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Ed Garboski, right, and Sal Pitti, former president and vice president, respectively, of the Port Jefferson Station/Terryville Civic Association. Photo by Raymond Janis

Two prominent local figures of the Port Jefferson/Terryville area are departing from the community.

Ed Garboski and Sal Pitti, former president and vice president of the Port Jefferson Station/Terryville Civic Association, respectively, recently sold their homes, both headed for permanent relocation to the warmer climes of Texas and Florida. The two civic leaders formally transitioned their posts Tuesday, April 25, handing the reins to newly installed civic president Ira Costell and vice president Carolyn Sagliocca.

The departing officers caught up with TBR News Media in an exclusive interview, during which they reflected on the area’s projected growth, improvements in the standard of living and the vital role of PJSTCA.

Community planning

Garboski emphasized the 2014 Port Jefferson Station Commercial Hub Study as a critical component for the area’s long-term planning. 

The study makes several recommendations for reconfiguring the commercial corridor along Route 112, including rezoning much of the area from J-2 local business zoning to J-6 Main Street zoning. 

The plan also aims to “improve the physical environment, reestablish the hamlet’s historic character and augment the natural environment” to create a Main Street Business District in Port Jefferson Station.

While planning stalled for some time following the adoption of the hub study, Garboski expressed optimism that its recommendations would soon be ratified. “I was kind of hoping we’d have shovels in the ground before I left,” he said. “But it’s moving.”

The outgoing civic president also reflected upon the ongoing work to clean up the Lawrence Aviation Superfund site, with plans in the works to convert the existing space into a multipurpose community hub and recreational park space.

Much of these local aspirations, Garboski contended, will require assistance from the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which has yet to commit to electrifying the Port Jefferson Branch of the Long Island Rail Road despite generations of residents and officials calling for the project.

“Once you electrify that line, then everything will fall into place,” he said. “You can move the train station to the other side of [Route 112] to eliminate the railroad crossing, put the storage at Lawrence Aviation, a solar field and open space.” He added, “I couldn’t think of a better thing to do with that.”

Public safety

During his tenure, Pitti said he had observed gradual improvements in the standard of living and public safety within the hamlet. His community involvement began with a local neighborhood watch program on his block, which soon expanded across the hamlet.

Pitti’s local crime program later merged with the civic association, where he integrated public safety forums into civic meetings.

“The civic became crime information and construction information,” he said, adding that over time, this approach helped “clean up the neighborhood.”

Civic’s role

Reflecting on his community work, Pitti regarded openness to new ideas and perspectives, along with a willingness to enter a dialogue, as necessary ingredients for effective community leadership. For these traits, he said the civic has amassed greater credibility with residents and government officials.

“We just built a good reputation for being willing to work with people,” he said. “We always said at meetings that you have to meet people in the middle. You can’t have it one way or the other, and I don’t care who you are.”

‘That’s the kind of community we have — when their back is to the wall, they will show up.’

— Ed Garboski

He added, “You have to always try to find that happy medium to make the majority of people happy because, unfortunately, not everyone will always be happy.”

Garboski said the civic body requires continual community mobilization to represent resident interests. He maintained that the success of future advocacy efforts rests upon “strength in numbers.”

“That’s the kind of community we have — when their back is to the wall, they will show up,” he said. “They will fight. You have to have the right people leading them, you have to be willing to negotiate and stand your ground.”

Both leaders thanked the members of the civic and the greater community for their support and for entrusting them as leaders over the years. Though bittersweet, they expressed optimism for the community and civic to stay on their current upward track. 

“For the bulk of it, I think we did a good job,” Garboski said. “And we had good people to work with, very good people to work with.”

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Ira Costell, above, president-elect of the Port Jefferson Station/Terryville Civic Association. Photo by Daniel Febrizio

Port Jefferson Station/Terryville Civic Association conducted its monthly meeting on Tuesday, March 28. Out of the about 40 people in attendance, there were only 20 members eligible to vote in the night’s elections for civic officers.

Elections

The election for president of PJSTCA was between Ira Costell and Christine Allen. Each nominee had an opportunity to speak for three minutes before questions opened up to the floor.

In his speech, Costell explained that he has a master’s degree in city and regional planning. “I have a background with planning and development issues, which face our community right now,” he said. “We’re under an enormous amount of pressure from a number of the development activities that are going on, from the Staller project [at Jefferson Plaza] to the post office to a number of PRCs that have been proposed.” 

Costell added that drug prevention remains an area of concern, as he lost a nephew to drug use and has spent years going to Albany working to remedy the ongoing drug epidemic.

In Allen’s speech, she explained that while she is not a politician, she would speak to anyone about anything in service to the community. 

“I’m not partisan,” she said. “I lean in the direction of truth and honesty.” Allen has also been a homeowner in Port Jefferson Station for 17 years, and she has three children in high school. 

“I’ve worked with the town and the state numerous, numerous times over the past 22 years,” she said, adding, “I’m down to do the work, to follow the rules, to pay attention and to listen to everybody’s concerns and questions. And I’m willing to learn.”

When a member asked what the candidates would do to reach out to the community to increase civic participation, Allen noted that social media is a great way to raise awareness. She added that she has experience in this area, since she runs a local community page. 

Costell suggested that running a forum or a clinic could be a good way to get the word out. He also agreed with Allen that increasing social media presence would be beneficial for the civic association.

For the position of vice president, Carolyn Sagliocca ran unopposed. In her speech, she mentioned that she went through the Comsewogue School District and has been a homeowner in Port Jefferson Station for more than 30 years. One of her primary focuses is public safety.

“I’ve been sending letters to the New York State [Department of Transportation] to let them know about our dangerous intersections at Terryville Road on 347 and also on Woodhull Avenue,” she said. 

She’s been actively working on a beautification project at the back of the HomeGoods shopping center, where bushes have been planted and a new sidewalk has been constructed. “We need the revitalization here,” she said. “I look forward to working with you and for you. This is your association — it’s not mine. What you want is what we do.”

Following the speeches and questions from the members, the voting took place. The final tally for president was 16-4 in favor of Costell. The uncontested Sagliocca was automatically elected as vice president. The new officers will be sworn in during next month’s meeting.

Reports and announcements

Comsewogue High School student Max reviewed several events that occurred this past month, including a popcorn fundraiser to raise money for the prom, a college fair, an international night that included cultural performances and international foods, the Comsewogue band performing in the New York City St. Patrick’s Day Parade, and a volleyball tournament in which the students triumphed over the teachers.

Suffolk County COPE officer John Efstathiou gave a report on the recent crime statistics in the precinct. In total, there were 35 criminal incidents in March, down from 39 in February. Total noncriminal incidents dropped from 553 to 542.

He warned that there were six catalytic converter thefts this month and that members of the community should park their vehicles in their driveways whenever possible, although that isn’t a foolproof solution to the problem. “They’re getting under the vehicle however it’s positioned,” he said. 

Lee Brett, Terryville Fire District commissioner, explained that the parking lot as well as the cesspools are being renovated at the Terryville firehouse. He said he is optimistic this project will be completed soon.

Additionally, he announced that Washington Memorial Park in Mount Sinai is going to be renamed Gerard Reggio Park. Reggio was a serviceman from Port Jefferson Station killed in Vietnam, in 1969. A celebration for the name change will be held at a later date.

Dates for future events

Suffolk County Police Department 6th Precinct will hold its next community meeting Tuesday, April 11, at 10 a.m. at 400 Middle Country Road in Selden.

Comsewogue Public Library will be holding a budget vote and trustee election at the library from 9:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday, April 4. Visit www.cplib.org/budget-vote to get more information.

Next month’s civic meeting will take place April 25 at 7 p.m. at the Comsewogue Public Library.

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Town of Brookhaven Supervisor Ed Romaine, second from left, presented proclamations to PJSTCA president Ed Garboski, third from left, and Sal Pitti, third from right. Photo by Raymond Janis
Sarah Lansdale, Suffolk County economic development and planning commissioner. Photo by Raymond Janis
Suffolk County Legislator Kara Hahn, above. Photo by Raymond Janis
Deputy Suffolk County Executive Peter Scully. Photo by Raymond Janis
Town of Brookhaven Supervisor Ed Romaine. Photo by Raymond Janis

The Port Jefferson Station/Terryville Civic Association met Tuesday, Feb. 28, for an evening packed with local business.

Lawrence Aviation

Sarah Lansdale, the Suffolk County economic development and planning commissioner, updated the body on the proposed conceptual layout of the Lawrence Aviation Superfund site in Port Jefferson Station.

“We have come up with a plan of three basic uses of the property,” she said. “One is a light-industry use … for a proposed solar development. The property south of the Greenway is proposed to be for open space … and then a railyard, or railroad usage, on the northeastern section of the property.”

Lansdale also reported that the U.S. Department of Justice recently approved language within a global settlement agreement between 11 claimants, adding, “Now we’re getting them to sign on to the agreement. Of the 11, we have three remaining that have yet to sign on.”

The county is working to finalize a bid package to demolish the remaining buildings on-site during the warmer months.

County Legislator Kara Hahn (D-Setauket) thanked Lansdale for continuing her efforts on behalf of county residents. 

“Very few people want to deal with difficult, complex projects like this,” Hahn said. “This was very difficult, we are so close, and I’m just grateful.”

Civic member Ira Costell objected to a Feb. 23 op-ed in The Port Times Record, “Village elections and Port Jeff’s rapidly changing challenges,” in which former Port Jefferson Village trustee Bruce Miller suggested expanding the limits of the village to derive tax revenue from the Superfund site.

“I think that’s something we need to discuss and take a position on shortly,” Costell said, adding that such a proposal “impacts our community and a potential tax base to the Comsewogue School District.” 

Civic president Ed Garboski and vice president Sal Pitti objected to the annexation proposal. Corresponding secretary Charlie McAteer said a discussion on the matter would be appropriate during next month’s meeting.

County sewers

Deputy County Executive Peter Scully delivered a presentation outlining the county’s clean water initiative, remarking that a comprehensive sewer plan has eluded county officials for decades.

“Most of Suffolk County is without sewer infrastructure,” he said. “Sewers throughout Suffolk County have not happened for a variety of reasons,” namely the enormous costs associated with their construction.

Cesspools remain the only waste treatment technology available to many county residents, which Scully indicated can impair the sole-source aquifer upon which residents depend for their drinking water. Leakage associated with septic tanks, Scully said, can contribute to brown tides, rust tides, algal blooms and fish kills throughout the county’s waterways.

To address the problem, the administration is pitching the Suffolk County Clean Water Plan, which includes a one-eighth of a penny per dollar sales tax, to create a local match program for federal and state subsidization of sewer infrastructure.

“Right now, there are tremendous funding sources available on the federal and state levels,” he said, noting the $1.2 trillion Bipartisan Infrastructure Law passed by Congress in 2021 and the recently passed New York State $4.2 billion environmental bond act. 

“Those are the two sources of funding that we’re all anxious to make sure our communities get a fair share of, and to do that we need a local match,” the deputy county executive said. “The [clean water plan] funding source that we’re talking about provides that local match.”

Reports

Andrea Malchiodi, assistant director of Comsewogue Public Library, announced that the library’s budget vote and trustee election would take place Tuesday, April 4.

Comsewogue High School students Kylie and Max updated the body on the news from the Comsewogue School District. Kylie reported that the high school’s business academy and work-based learning program were both approved career and technical education pathways by the New York State Education Department. 

Max noted Comsewogue’s recent athletic achievements, with the Warriors girls and boys basketball teams advancing to the postseason. The wrestling team vied for the county final, while the varsity cheerleading team competed at the national tournament in Florida.

Suffolk County COPE officer Casey Berry said the vehicle theft crime surge throughout the local area remains unresolved. “Lock your cars in your driveway and when you’re going to Starbucks,” she told the body. “Don’t leave the fob in the car.”

Berry also reported that officers within the department are being more active. “I think COVID affected law enforcement as well as the rest of the community in many ways,” she said, adding, “Our leadership is saying, ‘We really need to protect our community.’”

This boost in police activity, Berry added, is reflected by rising numbers of summons written by police officers, along with the department’s ongoing body camera initiative.   

Civic elections

Garboski reported the results of the nominating committee created last month after he and Pitti declared they would be leaving the hamlet before the year’s end, thereby vacating their posts.

Christine Allen and Costell were each nominated for the position of civic president, and Carolyn Sagliocca was the sole candidate nominated as vice president. The three candidates publicly accepted their nominations. 

Additional nominations will be accepted from the floor during the next meeting March 28, on which date a vote will take place. The newly electeds will formally enter their posts in April.

During the meeting, Town of Brookhaven Supervisor Ed Romaine (R) presented proclamations to Garboski and Pitti for their long service to the Comsewogue community.

“You cannot put a price on the time, effort, energy, knowledge and dedication they have brought to this task,” Romaine said. “They have worked around the clock to improve the quality of not their lives, but the quality of life of everyone in this community.”

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Port Jefferson Station/Terryville residents fought successfully to defend their community against cracking, a harmful practice in political redistricting. Pictured above, several residents speaking up during an unofficial meeting of the Brookhaven Redistricting Committee at the Setauket Neighborhood House Friday, Aug. 5. Left to right: Ira Costell, Joan Nickeson, Francis Gibbons and Lou Antoniello. File photos by Raymond Janis
By Aidan Johnson

In an age and political culture defined by partisanship and polarization, the few examples of unity and solidarity give us hope. 

This summer, the people of Port Jefferson Station and Terryville did just that, defending their community’s integrity within the Town of Brookhaven. In this year’s controversial redistricting process, the strength, persistence and overwhelming numbers of these citizens would win the day.

Reapportionment is a decennial procedure within the town, adjusting the lines of its six council districts to reflect changes in population over those 10 years. 

From the beginning, this year’s redistricting process was marked by chaos and confusion. “The hearings were poorly advertised, they were chaotic, they were confusing, they were marked by a lack of support information from the town, which resulted in maps that just appeared out of thin air,” said Port Jefferson Station resident Ira Costell at a public hearing in September.

Two draft maps appeared on the Brookhaven Redistricting Committee’s website by late July. These maps, having no input from the committee itself, proposed significant changes along the borders of Council Districts 1 and 2, with much of Terryville potentially cut away from Port Jefferson Station.

Culturally and historically, Port Jeff Station and Terryville are a united community. Their residents share a zip code, school district, library, chamber of commerce and civic association, among other shared community institutions. When the people of this area were alerted to the proposed changes to their political representation, they stormed into action.

The summer of resistance

Cracking is an unpopular practice in political redistricting. By dividing a community across multiple districts, a mapmaker can also blunt that community’s voting power. The intended effect of cracking is often a dilution of public resources and funds away from the cracked area. 

Throughout the redistricting process, Terryville resident Joan Nickeson gave a forceful critique of cracking. “It is unconscionable that you would crack our high school from the rest of its district, and crack neighbor from neighbor, and actually cleave members of the chamber of commerce from the chamber of commerce office,” she told the Town Board during an August public hearing.

In an Aug. 11 letter to the editor, “Reflections on Brookhaven redistricting process,” Terryville resident Francis Gibbons criticized attempts to crack the community as antithetical to the values of freedom and democracy.

“Manipulation of the redistricting process is a game played by both parties throughout the United States,” he wrote. “To me, it is a disgusting game. It flies in the face of everything so many have fought and died for.”

Paul Sagliocca, a Port Jeff Station resident, commented on the historical progress the area has made in recent years. As the community embarked on its local renaissance, he questioned why others would attempt to disrupt that development and forward movement. 

The area “is on the up — we do not need to be divided,” he said in an August hearing. “I would really wish that when it comes time to vote, that Port Jeff Station/Terryville stays in one solid community within District 1.”

Throughout several public hearings before the redistricting committee, local residents came out in numbers to express their displeasure about the proposed maps and how they could their hinder their representation. They often criticized the committee process itself.

Setauket-based George Hoffman, a Democratic appointee to the redistricting committee, suggested that his fellow committee members had good intentions. However, he was discouraged by the process overall. 

“I think the whole experience was disappointing,” he said in an interview. “I think we could have come up with what would be considered fair.”

Even among the committee members, the process was rife with confusion and discontentment. In one occurrence in early August, a scheduled public hearing at the Setauket Neighborhood House was canceled just hours before its start. 

“They decided to cancel this meeting without any concern for the people that were already coming. They only pulled it from their website at 4:30,” Hoffman explained during the unofficial meeting that took place later. Many spoke anyway during this unofficial meeting, eager to make their voices heard before a committee without a quorum and to the rest of the attendees.

Resolution

Despite the uncertainty throughout those pivotal summer months, the Town Board eventually heard the people and responded accordingly. On Thursday, Sept. 29, the board unanimously approved a map that keeps Port Jefferson Station/Terryville almost entirely unified within CD1.

Councilmember Jonathan Kornreich (D-Stony Brook), who represents the 1st District, expressed his appreciation for the effort and devotion of the residents throughout the process. 

“People are so busy these days that it seems like fewer and fewer people have time or attention for civic matters,” Kornreich said in a statement. “Seeing so many residents actively participating in what is usually a pretty dry government process was inspiring because even in today’s highly polarized political world, people from both parties united to advocate on behalf of their communities.” 

The councilmember added, “I have particular admiration for the folks from Port Jefferson Station and Terryville who have helped cultivate a very strong sense of community spirit over the last couple of years. There are so many exciting things happening in that area, and I am proud to continue to represent this thriving community.”

While the local residents prevailed in the end, the outcome was not universally triumphant. Throughout the process, many felt that the movement of the mostly white population of Ridge into Council District 4 could silence the voices of the ethnically diverse communities of Gordon Heights, Coram and North Bellport. Correcting this apparent injustice will be the responsibility of the entire township during the 2032 redistricting process. 

But the people of Port Jeff Station and Terryville should be proud of their redistricting success this year. Through their hard work over those confusing summer months, their community stands together — united and one. 

Their dedication and passion, courage to lift their voices to power, and commitment to lock arms and stand together were inspiring and could serve as a model for other communities.

For protecting their community and refusing to “crack” under pressure, TBR News Media recognizes the citizens who fought for a fair redistricting of Port Jefferson Station/Terryville as People of the Year 2022.

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Councilmember Jonathan Kornreich (D-Stony Brook) questions the town’s mapmaker during a public hearing on Thursday, Sept. 29. Screenshot from the town website

The Town of Brookhaven’s controversial redistricting process concluded on Thursday, Sept. 29, after the Town Board voted unanimously to approve the latest proposed map.

The Town Board, which has a 6-1 Republican majority, took over the redistricting process after an appointed redistricting committee failed to find agreement on a draft proposal. Days after the committee formally disbanded, Town Supervisor Ed Romaine (R) presented his own map. For more on this story, see “Brookhaven officials react to latest redistricting proposal” (TBR News Media website). 

Councilmember Jonathan Kornreich (D-Stony Brook) kicked off the public hearing with a forceful line of questioning of the town’s designated mapmaker, David Schaefer of Schenectady-based firm Skyline Consulting. 

Kornreich pressed Schaefer on a range of subjects, such as his familiarity with the hamlets throughout the town. He also inquired about how Schaefer arrived at an original determination to split Port Jefferson Station and Terryville between Council Districts 1 and 2, and why he decided to move most of Ridge into CD4.

Responding, Schaefer said that he created the initial maps solely to bring the six council districts into roughly equal populations. “The first draft that I submitted is all population driven,” he said.

Following Kornreich’s line of questioning, residents pressed their representatives on the Town Board repeatedly over concerns that arose throughout the redistricting process and the alleged inequities in drawing the district lines. 

Ira Costell, a resident of Port Jefferson Station, argued Schaefer’s approach was unproductive, reducing redistricting to an analytic method while ignoring its impact on communities of interest.

“There’s more than just standard deviations and numbers at play here,” Costell said. “There’s people, there’s communities, there’s interests, and there’s fairness at stake here, and I don’t see a lot of it in what the mapmaker initially did.”

‘Despite the hideously flawed process that led here, I think in the end we’ve created a map that’s got some compromises, and it’s got a little something for everyone to be unhappy about.’

— Jonathan Kornreich

Costell further railed against the committee process, saying, “The hearings were poorly advertised, they were chaotic, they were confusing, they were marked by a lack of support information from the town, which resulted in maps that just appeared out of thin air.” He continued, “What does seem transparent, however, is the majority on this board seems poised to ignore the clear will and desires of the voters who did speak out.”

Terryville resident Lou Antoniello suggested Schaefer was not being truthful during his remarks. He added that tampering with district boundaries may affect future redistricting procedures.

“While the map that this board put together is light-years better than the original map, which cut out a huge chunk [of Terryville from CD1], it’s still cutting — cracking — Council District 1,” he said. “That sets a dangerous precedent for the future.”

Members of the redistricting committee also attended the public hearing. Among them was Gail Lynch-Bailey, who had served this year and in 2012. She referred to the two initial maps which split Port Jefferson Station and Terryville as a ploy to divert the public’s attention away from alleged gerrymandering in Council District 4. This district includes the racially and ethnically diverse communities of Coram, Gordon Heights and North Bellport.

“Once the public realized the commission had had no input into them, the maps were readily recognized by many for what they were: diversions, bait-and-switch tactics, ‘pay-no-attention-to-the-man-behind-the-curtain’ maps intended to focus attention on the northern CDs instead of what was going on for CD4,” she said. “This ruse was, and still is, unconscionable.”

Also making an appearance was Ali Nazir, the Republican co-chair on the redistricting committee. He defended the movement of mostly white Ridge into CD4, citing the hamlet’s longstanding ties to the Longwood community.

“Despite rhetoric of the contrary, Ridge has always been in Council District 4,” Nazir said. “Ridge has a long history with the Longwood community, and to arbitrarily excommunicate them from the Longwood community is quite frankly wrong.”

Port Jefferson Station and Terryville, however, remain mostly united within the boundaries of Council District 1. Kornreich, who voted with the majority, justified his vote, saying this map would not split minority communities or dilute their votes.

“We negotiated in good faith, and the supervisor fulfilled his promise to keep Gordon Heights and North Bellport together, not to dilute the minority vote, and in good faith, I will support the agreement we made,” Kornreich said. “Is it an ideal map? No. Is it a map that I were to draw? Of course not. But when you’ve got one Democrat and a row of Republicans, you tell me what level of political power you have.”

In concluding his remarks, the CD1 councilmember said the final map reflects a series of compromises. “Despite the hideously flawed process that led here, I think in the end we’ve created a map that’s got some compromises, and it’s got a little something for everyone to be unhappy about,” he said, adding, “I hope that we can get to work and solve the real problems that face our town.”

No other board member spoke during the hearing. Following the vote, a droning cry rained from some in the audience, the dissidents shouting, “Shame on you, shame on you.” 

It remains unclear whether the map will face challenges in court or whether those challenges could hold up given the bipartisan outcome.

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Incumbent Brookhaven Town Clerk Donna Lent is running against Democrat Ira Costell. Lent photo from Town of Brookhaven, Costell photo from Costell

TBR News spoke with Town Clerk Donna Lent (R) and Ira Costell (D) over Zoom on Monday. They will be running against each other as the election for town clerk for the Town of Brookhaven approaches quickly. 

Lent, who is serving her second term as town clerk, has managed day-to-day operations such as issuing death certificates and handicap parking permits, while land-use applications are filed within the office. 

There are three divisions — licensing, registrar and administrative units — in her department alone, and on some days, Lent says up to 200 people will come into the office.

After extensive training, Lent was certified as a registered municipal clerk by the New York State Town Clerks Association in 2017, but before entering public service, she worked as a law office manager and was a small business owner.

Her opponent, Costell, has taken leadership roles in environmental causes such as the Suffolk County Watershed Protection Advisory Committee and served as chair of the county’s Pine Barrens Review Commission. 

He has been passionate about the fight against opioid addiction and prescription drug abuse. Costell is a New York State-certified addiction and recovery coach and has been involved in various recovery committees.

The two opponents came to TBR News Media’s offices to debate their opinions on whose ideas would be best suitable for the town clerk’s position.

The concern of making Freedom of Information Law appeals more accessible to the public is something that Costell said he will actively work on if elected. His main argument is that residents of Brookhaven have been left in the dark when it comes to requesting information from the Town Clerk’s Office.

However, Lent said if materials or records are not able to be provided, there is a reason as to why not. 

“They probably haven’t asked for the records correctly, we are not required to create records for them, we only have to provide what is already existing,” she said. “Sometimes people don’t search thoroughly because there was an aspect of something they weren’t unaware of that we were able to shed light on.”

Rebutting Lent’s argument, Costell said he had very serious questions about the FOIL process as there were nearly 14,000 requests last year in the town’s Law Department.

“I would like to work as part of that process for an audit to figure out how we can streamline that process,” he said.

Costell feels the information on the town’s website is not readily available to residents. 

“When initiating a public hearing notice on the town’s website, the information about the hearing is not connected to the notice, so residents don’t always know about the particulars of what’s being proposed in the public hearing,” he said.

Lent said the Town Clerk’s Office does the public hearing notices, which are readily available on the website as soon as they go up. However, the town clerk does not make the determination on what needs to get posted because the notice is from what the Law Department already drafted. 

“It is incumbent upon the clerk in my belief, to coordinate and collaborate, not to just handle a piece of paper and move it on to the next level,” Costell said.

In regards to communicating with the Town of Brookhaven, he said the software the office is using should be able to have direct sign-ups for people who are interested in a particular issue so people from various areas do not have to rely on someone from a different town to tell them there’s a hearing related to something they are interested in.

However, Lent said there is a sign-up system within civic clerks for alerts and areas of topic. She noted that residents can call her office to be added to get notifications as well. 

Costell believes that the Town Clerk’s Office should have more outreach to the public on a quarterly basis by using town facilities such as senior centers and recreational programs, to help residents navigate the online services or to assist communities that don’t have access to broadband. 

“We have been improving that process, that’s why we changed our software system last February,” Lent said. “There has been a period of adjustment for residents that were accustomed to finding documents within the old system, but if you use the search bar at the top it will take you to whatever you are looking for.”

Disagreeing with Lent, Costell said he thinks the website is hard to navigate and should have the option to be translated to Spanish.

Lent feels her opponent will be biting off more than he can chew if elected as town clerk. “Everyone has hopes dreams and aspirations of what a job may be like, but it’s not until you get into the job that you have to face the reality of day-to-day operations and restrictions,” Lent said.

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