Pictured from left, Town of Brookhaven Highway Superintendent Dan Losquadro; Councilwoman Jane Bonner; Suffolk County Sheriff Errol D. Toulon, Jr. and Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney. Photo from TOB
Town of Brookhaven Councilwoman Jane Bonner, Suffolk County Sheriff Errol D. Toulon Jr. and the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department recently hosted the annual National Night Out at Fireman’s Park in Ridge. This annual nationwide initiative is designed to enhance community relationships between local law enforcement and the residents they serve. National Night Out is held annually in a relaxed and friendly setting, fostering mutual trust and understanding, solidifying its place as a community highlight of the year.
Pictured at right are, from left, Brookhaven Town Traffic Safety Employee Tom Indence; Councilwoman Jane Bonner; Brookhaven Town Traffic Engineer Jon Sullivan, with participants at the Town’s Safety Town demonstration.
National Night Out in Ridge featured an impressive array of activities and exhibits, including informational booths, entertainment, and interactive displays aimed at educating attendees about various aspects of safety and community involvement. Councilwoman Jane Bonner, well-known for her community engagement, expressed her delight in partnering with the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department for the event.
“I am thrilled to have worked alongside the dedicated officers of the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department and Sheriff Toulon to bring our community together for National Night Out. This event is a wonderful opportunity for residents to connect with law enforcement, learn about safety measures, and strengthen the bonds that make our community so special,” said Councilwoman Bonner.
“The Sheriff’s Office is proud to partner with Supervisor Romaine, Councilwoman Bonner and the Town of Brookhaven to throw one of the largest National Night Out events in Suffolk County. Each year thousands of residents come out to enjoy the festivities. Thank you to all the members of the Sheriff’s Office as well as our government and non-profit partners for helping make this the best event yet!” said Sheriff Toulon.
Scenes from the 9th annual 4-mile Run the Farm event Saturday, Aug. 12, in Centereach. Photos by Aramis Khosronejad
Crossing the finish line
By Aramis Khosronejad
At the historic Bethel Hobbs Community Farm, the last standing farm in Centereach, the 9th annual 4-mile Run the Farm event was held Saturday, Aug. 12.
The run, initially created to help support the farm and its mission of supplying organic food to food pantries, has become an eclectic event for the local area, featuring participants who are competitive runners to casual strollers.
Ann Pellegrino, president of the community farm, took pride in the success of the farm and the run. “The more hands we have, the more mouths we can feed,” she said. “It’s a community effort. Every year we’re just growing and growing.”
The run was originally an idea introduced by Brookhaven Town Clerk Kevin LaValle (R), who represented the area in District 3 on the Town Board from 2013 to 2023. Amid some financial struggles nine years ago, LaValle proposed organizing a run to raise money and introduced it to Pellegrino.
The farm “isn’t just something to remember our history by, but also something the community can rally behind and the mission of Hobbs Farm,” LaValle said.
As a native of the hamlet, LaValle referred to Hobbs Farm as “the centerpiece of Centereach.” The run has been growing in popularity with each passing year. Now, it’s become a local staple.
“The run brings more awareness,” Pellegrino said. “It helps spread the word of what we’re doing, and people get interested.”
Town Councilman Neil Manzella (R-Selden) added to this sentiment. He attended the family-friendly event with his two children, who participated in the fun-run race. “For me, it’s about showing my kids what a community should be,” he said.
The event was replete with food stands and other activities. Suffolk County Comptroller John M. Kennedy (R) and his wife, county Legislator Leslie Kennedy (R-Nesconset), also joined the fun.
“We’ve attended many of the runs and also been here for some of the other events they host,” John Kennedy said, noting how much he and his family appreciate community events such as the run. He added that Hobbs Farm represents a “hidden jewel here in Centereach.”
Since 2008, Peter Castorano has been a member of Hobbs Farm as a volunteer, caretaker and tenant. Pellegrino considers him part of the farm family.
“To work with Ann is great,” Castorano said. “She’s a superwoman, always doing something.”
While reminiscing over how Hobbs Farm started, they began talking of the Rev. Gregory Leonard. While trying to persuade the Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church, which owns the property, to let her use the land for farming, Pellegrino got help from Leonard.
“We all just became family,” Pellegrino remembered. She said she became very close with him and his late wife, Sandra Leonard.
The Rev. Leonard retired in 2021 from the Bethel AME Church in Setauket. He remarked on what Hobbs Farm symbolizes for him. “It’s the church and the community working together to create something,” he said.
Bethel Hobbs Farm holds a rich history. The previous owner was Alfred Hobbs, and the farm had been passed down through his family for generations. According to Leonard, who knew Hobbs passingly, he was “a man involved with his community.”
Castorano spoke of Hobbs’ passion for his family land and how defiant he was against the farm being sold. As a result, the farmland lay dormant and unused for a few years until Pellegrino began her mission.
“Years ago, I was a single mom with three kids,” Pellegrino explained, reflecting upon her incentives for beginning this project. “I was working two jobs. … There were times when I had to go to food pantries to feed my kids.”
Now, Hobbs Farm itself supports and supplies over 15 food pantries with nutritious and organic produce, feeding local families in need.
Public officials celebrate the announcement of $5 million to create ‘shovel-ready’ sewer plans for Port Jefferson Station Friday, Aug 11. From left, local business leader Charlie Lefkowitz, former Suffolk County Legislator Kara Hahn, Town of Brookhaven Councilmember Jonathan Kornreich and Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone. Photos by Raymond Janis
On the road to community revitalization, Port Jefferson Station/Terryville just passed a major procedural hurdle.
Public officials gathered along the eastern trailhead of the Setauket-Port Jefferson Station Greenway Trail on Friday, Aug. 11, announcing $5 million to create sewer plans for the Route 112 corridor. These funds, which come from the American Rescue Plan Act, will help lay the groundwork for an eventual expenditure to finance the entire sewer project.
“What we’re talking about is the objective of achieving economic revitalization, job creation, business growth and water quality protection all at the same time,” said Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone (D).
Bellone said there are several potential funding sources from the federal and state governments, but those levels require “shovel-ready plans.” This $5 million, Bellone continued, would maximize the potential for a full-scale sewer investment.
“You never know when all of a sudden at the federal level or the state level funding becomes available,” he said. “It can happen like that, and you need to be ready,” adding, “This funding will help get this sewer project shovel ready.”
Introducing sewers into the Port Jefferson Station commercial hub would bring the proposed $100 million redevelopment of Jefferson Plaza, above, into focus.
Local revitalization
The sewer investment comes on the heels of a decades-long local effort to bring about a traditional downtown in PJS/T.
‘Port Jefferson Station is on the rise.’
— Jonathan Kornreich
Major development plans are currently on the drawing board, most notably the proposed $100 million redevelopment of Jefferson Plaza, located just south of the Greenway. Former Suffolk County Legislator Kara Hahn (D-Setauket) [See story on Hahn’s recent resignation] said the $5 million would bring community members closer to realizing their local aspirations.
“The synergy here between doing something that will drive economic prosperity as well as a cleaner environment is a win-win, and sewering will become the foundation on which the Port Jefferson Station hub will be built,” Hahn said. “This is a tremendous step forward.”
Town of Brookhaven Councilmember Jonathan Kornreich (D-Stony Brook), who represents Port Jefferson Station/Terryville on the Town Board, cited ongoing revitalization efforts as a means to promote and enhance the quality of life for the hamlet’s residents.
“Speaking directly to the members of our community, I think you should be encouraged by the fact that from the federal government all the way down to the town level, our eyes are on you,” he said. “There are hundreds of millions of dollars of investment — both public and private money — planned, already made, on the table and in the books for this immediate surrounding area.”
The councilmember added, “Port Jefferson Station is on the rise.”
Brookhaven Town Supervisor Ed Romaine, at podium, said modernizing wastewater infrastructure is necessary for achieving the hamlet’s redevelopment aspirations.
Brookhaven Town Supervisor Ed Romaine (R), who is running for Suffolk County executive against business leader Dave Callone, a Democrat, tied the sewer investment to plans for commercial redevelopment and water quality protection.
“We are looking to redevelop Port Jeff Station,” Romaine said. “Sewers are necessary for development.” The town supervisor added, “I look with great anticipation for this and any other sources of funding that we can put in place to make sure that we can preserve our surface and groundwater. It’s key.”
Density/traffic
The introduction of sewers into Port Jefferson Station raises several questions about potentially added building density enabled through increased sewer capacity.
New leadership within the Port Jefferson Station/Terryville Civic Association has recently prioritized density, creating a land use committee to oversee new developments throughout the hamlet.
Reached by phone, civic president Ira Costell called the sewer project “the fundamental building block to protect water quality,” though calling the initiative “a positive step that has to be done carefully.”
“While the sense of our organization is that we welcome redevelopment and positive growth, we are mindful of ensuring this occurs in a well-planned and strategic way that benefits the community and ameliorates impacts,” Costell said
“There are still some concerns about the overall density and intensity of use in the Port Jeff Station area, and we’re just hopeful that the planning process will enable the community to have proper input,” he added.
Paul Sagliocca, a member of the civic, advocated for some money to be set aside to evaluate potential traffic impacts from new developments along 112.
“This downtown revitalization is great, but it needs to stay on the main roads,” he said. “They need to do a comprehensive traffic study.”
Kornreich noted that the commercial real estate landscape has shifted dramatically following the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Downtowns … are seeing high rates of vacancy, commercial spaces that are underutilized, subprime kinds of tenants because landlords are desperate to get any kind of cash flow in there,” the Brookhaven councilmember said. “We have to take some action to rezone and repurpose some of this underutilized real estate.”
He pointed to mixed use as a possible solution, noting the simultaneous need to resolve housing shortages and repurpose commercial real estate.
Mixed-use development “creates walkable areas that can be sewered, that are more environmentally friendly and are more economically viable,” he added.
Bellone expressed confidence in the local planning process. “There has been a lot of community-based work that has been done at the town level, the community level and in partnership with the county,” the county executive said. “That process, I know, will continue.”
Sewer debate
The announcement follows an ongoing public debate about the regional viability of sewers in Suffolk County. Just last month, the Republican-led Suffolk County Legislature rejected the administration’s proposal to put a 1/8 penny sales tax on the upcoming November ballot to finance new wastewater infrastructure. [See story, “Suffolk County Legislature recesses, blocks referendum on wastewater fund,” July 28, TBR News Media website.]
Deputy County Executive Peter Scully, who had spearheaded the sales tax initiative, attended Friday’s press event and maintained that the need for sewers remains. He commended the county Legislature for approving a long-term sewer infrastructure plan in 2020.
“This sewer project in Port Jefferson Station’s commercial hub is part of that plan,” he said.
New York State Sen. Mario Materra (R-St. James), whose 2nd District previously encompassed Port Jeff Station before last year’s redistricting process, attended the press event.
The state senator said this $5 million would signal to higher levels of government the area’s willingness to modernize its wastewater infrastructure and support the environment.
“We have a $4.2 billion bond act” approved by New York state voters last November, Mattera noted. “Jobs like this will show [officials] up in Albany to bring us the money back and that we really are serious about sewering and we care about our clean water.”
Grazing animals on the Sherwood-Jayne historic farm in East Setauket will keep their home — for now.
After area residents protested plans to rehome the elderly pony and four sheep, mourning the slated loss of the bucolic, historical scene on Old Post Road, Preservation Long Island is pausing the process pending consultation with local stakeholders.
PLI, a nonprofit that preserves historic buildings and uses them to inform and engage the public, owns the Sherwood-Jayne property and had decided the animals were not central to their mission, especially since they also brought possible increased liability. The society’s executive director, Alexandra Wolfe, was hoping to find appropriate new homes for the animals this summer.
After news of the plans spread, frequent farm visitor Kaleigh Wilson of Rocky Point started an online petition. Wilson, who used to work at neighboring Benner’s Farm, has been visiting Sherwood-Jayne Farm as long as she can remember and knows the property’s caretaker Susanna Gatz well.
“We didn’t really know what to do about it or how to push back,” Wilson said. So she tried the petition. “I was hoping to create the space for community members to speak up.”
She created the Change.org petition on a Friday night and sent it out by text to people she knew cared about the farm, she said, and by Saturday morning there were already 500 signatures. By press time, the petition had nearly 2,400 supporters.
Wilson said she hopes PLI will ultimately decide to change course, as she doesn’t understand how removing the animals and Gatz could enhance the preservation of the space. “Susanna’s living this legacy in this space that it was meant to be lived,” the petitioner said, pointing out that Gatz, who cares for the animals and the property, processes raw wool from the sheep into fabric — according to the virtual tour of Sherwood-Jayne available on PLI’s website, Howard Sherwood also used wool from the property’s sheep to have blankets made. “It’s not just the animals — it’s her practicing a slower way of life that’s so important that we keep alive.”
Gatz had previously been asked to move by early fall, but Wolfe at PLI said they haven’t made any decisions regarding the property’s custodian just yet.
Brookhaven Town Councilmember Jonathan Kornreich (D-Stony Brook) also stepped in, speaking directly with Wolfe to encourage PLI to seek out a local advisory board. [See op-ed.]
Kornreich is grateful PLI has decided to hit pause. “I think it shows responsive stewardship that they are listening and responding to community concern,” he said.
The intensity of response surprised PLI, which is involved in some local history-related events, like Culper Spy Day with the Three Village Historical Society, and which has had partnerships with The Long Island Museum in Stony Brook and Gallery North in East Setauket. Wolfe at PLI said the organization hopes to consult its local partners before deciding how to move forward.
Over the years, residents of Long Island have unfortunately become accustomed to the sight of our farms, meadows and forests being paved over and replaced by housing developments with ironic names that refer back to what was lost.
On the other hand, we are fortunate to have numerous historical societies, land trusts and other civic organizations, as well as public ownership of historically and environmentally significant parcels, serving as a counterbalance in the struggle to protect our way of life and to preserve the special places that make our community such a desirable place to live. These local organizations are part of the fabric of our community. Their board members, directors, staff and volunteers are our friends and neighbors — local residents who understand our past and are invested in our future.
The Sherwood-Jayne Farm on Old Post Road in East Setauket is a jewel of the community. Built around 1730, the site was an operational farm for more than 150 years. For many residents, a drive down Old Post Road meant a view of the bucolic farm setting which includes historic structures, fields, meadows, pasture and of course, a peaceful flock of sheep and an old pony named Snowball. Even if it was only a momentary glimpse of the animals in passing, generations of residents have been reminded that elements of our agrarian past still survive, and not just in names like Sheep Pasture Road or Sherwood-Jayne Farm.
Sherwood-Jayne is owned by an organization called Preservation Long Island. It owns four historic properties: two in Huntington, one in Sag Harbor and the one in East Setauket. According to their website, their mission is to “celebrate and preserve Long Island’s diverse cultural and architectural heritage through advocacy, education and stewardship of historic sites and collections.” This is a vital function, and one which is best done in partnership and consultation with the local community.
Recently, the community became aware of a proposal by PLI to discontinue the residency of the animals at Sherwood-Jayne. Coming from an organization dedicated to the preservation of our cultural heritage, this proposal was difficult for many people to accept, and the negative public reaction has been understandable.
After consulting with a number of highly involved residents about the matter, we agreed that PLI should consider recruiting an advisory board of local residents to help explore ways to build bridges between their organization and our community. This would go a long way to addressing the perception that PLI is not really a local organization, and dispel some of the mystery about their intentions, which I believe are good and worth supporting.
In a frank conversation with PLI’s executive director, Alexandra Wolfe, I communicated these concerns and feedback on behalf of the community. She indicated that PLI would put a pause on any action related to the animals while they reevaluate their plans and work on developing a sustainable course of action that prioritizes the well-being of the animals while being sensitive to the cultural context of the property.
I am grateful to Preservation Long Island for their responsiveness to the concerns of our residents. More than that, I am thankful to them for their excellent stewardship of our cultural heritage. I look forward to seeing them expand their presence in our community and continue building strong working relationships with our existing organizations.
Jonathan Kornreich (D-Stony Brook) is Town of Brookhaven councilmember for District 1.
On Thursday, August 10, the Stony Brook Cancer Center Mobile Mammography Van will make a special visit to the Town of Brookhaven’s Rose Caracappa Senior Center, 739 Route 25A, Mt. Sinai, to provide breast cancer screenings from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
This service, co-sponsored by New York State Senator Anthony Palumbo and the Town of Brookhaven, is provided at no cost to the patient. However, appointments are required. Anyone interested can call 631-638-4135 for more information or to schedule an appointment.
Eligibility:
Female (40 years and older)
No mammograms in the past year
Not pregnant or breastfeeding
No implants or breast issues such as a lump or nipple discharge
Never diagnosed with breast cancer
Office visit with a gynecologist, primary care physician or internist who is willing to accept the results of the screening.
Note: Individuals who do not have health insurance will be processed through the Cancer Services Program of New York, if eligible.
Day of the mammogram: Do not wear deodorant, perfume, powders, lotions or creams on the breast area. Bring photo ID and insurance card, if insured.
This project is supported with funds from Health Research Inc. and the New York Department of Health.
Town of Brookhaven Highway Superintendent Dan Losquadro, left, and Councilman Neil Manzella at the intersection of Mooney Pond and Adirondack Drive in Selden. Photo courtesy Losquadro’s office
Town of Brookhaven Highway Superintendent Dan Losquadro (R) and Councilman Neil Manzella (R-Selden) recently announced the completion of a $1.6 million paving project in Selden.
The town resurfaced College Road, from Mooney Pond Road to Horseblock Road, and Mooney Pond Road, from North Ocean Avenue to College Road, during this initiative.
Before paving, crews worked on improving concrete, inspecting and installing new drains and repairing and replacing damaged concrete curbing, sidewalks and aprons. Crews also removed and replaced nearly 6,500 square feet of concrete aprons, almost 11,500 square feet of sidewalk and more than 3,100 linear feet of concrete curb for approximately $450,000.
Crews replaced over 6,000 square feet of handicap ramps, bringing them into ADA compliance, for roughly $190,000.
“Mooney Pond is a very busy roadway that had greatly deteriorated,” Losquadro said. “Motorists and pedestrians can now enjoy safer sidewalks and roadways.”
Manzella added to this sentiment, noting the continued need for modernized roadway infrastructure.
“I want to thank the highway superintendent for making this project a priority in this year’s paving schedule,” the councilman said, adding, “Infrastructure projects are extremely important to our residents, especially on our highly traveled roadways. We, as a Town Board, should be directing our attention toward financing infrastructure projects such as this one to retain the quality of life for our residents.”
The Brookhaven Animal Shelter. Photo from Facebook
By Aidan Johnson
Tensions came to a head between the Town of Brookhaven and animal shelter volunteers over the town-operated Horseblock Road animal shelter during the Town Board’s Thursday, July 20, meeting.
Dozens of volunteers and animal rights advocates spoke at the meeting to express concerns over alleged mismanagement at the shelter, with one volunteer describing the conditions inside the shelter as “deplorable.”
One such speaker, Lillian Lennon, president of RSVP Inc. Animal Welfare & Rescue and former member of the Brookhaven advisory committee of the animal shelter, elaborated on her comments during an interview.
While Lennon is not a volunteer at the shelter, she thinks the volunteers are being penalized.
“We feel that we’re not really being paid attention to, that we’re being kind of dismissed,” she said.
Lennon added that she also believed past animal shelter directors had been set up for failure.
“Something’s not right with the powers that be that are not giving these directors the tools that are needed to be successful,” she said.
In a statement, town Councilmember Jonathan Kornreich (D-Stony Brook) considered the volunteer accounts presented during the board meeting as “very troubling for two reasons.”
“The most immediate was that I was concerned for the welfare of the animals,” he said. “After that, I realized that the conditions had obviously been existing for some time, and it was disturbing that I hadn’t heard about it.”
Kornreich indicated that senior town officials being unaware of the problems “indicates there were issues in the chain of command,” adding, “We have replaced personnel at multiple key points, and I’m confident now that we’ll be able to address these issues.”
After the public comment portion of the Town Board meeting, Deputy Commissioner of Public Safety David Moran, who is currently co-managing the shelter, spoke on the reform efforts, including reallocating already existing funds for upkeep.
Moran also said that some resources, such as vermin-proof bins, were available but hadn’t been used.
Moran claimed that “a sky is falling mentality” needed to be taken out of the shelter, citing the reaction to the flooding that took place at the animal shelter on July 16.
Lillian Clayman, the Democratic candidate for town supervisor, found the claims made by the volunteers to be concerning.
“It’s clear that when a shelter is unsanitary, it causes conditions that would lead to illness of the animals that should be cared for,” she said.
Clayman also found the response from the interim director to the claims made by the volunteers unacceptable. Her opponent for town supervisor, Deputy Supervisor Dan Panico (R-Manorville), did not respond to requests for comment.
Despite the sensitivity of the issue, Kornreich reinforced that the well-being of the animals at the shelter was paramount.
“At the shelter, we care for animals that obviously can’t advocate for themselves,” the councilmember said, adding, “We have a higher moral obligation to ensure the conditions they live in are as good as they can be.”
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.
Recreational marijuana has been legalized in New York state since 2021, allowing for adults 21 and older to possess up to three ounces of cannabis.
Despite Brookhaven being one of just four Long Island towns to allow sales, with conditions, no locations have opened shop within the township. The first recreational cannabis shop on Long Island opened last month in Farmingdale in the Town of Oyster Bay, Nassau County.
The Town of Brookhaven zoning restrictions include bans on recreational cannabis shops within 500 feet of homes and 1,000 feet of schools, as well as a “church or other place of religious worship, park, playground, or playing field, library, hospital or similar public or semi-public place of general congregation, or non-degree-granting instruction/programs, including self-defense, dance, swimming, gymnastics, and other sports.” Stores must also be at least a mile apart and aren’t permitted in downtowns.
Town Councilmember Jonathan Kornreich (D-Stony Brook) said in a recent phone interview he can’t think of locations in his Council District 1 — extending from Stony Brook to Port Jefferson Station and Terryville — that would fit these requirements. However, he has received calls from those eager to open cannabis shops, but in order to do so, need an exemption to the zoning rules.
“There are already people who are contacting us saying, ‘We found a property … it meets most of the requirements, but not all of them. Can we get an exception?’” he said. “And people are already looking for exceptions to a brand new rule and there’s a lot of pressure.”
Kornreich isn’t keen on granting exemptions, in large part because the rules are new, he said. He also worries that once one exemption is granted, the town will have to approve the next person who comes along wanting the exemption.
“I am extremely reluctant to immediately start walking back the rules that we’ve just finished establishing,” he said. “I think for now we should probably stick with no exceptions.”
A self-described progressive, Kornreich said he understands the benefits to legalization, from a “personal liberty” point of view, as well as the benefits of the town gaining tax revenue from sales, which is why the Town Council chose to opt-in in the first place.
“If people want to smoke this stuff, it’s probably not as dangerous as alcohol, which is legal,” he said. “We also have to figure out how to balance that out against things like traffic safety, and how do we monitor for people driving under the influence because it does affect reaction times.”
The Drug Prevention Coalition, an advocacy group in Kornreich’s district that is focused on drug prevention for youth, is trying to advocate and educate against underage cannabis consumption, and is doing as much outreach as possible.
Kornreich said he is concerned that allowing cannabis stores in downtowns and smoking in public will normalize cannabis smoking for children.
“I don’t think it’s going to be healthy for our kids to create this permissive environment where people are just doing it all over the place,” he said.
The look of having cannabis stores around them, much like vape shops, he said, is “not great.” Another concern Kornreich has is the public being inconsiderate, and smoking in parks and other community spaces.
“I think most [cigarette] smokers are pretty considerate and they will go off to the side and they stay out of the way,” he said. “But people who are smoking weed, they just seem to be OK with walking down the street and doing it.”
In order to shore up the regulations and compliance, Kornreich would like to see enforcement from New York State and Suffolk County on stores illegally selling cannabis.
“This was never meant to turn into a free-for-all,” he said. “We were just trying to legalize it.”
Pictured at right are, from left, Brookhaven Town Traffic Safety Employee Tom Indence; Councilwoman Jane Bonner; Brookhaven Town Traffic Engineer Jon Sullivan, with participants at the Town’s Safety Town demonstration.
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