By Kyle Horne
To view more digital art by Kyle Horne, click here.
Political Cartoon: Port Jeff village election 2022
Home Village of Port Jefferson
Meet the candidates for Port Jeff village trustee
Incumbent trustees Bruce Miller and Rebecca Kassay, who are both up for reelection, will be challenged by Gerard Gang, Ana Hozyainova and Lauren Sheprow in the village election on Tuesday, June 21.
During a “Meet the Candidates” event held Wednesday, June 8, the five declared candidates presented their visions before an audience of dozens of residents in the Wayfarer Room of the Village Center.
Candidates each delivered two-minute opening remarks, answered questions on various subjects regarding the major issues currently facing the village, and finally made concluding remarks.
The event was sponsored by the Greater Port Jefferson Chamber of Commerce. Barbara Ransome, director of operations at the chamber, asked the questions. Seating arrangements and response orders were both determined at random by pulling the candidates’ names out of a bag.
Questions were selected by a panel of moderators that comprised of Suzanne Velazquez, former chamber president; Stu Vincent, director of public relations at Mather Hospital; and Thomas Donlon, director of Port Jefferson Free Library.
Chamber president Mary Joy Pipe was the official timer for the event, signaling to the candidates their remaining allotted time with colored cards. After opening remarks, the candidates debated a range of topics such as term limits, bluff stabilization, Upper Port revitalization, potential redistricting schemes for the school district, among several other subjects.
The entire candidate forum clocked in at nearly two-and-a-half hours. For more information, click here.
Port Jeff board of trustees holds monthly public meeting
The Village of Port Jeff Board of Trustees held its monthly public meeting on Monday, June 6, addressing a number of issues.
Public safety
Chief of Code Enforcement Fred Leute reported that while the village has not noticed a recent spike in automobile break-ins, this is a crime trend occurring in other nearby areas. He reminded villagers of the importance of locking their cars and not leaving key fobs inside the car when they are away.
“If you lock your car, there’s no incidents of anyone breaking into the cars,” he said. “It’s not worth it to them … If you lock your stuff, lock your windows and lock your cars, you’ll be safe.”
Suffolk County police will conduct training programs for village constables, “and that includes an active shooter certification for all of our employees,” Leute said.
He also highlighted his office’s ongoing efforts to monitor speeding through radar enforcement and officers posted near stop signs. Through these activities, he noticed a startling phenomenon.
“The interesting thing that came from that is that once they did that for the past week and a half, they’re finding that it’s mostly village residents that are speeding,” he said.
Leute stressed the importance of calling his office rather than reporting incidents on social media. “If you’re of good heart and you want to help this village, call us,” he said. “Don’t go on Facebook, call my guys. We will listen, we will figure out what the problem is and we will fix it.” He added, “Going on Facebook and demeaning either the village or the constables or the highway department … whoever, it’s not productive.”
Trustee reports
Trustee Rebecca Kassay announced she had a productive meeting last weekend with the Beach Street Community Garden, a group of gardeners and community volunteers. She said that she also hopes to have a meeting with Elizabeth Hornstein, of the Long Island Sound Study, to explore ways in which the village can secure possible funding for certain projects.
Kassay said Hornstein specializes in assisting “villages like ours, municipalities who have goals concerning flooding and other environmental issues, to connect us with grant money that is available on the state and federal levels.”
Trustee Stan Loucks said there are still available job openings within the recreations department.
“We’re looking for junior counselors, senior counselors, lifeguards — these positions are still open, so you can apply through the Village Center,” he said.
Loucks also reported positive news on the country club, whose membership this season has exceeded 600 members. “This certainly indicates that we have an exceptional facility,” the trustee said. “However, golf courses can only handle so many golfers. We may be having discussions in the very near future about putting a cap on our membership.”
Loucks concluded his report by reminding residents that the restaurants at the country club are open to the public, not requiring a membership to eat at them. “The eating facilities up at the country club, they’re not private,” he said. “They’re public places — The Turn as well as The Waterview. These are public restaurants and many people are not aware that they can go up there and go to these places.”
Trustee Bruce Miller provided an update on his recent deliberations with the executive staff of planning and training at Long Island Rail Road. Miller said there was “a lot of movement, but I don’t know if you would call it in a positive direction.”
During the conference, the LIRR presented several alternatives to the village. The parties discussed the idea of having two tracks, that is, a second track between Port Jefferson and Huntington stations. LIRR also proposed fixing the bridges. When the idea was pitched for electrification of the line, LIRR responded with the need to purchase more land to accommodate the two tracks.
Miller questioned if LIRR’s numerous alternatives may overcomplicate the planning of this project, dooming it to failure from the start.
“I’m just thinking to myself, have they put so many bells and whistles onto this project that they then can say, ‘Well, we’d like to do all of this but we just can’t. It’s just not economically feasible,’” Miller said. “Part of my issue is the fact that we have a lot of residents who live in Port Jefferson … but commute to the Ronkonkoma line. That to me is very ‘ungreen.’”
Deputy Mayor Kathianne Snaden announced a number of upcoming events in the village, including the upcoming Maker Faire on Saturday, June 11, at the Village Center.
“I’ve been working with the museum about coordinating with our code department for security, for road closures, for parking,” she said. “That’s shaping up to be a great event, as it always is. We’re glad to have it back after the COVID years and get back to the fun with the kids.”
Mayor report
Mayor Margot Garant reported that a fireworks display will be held on Sunday, July 3, at East Beach with a rain date of July 8.
The mayor also congratulated the high school baseball team and girls lacrosse team on their successful seasons.
To watch the full meeting, click here.
One-on-one with Lauren Sheprow
Port Jeff village trustee candidate on finding creative responses to local issues
Lauren Sheprow, former media relations officer at Stony Brook University and daughter of the former village mayor Hal Sheprow, is running for trustee. During an exclusive interview last week, Sheprow addressed her family’s background in village politics, her experience in media relations, Upper Port revitalization, the East Beach bluff and more.
What is your background and why would you like to be involved in village government?
I’ve been working my entire life in public relations, communications and media relations — that’s about a 40-year career. I most recently was working at Stony Brook University as the Chief Media Relations Officer and prior to that I was at Mather Hospital and the public relations director for that hospital. I enjoyed those jobs immensely.
I retired from the University officially on December 31 and didn’t initially consider or think about running for trustee. My father was the mayor of Port Jefferson during a timeframe of 1979 until 1994. He was a trustee before that and a planning board chairman prior to that in the village of Port Jefferson. He also was an EMS and ambulance person for the Port Jeff ambulance. As I was growing up in that household with my siblings — I have a sister and five brothers — we all watched that, we saw him do that and it had a big impression on me. It was ingrained in me that it was an important thing to give back to the community.
It had been in the back of my mind for a while that I did want to do something, whether it be as trustee or to do something in a different realm. I did not have time to do that while I was working at Stony Brook because that was a 24/7 job and I would never have had the time it takes to run for trustee, let alone serve.
When I learned about and was reminded that these two seats are up for reelection, I started really thinking about it and thought that I could contribute based on my historic perspective because I grew up here and went to the schools here from pre-K to graduation. My children attended Port Jeff schools. I have twin girls who graduated in 2010 and a son who graduated in 2015.
I’ve done a lot of volunteer work here and I’ve learned a lot about working within organizations to help things grow and improve and just foster community excellence. I was a youth baseball coach for the village of Port Jefferson, volunteered on the Port Jefferson recreation committee and I was appointed to the Country Club Advisory and Management Council. Now I am the president of the Tuesday Tournament Group, which is actually a league that’s run as a board-run program. That’s a lot of work, too.
All that said, the point is I’ve been giving a lot of my time and I’ve been noticing and recognizing where there are opportunities for the village to see strategic growth and opportunities for impact and change.
What are your key takeaways from your father’s time in public office?
My father’s legacy of community involvement has always had a tremendous influence on my choices in life. He juggled so much — with help from my mother, of course. He was first and foremost an aeronautical engineer at [Northrop] Grumman, which is what brought us to Long Island in the first place. He also served, largely as a volunteer, as mayor, trustee, planning board chair and on the ambulance company as a volunteer EMS.
He had such a tremendous impact on this community with the annexation of the Hill Crest, Pine Hill, Ellen Drive, Laurita Gate and Jefferson’s Landing developments, and the acquisition of the country club being his two most significant contributions.
I hope to be able to emulate his community service and give back by being elected as a trustee of Port Jefferson village.
How is your background in media relations applicable to the work of a trustee?
I really feel like as a trustee, one of the most important things you can do is communicate to your constituency and communicate in a way that is transparent, concise, responsive and addresses the questions you are getting with answers and then potentially solutions.
At Stony Brook and at Mather Hospital, we had numerous inquiries and activities that had to be addressed at the same time. It was like drinking from the fire hose at Stony Brook, so you had to prioritize, you had to find the information that was going to be responsive to the questions you were getting from all angles — including from faculty, from administration, from students and from the media. We were responsive and accountable to everyone, and we had to do it in a way that was with the consensus of leadership.
We needed to get answers quickly, accurately and comprehensively. That really trained me for a lot of adversity. It trained me to work in a calm and thorough manner, not to be driven by agendas or a sense of urgency, but to be driven by getting the information you need that is right, accurate and has the consensus of the people who are working on the things you’re trying to learn about.
I think that bringing that skill set to a position on the Board of Trustees in Port Jefferson will help me really dig into some of the issues that are being expressed by villagers right now and look for solutions that are supported by facts, law and the code. The code really defines how you can move through a process, so I think relying on the code and the law is a really important part of what it means to be a public official.
In the same way that at Stony Brook that I would ask as many questions as I could and get as many responses from as many different sources as I possibly could to make sure the response is accurate, concise and responsive, I would do the same in this position as trustee and follow up and communicate in the same way I have done my entire career.
What are the most critical issues facing the village?
I think the most interesting things that are happening right now are the revitalization of uptown Port Jefferson, one. Two, what’s happening at the country club right now. I see opportunities in both areas. And the Mather Hospital project is another very interesting issue that’s going on right now. Those are three of the most important things going on in the village right now.
In terms of the uptown Port Jefferson revitalization, the progress that’s going on there is tremendous. There’s a lot of interest from new developers. Attending the meetings of the Board of Trustees and following the progress, what I have learned is that there are new developers coming forward to propose new projects and to me that’s very exciting. Shovels in the ground means progress and creates excitement. It fosters the axiom that, “If you build it, they will come.” I believe that’s happening right now.
The other issue or opportunity I see is bringing the country club back to all village residents. What I would love to work on is bringing the country club back to the community so that the community can enjoy it, not just as a golf course but as a place to foster a social and cultural environment. That’s what the purpose of the country club acquisition was originally, it’s in the original documentation. Let’s go back to the future and find a way to welcome all residents back to enjoy that facility in the way it was meant to be enjoyed.
And I’ll touch on the bluff for a second: the bluff and the country club are not one and the same. The bluff is village property. The village has got to safeguard its property, it’s got to safeguard those beaches and that groin. There is a roadway down to East Beach and there is a groin between that roadway and the country club parking lot. As the erosion continues, that groin will fail and you will lose access and you will lose the beach. That is one of the things that will happen if that bluff were not restored.
It’s the village’s responsibility to take care of that property and this is the best way to do that right now. To me, it’s a no-brainer. And it’s not to preserve the building. It’s to preserve village property, the safety and security of village property. That’s what the role of the Board of Trustees is: to preserve and keep safe for the residents of the village, the property and the community.
As trustee, my commitment is to get to the bottom of the issues at hand and proactively engage concerned villagers in the process.
— Lauren Sheprow
How can residents play a more active role in village decision-making?
The village offers ample opportunities to become involved in the decision making process, as is demonstrated by the numerous committees, councils and volunteer organizations that exist, including the page on the village website called “Get Involved.”
There is an opportunity for a more robust and active recruitment for volunteers within these organizations — an experience I encountered while on the CCMAC and the Recreation Committee, which is currently dormant.
Succession-planning on boards and committees is important, and village trustees as well as those board chairs should be thinking about that from the moment they begin their tenure, so when someone decides to resign or a term limit is reached, there is a resource already in place to step in with no down time. The Trustee Liaison to each respective committee or board should be responsible for that.
It’s also clear that communication is an important factor and some in the village feel they aren’t getting the information they need to have an impact on decision-making. As someone who has worked in the strategic communications field for nearly four decades, I can say without hesitation that the communications resources and efforts from the village are robust and in accordance with village code. From the e-newsletter, to the YouTube Channel and streaming and posting to the archive live meetings, to the social media efforts, an incredibly responsive website, and other forms of email outreach, plenty of communications redundancy exists.
What is also important is that residents know that if they want to express a concern or get involved, they will be acknowledged and responded to in a timely manner and can feel confident that their representative on the Board of Trustees will help resolve the issue at hand. As trustee, my commitment is to get to the bottom of the issues at hand and proactively engage concerned villagers in the process.
Is there anything else you would like to say to our readers?
I love this community, but that’s not what makes me stand out because I know everyone that’s running for these two seats loves this community as well and wants to see it thrive.
Vision, coming up with creative solutions that don’t add an extra burden on the taxpayers, and knowing how to get things done is what set me apart at Stony Brook and at Mather Hospital and will serve me well as a trustee. I’m a questioner, a problem-solver and a communicator, but I also understand how difficult it can be to navigate the bureaucratic labyrinth from working at Stony Brook for so long, and at Mather. Both entities provided me with great insights into how to get things done within the public sector.
I will hit the ground running. I have been attending board meetings, following the planning board and zoning board of appeals issues, and I have engaged in conversations with a number of people to understand what is most important to them and thinking about how it may be addressed or how to raise it as an issue. This is my commitment.
Port Jeff brings home LI Championship title
By Bill Landon
The Royals got rolling in the bottom of the second inning with bases loaded and no outs when Frank Andriani was hit by a pitch, forcing Nathaniel Mullen home to take a 2-0 lead in the Long Island Class C Championship against Carle Place June 3.
The youngest roster member for the Royals let his bat do the talking in the bottom of the 3rd when Evan Raymond the 8th grader drove in two runs to put Port Jeff out front 4-0. The Frogs avoided a shutout in the top of the 4th, scoring a run but struggling against senior Luke Filippi’s heat from the mound, who notched eight strike outs in the win.
The Nassau County champs threatened in the top of the 5th, loading the bases with one out, but Filippi, no stranger to pressure, pitched his way out of a jam as Carle Place stranded three. Again, with bases loaded in the bottom of the 5th, freshman Joe Aronica ate a pitch, plating the runner on 3rd for a 5-1 lead. Mullen hit one deep to right in the bottom of the 6th, driving home Daniel Owens the junior for a 6-1 lead. With three outs of life left in the top of the 7th, Filippi fanned the Frogs in order to clinch the LIC title game.
Photos by Bill Landon
MTA spokesperson defends layout of Port Jeff train station
By Amanda Olsen
Recent reporting on benches at the Port Jefferson train station [Port Times Record, May 26] prompted further investigation into this practice in public spaces throughout the area.
When reached via email for comment, MTA spokesperson, Sean Butler, defended the present layout of Port Jeff station.
“Long Island Rail Road’s Enhanced Station Initiative brought transformative renovations to the Port Jefferson station in 2019,” he said. “We are committed to working closely with the community to give our riders the best possible experience, including through the siting of station benches.”
Butler pointed to the various changes made to the layout of the station, which he suggests sufficiently assuage concerns from passengers and residents.
“The ESI project installed three benches inside the station house in 2019,” he said. “One existing bench was also provided inside the new platform shelter shed. In response to customers, LIRR added an additional outdoor bench this year.”
This seating arrangement seems to be the standard for railroad stations across Long Island. Browsing photos on the LIRR renovation website reveals divided benches at every building.
Hostile design in perspective
While employing design elements to manage public behavior is nothing new, modern hostile architecture gained momentum in the 1980s and ’90s as homelessness in the United States reached crisis levels.
Hostile architecture in seating is about more than just benches divided by armrests. Sometimes a bench can be too deep or too shallow, or it slopes. Often through choice of material, such as rounded metal pipes, these benches are made intentionally uncomfortable. Through hostile design, the shape of the bench causes eventual discomfort to the user, and the person moves on.
It can also mean opting for seats that aren’t seats. Select subway stations in New York City have added “leaning bars” instead of more benches. These wooden blocks are supported by a metal frame along the wall that provides little support for the elderly or the physically disabled.
Surfaces that would normally be flat can also receive this treatment. Ridges and spikes keep people from sitting or leaning against walls and also deter skateboarders. Sloping or rounding the surface has a similar effect. Longer spikes, reminiscent of bird barriers, keep people from sleeping on warm exhaust vents.
Cordoning off doorways, windowsills and stairs to prevent people from resting or loitering is a common practice, but hedges can also act as barriers. Fences with points keep dogs from investigating shrubs and other plants.
These measures are usually implemented to keep people from lingering or sleeping in public spaces. But they also have the unintended consequence of making spaces uncomfortable for other populations.
Changing the configuration of benches can often render them unusable for those who need them most. Seating is of particular importance for the elderly and disabled. Someone whose limitations do not allow them to get up easily might struggle in the space created by the dividing armrests. Larger people also cannot use this narrow seating.
The only guidance for outdoor bench armrests outlined in the Americans with Disabilities Act states, “Benches will be most useful if they have full back support and armrests to assist in sitting and standing.” Placing armrests at intervals along the seat of the bench is a convenient manipulation to skirt this advice.
Port Jeff mayor addresses benches and traffic near train station
Mayor Margot Garant has responded to concerns about seating availability at Port Jefferson train station.
The village mayor believes the issue of seating availability cannot be divorced from public safety. “We were getting a lot of complaints about the homeless population,” Garant said. “They were using the off and on ramps and sleeping in them. And our ridership — whether it was people from Port Jeff Station or Port Jeff village — they were complaining to us about the safety at that time of getting on and off the train, especially in the early mornings and in the evening hours.”
During the 2019 redesign of the Port Jefferson train station, the village had discussed both seating availability and public safety with Long Island Rail Road. During those deliberations, the mayor said LIRR had pitched an idea to add redesigned benches to prevent individuals from sleeping on them.
“The discussion was held at that time about what the renovation plans would look like and I believe they had commented to us that they were introducing some of these other types of benches which would allow for seating but don’t allow for overnight sleeping,” she said, adding, “Since then our complaints have gone down, I would say, like 85%.”
Despite the decline in complaints from residents, there remains the problem of user-friendliness at the station for some riders. As reported last week, there are only two outdoor seating areas at the station, which can present an unnecessary obstacle for people with disabilities and the elderly.‘So, yes, seating should be made available if they can’t sit inside the booth or they want to sit outside, but it may be the type of seating that does not allow for you to lie down on it and that’s for a reason.’ — Margot Garant
Garant acknowledged that greater accommodations at the station should be made to ensure these populations can rest comfortably while waiting for a train.
“I feel for the complications that people have,” she said. “So, yes, seating should be made available if they can’t sit inside the booth or they want to sit outside, but it may be the type of seating that does not allow for you to lie down on it and that’s for a reason.”
The quantity and style of seating at the station is largely determined by LIRR, according to the mayor. The decision to add armrests along the benches, however, was a coordinated decision between LIRR and the village to curb sleeping at the station.
“Yes, there was a conversation with respect to that because we’re trying to prevent people from using the station as a sleeping area,” Garant said. “There is a significant, conscious effort in making sure that when our ridership gets up there in the early morning to take the train to work, they are not having to step over people or deal with a certain population up there that’s going to panhandle and make them feel unsafe. That was a conversation that we had.”
Garant added that user-friendliness has not been part of her agenda primarily because she does not see the public demand to alter the present layout of the station.
“In three years, nobody has come to us at a public meeting or raised this as a concern of theirs that they feel that the station is not user-friendly for them,” she said. “It’s not something that was brought to our attention.” She added, “Since we worked with Pax Christi and the station was renovated, it’s been a very peaceful coexistence.”
Because the railroad is not a village property, the mayor also said she is limited in her ability to change the layout. However, she agreed that if this becomes a persistent problem for riders and residents, then she would coordinate with LIRR to remedy it.
“We will certainly discuss with the Long Island Rail Road — because it is not our property — what we can do together to try and alleviate that concern,” the mayor said. “I have to be honest, that concern has not come to my desk in over three years.”
Station Street
Questions surrounding the layout of the station will continue as the village embarks upon its latest project to introduce Station Street, a one-way thoroughfare that will begin at Main Street, cut east near the parking lot and end at Oakland Street. This planned terminal will mitigate congestion on Route 112 and facilitate traffic coming in and out of the station.
The Station Street project has been in the works since 2016, when the village approved a master plan to revitalize Upper Port. As part of joint efforts between the village, the Town of Brookhaven, LIRR and the state Department of Transportation, the proposed Station Street would create a plaza that will help channel traffic from the main thoroughfare, alleviating congestion as drivers enter the village.
“We did a traffic study,” Garant said. “The traffic study and the DOT comments said the more that we can get people off of Route 112 as they’re going toward the east to work at the hospital, the better.” She added, “That will eliminate a lot of the buildup, the people waiting in line to get into Port Jeff village.”
The plan, if implemented, would eliminate two traffic concerns for the village. First it would relocate the bus stop currently placed along the train crossing into Station Street, eliminating a public safety hazard for people getting off of the bus. Relocating the bus stop will “make it much safer, get the pedestrians off that train intersection there and alleviate the traffic,” Garant said.
The plans would also introduce a driveway into the train station parking lot, where taxis and cars will have a better drop-off and pickup area. Behind the scenes, these plans are falling into place, according to Garant. Although still without a developer, the plans have been put out to bid and contracts are expected soon.
“The bid is out right now for contractors to come in and do the installation of that street,” the mayor said. “Everything is lining up and the plan is coming to fruition as we speak.”
One-on-one with Ana Hozyainova
Port Jeff village trustee candidate on her global approach to local issues
Ana Hozyainova is a candidate for trustee in the upcoming village election on June 21. During a recent interview, she discussed her background in social work, her experiences abroad, the threat of climate change to Port Jeff village, the East Beach Bluff and more.
What is your background and why would you like to be involved in local government?
I would like to answer that in reverse order — why I would like to run and then how my background is beneficial in the service to the village.
One of the key things is that I would like to build upon and preserve the legacy that the village has already created. I see that the village, just like the rest of the nation and other municipalities, faces a number of challenges that are way outside of our control. For example, we are a coastal community that will suffer significantly with the worsening impact of climate change. The flooding will become only worse.
We are a community that changes in its residential structure. The nation is aging and the nation is shrinking in certain ways, and this will have an impact on the village and the way the village works. We also as a village observed decline in our tax revenue, mainly through the LIPA gliding path. Any one of those challenges is already an issue that would require significant adjustment, but three of them together compound the issue and require a long-term vision and long-term solutions to the way the village functions.
I hope to be able to engage in that process because I would like to make Port Jefferson my long-term home. I have a family here and I would like that family to continue to grow and stay in the village. For me, the role of the trustee is a person who sets the policies, sets standards and hires people to implement those policies. This is where I believe my skills and my background are incredibly useful for the village.
I come with nearly two decades of experience of human rights work, international work. I worked in fields as diverse as countering violent extremism to working with mental health issues to doing community organizing to developing policies to address such thorny issues as: How do we still torture?
The issues I mentioned before are very difficult to address and they require creative thinking and problem-solving in order to develop a viable, functional solution. I believe that I have those solutions. I also have an education that is very helpful for that with a degree in social work from Columbia University. Part of the reason that I chose that school is that at the core of the teaching in my school, the person was put front and center.
With a lot of the political decisions — be it raising of the taxes or changes in the code or restructuring the zoning of the village — it is very easy to forget the human that will be impacted by those decisions. I have the skills that would be required to actually look at who would be those people who would be affected and what can we do to make sure that our decisions serve the greatest good of everyone involved, that we’re not just doing quick and dirty “let’s fix this” and forget about the unintended consequences that might come out of those decisions.
Given your experiences abroad, why did you turn your focus inward toward local issues?
Again going back to my time at Columbia University — and the reason I mention it is because when I was there, I found it incredibly frustrating when my teachers would say, “Think small. Think of the impact that certain actions would have on people at the local level. Engage with the small steps first. Don’t try to change the whole system at the same time. It will become overwhelming and unmanageable. Think about issues that affect people on the ground, and from there start building up your intervention.”
As the years passed by, I’ve learned — despite my frustrations — that that’s indeed the true way to bring real change into the lives of the people. At the moment, my residency ended up in Port Jefferson by virtue of the people who I met, the person who I married. I feel that the work that can be done at the local level is no less important than any of the work that I could have done elsewhere. Right now, the moment has brought me to Port Jefferson and this is where my skills can be most useful and could be applied right now.
You have been a vocal proponent of reconfiguring roadways in the village. In your opinion, what is wrong with these roadways and how can they be improved?
The issue of walkability in Port Jefferson, especially pedestrian safety, is an issue that is very dear to me. I live in a residential neighborhood with two main roads that kind of hug the area. I walk those streets every day and I personally experience the impacts that speeding cars or reckless driving could have on pedestrians.
It is the issue that I personally experience and that’s how I start organizing the work. I’ve heard too many people say this is dangerous and unsustainable, that they’re fearful of walking but it’s the only exercise that they have. So I rallied the community for stop signs on California Avenue as an interim measure to assess what other possible solutions can be brought in to improve pedestrian safety.
As I did that work, I also got in touch with other residents in the village who also voiced their concerns and discovered that it is a systematic problem, that many people face issues about safety on the roads. What I hope to do is a systematic assessment of what can be done in Port Jefferson to make it more walkable as a village because our ability to walk is one of the prerequisites for developing strong, friendly communities. That is how my activism on pedestrian safety has started.
The issues that I would like to address if I were elected are the questions of transparency in the village.
— Ana Hozyainova
What are the most critical issues facing the village?
I mentioned earlier that climate change, the change and declining population nationwide and the lowering of the tax base are the crucial aspects that we are facing as a village. The issues that I would like to address if I were elected are the questions of transparency in the village.
By this, I mean that we have a number of pretty large projects that are developing in the village that have not received adequate public consultation, and the village has not made the effort to engage the community in the level that it should have. For example, the question of the $10 million that was borrowed to stabilize the [East Beach] Bluff. I personally have a lot of questions about how the project was designed, what other issues have been explored or addressed, also to hear what the rest of the residents want to say or have priorities for, and how they conceptualize and prioritize that as an issue.
I believe that the village has not had adequate engagement on those issues. The presentation on the bluff is available on YouTube, but that information does not adequately reflect the complexity of the issues that we are facing. For example, when we have a Dickens Festival, we don’t just publish a legal notice that there will be a festival and forget about it. We actually make a campaign, we engage people, we invite people over and over and over again, and the festival is a success.
So similar things need to happen when we are making decisions about the village such as the bluff or as small as figuring out the budget. What are the priorities for spending that would be in the residents’ interests? Transparency is one of the core areas to be developed if I were elected.
The other issue is climate change. Coming back to the question of the bluff, part of the reason why we have this situation is the way that climate change is exacerbating the storms and thus speeding up the erosion of the bluff. It’s a man-made issue: The harbor where the bluff sits used to be salt marshes. The movement of water in the salt marshes is significantly slower than in the dredged marshes that created Mount Sinai Harbor, which subsequently affected our bluff.
We are dealing with a double whammy of the harbor that we’ve created. I love this beach, I enjoy having access to that beach, but that beach is exacerbating the erosion of the bluff along with the more severe storms. I believe we will need a greater consultation about how we spend the rest of the money that has already been allocated for the upper part of the bluff. If elected, that will definitely become one of my priorities.
How can residents play a more active role in decision-making?
Part of it is the way the village engages with the village. For example, the Village of Port Jefferson doesn’t have a civic association. It has a range of working committees, but it doesn’t have a civic association that will collect or take the views of residents who might not be able to attend the public meetings held once a month at 6 o’clock.
Until I became engaged in the traffic safety issues, I found it very difficult to make my way to those meetings. It’s only after I rallied the community and took on the weight of their trust that I started making the time to go to those meetings.
If I were elected, I would explore a range of issues to engage more with the residents. One of them would be, for example, having a weekly time slot at the farmers market where one trustee can man a booth every week, so the residents wouldn’t have to go out of their way to engage the government. At the moment, I feel that the local village government is not doing enough to engage with the residents.
Is there anything else you would like to say to our readers?
To summarize my message, I believe that I possess the skills and experience that are required to serve as a trustee. If elected, I would be putting the residents front and center of my work in making sure that they are consulted and engaged, and that the best interests of all of the residents are considered.
American Legion Post 432 honors the fallen on Memorial Day
Members of the American Legion Post 432, based out of Port Jefferson Station, held a series of services throughout the community to honor the sacrifices made by American servicemen.
The day began at Steven J. Crowley Memorial Park in Terryville. Cpl. Crowley was a security guard for the United States Marines. In 1979 Crowley made the ultimate sacrifice when he died in the line of duty when the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad, Pakistan, was besieged by a student riot.
Kevin Powers, sergeant at arms at Post 432, grew up with Crowley. The two later served together in the Marine Corps.
“He was a good man,” Powers said. “I knew Steven since elementary school and we graduated together. I miss him dearly.”
The memorial service at Crowley Park is an annual tradition at the post. Powers suggested that this event is a yearly reminder of Crowley’s legacy of service and helps to keep a fallen comrade’s memory alive.
“We do this every year,” he said. “It’s an honor to do that for him and for all of the men and women in the service who gave their lives to protect our freedom.”
Ron Romaszka, commander of Post 432, reflected upon his own experiences during the Vietnam War and his brothers in arms who died in combat.
“I lost a lot of guys over in ‘Nam,” he said. “I don’t talk about it all the time. That’s mine and I keep that inside.” On the importance of the day in hand, he added, “Memorial Day has always been a very important day for me. For all of the veterans here, they all have a special feeling inside, and that’s why it’s an important day for all of us.”
Romaszka also touched upon the role of the American Legion in serving veterans throughout the community. “We stand behind every veteran that’s out there,” the post commander said. “For any veteran that needs assistance of any kind, we’re there to assist them. Whether it’s financial, whether it’s medical — whatever it is, we’re there for them.”
The post held a similar ceremony at the Port Jefferson Memorial Park in the
village. Trustee Bruce Miller, who also serves as 2nd vice commander of Post 432, shared that freedom is inextricably linked to the sacrifices of American veterans.
“We come to honor the fallen on Memorial Day,” he said. “It is important to look back and remember that our freedom is not free, that we have our freedom because people have fought and died for it.” He added, “It is important to recognize their sacrifice and the sacrifices of those serving today.”
While it may be a solemn occasion, Miller said veterans can find solace this Memorial Day in knowing that American forces are not currently in the line of fire.
“This is the first year in the last 20 that we are not at war,” the village trustee said. “Veterans can rejoice that none of our soldiers, sailors or marines are coming under fire. But as the Ukrainians have shown us, we must always be ready.”
‘Port Jefferson is a great place to live and people have worked hard to create that freedom. I’m very thankful for their service, for those who have lost their lives, and we honor them.’
— Margot Garant
Mayor Margot Garant offered her own take on Memorial Day. She said she witnessed firsthand the sacrifices of American veterans as several of her family members, including her brother and father, have served.
“I feel that every day in our community is Memorial Day,” she said. “It gives us a time to pause and remember and be thankful for all of the great things that we have.” The village mayor added, “Port Jefferson is a great place to live and people have worked hard to create that freedom. I’m very thankful for their service, for those who have lost their lives, and we honor them.”
The day concluded with one last service at the post, followed by refreshments. To learn more about Post 432 and its various offerings, visit www.americanlegionwilsonritchpost432.org.
— Photos by Raymond Janis
Young Port Jeff alum dies unexpectedly
Aidan Kaminska, graduate of the Port Jefferson Class of 2020, died unexpectedly on Monday, May 30.
District superintendent Jessica Schmettan discussed the impact Kaminska had on the Port Jeff community and the coming challenges the community faces in mourning this difficult loss. The following is a letter sent to parents and staff on Wednesday, June 1.
Dear Staff, Parents and Guardians:
It is with great difficulty that I share this sad news with our community.
Earlier today, the District was informed of the sudden passing of one of our alumni from the Class of 2020, Aidan Kaminska.
Our thoughts and prayers are with the former student’s friends, family and loved ones during this difficult time.
In a small school, we recognize the passing of a recent alumnus can have a profound impact on our students and staff. The District has been working today to enact our emergency crisis plan. Tomorrow, our support staff will be ready to assist anyone who may need it.
On behalf of our Royal family, I offer my deepest and most sincere condolences to the family, staff and friends who suffered this great loss earlier today. Please do not hesitate to reach out to our principals or team of guidance counselors, social workers and psychologists individually if you have specific concerns for yourself or a student.
Sincerely,
Jessica Schmettan
Superintendent
Prev
