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Dan Panico

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From left to right: County Legislator Robert Trotta, Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine, TOB Supervisor Dan Panico, TOB Superintendent of Highways Daniel Losquadro, Representative from the Governor's, office Thalia Olaya, and in front, Gloria Rocchio, Ward Melville Heritage Organization President, at a Stony Brook Village press conference Monday morning. Photo by Toni-Elena Gallo

By Toni-Elena Gallo with contributions by Lynn Hallarman and John Broven

Photo gallery to come.

According to the New York State Weather Risk Communication Center, Stony Brook recorded 9.4 inches of rain, in the 24 hours between Sunday, Aug. 18, and Monday, Aug. 19, amounting to a rainfall that is not just a once in a lifetime event —but a one-in-a-thousand year-event.

At a Monday press conference, County Executive Ed Romaine (R) spoke about the shock many Long Islanders experienced.

“This storm was not predicted for northern Suffolk,” he said. “This storm was over Connecticut and probably traveled south. When you get almost 10 inches of rain, that’s a once [in a lifetime event]. Unfortunately, these once-in-a-lifetime events seem to be coming more than that. I don’t think we’re going to have to wait another hundred years for another storm like this.”

“It tells you the impact that climate change is having on our weather,” the county executive added.

Stony Brook

In Stony Brook village, Harbor Road was split in half, and the pond at Avalon Nature Preserve ran off into nearby Stony Brook Harbor, taking dead fish and turtles with it.

“We have put drones up to document the before and after. We believe the damage will [amount to] $25 million, minimum. A minimum, between cleanup that’s required [not just here, but] other parts of the county, like Rocky Point,” Romaine said.

“We will document everything that we do, and all the expenditures that will be made, because we will be seeking some hope of state [and] federal reimbursement, because this is a huge hit on local government, on the town and on the villages along the North Shore,” he added.

At the press conference, Gloria Rocchio, president of The Ward Melville Heritage Organization, expressed her sadness and frustration, but was able to provide a small glint of hope.

“We did have a structural engineer come already, to check the [historic] Grist Mill … and it is, [fortunately] structurally sound. It was built in 1699. In 1750 the dam broke for the first time, and then once again in the 1800s, and the last time it broke was 1910,” she said.

Over at Stony Brook University, Judy Pittigher, an office administrator at the Renaissance School of Medicine, suffered an office full of water damage and a collapsed ceiling, forcing her to work from home for, at least, the remainder of the week.

“The squares of one doctor’s tile roof collapsed; the floor is disgusting, covered in mush. By the time I got there, half the rugs had already been pulled up … anything on them was destroyed, like boxes. One box had this past graduation’s programs, and someone picked it up and put it on my desk, and it was sopping wet,” she said.

Smithtown

In Smithtown, the Nissequogue River dam broke from the nearly 10 inches of rain. Two residents were saved by members of the Smithtown Fire Department, as they were trapped on the second floor of their home.

This is despite the town’s recent stormwater and drain infrastructure upgrades. However, Supervisor Ed Wehrheim (R) said that Smithtown was lucky, in comparison to the nearby villages, as a result of these proactive measures.

Rocky Point

Rocky Point was extensively impacted, as well.

“I tried to take a tour of most of the damage this morning … and several catchment basins overflowed,” Romaine said. “I went down Hagerman Landing Road, and the tops of all the cars in sight had mud. The mudslide that came down Hagerman Landing Road was, easily, 7 to 9 feet. It left its mark on the trees, and the houses, right up to the windows. We had to rescue someone down there from their rooftop.”

Port Jefferson

At about 3 a.m., Monday, a rush of stormwater cascaded down Main Street, past CVS, affecting local property and flooding the Port Jefferson fire station.

According to Fire Commissioner Thomas Meehan, the flooding rose to about 36 inches in the station, bringing sewage and other debris into the building.

“We were just recovering from the flooding we had three years ago,” he said.

Port Jefferson village officials assisted the fire station in the initial cleanup in the early hours of Monday morning.

Several businesses along the Main Street corridor were impacted, including Theatre Three [see editorial].

Huntington

According to a Town of Huntington press release, “The Highway Department took to the roads at the early onset of the storm. After surveying the town, they reported approximately 10 sink holes and minimal trees down. Flooding, however, was the predominant issue, with the town reporting heavy flooding in a few areas.”

All areas will be rebuilt

The Town of Brookhaven’s superintendent of highways, Dan Losquadro (R), explained how the topography of the North Shore created a disastrous alignment of storm conditions.

“Water picks up velocity, as it travels down into these natural drainage points,” he said. “Many of these areas were built a very long time ago. They just have catch basins, and do not have sumps recharge basins, as we call them. [Even so] recharge basins, optimally, can only store 8 inches of water, and a catch basin, no more than 2 to 3.”

“This exceeded even the capacity of a modern sump. So, we saw our systems completely overwhelmed by this volume of water in such a short period of time,” he elaborated.

As for what’s next, Losquadro said, “We will get into the engineering and estimating phase, throughout the day, and, probably, for days to come. We have, unfortunately, been through this process with FEMA, and the state before, even back to the recovery from [Hurricane] Sandy. We will do our best to secure funding, from the higher levels of government, to ease the burden on our local taxpayers because as the county executive and the supervisor [Dan Panico (R)] rightly pointed out, many of these projects are beyond our ability to fund on a local level.”

“This process will take a great deal of time,” Romaine said. “[This damage behind me] will require permitting, not only from D.C., but from the EPA, and from the Army Corps of Engineers as well.”

Both Losquadro and Romaine expressed that the parts of the county hit by this storm will be built back “stronger and better.”

“We will clean this up, whatever it takes. These are our communities, these are our friends, our neighbors. We’re one county, one people and we will work together,” Romaine said.

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Town of Brookhaven’s town hall. File photo

By Ava Himmelsbach

The July 18 Town of Brookhaven Board meeting consisted of discussions regarding local concerns, happenings and authorizations.

The board reclassified certain local events as programs for public good. With the town as a co-sponsor, these events would qualify for coverage under the public good insurance.

Discussed as a potential program for public good was the Bethel Hobbs Community Farm Run the Farm event in Centereach.

“This would be Saturday, Aug. 10,” Councilman Neil Manzella (R-Selden) noted. “This is a fantastic event to help bring money and awareness back to the only farm in the 3rd District, I would say, and probably one of the only farms in the middle of the island like that. It is a fantastic farm, [and it] does a lot of [good] for the community, so come on and give a little back. Go on a nice 4-mile run — it’s very popular — [as] most runs are a 5K. This is actually a legitimate 4-mile run, [on] very hilly roads. It draws a huge crowd who partake in it, and we have a great time every year.”

The board voted unanimously to approve this classification for the farm. Manzella, along with the Bethel Hobbs Community Farm, has high hopes for this fun, summer event. He added that he will be playing a managing role in this gathering: “I will run the event, I will not run in the event. How’s that!”

The National Night Out event, scheduled for Tuesday, Aug. 6, was also considered an event for public good.

This night will consist of multiple free events across Brookhaven. Hosted by the town and Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department, this event will bring local law enforcement out to host activities and run various displays.

“They’re all convenient to every council district, and we hope that everybody chooses to participate in one,” Councilwoman Jane Bonner (R-Rocky Point) said. “It’s always a really fun family night, it really is.” The vote regarding the town’s sponsorship and insurance coverage for these events was unanimous.

The board also voted to accept $3,100 in funds donated to the town from the Three Village Dads Foundation for the Gerard Reggio Plaque. “I want to thank the Three Village Dads,” Supervisor Dan Panico (R) said. “That foundation is doing a lot of great work in the Town of Brookhaven, and also helping out Stony Brook Children’s Hospital quite a bit. It’s great work. If you’re watching and you are from Three Village Dads, we thank you.”

Other actions that were approved included the town’s sponsorship and classification of the Shakespeare in the Park and Suffolk County Youth Bureau Division’s Bilingual Drug and Alcohol Education, Prevention and Awareness Presentation events as programs for public good, along with the acceptance of a donation from Canvus of six benches made from recycled materials of wind turbines. These benches will be installed at various town facilities.

Despite decisions on approvals and authorizations involving property planning and contracts specific to local businesses, the popular topics for local families and individuals were largely relating to the town’s public good insurance coverage and classification of local events and happenings. As made clear by these talking points, Brookhaven residents have much to look forward to in the month of August.

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Pickleball court. Photo by Pixabay

By Toni-Elena Gallo

It has a funny name and it was not something most of us grew up with. Now pickleball has gained the “likes” of the world. 

A sport developed to happily pass the summer days has become an international phenomenon. Despite its similarities to tennis and ping-pong, pickleball has a rule set all its own. Time has seen the creation of the International Federation of Pickleball as well as the World Pickleball Federation, and there has even been talk of it becoming an Olympic sport.

Long Island is no stranger to this relatively new sport’s growing influence. The Town of Brookhaven installed its first 11 outdoor pickleball courts at Centereach Park over the last two years and has recently brought that number up to 22.

When asked if pickleball has become a trend among Brookhaven residents, town Supervisor Dan Panico (R), simply replied, “It is.”

Origins of pickleball

Pickleball originated on Bainbridge Island, Washington, in the summer of 1965. Joel Pritchard, a Washington State legislator and future congressman, with his close friend, Bill Bell, stumbled upon Joel’s 13-year-old, Frank, in a very annoyed mood.

He told the two men that he was bored on his vacation and had nothing to do. When he sarcastically told his father to “go make up a game” for everyone to play, his father took the words to heart.

Pritchard, Bell and their friend Barney McCallum, developed pickleball out of a rag-tag assortment of ping-pong paddles, the perforated, plastic ball of a kid’s bat-and-ball set and a badminton net. The name was coined by Pritchard’s wife, Joan, in reference to the mish mosh of people delegated to the sport of rowing’s “pickle boats.”

And, so was the beginning of pickleball, a game that since its infancy has been all about family and community.

Pickleball in Brookhaven

“Around the town, there has been an impetus to install more pickleball courts, because the popularity of the sport has exploded,” Panico said. “The existing courts were so heavily utilized that we put additional monies in the budgewt to double the number of courts townwide.”

 He added that three existing courts, located at the Brookhaven Aquatic Center in Mastic Beach, will be resurfaced.

Panico said that the sport’s popularity is not only talked about, but visible: “When I left my house this morning, I went past the Moriches Athletic Complex, and I was pleased to see that the courts were full. And that was early in the morning, so people are utilizing them and that’s what we want them to do. We try to meet the needs of our residents to the best of our ability.”

There are new courts at the Moriches Athletic Complex, Sylvan Avenue Park in Miller Place and the Medford Athletic Complex. “So, you have South Shore, the middle of the town and the North Shore [covered],” Panico said.

The mass popularity of the game has caused courts to pop up throughout Long Island, including at Port Jefferson, Smithtown and Huntington. 

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Civic association swears in at the June 3 meeting. Photo by Aidan Johnson

By Aidan Johnson

Dozens of residents attended the Mount Sinai Civic Association meeting June 3 to voice their safety concerns over a potential new battery energy storage system facility locally.

The facility, proposed by New Leaf Energy, would have a 20-year lifespan, after which the site would need to be restored to its pre-project condition.

The proposed area is adjacent to Mount Sinai-Coram Road and Route 25A on property owned by real estate agent Ray Manzoni. However, because this property is zoned as transitional business, New Leaf Energy’s application proposes the zone be changed to light industrial.

Former county Legislator Sarah Anker (D-Mount Sinai), who has been a vocal critic of the proposal, and Brookhaven Town Supervisor Dan Panico (R) also attended. While speaking, Panico addressed misinformation on social media that incorrectly told Mount Sinai residents that “the people in either Holbrook or Holtsville fought the battery storage there, and what they’re not getting is coming to Mount Sinai.”

Anker voiced common worries that residents had about the storage system facility.

“We just want to understand that what is going to happen is safe,” Anker said. “I don’t have a problem with renewable energy. We need the battery storage, we’re going to need that, but it’s the location,” she added, calling the proposed site the “worst intersection probably in Suffolk County.”

“Multiple accidents have happened there, the school district is close by, the water authority has a well right there, there’s a recreational path. There’s so many reasons we don’t need to change commercial to industrial,” she said.

Civic President Brad Arrington also discussed how LIPA, which owns an empty parcel of land next to the substation, could theoretically put a battery facility there without any input from the town government due to being immune from the local zoning authority.

“They could put a battery facility there which would carry the same risk that people are concerned about today, the difference being that when LIPA puts that in, they do not have to provide any community benefit, which is what has been proposed with this property,” Arrington said.

New Leaf is proposing an initial upfront payment of $340,000 — $85,000 per battery installation — with the allocation of this money to the school district, fire department and more not yet determined. The company also originally reserved $500 per megawatt, for a total of $10,000 annually, but raised it to $12,000 with a 2% annual increase to cover the current property taxes going to the school district.

Residents expressed concerns about what would happen if there was a fire at the facility, inquiring about the chemicals that would be emitted into the air and ground and how it would affect the surrounding area, including the school district and homes.

However, Arrington said the proposed facility would have lithium iron phosphate batteries, which “have a lower energy density, but have a far reduced rate of thermal runaway,” as opposed to the lithium NMC batteries that, while much more energy dense, are more prone to spontaneously catch on fire.

He also explained that a chain reaction would not take place, meaning that if thermal runaway does happen, it would be isolated in its own compartmentalized container.

Additionally, since the battery would have to burn itself out instead of being put out with water by the fire department, Arrington said that according to New Leaf, there wouldn’t be runoff into the ground. Also contamination with the soil and the off-gassing would be extremely limited.

Panico did not answer whether or not he supported the project, instead saying that he would review the application and talk to his colleagues, including Councilwoman Jane Bonner (R-Rocky Point), who represents the area.

Arrington said the town board would not take a vote to approve the project without input from the civic, which will hold a meeting for the civic members to vote in October.

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Port Jefferson Station/Terryville civic association with Councilmember Jonathan Kornreich and Town of Brookhaven Supervisor Dan Panico. Photo by Samantha Rutt

By Samantha Rutt

At the March 26 Port Jefferson Station/Terryville Civic Association meeting, civic members elected a new civic board and engaged directly with elected officials from the Town of Brookhaven, namely Supervisor Dan Panico (R) and Councilmember Jonathan Kornreich (D-Stony Brook). 

As a result of the election, Ira Costell and Carolyn Sagliocca will remain in their roles as president and vice president, respectively. Sheila Granito will serve as the temporary recording secretary, Lou Antoniello as treasurer and Jerry Maxim as corresponding secretary.

Following the election, the floor was opened up between the civic association and elected officials. Costell led the discussion dealing with issues the civic has addressed in recent meetings.

Community beautification projects and Sheep Pasture Road bridge

One of the key topics discussed was community beautification projects, with residents expressing interest in initiatives aimed at enhancing the aesthetic appeal of Port Jefferson Station and Terryville. From antique lighting additions to increased landscaping efforts and an addition of a community park, there was a seemingly shared enthusiasm for projects that would foster a sense of pride and belonging within the community.

Another key mention was that of the dilapidated Sheep Pasture Road bridge. Panico assured the civic that the highway superintendent would be tasked with the bridge construction. 

“The highway superintendent is going to be working on that project almost exclusively in the design, and is supposed to be moving forward in design to take away some of the angles and make it easier for vehicles like buses and oil trucks to traverse the bridge in a manner without starting at the nearly 90 degree angles,” he said.

“That’s the information we have on that bridge … it is over 100 years old. Everyone knows it needs to be replaced, the weight limit was taken down from 5 tons to 3 tons. Hopefully soon you’ll invite the highway superintendent to come here so he can show you the design,” Panico assured.

Following mention of the decaying bridge, Costell brought up the proposed train car park as well as the Kunz property — two locations of community interest. About the Kunz property, formerly a greenhouse business, the supervisor assured the community that the town has an appraisal out for the property.

“Our town attorney has that property out for appraisal. We hope to get back an appraisal that is fair and we hope to acquire that property for the community,” Panico said.

In addition, to efforts to beautify the community, Sagliocca has contacted the town Highway Department regarding the posting of illegal signage and banners along the roadways with a goal to eliminate some of the roadside distraction the signs create.

“We’ve made a priority of getting out there because we’ve been aggressively cracking down on illegal housing and things of that nature to have those same individuals out serving tickets, and serving summonses,” Panico said on the issue.

“We just hired another individual who’s going to be helping along the same lines to clean up the signs along the roadway. All those signs of litter, whether they be feathered flags or Coroplast signs, we just unilaterally, we sweep them up, we take them and the ones that can be recycled, get recycled, the other ones just go in the trash,” Panico added. 

Zoning and development

Proposed developments were also a focal point of discussion, with residents eager to learn more about upcoming projects and their potential impact on the local landscape. 

Concerns were raised regarding issues such as traffic congestion, environmental sustainability and preserving the character of the neighborhood. Kornreich offered insights into the development process and assured residents that their input would be taken into consideration during decision-making.

“Nothing formal has happened yet. There was a public hearing that I and most of you were at, and I think that I’m representing the community correctly by saying we’re not opposed to the project, we think that the area is in need of some redevelopment, but the scale of it is more than what we want,” Kornreich said about the proposed Staller development.

Ultimately, those in attendance were looking for open communication between the developers and the community to best incorporate an accepted plan for the space going forward.

“I think one of the concerns we had in the public hearing was that a decision not be made before some site plan — that might be acceptable to the community — was an issue that we could talk about,” Costell said.

Panico explained further that the site plan still needs to be approved by the Planning Board, now the regular Town Board, which will allow for more direct representation from elected representatives and will create a space for the community to meet before the Town Board as well. 

“This entire community will be back, either here or before the Town Board for ultimately the site plan. They [the developers] still have to go through the entire site buying process before the Town Board, which is different than an appointed Planning Board. So you have more direct representation from your elected representatives,” Panico explained. 

The next civic meeting will be held on April 16.

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Councilman Neil Foley being sworn in by Town of Brookhaven Supervisor Dan Panico on Jan. 11. Snapshot from the town website

Newly elected Supervisor Dan Panico (R) headed the first Town of Brookhaven board meeting of the new year Jan. 11. Panico opened the meeting with a brief call to recognition of children, noting, “Children in this world do not ask for war and are the most innocent among us.” He urged everyone to “think about the children of our world and what they are enduring.” 

Before the meeting commenced, Panico swore in Councilman Neil Foley (R), for his 10th year in office. Foley serves District 5, which encompasses Blue Point, parts of Lake Ronkonkoma, Holbrook, Holtsville and Medford, North Patchogue, Patchogue, East Patchogue and Davis Park Fire Island. 

Following Panico’s opening acknowledgment, the members of the Town Board addressed their several agendas for the Thursday evening meeting. Each meeting has a built-in time slot welcoming public comments, though this particular meeting had no cards registered for comment. 

Some of the most important topics addressed were:

• Approval of a one-year intermunicipal agreement to provide demolition and disposal services for the Village of Port Jefferson for its blighted properties. Approval of this agreement further addresses Port Jefferson’s vacant, abandoned, derelict and blighted properties needing to be demolished.

• Establishment of a Suffolk County Water Quality Protection and Restoration Program for Cedar Beach Habitat Restoration. The cost of the program is projected around $120,000. The project plans to remove invasive plants, establish native plant species and install wildlife tunnels in order to reduce erosion. Additionally, to promote coastal resiliency, improve water quality in Mount Sinai Harbor and the Long Island Sound and support the improvement of vulnerable local diamondback terrapin populations.

• Approval of various improvements to the Brookhaven Town landfill using proceeds from serial bonds totaling $4.5 million. The funding will go toward the cost of various original improvements including, but not limited to, gas management, odor control and leachate control improvements.

• Improvements to localities such as town parks and recreational areas, town parking lots, road reconstruction and right-of-way improvements, among others, were also approved using bonds. 

• Authorized the issuance of $250,000 in bonds for the development of a Local Waterfront Revitalization Plan for the North Shore. 

More information on this Town Board meeting can be found at brookhavenny.portal.civicclerk.com. The next meeting will be held Feb. 1 at Brookhaven Town Hall.

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Dan Panico, alongside his family, being sworn in on Jan. 8. Photo by Aidan Johnson

By Aidan Johnson

Dan Panico (R) was sworn in as Town of Brookhaven’s supervisor Jan. 8, marking the first time in over a decade that the town has a new supervisor. He takes over from Ed Romaine (R), now Suffolk County executive. 

Panico had served as councilman for the town’s 6th District since 2010 and as deputy supervisor since 2012. He was elected to the role of town supervisor in last November’s election with 62% of the votes, beating Democratic challenger Lillian Clayman.

“The Town of Brookhaven — I, as the supervisor, and the Town Board — stand ready to meet the needs of the people we represent,” Panico said in his speech during the swearing-in ceremony. “Anyone here who knows anything about me knows two things: I’m not going to let grass grow under my feet, and I’m not here simply clocking time.”

Panico described the issues the town faces that he plans on tackling, citing one of the biggest hurdles as being “how long it takes to get things done in a municipality.” To combat this, he plans on introducing legislation that would shorten the time for necessary projects in Brookhaven to be completed. 

“We are going to shorten the period where a developer with a good project can come before the Town Board, get a change of zone, then site plan approval in the same night, cutting out almost a year on the back end,” Panico said.

Additionally, he announced that the Accessory Apartment Board will no longer exist, and the applications will now be administratively approved by the Building Division, if the application meets the requirements.

The supervisor also said that a partnership is necessary with higher levels of government, citing the need for federal infrastructure money in order to “sewer out our communities” and the environmental bonds from the state government to use for issues such as clean water and the environment.

Panico addressed the lack of access that the residents of North Bellport — which he called “one of the most de facto segregated communities on Long Island” — have to Ho-Hum Beach, that is open only to residents of Bellport, saying that the residents of North Bellport “deserve a means by which to enjoy this Island and go to the beach.” 

“I want to be partners with the village to make this happen, but by no means will I allow this to go,” Panico said. “Even if it means contracting to run our own ferry so that the people of North Bellport can get over to the beach, a community where at times you don’t have two vehicles per household.”

Panico also criticized Gov. Kathy Hochul’s (D) proposals to build housing across Long Island. 

Panico further said that Albany lacks respect for local government because local elections have been moved to even-numbered years starting in 2026, calling it “a mentality of winning by any means, and it is a mentality that is tearing apart this country.”

Along with Panico, Brookhaven Highway Superintendent Dan Losquadro (R), Receiver of Taxes Louis Marcoccia (R) and councilmembers were sworn in. 

District 1 Councilmember Jonathan Kornreich (D-Stony Brook), who serves as the sole Democrat on the Town Council, said that he had total confidence in Panico that “he’s here for the right reasons.”

“I think he’s a guy that once he comes into work in the morning, he leaves the partisan affiliation at the door,” Kornreich said in an interview. 

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File photo

By Samantha Rutt

Brookhaven Town Board held its recurring meeting on Tuesday evening, Dec. 19. Supervisor Ed Romaine (R) opened the meeting with a brief moment of silence to reflect on the giving nature of the holiday season and wished the town a clean bill of health and prosperity in the new year.

Following the moment of silence, Chief Fire Marshal Christopher Mehrman gave a brief presentation on the damages sustained from the Dec. 17-18 storm. Several photographs of the related damages accompanied the presentation. Although the fire marshal’s presentation concentrated on Fire Island and the barrier beaches, he explained that every community sustained some damage.

“Though we are mainly concentrated on the barrier beach, Fire Island, every community sustained some degree of damage,” Mehrman said. 

The presentation provided a detailed estimate of the loss of height and width on the shoreline of the Fire Island Pines community. The loss of dunes will affect the overall protection of this area from the nearby ocean. Romaine emphasized the importance of recuperating from this loss.

“It is something that Councilman Foley (R-Blue Point), Councilman Panico (R-Manorville), and I warned about several months ago,” Romaine said. “Our fear would be exactly what has happened, threatening the stability of the island and several of the homes.”

Upon conclusion of the presentation, the meeting continued with its usual discourse before addressing the dedication of the Edward P. Romaine Nature Preserve, an approximately 8-acre property in East Moriches. The land is a mix of native grasses and shrubs that provide a habitat for various species and will be preserved for open space. 

“There’s no better gift you can give than open space on an island that has sometimes been overdeveloped,” Romaine said. 

“Edward P. Romaine, a long-standing elected official in Suffolk County and supervisor of the Town of Brookhaven for the past 11 years, has been an advocate to protect natural resources and the environment,” the town notes in its resolution. “It is the town’s desire to recognize the many contributions made by Edward P. Romaine to the Town of Brookhaven and the environment by naming this nature preserve in his honor.” 

In conjunction with land preservation, a $60,000 grant — that the town will match — was approved as part of the Suffolk County Water Quality Protection and Restoration Program. The project will restore habitats along Cedar Beach by the removal of invasive plants, establishing native plant species, installing wildlife tunnels, promoting coastal resiliency, enhancing habitat, improving water quality in Mount Sinai Harbor and the Long Island Sound, and supporting the improvement of vulnerable local diamondback terrapin population.

Brookhaven Town Board will reconvene on Jan. 11. To learn more about the Dec. 19 meeting and future meetings, visit the Town of Brookhaven website: brookhavenny.portal.civicclerk.com.

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In this episode, we offer live updates from Brookhaven Town Hall as the future of Jefferson Plaza in Port Jeff Station hangs in the balance. Plus, a shocking turn as a fire engulfs the Tesla Science Center in Shoreham — we unpack the latest details and discuss restoration plans. Winter sports season previews and valuable insights on managing your investments are all in one episode.

Join us for a dive into local news on The Pressroom Afterhour: Keeping it Local with TBR.

Visit tbrnewsmedia.com to read these stories and more. Follow us on:

 

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Town Supervisor Dan Panico at a Town Board meeting. Photo from TOB

By Nasrin Zahed

The Town of Brookhaven is currently at a crossroads in its relationship with the cable and internet conglomerate Cablevision/Optimum/Altice, as officials considered the franchise agreement renewal, in the name of Suffolk Cable Corporation, during a Town Board meeting held Thursday, Nov. 16.

The agreement, granting the company sole authority to provide cable services within the town, is a multifaceted document that delineates Optimum’s rights and establishes the framework for the town’s regulatory role.

Understanding the context of the franchise agreement requires a closer look at the regulatory landscape governing cable services in the town. As revealed in recent information, a cable operator must apply for a franchise to provide cable services. Notably, it may operate outside the agreement, which is expressly limited to cable television services. The town lacks authority over internet and telephone services, even if the same cables and equipment used are shared for cable television delivery.

State and federal regulations further shape the town’s authority over cable television franchises. The town also cannot regulate programming on a cable television system and is constrained in its ability to control rates, except for the most basic level of service. Federal limitations also extend to franchise fees, capping the town’s ability to require payments from the cable operator.

During the meeting, town Supervisor-elect Dan Panico (R) expressed concerns about the internet and cable providers’ profit motives. “There’s nothing that can be said here today to lead me to believe that they are not jacking up prices and having meetings to see where the threshold pain point is to extract as much money from residents as possible,” he said.

In response to these regulatory constraints, the town has engaged the services of a special counsel, Thomas Levin, to negotiate an agreement that maximizes the town’s authority within legal bounds while ensuring the delivery of quality cable television services to the Brookhaven community. The proposed agreement spans a decade, during which the cable operator commits to providing cable television in the unincorporated areas of the town.

One essential aspect of the proposed agreement is regulating the cable system’s operation under federal and state law. The agreement allows the town to impose a franchise fee, capped at 5% of the cable system revenues, ensuring a balanced approach to funding the regulatory framework.

The proposed agreement outlines procedures for the town to verify credit payments and secure $222,100 in grants from the cable television operator. These funds are earmarked for supporting public, educational and government cable programming — a crucial step in enhancing community engagement and access to information.

As the town navigates the landscape of cable service regulation, community participation becomes integral in shaping the future of cable services within its borders. A recent public statement from town officials invites community members to share their experiences with their cable and internet providers and contribute to the decision-making process.

This call to action is noteworthy given the proposed changes to the agreement, including a senior citizen discount and the introduction of a cable subscriber bill of rights.

The Town Board will reconvene on Thursday, Nov. 30, at 5 p.m., with a highly anticipated public hearing to consider a change of zone for the Jefferson Plaza property in Port Jefferson Station. To view the full hearing, please visit brookhavenny.gov/meetings.

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