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Sabrina Artusa

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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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Veterinarian Steven Templeton, of Animal Health & Wellness in Setauket, pets his two rescue dogs Penny and Emmy. Penny, the black dog, recently passed away. Photo by Stephanie Templeton

By Sabrina Artusa

Across Long Island and the United States, private equity firms are buying privately-owned veterinary clinics. Veterinary hospitals hold steadfast against economic recessions, making them an attractive acquisition for private equity firms looking for a profitable, fragmented industry in which to invest.

The veterinary industry poses a unique opportunity for private equity firms. The cash-based industry is brimming with private practices and has reaped enormous benefits as pet ownership increases in the U.S. In 2021, an estimated 70% of U.S. households owned at least one pet, an increase of 13% in three years. According to American Pet Products Association, pet industry expenditures reached $147 billion in 2023, with $38.3 billion spent on veterinary care and product sales. 

In 2021, CareVet, a veterinary practice management group, acquired Countryside Animal Hospital, a small Port Jefferson clinic founded in 1958 according to its website. CareVet boasts plentiful employee benefits and services such as paid time off and competitive pay. The perks are especially advantageous for recent graduates, who would have the chance to participate in a mentorship program. 

CareVet is a relatively small group, with nine other investments, but it is owned by Compass Group Equity Partners, a private equity firm with over 100 investments. 

Dr. Steven Templeton, owner of Animal Health & Wellness in East Setauket, said he has noticed neighboring clinics get absorbed by corporations in the last five years. Indeed, from 2017-21, private equity buyouts of veterinary clinics quintupled in value. 

The money is a major factor in private owners selling to corporations as opposed to younger veterinarians. Contracts are often millions more than would be plausible privately. 

Moreover, younger veterinarians aren’t as eager to buy a practice. Veterinarians endure long work hours in high-stress situations, and adding 10-20 hours a week managing a business isn’t something many want to take on. The shortage of veterinarians adds to the challenge of finding a private buyer.

“Money is not the whole thing — being able to practice how you think you should practice is part of enjoying your job,” Templeton said. 

Vet clinics are undeniably lucrative and have become even more so in the past couple years. People are humanizing their animals in a way they didn’t decades ago, often treating their pets as part of the family. As a result, they are more willing to spend money on their pets’ ailments. 

This type of relationship between pet and owner was only heightened by the loneliness and isolation of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

“People’s feelings about their pets changed with COVID,” Templeton said. “They were their anxiety medicine.”

Before the pandemic, pet owners in the U.S. were spending less on their animals. Now, not only is there an increase in demand for veterinary clinics, but many clinics are expanding their services.

In some corporation-owned practices, employees reap the benefits of working for a bigger, richer company. They may have more paid time off, normal hours and current technology. 

Corporations reportedly have a more regimented approach to treating a pet’s health issue, with set responses to certain issues. This standardized approach may be effective but not always to a client’s benefit.

“There are templates laid out for what you have to do in every situation which makes it more expensive,” Templeton said. “You don’t have that leeway as an employee to discuss that with the client.”

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Stonebridge Golf Links & Country Club. Photo courtesy Stonebridge Facebook page

By Sabrina Artusa

As of May 7, Stonebridge Golf Links & Country Club withdrew its application to modify the 1999 agreement, which if accepted, would have allowed the club to further develop its property.

While the development proposal was accepted initially by the Town of Smithtown, the Planning Board’s approval was necessary for any covenant change.

After fierce backlash and extensive media coverage, Stonebridge withdrew its application three days before the end of the feedback period. 

When Stonebridge released a proposal to add a driving range, an 8,000-square-foot clubhouse and 28 new housing units to a total of 133, among other modifications to the golf course, Legislator Leslie Kennedy (R-Nesconset) received hundreds of letters in protest. 

The original covenants were intended to protect the environment, taking into consideration the Nissequogue River, adjacent forest and impacts to the floodplain. Stonebridge was prevented from building any more than 105 single-family residences on its 134-acre property. If more housing units were to be built, the covenants stated, then the golf facility must be closed and 90 acres must be preserved as open space.

As a result, community members feared not only that development would result in a rise in traffic and environmental damage, but also the loss of the golf course.

“The threats of the Stonebridge owner closing the golf course or reducing it to an executive course is alarming,” read a petition letter from the Hauppauge community.

At the March 20 Planning Board meeting at the Smithtown Senior Center, an influx of community members attended to voice their opinions, which were overwhelmingly against the development. Among those who spoke were Sue Stavrakos, secretary of the Stonebridge Homeowners Association, county Legislator Rob Trotta (R-Fort Salonga) and Michael Kaufman, vice chair of the Suffolk County Council on Environmental Quality. 

“If this covenant is abolished, then what?” Stavrakos asked. “What else could he apply for? This was put to protect the community.”

Hundreds of residents of this area have experienced flooding in their houses and adding to the property would only hinder the flow of water, according to Kennedy. 

Residents, including Trotta, noted the influx of traffic on an already busy road, congestion, dwindling open space and encroachment on Blydenburgh Park as more reasons to reject the proposal and honor the covenants.

“It really goes against what Suffolk County has been doing along with preservation and streambed maintenance,” Kennedy said. “My interests are preserving what little we have left.”

Now the Stonebridge application has been withdrawn. 

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The NexTrex project flyer. Photo courtesy Town of Smithtown

By Sabrina Artusa

Earth Day, April 22, is a great day to renew an appreciation for the environment, from the waterfronts of Northport and Port Jefferson to lush parks like Avalon Nature Preserve and Blydenburgh. Let us all reexamine obligations to the natural world.

Taking advantage of the eco-friendly practices and resources offered by our towns is an important way to get involved in sustainability.

Recycling is a well-known strategy to reduce our environmental impact. However, due to lack of resources, inconvenience or distrust in programs, many people pass up the opportunity to decrease the 5 pounds of waste, on average, each of us produces every day.

According to 2019 statistics from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, only 4% of plastics are recycled in the United States while 73% are sent to landfills. 

Mistrust in recycling systems is not wholly unfounded, as plastics are difficult to recycle given the many different types. However, the Town of Smithtown’s recent partnership with Trex Company, a manufacturing corporation that upcycles household plastics for railings and deck construction, offers an outlet for our unwanted plastics.

Trex accepts polyethylene plastic film, such as bubble wrap, produce bags, bread bags, Ziplocs, newspaper sleeves and any other stretchable plastics. The plastic will be classified as either low- or high-density polyethylene, distinctions indicated by the recycling symbols 2 and 4. A 4 indicates low-density PE and a 2 indicates high-density PE.

Trex also accepts plastic bags and shipping wrap — plastics that aren’t accepted in curbside recycling.

Residents can recycle their plastic films at a drop-off container at the Municipal Services Facility in Kings Park.

“With the NexTrex program, you know exactly where your recycled plastics are going and how they will be used,” said Mike Engelmann, Smithtown solid waste coordinator. 

Paying more attention to our consumption habits can also help decrease the amount of waste we produce. For instance, avoiding single-use plastics, paying attention to your municipalities recycling protocol, signing up for a beach cleanup and carpooling.

There are several local organizations that support sustainability. For example, Coastal Steward Long Island, located in Port Jefferson Station, holds programs to educate the community on how to preserve our shoreline and the organisms that live on our coasts. This environmental organization is hosting a beach cleanup April 26 at Smith Point Beach. 

In addition, Avalon Nature Preserve offers a plethora of programs aimed at increasing youth involvement in nature. 

Earth Day reminds us of what actions we can take to preserve the beautiful landscape around us. Smithtown’s NexTrex program can only help the cause.

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Mike Utevsky, left, Lisa Davidson, center and Judy Ogden. Photo courtesy Judy Ogden

By Sabrina Artusa

Michael Utevsky, a real estate attorney, held his first board meeting since being elected as Head of the Harbor mayor in March. 

His first course of action was to appoint new counsel, Perillo Hill, a Sayville firm that also represents two other municipalities and describes themselves as “seeing both sides of the aisle” when it comes to common township cases. While Lisa Davidson, the newly-elected deputy mayor, couldn’t attend due to sickness, the other recent electee and long-time member, trustee Judy Ogden was present. 

Drainage issues

Ogden spoke in detail of the drainage issues that have been wracking the town, especially amid the recent storms across Long Island. 

The drainage “handles the lighter storms with smaller volumes,” she said. “When it gets to 1 or 2 inches … we run into issues.” 

Utevsky and Ogden spoke of eventually getting all of the drains checked and cleaned — a process that would take at least two years. 

“People are trapped and can’t get out,” Ogden said, referring to areas like Harbor Road and Saneck Road, where drainage is labeled as “priority” areas. 

“There is never enough funding to take care of it at once,” she said. However, the board members suggested alternative options to afford drain maintenance — applying for grants, setting up a transaction balance account to organize a fund or reallocating money from unused funds as possible solutions. 

One resident noted where Hitherbrook Road meets Route 25A as a dangerous area prone to flooding that causes traffic problems. 

Another resident spoke up about the deteriorating buffer zones and reallocating money. The leaves, he said, provide natural structure to the buffers. Indeed, the buffers also slow down runoff, thus abating flooding from defective drains. 

Lack of awareness about the purpose of the buffers is causing residents to think the leaves are residue. “If they leave some of the natural covering, it may be able to regenerate,” he said.

“It will take time to get these things done,” Utevsky said. “But they are all good and important.”

Additionally, the meeting made note of recent efforts from the Head of the Harbor Tree Board with contributions from Avalon Nature Preserve to organize an event in celebration of native plants this Arbor Day, April 26. 

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Mike Utevsky, left, Lisa Davidson, center and Judy Ogden. Photo courtesy Judy Ogden

By Sabrina Artusa

Village of Head of the Harbor has inducted Mayor Mike Utevsky, trustee Lisa Davidson and incumbent trustee Judith Ogden to its Board of Trustees. 

Utevsky unseated the previous mayor, Doug Dahlgard, who had occupied the position for 10 years. All three members are on the Heritage Party line, a party whose principal approach to governance is preservation.

A real estate attorney who hasn’t run for office before, Utevsky said he decided to run after noticing the desire of other residents for a change. Indeed, Dahlgard and his board experienced pushback after a vote allowing a monastery to build a church on a historically significant property.

As a resident who regularly attended board meetings, Utevsky said, “When [the citizens] made comments … we were met generally with stony silence.”

Davidson, a retired television producer, echoed this sentiment, and expanded on her desire to represent the people of Head of the Harbor “It was purely my wish that the village government should be more inclusive,” she said. “I ran so that governance is kind.”

The three inductees emphasize transparency and revived vigor for code enforcement as guiding values for their term.

“Preservation, natural resources, code enforcement and understanding policy — those are the key pieces,” Ogden said.

One of the primary concerns of the new administration is reopening one of the three access points to Stony Brook Harbor and making the area more accessible for people to enjoy. Currently, there is one road available to lead to the harbor, which according to Davidson has limited parking and accessibility. The new administration is confident that at least one of these access points will be restored.

“If everything goes according to plan, we will have no additional docks in the harbor, people will not be clearing the trees and the buffers will be remediated and the access points will be reopened,” Davidson said. “The village will look as it does now, but better.”

Utevsky said of the subject, “It won’t be easy – there are many legal and practical issues – but it is very important to many residents of the community.”

The mayor also said that he plans to be vigilant with new construction and development, and wants to improve the village while still being cognizant of how it will affect existing housing and landscapes. 

“I don’t want us to turn into another overbuilt suburb. That doesn’t mean abandoning all construction, it means well-considered design that works well with the existing historical fabric of the village,” he said.

Development has been a frequent subject of contention in Head of the Harbor and neighboring municipalities. As a member of the Saint James-Head of the Harbor Neighborhood Preservation Coalition, Ogden has advocated for the preservation of Flowerfield Fairgrounds and its release from a subdivision proposal that many citizens deem excessive.

In addition to being an incumbent trustee and coalition member, Ogden is also a landscaper and wants to be reinstated as highway commissioner. In the pursuit of transparency, Ogden intends to organize a newsletter, an endeavor she hopes will foster communication not only between administration and constituents but also among bodies of governance.

“I think there will be more communication among the departments rather than it coming from one person and one perspective,” she said. “The village does not operate because of one person, there are many that make it happen.”

Deer population control is another concern of the mayor who, in the name of preservation and safety, wants to implement a solution. 

Utevsky acknowledged that a lot has to be done to create change, but was eager to start. “We would like to revive a spirit of community in the village,” he said.

The next public trustee meeting will be held Wednesday, April 17.

**Amendment made – 04/17/2024 – “Utevsky usurped the previous mayor, Doug Dahlgard, […]” the incorrect use of verbiage was changed from usurped to unseated.

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Smithtown Town Board meets on March 21 to discuss Comprehensive Plan. Photo by Sabrina Artusa

By Sabrina Artusa

Smithtown Town Board held a public meeting March 21 to review the master Comprehensive Plan and receive feedback from residents.

In partnership with H2M architects + engineers of Melville, the town began developing the plan in 2019 with the intention of updating zoning districts to reflect future land-use development and preservation goals. Since then, the town has held several public outreach meetings to garner feedback on the plan. 

Lisa Rickmers, senior environmental planner at H2M, said the new plan will “allow us to set goals and ambitions for the town” and that “there was a very careful hand taken to the zoning maps of the town.”

The last master Comprehensive Plan was adopted in 1957. The new 257-page plan dissects the suggested changes and the purpose for each. No changes were made to residential zones, but several areas were rezoned from light to heavy. The plan also emphasized values such as “transit-oriented development” to encourage diverse modes of transportation, ranging from biking to walking, downtown economic viability and improving and preserving residential options. 

After Rickmers’ presentation, the public was invited to voice opinions and recommendations. The chief concern, as garnered from the speakers, was preservation of green space and preventing overdevelopment caused by rezoning, specifically in areas in Kings Park.

One resident pointed out to the board that language around the zoning of an area east of Kings Park Road was too imprecise. This area has been a subject of concern to residents in the past, who have suggested it remain zoned as is. The town wrote in a 2021 planning advisory report that “given the site’s relative proximity to downtown Kings Park, the town may consider allowing multifamily development at this location if it would provide a public benefit and would not create significant adverse environmental impacts.”

“I feel the Comprehensive Plan leaves it a little too open for developers to come in and either take the vague language … and really take advantage of it,” the speaker said. “I think we should iron out what those viable proposals are and what criteria needs to be for there to be a public benefit before we can make the determination as to whether we should be going forward building there.”

Referring to this same area, another citizen said that the deer population  is flourishing in numbers he hasn’t seen in 25 years, and that he wants to see “farms conserved” and “industrial zones left alone.” The town intends to keep the area zoned as R-21, or single-family residential, but to further develop it. 

Two speakers protested the rezoning of 11.5 acres along Old Northport Road from light industrial (LI) to heavy industrial (HI). 

“By allowing any more industry in that area, that plume is going to get worse and worse,” one resident said.

The original plan proposed changing 105 acres to heavy industrial, but was changed to 11.5 after receiving public feedback. According to the 2021 planning advisory report, “The town has a need for heavy industrial acreage, in order to provide necessary and desired community services … HI is an appropriate zone for this location because it is between existing HI-zoned land and the railroad and is more than 500 feet from Townline Road and all residential uses.”

The current plan states that heavy industrial aligns more with how the area is currently being used, citing a soccer complex and solar farm. Further, the plan mentioned potentially introducing an indoor organic waste processing facility to the area.

The period for public comment is open until April 5, thereupon the Town Board will finalize revisions. The board will discuss adopting the plan at its April 18 meeting.

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Conceptual plans for the 126-acre Lawrence Aviation Superfund site in Port Jefferson Station. Graphic from Suffolk County Landbank

By Sabrina Artusa

The long-abandoned Lawrence Aviation Superfund site in Port Jefferson Station is now completely demolished, and nearly ready for development.

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority has been pursuing a contract to purchase 40 acres of the property to convert into a rail yard. Another portion is expected to be used for a solar farm. The rest will likely be preserved as open space. 

Herb Mones, Friends of the Greenway editor-in-chief and president of the Three Village Community Trust, wrote in an email that while there hasn’t been an official sale to either the MTA or to a solar farm firm, it is likely that these sales will happen and that a portion of the Greenway trail will have to be rerouted to accommodate a new rail yard. 

“This is great news for the surrounding community as it finally clears a giant eyesore and place for hanging out,” said Charlie McAteer, chair of Friends of the Greenway. “The idea of relocating the train yard to this site, along with the proposed passive solar farm and one-third of the space as open space, is a great benefit to all.”

The buildings are indeed demolished, but the area may need to undergo further examination to ensure that all harmful chemicals are neutralized. In order to continue with development plans, the Environmental Protection Agency is investigating for any residual contamination. The EPA expects to have more knowledge about the land’s status this summer. If further extensive remediation is required, it will be addressed in a public meeting. 

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation website stated, “Remediation activities will continue for several years to come. The site cleanup activities will also result in site safety and security, allowing for a planned solar farm to be installed in the former footprint of the site buildings.

According to Mones, the MTA and the NYS Department of Transportation are in disagreement over a portion of the Greenway. Reportedly, the NYSDOT is unwilling to relinquish the portion of the Greenway that the MTA plans to use for the new rail yard. 

The MTA hasn’t explicitly stated any intention to electrify the Port Jefferson Branch line. TBR News Media reported MTA CEO Janno Lieber as having said at an October meeting that electrification of the line was under consideration. 

In rerouting, Friends of the Greenway wants to ensure the preservation of the trail experience, and has noted “requirements” such as security barriers between the rail yard and the path, a “significant buffer” between the path and homes, and accessibility. 

“The redevelopment of the Lawrence Aviation property will benefit the wider community,” Mones said. “The removal of the buildings finally brings to an end a decaying, dilapidated industrial site that often attracted criminal activity: vandalism, graffiti, trespassing.”

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The Eagle banner at Hauppauge High School. Photo by Rita J. Egan

By Sabrina Artusa

At the Feb. 27 Hauppauge Board of Education meeting, the board previewed a 2024-25 budget overview, which projects a 3.38% increase to the tax levy and a 3.28% increase in expenditures.

Of the total expenditures, which are expected to be $133,216,224, 70% is consigned to staffing. According to the assistant superintendent for business and operations, Brigid Siena, it is the largest to date. 

“The revenues have to meet and match the expenditures,” Siena said. She also noted that federal COVID-19 grants have expired and that $1 million in programs and salaries will be absorbed in the forthcoming general fund budget.

District enrollment has declined since 2022 and is expected to continue declining into 2025. This trend, however, is not unique to the Hauppauge school district, as Superintendent Donald Murphy noted. Data from the Education Trust-New York shows that statewide enrollment has decreased by 8% from the 2017-18 school year to the 2022-23 school year.

Murphy said, “Although enrollment has gone down, we have increased enrollment in different classes of students … so students with disabilities [and] our English language learners have gone up quite a bit.”

Hauppauge school district is not one of the 44 Long Island districts set to lose money according to Gov. Kathy Hochul’s (D) preliminary budget for 2025. The district was originally allocated a gain of $769,125 in state aid, but the amount will not be certain until the plan is approved by the New York State Legislature by April 1.

There will be several budget workshops and hearings leading to the annual budget vote on May 21. The first workshop will be on March 12 and will review the tax cap and revenue. 

The board also met for an executive meeting, where the members consulted with their attorney regarding the ongoing case, Jane Doe v. Hauppauge Union Free School District. This case was one of the many initiated against Long Island school districts via the New York Child Victims Act, which expanded the statute of limitations and permits victims of crimes committed on them as children to file a lawsuit until their 55th birthday. 

Murphy announced several upcoming charity events including a fundraising contest with West Islip school district to benefit the Wounded Warrior Project on April 4 and a Hoop for Heroes event at Hauppauge High School on April 5.

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