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Sabrina Artusa

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The Long Island. Photo courtesy of Fred Hall

By Sabrina Artusa

The Bridgeport and Port Jefferson Steamboat Company have added a new vessel to its fleet: the Long Island.

The 300-foot long,  53-foot wide ferry completed its first voyage to Bridgeport on Dec. 27. The boat features new amenities such as an updated interior and tier 4 engines, the highest standard for diesel engines. It can carry 1,000 passengers and up to 124 cars.

The Bridgeport and Port Jefferson Steamboat Company Vice President and General Manager Fred Hall was the second passenger on the first voyage of the Long Island. “It was a wonderful trip; it was great to see people oohing and aahing at the decor that they hadn’t seen before.”

Unlike the smaller Park City, the Grand Republic or PT Barnum, the Long Island has seating along the window, a counter with phone charging stations, two-seat and four-seat tables and a separate cabin for pets.

The speed is the same as the other boats, but the engine is of a higher standard and releases less carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxide, hydrocarbon and particulate matter emissions.

The addition of a fourth boat to the fleet allows Hall and the company to pursue ventures besides the simple transit to and from Bridgeport.

Hall said that years ago the company used to plan excursions to other locations, such as Playland Park in Rye, an overnight trip to Albany or a trip down the Connecticut River. With an extra boat, this now may be possible.

A fourth boat also alleviates the burden of demand. the company can only schedule three boats, but having a fourth reduces the inconvenience of delays in the case one of the others needs repairs or is out of commission.

Further, Hall is exploring the possibility of using the fourth boat as a shuttle. In other words, if there is a surplus of vehicles waiting to board, and the scheduled vessel is at capacity, the fourth can serve as a shuttle to transport the remaining cars.

“This is the huge benefit,” Hall said. “Everyone asks me when is your peak season. I’ve always said when the public schools aren’t in session.” He had meant summers, but has since realized that weekends are just as busy.

“Our goal is to provide three-vessel service every weekend of the year. It is not going to happen 100% of the time. If you have four boats you have a better chance of providing three-boat service on the weekends consistently,” Hall said.

Come down to the Port Jefferson Harbor and check out the new addition of the Long Island.

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Vice President Ann Pellegrino by one of the farm’s raised gardens. File photo

By Sabrina Artusa

Ann Pellegrino is a busy woman. Between the Bethel Hobbs Community Farm, a nonprofit farm she built herself and describes as “more than a full-time job,” and her appointments speaking at local hospitals about the life-changing effects of organ donation, it was difficult to schedule a time to talk. However, she made sure to make time to talk to me about what she describes as her calling.

In 2007, Pellegrino was in her car and noticed people in the woods hungry and homeless. The unfortunate sight ignited a passion she didn’t know she had — a passion that would be tested by the skepticism of others and the practical challenges of developing a farm without experience. 

She became certain what she was meant to be doing, that the vacant lot of loose, barren dirt — a collection ground for the unwanted and disposed — could become something nourishing and productive with the proper care. 

It started with a fence

After first ripping up her own lawn, intending to farm fresh vegetables to use in her own home (much to her husband’s dismay), Pellegrino had the idea to renovate the Bethel Hobbs land. For decades the land was farmed by the Hobbs family before ultimately falling into unuse after the death of Alfred Hobbs. 

Pellegrino received permission from the Bethel African American Episcopal Church to work on 50 x 50 acres, which then became 50 x 100. Her unwavering confidence in the project was intriguing, and as she began the work, increasing numbers of community members began offering support. 

“There was something inside of me that was giving me the drive to do it. If you didn’t do it you couldn’t sleep. They still think I’m crazy but they come and help now,” Pellegrino said. 

Once a single mother herself, Pellegrino knew that food pantries have a hard time finding good produce. Most of the produce that was donated was damaged, over-ripe or rotten. The plot of neglected land was the perfect opportunity to change that. 

Her father offered fencing, which piqued the interest of nearby residents who then asked Pellegrino about her plan. One neighbor offered his hose, another offered sprinklers. Previously, Pellegrino had been transporting water in her car. “This little vacant land with a fence going around it and a hose leading from across the street” was becoming something real.

Pellegrino’s contagious enthusiasm for helping others inspired their own generosity, just as their generosity inspired Pellegrino. “I feel blessed to be even a small part of our community,” she said.

And the community has shown that they feel the same way about the farm. Bethel Hobbs Community Farm hosts a plethora of events such as the annual “Run the Farm,” dances and breakfasts, not to mention, volunteers enjoy serving others as well as gardening on a beautiful day. 

“It is a great area for people to get together as far as a community hub is concerned,” said Lenore Paprocky, president of the Greater Middle Country Chamber of Commerce.

 “Her nature is such that she is a servant to her community and that comes naturally to her. For all these reasons you can’t help but become endeared to her,” said Paprocky, who has collaborated with Pellegrino in the past. “She is kind, giving, sincere, and genuine. We need more people like her.”

The late Peter Castorano, was invaluable in the development of the farm. Pellegrino describes him as her best friend. “My granddaughter was his granddaughter,” she said, emphasizing his importance to her and her family. 

Castorano died last year and always described himself as “Ann’s right hand man.”

Organ donation

In addition to the farm, Pellegrino speaks regularly at hospitals, offering encouragement to exhausted nurses and speaking on the life-changing effects of organ donation. She starts speaking during winter months while the farm is closed.  

At 19, Pellegrino’s son Christopher was paralyzed in a car accident. For seven years afterward, Christopher would speak at schools about the importance of wearing seatbelts; he would pursue his college degree in the hopes of getting involved with alcohol and drug rehabilitation; and he would try to change lives, like his mother. 

“His attitude was that if he could help save one life it is worth it,” Pellegrino said of her son, who passed on Christmas Eve in 2018. 

Pellegrino decided to honor his memory by pursuing his goal of helping save lives. She goes to hospitals and shares her son’s statement, something that she enjoys. “I get to celebrate him,” she said. Three men live on because of the gifts Pellegrino’s son made through organ donations. 

Moreover, she extends support to the staff. “This time of year I don’t want them to feel like they were forgotten and it’s not a thankless job. Letting them know what they do matters and it really counts,” she said. 

Paprocky describes Ann as quiet, thoughtful and eager to befriend anyone who shows an interest in service; a woman who exemplifies what it means to be a community leader; a true person of the year. It is for all of these accomplishments that Ann Pellegrino is a 2024 TBR New Media Person of the Year.

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Robert Lusaka. Photo by Sabrina Artusa

By Sabrina Artusa

Smithtown Library Director Robert Lusak continues to work tirelessly to repair the immensely damaged library after the Aug. 19 storm. From arranging various reparations to meeting with the Federal Emergency Management Agency to reimagining the damaged basement, Lusak’s days are packed. His devotion exceeds simple career obligations and has made him a 2024 TBR News Media Person of the Year.  

Talking to the director of almost 25 years, it is clear that the library is in capable hands. 

About 17 years ago Lusak renovated and expanded all four library buildings under his jurisdiction. Back then he planned and replanned, sought approval, held meetings and consulted residents. 

In August, when the basement of the Smithtown building was drowned in 8 feet of water, sludge and debris; when the windows were pushed inward and propelled almost 20 feet away; when the doors wouldn’t open due to the water pressure; and when it would have been easy to give up, Lusak climbed to the roof with volunteer fire fighters and descended the ladder to determine what was next. 

What followed were phone calls to cut the power, meetings with staff, the salvaging of archives, interviews, fundraising and a high level of coordination that wouldn’t have been possible without Lusak. 

“[Lusak’s work] is all for the people and preservation of history and you need to have the discipline for that, and Rob possesses that quality,” said Vinny Puleo, the vice president of the Rotary Club of Smithtown Sunrise, where Lusak sits as president.

“It was rapid-fire decisions,” Lusak said. “We set up a team, almost. We had our local history librarian come over and she was so composed and professional when she saw what happened to her collection. She treats it like her child. We had janitors and custodians bringing it up here to rescue it, to protect it. Obviously, you don’t learn this in library science school.”

Lusak has sympathy for employees who lost their offices and personal belongings and for community members who lost their library. 

“The first week was a blur almost,” he said. “This is home to us, all of us.”

As Lusak walks around the building, that fact couldn’t be more apparent. The affection with which he indicates subtleties are proof of his care and attentiveness. Partial to Disney, Lusak points out that the artwork of the Smithtown library card contains a hidden Mickey Mouse. Evidence of Lusak’s impact and passion for his job is inextricable from the library itself.

The basement is now gutted and cleaned. There is still over a year before the main floors can be opened — a permanent electric line will need to be established and a new HVAC system installed —but Lusak is optimistic and already thinking of ways he can improve the library’s layout and services. 

Smithtown Library Assistant Director Eileen Caulfield lauded Rob’s “exceptional leadership, commitment to service and impactful contributions across different sectors.”

In addition to his work as Smithtown Library director, Lusak is president of the Rotary Club of Smithtown Sunrise. Club members, who meet Thursday mornings, frequently organize donation events and partner with local charities. Recently, club members volunteered to purchase gifts for children whose families may not have the money for luxuries. 

Lusak also makes time to fulfill his duties as a major with the 11th New York Infantry Regiment, a volunteer honor guard program that performs services to honor veterans and their families. 

“When I heard it was honoring families and their loved ones who passed away, I was attracted to that. It is letting the families know that their loved one represented our country well. That’s why when [the unit] was brought to my attention I said ‘I’m in. I want to do this,’” Lusak said. 

Lusak’s consistent consideration for his fellow community members is inspiring. The strength, perseverance and grace he has shown make him a valuable leader.

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The back of the property that was once the Gap clothing store. Photo by Sabrina Artusa
The back of the property that was once the Gap clothing store. Photo by Sabrina Artusa

By Sabrina Artusa 

The closed-down Gap building in Port Jefferson was purchased in 2023, and plans for the space are starting to take shape.

The Gap store at 100 Arden Place operated for 27 years before closing in 2019, amid a wave of closures by the clothing company due to changes in demand.

A buyer purchased the property in January 2023 for $2.6 million. Although Port Jefferson residents have many ideas about what businesses would thrive in the 10,400-square-foot space, a definitive announcement has not been made by the Port Jefferson Building and Planning Department.

The buyer has not yet submitted an official application and is still in conference with the Port Jefferson Building and Planning Department over their pre-submission, sources say. The pre-submission allows them to propose their business plan informally and receive feedback before submitting a formal application.

The zoning at 100 Arden Place is C1: central commercial, which allows for a variety of retail and personal service stores.

Details have not yet been disclosed by the buyer, the Port Jefferson Building and Planning Department or the Greater Port Jefferson Chamber of Commerce.

The potential uses of a property zoned as C1 are wide, and could include anything from a restaurant to a laundromat.

Port Jefferson Village, a destination filled with independent shops, restaurants and bars, is a tourist hotspot. Many Connecticut residents cross the Long Island Sound to enjoy its attractions. The Gap location is in a prime spot, just in front of a parking lot that is usually full on weekends.

Additionally, several apartment buildings have been built in Port Jefferson and Port Jefferson Village in recent years, providing another customer base that could potentially benefit from a new business in this location.

This story is still developing as the property owner and the Port Jefferson Building and Planning Department continue the submission process. They did not respond to our request for comment as of Nov. 20.

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Above, one of the many public discussions on energy storage systems held in recent months. Photo by Sabrina Artusa

By Sabrina Artusa

Savion Energy representatives stood before the Three Village Civic Association membership Monday, Nov. 4, to present their proposed battery storage facilities in East Setauket. Savion is a Shell Group portfolio company that develops utility-scale solar and energy storage projects. 

One project is proposed for a lot off Sheep Pasture Road, while another location would be between Parsonage Road and Old Town Road. 

Environmental benefits 

These proposals arrive in the midst of a statewide effort to increase green energy sources and transition away from fossil fuels. In 2022, Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) doubled the state’s energy storage goal. Further, the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, signed by Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) in 2019, aims for 100% zero-emission electricity by 2040. 

These battery storage facilities is one among many being proposed across Long Island as power plants like the fossil-burning plant in Port Jefferson close. 

Savion’s facilities will consist of containers of lithium-ion batteries that store excess energy during peak hours and discharge electricity as needed. The batteries, which have a life of about 20 years, will be charged and discharged on a daily basis but would be especially useful during increment weather when renewable energy sources are unreliable. 

The batteries would take eight hours to charge and allow Long Island to ease its reliance on nonrenewable energy. The transition is intended to diminish adverse environmental effects by lessening greenhouse gas emissions. 

Location and safety 

The location is one of the major topics of contention. The locations are in close proximity to neighborhoods, making some residents uneasy.

Nicholas Petrakis, senior consultant of consulting firm Energy Safety Response Group, assured civic association members that scrupulous measures were instituted to minimize the chances of thermal runaway. This process occurs when a damaged cell releases heat and gasses, thus triggering the same reaction in nearby cells. 

James McDaniel, senior battery storage engineer at Savion, said their systems are containerized and “designed to burn themselves out” and “fail safely”. The sites will be remotely monitored constantly by a team of experts, Petrakis said, and there is a sensor system that would notify the fire department and shut down the battery if anything is amiss.

Toxic off-gassing is a possibility — one that Petrakis said is a possible effect of most residential fires as well. Many present were apprehensive by this prospect. Further, the water used to counter any fires was a cause for concern, but Sean Flannery, senior director of permitting & environmental at Savion, said that “water runoff has not shown to be an issue” and that it will be contained on the property. 

Residents from across the Island were present at this meeting, hoping to learn more about the battery storage systems that are proposed in their own towns. Many questioned the location, asking why it was necessary to install the facilities in such a dense area. 

“Why would you consider putting something like this in this dense area?” one man asked. “The fact that in your proposed pictures you can see people’s houses doesn’t instill support.” 

Indeed, the buffer wall intended to keep the noise to the 50 decibels allowed in the Town of Brookhaven code is visible in a picture of what Savion expects each site to look like from a surrounding residential area. 

William Miller, managing partner at Clearview Consultants, explained that the project needs to be close to the electrical load it serves. Savion plans to lease the land for both sites. 

County Legislator Steve Englebright (D-Setauket) and town Councilmember Jonathan Kornreich (D-Stony Brook) empathized with their constituents. Englebright, who throughout his career has supported environmental initiatives, said the locations have been historically difficult places to fill, given the zoning as light industrial. 

“Something that is environmentally complicated and potentially harmful is not anything new to this area,” he said. Although he said he sympathizes with “all these correct uncertainties,” he added that residents have “to understand the larger context of what’s coming at us” in regards to the changing environment. 

In response to a question of who will bear the financial burden of damages in the case a fire hypothetically causes damage to surrounding properties, Thom Rainwater, director of development at Savion, said, “In the case of an incident the company will be responsible. Full stop.” 

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Three-dimensional rendering of the proposed redevelopment project at Jefferson Plaza. Graphic courtesy Valentin Staller

By Sabrina Artusa

Brookhaven Town Board approved the long-contested Staller Associates rezoning application for the Jefferson Plaza property in Port Jefferson Station Sept. 26. It was a crucial step signifying the progression of Staller’s plan to repurpose the plaza into a residential property along with commercial usage.

Staller Associates is an Islandia-based privately-held real estate company engaged in the development, ownership and management of commercial and residential real estate on Long Island.

Councilmember Jonathan Kornreich (D-Stony Brook) announced the approval of the zone change from J2 Business to Commercial Redevelopment District, thus allowing Staller to begin planning for the apartments building. 

Jefferson Plaza in its current state. File photo

Brookhaven residents have been divided over the prospect of this project. Some are unhappy with certain details, such as design, and desire more deliberation before making what they view as a hasty decision to rezone.

“We are not saying this project won’t be good for the community … that’s a blighted shopping center,” said Lou Antoniello, treasurer of Port Jefferson Station/Terryville Civic Association, during the public hearing. “This project is not ready to be approved tonight. I don’t understand the rush to push this thing through.” 

Others stand wholly against developing more housing complexes and rezoning, while some are ardent proponents of revitalizing the largely unused plaza. 

Joseph Stallone spoke on behalf of the Long Island Builders Institute. “We have some of the best schools in the country and we are sending our young minds to North Carolina and Florida and Virginia,” he said. “As someone who grew up here, I would like to stay here and I would love to stay at a development like the one Staller has proposed.”

Ira Costell, president of PJSTCA, had hoped that the developer would have involved the public more throughout the process, instead of just on a rudimentary level in the early phases of the process. He said that, in the beginning, he and his organization met with Staller, but then went almost two years without direct contact. 

“We want to find a way to get behind this proposal, but we find that the process really failed us,” he said. 

The CRD zoning code was amended in 2020, and this new version is at the root of resident apprehension. CRD zones are “designed to achieve economically beneficial and socially desirable redevelopment which is more creative and imaginative in its land use,” the Brookhaven Town Code reads. 

The CRD label dictates that “civic space and recreational areas, including squares, private plaza, greens and public parks, shall be intermixed throughout the development for social activity, recreation and visual enjoyment.”

Indeed, Staller Associates intends to integrate a public plaza, a health club and a restaurant into the plaza in addition to the residential complex in this corridor off Route 112. 

Staller has previously announced that 20% of the units will be used only for adults with intellectual or developmental disabilities. Kornreich said that Staller will likely enter into a form of partnership with a special-needs housing advocacy group to do so. The realty business has a property in Farmingdale, where it administer the same policy. 

Aesthetic cohesion is a major area of concern for Brookhaven residents who say that the influx of apartment buildings will make Port Jefferson Station lack a consistent architectural theme. To many, this rezoning increases the threat of overdevelopment. 

Kornreich assured those present that the appearance of the buildings is not set in stone. “A lot of these issues that were brought up by people at the [PJS/T] civic association — things related to the density, things related to the site, layout things related to the architecture — all these things will be worked out later in planning,” he said. 

“The site plan has not been drawn up yet in that level of detail” he said in regard to concerns over fire safety, which he said will be worked out later in the process. 

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The Northport-East Northport Board of Education at their Sept. 18 meeting. Screenshot from the Northport-East Northport School District website

By Sabrina Artusa

At the Sept. 18 meeting, the Northport-East Northport Board of Education reviewed upcoming goals and changes as the school year begins. 

Students and schools have completed a seamless transition into the 2024-25 school year, which started on Sept. 4 for students grades 1-12. 

The board reported that it met with various committee leaders and liaisons. The committee meetings will be starting next month. 

“I think we had a really positive start to the school year and I just want to reinforce that” said Superintendent Dave Moyer, who attended many student athletic events. “It’s enjoyable to see everybody back out there doing their thing.” 

This will be Moyer’s first full year as superintendent. At the prior meeting, Moyer presented a teaching model he hopes to implement this year called Professional Learning Communities. 

This is not a program but a model of teaching that Moyer hopes would help impact students’ absorption of material, engagement and enthusiasm. According to Moyer’s presentation at the last meeting, this method requires a collective effort of teachers as opposed to teaching without collaboration.

At the Sept. 5 meeting, Moyer explained that they will be repurposing some of the staff to include duties that honor the PLCs and that are more supportive to teachers — these staff members will be taking a more “active role” in assisting teachers. He mentioned instructional coordinators and future-focused teaching positions as examples. 

Moyer hopes that PLCs will be beneficial to teachers as well, whose jobs are getting “more and more intense” every year. PLC is pitched as a mutually beneficial model that will help both students and teachers reach their potential. 

“When teachers get in a collaborative environment and realize they don’t have to do everything themselves, it starts to make the work more manageable,” Moyer said on Sept. 5. “It starts to make them feel like they do have an impact and they can manage the work because they are working on a team and they don’t have to do it by themselves.”

Carol Taylor, BOE president, said she “loves the vision” of PLCs. 

“There is a tangible deliverable with this,” she said at the Sept. 5 meeting. “When teachers have the opportunity to be collaborative, there is an atmosphere of support. So, if you aren’t doing your best, you are learning how to be your best and with that comes creativity.” 

She noted that years ago Responsive Classroom was emerging as a teaching method and is now the standard. She said she expects PLCs to be no different. 

Professional learning communities would require teachers to meet regularly to develop better leadership strategies, share successful methodologies, reflect on trouble areas and to coordinate their teaching strategies so as to optimize their students growth. 

Moyer clarified his plan regarding PLCs – some people expressed uncertainty about whether it would increase the budget.

“PLCs are not something that comes with a price tag,” Moyer clarified after alluding to concerns raised after the previous meeting. Grant money will be used as support. The board has $60,000 in grant funding. Moyer said there will be “no budgetary impact.”

The next BOE meeting is Oct. 10 at William J. Brosnan School at 7 p.m. On Nov.7 the board will give a presentation on school improvement plans for each school. Every meeting’s minutes, agenda and recording will be posted online.

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Ducks walk alongside the storm-ravaged pond. Photo by Toni-Elena GalloPhoto by Toni-Elena Gallo

By Sabrina Artusa

At Mill Pond in Stony Brook, a group of swans and mallards can be observed on the sandy banks. On occasion, some Canadian geese can be seen as well, crossing the road confused and displaced. 

After August’s rain, Stony Brook’s residents — both people and animals — are gradually recouping. A month later, the road ahead is a little clearer as questions on funding and rebuilding become less intimidating. 

Community support

Gloria Rocchio, president of The Ward Melville Heritage Organization which owns the Grist Mill and Mill Pond, said she is grateful for the “unbelievable” amount of support the community has shown her organization, especially as she navigates the rebuilding process. 

Over 100 people came to cleanup sessions at the Mill Pond where they fished out personal effects that washed into the creek after a nearby house was damaged. 

People across the country have been touched by the disaster — Rocchio has received donations and letters from people nationwide. Some were former residents. 

Rebuilding

The resolve to rebuild exists in abundance. Governmental officials such as Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine (R), Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) and community leaders like Rocchio have repeatedly announced their dedication to this area. 

“People sat on the boulders, watched the wildlife, watched the sunset — that’s what we want them to have again. We have to have it back,” Rocchio said. 

Rocchio said her organization has met with an engineer and has hired a marine expert to ensure the debris is cleaned out. Further, she said they are in the midst of designing a new plan for the creek leading to the pond. 

The 1699 grist mill was not severely damaged. Over a foot of water washed into the basement on the west side. Now, Rocchio is concerned with waterproofing and repairing the building in a way that prevents further damage. She is also worried that the wheel will suffer from lack of use without water to keep it turning. 

Town of Brookhaven officials have also stated their intentions to construct a dam that has the capacity to allow for larger amounts of water to pass through. The previous dam was not designed to endure such a large rush of water. 

Stony Brook University

Two of Stony Brook University’s residence halls were damaged after severe flooding, putting the buildings out of commission. The Mendelsohn buildings were flooded with 4-6 feet of water. 

 With limited housing, the university initiated a $5,000 incentive to students that cancels their housing plan. The university also added beds to rooms in other halls, making them triples instead of doubles and started placing returning students in nearby hotels. 

“We have expanded our recharge basins to handle increased demand. Last year, we installed a stormwater pump lift station specifically designed to redirect stormwater away from Gray and Ammann residence halls,” William Herrmann, vice president for Facilities & Services, wrote in an email. 

“We have also submitted grants to secure funding for additional mitigation efforts, including the installation of stormwater retention systems, bioswales and rain gardens in the most vulnerable areas of our campus,” he added.

Funding

It is uncertain if federal aid will be secured to fund the repairs to town infrastructure. In order to gain access to federal aid through the Federal Emergency Management Agency, damages must meet a $37.5 million threshold. 

Rocchio said WMHO needs funding for the grist mill. 

Homeowners have the option to apply for a grant with the New York State Housing Trust Fund Agency to be reimbursed for damage that wasn’t covered by insurance. Applicants could be given up to $50,000 depending on the county’s median income. Applications should be made through the Long Island Housing Partnership. The deadline to apply is Oct. 7, and grants are awarded until funds are exhausted. Please email LIHP at [email protected] before applying. 

Looking ahead

Stony Brook is moving forward, despite the unpleasant interruption the storm posed to summer affairs. 

Rocchio said that tourism and visitation to Stony Brook village is almost as it was before Aug. 18.

Avalon Nature Preserve has reopened and was relatively unharmed, although some trails needed maintenance.

After the storm, residents from across Suffolk County organized efforts to save the fish that were stranded in the diminishing pond. 

In another instance, a gas station owner, noticing a particularly weary looking Canadian goose wandering outside his gas station, provided food and water to the confused bird, who Rocchio guesses was born at the pond. The bird now hangs around the gas station regularly, even allowing his head to be pet. This owner muses that he adopted the goose, in a way.

“I do believe that when the Mill Pond is back with water that they will come back,” Rocchio said. 

It could be some time until Stony Brook Mill Pond and the Grist Mill return to their former state, but it is a comfort to know that Stony Brook remains alive and well, and that the vitality of the community, like the pond, still flows. 

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The dam washed away along with a portion of the trail and a clearing that was a popular picnicking and fishing spot for visitors. Photo courtesy Sebastian Artusa
Storm damage at Blydenburgh County Park. Photo courtesy Sebastian Artusa
The dam washed away along with a portion of the trail and a clearing that was a popular picnicking and fishing spot for visitors. Photo courtesy Sebastian Artusa
Storm damage at Blydenburgh County Park. Photo courtesy Sebastian Artusa
Storm damage at Blydenburgh County Park. Photo courtesy Sebastian Artusa
Storm damage at Blydenburgh County Park. Photo courtesy Sebastian Artusa
Storm damage at Blydenburgh County Park. Photo courtesy Sebastian Artusa
Storm damage at Blydenburgh County Park. Photo courtesy Sebastian Artusa
The land that once held an expanse of water at Blydenburgh Park is now reduced to mud and shallow puddles. The signature stumps that gave the pond its name can be seen poking up from the ground. Photo courtesy Sebastian Artusa

By Sabrina Artusa

Walking past the dead, dried grass littered with sharp stumps and intercepted by a slight meandering stream of water, longtime visitors of the beloved Blydenburgh County Park in Smithtown can hardly believe the hundreds of acres of mud and dead vegetation, yellowing in the sun, was once an 8-foot deep lake. 

The lake, also known as Stump Pond or Weld’s Pond, was fed by the headwaters of Nissequogue river and maintained by a dam, which breached after the Aug. 18-19 storm produced over 9 inches of rain. 

The section of land between the dam, which was approximately 50 feet wide, and the lake was completely washed away, leaving a large chasm. 

As one of the least developed ponds on Long Island, it was enjoyed by kayakers, anglers, hikers, dog walkers, Boy and Girl Scout troops and horseback riders. Throughout its two centuries of existence, the pond has boasted large amounts of bass. 

Fishing and boating are impossible now, and parts of the trail are closed. Two brothers, Tom and Frank, paid a visit to the lake that was the setting for many cherished memories. 

“I caught my first fish here,” Tom said. The pair came to assess the damage and to see if there could be any fishing. Frank had been fishing at the pond since 1966. The only evidence of fish now was a small colony trapped in a shallow section of residual water. 

“We don’t usually see devastation like this,” Frank said. Indeed, the pond was constructed in 1798 to service the Grist Mill and in the 200 years since, the dam has been breached only once before. But it was not a spillway breach and therefore not as extreme.

An employee of the Long Island Greenbelt Trail Conference said plans are in the works to restore the dam and refill the pond. The type of spillway that will be used in the new dam has yet to be determined. 

The employee, who prefers to be anonymous, said that he is optimistic for the future of the pond. He cautioned against venturing too far along the trail. The thick mud is dangerously and decievingly deep. Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine (R), who has lamented the destruction of several valued natural and historical sites, has spoken of his plans to get the area restored. The employee said that Romaine’s appreciation for the history of the area makes him hopeful that action will be taken swiftly and effectively.  

“What we have seen in the last day is an ecological, environmental and economic disaster for parts of northern Suffolk County,” Romaine said at a press conference held at the pond.

“We have to take a look at our infrastructure, catalog it, not only to repair the damage that was done, but to plan ahead so we don’t have a worse disaster in the next storm,” Romaine said. He added that, in collaboration with others, he intends to analyze dams across the county.

On Sunday, President Joe Biden (D) issued a federal emergency declaration for Suffolk County. This is a crucial step in securing federal aid for relief and restoration and is in response to the over-2,000 reports of damage across the county. 

A similar dam-breaching tragedy occurred at Stony Brook Mill Pond.

According to a representative for Gov. Kathy Hochul (D), the Department of Homeland Security is working with the county on a plan for relieving homeowners whose properties suffered damage. 

At Blydenburgh Park, there was no damage to the Miller’s House, constructed between 1801 and 1803 and overlooking the pond; the Grist Mill, only around 50 yards from the destroyed dam; or Blydenburgh-Weld House. 

While this history was preserved at Blydenburgh, it was a small victory among larger devastation. In the Smithtown Library, a special collection dating back centuries was damaged by water when the storm caused flooding to the building’s first floor, bypassing the library’s protective measures. The building is now coping with damage to the floor as well to the archive. 

New York State Sen. Mario Mattera (R-St. James) called the storm “devastating” and expressed his desire for FEMA funds.  

Assemblyman Mike Fitzpatrick (R-Smithtown) said, “I used to fish here as a kid. I used to ride my bike. It is one of the most beautiful spots in New York state. … We are going to rebuild this. We are going to restore this park to the glory we expect.”

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After community push back over a proposed development in St. James, Mills Pond Group submitted a lawsuit against the Town of Smithtown. File photo.

By Sabrina Artusa

In April 2023, the Smithtown Planning Board amended the Smithtown Town Code Chapter 322 to exclude “convalescent” and “resting” homes from being considered a special exception to zoning restrictions, thereby preventing a proposal submitted by Mills Pond Group LLC from progressing.

Mills Pond Group, owned by Frank Amicizia, filed a proposal to build a 97-bed living residence on the former Bull Run Farm in St. James the month prior to the board’s amendment. The proposal depended on the approval of the special exception application that would allow them to build the facility, Whisper Mills Assisted Living, in an area zoned as residential.

Before a public hearing could be scheduled regarding the special exception application, the code was changed, making the approval of the application impossible. 

On March 13, Mills Pond Group filed a lawsuit against the town for condemning the project to a state of “limbo”, where their only option is to apply for a discretionary change of zone.

Smithtown Public Information Officer Nicole Garguilo said that tightening the conditions of a special exception application has long been on the town’s list of objectives. The application has been “used to circumvent the process” of a zone change, which requires more scrupulous environmental review and is more expensive. As a result, Garguilo said the previous town code “incentivizes special application.”

Written by Mills Pond Group’s attorney Lidia Szczepanowski, the lawsuit argues the “hasty” change in the town code was specifically intended to bar their project. By this basis, she claims the amendment is discriminatory toward individuals with disabilities and the Fair Housing Act, and several individuals have come forth as plaintiffs. 

When the Town Board held a community meeting, there was what the lawsuit described as “vehement” opposition. Indeed, many residents were concerned with the congestion and influx of traffic such a large development would cause.

The lawsuit claims Town Board members verbally endorsed the project in 2019, when Amicizia proposed the development after buying the property, but changed their stance after hearing public opposition. 

“There wasn’t support from the Town Board. There wasn’t support from the community and the applicant decided to file a lawsuit,” Garguilo said. 

“Construction of a building of this size, with all the consequences that go with it, in the midst of single-family homes — in the midst of a bucolic, historic rural corridor — would be a huge step, a de facto spot zone change, and a mistake,” attorney and Smithtown resident Joseph Bollhofer wrote in a letter to Supervisor Ed Wehrheim (R) and the Town Board.

Among their grievances, Mills Pond Group claims that the town violated the 14th Amendment in neither granting nor rejecting their request for a public hearing. 

Some community members feel that the Town Board should hold a hearing. Bollhofer is opposed to the proposal, but wants a public hearing nonetheless.

“Although I still believe it is a bad application in that the applicant cannot show that is satisfies the code requirements as they existed at the time of application, basic due process dictates that a hearing is required,” he wrote in a letter to Wehrheim and the Town Board. 

Garguilo stated that the lack of support from the board and community prevented the special exception application from moving forward to a public hearing.

The current town code dictates that the board “may, upon application and after a public hearing … authorize a special exception for a hospital, nursing home, adult home or assisted living facility.” Convalescent and rest homes are excluded and the definitions of a nursing home, adult home and assisted living facility are altered. 

Mills Pond Group demands monetary reparation, the law nulled and their attorney fees reimbursed. A court date has not yet been set.

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