environmental study was made based on a March 6 recommendation from Russ Barnett, the town’s director of Environmental and Waterways Division.
Barnett said the cellphone tower plans have raised several environmental concerns due to its proximity to the Nissequogue River, as well as the possibility of it having a negative visual impact on western downtown Smithtown. The developers have also requested a variance to eliminate any required setback from nearby office buildings.
“There are concerns for health and safety of such a tall pole being next to habitable building,” he said, noting if the tower suddenly collapsed it could hit the buildings or people. “We’re afraid it would set a precedence of town code not being applicable in the future.”
In addition, Barnett said he questioned if one of the seven other potential sites for the antenna considered by the utility company or other alternative technologies might result in better cellphone coverage with less of an impact.
“Existing and proposed coverage maps prepared by the application’s [radiofrequency] engineer indicate that the proposed monopole will still leave large areas of [Caleb Smith State] park and its environs without adequate service,” reads the March 6 recommendation letter.
Gregory Alvarez, an attorney representing Elite Towers, said the company was disappointed by the town board’s decision. The developer said it has already addressed the town’s concerns, according to Alvarez, particularly the issue of the tower’s visibility. They previously placed a crane on the proposed property and photographs of how it would look were taken from 25 locations across town.
“This application has been studied rigorously for two and a half years and requiring an [environmental impact study] will kick it out another two years, and adversely affect coverage in the community,” said David Bronston, an attorney representing AT&T at the board meeting.
Barnett said the average time required to complete such a report ranges from 18 to 24 months. Once an initial draft is completed, residents will have at minimum 30-days to review the document and submit comments, according to Barnett. The developer must incorporate this public feedback into a final report, after which Smithtown residents will be given at least another 10 days to comment before the town board makes a decision.
“Bottom line, we’re obligated to protect the health of both residents and our habitat,” Wehrheim said. “If it turns out that there is no impact on our community we’ll make an informed decision at that time.”
I was truly blessed to live 12 wonderful years with great memories and milestones in Strong’s Neck. I wrote this non-fiction piece as a heartfelt thank you to a place that has so much enriched history and beautiful landscapes that, combined with my loving parents and sister, was “home.” Our new ventures take us to Queens and Manhattan. Thank you for reading. 
Presented by the Suffolk County One-Stop Employment Center, representatives from the following companies are scheduled to attend: AFLAC, Attentive Care, Bachrach Group, Better Business Bureau, Bob’s Discount Furniture, Brightstar Care, Burlington Stores, Canon USA, Castella Imports, Catholic Guardian, Combined Insurance, First In Service Staffing, Flexstaff, Helen Keller Services for the Blind, Home Depot, Interim Healthcare, LIRR, Lloyd Staffing, Northwell Health, NRL Strategies, Options for Community Living, People Ready, Prudential, Renewal by Andersen, SCO Family of Services, SCOPE, SCWA, South Shore Home Health, Suffolk County Civil Service and Well Life Network.
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