Cedar Beach in Mount Sinai. Photo from Wikimedia Commons
By Sabrina Artusa
Nicole, a Miller Place resident, has long frequented Mount Sinai’s Cedar Beach, saying she has often enjoyed visiting this scenic destination with her family. In recent years, however, she has noticed one “really unsettling” trend.
“So much garbage is left behind on the beach,” she said. “It makes me sad.”
Nicole said she and some other locals have grown increasingly agitated with the Town of Brookhaven over a perceived buildup of litter and fishing debris at Cedar Beach, with some even suggesting a lack of code enforcement and security measures.
In the face of these objections, many continue enjoying the beach, according to town official Kevin Molloy, chief of staff in the supervisor’s office.
While Molloy acknowledges that some debris is left on the beach occasionally despite town efforts, he argues that residual garbage is inevitable during heightened summer activity and the “thousands of people” enjoying the beach each week.
“We comb the beach every morning, every day — sometimes multiple times a day, we will remove garbage,” Molloy noted. “We are not seeing anything different compared to past years.”
The beach contains a marina, harbor, yacht club, oyster and clam hatchery, nature preserve, basketball courts and a playground. There is also live music and sunrise yoga.
Given all this activity, Molloy says that the town is attentive to its upkeep responsibilities and that its staff is “continuously cleaning and picking things up.”
He said that the town leads an annual beach cleanup, partnering with local environmental groups before each season. The oyster and clam hatchery also works to improve water quality.
Molloy further emphasized that Brookhaven prides itself on being accessible to anyone who wants to use it as long as they follow town rules.
“There is something for everybody from the little kids with the playground to kayaking to basketball,” he said, adding, “That’s not to say we don’t have a host of rules.”
To access the beach, Brookhaven residents must either possess a $30 annual parking permit or pay hourly parking fees. The cost for seniors (60+), handicapped and veterans per vehicle is just $7 for 2023. Nonresidents can pay hourly for parking or buy the $350 annual parking permit.
Given the general cost of beach access and public resources put toward maintenance, some residents feel that the state of the beach could be better. Nicole, who pays for the permit annually, said the lack of ticketing and security is problematic.
“People are parking and not paying the meter,” she said. “They take complete advantage.”
Nicole argues that the “code needs to be enforced” by penalizing violators in the act instead of simply cleaning up after the damage is done.
She added that she and others are upset by fishermen who don’t clean up after themselves or encroach upon bathing areas.
Environmental advocates protest outside the William H. Rogers Legislature Building in Hauppauge on Tuesday, July 25. Photo by Raymond Janis
Cries for liberty and demands for clean water were heard outside the William H. Rogers Legislature Building in Hauppauge Tuesday, July 25.
For the second straight month, the Republican-led Suffolk County Legislature shot down a proposed 1/8 penny sales tax creating a local match program for state and federal subsidization for wastewater infrastructure.
The 10-7 vote to recess was along party lines, effectively dooming the measure from reaching the November ballot.
According to environmentalists and county officials, individually operated cesspools have grown increasingly problematic, with leakage from septic tanks contributing to brown tides, rust tides, algal blooms and fish kills.
Dave Calone, Democratic nominee for Suffolk County executive. Photo by Raymond Janis
In a rally, dozens of environmental advocates and community members joined Democratic candidates Tuesday morning, who collectively condemned the course taken by the majority.
“Today, the most fundamental need of water meets that most fundamental of American values — the right to vote,” said Dave Calone, Democratic nominee for Suffolk County executive. “The county Legislature needs to act. They need to give the people of Suffolk County the right to have a say about their own future.”
Joining Calone and others were several Democratic candidates running for county seats, including former New York State Assemblyman Steve Englebright of Setauket and pediatrician Eve Meltzer-Krief of Centerport.
Englebright, a geologist by training who had previously served as chair of the Assembly’s Committee on Environmental Conservation, tied clean water initiatives to regional economic development.
“Our two largest industries on Long Island are tourism and agriculture,” he said. “Both of them require clean water.”
He added that Long Island’s sole-source aquifer is continually “in motion,” with contaminated groundwater “changing the chemistry and ecology” of the county’s harbors and bays.
“Do you think the tourists who visit us, who put the money into our restaurants, hotels and motels, will want to come out here if there are dead fish and putrid algae masses in the harbors?” Englebright said.
Skyler Johnson, chair of Suffolk County Young Democrats. Photo by Raymond Janis
Meltzer-Krief maintained that the Legislature is depriving county residents of limited grant opportunities from the state and federal governments.
Skyler Johnson, chair of Suffolk County Young Democrats and former candidate for New York State Senate, referred to the Legislature’s posture as “willful apathy.”
“The Republican majority in the Legislature is throwing young people’s futures under the bus,” he said, adding, “We cannot afford to be using water that is polluted. It is not fair for our residents, our children or our future.”
Legislators quarrel
Inside the Legislature building, Republicans and Democrats went back and forth on the issue.
Majority leader Nick Caracappa (C-Selden) indicated that the “bill as it sits right now is not right.”
“We disagree on resolutions all the time,” he said. “Let’s get together and fix it, and we can.”
Eve Meltzer-Krief, candidate for Suffolk County Legislature. Photo by Raymond Janis
Legislator Sarah Anker (D-Mount Sinai) said the majority is passing up on “the opportunity of a lifetime.”
“If we keep waiting … the water will get worse,” she said. “It will cost us more to fix the water. People will be getting sick. We’ll be losing money on our economy.”
Legislator Rob Trotta (R-Fort Salonga) suggested there are surpluses within the county budget better suited for reallocation for sewers. He said he objected to introducing new taxes with alternatives on the table.
“Stop taxing the people and run the government more efficiently,” he said.
Legislator Kara Hahn (D-Setauket) said she was saddened by the decision, suggesting that as the body delays funding “our water gets dirtier.”
“If we wait to get it just right, the money gets allocated elsewhere,” she said. “Why should we wait for clean water?”
A second measure that would consolidate the county’s 27 sewer districts was also tabled.
As the Legislature recesses, wastewater infrastructure will likely remain central as campaign season ramps up.
The print version of this story published in the July 27 issue of The Port Times Record incorrectly stated that the Village of Port Jefferson Treasurer’s Office remains vacant. In fact, Donald Pearce was confirmed 3-2 by the village Board of Trustees following an executive session July 24. We apologize for the error.
Amid the summer heat wave, tensions were even hotter inside Village Hall Monday night, July 24.
Members of the recently reorganized Village of Port Jefferson Board of Trustees sparred publicly for the second time this month, the board at first opting not to approve Mayor Lauren Sheprow’s choice for village treasurer.
A motion to appoint Donald Pearce over Denise Mordente, treasurer during the previous administration, was tabled 3-2. Deputy Mayor Rebecca Kassay joined trustees Stan Loucks and Bob Juliano to table the matter.
Loucks had left the reorganization meeting earlier this month over Sheprow’s decision denying him reappointment as trustee liaison to Port Jefferson Country Club. [See story, “Port Jeff village board cans code changes for Maryhaven, tensions flare amid reorganization,” July 13, The Port Times Record, also TBR News Media website.] He continued to critique Sheprow’s pattern of appointments.
Trustee Stan Loucks delivers his report during a July 24 business meeting of the Village of Port Jefferson Board of Trustees. Photo by Raymond Janis
“You have gotten rid of three and maybe more of the most loyal, hardworking and knowledgeable people” within the village government, Loucks told the mayor. “Now again, you’ve made a motion to get rid of Denise Mordente — this after telling her not more than five hours earlier that she was good as a treasurer and was safe.”
“It just seems to me that a person’s word no longer means anything,” he added.
Sheprow suggested that Pearce’s professional background and experience within PJV would facilitate his transition into the role. She added that the choice is a matter of staffing the government “with people who I know and trust to do a great job for the residents of the Village of Port Jefferson.”
Juliano, who had worked alongside Pearce during a prior administration, maintained his support for Mordente’s reappointment despite Pearce’s qualifications.
“I’m opposed to this not because I’m opposed to Don but because I am approving Denise,” he said.
Only trustee Drew Biondo joined Sheprow in the initial vote to appoint Pearce. Biondo likened a mayor staffing the government to a captain picking a team.
“I’ve been in politics my entire life, and that’s the way cookie crumbles,” he said. “The mayor gets to choose her team, and I’m inclined to give the mayor her team.”
Later in the night, following an executive session, Donald Pearce was confirmed 3-2 as village treasurer, effective Aug. 7. Kassay joined Sheprow and Biondo in approving the appointment.
Other business
The envisioned Six Acre Park along Highlands Boulevard advanced several procedural hurdles on the path toward grant funding.
The board unanimously approved a resolution establishing Port Jeff Village as the lead agency in developing the parkland and adopting a determination of nonsignificance under the State Environmental Quality Review Act.
Kassay said these steps were necessary for applying for the New York State Environmental Protection Fund’s Grant Program for Parks, Preservation and Heritage. The board expects a decision on its grant application by December.
With the Recreation Department at the height of camp season, Loucks urged his colleagues to begin conversations about expanding racket sports opportunities.
“It seems that tennis and pickleball are two of the most important activities, the most popular activities, through the Rec Department,” he said, adding that “250-plus youngsters [are] enrolled in each one of these sports. That’s over 500 on limited facilities.”
Loucks suggested redeveloping the racket sports area at Port Jefferson Country Club to accommodate more tennis and pickleball athletes.
“I fear that there have to be some decisions made shortly about the redevelopment of our racket complex up at that country club,” he added.
The board will reconvene Monday, Aug. 7, at 5 p.m.
Left, Dr. Daniel Jamorabo, gastroenterologist at Stony Brook Medicine and assistant professor of medicine in the Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology at Stony Brook University’s Renaissance School of Medicine. Right, Dr. David Purow, chairman of Medicine-Gastroenterology at Huntington Hospital. Left by Stony Brook Medicine/Jeanne Neville; right from Northwell Health
No one rushes to make a reservation at a pre-colonoscopy restaurant with a cleansing and well-reviewed special of the day.
In fact, for most people, the preparation for a potentially lifesaving diagnostic procedure is somewhere between unpleasant and unpalatable.
That, however, may have changed as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently approved another incremental improvement in the colonoscopy preparation that could make the preparation and the procedure — which can detect early signs of cancer — less bothersome.
Manufactured by Sebela Pharmaceuticals, Suflave is a low-volume preparation that tastes like a lemon-lime sports drink. It should be available in August.
“Patients really like” Suflave, with about 80 percent finding it palatable, said Dr. Daniel Jamorabo, a gastroenterologist at Stony Brook Medicine and assistant professor of medicine in the Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology at Stony Brook University’s Renaissance School of Medicine.
Jamorabo called it a “wonderful addition to the bowel preparations that are out there.”
Jamorabo said the ingredients in most preparations are the same: the difference in the Suflave preparation seems connected to the flavor.
The thinking in the gastrointestinal community is that “we need to find a preparation” that is more pleasant, said Dr. David Purow, chairman of Medicine-Gastroenterology at Huntington Hospital. “That will capture more people who are somewhat reluctant to have a colonoscopy.”
Colonoscopies are a “necessary screening procedure,” Purow added, and health care professionals in the field don’t want the discomfort during preparation to discourage people from getting the procedure.
Indeed, doctors have a much higher success rate with patients when they detect evidence of colon cancer early.
Getting it right
Doctors suggested that the success of preparing for a colonoscopy varies.
Jamorabo estimated that around 10% of patients may not take all the steps necessary to have the screening.
In those circumstances, these patients have to reschedule the procedure and go through drinking fluids that clear out their systems more effectively.
Gastroenterologists urged people to ask questions if they don’t understand any of the steps they need to take to prepare.
For some patients, the COVID-19 pandemic delayed their routine colonoscopy visits, as people stayed away from hospitals and medical care facilities during periods of highest viral infection.
Jamorabo added that colon cancers have started to show up in younger people.
In 2018, the American Cancer Society recommended lowering the age for screenings from 50 to 45.
“It’s showing up more” in people under 50, said Jamorabo. “It may even go lower.”
Doctors discovered stage three colon cancer in late actor Chadwick Boseman before he was 40.
“We don’t know yet” why it’s causing cancer in younger people, Jamorabo added, but “it’s not rare. It’s been going on for a couple of years. We can’t write it off as some statistical anomaly.”
Early symptoms
People can and should be on the lookout for symptoms that might indicate colon cancer.
Unintentional weight loss, such as losing 10 pounds or more in three to four months without changing diet or exercise regimen, could indicate a problem.
Blood in the stool, changes in bowel habits and ongoing constipation could also require medical attention.
More subtle signs, such as fatigue, shortness of breath or decreased appetite, could indicate that people are losing blood in their stool.
As for the overlap between COVID and colon cancer, Jamorabo believes that the ongoing inflammation from the SARS-CoV2 virus could predispose people to cancer.
“I don’t think enough time has elapsed” to know if there’s a link between the virus and colon cancer, he added.
With anxiety building over big-picture issues like global warming and an intensely divided population, people are likely increasingly worried about the state of the world.
“Most gastroenterologists are probably busier than they’ve ever been,” Purow said. “Some of that is probably due to the times in which we are living.”
Stress and anxiety can cause gastrointestinal symptoms that manifest in different ways.
Even with less concern about the pandemic, doctors are still seeing more people with alcoholic liver disease, as some turned to alcohol to relieve their ongoing anxiety.
“We’re trying to expand our network of dietitians and mental health professionals that we’re working with,” said Purow.
Information is power
An important tool in preventing colon cancer involves tracking the colon’s health through colonoscopies.
Having Suflave on the market could “lower the dread” of having a colonoscopy, Jamorabo noted. “We need to make the logistics of the preparation easier.”
Left, Dr. Robert Schwaner, medical director of the Department of Emergency Medicine and chief of the Division of Toxicology at Stony Brook University Hospital. Right, Dr. Jennifer Goebel, emergency room doctor at Huntington Hospital. Left file photo from Stony Brook University; right from Northwell Health
With summer in full swing on Long Island, local doctors urge residents to stay hydrated and remain aware of the potential health effects from heat and sun, particularly for vulnerable age groups.
“We worry about our elderly population,” said Dr. Jennifer Goebel, emergency room doctor at Huntington Hospital. “They have a little less reserve and can become dehydrated very easily.”
Part of the challenge for the elderly population is that their efficiency in sweating isn’t as high as it was when they were younger, doctors added.
People with heart disease and/or diabetes can also be at risk as the heat index rises.
This summer has reached numerous temperature records around the country and the world. On Monday, a buoy in the Florida Keys measured a temperature of 101.1 degrees, breaking the previous world record for sea surface temperature set in Kuwait Bay in the Persian Gulf.
Locally, in anticipation of a heat advisory for this Thursday, July 27, the Town of Huntington has opened several cooling centers, including at the Dix Hills Ice Rink and the Dix Hills Park Swimming Pool, as well as at the Elwood and Manor Field Spray Parks.
Amid high temperatures, doctors suggested residents make sure they drink enough water, particularly when active outdoors.
“Water is not light, but you should have enough access to as much water as you need,” said Dr. Robert Schwaner, medical director of the Department of Emergency Medicine and chief of the Division of Toxicology at Stony Brook University Hospital.
Before he attended medical school, Schwaner worked for a few years seal coating driveways. The heat helped the driveways but not the people working on them. Schwaner said he could go through several gallons of water each day.
Signs of heat exhaustion
People can display a variety of symptoms of heat exhaustion.
For starters, they can get headaches and nausea. That, Schwaner said, can be problematic, as both of those can also be signs of other problems.
“Those are the earliest things you start to feel,” Schwaner said. “If you don’t pay attention, it could be a slippery slope.”
People can also develop myalgia or pain in a muscle or group of muscles. Heat can also cause muscle cramping, aching and dizziness.
When body temperature exceeds 104 degrees, that person can also experience confusion or become unconscious.
“We advise any patient or bystander to call 911 for medical attention,” said Goebel.
Before medical help arrives, people can help by providing water or ice and removing equipment such as protective masks or chest protectors during sporting events.
“Small things can go a long way before medical attention” arrives, Goebel added.
People often develop problems with their thinking and central nervous systems when body temperatures climb in the heat.
When he was a fellow at Bellevue Hospital, Schwaner saw some fit athletes who were confused or aggressive come to the hospital. Sometimes, they couldn’t recognize friends and family members who brought them in for medical help.
Water wins
Doctors urged people to choose water when the temperature and heat index rise.
“People forget that water is always the best,” Goebel said. “We recommend that people stay away from coffee, tea and soda,” which can go through their systems rapidly.
Doctors particularly cautioned against consuming alcohol during extreme heat.
Adult beverages “already put people behind the eight-ball in terms of dehydration,” said Schwaner.
Weekend warriors
Adults who work all week sometimes race out on the weekends, hoping to recapture some of their previous athletic glory from their younger years.
These would-be athletic superstars, often described as “weekend warriors,” are more likely to suffer from torn hamstrings, rotator cuffs or anterior cruciate ligament damage than from heat-related injuries.
“Most weekend warriors can’t last long enough” running at top speed or racing around on a field to develop heat-related injuries, said Schwaner.
People can improve their heat resilience by doing aerobic exercise for 15 to 20 minutes twice or three times a week, Schwaner noted. “You can rev up the body’s ability to cool yourself,” he said.
In keeping with heightened media attention to the threat of shark bites, TBR News Media went to the streets on Saturday, July 8, asking visitors to Port Jefferson if they were concerned about reports of shark sightings and shark attacks on Long Island’s South Shore.
One person voiced fear of sharks. Another said she doesn’t like fish in general. The rest seemed confident that local authorities and lifeguards could minimize the risks from sharks and keep beachgoers safe.
— Photos by Carolyn Sackstein
Douglas Maze, Connecticut, and Dee Schmitt, Connecticut
When asked if they had changed their beach habits due to the recent reports of shark attacks, Douglas said, “Yes, I will not go to the beach or in the water because I have a fear of sharks.” When asked how long he feared sharks, he replied, “My whole life.”
Dee said, “Yes and no. I am more cautious now. I still go in the water, but only up to my knees. That’s about it.”
Lisa Freeman, Tarpon Springs, Florida, and Al Latchford, Clearwater, Florida
Lisa responded to our inquiries with, “Yes, I go to Clearwater Beach, which is in the Gulf of Mexico.” She also acknowledged that there are sharks in the Gulf and that she plans to go in the water while she is visiting Long Island. “I am going to Robert Moses [State Park] tomorrow. We heard there are shark sightings there.” When asked if sharks deter her from going in the water, she said, “No. We respect that it is their place. If we see them, we get out of their way.”
Al added, “As long as we are aware and watching out what is going on, I’m OK with going in the water. No fear, just caution.”
Mike and Lauren Librizzi, Lynbrook
Mike said, “I go to, more often than not, Atlantic Beach [in Hempstead].” When asked if he was concerned about the recent sightings and attacks, he replied, “Not as much. If the lifeguards are on duty, and you’re being smart by not going in too deep, you should be OK.”
Lauren won’t go in the water at the beach. She explained she does like the beach for the sun and sand: “We go to a beach club in Atlantic Beach. I just don’t like fish. If I can’t see my feet, I don’t go in. I do go into pools.”
Genie Weisman, Mount Sinai
When asked if she goes to any of the South Shore beaches, Genie offered, “Not very often. We’ve taken the kids to Corey Beach [on the Great South Bay].” She explained that not going to the beaches anymore is a matter of opportunity, not sharks. Genie suggested that the increase in shark sightings is likely, “the bunkers and the bait fish. [Sharks] are following their food.” She added that she is willing to go to a beach if the opportunity arises, “probably, as long as there are no red flags.”
Megan Wesolowskiand Jake Hine, Port Jefferson Station
Megan said she goes to Cupsogue Beach. Jake also goes to Cupsogue and out in Montauk.
When asked why they chose those areas, Megan explained, “Nice sand, the water’s nice. They keep it clean.” When asked about the recent shark reports, they weren’t concerned. Megan said, “I hadn’t really thought about it.”
Jake continued, “We swim at our own risk either way — lifeguards or no lifeguards. We just like the towns over there. No change [in beach habits], still going in.”
Gregg Fedus, Mystic, Connecticut
“I don’t really know about the local reports [on shark sightings and attacks] because I just came here yesterday and staying for the weekend. My guess is it’s overblown a little bit. You’ve just gotta be careful when you’re out on the water.” He feels the warmer water is drawing the sharks here. When asked if he would go into the water, he responded, “Sure.”
Trey Pratt, Old Saybrook, Connecticut
When asked if he fears sharks, he emphatically responded, “No!” When asked what is responsible for the reports of shark sightings, he felt it is due to “active media!” He fishes but has no problem going to any of the ocean beaches or fear of needing “a bigger boat.”
The Port Jefferson School District athletic department is offering athletic camps to Port Jefferson elementary, middle and high school students.
Camps include basketball, cheerleading, kickboxing, martial arts, tennis and more.
With athletic coaches, teachers and upperclassmen as instructors, the goal of these camps is to teach the fundamentals of the sport while incorporating essential life lessons, such as teamwork and sportsmanship, all while having fun.
Registration for the camps is available on the athletic department page of the district website at portjeffschools.org.
Stony Brook Medicine’s new facility at Smith Haven Mall. Photo by Aidan Johnson
By Aidan Johnson
When a person plans a trip to the mall, they may imagine buying new clothes, browsing storefronts and eating at the food court. Now they can add a trip to the doctor’s office to their list.
Stony Brook Medicine has opened a new advanced specialty care facility at the Smith Haven Mall in Lake Grove. The approximately 170,000-square-foot space, previously occupied by Sears, is now host to a plethora of specialties, offering a “one-stop shop” to patients.
Sharon Meinster, the assistant vice president of facilities planning and design, and Dr. Todd Griffin, vice president for clinical services and vice dean for clinical affairs at Stony Brook Medicine, explained how the new facility would be more accessible for patients than the offices at Technology Drive in Setauket.
The facility will open in multiple phases, likely to be completed by 2027. As their leases end at Technology Drive, the other practices will gradually make their way to Lake Grove.
“What’s great here is that there’s much better public transportation to the mall,” Griffin said. “That was one of the things that we used to hate about tech parks because many of our patients were taking two or three buses to get there.”
The closest bus stop to Technology Drive is at Belle Meade Road, and if the practice was located farther down the park, it could be difficult for a patient to get there, especially in inclement weather such as heat waves or snowstorms.
There will also be an urgent care complex built in the automotive center at the Smith Haven Mall, which will have direct ambulance support to Stony Brook University Hospital.
Since the new location connects to the rest of the mall, the idea of a buzzer system, similar to those found in restaurants, was considered, allowing patients to walk around the mall while they wait, though Griffin does hope to cut down the wait times.
The phase one services, which are currently open and occupy 60,000 out of the 170,000 square feet, include family and preventive medicine, primary and specialty care, pediatrics, diabetes education, genetic counseling, neurology, neuropsychology and pain management.
The facility will help to foster collaboration between the different doctors since they will all be under one roof.
“It’s nice to have sort of the neuro institute people together,” Griffin said, adding, “You have the surgeons and the docs all in the same space, which helps with collaboration.”
“Right now, they’re in two different locations. So when they move here, they’ll be all together,” he added, “and it’s the same thing with our comprehensive pain center.”
Stony Brook Medicine will also continue to build its Commack location, which has been open since 2017. That building sits at around 350,000 square feet and houses around 38 specialties. They aim to open a surgical center as well as an advanced urgent care center by early 2025.
Despite not having many windows, the Lake Grove facility’s lighting and paint job help to create a more welcoming atmosphere. With much more to come from the Stony Brook care facility, it is already offering a fast and easy way for locals to see their doctor and then grab a pretzel on the way out.
The Port Jefferson School District Board of Education held its monthly meeting on Tuesday, July 11, at Edna Louise Spear Elementary School.
During the “old business” section, Superintendent of Schools Jessica Schmettan discussed several capital projects the voters approved in May 2022.
During the school year, the board has to get its plans approved by the New York State Education Department. Once approved, the projects can go out to bid.
A small section of the high school’s roof needs to be renovated and was awarded to a responsible bidder.
Elementary school pool
For the elementary school pool, even though NYSED approved it, the Suffolk County Board of Health still needs to approve it, asking for several redesigns of certain items, including where drainage sites are to be located.
Therefore, the project could not go out to bid, and as of this meeting, the pool will likely not be getting done this summer.
The school budgeted $561,000 for bleachers, but the price is coming in at just under $1 million, with some of the bids being for a smaller-scale bleacher than the downsized 650 seats (there are currently around 1100 seats) that the school would prefer.
Continuing supply chain issues are also getting in the way, and the bleachers may take anywhere from 10 to 12 weeks for production.
The pool is still open for student use.
Middle school drainage/BOCES
The retaining wall and drainage for the middle school have yet to have a bid come in under the $2.3 million allocated from the capital reserves.
Because of this, the board does not expect the retaining wall to be done this summer. The school architect is looking at redesigning the wall with poured concrete faced with stone instead of using pricier cinder blocks.
During the public comment section of the meeting, the parents of a child who will be attending the elementary school in the upcoming year expressed their concerns about the BOCES program that has been brought into the building.
‘Our primary concern is to keep things safe for all students.’
— Ellen Boehm
Currently, BOCES is renting five classrooms as integrated for this summer and then four classrooms when September starts, Schmettan said in an interview.
“Those students will be integrated for recess, and then they will have gym, art and music with our teachers, but by themselves,” she said. “It adds revenue to the district and some differently abled children.”
The father of the child shared his worries about letting non-PJSD employees, along with the new students, have “unfettered access to this building,” he said.
“These are students that we don’t know, whose IEPs and potential issues we are not allowed to know by law,” the father said.
“We, as Port Jefferson, have no control over these particular students, and these are employees that are hired by BOCES, not Port Jefferson,” he added.
In response, BOE president Ellen Boehm said that over the past week, the school has been operational with the BOCES students, and there has not been a situation.
“Our primary concern is to keep things safe for all students,” she said. “At this time, there are no red flags.”
The Port Jefferson father responded that Boehm’s judgment was based on only one week in the summer when the Port Jeff students were not in attendance.
He also asserted that the BOCES agreement would not bring the district the financial benefit previously stated in the May meeting.
“Not including your potential chargebacks, Port Jeff will only see an average of $43,000 per year throughout the three-year lease, not the $105,000 that was estimated and listed in the budget proposals back in January as leases for Spring Street with no mention of Scraggy Hill,” he said.
However, Schmettan clarified why the board’s estimate is correct in her interview after the meeting, saying, “There’s a lease agreement for the actual space, which is what [he] was referring to, and then there are chargebacks for the teachers, so it does still estimate to about $100,000.”
“He is just estimating the cost of the actual physical space, but there’s also the cost of the employees associated that our teachers are providing instruction for,” the superintendent further explained.
From left, trustees Bob Juliano and Drew Biondo, Mayor Lauren Sheprow and Deputy Mayor Rebecca Kassay. Not pictured, trustee Stan Loucks. Photo by Aidan Johnson
By Aidan Johnson
Monday, July 10, marked Lauren Sheprow’s first Village of Port Jefferson Board of Trustees meeting as village mayor.
Sheprow led the new board through their business and reorganization meeting, in which the reconfigured village board voted to reject proposed code changes slated for the Maryhaven Center of Hope property on Myrtle Avenue.
Mayor Lauren Sheprow presiding over the Village of Port Jefferson Board of Trustees on Monday, July 10. Photo by Aidan Johnson
Maryhaven Center of Hope
The proposed code amendments were an effort by the previous administration to preserve the historic building on the Maryhaven site. [See story, “For Maryhaven, Port Jeff village board weighs historic preservation, density and conservation,” April 29, TBR News Media website.]
It would have created a special permit application to allow the village board to designate specific parcels that contribute to Port Jefferson’s architectural and aesthetic character.
If approved, an applicant meeting these criteria would have qualified for relaxed standards for land use, allowing for additional height and stories without additional clearing.
During the public comment period Monday night, former village trustee Barbara Ransome addressed the continuing concerns over the property.
“I’m hoping that there are no quick decisions about changing codes for potential developers,” she said. “I think we heard at the [May 1] public hearing a lot of concern about the infrastructure, about losing a wonderful area that people feel is just going to be too crowded with that kind of density.”
Trustee Stan Loucks, not pictured, left the village board meeting after learning he would not be reappointed as liaison to Port Jefferson Country Club. Photo by Aidan Johnson
Reorganization
But not all went smoothly at Village Hall.
Trustee Stan Loucks, who ran in this year’s village election alongside mayoral candidate Kathianne Snaden, left directly after the board’s reorganization meeting, skipping the general meeting altogether after Sheprow revealed he would no longer serve as liaison to the Port Jefferson Country Club.
“I feel very strongly that I’ve had an impact on the resurgence of the country club,” Loucks said. He went on to say that he did not think he could “work any further with this board.”
Village clerk Barbara Sakovich will leave the village government after more than 13 years in that role. Her retirement will take effect July 19. The trustees expressed their gratitude for her years of service. Silvia Pirillo will take over as the new clerk.
Sheprow appointed trustee Rebecca Kassay as deputy mayor and commissioner of environmental stability.
“It is an honor to step into the position of deputy mayor because it helps me better serve the village and work [especially with] flood resilience and climate studies,” Kassay said in an interview after the meeting.
“I’ve been talking to organizations like [the United States Geological Survey], and having the title of deputy mayor shows that the village is taking these climate resilience issues very seriously,” she noted. “I’m very glad to be representing the village in this way.”
Trustee Bob Juliano will serve as commissioner of public works and parks. Loucks was appointed commissioner of recreation, and newly appointed trustee Drew Biondo will be commissioner of buildings and communications.
Harry Faulknor will continue as the Port Jefferson Harbor commissioner.
Sheprow will serve as commissioner of finance and public safety/court/code.
A motion to appoint Donald Pearce as village treasurer failed — he held the post previously before resigning in 2015. Juliano suggested that while Pearce is excellent to work with, he was displeased that Denise Mordente was not reappointed.
Code enforcement chief Andy Owen delivering his department’s monthly public safety report. Photo by Aidan Johnson
Public safety
The general meeting started with a brief presentation from Code Enforcement Bureau chief Andy Owen and chief of patrol James Murdocco.
Owen clarified that the code department does not save and store private information through its automatic license plate readers, which are used to identify if a car has a valid Port Jefferson parking permit or a meter is paid.
He also announced that foot patrols downtown would begin after this weekend’s Port Paws Dog Festival. Owen said he is also planning on starting a bike patrol unit.
In June, 60 incident reports were written, consisting of noise complaints, traffic conditions and public disturbances.
A total of 206 summonses were written in June for incidents such as uninspected vehicles, missing license plates, parking without a permit or overtime meter parking.
Murdocco reported there have been over 200 incidents at the Port Jefferson train station since January, with many happening after 9 p.m.
Murdocco also announced the start of an informational Facebook page for the code bureau.
Public comment
During the public comment portion, held before the trustee reports, multiple residents voiced concerns about the potential overdevelopment of the park at Roosevelt Avenue. Myrna Gordon, along with other residents, suggested these developments would not be conducive to the area’s quiet character.
Sheprow announced a planned Parks and Rec Advisory Council meeting on July 26. All residents of the Roosevelt Avenue area are invited.
Michael Mart also touched upon the issue of transient housing — such as Airbnb facilities — in Port Jefferson, expressing a desire for the board to limit the rental time of a house to 30 days per renter.
After a resident asked how villagers could get involved with the different committees and task forces, Kassay said they are currently working on an online forum where residents could enter their information and the committees on which they would like to participate.
Reports
Juliano announced he would be starting office hours and that his door was always open. He also said that he gave the interim attorney a proposed code change so that when developers apply through the Industrial Development Agency for pilots or property tax exemptions, they would start at whatever they were paying now instead of at zero.
Biondo shared that he had toured a few of Port Jefferson’s facilities as the liaison to building and planning. He said he would discuss with the mayor and village attorney how they can streamline government processes.
Kassay said the Complete Streets and Walkability Plan is moving forward. She also said the board is still working on mitigating flooding challenges, though the problems cannot be eliminated. However, they are working on a study to see which areas need to be focused on for flood mitigation.
Kassay and Andrew Kelly, from Hauppauge-based VHB civil engineering company, are working on assisting grant writers with the documentation needed to apply to the New York State Environmental Protection Fund to progress to the next step for the planned Six Acre Park, which consists of taking a concept and making “show ready” plans for the park.
Sheprow announced she had appointed an ethics attorney to update the village’s ethics code. She also said that she has met with representatives from Stony Brook University’s Student Affairs office, and they have expressed interest in using Port Jefferson as a “living laboratory.”
The Board of Trustees also passed a resolution to create a budget and finance committee, and has been working to recruit members of a short-term and long-term rental evaluation working group.
Sheprow added that the board is considering establishing a working group to advise on policies related to the Port Jefferson Power Station to explore declining public revenue and possible repowering.
The board will reconvene Monday, July 24, at 3:30 p.m.
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