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Peter Sloniewsky

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Smithtown Town Hall. File photo

By Peter Sloniewsky

An application for a controversial Kings Park waste management rail project was withdrawn by CarlsonCorp, a local developer, at the end of March. 

Townline Rail Terminal LLC, an affiliate of CarlsonCorp, proposed a new commercial rail terminal in Kings Park to the federal Surface Transportation Board in January. Elected officials that supported the project, including Town of Smithtown Supervisor Ed Wehrheim  (R) and Suffolk County Legislator Rob Trotta (R, Fort Salonga) cite a desire to take trucks off of the roads as a main purpose for the project. 

In a previous interview with TBR News Media, CarlsonCorp head Toby Carlson also cited the closure of the Town of Brookhaven Landfill as an important reason to build the rail yard. At a public meeting in January, proponents of the plan, including Carlson, claimed that a more efficient system of waste management is necessary and that replacing garbage trucks with freight trains would reduce road congestion and environmental impact. 

To pass, the proposal would have required amendments to local zoning and waste management laws alongside a town environmental review. The proposed construction would have extended approximately 5,000 feet off the Long Island Rail Road Port Jefferson Branch line, and would have been used to dispose of incinerated ash and construction debris with diesel freight trains. 

However, the proposal was met with firm community discontent. In particular, residents of Smithtown and surrounding areas revived the Townline Association, a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization devoted to fighting the project. 

In a Change.org petition with more than 3,200 signatures, the Townline cited health risks, noise concerns, potential water pollution, a negative impact on home values and a lack of public notice for their opposition. The project was also opposed by the Commack Community Association and the Fort Salonga Association. 

While this project may have been canceled, the landfill’s closure still presents a major issue for waste management across Long Island. Nicole Garguilo, a public information officer for the Town of Smithtown, clarified that the town is still looking for solutions. 

“But while this specific proposal is no longer moving forward, the underlying issue — the urgent need for sustainable waste management solutions — has not gone away,” Garguilo wrote to TBR News Media. 

Garguilo also emphasized that the Town of Smithtown is looking for a larger-scale process in the future. 

“The rail line project was set aside by the applicant until a broader, regional plan involving both Suffolk County and New York State could be established to address the growing solid waste crisis,” Garguilo told TBR. “Addressing the waste crisis will require thoughtful

planning, strategic research and coordinated action at the highest levels of government. Meaningful solutions must be rooted in comprehensive federal, state and county legislation, with sustained support and funding at the core of any long-term strategy,” She added. 

That being said, she also affirmed that the Town of Smithtown would be more open to public comment in the future on such matters. 

“This experience has reaffirmed a vital lesson: that early, transparent and consistent public engagement is essential, even when the Town’s role is limited by federal or state jurisdiction, or by constitutional and zoning laws. Residents deserve to have their voices heard and their concerns acknowledged — especially on issues as impactful as infrastructure and waste management,” Garguilo wrote. “As we move forward, we are committed to full transparency. The public will be kept informed in real time, and every proposal will be subject to rigorous review and community input. We know there are no easy answers — but we also know that inaction is not an option.”

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Port Jefferson Village Hall. Photo by Heidi Sutton 2023

By Peter Sloniewsky

At its Jan. 29 meeting, the board of trustees of the Incorporated Village of Port Jefferson voted unanimously to appoint Kevin Cooper as code enforcement supervisor and Anthony Flammia as assistant supervisor. 

Cooper is a state-certified code enforcement official and building inspector. A resident of Baiting Hollow, he attended Dowling College and Empire State College before spending more than three decades as an officer for the New York City Police Department and New York City Transit Police. In those roles, Cooper was primarily focused on the New York City subway system. After his retirement from the NYPD in 2020, he became the director of ordinance enforcement and animal control for the Town of East Hampton. 

Flammia is a former officer of the New York City and Centre Island police departments across a 40-year career and possesses a master’s degree in professional studies in homeland security from Penn State University alongside an undergraduate degree in criminal justice and human services from Empire State College. Since 2023, he’s worked as an armed security operative for Arrow Security on Renaissance Technologies’ East Setauket campus. 

In a recent public meeting of the Port Jefferson Civic Association, Cooper presented his plans for Port Jefferson code enforcement. These plans include increased accessibility through an online complaint form, promoting visibility in part through expanded service hours, and broader changes to the division’s mission statement and policy lines between code enforcement and police. Cooper also displayed openness to expanded hiring and clarified his perception of the role of code enforcement as “about education and compliance, not about writing tickets.” 

“I want to help in making the village an enjoyable place to live in and visit,” Cooper said. “I pride myself on being responsive and if I cannot address a concern a resident might make me aware of, I will guide them to the agency or department that will help solve the problem or issue.”

In a statement to TBR News Media, Port Jefferson village Trustee Xena Ugrinsky detailed the context of this selection process as well as faith in Cooper to improve the village’s code enforcement. 

“This has been an 18-month effort of the current administration when [Mayor Lauren Sheprow] was elected. It was focused on modernizing and improving the village’s approach to code enforcement,” Ugrinsky told TBR. “[With Cooper and Flammia] the village is now well-positioned to implement a professional and purpose-built code enforcement unit. Both individuals bring deep experience in law and code enforcement and are working closely with Suffolk County Police to ensure clear coordination and a distinct delineation of responsibilities between the two bodies.” 

Ugrinsky also detailed concerns related to private firearm ownership among code enforcement personnel and outdated village regulation on code enforcement. 

Sheprow also emphasized the importance of the new hirings in a statement to TBR. 

“The training and educational aspects of this professional and cultural shift are significant, and we are grateful to Supervisor Cooper for taking this on,” Sheprow wrote. 

“He has the knowledge and awareness to help shape priorities, and the more time he spends working in the village, the more he will understand where the best opportunities for education and improvement exist.”

For more information visit the Port Jefferson village website (www.portjeff.com). 

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Town of Huntington council members voted 4-1 to eliminate discretionary legislative staff appointments. Photo courtesy of Town of Huntington website.

By Peter Sloniewsky

The Town of Huntington Town Board met Feb. 11 to discuss a variety of resolutions and matters, highlighted by an allegedly last-minute resolution to dismiss each individual legislator’s staffers. 

In a 4-1 decision, the members of the board adopted a resolution which eliminated each of its members’ two discretionary legislative staff appointments in favor of a unified call center. This resolution was passed with the understanding that the affected staffers would be able to reapply for positions in the call center or for other civil service positions. 

Councilwoman Brooke Lupinacci

Councilwoman Brooke Lupinacci (R) was the lone no vote. In the meeting, Lupinacci argued that she had been left in the dark on the details of the resolution prior to the meeting and “elected officials having legislative staff that are appointed of their choosing is commonplace.” She claimed that she was the only council member with “no knowledge” that the staffers were fired and she was not consulted prior to the resolution. 

Lupinacci continued to describe the vote as “a grotesque display of an attempt to crush my ability to do my job,” before motioning that it be tabled and concluding that she could not “support a resolution that would be firing my staff.” No other council members spoke on the resolution before it was passed. 

Additionally, the Town Board dedicated time to appoint and reappoint a number of civil servants. These included a member of the Board of Assessment Review, which responds to claims of misvalued property for taxation, members of the town’s Conservation Board, a director of the Public Safety Department and a member of the Citizens Advisory Committee for Persons with Disabilities. 

The board also passed resolutions to develop public spaces. They passed a resolution requesting the New York State Legislature to discontinue the use of parklands to build a Huntington African American Museum. They also moved to dedicate some town property to build a Cold Spring Hills park. 

Lastly, the board settled some ongoing litigation and authorized applications for program and grant funding from a variety of governmental and nongovernmental sources. 

The Town Board will meet next March 20.

For more information visit www.huntingtonny.gov.

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Port Jefferson Village Hall. Photo by Heidi Sutton 2023

By Peter Sloniewsky

In the new year, the Port Jefferson Country Club’s governorship has remained an issue among the trustees and the public. 

Prior to the Board of Trustees meeting on Jan. 29, Mayor Lauren Sheprow wrote to the membership of the country club that she was planning to introduce a resolution that would solicit a Request for Expression of Interest  to create a 10-year strategic plan for the club at a cost of no more than $50,000. An EOI is a competitive process used to get information from potential consultants about interest in a project and does not require any actual investment. 

Tom Natola. Photo courtesy of portjeffcc.com

This plan would include both capital and operations planning for the course and the campus and comes after a number of controversies stalled last year’s planning efforts. Debates over junior membership, initiation fees and other components of the membership package stretched across the month of December before being cut short by a surprise announcement by General Manager Tom Natola that rates, playing and access policies would not change between 2024 and 2025. 

At the Jan. 29 meeting, the trustees both debated Sheprow’s proposal and engaged with one another about resolving the current controversy of junior membership rates. After a recommendation from the town attorney, Sheprow removed the $50,000 number. 

Trustee Robert Juliano questioned why the club’s Board of Governors  or Country Club Management Advisory Council were not just asked to develop such a strategic plan. The town attorney stopped this discussion, stating that it was a non-public matter of “job performance.”  Sheprow later told TBR News Media that she “first requested that [Natola] develop a strategic plan in October of 2023” before coming “to the conclusion that professional assistance may be needed.” 

Trustee Kyle Hill also moved to push this job to the BOG and CCMAC and showed a reluctance to spend money on such a plan whether that was the intention of the resolution or not. He also argued that the membership of the club had not been adequately consulted, and that there was a risk for “reputational damage” to the board of trustees as a result. Regardless, the EOI was passed 3-2 among the trustees, with trustee Stan Louks (who previously served as liaison to the country club) and Hill opposed. 

CCMAC Chair Lisa Perry told TBR News Media that CCMAC had not met to discuss the proposal of a consultant-driven strategic plan, but that Sheprow had mentioned her intention to take this approach. Sheprow also defended this approach to TBR News Media: “With the complexities of all the moving parts surrounding the property … I consider it my direct responsibility, for the best interests of all our residents/taxpayers, to take lead on this, and soliciting expressions of interest was the first step to help educate the Board of Governors and the CCMAC on what services are available.”

However, later public comment showed some discontent with this strategy. Resident Matt Franco called to disband the BOG and implement bylaws. Looking ahead, he also argued that the $50,000 for a strategic plan would have to come from a rainy-day fund, and that the goal of a general manager at the club should be to take lead on designing that 10-year plan. 

The trustees also unanimously certified a set of rules for the club for 2025 identical to the 2024 rules (as Natola’s announcement had promised) with the change of moving juniors start times from 2 p.m. to 10 a.m. 

Just two days later, in a surprise to the club’s members, Sheprow announced the resignation of Natola. Rather than immediately seeking a replacement, she wrote that a combination of the BOG, CCMAC and the return of   Louks as liaison to the club would lead its governance. Sheprow told TBR News Media that it is “a best practice for any country club to have a general manager” but stated faith in Louks to assist in managing the club for the time being. Perry also asserted to TBR News Media that, while the CCMAC had not yet met, she had faith in the club’s other management along with Louks to keep things running smoothly. 

In hindsight, Sheprow told TBR News Media “a bylaws document for the BOG is essential to define the makeup and roles and responsibilities of the BOG,” but also that this was “another long outstanding deliverable anticipated from the GM.” She also reflected that the BOG had done well in 2023 (when it was re-formed) but that, once controversies arose, “it became evident that a resident majority is important.” Alternatively, Perry claimed that she would “personally be in favor of the BOG having an equal number of residents to nonresidents,” but noted that it does currently have a resident majority. 

The Port Jefferson Board of Trustees will meet again on Feb. 26.

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Centereach High School

By Peter Sloniewsky

Middle Country Central School District Board of Education convened a regular meeting Jan. 22 at Centereach High School. At the meeting, they covered a variety of matters, including provisions for special education. 

The board approved committee recommendations from a series of past meetings with regard to special education. Specifically, they provided the programs and services recommended by meetings of the Committee on Pre-School Special Education, Sub-Committee on Special Education and the district administration office’s annual review. 

They also replaced some of the district’s impartial hearing officers. The IHOs oversee due-process hearings requested by parents or school districts regarding disputes over individualized education programs for special-education students, class placement decisions, services and accommodations for such students and disciplinary action for students with disabilities. 

In New York, IHOs are independent and neutral individuals certified by the New York State Education Department who are assigned cases on a rotational basis. At this meeting, the board approved the addition of four new IHOs and removed four existing IHOs. 

Lastly, on the point of special education, the board approved a contract with the therapy agency Little Angels Center to continue to work alongside students’ individualized education plans throughout the remainder of the school year. 

Assistant Superintendent for Business Beth Rella presented a report on property-tax exemptions that reduce a property’s assessed value before taxes have been calculated. She covered the exemptions that the district is both enrolled in and has opted into, including some basic points as to how they’re set. 

After the opening executive session, the board recognized the elementary students of the month: Thomas Castelli, Kayla Kowalczyk, David O’Leary and Aubrie Riccio. They then presented a certificate of appreciation to the owners of Salvino’s Pizzeria in Selden for providing free Thanksgiving Day meals to hundreds of families. 

The board also gave Athlete of the Month awards to Madelyn Madrigal (basketball), Andrew DiMondo (wrestling), Sheyla Lynton (basketball), Ryan Hicks (basketball), Anthony Cardiello IV (fencing) and Ava Kahler (track and field). 

Lastly, the board approved past treasurer’s reports, minutes from their last meeting, a listing of extracurricular classroom activity and the calendar for the 2025-2026 school year and opened the floor for 40 minutes of public comment. 

The board will meet next Feb. 5, 7 p.m., at Centereach High School.

For more information visit the school website: www.mccsd.net.

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Port Jefferson Village Hall. Photo by Heidi Sutton 2023

By Peter SLoniewsky

Guidelines surrounding membership rates and a junior golfers program at the Port Jefferson Country Club is a recent topic of contention. 

Because the country club is owned by the Village of Port Jefferson, the rates it charges to members require approval by the Port Jefferson Board of Trustees after they have been discussed by the club’s Board of Governors and approved by the club’s general manager and Country Club Management Advisory Council. 

December 4 meeting

This year, the club introduced a membership rate proposal to the entire Board of Trustees at their Dec. 4 work session. This proposal contained two major differences: it gradually eliminated the junior members program for children 12-18 and proposed a new initiation fee. The website also states that members must be 19-29 on Apr. 1 to play golf. Junior members are not permitted as guests.

At the meeting, the club’s general manager, Tom Natola, advocated for removing the junior membership option on the basis that many members with junior memberships had parents who were members. Natola said that it made more sense to sell family memberships and eliminating the junior program would incentivize this. 

He also said that there was a liability concern for juniors on the courses. At this meeting, both Mayor Lauren Sheprow and trustee Xena Ugrinsky discussed eliminating the junior program straightaway due to liability although they did not directly advocate for it. 

Both at the meeting and afterward, parents provided significant blowback. Port Jefferson parent Nicole Connolly, whose son and daughter are both junior golfers, said there has been a pattern of policymaking that has eroded the program over the past several years. According to Connolly, negotiations two years ago included significant parent resistance against a CCMAC proposal to disproportionately increase junior membership rates. 

CCMAC Chair Lisa Perry told TBR News Media that “the country club has always supported junior golfers and their families.”

She added that the Port Jefferson High School golf teams play for free at the club. 

As a result of these controversies, the Board of Trustees requested that Natola prepare another proposal for their Dec. 18 public meeting. 

Questions of CCMAC involvement

Complicating this, the process that led to the Dec. 4 proposal is unclear.  Sheprow said, “[the Board of Governors] made recommendations to the country club manager, who reviewed the recommendations with the Country Club Management Advisory Council, also volunteers, after which the country club manager developed the recommendations he deemed appropriate.” 

Perry said “The CCMAC reviewed the rates that were proposed by their general manager and agreed to recommend the rates to the board of trustees for their Dec. 18 meeting.’

CCMAC’s involvement in the process is enforced by Chapter 25 of the Village of Port Jefferson code. If it was not included in the process prior to the Dec. 4 rejection, the sourcing of that proposal is unclear. 

CCMAC voted on a proposal on Dec. 17 that was then presented to the trustees at their Dec. 18 meeting. At this meeting, Sheprow expressed some regret for a lack of consideration of families and junior members throughout the processes that led to the Dec. 4 proposal, although she encouraged stakeholders to get involved earlier in the process. She also attributed a lack of communication to an effort to balance the budget, despite the requirement in the village code of CCMAC input. 

The Dec. 18 proposal was largely similar to the Dec. 4 proposal but would further restrict juniors to times after 2 p.m. and increase the juniors’ fees by $1,000 — an increase that trustee Kyle Hill described as “insanity.” 

The trustees voted to table the matter of junior membership and new limitations that it would place on junior members’ play times. 

Resolution

This debate was cut short on Dec. 24 with a surprise announcement from Natola that “junior rates and playing and access policies will stay the same in 2025 as they were in 2024” and  “there will be no further discussion at the Board of Trustees level related to the Junior Membership package.” 

While this announcement was a win for the juniors, it brings back some questions about power in this process. 

Natola requires approval from the CCMAC and the Board of Trustees to approve rates. His declaration in this memo that there would be no further discussion is not supported by the club’s governing rules. 

Trustee Stan Loucks, who served as a liaison between the trustees and the club for eight years, told TBR News Media that he had no insights as to why the message was sent. He added that “[Natola’s decision] should most likely go back to the trustees for approval.

Whether a vote will be called is unclear, although Hill told TBR News Media that “it’s inappropriate for any village employee to say that a discussion among trustees is over” and “any Board of Trustee member can bring it up for discussion at a meeting.” He also noted that the Christmas Eve send date had stood in the way of discussion throughout the holiday season.

Future plans

For the future, Loucks emphasized a more stringent relationship between the club and the trustees and said he would support the appointment of a liaison to the club to guide the process in the future. 

Additionally, in an email to TBR News Media, Sheprow wrote that “it is imperative that rate structure considerations support a long-term strategic plan” and work on such a plan would begin “immediately” while reinforcing the roles of the Board of Governors, CCMAC and the trustees alongside concerns about the club’s budgeting. 

The resolution of this situation is still unclear. The specifics of the junior membership plan are still unspecified and the trustees have not yet considered it. The Board of Trustees will meet next for a public meeting on Jan. 29.

For more information go to the Port Jefferson Country Club website: www.portjeffcc.com.

 

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Paul Braile

By Peter Sloniewsky

Paul Braile’s volunteer commitments keep him constantly busy exemplifying his dedication to his community. Whether running Santa Claus Central at the First Methodist Church or managing work for the Port Jefferson Charles Dickens Festival, Braile’s packed schedule reflects his extraordinary commitment to volunteerism and his gift for bringing people together.

Braile has worked in theatrical stage lighting since 1995 on projects for television, movies, theater and corporations including the Super Bowl, Glee and the CBS Thanksgiving Day Parade. In 2001, he moved from New York City to Port Jefferson Village and founded Paul Braile Creative, a company specializing in innovative lighting design.

His volunteer work began in 2005 with the Greater Port Jefferson/Northern Brookhaven Arts Council where he provided lighting for the Charles Dickens Festival. Each year since (with the exception of 2020), Braile has illuminated 16 locations across the village creating magical displays for the community. Today, he serves as the vice-chair of the Arts Council.

Chair of the Council Allan Varela described Braile’s “creative sense and tireless work ethic” as unparalleled, citing his reconstruction of the Roe House Santa’s Workshop. Renamed ElfWorks, the project has become a beloved attraction delighting children and adults alike.

Beyond the Dickens Festival, Braile extends his talents to other community events. He creates lighting for the Port Jefferson High School prom where he also served as president in 2024. Introduced to the prom in 2005, Braile continues to help transform parents’ ideas into reality saying, “It’s all about community and what one can do that can make a difference.”

Braile’s influence goes beyond his artistry. Jon Famularo, a lighting designer who credits Braile with inspiring his career, described him as a mentor since middle school. Famularo praised Braile’s high-quality work and dedication saying, “Regardless if you know him or not, most everyone who sees the product he delivers is blown away.”

Port Jefferson Village Trustee Kyle Hill remarked that Braile’s imagination and creativity “know no limit” while Renee Lemmerman, director of recreation in Port Jefferson, described him as “kind, generous, creative, funny” and a “problem solver.” Co-worker Cindy Pipia added that Braile is a “visionary who strives to make all he brings to his volunteer activities better and better every year.”

Braile’s commitment to volunteerism stems from his love for his community. He describes Port Jefferson as “a community where strong friendships are born and continue to develop.” As for the future, Braile plans to continue volunteering, mentoring and contributing to the village he loves.

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Four members of the New Lane Memorial Elementary School Safety Patrol being honored for their bravery. Photo courtesy of MCCSD

By Peter Sloniewsky

The Middle Country Central School District Board of Education met Nov. 20 to focus on various administrative, celebratory and policy matters. 

The board approved several consent agenda items, including personnel changes, special education arrangements and financial updates. They also approved an extension with the Town of Brookhaven Highway Department. At the end of the meeting, they voted to serve disciplinary charges against two individuals associated with the district. 

The board recognized the elementary students of the month, secondary students of the month and athletes of the month across the district. Math teacher Kristyn Cayea was honored with a Certificate of Pride for her acceptance to the Master Teacher Program through the State University of New York. 

The board also watched a number of presentations. A report from PTA President Lynn McMillin  as well as an instructional overview of the district’s social studies curriculum by Director of World Studies Amy Pacifico were presented. Then, Superintendent Roberta Gerold discussed regionalization and proposals to better unify needs for districts across the state. 

The next board meeting will be held Dec. 18 at 7:00 p.m.

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File photo

By Peter Sloniewsky

The Huntington Town Board met Nov. 7 to discuss budgeting, zoning changes and community welfare.

Various department heads presented preliminary budgets for 2025 and the board scheduled public hearings for resident feedback on project funding and tax implications.

The board approved a $1,000 donation from Reworld for the Pink in the Park Breast Cancer Awareness Fair. Rink fees were waived for the Andrew McMorris Foundation charity hockey game, a match between the Suffolk County Sheriff’s office and Suffolk County firefighters to support the foundation’s mission to end drunk and impaired driving.

The board named the Hubbs-Burr Marstellar House in Commack as a historic landmark. The house, built in 1840, is noted as one of the best Queen Anne-style houses of the area and was inhabited by some of the town’s first residents.

Public hearings were announced on new measures to combat coastal erosion, on public safety, on sewer construction and on fire prevention measures.

There was another meeting Nov. 19  for which we have no details, and there will be another meeting Dec. 10.

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Earl L. Vandermulen High School. File photo

By Peter Sloniewsky

The Port Jefferson School District Board of Education met Tuesday, Nov.12 at Earl L. Vandermeulen High School to discuss finances and capital-improvement projects, resolve standing litigation and a variety of other matters.

First, the board approved a myriad of capital-improvement projects across district property. It approved a roof replacement at the Spring Street School building, which is used for BOCES programs, noting its compliance with the State Environmental Quality Review Act. It also approved flooring changes at Vandermeulen High School.

The BOE also accepted a slew of financial reports, including evaluations of its cash flow, general funds and appropriations statuses. It formally approved a budget development calendar for the 2025-2026 school year. A donation of $1,664.42 was accepted from the Vandermeulen Class of 2024 for the Aida Ramonez Scholarship Fund, created to honor an 11-year-old middle-school student who unexpectedly passed away in 2022.

Additionally, action was taken to settle outstanding litigation. With a total payout of $16.5 million, the board resolved lawsuits brought by seven people alleging sexual abuse that occurred years ago. The settlement represents one of numerous lawsuits brought against Long Island schools under the 2019 New York State Child Victims Act, which allows survivors of sexual abuse a longer time frame to file a claim for monetary damages.

According to a statement the school board will pay for the settlement using a combination of debt financing and existing reserve funds, underpinning the need to “mitigate the overall financial impact on the community.” That being said, the board noted that, “Unfortunately, we have not been able to secure any insurance coverage to date for these claims.” 

The meeting also included approval for a wrestling camp hosted throughout the winter season at Vandermeulen High School, the recognition of teacher Megan O’Neill as an eligible teacher-evaluator and acceptance of recommendations from the board’s Committee on Special Education.

The next regular business meeting will be held on Dec. 10.

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