PJV updates public on emergency response, traffic and new SBU internship program
The Village of Port Jefferson Board of Trustees hosted its monthly general meeting Tuesday, Sept. 5, when it addressed a recent emergency response situation over Labor Day weekend while advancing other local business.
Public safety
Code enforcement chief Andy Owen updated the public on a bomb threat in Port Jeff Harbor on Sunday, Sept. 3, highlighting the misinformation circulated on social media.
“This past Sunday, we had a bomb threat,” Owen indicated. “Once again, Facebook blew up, and it was all false. Everything you read on Facebook was false.”
The code chief said nine agencies were involved, including the Suffolk County Police Department, the village code department and the U.S. Coast Guard, among others.
“As per the Real Time Crime Center, it was a false threat,” Owen said. “It was deemed low risk by Suffolk County.”
The code chief reported that as the event unfolded in real time, “a lot of scuttlebutt” circulated on Facebook concerning the lack of an immediate public statement from the village.
“There are several reasons why a statement wasn’t put out,” he said. “One, to prevent chaos and unwanted onlookers,” adding that the code department had also sought “to ensure a proper and thorough investigation.”
Reports
Mayor Lauren Sheprow said the board is considering a resolution “to create a parking pass situation where Belle Terre residents can purchase a pass for the season and not have to worry about paying the parking meters on a regular basis.”
“That might encourage Belle Terre residents to come down more often, and then if that works for Belle Terre residents, maybe we can expand it out to other members of the community,” the mayor added.
Deputy Mayor Rebecca Kassay, who had attended the recent listening tour event in Brentwood on the New York State Environmental Bond Act [See story, “NYS offers possibilities of $4.2B bond act for Suffolk County, urges public input,” Aug. 31, TBR News Media], referred to the event as “illuminating,” with potential for the village to make use of those funds to confront a range of climate-related challenges.
Kassay added to the ongoing local debate surrounding the closure of the Port Jefferson Station office of the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, saying the closure would require village residents to travel farther, experience longer wait times and less availability of appointments.
Trustee Bob Juliano indicated that he would hold his first sit-down event this Saturday, Sept. 9. “I’ll be over at the Village Center in the living room from 9 to 10:30 [a.m.] if anybody wants to come by and just discuss with me different things going on in the village, different ideas,” he said.
Trustee Stan Loucks reported that village beaches remain open, though there are no longer lifeguards. “Be aware and careful up there if you’re going to be swimming,” he advised. He added that the bathrooms at East and West Beach will remain open.
Loucks also reported on a recent meeting with leaders from the Port Jefferson School District, who had expressed interest in extending speed tables along Scraggy Hill Road. [For more on these public safety concerns, see story, “Port Jeff village board holds public hearing on Scraggy Hill stop signs …” Aug. 24, TBR News Media website.]
Other business
The board had also agreed to enter into an internship agreement with Stony Brook University to offer programs such as public administration, civil engineering, information technology, communications, graphic design and other disciplines.
“We’re working very closely with the career center to make these internships come together,” Sheprow said. “We’re very excited about working with the university students to help pull our village into the current century.”
The board voted to accept the resignation of deputy village attorney Richard Harris, effective Sept. 14. “I just want to thank attorney Harris for his years of service to the village,” Kassay said. “He was always a strong colleague, and his work here is appreciated.”
To watch the full general meeting, including public comments, see the video above.
