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Drew Biondo

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File photo by Raymond Janis

Community call to action: Addressing safety and planning for battery storage sites

[The Nov. 21] issue of the TBR Port Times Record was rife with thought-provoking Letters to the Editor from our neighbors in the Three Villages regarding the proposed siting of two lithium-ion battery storage facilities in their community. These facilities, while pivotal in providing impetus toward a green energy future and away from fossil fuels, are not without the attendant public safety concerns and controversy when placed very close to residential areas. Given the proximity to neighborhoods surrounding Sheep Pasture and Old Town roads, as well as the Greenway Trail bisecting our area, many in Port Jefferson Station/Terryville are equally concerned about the process and appropriateness of the placement of these projects.

It is important to note, however, that the Savion proposal(s) are not the only activity which can impact our hamlet. Since July, there has been a pending application at 1575 Route 112 for a 10-megawatt storage site by New Leaf Energy which is adjacent to the Sagamore Condominium complex and a stone’s throw from the back of Comsewogue High School. It is our intention at our next Civic Association meeting Dec. 17 (7 p.m. at the Comsewogue Public Library) to have representatives of this organization address our membership which is open to any PJS/Terryville resident. I would urge all my neighbors to participate and educate themselves about this pressing and important topic.

Just as significant, I reiterate my plea that Brookhaven take a leadership role in helping engage the broader community of our town by way of a summit meeting bringing experts together to ensure that our citizens are informed. These storage facilities are spreading across Brookhaven since it is one of the few (perhaps only) municipality on Long Island to have not imposed a moratorium on these projects until defined criteria can be developed to ensure safety. I believe it is incumbent on our local officials to develop a Master Siting Plan to determine what safeguards and standards are necessary and what specific parcels can be identified for the proper, safe location of this activity. Having any L1 (light industrial) zoned parcel have an “as of right “ opportunity to develop this new technology could lead to an uproar of confusion as these sites proliferate. In the absence of extensive dialogue, misinformation can be spread as to how dangerous or toxic these proposals are, when a more rational discussion and analysis could lead to better public policy and a clear direction for our future.

  Ira Costell

 President, Port Jefferson Station/Terryville Civic Association

Lithium-ion batteries: A risky bet for energy storage?

As an electronics engineer, I designed several systems incorporating charging and balancing circuits for lithium-ion batteries. One of these was for the Juno mission, which was launched by NASA in 2011, arrived at Jupiter in 2016, a trip of 1.74 billion miles, and continues to be operational today. I have some familiarity with the characteristics of lithium-ion batteries, which are scheduled to be utilized in the proposed energy storage facilities in Setauket and East Setauket.

The problem with lithium-ion batteries is that they are subject to the phenomenon of thermal runaway, which produces an uncontrollable white-hot fire that cannot be extinguished by ordinary means. This fire does not require external oxygen, but is the result of an intense chemical reaction inside the battery cell. Thermal runaway can be induced in several ways, including mechanical stress, such as by impact or lightning, or by overcharging, even by a very small amount. To attain the maximum amount of stored energy, a lithium-ion battery is charged to very close to its maximum rated voltage, which is typically around 4.2 volts. If this voltage is exceeded, even very slightly, e.g., to 4.3 volts or 4.4 volts, thermal runaway may be induced, and it cannot be reversed. In a well-designed system, electronic circuits are utilized which do not allow overcharging to occur. Unfortunately, no electronic circuit is absolutely 100% failure proof. For established critical applications, including military and space, reliability calculations are performed. For each circuit, the mean time between failures (MTBF) and probability of failures per year are calculated. It would be interesting to know whether Savion can provide this analysis for this application.

Thermal runaway, and its fearsome result, is not the only problem that may be encountered, and it may not even be the worst problem. That problem is as follows: how many energy storage facilities will we need to provide uninterrupted power to all of our homes, businesses and other users, when our only source of energy becomes solar arrays and windmills? We have been told that, within a few years, all of our “fossil fuel” plants will be shut down, and all of our energy will come from the sun and wind, with batteries to fill in the gaps when the sun and wind are not cooperating. And, to make matters even worse, new AI applications on the horizon will actually cause our energy needs to double.

One would hope that our elected officials have considered this problem, and have made calculations of the amount of energy storage, and the quantity and size of the battery facilities, that will be required to prevent brownouts and blackouts, particularly during extended periods with diminished sun and wind. If they have, it would be most interesting to see them.

 George Altemose

 Setauket

What was missing from Senator Schumer’s $72 million Penn Station grant announcement

Port Jefferson LIRR riders should be concerned about some critical details that were missing from Senator Schumer’s announcement that he has secured $72 million from the United States Department of Transportation for various Penn Station capital improvements.  Is the $72 million an approved appropriation of funding that a transit agency must still develop a grant application or apply for, or is it a real grant that includes $72 million in funding to a transit agency that is now immediately available to be spent by the grant recipient?  Are these funds being administered by the Federal Transit Administration?  Is there already a Memorandum of Understanding between the MTA, LIRR, New Jersey Transit and Amtrak for administration of these funds?

How many years will it take to advance design and engineering (reviewed and approved by MTA, NYC Transit, LIRR, NJ Transit and Amtrak operations, maintenance and other departments) before the project is ready for the next phase of construction?  Design and engineering usually average 5% to 10% of a capital project cost.  Who is going to come up with the $648 to $ 684 million for construction, independent third-party engineering construction management firms to assist in oversight and contingency funding for construction bids coming in above the project cost estimator engineers estimates, contract change orders during construction due to unforeseen site conditions or late requests by LIRR, NYC Transit, NJ Transit and Amtrak operations or maintenance groups?

  Larry Penner

 Great Neck

Clarifying roles: Code officers don’t need firearms

The recent decision by the Port Jefferson Village Board to disarm code officers is a commendable step toward responsible governance and a clearer understanding of law enforcement roles within our community. This move has, understandably, ignited public discourse, revealing a critical misconception: the conflation of firearms with authority.

It’s imperative to clarify that code officers, tasked with upholding local ordinances and ensuring quality of life, operate under a strictly defined legal framework.  New York State law does not grant them the power to carry firearms.  The notion that a weapon somehow amplifies their authority is erroneous and potentially dangerous.

Introducing firearms into code enforcement scenarios unnecessarily escalates risk. It fosters an illusion of power that can lead to confrontations and undermine the essential nature of community-based code compliance.  De-escalation tactics, conflict resolution and proactive community engagement are far more effective tools for achieving the goals of code enforcement.

The Village Board’s decision wisely prioritizes these methods, fostering a safer environment for both residents and officers. By removing firearms from the equation, we encourage a less adversarial and more collaborative approach to code enforcement. This shift promotes trust and mutual respect, which are vital for a thriving community.

 Drew Biondo

Former PJ Trustee

Editor’s Note: This is a rerun of last week’s letter due to mistakes in the text. We apologize for the errors.

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File photo by Raymond Janis

Clarifying roles: Code officers don’t need firearms

The recent decision by the Village of Port Jefferson board to disarm code officers is a commendable step toward responsible governance and a more precise understanding of law enforcement roles in our community. This move has sparked important public discussions, highlighting a critical misconception: the idea that firearms equate to authority.

It’s important to emphasize that code officers, whose duties involve upholding local ordinances and ensuring quality of life, operate within a well-defined legal framework. New York State law does not permit these officers to carry firearms. The belief that a weapon enhances their authority is not only incorrect but also potentially hazardous.

Arming code officers unnecessarily escalates risk, creating a false sense of power that could lead to confrontations. Instead, de-escalation tactics, conflict resolution and proactive community engagement are far more effective tools for achieving the goals of code enforcement.

The Village board’s decision rightly prioritizes these approaches, fostering a safer environment for both residents and officers. By removing firearms from the equation, the board promotes a less adversarial and more collaborative method of code enforcement. This shift builds trust and mutual respect — essential ingredients for a thriving community.

Drew Biondo

Former Port Jefferson Trustee

Missing the boat: A rebuttal to the Three Village start-time debate

In the Nov. 21 issue of The Village Times Herald [“Not an experiment” ],  John Hover made a lackluster attempt at rebutting my very valid point regarding the waste of time and money that has been, and will be, spent on the inane changes to the district’s start times. He spouted the same nonsense about the “less than 1% of the budget” that it will cost and the overwhelming effects it will have on attendance, grades, performance etc.

Amusingly enough, he admits that the Three Village plan falls far short of the so-called recommendations and lacks any “well-documented evidence” with respect to the impact the whopping 30-minute change the district’s budget contingency plan will have. He also misses the boat in his comprehension of all that may be lost when the millions of dollars this change requires are reallocated elsewhere.

But again, who cares about electives, class sizes, extra-curricular activities etc. that may fall by the wayside when high school kids will have more time for their at-home endeavors with 30 extra minutes of “sleep”? It is indeed a fantasy that students will sleep longer, particularly if they have parents who refuse to set strict guidelines at home.

I am not willing to sacrifice all that may be lost for some half-cocked plan based on “research” that does not support what these parent “experts” love to spew and I am most certainly not in the minority.

Stefanie Werner

East Setauket

Keep diners dishing: Support your local classics

This holiday season, between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day, if you are too tired to cook, why not consider sharing a meal with neighbors, friends or family and patronize your local diner or restaurant? I have enjoyed many excellent meals for decades at various local diners.

Diners have been part of my life from teenage years to today. Eating out is a periodic ritual with either friends or family. Portions are generous. Who hasn’t taken a doggie bag home with leftovers to eat the next day? Between the customary soup, salad, rolls, coleslaw and pickles along with the main course, dinner could satisfy the heartiest appetite. Many times, we bagged our desserts to go.

Many neighborhoods have seen changes over time. New immigrant groups sometimes favor their own ethnic foods and restaurants. Diners have also lost customers over time to numerous fast-food restaurants. Many fast-food menus now include breakfast items and a greater variety of options for lunch or dinner.

Remember, these people are our neighbors. Local entrepreneurs who own and operate diners continue to invest in our community, creating new jobs without the assistance of federally funded taxpayer stimulus dollars. They work long hours, pay taxes and provide local employment. If we don’t patronize our local restaurants, they don’t eat either.

Why not honor the fond memories of our favorite diners, which have come and gone, by continuing to patronize the ones we still have? Here’s hoping the remaining diners don’t go the way of the dinosaurs into permanent extinction.

  Larry Penner

 Great Neck

Corrections for last week’s article entitled “Stony Brook begins road repairs 90 days after August storm

1. Nov. 18 was a Monday, not a Tuesday. Also, work did not begin until Nov. 20, which was a Wednesday.

2. The construction is on Mill Creek Road, which is owned by The Ward Melville Heritage Organization, not Harbor Road, which is owned by the Town of Brookhaven.

3. Avalon Nature’s Mill Pond is not correct. The Stony Brook Mill Pond is owned by The Ward Melville Heritage Organization, not Avalon.

4. The Ward Melville Heritage Organization does not oversee the Village of Stony Brook, we oversee the Stony Brook Village Center, which is owned by one of Ward Melville Heritage Organization’s subsidiaries.

5. Restoring the village to its former state – we would like to restore the Stony Brook Mill Pond to its former state.

Gloria Rocchio

President of the Ward Melville Heritage Organization

Ed Note: We regret these errors and apologize for any confusion caused

 

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Newly-elected village trustees celebrate being sworn into office, from left, Kyle Hill, Mayor Lauren Sheprow, Bob Juliano and Xena Ugrinsky. Photo by Julianne Mosher

By Peter Sloniewsky

The Village of Port Jefferson Board of Trustees held its annual organizational meeting July 2, officially appointing new trustees alongside the announcement of commissioner appointments. 

Two new trustees were officially instated on the board: Kyle Hill and Xena Ugrinsky. Both Hill and Uginsky defeated Port Jefferson resident Marie Parziale in June. 

Hill, a Stony Brook University graduate, based his campaign largely on environmental issues and on the role of his relative youth in local politics. His background is in public policy, wherein he previously worked for U.S. Rep. Steve Israel (NY 2/3) in the Capitol. He is also a volunteer EMT in Port Jefferson. Hill was initially a Democratic candidate for the House seat in NY-1, but dropped out several months before the primary in June to run for the trustee position. 

Ugrinsky, a Russian immigrant, previously worked in the software and technology fields before transitioning to management consulting roles for national utilities companies including Con Edison and National Grid. She previously sat on the village’s Budget and Finance Committee and based much of her campaign on the future of the Port Jefferson power plant as well as fiscal responsibility and transparency. In an interview, with regard to the power plant, Ugrinsky said that her “goal was to figure out a way that I could help the village be involved in the broader conversation,” claiming that she believes “we have a moment in time where we have the opportunity to be in the forefront of what is happening in energy.” 

The two new trustees were elected following the departure of Deputy Mayor Rebecca Kassay to run for New York State Assembly District 4 and the end of trustee Drew Biondo’s term. 

Kassay advanced from the Democratic Primary June 25 to challenge incumbent Assemblyman Ed Flood (R-Port Jefferson) in November. 

Biondo, a communications professional, was appointed to replace Lauren Sheprow when she became mayor last year. In Biondo’s departing statement, he highlighted the importance of the newly-formed Ethics Committee, whose members were sworn in later in the meeting. 

Additionally, Sheprow announced new commissioner appointments at the meeting. Trustee Robert Juliano, elected in June 2023, was reappointed as commissioner of Public Works and Parks. He was also appointed to the position of deputy mayor, replacing Kassay. Juliano, who was previously village clerk, has spent a long career in municipal government and worked in banking. 

Sheprow said, “Bob has earnestly demonstrated his dedication and interest in good government, and he always has the best interests of the residents at heart,” describing him as “humble and kind” as well as “a great trustee.”

Newly-elected trustees Hill and Ugrinsky were appointed as commissioners. Sheprow noted that Ugrinsky’s experience in finance and data analytics, along with her focus on the Budget and Finance Committee and Power Plant Working Group, suited her for the role of commissioner of Finance. Hill will replace Sheprow as commissioner of Public Safety-Court/Code. 

Lastly, trustee Stan Loucks was appointed as commissioner of Recreation anLoucks is in his fifth term as a trustee, and previously worked as an athletic director in the Plainview school district. Faulknor is a former trustee and has been harbor commissioner previously. 

In addition to new appointments, the Board of Trustees received a report from police on instances of crime in the last year, including specific statistics regarding exact types of criminal activity. 

The meeting concluded with a public question-and-answer session.

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File photo by Raymond Janis

Marsha Laufer endorses John Avlon for Congress 

John Avlon picked up the endorsement of Marsha Laufer, former chair of the Brookhaven Town Democratic Committee. Laufer’s endorsement comes as Avlon continues to consolidate local support in his campaign to flip New York’s 1st Congressional District.

“In the 2024 Democratic primary election for New York’s 1st Congressional District on Long Island, we are fortunate to have two strong, dedicated Democratic candidates for this highly challenging, competitive seat. I am enthusiastically endorsing John Avlon in the primary because of his extensive experience and knowledge dealing with political, governmental, and democratic issues. He presents these clearly to potential voters in his speeches and writings, where he places issues in meaningful historical contexts. John is generating enthusiasm and excitement in the 1st Congressional District, a potential key seat for Democrats to take the majority in the House of Representatives and make Leader Hakeem Jeffries the next speaker of the House. Electability is key to winning this seat, and I believe John Avlon is the candidate best able to secure the seat and make his mark as a centrist, inspiring leader in the halls of democracy,” Marsha Laufer said.

“Marsha Laufer is a legendary figure among Long Island Democrats. She was an exemplary leader of the Brookhaven Democratic Town Committee and created a culture of excellence that inspires to this day. She is wise, kind, generous, and utterly determined to defend our democracy by making Hakeem Jeffries the next speaker of the House. I’m deeply honored to have earned her support as we face a Democratic primary on June 25, and I look forward to working closely with her in the weeks, months, and years ahead,” John Avlon said.

John Avlon has been endorsed by:

NYS and Nassau County Democratic Chairman Jay S. Jacobs

Assembly Member Fred Thiele

Assembly Member Steve Stern

New York State United Teachers (NYSUT) 

Riverhead Town Democratic Committee

Huntington Town Democratic Committee 

East Hampton Town Democratic Committee

Southampton Town Democratic Committee

Shelter Island Democratic Committee

Southold Town Democratic Committee

Suffolk County Legislator Rebecca Sanin 

Suffolk County Legislator Ann Welker

Town of Huntington Receiver of Taxes Jillian Guthman

Candidate for Assembly and Southampton Town Councilmember Tommy John Schiavoni

East Hampton Town Supervisor Kathee Burke-Gonzalez

East Hampton Deputy Town Supervisor Cate Rogers

East Hampton Town Councilman David Lys

East Hampton Town Councilman Ian Calder-Piedmonte

East Hampton Town Councilman Tom Flight

Former NY-1 congressional candidate and Suffolk County Legislator Bridget Fleming

Former Southampton Town Supervisor Jay Schneiderman

Former State Senator Jim Gaughran

Former NY-1 candidate Perry Gershon

Former Congressman Max Rose 

Former United States Senator Doug Jones

Common Sense Democrats 

Parkland Gun Safety And Gun Violence Prevention Advocate and Huntington resident Linda Beigel Schulman

Marsha Laufer

Old Field (formerly)

Environmentalists for Kassay

We are reaching out to you knowing you care deeply about our environment and making sure that 

our community is represented in Albany by someone who is experienced and committed to fighting climate change and keeping our state on the path to a greener and less polluting future. 

As leaders of the environmental community in our area, we are writing to urge you to vote for Rebecca Kassay in the June 25 Democratic primary for New York State Assembly. 

It’s time to elect another environmental leader who will work tirelessly like former Assemblyman Steve Englebright (D-Setauket) on behalf of clean water and clean air in our region and our state. 

We represent many environmental organizations with different missions and goals, but we all agree that Rebecca Kassay, the current Port Jefferson Village deputy mayor, is the kind of dedicated public official who has a strong track record of working for a better environmental future for our planet. 

As a longtime environmental advocate and educator, Rebecca created and directed a youth environmental volunteer program at Avalon Park in Stony Brook, secured federal funding for a compound flood study in Port Jefferson village, consistently implemented science-based climate resilience strategies, and worked alongside many of Suffolk County’s environmental professionals and organizations to enhance environmental stewardship across Long Island. 

That’s why former Assemblyman Steve Englebright has endorsed Rebecca Kassay and is working hard with all of us to get her elected to the Assembly 4th District seat that he worked from so effectively for more than three decades. Englebright believes that we also need strong environmental leadership in Albany today. 

Unfortunately, we have seen how ineffective the current assemblyman has been in representing 

our neighborhoods and community, and we have seen his critical failure to bring back much-needed 

environmental funding to the district for open space purchases, upgrading costly clean water infrastructure, and promoting living shorelines. 

We desperately need Rebecca’s advocacy and environmental experience in Albany. While 

we don’t know what will-happen in the national elections in November, it’s important for us to elect 

someone now who will work in Albany to stop the rollback of many of New York’s innovative and landmark environmental laws that have kept our state a leader on the environment. 

Please mark down Tuesday, June 25, on your calendar and join us in voting for Rebecca Kassay in the 

Democratic primary for New York State Assembly. 

Steve Englebright

Carl Safina

John Turner

Laurie Vetere

Malcolm Bowman

Elaine Maas

Jane Fasullo

George Hoffman

Keep the community ‘attractive’

The residents of our community know and appreciate the benefits of attractive “streetscapes.” Properties along local roadways that are free of litter and are attractively landscaped help create a “sense of place.” It boosts property values, promotes civic pride and, yes, can even calm vehicular traffic. 

An increasing problem in the Three Village community, and elsewhere, is the gradual deterioration of our “streetscape” due to the number of illegally placed “lawn signs” that appear on our street corners and roadsides. There is really no escaping these inexpensive hard-plastic placards that pop up throughout the year. We now see primary election signs, general election signs, school board election signs, business signs, yard-sale and garage-sale signs, special event signs, sports camp signs, team registration signs, holiday signs — the list goes on and on. 

Essentially, we the public, are given a steady, visual stream of “sign graffiti.” Is there a solution to this visual pollution? Of course. 

Those insisting on using lawn signs should place them on their own private property and, with permission, the private property of their friends. And, really, anyone wanting to “message” the public, should use methods that can be as effective or probably even more effective: mailings, news advertising, flier distribution, social media, door-to-door contact, etc. 

And most importantly, our Town of Brookhaven must be more involved in enforcing its own sign code. This can be as simple as directing Highway Department work crews to immediately remove any and all “street graffiti.” Wouldn’t that be something!

Herb Mones

Charles Tramontana

Patty Schindler 

George Hoffman

A letter correction

Kathianne Snaden’s letter to the editor in the June 13 issue of The Port Times Record declares that “all elected trustees attended and sat at the dais,” regarding the town hall meeting about the East Beach bluff.

For the record, I was not there.

Drew Biondo

Port Jeff Trustee

Flooding in the village: a second presentation by Campani and Schwarting Architects

We are the architects working as consultants to the Village of Port Jefferson to make a Climate Resilience Plan for Storm Surge and Flood Mitigation in the watershed through a grant from New York State Department of State under Title 11 of the Environmental Protection Fund.

We made a presentation to the community last April and will make our second presentation on Thursday, June 20, at Village Hall 6-8 p.m. We will present proposed projects to study further designs to cope with stormwater runoff from the uplands areas and the storm tide surges from the harbor. This will be an interactive workshop and we would like your input.

Hope to see you there.

Frances Campani and 

Michael Schwarting

Campani and Schwarting Architects

Port Jefferson

The irony of the messenger

At a time when the military is floundering in recruitment and its disarrayed messages exhibiting a poverty of self-awareness, what is to be done to determine a better outcome in rebuilding our Armed Forces? 

World War II saw no lack of individuals ready to defend our country, and the world, from forces uncompromising in their resoluteness to erase freedom from the Earth. My father enlisted at 17, with the written permission of his father. He served on a destroyer for four years, and was reticent in discussing his experiences. He took them to his grave. But I could see in his face the cloistered heartaches of humanity’s nightmares. 

Wars are real; they are not distant, covert decisions of round table demagogues who deploy men and women to their potential death. As such, war must be regarded with unparalleled solemnness. To be fought during times of imminent danger to our country, to be fought with a wisdom of reflection and sobriety, and to be fought by individuals who are proud to defend a country they love. 

And here we are. For several years, the message to our citizens, young and old alike, was that the United States is a country permeated by shameful deeds, past and present, irredeemable in its conduct, and those that love it in spite of these messages, those that see the good, respect the brilliant, historical creation of our government, and have hope for the future, are dangerous “nationalists.” It is in these times of promoted self-loathing of the nation, that we then wonder why so few refuse to lay down their lives for their country.

Georgia Poulianos

Port Jefferson

A poem for my grandmother

I recently shared a poem I had written for my grandmother at her wake. My grandmother saved my life. We both are addicts and survivors. She had 40 years of sobriety at the time of her death and I am approaching five years myself. 

It was my grandmother to whom I first admitted I had a problem. She was a guiding and stabilizing force. She was the world to me. Poetry has always been my way of communicating. A way to cope. A local writer was in attendance. We met and spoke about writing, life, grief and many other things. She shared with me that maybe my poem could be helpful to others. To maybe give voice to the reverence we have for those so important to us, to give voice to our grief, I will share the poem. Thank you to those who read this little message and poem.

For AnnaLee Emery:

Your words always soothing,

This affection I embrace,

If I could change the tides for you,

Wavering at your fate,

I would grasp the sun just to stop the changing days.

Captured moon in stills and freeze expanding milky ways,

Placing a small seedling that you so slowly grew,

Imbuing me with indigo and vibrant hues of blue,

Nourishing my soul awash with your love so true,

A piece of you a part of me eternally in bloom.

Michael Jacobs

Strong’s Nec

‘Do No Harm’

In light of the recent proposal of the New York State Department of Education to eliminate the passage of Regents exams as a requirement for graduation, a large contingent of parents reached out to the Three Village board of education and central administration regarding their repeal of the “Do No Harm” policy.

In November of 2023, the board, and by association the upper administration, made this heinous decision despite parental pushback and a disregard for the detriment that this nullification would have on our children. With this week’s release of information regarding the changes that are forthcoming regarding graduation pathways in New York, a majority of parents with children in grades eight through 12 are in agreement that the board of education needs to do their due diligence and amend the blunder they made in November by reinstating “Do No Harm.”

At the board of education meeting on Wednesday June 12, board President Susan Rosenzweig made a statement specifically regarding the overwhelming response they received from district parents regarding the issue of the “Do No Harm” policy. 

Following these assertions, Rosenzweig then dismissed the pleas of parents and students with a rather disparaging reply. Her statement was simply that their decision was made, a vote was taken, “a vote is a vote” and they would possibly “revisit” the policy sometime in November. No cognizance was exhibited for the fact that nearly every student who will be taking Regents exams this year has had the benefit of “Do No Harm” for the past several years. 

The irresponsible decision to omit this safety net may have dire consequences on those who suffer from test anxiety and/or mental health issues, those who are ill on test day or distracted by outside issues and those who may not have the ability to regurgitate a year or more’s worth of information on one three-hour exam. 

Students’ GPAs, college/university acceptances and scholarship opportunities may be overwhelmingly affected by one poor score and this is simply unacceptable. The fact that the Regents exams are highly flawed, particularly as the formats and grading rubrics are constantly overhauled from one year to the next, should be forefront in the minds of our board members and administrators yet they have failed our students with their callous repeal. 

The NYSDOE does not require, nor recommend, that Regents exams be factored into final course grades. It is unfortunate that our board of education feels they know better, despite the fact that the majority of the board has never taught at the junior high or high school level. 

To them, their vote to count a Regents score as 10% of a final course grade was a compromise, when in reality it was an irresponsible impugnment of our children’s capacity to be judged on four quarters of hard work and achievement. I am extremely disappointed that the board is refusing to indulge the parents and students of our district and reconsider their November decision. No student, regardless of ability level or academic standing should enter exam season anticipating the harm they may endure as a result of one three-hour test. If New York State does not require their exams to figure into final grades there is absolutely no reason that the Three Village Central School district should do so. It is my sincere hope that our children do not suffer for the resolutions made “on their behalf”.

Stefanie Werner

East Setauket

 

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From left, Village of Port Jefferson trustees Bob Juliano and Drew Biondo, Mayor Lauren Sheprow and Deputy Mayor Rebecca Kassay. Photo by Raymond Janis

Public business picked up at Port Jeff Village Hall on Monday, Oct. 2, as the village board of trustees tackled ethics policy, village finances and forthcoming branch pickup services.

Trustee reports

Trustee Drew Biondo updated the public on the board’s ongoing efforts to introduce a Code of Ethics. During his report, he alleged multiple past ethical violations, emphasizing the need for such a policy within the village government.

“I hope that each of you will come when this [Code of Ethics] is presented and ready to go and listen to what’s going on,” he said. “I think what I’m also going to do is present resolutions calling out the old behavior, resolving never to do it again and making sure that every employee of this government understands what’s expected of them because I don’t think they did.”

Trustee Bob Juliano reported on upcoming branch pickup services. West side branch pickup — from the Setauket line to the west side of Main Street — will take place from Oct. 23 to 27. Midtown branch pickup from the east side of Main to the west side of Belle Terre Road will occur from Oct. 30 through Nov. 3. Services for all residents east of Belle Terre Road will occur from Nov. 6 through 13.

Staff reports

Village treasurer Stephen Gaffga reported that in his review of the village’s recent 2022 audit the village’s capital fund has a negative fund balance. “Basically, it means that more money has been spent than has been put into it,” he said. “The big problem with that is that that has an effect on your other funds.”

To alleviate these fiscal pressures, Gaffga advised the board to consider “severely cutting back on its discretionary capital spending,” tapping into the capital fund only for projects entirely subsidized through grants or deemed critical. “There needs to be a rebuilding of the fund balance,” he added.

Village clerk Sylvia Pirillo reported her office’s ongoing efforts to make agendas for public meetings more comprehensive and accessible. Among the new provisions within the agenda are attachments and numbered resolutions.

Pirillo said the village has also added complete Request for Proposal and Request for Quotation packages to the village website, which may include drawings, specifications and schematics.

“This eliminates the need for a potential proposer to actually come into Village Hall and pick up hard copy documents at a fee,” the clerk said.

More information

The board will reconvene Monday, Oct. 16, at 6 p.m. To watch the entire recent meeting, including the public safety report, board resolutions and general comments, please see the video above.

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The Village of Port Jefferson Board of Trustees was back before the public Monday night, Sept. 18, for a business meeting spanning roughly two hours and covering a range of local matters.

Parking pilot program

With Deputy Mayor Rebecca Kassay as the lone dissenter, the board passed an amended resolution 4-1 enabling the issuance of parking permits for Belle Terre residents to park in metered spaces.

In this pilot program, which will last for the remainder of the 2023 calendar year, parking passes for Belle Terre residents will be offered at a prorated expense of $25. This parking pass does not confer access to the PJV resident lot on Arden Place.

Mayor Lauren Sheprow read an email into the record from Village of Belle Terre Mayor Bob Sandak, who characterized the parking pass initiative as mutually beneficial to both municipalities.

“For many years, the residents of Belle Terre have said that they would spend much more time in the village of Port Jefferson if they could have a simple and inexpensive way to park,” the email read. “Any solution you choose to adopt would be much appreciated by the residents of Belle Terre and would, I am sure, prove to be a financial benefit to the businesses of Port Jefferson.”

Outlining reasons for the program, Sheprow said the Port Jefferson Business Improvement District unanimously supported the proposal.

Trustee Drew Biondo considered the parking pass program “cost-neutral and revenue-producing.”

In supporting the motion, trustee Bob Juliano suggested that the pilot program offers 11 weeks to test and evaluate the program: “It doesn’t mean I’m going to approve it going forward, but let’s try it for the 11 weeks and let’s see what it produces,” he said.

Explaining her “no” vote, Kassay indicated that parking accommodations for village employees remain unresolved.

“For years, I’ve heard consistent requests from Port Jefferson business owners asking the village to consider making parking passes available to their employees who are spending $1.50 per hour to go to work,” the deputy mayor said in a subsequent email. “A solution for this concept, as well as the concept of parking permits for nonresident visitors, deserves a great deal of time and discussion from the village board, staff and community at large.”

She added, “I hope the 2024 paid parking season in PJV will begin with a convenient, comprehensive parking permit program for recreational visitors and local employees alike.”

QR code scam

Parking and mobility administrator Kevin Wood updated the board of a recent scam targeting some of the village’s metered parking signs.

“Some group of people or person — most likely this weekend — placed perfectly square, fraudulent QR codes over the existing QR code on some of the signs,” Wood told the board.

Those who scanned the fraudulent code “were offered a flat fee parking rate of $20,” Wood said, adding, “We don’t know exactly how many people were defrauded, but I will tell you we caught it very early Saturday night.”

Wood estimated approximately 12-15 parking signs had been tampered with, maintaining that all fake QR codes had been removed. He added that a detailed report on the incident was sent to the Suffolk County Police Department.

Proposed schedule change

The board debated a proposal to move its regular meetings from Monday to Thursday.

Village clerk Sylvia Pirillo said the existing meeting schedule often conflicts with holidays, adding that there are other logistical challenges for village staff.

“We’re recommending instead the second and final Thursday of each month” for board of trustees meetings, Pirillo said. “We also feel that for staff and for work product that this would be a more consistent schedule. We now have warrants that are once a month, and this would help with the processing.”

Biondo supported the schedule change, saying, “It’s good to try something new. If it doesn’t work, we can caucus and decide to go back.”

Kassay referred to the logic for changing the schedule as “sound.” However, she asked the board to consider public feedback before adopting the change.

“I, as a trustee, have learned that making large, sweeping decisions like this without giving the public a chance to have their voices heard is often greeted quite negatively,” the deputy mayor said.

The board did not hold a vote on the change of schedule.

New treasurer

The village’s new treasurer, Stephen Gaffga, attended his first board meeting Monday night, delivering a brief report on his plans for the office.

Moving forward, Gaffga said he would present monthly financials, including fund balance information, expenses and revenues, also budget transfers. He proposed some changes to office procedures.

“I want to be able to tighten up the procurement procedures here a little bit to be able to allow for more transparency in how the money is being spent — taxpayer money, country club money, capital funds — and to also allow more clarity when it comes to the warrants,” he said. “I think the more information there is, the better.”

To watch the entire meeting, including trustee reports, please see the video above.

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The Village of Port Jefferson Board of Trustees held its biweekly business meeting on Monday, Aug. 21, accompanied by a public hearing to consider adding north- and south-facing stop signs on the west and east sides of Scraggy Hill Road.

Public hearing

Situated at Scraggy Hill Road is the Edna Louise Spear Elementary School. Speed tables currently help to slow traffic around the school.

Village attorney David Moran explained the purpose behind the public hearing, stating that adding or removing all village stop signs requires an amendment to the village code, “and in order to add a stop sign to the village, you have to go through this process.”

During the public hearing, Ray DiBiase, the village’s Planning Board chair and a nationally certified traffic operations engineer, noted the issue of people driving around the speed tables on the roadway. “My first inclination would be to extend those speed tables,” he suggested.

Several neighbors turned out Monday night, shedding light on the situation. Stella Cohen reported that village stop signs are routinely disregarded and that the issue could only be resolved with adequate traffic enforcement.

“I have no objection to this motion whatsoever, but it’s paying lip service to a problem you’re not going to fix with a stop sign,” Cohen said. “I would respectfully ask the board, in addition to considering this motion, to also [consider] a motion on a future date for speed cameras.”

Ernie Geiger, another resident, summarized the “nightmare” situation around the elementary school. He advised the board to hire a traffic specialist. 

“I think that what you’re looking at now is the tip of the iceberg, and I really don’t think that stop signs are going to do any good at this point,” he told the board. “I think somebody should look at it, look at the signage that’s there and make an intelligent decision instead of just throwing up two stop signs.”

Ryan Walker, a trustee of the Port Jefferson School District Board of Education who said he was speaking as a resident, advised the board that additional signage could complicate “traffic patterns that are already a mess.” 

Instead, he proposed coordinating with the Suffolk County Police Department for more traffic enforcement along the roadway.

Following the public comments, the board did not hold a vote on the proposed code amendment to add the stop signs.

Members of the Village of Port Jefferson Board of Trustees deliberate during a business meeting Monday, Aug. 21. From left, Deputy Mayor Rebecca Kassay and Mayor Lauren Sheprow with trustees Drew Biondo, Bob Juliano and Stan Loucks. Photo by Raymond Janis

Audit report

Christopher Reino, a partner at the Port Jefferson Station-based Cullen & Danowski — the firm that conducts the village’s annual independent audit — delivered a presentation on the report from the 2022 fiscal year.

Mayor Lauren Sheprow said the audit report was presented to the treasurer’s office on Jan. 4, 2023, noting, “That report was addressed to the Board of Trustees.” 

“Upon canvassing,” the mayor said she had discovered that “the current board members who were board members on Jan. 4, 2023, had not seen that report.”

Moran remarked upon “another flaw in the process,” indicating that when a village uses an outside audit firm and files with the village clerk, “there needs to be a public notice that that report is available at Village Hall for anyone to come and review it,” adding, “As far as I know, that hasn’t happened either.”

During his presentation, Reino reported that the village’s fiscal health has “been looking positive.”

“The fund balance has been growing,” he said. “You actually have a balanced budget now — in the past, you were using some of your existing fund balance to fund the budget, but right now, you’re pretty much at a break even.”

Revenues, he added, are aligned with expenditures, suggesting that the village currently has “a realistic budget.” The “only concern I had,” Reino said, was the lack of “a complete inventory,” which could assist the village in conducting insurance appraisals.

East Beach bluff 

Conversations continued over the two-phased bluff stabilization project at East Beach. 

For the proposed upland wall to fortify the restaurant/catering facility of the Port Jefferson Country Club, Sheprow reported that the village government is still “waiting on a response from [the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Administration] to see if that [$3.75 million] grant is coming through.” [See story, “Schumer secures funds for upper wall at PJCC…” Jan. 11, TBR News Media website.]

The current engineering plans include the addition of steel beams, according to Sheprow, who estimated that they could cost the village approximately $18,000 per beam.

The board approved an add-on resolution approving services from Huntington Station-based engineering firm GEI Consultants for up to $9,200, which Sheprow contended could help the village save hundreds of thousands of dollars on the upper wall project.

“What GEI is being asked to do is take a look at that project description to see if the removal of all those beams would work,” the mayor said. “The supposition is that that would still work and perhaps even make it more stable.”

She added that the modification in engineering plans could save the village roughly $300,000 on the upper wall project, “spending a few thousand to save a few hundred thousand.”

To watch the entire meeting, including trustee reports, please see the video above.

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Correction:

The print version of this story published in the July 27 issue of The Port Times Record incorrectly stated that the Village of Port Jefferson Treasurer’s Office remains vacant. In fact, Donald Pearce was confirmed 3-2 by the village Board of Trustees following an executive session July 24. We apologize for the error.

Amid the summer heat wave, tensions were even hotter inside Village Hall Monday night, July 24.

Members of the recently reorganized Village of Port Jefferson Board of Trustees sparred publicly for the second time this month, the board at first opting not to approve Mayor Lauren Sheprow’s choice for village treasurer. 

A motion to appoint Donald Pearce over Denise Mordente, treasurer during the previous administration, was tabled 3-2. Deputy Mayor Rebecca Kassay joined trustees Stan Loucks and Bob Juliano to table the matter.

Loucks had left the reorganization meeting earlier this month over Sheprow’s decision denying him reappointment as trustee liaison to Port Jefferson Country Club. [See story, “Port Jeff village board cans code changes for Maryhaven, tensions flare amid reorganization,” July 13, The Port Times Record, also TBR News Media website.] He continued to critique Sheprow’s pattern of appointments.

Trustee Stan Loucks delivers his report during a July 24 business meeting of the Village of Port Jefferson Board of Trustees. Photo by Raymond Janis

“You have gotten rid of three and maybe more of the most loyal, hardworking and knowledgeable people” within the village government, Loucks told the mayor. “Now again, you’ve made a motion to get rid of Denise Mordente — this after telling her not more than five hours earlier that she was good as a treasurer and was safe.”

“It just seems to me that a person’s word no longer means anything,” he added.

Sheprow suggested that Pearce’s professional background and experience within PJV would facilitate his transition into the role. She added that the choice is a matter of staffing the government “with people who I know and trust to do a great job for the residents of the Village of Port Jefferson.”

Juliano, who had worked alongside Pearce during a prior administration, maintained his support for Mordente’s reappointment despite Pearce’s qualifications.

“I’m opposed to this not because I’m opposed to Don but because I am approving Denise,” he said.

Only trustee Drew Biondo joined Sheprow in the initial vote to appoint Pearce. Biondo likened a mayor staffing the government to a captain picking a team.

“I’ve been in politics my entire life, and that’s the way cookie crumbles,” he said. “The mayor gets to choose her team, and I’m inclined to give the mayor her team.”

Later in the night, following an executive session, Donald Pearce was confirmed 3-2 as village treasurer, effective Aug. 7. Kassay joined Sheprow and Biondo in approving the appointment.

Other business

The envisioned Six Acre Park along Highlands Boulevard advanced several procedural hurdles on the path toward grant funding. 

The board unanimously approved a resolution establishing Port Jeff Village as the lead agency in developing the parkland and adopting a determination of nonsignificance under the State Environmental Quality Review Act.

Kassay said these steps were necessary for applying for the New York State Environmental Protection Fund’s Grant Program for Parks, Preservation and Heritage. The board expects a decision on its grant application by December.

With the Recreation Department at the height of camp season, Loucks urged his colleagues to begin conversations about expanding racket sports opportunities.

“It seems that tennis and pickleball are two of the most important activities, the most popular activities, through the Rec Department,” he said, adding that “250-plus youngsters [are] enrolled in each one of these sports. That’s over 500 on limited facilities.”

Loucks suggested redeveloping the racket sports area at Port Jefferson Country Club to accommodate more tennis and pickleball athletes. 

“I fear that there have to be some decisions made shortly about the redevelopment of our racket complex up at that country club,” he added.

The board will reconvene Monday, Aug. 7, at 5 p.m.

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From left, trustees Bob Juliano and Drew Biondo, Mayor Lauren Sheprow and Deputy Mayor Rebecca Kassay. Not pictured, trustee Stan Loucks. Photo by Aidan Johnson
By Aidan Johnson

Monday, July 10, marked Lauren Sheprow’s first Village of Port Jefferson Board of Trustees meeting as village mayor. 

Sheprow led the new board through their business and reorganization meeting, in which the reconfigured village board voted to reject proposed code changes slated for the Maryhaven Center of Hope property on Myrtle Avenue.

Mayor Lauren Sheprow presiding over the Village of Port Jefferson Board of Trustees on Monday, July 10. Photo by Aidan Johnson

Maryhaven Center of Hope

The proposed code amendments were an effort by the previous administration to preserve the historic building on the Maryhaven site. [See story, “For Maryhaven, Port Jeff village board weighs historic preservation, density and conservation,” April 29, TBR News Media website.] 

It would have created a special permit application to allow the village board to designate specific parcels that contribute to Port Jefferson’s architectural and aesthetic character. 

If approved, an applicant meeting these criteria would have qualified for relaxed standards for land use, allowing for additional height and stories without additional clearing.

During the public comment period Monday night, former village trustee Barbara Ransome addressed the continuing concerns over the property.

“I’m hoping that there are no quick decisions about changing codes for potential developers,” she said. “I think we heard at the [May 1] public hearing a lot of concern about the infrastructure, about losing a wonderful area that people feel is just going to be too crowded with that kind of density.”

Trustee Stan Loucks, not pictured, left the village board meeting after learning he would not be reappointed as liaison to Port Jefferson Country Club. Photo by Aidan Johnson

Reorganization

But not all went smoothly at Village Hall.

Trustee Stan Loucks, who ran in this year’s village election alongside mayoral candidate Kathianne Snaden, left directly after the board’s reorganization meeting, skipping the general meeting altogether after Sheprow revealed he would no longer serve as liaison to the Port Jefferson Country Club.

“I feel very strongly that I’ve had an impact on the resurgence of the country club,” Loucks said. He went on to say that he did not think he could “work any further with this board.” 

Village clerk Barbara Sakovich will leave the village government after more than 13 years in that role. Her retirement will take effect July 19. The trustees expressed their gratitude for her years of service. Silvia Pirillo will take over as the new clerk.

Sheprow appointed trustee Rebecca Kassay as deputy mayor and commissioner of environmental stability.

“It is an honor to step into the position of deputy mayor because it helps me better serve the village and work [especially with] flood resilience and climate studies,” Kassay said in an interview after the meeting. 

“I’ve been talking to organizations like [the United States Geological Survey], and having the title of deputy mayor shows that the village is taking these climate resilience issues very seriously,” she noted. “I’m very glad to be representing the village in this way.”

Trustee Bob Juliano will serve as commissioner of public works and parks. Loucks was appointed commissioner of recreation, and newly appointed trustee Drew Biondo will be commissioner of buildings and communications.

Harry Faulknor will continue as the Port Jefferson Harbor commissioner.

Sheprow will serve as commissioner of finance and public safety/court/code.

A motion to appoint Donald Pearce as village treasurer failed — he held the post previously before resigning in 2015. Juliano suggested that while Pearce is excellent to work with, he was displeased that Denise Mordente was not reappointed.

Code enforcement chief Andy Owen delivering his department’s monthly public safety report. Photo by Aidan Johnson

Public safety

The general meeting started with a brief presentation from Code Enforcement Bureau chief Andy Owen and chief of patrol James Murdocco.

Owen clarified that the code department does not save and store private information through its automatic license plate readers, which are used to identify if a car has a valid Port Jefferson parking permit or a meter is paid.

He also announced that foot patrols downtown would begin after this weekend’s Port Paws Dog Festival. Owen said he is also planning on starting a bike patrol unit.

In June, 60 incident reports were written, consisting of noise complaints, traffic conditions and public disturbances.

A total of 206 summonses were written in June for incidents such as uninspected vehicles, missing license plates, parking without a permit or overtime meter parking. 

Murdocco reported there have been over 200 incidents at the Port Jefferson train station since January, with many happening after 9 p.m.

Murdocco also announced the start of an informational Facebook page for the code bureau.

Public comment

During the public comment portion, held before the trustee reports, multiple residents voiced concerns about the potential overdevelopment of the park at Roosevelt Avenue. Myrna Gordon, along with other residents, suggested these developments would not be conducive to the area’s quiet character.

Sheprow announced a planned Parks and Rec Advisory Council meeting on July 26. All residents of the Roosevelt Avenue area are invited.

Michael Mart also touched upon the issue of transient housing — such as Airbnb facilities — in Port Jefferson, expressing a desire for the board to limit the rental time of a house to 30 days per renter.

After a resident asked how villagers could get involved with the different committees and task forces, Kassay said they are currently working on an online forum where residents could enter their information and the committees on which they would like to participate.

Reports

Juliano announced he would be starting office hours and that his door was always open. He also said that he gave the interim attorney a proposed code change so that when developers apply through the Industrial Development Agency for pilots or property tax exemptions, they would start at whatever they were paying now instead of at zero.

Biondo shared that he had toured a few of Port Jefferson’s facilities as the liaison to building and planning. He said he would discuss with the mayor and village attorney how they can streamline government processes.

Kassay said the Complete Streets and Walkability Plan is moving forward. She also said the board is still working on mitigating flooding challenges, though the problems cannot be eliminated. However, they are working on a study to see which areas need to be focused on for flood mitigation.

Kassay and Andrew Kelly, from Hauppauge-based VHB civil engineering company, are working on assisting grant writers with the documentation needed to apply to the New York State Environmental Protection Fund to progress to the next step for the planned Six Acre Park, which consists of taking a concept and making “show ready” plans for the park. 

Sheprow announced she had appointed an ethics attorney to update the village’s ethics code. She also said that she has met with representatives from Stony Brook University’s Student Affairs office, and they have expressed interest in using Port Jefferson as a “living laboratory.”

The Board of Trustees also passed a resolution to create a budget and finance committee, and has been working to recruit members of a short-term and long-term rental evaluation working group.

Sheprow added that the board is considering establishing a working group to advise on policies related to the Port Jefferson Power Station to explore declining public revenue and possible repowering.

The board will reconvene Monday, July 24, at 3:30 p.m.

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Long-time communications professional to serve out remainder of Mayor Sheprow's unexpired trustee term

Village clerk Barbara Sakovich, right, swears newly-appointed trustee Drew Biondo into office on Tuesday, July 4. Photo by Julianne Mosher

In the first official action of the new administration, Mayor Lauren Sheprow appointed communications professional Drew Biondo to serve as village trustee.

Sheprow was elected trustee last year for a two-year term ending June 2024. Biondo will serve out the remainder of Sheprow’s unexpired term. This appointment is not subject to board approval under New York Village Law.

Biondo has served as director of communications at Suffolk County Community College since 2013. He is a former Long Island Power Authority trustee, serving in that role from 2018-23. He also worked as director of communications and press secretary for former New York State Sen. Ken LaValle (R-Port Jefferson).

“I’ve known and worked with Drew in a variety of capacities for more than 20 years,” Sheprow said in a press release July 3. “I know him to be very strategic and purposeful in his approach. His time spent on the LIPA board, in higher education, as well as in Senator LaValle’s [office] has prepared him well to be able to serve the residents of Port Jefferson as a trustee.”

In an exclusive interview, Biondo shared that he visited Village Hall on Monday, where he introduced himself to village staff. He expressed confidence in the administration in place.

“Just in my brief time at Village Hall this morning, I got to meet a few of the career professionals,” he said. “I think we’re in really good hands.”

In the leadup to accepting the appointment, Biondo said he and Sheprow began discussing “government processes,” which he noted will be a central policy focus in the coming term.

“As much as people complain that the government is slow and bureaucratic, those processes are a check and balance to make sure that everything is done properly, that i’s are dotted and t’s are crossed,” he said.

The newly appointed trustee indicated development and redevelopment projects are at the “top of mind for a lot of village residents.” He suggested parking and taxes would also represent priority areas for the reconfigured village board.

“Those are all things that I think all of the trustees will focus on,” he said.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently announced new regulations targeting existing power plants [See story, “Powering down? New climate regulations may impact local power plants,” May 20, TBR News Media website]. 

With unsettled questions surrounding the tax-generating Port Jefferson Power Station, Biondo said he would aim to leverage his experience on the LIPA board to advance the cause of village residents.

“Yes, I will be using my five years of experience serving on the board of LIPA to help the village,” he said.

Speaking to his new constituency, Biondo said, “It’s not lost on me that I’m unelected.” Despite this, he stressed the need for the village to look ahead.

“There’s a time for politics, and there’s a time for governing,” he said. “Now is the time to govern.”

“Thank you to Mayor Sheprow,” he added. “I look forward to serving the village and its residents.”

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