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Lauren Sheprow

Accounting practices spur deep dive into Port Jeff Village finances

by Lynn Hallarman - December 15, 2023

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Village board hires financial firm to untangle information gaps in capital fund record keeping

By Lynn Hallarman

Concerns were raised by newly-appointed village treasurer Stephen Gaffga about the bookkeeping practices that track the village’s capital project fund, prompting a call for a full accounting of the fund’s financial records going back at least seven years.

Gaffga was recently the treasurer for the Village of Greenport. He was hired this past summer by Port Jefferson Village, replacing Denise Mordente who served as treasurer for the previous administration.

During the Nov. 20 meeting of the Port Jefferson Village Board of Trustees, Gaffga described the capital fund’s bookkeeping as having a “severe information gap” in the fund’s ledger. Standard financial procedures “were not followed as best practice,” according to Gaffga.

“I came into Port Jefferson in September, and I saw a negative balance with the capital fund,” the treasurer said. “I tried to figure out how that came to be.”

Gaffga explained at the meeting that capital projects were approved and money was spent, but all these expenses were recorded as a “running tally on the ledger.” This accounting method makes it seem like there is a negative balance for all these projects.

“That’s not the case — we borrowed money, got grant funding, transferred money from the general fund, but the trail is very difficult to follow,” he said.

Gaffga recommended the board hire an outside specialized CPA firm, PKF O’Connor Davies of Hauppauge, to receive assistance in analyzing the record keeping of the capital fund going back in time. As stated at the trustees meeting, the cost of the lookback should not exceed $4,500 per year analyzed. The goal of the analysis is to uncover the financial history of each capital project and “establish a clean slate,” Gaffga said.

“It is entirely possible that everything is OK dollarwise, and it is just a mess on the books,” he told TBR News Media.

Former village Mayor Margot Garant, objected to Gaffga’s characterization of the records. “We did a lot in 14 years, and we used our money very carefully,” she said in an interview, adding, “The documents in place are pretty easy to follow. I don’t know what their issue is.”

The New York State Office of the State Comptroller requires municipalities to undergo an annual audit of financial records. According to the 2022 audit done by the independent accounting firm Cullen & Danowski of Port Jefferson Station, the village had areas for improvement.

Firstly, the village neglected to properly inventory its capital “hard” assets, according to Chris Reino, who represented the auditor at the August trustees business meeting.

The village has no running list of assets like trucks, buildings, computer equipment and furniture, for example, since “at least 2014,” Reino said.

As a consequence, if something goes missing or “there is a catastrophe, it will be hard [for the village] to make a claim to an insurance company to replace it,” Mayor Lauren Sheprow noted.

Secondly, the report indicated that the “village did not maintain adequate accounting records” of the capital project fund.

Cullen & Danowski did not respond to email and phone requests for comment for this story.

Capital project fund

The capital project fund financed a range of projects over time for the village, such as restoring the East Beach bluff, repaving walkways at Harborfront Park, creating the Barnum Street parking lot, building bathrooms at Rocketship Park, digitizing records and more.

The trail of money for a project should be easy to follow by a citizen, according to the state Comptroller’s Office. Bookkeeping for the capital fund should tell the complete story of how taxpayer dollars are appropriated and spent for each project to prevent overspending or leaving financial holes in the funding for essential village improvements.

“I want this board to be educated about this process, so we are all aware of where the money’s coming from and how it’s being spent,” the mayor said at the November board meeting.

Financial transparency

At the August board meeting, Sheprow complained that members of the previous board “never saw the 2022 audit.”

“I don’t recall specifically, but I know I had a discussion with [the trustees] and the treasurer that [the audit report] was in, and I believe that was January,” Garant told TBR News Media.

While financial audits should be posted, along with other yearly financial records on the village website after the Board of Trustees reviews them according to OSC best practice, the 2022 audit submitted to the village administration in January this year was not posted to the village website until this past week, shortly after TBR News Media requested to review the audit report (see portjeff.com/fiscalyear2022auditdocuments).

Mordente did not respond to requests for comment for this story about the village’s 2022 auditing process.

Moving forward, Sheprow said she wants to remedy this perceived gap in transparency.

Gaffga said at the November board meeting the village wants to establish a clean slate so there are no “skeletons bookkeeping-wise that could hold the village back.”

Huzzah! The 27th annual Dickens Festival rings in the holiday spirit

by Julianne Mosher - December 9, 2023

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Nearing three decades, the village of Port Jefferson turned once again into a Dickensian storyland for the annual Charles Dickens Festival.

Kickstarted by a parade down East Main Street on Saturday, Dec. 2, dozens of people dressed to the nines in their best Victorian-era suits and gowns joined characters from Dickens’ books like “Oliver Twist” and “A Christmas Carol” to march to

the Village Center.

“This really is the unofficial kickoff to the holiday season,” Mayor Lauren Sheprow said. “Walking through the Village Center is literally like a movie set, and what the arts council has done in such a short period of time, I’m overwhelmed and amazed by it.”

Spearheaded by the Village of Port Jefferson and the Greater Port Jefferson-Northern Brookhaven Arts Council, there were plenty of things to do and see.

Different dance troupes performed throughout the day in different locations, while a blacksmith was melting iron in front of the Frigate store. For the first time ever, the arts council created Santa Claus Central, located inside the Methodist Church.

Sheprow said she was looking most forward to watching her nephew perform at the Presbyterian Church with his school’s orchestra, “and see how residents and visitors really appreciate this event.”

And it wouldn’t have been a Dickens Festival without sporadic performances from “Oliver Twist” and “A Christmas Carol” scheduled throughout the day on Main Street.

Other fun events that followed into Sunday, Dec. 3, despite the wet weather, included ice skating, checking out the festival of trees inside the Village Center, a magic show, horse and carriage rides and performances from all levels of the Port Jefferson school district choirs and orchestras.

Joyful jamboree in Port Jeff: Santa sparkles at BID’s 2nd annual tree lighting

by TBR Staff - December 2, 2023

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By Michael Scro

Port Jefferson Business Improvement District held its 2nd annual Christmas Tree Lighting on Wednesday, Nov. 22, at the intersection of Broadway and East Broadway, where a crowd of resident families gathered to enjoy live music, dancing and a visit from Santa Claus, who joined in with the tree lighting.

The crowd was treated to dance routines from the Shine Dance Company, based in East Setauket, live holiday music from Erik McCormack, who played the famous tunes on his acoustic guitar, and hot chocolate to keep everyone warm.

The evening culminated in the arrival of Santa Claus, who sat in a large upright chair beside the tree before its official lighting.

Village of Port Jefferson Mayor Lauren Sheprow led a countdown to the tree’s lighting and thanked everyone in attendance.

“This is a truly special event the village looks forward to every year,” she said.

Santa then greeted the children and handed out candy canes while the tree shined brightly for the rest of the evening.

— Photos by Michael Scro/Media Origin

Harborfront Park walkways undergo renovation as officials justify asphalt

by Raymond Janis - November 18, 2023

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Due to walkway reconstruction, Harborfront Park in Port Jefferson is currently closed to the public.

In an exclusive interview, Village of Port Jefferson Mayor Lauren Sheprow offered updates on the park project, outlining the motivations guiding this initiative.

“We wanted to make sure that we could do the whole park with whatever solution we came up with,” she said. “The priority was safety, and then fiscal responsibility was the second responsibility,” leading to the choice of asphalt.

Roger Corcella, project manager for the park, said the preexisting walkways were not adequately maintained, prompting safety concerns from village officials.

He said the walkways were “in desperate need of repair,” noting, “It wasn’t safe to walk anymore, especially if you had any physical issues. It wasn’t [Americans with Disabilities Act]-compliant.”

Corcella added that the village considered various factors before deciding on asphalt for the walkways. He said the village required a material that would be cost-effective, durable, eco-friendly, customizable, ADA-compliant and require minimal maintenance.

He pointed to other municipalities, such as Brookhaven and Babylon, which use asphalt on park surfaces. “This is a very common practice to use this,” he said.

Further defending the choice of material, Corcella noted that asphalt enables Harborfront Park to serve residents as “a 12-month park” due to simple snow removal service.

During the November general meeting of the village board of trustees, former Mayor Margot Garant objected to the use of asphalt over stamped concrete due to environmental and permeability concerns [See story, “Harborfront Park walkways spark debate, former and current Port Jeff officials clash over materials,” Nov. 9, TBR News Media]. Responding to the objections, Sheprow reiterated her public safety concerns.

“We get way too many reports of trips and falls in the community and didn’t want Harborfront Park to be one of those locations,” the mayor said. “Therefore, we had to look at the whole entire park and look at resurfacing the walkways around the entire park.”

“We want to make the park accessible to everybody, and if we put in stamped concrete, we wouldn’t be able to do the whole park,” she added.

To finance the costs associated with the walkway reconstruction project, which totals $248,907, the village board is making use of grants from Suffolk County and the Town of Brookhaven that will subsidize over a third of the overall expense.

“We were looking at $90,000 that would help us pay for this project,” Sheprow said. “Had we not acted immediately, we wouldn’t have received it,” adding, “In order to be eligible for those grants, the understanding was that [the project] would have to be for the entire park. … We needed to be compliant with the requirements of the grants.”

During the interview, Sheprow referred to the practice of “deferred maintenance.” Given the safety concerns identified with the walkways, she concluded that the administration had to act.

“If you don’t address a situation when it first becomes an issue, it becomes an even bigger issue,” she said, adding, “My goal was not to defer the maintenance of the park any longer — to let it become a bigger issue — but to address it immediately.”

Corcella said he aims to complete the walkway reconstruction project by mid-December. To view the village’s full Q&A page on the Harborfront Park project, visit portjeff.com/harborfrontparkconstruction.

Andrew Freleng appointed to direct Port Jeff Village’s Building & Planning Department

by Press Release - October 21, 2023

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SILO_Village_Hall-536x357-1 — File photo

In a unanimous vote by the Village of Port Jefferson Board of Trustees, Andrew P. Freleng was appointed to direct the village’s Building & Planning Department, effective Nov. 13.

Freleng, of Middle Island, is chief planner at the Suffolk County Department of Economic Development and Planning, overseeing the Regulatory Review Unit that analyzes zoning and subdivision referrals on behalf of the Suffolk County Planning Commission. He also supervises the staff to the Suffolk County Council on Environmental Quality, which is responsible for reviewing the environmental ramifications of all actions of the county.

Currently, Freleng is the chair of the Brookhaven National Laboratory Executive Roundtable and vice chair of the Central Pine Barrens Credit Clearinghouse board of advisers. He is a former member of the board of directors of the New York Planning Federation and a past Long Island section director for the American Planning Association. Before coming to Suffolk County, Freleng was chief planner for the Town of Southampton and prior to that chief environmental planner for the Melville-based H2M architects + engineers, an engineering, architecture and planning firm.

In 1999, Freleng was elected to the Port Jefferson Board of Trustees after serving three years on the village Planning Board. As trustee, Freleng was responsible for the Conservation Advisory Council, Parks Department, the Department of Public Safety and adviser to the Board of Trustees on matters such as SEQRA, waterfront and stormwater issues.

Freleng holds a bachelor’s degree in environmental science from Long Island University-Southampton College and a master’s in environmental management from Long Island University-C.W. Post Campus. In 1990, he was accepted into the American Institute of Certified Planners.

“Having someone of Andy’s caliber in this position is a real coup for the village,” said Mayor Lauren Sheprow. “His vast experience will help guide and elevate the department at this critical phase in our growth. In fact, it was Andy, in his capacity as chief planner for the county who authored the professional review of Port Jefferson’s 2030 Comprehensive Plan, further demonstrating his knowledge of and longstanding history with our village.”

The mayor added, “I look forward to working with him and am confident he will hit the ground running. Welcome back, Andy.”

Port Jeff village board contemplates ethics overhaul

by Raymond Janis - October 21, 2023

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The Village of Port Jefferson Board of Trustees is weighing sweeping changes to Chapter 41 of the Village Code, which handles ethics. This was one of the items considered at the Oct. 16 business meeting.

The village’s ethics counsel, Steven Leventhal, is preparing a draft for revisions to the ethics code, to be presented during a scheduled public hearing in just over a month.

Trustee Drew Biondo outlined some reasons for revising the Code of Ethics, including the possible formation of a board of ethics.

“I think the whole purpose of this is to form a body, so that you have a board in place that can hear complaints, concerns, and then issue an opinion — founded or unfounded,” he said.

Mayor Lauren Sheprow said the envisioned ethics board would assist the village government by issuing advisory opinions for ethically complicated matters, such as determinations of possible conflicts of interest.

To resolve ethical dilemmas, “the board would consider the law, the case law, the ethics laws and make a decision,” the mayor added.

Deputy Mayor Rebecca Kassay inquired about powers to be conferred upon the proposed board of ethics, maintaining that municipal boards — such as the Planning Board or Zoning Board of Appeals — generally exercise greater latitude than advisory committees with decisions that are potentially legally binding.

“In my tenure here, boards are always looked at as much weightier” as “their decisions could then lead to lawsuits,” she said.

Kassay suggested forming an ethics committee, functioning similarly to other advisory committees to the village board, with the potential for upgrading that body into a board, noting, “While you’re working the kinks out, the stakes are a little bit lower as far as the decisions coming out of that body.”

Responding to these concerns, village attorney David Moran said the ethics board would function as an advisory body to the Board of Trustees, which would retain final authority to advance ethical controversies to outside agencies.

“They shouldn’t have the authority to send anything out to another agency, absent the approval of” the Board of Trustees, Moran said, adding that any other scheme would invest “way too much power” in the hands of private citizens appointed to the ethics board.

The board voted unanimously to advance the proposed ethics code changes for a public hearing Monday, Nov. 20. A draft of the proposed code amendment will be made available to the public seven to 10 days before the public hearing.

Resolutions

The board adopted an add-on resolution awarding a bid of $248,907 to Connecticut-based F&F Concrete to perform reconstruction of the Harborfront Park walkways. Over a third of this project is subsidized by grant money.

“This is critical timewise,” said village clerk Sylvia Pirillo. “We need to complete the work and pay for it and have proof of payment submitted so that we don’t lose our grant funding — all by the end of the year.”

The walkway reconstruction will take approximately five to six weeks, with administration officials targeting the first week of December for completion.

“There will be a lot of communication needs for what we’re doing with the farmers market and the closing off of the walkways,” Sheprow said.

The board also adopted a resolution to raise membership rates at the Port Jefferson Country Club. These rate increases were recommended by PJCC general manager Tom Natola and the Country Club Management Advisory Council.

Reports

Sheprow publicly thanked the Port Jefferson Business Improvement District for assisting the village in its holiday lighting expenses through a $5,000 contribution.

Kassay reported on a recent grant from PSEG Long Island for trees in PJV. She said the Conservation Advisory Council is exploring possible recommendations to the village board on potentially scaling back the use of gas-powered leaf blowers and other landscaping equipment, citing the issue of noise coupled with related environmental and health effects from the chemical exhausts.

Kassay maintained that the proposal would not ban the use of the equipment altogether but aims to reduce their use villagewide.

She also encouraged village residents to register for the various volunteer committees through portjeff.com/volunteer.

Following a recent Saturday sit-down event, trustee Bob Juliano conveyed several sentiments and recommendations from village residents, including concerns over the parking pilot program for Belle Terre residents, “the proliferation of apartments as opposed to condos in the village” and a question over the order of reports during public meetings.

Trustee Stan Loucks advised those who have not yet removed their vessels from the village kayak racks to do so by the end of November.

To watch the entire meeting, see the video above.

Port Jeff Village seeks volunteers for advisory boards, councils and committees

by Press Release - October 7, 2023

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SILO_Village_Hall-536x357 — Port Jeff Village Hall. File photo

The Village of Port Jefferson is calling upon its residents to volunteer for various boards, councils and committees that play a crucial role in enhancing local government and the community.

“Volunteering for a board, council or committee provides an exceptional opportunity to actively engage in the decision-making processes that shape our policies and programs,” Mayor Lauren Sheprow said. “It’s a chance to lend your voice, expertise and unique perspective to initiatives that contribute to the vitality of Port Jefferson.”

Members of boards and committees contribute significantly to the progress and development of the village. Volunteer contributions can help formulate policies, oversee projects and ensure the best interests of the community are represented.

Residents are encouraged to explore the wide array of boards, councils and committees by visiting www.portjeff.com/volunteer. There, they can indicate their interests, preferences and availability.

For more information contact: [email protected].

PJV updates public on emergency response, traffic and new SBU internship program

by Raymond Janis - September 9, 2023

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The Village of Port Jefferson Board of Trustees hosted its monthly general meeting Tuesday, Sept. 5, when it addressed a recent emergency response situation over Labor Day weekend while advancing other local business.

Public safety

Code enforcement chief Andy Owen updated the public on a bomb threat in Port Jeff Harbor on Sunday, Sept. 3, highlighting the misinformation circulated on social media.

“This past Sunday, we had a bomb threat,” Owen indicated. “Once again, Facebook blew up, and it was all false. Everything you read on Facebook was false.”

The code chief said nine agencies were involved, including the Suffolk County Police Department, the village code department and the U.S. Coast Guard, among others.

“As per the Real Time Crime Center, it was a false threat,” Owen said. “It was deemed low risk by Suffolk County.”

The code chief reported that as the event unfolded in real time, “a lot of scuttlebutt” circulated on Facebook concerning the lack of an immediate public statement from the village.

“There are several reasons why a statement wasn’t put out,” he said. “One, to prevent chaos and unwanted onlookers,” adding that the code department had also sought “to ensure a proper and thorough investigation.”

Reports

Mayor Lauren Sheprow said the board is considering a resolution “to create a parking pass situation where Belle Terre residents can purchase a pass for the season and not have to worry about paying the parking meters on a regular basis.”

“That might encourage Belle Terre residents to come down more often, and then if that works for Belle Terre residents, maybe we can expand it out to other members of the community,” the mayor added.

Deputy Mayor Rebecca Kassay, who had attended the recent listening tour event in Brentwood on the New York State Environmental Bond Act [See story, “NYS offers possibilities of $4.2B bond act for Suffolk County, urges public input,” Aug. 31, TBR News Media], referred to the event as “illuminating,” with potential for the village to make use of those funds to confront a range of climate-related challenges.

Kassay added to the ongoing local debate surrounding the closure of the Port Jefferson Station office of the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, saying the closure would require village residents to travel farther, experience longer wait times and less availability of appointments.

Trustee Bob Juliano indicated that he would hold his first sit-down event this Saturday, Sept. 9. “I’ll be over at the Village Center in the living room from 9 to 10:30 [a.m.] if anybody wants to come by and just discuss with me different things going on in the village, different ideas,” he said.

Trustee Stan Loucks reported that village beaches remain open, though there are no longer lifeguards. “Be aware and careful up there if you’re going to be swimming,” he advised. He added that the bathrooms at East and West Beach will remain open.

Loucks also reported on a recent meeting with leaders from the Port Jefferson School District, who had expressed interest in extending speed tables along Scraggy Hill Road. [For more on these public safety concerns, see story, “Port Jeff village board holds public hearing on Scraggy Hill stop signs …” Aug. 24, TBR News Media website.]

Other business

The board had also agreed to enter into an internship agreement with Stony Brook University to offer programs such as public administration, civil engineering, information technology, communications, graphic design and other disciplines.

“We’re working very closely with the career center to make these internships come together,” Sheprow said. “We’re very excited about working with the university students to help pull our village into the current century.”

The board voted to accept the resignation of deputy village attorney Richard Harris, effective Sept. 14. “I just want to thank attorney Harris for his years of service to the village,” Kassay said. “He was always a strong colleague, and his work here is appreciated.”

To watch the full general meeting, including public comments, see the video above.

Port Jeff village board holds public hearing on Scraggy Hill stop signs, addresses finances and East Beach

by Raymond Janis - August 24, 2023

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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.

Letters to the Editor – August 3

by - August 3, 2023

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letters_page-scaled-1-700x467-1-1-2-3-2-1 — Photo by Raymond Janis

Community support vital to Gilgo Beach arrest

As I am sure you have by now seen or heard that after 13 years the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office was finally able to bring an indictment against Rex Heuermann for three of the Gilgo Beach serial murders, and we expect the fourth to be resolved soon by the grand jury.

Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney. File photo from Tierney’s office

Our work is continuing until all of the murders are fully investigated.

During my campaign, I had promised the families of these victims that I would make my best efforts to solve these cases. After taking office in January 2022, we set up a task force.

I appointed three assistant district attorneys, plus my chief ADA, my chief investigator, four detective investigators and a team of analysts to work daily in collaboration with the Suffolk County Police Department, Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office, New York State Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

We met weekly to review developments and strategize. Six weeks after the first task force meeting, Heuermann was identified as a suspect, and over the next 16 months, we gathered evidence using more than 300 subpoenas and search warrants until we had the evidence we needed to make an arrest.

Your support led directly to solving these serial killings.

Your support allows me to get the important work of the district attorney’s office done day in and day out. Without your support, I wouldn’t be where I am today, and this significant case would likely not have been solved.

Thank you again for your help — and expect more good things to come.

Ray Tierney (R)

Suffolk County District Attorney

Editor’s note: One is innocent until proven guilty. While it is with great relief that we seem to be moving toward justice, we are decidedly not there yet. All involved in this enormous effort are to be commended for their efforts to bring about justice, but we must wait for the final verdict before we convict in the court of public opinion.

Clarifying recent village treasurer appointment

It was disconcerting and disheartening that The Port Times Record, the official newspaper for the Incorporated Village of Port Jefferson, first published incorrect information regarding what transpired at a recent Village Board of Trustees meeting, and then “corrected” that record in a way that cultivated negativity instead of noting a true positive outcome.

A majority of the board ultimately acted in concert, and voted to approve the appointment of Donald Pearce as treasurer following an executive session. While the executive session discussion is privileged, please note that I have invited the Office of the New York State Comptroller’s Division of Local Government and School Accountability to conduct a comprehensive review and audit of our villagewide operations.

This is a “gold standard” of review and accountability undertaken by many new mayors which will be objective and fair, will provide a clear path for our village to move forward properly in terms of process and procedure, and will reestablish clear-cut guidelines for the highest level of fiscal responsibility. I have undertaken this initiative to ensure that the village government is the most efficient and responsible entity that it can possibly be for the benefit of our deserving residents.

To that end, please remember that a treasurer takes an oath of office, as do members of the Board of Trustees. Our decisions are ours alone and they have a significant impact. Accountability is paramount, and I believe that our new treasurer will bring that accountability and service to the residents of Port Jefferson, which is why I am so grateful that he has agreed to return to his roots and once again serve the Village of Port Jefferson.

We look forward to a new, positive, forward-thinking relationship with our partners at The Port Times Record, to encourage free and open dialogue and the dissemination of factual information — another tangible benefit to our valued residents.

Lauren Sheprow

Mayor, Village of Port Jefferson

Sherwood-Jayne animals are part of our community and family

My name is JenniferJane Cortes and I am a Three Village resident. My husband and I along with our two young children purchased a house here eight years ago.

My dream has been to buy a farm ever since leaving our family farm in New Jersey 20 years ago. When we were looking in the Three Village area, we happened to be driving down Old Post Road coming from Port Jefferson. I remember the day well.

We came upon a beautiful farm with sheep in the pasture. There were also goats and a pony, but my eyes were fixed on the sheep. I asked my husband to please slow down so I could just “be” with them for a moment.

As we drove by, I said to myself and then my husband that if we can’t find a small farm for ourselves, then we must find a house on this street. About a week later and many more drives past the farm, we found a house within a 2-minute walk.

“Look no further,” I said. “We have found our house near the farm and animals.”

We visit with the animals so often that they feel like they are part of our family. My children know their names and call them over. We have grown quite attached to Snowball.

This farm and the animals mean so much to our small family and also to this community. Their caretaker, Susanna [Gatz], does an amazing job caring for them and the property. It is such a joy to see someone enjoying them and caring for them on a daily basis.

To see them moved would be absolutely devastating.

I am praying that the animals and Susanna get to remain one of the best parts of residing on Old Post Road.

JenniferJane Cortes

East Setauket

Removing Sherwood-Jayne animals is callous

In the late 1980s, my mom and I walked daily from our house on Old Post Road to Play Groups School, where I attended preschool. We always stopped to greet the animals at the Sherwood-Jayne Farm, often packing apple slices or carrots for Chester, the brown horse, who waited by the street for his morning treat from a delighted toddler.

I am currently pregnant with my first child and temporarily living back on Old Post Road, where I once again visit with the animals on my daily walk, and I am devastated that my son will not be able to stroll down the street with his grandparents to visit the “unicorn,” aka Snowball, or attend the Sheep Shearing Festival. No matter where in the world I have lived, greeting the animals at the Sherwood-Jayne Farm has been a part of my homecoming ritual and I am saddened to learn that Preservation Long Island has made the callous decision to relocate them.

Contrary to [PLI executive director] Alexandra Wolfe’s statement in your article [“Animals to leave Sherwood-Jayne Farm,” July 27], I would argue that the animals are the only thing connecting the community with the property. The bucolic scene of grazing animals helps visitors envision the historical significance of the house and farm, which otherwise offers very little community programming. Many more passersby pause to marvel at the majestic Snowball than at the house itself. How can you have a historically significant farm without animals?

Wolfe states that liability is a concern. I am curious how frequently PLI has issues with trespassers into the pasture and how realistic that concern is. She also states that she is bothered by concerned animal lovers who call PLI because they are worried about the geriatric pony’s health. This could be fixed inexpensively by erecting an informational sign explaining Snowball’s age and ailments, perhaps including a QR Code to donate to the animal’s upkeep and care.

While Wolfe does not state this, I presume the true limiting factor in maintaining the animals, under the loving care of Susanna Gatz, is the cost. PLI should be transparent and invite the community to tackle this challenge. How much, exactly, would it cost to maintain the animals on this property for the duration of their lifespan? Plenty of animal lovers, myself included, would gladly contribute to Snowball & Friends being allowed to live their lives in a familiar and safe environment.

Lia Harper

East Setauket

Water, water, not everywhere

Now that we’re coming to our senses and starting to realize the importance of the water below us, I’d like to share my epiphany.

A professor told me about his annual trip to Kenya. He visited a rural village that had no electricity, toilets or local source of water. The older children had the responsibility to fetch water for their families.

He accompanied the barefoot children and noticed that they walked through human feces on the way to the community well, which was but a crude pit … a few feet across and a few feet deep, with a dark puddle at the bottom.

He handed me a photo, saying, “Notice that the children are standing in the water. The very water that the family will be drinking.” I thought, although uneducated and poor, didn’t these people have the good sense to not poison their own well?

Aren’t we all born with an innate sense to not do harm to our life-sustaining water? How could the elders not instruct the children to carefully avoid stepping in it when going to the well or to somehow clean their feet before standing in the water?

Then, an afterthought: Isn’t that exactly what we’re doing to our precious gift … our aquifer? We pour insecticides and herbicides on lawns. We broadcast chemical fertilizer to make greens greener. We flush unused antibiotics down toilets. Our cesspools seep human waste down into our aquifer.

With soiled feet, we stand in our own well.

Bruce Stasiuk

Setauket

Legislatures are failing us

Congress adjourning and leaving Washington for the traditional August recess to return to their districts is actually great news.

Our civil and economic liberties are continually at risk when any legislative body — be it the New York City Council, New York State Legislature or U.S. Congress and so on — is in session.

Elected officials on a bipartisan basis routinely pass legislation to increase spending, taxes, borrowing and deficits. They also pass bills benefiting their “pay-for-play” contributors, funding pork-barrel member items along with new rules and regulations infringing on our day-to-day lives.

When Congress is not working, members can’t cause mischief and grief for the rest of us. I wish they would stay home even longer.

Larry Penner

Great Neck

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