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Exploring innovation at Port Jefferson’s Maker Faire

by TBR Staff - June 16, 2024

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By Aramis Khosronejad

The Long Island Explorium hosted its 7th annual Maker Faire on Saturday, June 8, also held at the Village Center and Harborfront Park. The event featured a wide range of activities, from hands-on origami lessons to robotics presentations, drawing a large and diverse crowd.

The Maker Faire has been a popular event well received by various communities. It aims to foster curiosity and provide a platform for people of all backgrounds and interests to share their passions.

The Maker Faire concept originated in San Mateo, California, in 2006, created by the editors of Make magazine. Since then, it has grown into an international event, with Maker Faires held in cities like San Francisco, New York, Berlin and Barcelona as well as Port Jefferson.

Angeline Judex, executive director of the Long Island Explorium, emphasized that the Maker Faire is “a festival of invention and innovation for everybody. Not just for little kids but for adults as well.” She highlighted the event’s diversity, which makes it especially unique. The faire featured an impressive assortment of participants and interests, from radio clubs to robotics and sculptures made from ocean debris.

This year’s Maker Faire on Long Island featured more than 75 exhibitors and 120 presenters.

The Maker Faire is designed to feed curiosity and nurture knowledge. Judex stated that the purpose of the event is “to enhance education, enrich life and to empower minds,” teaching that “learning is lifelong.” She noted the importance of such events in today’s society, especially with the advent of artificial intelligence. By cultivating curiosity and providing a space for the exchange of information, the faire aims to inspire innovation. “The challenges of the future can be changed by innovations from today,” Judex said. “Science is really at the intersection of endless possibilities — we’re talking about infinite possibilities for the future.”

Judex encouraged attendees to “explore, discover, invent and inspire,” sharing the joy and wonder that sustains lifelong learning and curiosity. “There’s no finite end, the exploring always continues,” she said, emphasizing the importance of having fun while learning.

Port Jefferson rowers compete in top heats at Youth National Championships

by TBR Staff - June 15, 2024

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0606TTDoubles008 — Andreas Simoni and Andrew Smith row in double scull for the Port Jefferson Rowing Club. Photo courtesy Mary Smith

By Sabrina Artusa

The Port Jefferson Rowing Club sent four boats to the U.S. Rowing Youth National Championships, where all four boats competed in the top heat.

Teammates Andrew Smith, 18, and Andreas Simoni, 18, rowed especially well in their double scull, consistently ranking at the top of their heat in the time trial on June 6 and the semifinals on June 7.

Both athletes began rowing competitively around a year earlier in the Port Jefferson Rowing Club, a nonprofit aimed at bringing novices into the sport.

The pair kicked off the competition by placing second in the time trial, completing 2,000 meters in 6:25.52 — 25 milliseconds behind first place and more than five seconds ahead of the next boat.

In the time trial, the boats don’t line up and begin at the same time as they do in the semifinals and finals, but start intermittently. Each boat gets what Smith compared to a “running start”: after leisurely rowing along, the boat is signaled to begin racing after passing a certain point.

As a result, Smith and Simoni were unaware of how they performed compared to the 23 other boats. When they realized how they fared next to other state champions across the country, they were ecstatic.

“It felt amazing. It was so awesome,” Smith said of the moment when, after returning to the dock, they overheard their neighbors say a team called the Port Jefferson Rowing Club got second place. “You just do your best and hope that you made it,” he added.

In the semifinals the next day, the pair maintained their top-notch performance, ranking first in their heat of eight with a time of 6:48.64.

On Sunday, the day of the final competition where Smith and Simoni were set to compete in Final A, the pair encountered a mishap that, unfortunately, cost them a medal.

At the beginning of the race, Smith slid off his seat, and both rowers had to stop rowing until he was resituated. The incident was attributed to an equipment mishap.

“I was just proud that I made it there and of the times. The times showed that we would have done much better if not for the equipment failure. We possibly would have gotten first or second,” Smith said. “I was just proud that my boat made it to nationals. It was very stiff competition.”

At five years old, the Port Jefferson Rowing Club is relatively new compared to clubs in other states where rowing is more popular. Despite this, the team has achieved success under their three coaches: James Finke, former assistant coach at Harvard University; Jarek Szymczyk, who coached single men’s sculls at the Rio Olympics; and Anna MacDonald, a coach at Stony Brook School.

“We definitely train hard,” said Finke, founder of the club. “We balance between training hard and having a lot of fun.”

“Here, our mission is to make rowing more visible and more attractive to these athletes,” he said.

The club may be intended to attract novices to the sport, but Finke believes that what his team lacks in experience, they make up for in technique.

“Our main philosophy on coaching is making sure our kids have superior technique on the strokes.”

Simoni, who has committed to rowing at the University of California, Berkeley, and Smith began rowing together a couple of months ago after achieving similar times in a singles competition.

“When we got in the boat together, everything clicked and everything felt very good. We just fell into sync and just rowed,” Smith said.

Hugh Macdonald, another member of the club, ranked well in the competition. He scored second in the under-17 singles race but caught a fever before the final, according to Finke. Macdonald raced in the final despite feeling unwell and ranked seventh.

The girls in the under-15 quad race, Sylas MacDonal, Honora Riley, Olivia Timmons, Tatiana Garrison, and Zihe Zhou, also finished fourth.

Mount Sinai battery storage facility rejected by Brookhaven Town Board

by TBR Staff - June 15, 2024

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20240606_170306 — Town of Brookhaven board honors eighth grade students from Center Moriches, Addison Raupp, Kristin Luna and Adrianna Loesch,for raising money in honor of hometown veterans. Photo by Aidan Johnson

By Aidan Johnson

A lithium battery storage facility will not be built on property owned by real estate agent Ray Manzoni near Mount Sinai-Coram Road and Route 25A.

The Brookhaven Town Board will not consider a proposal to change the zoning in the proposed area from “J Business District, Transitional Business Zone” to “L Industrial 1, Light Industrial Zone,” according to a June 5 press release from the Town of Brookhaven.

In the press release, town Supervisor Dan Panico (R) stated that after attending the latest Mount Sinai Civic Association meeting, “people preferred the current zoning and/or the possibility of the redevelopment of the parcel into a use more compatible with the zoning.”

He also stated there is “significant confusion regarding the New York State climate action goals and implementation of these battery energy storage systems.”

In an interview after the June 6 Town Board meeting, Panico said more public education on how the state government’s climate action laws work was necessary.

“I find throughout the town, a lot of people are not aware of what it entails going forward, the costs associated with the enactment, procuring the equipment,” he said.

“People have questions with regard to the sustainability of the electrical grid itself, but I think a lot more needs to be done as we move toward implementing the goals,” he added.

Other matters

During the Brookhaven Town Board meeting, which fell on the 80th anniversary of D-Day, U.S. veterans were honored when Suffolk County Veterans Service Agency Director Marcelle Leis and Deputy Director James Brennan displayed an American flag that was flown at Memorial Day services at the Long Island National Cemetery, Calverton National Cemetery, Stony Brook Veterans Home and the Babylon Grade School.

The flag can currently be found at the county’s H. Lee Dennison Building in Hauppauge.

The Town Board also honored Aman Mistry and Siddhant Desai, two Stony Brook University scholarship medicine program students who, along with creating the Scholarship Medicine Society — which partakes in community outreach efforts in health care — hosted an innovation challenge that saw 60 students participate in brainstorming innovative solutions in respect of the lack of access and equity in health care, supported by faculty mentorship.

Additionally, three eighth graders from Center Moriches, Addison Raupp, Kristin Luna, and Adrianna Loesch, were honored after raising $8,000 for banners on street lights that display the names of hometown veterans.

The Town Board presented a proclamation recognizing and commemorating June as Pride Month in the Town of Brookhaven.

The board also passed an amendment to a code that previously allowed residents to own up to six chickens on any parcel of land. The new code permits residents to own up to 12 chickens on land larger than 20,000 square feet. However, only six chickens are permitted on land 20,000 square feet or smaller, and no roosters are allowed. There will also be a 10-foot setback from the property line for the chickens.

Long Island State Veterans Home celebrates 80th anniversary of D-Day

by Press Release - June 15, 2024

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The Long Island State Veterans Home commemorated the 80th anniversary of the D-Day invasion with a special service and the presentation of Proclamations of Meritorious Achievement to two Normandy Invasion veterans on June 6.

New York State and Suffolk County awarded Proclamations of Meritorious Achievement to 100-year-old U.S. Army veteran Frank Agoglia and 102-year-old U.S. Army Air Corps veteran David Wolman, both residents of the Long Island State Veterans Home.

Agoglia, who landed his glider in Ste. Mere Eglise, France, behind German defenses, and Wolman, who worked 72 hours straight as an air traffic controller during the Normandy invasion, were recognized for their heroic service during D-Day and Operation Overlord.

A candle-lighting ceremony honored the 150,000 Allied troops who landed on the beaches of Normandy, all service members who served during World War II, the 41 million men and women who have worn the uniform in defense of freedom, the more than 600,000 members of the armed forces who have made the ultimate sacrifice, and the current 2 million members of the

“For over 33 years, the Long Island State Veterans Home at Stony Brook University has had the honor and privilege to have cared for this special generation of veterans,” Executive Director Fred Sganga said. “We will never forget the service and selfless sacrifice of so many soldiers, sailors, marines, and airmen. Today, we thank all of our World War II veterans for their fortitude and perseverance eighty years ago – for answering the call, in order to make the world a safer place. World War II veterans set high standards for bravery and courage and passed the baton to later generations of servicemen and servicewomen, who met the challenge by continuing to defend America and her allies around the world to this day.”

D-Day remembrance event in Port Jefferson Station

by TBR Staff - June 14, 2024

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By Christopher Schulz

It was a day of reflection and honor across the nation.

The VFW 4927 in Port Jefferson Station hosted a D-Day remembrance event on Thursday, June 6, to commemorate the veterans who fought at Normandy on June 6, 1944, a date that saw more than 2,500 American soldiers fall.

“There were about 250 [soldiers] in the first wave, less than 90 survived,” Suffolk County Legislator Steve Englebright solemnly noted. “In some cases, the gate of the LSD [Landing Ship Dock] would drop and a machine gun high up on the cliff would cut down everyone who tried to come out.”

More than 100 attendees, including Port Jefferson Mayor Lauren Sheprow, were present at the event. Most were descendants or relatives of World War II veterans.

Only one veteran, 97-year-old Thomas Vicale, attended. He was accompanied by his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

The nearly two-hour event included several speeches and tributes as well as an honorary three-minute march by five soldiers around the audience. The march was followed by the Pledge of Allegiance and a moment of silence.

The climax of the service was an eight-gun salute and the unveiling of two bronze plaques listing more than 50 American soldiers who fought and survived the war – according to the plaque, these soldiers all had served and returned and worked in some capacity for Thomas Wilson & Co. Inc.

The reveal of the plaques was met with loud cheers and applause.

“[The soldiers] saw the beginning of the freedom of the European continent and ultimately the continuation of this experiment of freedom that is the United States of America,” Englebright remarked. “It seems that we have not forgotten [this day because] you’re here. That is so moving for me.”

In her short speech, Sheprow expressed her utmost gratitude and respect for the veterans and condolences to those who lost their lives during the beach landing.

Ira Costell, president of the Port Jefferson Station/Terryville Civic Association, called the event “special.” He also recognized some families in attendance who made the day possible and whose loved ones were on the plaque.

“Their presence here today is like what it was back then. It’s that we carry on this tradition, that their sacrifices led to this amazing, generational commitment to our country and our people,” Costell said.

Another artifact of the service was a collage of 20 tangible registration cards from some of the soldiers listed on the plaque. Most of the soldiers listed on the plaque were residents of the Setauket or Port Jefferson Station area at the time of the war. According to Costell, the others resided in either New York City or Rhode Island.

At the end of the ceremony, families took time to take photographs and interact with each other.

Costell said he would be “remiss” if he didn’t acknowledge “the courage and bravery” the soldiers displayed on D-Day and expressed gratitude for their service.

Port Jefferson civic addresses village issues going forward

by Samantha Rutt - June 14, 2024

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President of the Port Jefferson Station/Terryville Civic Association Ira Costell swears the new Port Jefferson civic officers, Ana Hozyainova, Holly Fils-Aimé, Kathleen Mc Lane and Marilyn Damaskos. Photo by Samantha Rutt

By Samantha Rutt

At the Monday, June 10, Port Jefferson Civic Association meeting, new officers were sworn in, an update on the looming Staller development in Port Jefferson Station was given, and civic members took part in brainstorming ideas and solutions for the village’s most pressing issues.

The new leadership team, with terms expiring in 2026, were officially sworn in by neighboring civic president Ira Costell. The officers sworn in were Ana Hozyainova as civic president, Holly Fils-Aimé as vice president, Marilyn Damaskos as treasurer, Janice Fleischman-Eaton as recording secretary and Kathleen Mc Lane as corresponding and outreach secretary.

Jefferson Plaza development proposal updates

Following the official business, Costell, president of the Port Jefferson Station/Terryville Civic Association shared some updates pertaining to the proposed Staller redevelopment of Jefferson Plaza, a development he feels will have a big impact on nearby communities.

“This significant development will, for better or worse, change the face and future of our community, as well as impacting Lower Port,” Costell shared. Back in March, Costell, on behalf of the PJSTCA, wrote a letter to Town of Brookhaven board and the town’s Highway Department [see “Port Jefferson Station/Terryville civic requests traffic study,” from May 3] asking for a comprehensive study to assess the influx of traffic from this proposal.

Since then, the PJSTCA has heard back from Town of Brookhaven councilmember, Jonathan Kornreich (D-Stony Brook), who agreed with the sentiments expressed in the letter and assured that the town “shares the concern about the cumulative impact these developments may have on traffic” and “would like to stay ahead of it.”

Others chimed into Costell’s speech and shared concerns about the potential impact on traffic, as well as quality of life and affordability, while others emphasized the need for comprehensive planning and coordination — something Costell has advocated for since the developer’s initial proposal.

“Our community has chosen to not throw up a blockade and say no more, not in our backyard,” Costell said. “We embrace and want to engage with a future that makes sense for our community, that we can digest properly. Without comprehensive planning and coordination, it could be a nightmare that’s going to impact our communities negatively.”

In recent years, the village has seen substantial development and its impacts on the community. Both, the Overbay and The Shipyard complexes have left an impact on the community as residents feel the respective developers were not overtly transparent in their building plans.

Local architect, Heather Brin, echoed these sentiments sharing notes from her expertise, “The Shipyard, downtown, is illegal in terms of the height,” Brin alleged. “The developers raised the level of the berm that the property sits on so they could build as high as they did.”

Civic members have since questioned the Staller project’s viability, safety concerns and the importance of finding a balance between developer and community needs. The PJSTCA will host Staller Associates on June 20 at 7 p.m. at the Comsewogue Public Library, 170 Terryville Road, Port Jefferson Station, to continue the community conversation.

Village issues going forward

Shifting gears, Hozyainova asked civic members to bring issues, concerns and wishes for the village to the forefront of the conversation. From this, several pressing issues resurfaced and some new ones emerged.

Residents campaigned for increased walkability of the village, sharing notes of overgrown vegetation limiting sidewalk access. To this, Fils-Aimé asked for increased volunteerism and formation of committees dedicated to their respective concerns.

“Bring a proposal forward, somebody has to lead the charge,” she said. “We can have multiple committees, maybe a couple people are interested in that [issue] or maybe you want to bring them here and have them join the civic association.”

Others shared their respective concerns over the Port Jefferson power plant and its future, capital projects in the village and in the school district, village constable’s office hours, the future of the country club and the East Beach bluff, keeping and restoring trees and other natural vegetation, were among some of the many issues brought to the metaphorical table.

LIRR electrification

Adding to the growing list of village concerns, Port Jefferson resident Bruce Miller brought a motion before the civic requesting that Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) makes enforcement of the state’s Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act a priority of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and the Long Island Rail Road in their new 20-year plan.

Miller explained in his motion that diesel locomotion is no longer acceptable transportation under this act and that riders along the Port Jefferson Branch are “forced to use their internal combustion vehicles to drive to Ronkonkoma for a decent ride,”

In addition to concerns with ridership and the environment, Miller also detailed that the utilization of hydrogen rail or separate-car battery transportation could allow for a large industry based in New York state — to the benefit of many.

The motion to approve Miller’s proposal asking Hochul and LIRR President Robert Free to meet with the civic association and Suffolk County’s elected representatives was approved and will be subsequently shared with all necessary parties.

The next Port Jefferson Civic Association meeting will be held on Aug. 12 at the Port Jefferson Free Library, 100 Thompson St., at 6:30 p.m.

Miller Place Panthers’ glorious softball season ends at state final

by Bill Landon - June 14, 2024

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By Bill Landon

For the Miller Place softball team, the road to the NYS Class A championship title game involved consistent winning play that led them to their second-ever Suffolk County title with a 4-1 victory over Islip, May 25. Facing Seaford a week later in the Long Island championship round, Miller Place defeated the Nassau County title holder 7-4 to capture their first LIC title in program history.

Pitching ace Ava Zicchinelli, who was an eighth grader when the Panthers won their last county title back in 2021, was lights out from the circle. With the bat of Emily Lopez, they made for a potent combination. Both are juniors.

The NYS softball championship finals were held June 7-8 in North Bellport at the Martha Avenue Recreation Park sports complex. On the Friday, the Panthers defeated Section V finalist Pittsford Sutherland 4-1 to punch their ticket to the final round the following day.

On the Saturday, Section IX finalist Marlboro jumped out to an early 2-0 lead before Miller Place freshman Delaney Schleider drove in sophomore Laney Vomero on a standup double to trail 2-1 bottom of the third.

The Marlboro team stretched their legs in scoring two more runs in the fourth inning to which the Panthers had no answer.

Miller Place without a single senior on its roster finished their 2024 campaign with an impressive 21-5 record and will likely return with its starting lineup intact for next season.

Horseshoe crab protections pass in Albany, await governor’s signature

by Mallie Jane Kim - June 13, 2024

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By Mallie Jane Kim

[email protected]

Permanent protections for New York horseshoe crabs cleared a major hurdle during the last days of the 2024 state legislative session, passing both the state Senate and Assembly on June 7.

“It’s extremely exciting,” said Adrienne Esposito, executive director of Farmingdale-based Citizens Campaign for the Environment, which advocated for the bill. “The horseshoe crab has ambled around the earth for more than 350 million years — we think they have a right to continue to do so.”

The bill, which still needs the signature of Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) before becoming law, would prevent the taking of horseshoe crabs for commercial or biomedical purposes from state waters. The animals are used as bait for commercial whelk and eel fishing operations, and their blue blood is used to improve vaccine safety and aid in biomedical research, though a synthetic alternative is already in the works for that purpose.

The species has faced a steady decline in the last few decades, which in turn impacts birds like red knots, who feed on horseshoe crab eggs during their migration.

Not everyone is happy with the bill as it is currently written.

“The commercial fishing industry here on Long Island is going to be severely impacted by the passage of this bill,” said Rob Carpenter, director of the Long Island Farm Bureau, which advocates on behalf of commercial fishermen. “Their needs are not addressed in the bill.”

Carpenter, who indicated he hopes for the bill to be amended or vetoed, said horseshoe crab is the only usable bait for commercial fishermen catching whelk.

“If they are not allowed to utilize it, that means the state has just shut down an entire industry of fishing for an entire species,” he said.

The state Senate passed the bill 53-7 and the Assembly sent it through 102-39. Five North Shore legislators voted against the measure, namely Assemblymembers Jake Blumencranz (R-Oyster Bay), Mike Fitzpatrick (R-Smithtown), Jodi Giglio (R-Riverhead) and Fred Thiele (D-Sag Harbor); and state Sen. Anthony Palumbo (R-New Suffolk).

Esposito, who previously said she hoped new protections would incentivize commercial fishing operations to find alternative baits, said she knows from her recent time lobbying for the bill in Albany that the farm bureau and biomedical industry representatives are lobbying against it.

Biomedical companies do not currently harvest from Long Island waters, according to Esposito, though she is concerned stricter rules in neighboring states like Connecticut and Massachusetts could bring New York’s horseshoe crabs to their attention.

“The fact that they are lobbying against this bill is absurd,” she said. “We’re not inhibiting the medical industry — they have alternatives and they’re using alternatives. They’re just crying wolf.”

According to state governmental procedures, since the Legislature is now out of session, the governor will have 30 days to sign the bill once it is delivered to her, but there is no indication of when that delivery will happen. If the bill is not delivered to the governor before the end of the year, or if she does not act within 30 days of delivery, the bill is effectively vetoed.

“Our job’s not done yet,” Esposito said. “Now we’re going to begin our campaign to request the governor sign it.”

Sewage line break highlights the need for modernization

by Mallie Jane Kim - June 13, 2024

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Sewage — Road repair after a burst sewage line in East Setauket poured an estimated 350,000 gallons of partially treated water into Setauket Harbor. Photo by George Hoffman

By Mallie Jane Kim

A river of water ran down the steep hill of Gnarled Hollow Road when Sotiria Everett arrived home from work June 4. The water appeared to be coming from under the street at the top of the slope, she said, adding she had to move cones and navigate around Suffolk County Water Authority trucks to reach her driveway.

“It was a disruption for us, obviously,” she said, noting the water to their house was off until about 10:30 p.m. that night. “The other concern is the damage it’s doing now in Setauket Harbor.”

A broken pipe spewed about 350,000 gallons of mostly treated wastewater over about 4.5 hours from the corner of Harbor Hill Road and Gnarled Hollow Road, according to a New York State sewage pollution alert. The water, which hadn’t yet gone through the final step of disinfection, followed surface streets to pour into Setauket Harbor, near Setauket Pond Park.

The place where the effluent entered the tidal harbor is the slowest to flush out and get diluted into the Long Island Sound because of its tucked-back location, according to George Hoffman of the Setauket Harbor Task Force.

The high-pressure pipe that burst originated from a sewer facility that processes wastewater from Stony Brook University and surrounding neighborhoods. It was mostly treated but lacked the final disinfection step, which takes place in Port Jefferson before the treated water is pumped out into Port Jefferson Harbor, a method water quality advocates say is outdated.

“If you were building it now, you wouldn’t be allowed to outfall sewage into the middle of the harbor,” Hoffman said. “We’ve learned so much since then about nitrogen in the harbor.”

Too much nitrogen in area waters leads to various issues, including dangerous bacteria and algae blooms.

But water quality isn’t the only concern with piping effluent into the harbor, according to County Legislator Steve Englebright, D-Setauket.

“There are two broad themes that emerge when we talk about groundwater on Long Island,” Englebright said. “One is quality of water, and the other is quantity of water—this is a little of both.”

Suffolk County draws water from a single-source aquifer, and if more water from that source is pumped into the harbors than is recharged by rain, the aquifer starts to drain.

Coincidentally, that same week, Suffolk County legislators met about modernizing area sewage lines, including the one in question that runs from Stony Brook University to Port Jefferson, according to Englebright.

The group heard a presentation about the possibility of using processed sewage to water athletic fields and other green spaces on Stony Brook University’s campus, as well as St. George’s Golf and Country Club next door. Englebright pointed to Riverhead’s Indian Island Golf Course, which has been watering with effluent since 2016, as a model for this method.

In addition to helping recharge the aquifer, this method obviates the need to buy nitrogen to fertilize the grass since the cleaned wastewater already contains it.

The county is currently working out its budget, according to Englebright, and though he said it’s unclear whether such updates will make it into the budget as a capital improvement this year, he’s glad it is at least on the table.

“The sewer break underlined the urgency and reinforced the timeliness of some of these conversations,” he said. “It is important for us to reassess.”

After the spill, the Suffolk County Department of Health Services warned residents to take precautions when recreating in Setauket or Port Jefferson harbors and closed several area beaches, including Little Bay, Grantland, Bayview, Indian Field, and Bayberry Cove. The county lifted its advisory June 10, after testing showed bacteria was within “acceptable limits” for all areas except Indian Field Beach, which remained closed.

Englebright said the high-pressure pipe may have burst at that point because it takes a turn to be nearly vertical, accommodating the steep grade of the street. “That’s where the pressure was concentrated,” he said.

Regardless of why it happened, area resident Everett hopes it won’t happen again. The bottom of the steep road, she said, is often flooded enough from rainy weather.

“The area is always prone to flooding, and you add that it’s not from Mother Nature, not from rain,” she said. “Any way that could be prevented would be ideal.”

Port Jefferson Village trustee prospects in meet-the-candidates night

by TBR Staff - June 13, 2024

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image0 (10) — Trustee candidates Kyle Hill, Marie Parziale, and Xena Ugrinsky sit before the audience at the Meet the Candidates event on Tuesday, June 11. Photo by Aidan Johnson

By Aidan Johnson

The Port Jefferson Village trustee candidates — Xena Ugrinsky, Kyle Hill, and Marie Parziale — participated in a meet-the-candidates night at the Village Center June 11. The event was sponsored by the local chamber of commerce and the civic association. Two of the candidates will be elected, replacing Deputy Mayor Rebecca Kassay and trustee Drew Biondo.

Introductions

Ugrinsky, who has lived in Port Jefferson for 12 years, said she feels “a deep connection to the [maritime] culture.” She has been an “active participant” in the trustee meetings over the past two years, led the election task force, sits on the budget and finance committee, and chairs the Port Jeff Power Plant Working Group. For three decades, she has had a career in finance, technology and the energy sector.

Parziale, who has lived in Port Jefferson for 29 years, works as the senior alumni career coach at Stony Brook University. She described her “superpower” as “connecting with people, seeing the best in them, and linking them with opportunities.” She also said that to solve Port Jefferson’s problems, “we need a long-term strategic plan and we must be part of the process,” and emphasized “the ability for our leaders to bring stakeholders and experts together to find solutions.”

Hill, who grew up in Farmingville and currently lives in Port Jefferson with his partner, said that he’s “been coming down to Port Jeff ever since I had my learner’s permit.” After finishing his master’s at Stony Brook University, he moved to Washington, D.C., where he worked on Capitol Hill for 10 years, “advancing mostly bipartisan policy projects.” He is a volunteer EMT with the Port Jefferson EMS and served on Port Jefferson’s election task force, where they “recommended leaving the term lengths at two years and also recommended adding term limits to the mayor’s office.”

Issues facing Port Jefferson

Parziale wants to hear “more of what the solutions are that the school district’s coming up with and have them present them to us.” She also sees flooding as a major issue, as well as the East Beach bluff, saying that a vote on the project was needed before continuing to phase two, and it was necessary to figure out why phase one did not work.

Hill believes that flooding is a main issue, especially in terms of the firehouse due to “incidents where they can’t get their trucks out” and having their equipment damaged. He also believes the bluff is “a true disaster waiting to happen,” saying he was the first candidate to call for a referendum on the future of bluff spending.

Ugrinsky said, “We can’t fix the school district’s problems,” but the trustees can help by solving the power plant’s problems, “which delivers revenue to the schools.” She additionally cited flooding as a main issue, saying that “we have a lot of residents who have experience in this area or problems that have already been solved.” She agrees that a referendum for the bluff is needed, and said that development was a main issue: “We really need to figure out how we preserve our maritime culture.”

Maryhaven property

Parziale said that Beechwood Homes is in discussion over the Maryhaven property, but nothing has been finalized. However, she would like to see starter homes built there “so that we have something that’s affordable for our young people,” adding that this could attract families with students.

Hill said that preserving the “historic nature of Port Jeff” is the most ideal choice, adding that “it would be great if we had seniors condos in just that building.” He also said that St. Charles is not “being the best neighbor in maintaining that property,” as he’s been hearing that the area has break-ins. He noted that the area is already zoned for housing, and it is only a board issue if there’s a zone change.

Ugrinsky said that it was important that any residences would be tax-paying residents, and that the developer does a traffic, water and sewer assessment before breaking ground.

Environment and development

Hill wants to “preserve every inch of open space that we have left in this village,” which can also be done by partnering with the hospitals to preserve their open space as well, and “encourage them not to just make more parking lots, but to find other solutions.” He said that there wasn’t much of a choice but to preserve open space, because the more space gets blacktopped over, the fewer places there are for the flooding to go.

Ugrinsky agreed that preserving the green space is necessary to help soak up the water. She also said that evaluation of the underground springs is needed, noting that some of the pipes underground “are too skinny for the volume of the water that’s going through, nor have they been cleaned in decades.” She added, “We need to develop smartly, with foot traffic, where stores can be put.”

Parziale said that the environment and development need to have a “very delicate balance between the two.” She is also for as much green space as possible, and for smart development, saying, “We need to work closely with our developers so that they’re giving back some of that space, and they’re doing the right thing with the property in all ways, including traffic, water, sewer and green space for people that are living in those spaces.”

Fiscal responsibility

Hill said that it was important to come up with ways to offset resident taxes, “and that’s making sure that our commercial areas are thriving, and taking advantage of things like metered parking,” which he said brings in the most revenue to the village after taxes. He said it was important to bring in revenue from more than just the residents, which would help to have “a more successful village, and people are going to want to be here.”

Ugrinsky said that “every municipality in the United States is dealing with declining revenues and increasing costs while trying to serve their populations.” She said that the village should look at the contracts it has in place, and that “there may be volume buying opportunities that people just have not had the time to look at.” She added that they should “stop bonds happening to us and really get the population involved with how we’re going to spend.”

Parziale said that she agreed with Ugrinsky on this topic.

The election is on Tuesday, June 18. Voting will take place at the Village Center from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.

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