Residents within the Town of Brookhaven could see a 1.89% tax hike for 2022 if the newly released potential budget gets adopted in November, staying within the state’s 2% property tax cap.
According to the tentative operating budget, all major tax districts are structurally balanced, and no fund balance is utilized to balance the budget for the six major tax districts for the fourth year in a row. The total tax levy increase for all tax districts is 1.89%, and the six major tax districts levy increase is 1.85%
Proposed by town Supervisor Ed Romaine (R) earlier this week, the $316.8 million budget would restore a total of 36 jobs (4.4%) that were cut last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The town’s 2021 adopted operating budget planned for a continuing pandemic environment and I am happy to report that we have performed as expected financially, with revenues on target in most departments and expenditures expected to meet budget despite the sharp rise in prices for many commodities,” Romaine wrote. “I expect no erosion of fund balance in all major tax districts at the end of 2021, other than the use of surplus in one fund to address hazardous trees throughout the town.”
Romaine noted that while certain facilities and programs are still not fully open due to the pandemic, he expects everything to be as it was before coronavirus early next year.
“My 2022 tentative budget assumes a return to normal operations beginning in January 2022 with all government services available both in person and virtually,” he said.
The tentative budget also highlights a growth in the landfill post-closure reserve by $1.2 million to an anticipated $21.2 million, and stabilization of snow removal costs.
The board will hold a budget public hearing on Nov. 4 at 5 p.m. at Town Hall.
Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone released the 2022 Recommended Operating Budget that will allow the county to recover and reemerge stronger from the COVID-19 pandemic, and focuses on strategic investments in water quality infrastructure, public safety, small businesses and local downtowns to foster a strong economic recovery.
Additionally, the budget freezes General Fund property taxes and complies with the New York State 2% Property Tax Cap for the tenth year in a row.
Suffolk County will once again project an operating surplus in 2022 for the third year in a row. The total 2022 Recommended Budget is $3.88 billion.
“Even as we continue to battle the COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s recommended budget focuses on a strong recovery by making large-scale investments in water quality infrastructure, public safety, main street businesses and our county workforce,” Bellone said. “The budget does all this while remaining structurally balanced, protecting taxpayers at all costs and securing the county’s financial future.”
Highlights of the County Executive’s Recommended Budget include:
Water Quality Infrastructure Investments
Bellone has made Suffolk County a recognized leader statewide in efforts to protect and improve water quality.
Scientists have identified the lack of wastewater treatment as a significant threat to Long Island’s environment and economy.
For decades, cesspools and septic systems have discharged excess nitrogen pollution into the environment, culminating in recent years in beach closures, toxic algae and fish kills.
To stop and reverse nitrogen pollution from cesspools and septic systems, Bellone launched the Reclaim Our Water initiative, which includes connection to sewers in some areas, and the installation of Innovative Alternative Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems where sewers are not a practical or cost-effective solution.
The Recommended Budget will invest $125 million in a Water Quality Infrastructure Program, funded by the American Rescue Plan.
The Main Street Recovery Program
Small and Main Street businesses were hit especially hard by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Many of them had to alter operations, invest in new technology, supplies, and tools to remain open, and some had to shutter their doors entirely. Businesses needed to be able to pivot in real-time to navigate these ongoing challenges.
Last year, to assist struggling businesses, Bellone launched the Suffolk County Business Recovery Unit, which has worked to address the concerns and questions of the business community during the pandemic.
The unit launched a number of initiatives, including but not limited to, a Small Business Grant Program, Business Recovery website with information and resources, Business Recovery call center, job board and in partnership with Stony Brook University College of Business, a technology assistance program, gift card program and Pandemic Shift workshops.
With challenges still lying ahead, this year’s Recommended Budget includes $35 million in funding for The Main Street Recovery Initiative, which will be funded by the American Rescue Plan.
The county’s Main Streets and downtowns are critical to the long-term economic success of this region. Suffolk’s economic development plan, Connect Long Island, is centered around this fact. Downtowns are the places to develop the kind of housing diversity that the region needs and that will support small businesses.
They are also the places to build a mix of uses that will ultimately reduce car trips and thus reduce traffic congestion. Downtowns are also the places to create the kind of vibrancy that is necessary to attract young people, innovators and entrepreneurs to the region.
These recovery funds will be used to invest in downtowns, invest in infrastructure and projects and in cultural arts institutions.
The Main Street Recovery Fund will help provide direct assistance to Small Businesses and rent relief to help businesses impacted by COVID-19 and to reduce vacancies in the region’s downtowns.
Public Safety
This budget makes public safety a priority. Police Academy classes, which will begin in January and September of 2022, will graduate approximately 220 new Suffolk County police officers.
The Budget also includes funding for a Deputy Sheriff’s class of approximately 30 officers, two Correction Officer classes in June and September of 2022 that will graduate approximately 110 new officers, and 20 new Probation Officers.
The budget also provides funding to implement Police Reform in the Police District and additional funding for east end police departments and other local departments.Part of that funding will pay for the implementation of Body Worn Cameras.
County Workforce
This year’s budget provides funding to staff departments to ensure superior delivery of county services and adds funding for 120 new positions, including new mechanics, nurses and public safety dispatchers. The budget also continues to fund positions that previously remained vacant due to the pandemic such as 66 various titles in the Department of Public Works.
The budget also includes funding for positions in Human Resources and Procurement to better support the county government’s most valuable resource, its workforce, and to save taxpayer dollars by centralizing operations to better coordinate and streamline purchasing processes.
Opioid Settlement Fund
Suffolk County was the first county in New York State to bring litigation against drug makers in connection with the opioid crisis. The county has since reached several multi-million dollar settlement agreements with three major opioid distributors, Amerisource Bergen Drug Corporation, Cardinal Health Inc., and McKesson Corporation, and major retail pharmacies including Walmart, CVS and Walgreens.
The 2022 Operating Budget creates a separate fund for the restricted and non-restricted opioid settlement funds for use in addressing the opioid epidemic.County Executive Bellone has convened an intra-agency committee with Presiding Officer Rob Calarco, who sponsored the initial legislation to commence litigation against the companies responsible for the Opioid epidemic.
The Committee is tasked with developing priorities related to the settlement agreements the county is receiving from Opioid distributors, manufacturers and pharmacies. The Committee has engaged with key stakeholders within the substance abuse community, including non-profit service providers with expert-level experience in harm reduction, prevention, treatment and recovery services.
Protecting Taxpayers
The 2022 budget, which freezes the County Tax for the 10th year in a row, also includes a number of additional financial measures designed to protect taxpayers in Suffolk County. The proposed budget takes an intensive approach to building reserves and contingency funds to safeguard future years’ finances. The County’s Tax Stabilization Reserve Fund is funded at the highest level in its history. Additional reserve funds including the Retirement Contribution Reserve Fund, the Debt Service Reserve Fund and Insurance Reserve Fund are also funded.This budget also creates several contingent funds to further stabilize the county’s long-term fiscal position.
The Budget includes contingencies for snow and ice removal and road repair costs, accrued liability from employee benefits, and most notably a contingent fund to pay every deferred employee salary ever implemented – including those instituted by prior administrations.This budget pays off previous debt from deferrals and pension amortization and from the sale/leaseback of the H Lee Dennison Building.These fiscally responsible actions will help deliver lower interest rates and eliminate the need for short term borrowings, both of which will ultimately save taxpayers tens of millions of dollars.
Phil O’Brien (left) and his brother Patrick show off their apperal company, Anchor East, with their slogan,’No suits, just sand.’ Photo by Julianne Mosher
Updated Oct. 11: This event has been postponed until further notice.
Anchor East — a Port Jefferson Station-based apparel company — has been known as more than just hoodies, tee’s and swimsuits.
Brothers Patrick and Phil O’Brien started the brand earlier this year with two goals in mind: with the revenue received, they wanted to donate money to beach cleanups and different associations dedicated to diabetes.
Throughout the summer, Anchor East hosted several beach cleanups on both the North and South Shores, and now, they are to host their first Walk to Cure Diabetes.
On Saturday, Oct. 16, from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m., participants can gather at Heritage Park in Mount Sinai for a good cause.
According to Patrick, the duo has organized a big fundraiser to raise money for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.
“Since we have opened, we donate a portion of our sales, but we wanted to do more,” he said.
Along with the walk, there will be a $5 raffle, with donated goods and services from over 30 other local businesses.
“The support and outpouring of love from our community has been amazing,” he added.
The event is sentimental to Patrick, who is a Type 1 Diabetic, himself.
“People should come down to support local community businesses, take part in an active, healthy day, and be part of a fundraiser to help raise money for the many, many people living with diabetes that affects more people than we all realize,” he said. “Being a diabetic, stuff like this never existed when I was growing up, so it’s part of our mission to raise awareness.”
Those interested can find out more information on the brand’s Facebook and Instagram pages, or online at anchoreastapparelco.com.
After a long and intensive search, Suffolk County Community College has officially welcomed its new president, Edward Bonahue.
Now overseeing the college’s three campuses — Ammerman in Selden, Grant in Brentwood and Eastern in Riverhead — Bonahue said he’s excited to come back to Long Island after leaving for his education and career decades ago.
Bonahue grew up in Setauket and attended Nassakeag Elementary School, Murphy Junior High and then Ward Melville High School, Class of 1983.
“It was wonderful,” he said. “Growing up in the Three Villages was a wonderful privilege, just because it taught me about the value of education.”
Ed Bonahue graduated from Ward Melville in 1983. Photo from SCCC
As a teen, he taught swimming lessons for the Town of Brookhaven, which he cites as the reason he became so fluent in the different areas of Suffolk County.
“I had taught swimming everywhere from Cedar Beach to Shoreham,” he said. “I taught at the Centereach pool, Holtsville pool, West Meadow — it was one way of getting a sense that we live in a bigger place.”
Bonahue said he was “one of those kids” who was involved with the arts more than sports — although he did run track during his junior and senior years.
“Ward Melville was lucky to have a great arts program,” he said. “They have a great jazz program and I was in that generation of kids where I was in the Jazz Ensemble all three years.”
His love of arts and humanities led him to North Carolina upon graduating, where he received his B.A. in English Literature at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem.
After his undergrad, Bonahue took a job in Washington, D.C., working as an editor at the U.S. General Services Administration and then as managing editor for Shakespeare Quarterly at the Folger Shakespeare Library.
“That convinced me: ‘Oh, yeah, I kind of like this. And I think I’m going to go back to graduate school.’”
Bonahue enrolled at the University of North Carolina where he received his M.A.and Ph.D. in English Literature. He then moved with his wife to Gainesville, Florida, to hold the position of visiting assistant professor of humanities at the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at the University of Florida.
In 2009, he was a Fulbright Scholar with the U.S. International Education Administrators Program in Germany, and in 2016-2017, he was an Aspen Institute College Excellence Program Presidential Fellow.
And while in Florida, Bonahue eventually headed to Santa Fe College, also in Gainesville, serving as the provost and vice president for Academic Affairs, along with several other roles.
But as the years went on, he decided he wanted to head somewhere new and began looking for fresh opportunities. Through networking, he heard about a post back on Long Island – a place he knew very well.
New appointment at SCCC
Bonahue took on his new role officially on June 28. Under his leadership, he oversees the current enrollment of more than 23,000 credit students and 7,000 continuing education students.
“One of the one of the opportunities for Suffolk going forward is to think about how we’re serving all of Suffolk County,” he said. “It’s no secret that the number of traditional students graduating from high school is going down every year. Over time, that’s a lot of students.”
While the majority of SCCC students are on the traditional path, Bonahue said that moving forward they need to figure out ways to do better outreach to nontraditional students.
Bonahue said one of his many goals is to converge with employers and help their workers continue their education through Suffolk or connect them with future employees while still in school. He added that in a post-COVID world where there can be gatherings, he would like high school guidance counselors to come and visit.
“I think high school students get a lot from recommendations from their teachers and guidance counselors — especially students who are underserved because of the parents haven’t been to college, they don’t have that network of what it’s like to go to college,” Bonahue said. “So, they rely on their teachers and guidance counselors for that information.”
He added that one thing that was learned during the 2020 census is Long Island is becoming a more diverse place.
“Many have not had the privilege of any exposure to higher education,” he said. “And that’s what community college is for — providing access to educational opportunity and access to economic opportunity for folks who, without it, might be stuck in some kind of dead-end, entry-level service sector job.”
Bonahue noted that SCCC as a college needs to internalize its mission is not only to serve 19-year-old students.
Photo from SCCC
“Our mission is also to serve a mom with a baby at home, someone who’s taking care of parents, someone who’s working in a family business, could be a worker who’s already been on the job and has been displaced— those are all of our students,” he said. “I think our mission is to embrace that larger sense of community, and then on top of that there are areas of Suffolk County that have not been particularly well served, or where services are not as strong as elsewhere.”
Appointed by SUNY Chancellor Jim Malatras, the SUNY Board of Trustees and the Suffolk Board of Trustees, Bonahue said that in his new role, he wants the college to be an agent of change.
“I think they wanted someone who understands that Suffolk County is a diverse place — that it has many constituencies and that the three campuses have different personalities,” he said. “So, someone used the phrase that I checked a lot of boxes for Suffolk. My hope is that also I can present pictures of best practices that are practiced in high performing community colleges across the country, and if those best practices have not been adopted by Suffolk, then I think we have huge opportunities in terms of best practices that relate to community outreach, to academic and student support services, programming, workforce development, transfers and so forth. I think I think I can make a big contribution to Suffolk in a variety of ways.”
Bonahue said he plans on being not just on Selden’s Ammerman campus, he wants to be active on all three.
“I’m going to try to celebrate Suffolk across the whole county, including being present on all three campuses,” he said. “Each college serves a slightly different demographic, but one of the things I sense is that the college is hungry for a coherent and unified strategy.”
Coming back to Long Island was an exciting moment for Bonahue over the summer, but now it’s time for work. Since school started Sept. 2, he has been busy meeting faculty, staff and students, while focusing on his plans to better the local community college.
“I loved growing up on Long Island,” he said. “And so, it’s been a pleasure to return here.”
Julianne Mosher is an adjunct professor at Suffolk County Community College.
Author Jocko Willink signs copy of his bestselling book. Photo from Andrew Harris
By Andrew Harris
It was 4:15 in the morning. As a 62-year-old teacher, I found myself begrudgingly running through the streets of New York on our way to Bryant Park. I ran alongside a student from our Comsewogue High School — an aspiring Navy SEAL, and several hundred other people all huffing and puffing our way past the bewildered eyes of cab drivers, truck deliverymen and the very early morning commuters.
Everybody was astonished to see us as they sipped their coffee. My student was helping me keep pace to make it without collapsing. “What great teamwork,” I thought.
Navy SEAL JP Dinnell doing some Jiu Jitsu with Andrew Harris. Photo from Andrew Harris
Teamwork and leadership are some of the most important traits that a Navy SEAL could have and this concept would come up often over the next two days of intense training. Perhaps my student fit the mold to one day become a Navy SEAL. Their name is derived from the U.S. Navy Sea, Air and Land Teams.
It was all part of Extreme Muster, an event held by Echelon Front — a group of Navy SEALs and other elite performance professionals who were about to educate us on the leadership tactics used in combat. There were a wide variety of people such as former military operators, athletes, businesspeople and even a few other teachers.
We were all hoping to use the skills we were about to learn and apply them in our everyday lives. It was the most powerful event I have ever attended.
The person we met first was Jamie Lynn Cochran, chief operating officer of Echelon Front — a company started by retired Navy SEAL Jocko Willink. Although Cochran was not a SEAL, she was obviously well versed in many of the leadership tactics we were about to learn over the next two days.
“Cover and move” was one of the most important principles we would come to learn. Cochran was obviously Willink’s cover and move person, handling any problems with kindness and humility — another important principle we would soon learn — along with her gentle friendliness and charm.
Of course, this threw me off being from New York, and smack in the middle of a normally fast-paced and often rude city atmosphere. She put us at ease and fixed any logistical challenges we had to smooth out that day. I soon realized that I was the one who had made the mistake, yet immediately she took all responsibility for it. It was another principle called “extreme ownership,” and important enough for Willink to write a book about it. She even gave us some valuable gifts.
Photo from Andrew Harris
My student was elated to get a signed copy of Willink’s book, “Leadership Strategy and Tactics: Field Manual.” I admired how the author gave him the personal one-on-one attention he needed to find out about becoming a peak performer and hopeful Navy SEAL.
A big part of the teaching is “to put your ego aside,” and here one of the top heroes of our country was not in any way talking about himself, but intently listening to this young student.
This was far different than any other of the popular leadership conferences I had ever attended. I noticed that Willink and the other team members would welcome any conversations and were generous with their time during breaks.
At the events I have attended in the past, the leaders would often disappear into a back room and didn’t have conversations with the attendees.
A few months later, I was even more impressed when I heard that none of the leaders had a chance to sleep the night before because they had to solve problems to make the whole event run smooth. I’m sure that they have pushed themselves beyond what any typical human being does on a daily basis — after all, they had seen life and death situations in real combat. Willink’s response to this type of adversity was “Good! No factor — get some,” meaning that he welcomes problems and challenges because they force you to learn, get stronger and be better.
The two days of training went fast. Surprisingly we had a lot of energy despite the ungodly hour and all the exercise we did that particular morning. Our minds were open, and we learned much valuable information.
This year, I told some of our mostly female club members at the high school about the experiences at the muster. They started asking me if they could attend in the future. When I told them that it was 90% men and they were some really rugged ex-military dudes, it seemed to make them want to prove that this was something they not only wanted to do but something they could be highly successful at.
I said it was nearly impossible since the next muster would be in Dallas March 2022 and we had no money in our club account. We were not able to fundraise for the past two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
This seemed to make their drive increase even more. First, they asked the principal, Michael Mosca, if they could start their fundraisers again. Then they started suggesting that perhaps they could work off the tuition for the event by helping out at the Dallas muster.
“If you are willing to do the hard work during the events and do whatever it takes, I’ll go to bat for you,” I said. They agreed, and I reached out to Cochran to see if she could help in any way. The folks at Echelon Front are very kind people and I have seen them help many people in the past. In addition, this summer I met some great people from the Whalen Foundation who fund scholarships and grants for people in the special education field. As a group, we will contact them and ask for help. If there is a will, there is a way.
The students may not desire to be SEALs but are looking forward to becoming better leaders in the future. I am, too.
This week the students had their first fundraiser for their hefty travel expenses and hotel rooms. They had a pizza fundraiser and raised $38 of what they expect to be more than a $2,000 bill. Their response? “That’s OK, we will continue to fight — we have a mission.” Another important principle is to focus on the mission you want to accomplish and everything else falls into place.
Stay tuned to see if the “mission” is accomplished.
Andrew Harris is a special needs teacher at the Comsewogue school district. Triple C stands for Comsewogue Culture Club.
Chants like “My body, my choice” echoed through big cities like Washington, D.C., and Manhattan Saturday as part of the Rally for Abortion Justice, and that same passion made it to what is known as Resistance Corner at the junction of Route 347 and Route 112 in Port Jefferson Station.
The national Rally for Abortion Justice movement, according to the Women’s March Network, comes after comes after the Supreme Court’s rejection of an emergency request to block the Texas Heartbeat Act.
Coming into effect Sept. 1, the bill bans abortion at the point of the “first detectable heartbeat,” which could occur as early as six weeks into pregnancy — a point that many are just finding out they’re pregnant. At least 13 other states failed to attempt enacting similar bans after being blocked by courts.
“I believe in a women’s right to choose,” said protester Bryan Campbell, who was pushing a stroller occupied by his infant. “I think it’s ridiculous what’s going on in Texas and I’m here to support the women in my life: my partner, my friends, my daughter. This is for their future and for everyone’s future.”
Campbell was one of hundreds of men, women and children who gathered on the busy corner, holding signs in protest of such laws. Some even took to dressing up as characters from the “The Handmaid’s Tale,” a best-selling novel and TV series that depicts a totalitarian society that treats women as property.
Donna Reggio was among those dressed in red robes and white bonnet.
“It’s a dystopian fantasy that’s no longer a fantasy,” she said. “We’re going backward with women’s rights and we’re here to show that we don’t want to go there anymore.”
Before Roe v. Wade — a landmark decision of the U.S. Supreme Court in 1973 that protected a women’s right to have an abortion without excessive government restriction — only more affluent women had access to safe and legal abortions. However, it is estimated that between the 1950s and ’60s, the number of illegal abortions, either self-induced or done through often dangerous or even deadly procedures, ranged from 200,000 to 1.2 million a year.
Rally organizer Shoshana Hershkowitz, of Long Island Social Justice Action Network and Suffolk Progressives, was on Resistance Corner Saturday to make sure her daughter did not grow up with fewer rights than she was able to enjoy throughout her lifetime.
“Our own congressman [Lee Zeldin (R-NY1)] tried to overturn Roe in the past year,” she said. “We can’t just think of this as a somewhere-else situation. It was happening right here.”
That’s why the LISJAN and Suffolk Progressives joined with grassroot organizations like Long Island Progressive Coalition, Long Island Activists, New HOUR for Women & Children – LI, Show Up Long Island, NY02 Indivisible, Planned Parenthood, among others, to prevent impediments in a woman’s reproductive rights from happening anywhere — including here in New York.
“We just put out the word to the different Facebook groups and [other various groups] who are invested in keeping our rights and getting women in office,” said Kat Lahey of Long Island Rising, adding that several speakers including Suffolk County Legislator Kara Hahn (D-Setauket) were also in attendance. “You can see that there’s a high demand to keep women’s reproductive rights.”
But not all were in support of the movement. Along with some disapproving remarks made by drivers who were passing by, one woman stood on the other side of the highway holding a sign, with photos of babies, that read “Please love me, I love you.”
The woman would not disclose her name, however she did share that she goes to her local Planned Parenthood every Saturday morning to pray. She said she was especially upset about New York State’s allowance of late-term abortions.
Yet the 2019 law, passed on the 46th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, only allows late-term abortions when the mother’s health is in danger.
When asked about the counterprotester, Hershkowitz said that she was more than welcome to cross the road and speak with herself and other organizers. “But I’m not changing my mind,” she said.
It was not the first time that groups like New HOUR and LISJAN gathered on the corner, as they also showed up for issues ranging from gun safety to the Trump-era ban on refugees from majority-Muslim countries.
“Our community has come quite accustomed to gathering in this space and standing up for what we believe in,” Hershkowitz said. “So really, it’s like we almost have muscle memory because of having to gather here for so many years.”
Mather Hospital’s annual month-long breast cancer awareness community outreach event, Paint Port Pink, kicked off this week in Port Jefferson village.
Pink lights were lit on Oct. 1 across the village and throughout surrounding communities to honor and raise awareness for breast cancer during Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
Several dozen local businesses are participating, adding the sparkling lights to their storefronts, windows and doors.
Lamp posts along main street in Port Jefferson shine bright pink with the goal to raise awareness about breast cancer and the importance of early detection, encourage annual mammograms and bring the community together to help fight this disease.
One in eight women will develop breast cancer during their lifetime, according to Mather Hospital. In 2021, an estimated 281,550 new cases of invasive breast cancer are expected to be diagnosed in women in the U.S., along with 49,290 new cases of non-invasive (in situ) breast cancer.
About 2,650 new cases of invasive breast cancer are expected to be diagnosed in men in 2021.
As of January 2021, there were more than 3.8 million women with a history of breast cancer in the U.S. This includes women currently being treated and women who have finished treatment.
Oct. 15 is Wear Pink Day, and people are encouraged to dress themselves — and their pets — in pink and post their photos on social media with #paintportpink.
Then send those photos to [email protected] they will be included in a collage on the hospital’s Facebook page.
Suffolk County Police arrested two women who allegedly stole more than $43,000 from their employer during a nine-month period ending in August.
Elana Sofia and Sandra Bonilla, while employed at Goodwill Industries, located at 1900 Jericho Turnpike, East Northport, allegedly stole money from the company’s bank deposits from November 2020 until August 2021, according to Suffolk County Police.
Following an investigation by 2nd Squad detectives, Sofia was arrested on Oct. 4 and Bonilla was arrested on Oct. 5.
Sofia, 29, of Port Jefferson, and Bonilla, 33, of Brentwood, were charged with Grand Larceny 3rd Degree. Sofia was arraigned on Oct. 5 and Bonilla is scheduled to be arraigned on Oct. 6 at First District Court in Central Islip.
A criminal charge is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
Updated Oct. 8 to correct the omission of “alleged” in the print version. We regret the mistake.
Amongst the Middle Country Public Library’s many historical artifacts are a few that explain just how far the area has come from its pastoral roots. The picture and story below comes courtesy of a collaborative effort among the librarian staff.
On Dec. 18, 1959, the Suffolk County Board of Supervisors approved the establishment of the county’s first community college on the former Suffolk Sanatorium site in Selden. The 1918 building above, which originally served as the Sanatorium’s infirmary, housed faculty office space when the 130-acre site on which it stood was designated as the future home of Suffolk County Community College.
Although SCCC held its initial year of classes in October of 1960 at Sachem Junior-Senior High School in Ronkonkoma and Riverhead High School, the college took permanent residence of the old Sanatorium site beginning in September of 1961. Initial enrollment included 171 full-time and 355 part-time students.
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The Ammerman Campus of the Suffolk County Community College in Selden, shown here in an aerial view, opened in August 1961. Named after the College’s founding president, Dr. Albert M. Ammerman, Suffolk Community College held its first commencement exercises in June of 1962 with 42 graduates receiving associate degrees. Two satellite campuses were built in Brentwood (1974) and Riverhead (1977), and today Suffolk County Community College is the largest Community College in the State University of New York system. The original full-time faculty of less than a dozen has grown to more than 460 to date. Today, the College enrolls approximately 25,000 students and offers over 100 degree and certificate programs. By May of 2020, the College had seen more than 130,000 students advance to graduation. Photo from Ray Welch
The college’s original full-time faculty members. From left to right; Louis F. Van Wart, J. Rankin, Frank E. Martin, Dr. Harold R. Hartman, Dale B. Lake, Laura L. Hackett, Eugene J. Sullivan and Dr. A. Michael De Luca. Photo from Ray Welch
Photo from Ray Welch
Babylon Town supervisor Gilbert C. Hanse (left) and president of Suffolk County Community College, Albert Ammerman (right) at the ground breaking for the Babylon Student Center around 1966. This was the third new building on the campus and the first one constructed on the Academic Quad, which is now called Veterans Plaza. Photo from Ray Welch
The Miller Place Panthers traveled to Wildcat country to take on Shoreham-Wading River in a non-league matchup Oct. 4 looking to sweep the Wildcats in three.
Miller Place won the first two sets 25-17 and 25-21 hoping for an early night, but the Wildcats had other ideas, stealing game three 25-22 forcing a game four.
Shoreham-Wading River took the fourth set 25-18 to even the score for a game deciding fiftth set. The Panthers struggled to stay ahead but Shoreham-Wading River slammed the door winning the tie breaker 25-22.
Kelsey Hughes the junior led the way for the Wildcats with 8 kills, teammates Paige Alessi and Morgan Truesdell had 5 kills apiece followed by Ella Marcario who killed 4.
The win lifts the Wildcats to 4-6 overall and the loss drops the Panthers to 4-7. The Wildcats retook the court Oct. 6 at home against Southampton at 4:30p.m, and the Panthers host East Hampton Oct. 8 with a 6:30 start.
— Photos by Bill Landon
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Miller Place senior Abigail Beers returns the ball in a non-league road game against Shoreham-Wading River. Bill Landon photo
Miller Place senior Abigail Beers returns the ball in a non-league road game against Shoreham-Wading River. Bill Landon photo
Shoreham-Wading River senior Ashley DeLumen with a return for the Wildcats in a home game against Miller Place Oct 4. Photo by Bill Landon
Cecelia Lockel digs one out for the Panthers in a road game against Shoreham-Wading River Oct 4. Bill Landon photo
Shoreham-Wading River senior Crystal Meier keeps the ball in play for the Wildcats in a home game against Miller Place Oct 4. Photo by Bill Landon
Shoreham-Wading River senior Crystal Meier serves for the Wildcats in a home game against Miller Place Oct 4. Photo by Bill Landon
Shoreham-Wading River senior Crystal Meier sets the play for the Wildcats in a home game against Miller Place Oct 4. Photo by Bill Landon
Shoreham-Wading River junior Ella Marcario with a return for the Wildcats in a home game against Miller Place Oct 4. Photo by Bill Landon
Shoreham-Wading River junior Ella Marcario from the service line for the Wildcats in a home game against Miller Place Oct 4. Photo by Bill Landon
Miller Place senior Julia Lent serves in a non-league road game against Shoreham-Wading River Oct 4. Bill Landon photo
Miller Place libero Julia Lent sets the play in a non-league road game against Shoreham-Wading River Oct 4. Bill Landon photo
Miller Place libero Julia Lent sets the play in a non-league road game against Shoreham-Wading River Oct 4. Bill Landon photo
Miller Place libero Julia Lent sets the play in a non-league road game against Shoreham-Wading River Oct 4. Bill Landon photo
Shoreham-Wading River junior Kelsey Hughes puts the ball in play for the Wildcats in a home game against Miller Place Oct 4. Photo by Bill Landon
Shoreham-Wading River junior Kelsey Hughes sets the ball for the Wildcats in a home game against Miller Place Oct 4. Photo by Bill Landon
Shoreham-Wading River senior Lauren Halloran keeps the ball in play for the Wildcats in a home game against Miller Place Oct 4. Photo by Bill Landon
Shoreham-Wading River senior Lauren Halloran from the service line for the Wildcats in a home game against Miller Place Oct 4. Photo by Bill Landon
Shoreham-Wading River senior Lauren Halloran with a save for the Wildcats in a home game against Miller Place Oct 4. Photo by Bill Landon
Shoreham-Wading River junior Lillia Mader from the service line for the Wildcats in a home game against Miller Place Oct 4. Photo by Bill Landon
Miller Place senior Julia Lent sets the play in a non-league road game against Shoreham-Wading River Oct 4. Bill Landon photo
Morgan Truesdell from the service line for the Wildcats in a home game against Miller Place Oct 4. Photo by Bill Landon
Morgan Truesdell digs one out for the Wildcats in a home game against Miller Place Oct 4. Photo by Bill Landon
Shoreham-Wading River senior Nikki Christine digs one out for the Wildcats in a home game against Miller Place Oct 4. Photo by Bill Landon
Miller Place sophomore Olivia Honkanen from the service line for the Panthers in a non-league road game against Shoreham-Wading River Oct 4. Bill Landon photo
Miller Place sophomore Olivia Honkanen from the service line for the Panthers in a non-league road game against Shoreham-Wading River Oct 4. Bill Landon photo
Miller Place sophomore Olivia Honkanen sets the play for the Panthers in a road game against Shoreham-Wading River Oct 4. Bill Landon photo
Shoreham-Wading River senior Paige Alessi attacks at net for the Wildcats in a home game against Miller Place Oct 4. Photo by Bill Landon
Shoreham-Wading River senior Paige Alessi from the service line for the Wildcats in a home game against Miller Place Oct 4. Photo by Bill Landon
Miller Place sophomore Payton Horan from the service line for the Panthers in a non-league road game against Shoreham-Wading River Oct 4. Bill Landon photo
Miller Place sophomore Payton Horan at net for the Panthers in a non-league road game against Shoreham-Wading River Oct 4. Bill Landon photo
Miller Place sophomore Sabrina Provenzano with a return for the Panthers in a non-league road game against Shoreham-Wading River Oct 4. Bill Landon photo
Miller Place sophomore Sabrina Provenzano from service for the Panthers in a non-league road game against Shoreham-Wading River Oct 4. Bill Landon photo
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