Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone (D), center, signed legislation Jan. 27 to provide Smithtown with an additional $5.4 million for the Kings Park Business Sewer District Project. Town Supervisor Ed Wehrheim, left, and Tony Tanzi from the Kings Park Chamber of Commerce were on hand for the signing. Photo from Steve Bellone's office
The Town of Smithtown received good news Jan. 27.
Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone And Smithtown Supervisor Ed Wehrheim. Photo from Bellone’s office
Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone (D) signed legislation last Friday to provide the town with an additional $5.4 million for the Kings Park Business Sewer District Project. A press conference took place in the hamlet’s Svatt Square to mark the occasion.
The funding is possible due to money the county received through the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 signed by President Joe Biden (D).
Smithtown Supervisor Ed Wehrheim (R) and Town Board members, with Kings Park Chamber of Commerce and KP Civic Association representatives, joined state and county elected officials as well as Bellone and Deputy County Executive Peter Scully, for the announcement and signing.
Scully said the project initially was made possible by a $20 million state transformative program grant in 2014. With rising construction costs, expenses have increased for the project.
With the additional $5.4 million from the county, contracts were awarded to Holbrook-based G&M Earth Moving, ALAC Contracting Corp. in West Babylon and Amityville-based L.E.B. Electric.
Bellone called it “a great day” and thanked Wehrheim.
“This doesn’t happen without his leadership here and the Town Board,” the county executive said.
He also thanked county and state officials for working together in a bipartisan manner and the community, which he said is critical to working on projects such as this.
“A significant step forward in any community, in any way, is not possible without the work and the support of residents and the businesses in the community,” he said.
Bellone said sewers would be coming to Kings Park this year. He added construction would break ground in the coming weeks, and there would be community meetings to lay out the construction schedules and paperwork will be finalized.
“Make no mistake, the contracts have been awarded, the project is happening now,” he said.
Pipes will connect sewers to the Kings Park treatment plant located on the property of the former psychiatric hospital.
Bellone said the project “highlights how much more we need to do” regarding improving water quality on the Island. He added about 360,000 homes in the region are operating on old septic and cesspool systems.
“We have to address this issue in a way that is affordable for homeowners,” Bellone said. “That burden cannot be placed on them.”
He added investments in wastewater infrastructure are critical for a prosperous economic future.
With other Suffolk County areas needing sewer systems, including St. James, Bellone said, “This represents what we need to be doing all across the county.”
Wehrheim echoed Bellone’s sentiment that the project was a team effort, and he thanked the members of all levels of government and the chamber, civic and community.
“Without the cooperation and all working together, things like this will never come to fruition,” Wehrheim said.
The supervisor, who is a native of Kings Park, said he was proud “of what we’ve done here,” adding, “The future is bright for the Town of Smithtown as far as economic development goes, economic success and, especially just as important, environmental issues to clean up waters.”
Tony Tanzi, president of KP Chamber of Commerce, said, “Some would say we’re at the end of the road. Personally, I think this is the beginning of the road.”
He added he believes Kings Park will soon resemble the robust downtown it was decades ago.
“When you take politics out of it, we can all work together — and that’s the beautiful thing,” Tanzi said.
Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone has announced that the County will host a free test kit and KN95 mask distribution event on January 24 between noon and 6 p.m. in the lobby of the H. Lee Dennison Building, located at 100 Veterans Memorial Highway in Hauppauge. Approximately 1,000 test kits and nearly 1,000 KN95 mask will be available for residents to pick up.
All Suffolk County residents are encouraged to attend to obtain kits for their household. Each resident is eligible to pick up two test kits per household member. Test kits will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis.
“While many of us have resumed daily life, living with COVID-19, it is still important that everyone has access to the tools available to prevent exposure and spread,” said Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone. “As we continue to see new variants, it is clear that availability to test kits is imperative as we work to keep this virus under control.”
“Testing is still crucial to slowing the transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. When we test positive early in the course of illness, we have the opportunity to seek treatment to prevent the worst outcomes from COVID infection, and can limit the spread of the virus to others,” added Dr. Gregson Pigott, Suffolk County Health Commissioner.
Together, with local municipalities, County legislators, the Suffolk County Police Department, community groups, not-for-profits and more, the County has distributed approximately 660,680 test kits to residents, including seniors, first responders and other vulnerable populations.
Suffolk Health is also offering COVID-19 vaccines and boosters to all Suffolk County residents who are eligible to receive them. Childhood vaccinations are also offered for children who are uninsured. Walk-ins are welcome.
County clinic dates and times are available as follows:
January 24 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Sachem Library, 150 Holbrook Road, Holbrook
January 25 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Riverhead Library, 330 Court St., Riverhead
January 31 from 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. at West Babylon Library, 211 Route 109, West Babylon
Lifeguards to Stay on the Stands for an Additional Two Weekends
Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone today announced an extended summer season at Smith Point County Park. While Suffolk County beaches are not typically staffed with lifeguards post Labor Day, this year lifeguards will stay on the stands for an additional two weekends to ensure the safety of beachgoers.
Suffolk County beaches and parks provide cherished memories and experiences every summer for both our residents and the countless visitors who flock to our word-class shorelines. This year, more than 300,000 people visited Smith Point County Park.
“While Labor Day marks the unofficial end to summer, in Suffolk summer is not over, and the joy that summer brings will continue to brighten our days,” said Suffolk County Executive Bellone. “Lifeguards will remain on the stands for an additional two weekends, and I encourage all residents to take advantage of our world-class beaches while the warm weather is still with us.”
“Keeping Suffolk County residents safe while they use our beaches has always been a priority and we’re happy to extend the Smith Point beach season this year,” said Suffolk County Parks Commissioner Jason Smagin.
Lifeguards will remain on the stands from 10:00 AM to 5:30 PM on Saturday, September 10th, Sunday, September 11th, Saturday, September 17th and Sunday, September 18th at Smith Point County Park.
Additionally, Suffolk County campgrounds, parks and outer beaches will continue to welcome campers and park goers beyond the holiday weekend.
Scott Martella served as communications director for Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone. Photo from Facebook
Join Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone on Wednesday, Aug. 3, between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. for a blood drive in honor of Scott Martella. Martella was a dedicated public servant who impacted thousands of lives across Long Island. The goal is to help thousands more by donating blood to combat the critical blood shortage.
There will be four donation sites across Suffolk County: H. Lee Dennison Building Plaza, 100 Veterans Memorial Highway, Hauppauge; DSS MacArthur Building Cafeteria; Suffolk County Fire Academy, Room K, 103 East Ave., Yaphank; and the Riverhead County Center Cafeteria, 300 Center Drive Riverhead. . Please join the effort and donate! To schedule an appointment, call 888-933-2566.
From left, Suffolk County Legislator Sarah Anker and Mount Sinai Miller Place Chamber of Commerce President Holly Bottiglieri reviewing Suffolk County Small Business Website Hub. Photo from Leg. Anker's office
Suffolk County Legislator Sarah Anker and Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone announced the launch of a new website, www.suffolkcountyny.gov/BusinessHub, dedicated to assisting local small businesses and startups. The website, which was developed after the Suffolk County Legislature unanimously passed a resolution sponsored by Legislator Anker, will serve as the county’s center for business development needs and services by providing important information regarding how to start a business, what county, state and federal assistance and pandemic relief programs are available for businesses owners, and resources to help established businesses innovate and grow.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has created incredible challenges for small business, and while large corporations have received substantial government support, our small businesses have not been given as many opportunities. This website hub will help to provide our local businesses with easy access to helpful resources including, grant and loan opportunities, potential funding sources, business administration information, small business related rules and regulations, relevant government department contacts, and COVID-19 related guidance information,” said Suffolk County Legislator Sarah Anker. “I would like to thank Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone for his support, and the Suffolk County Departments of Economic Development and Planning, and Information Technology for their work in developing and launching this much needed resource.”
“As we enter our new normal, we are working to build back stronger than ever and this website will allow us to provide the resources needed to ensure our local small businesses thrive,” said Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone. “The hub will create a more collaborative effort with local small businesses and will help raise awareness of the many resources available to them.”
In addition to the website hub, the county is developing an Office of Business Development, which will serve to assist business owners with coordinating the various permitting processes required by the Suffolk County Departments of Health Services and Public Works, and if applicable, the New York State Department of Conservation and any other state, federal or local agencies.
“The Suffolk County Office of Business Development is truly a “one-stop website” that contains a wealth of information for individuals who are seeking to start or grow a business,” said Holly Bottiglieri, President of the Mt. Sinai-Miller Place Chamber of Commerce. “It provides valuable tools to aid in making educated decisions that include, choosing an industry to open a business, online workshops and all of the logistics to help new and seasoned businesses obtain accurate information to move forward in their business development process”.
The site will also offer an opportunity for local businesses to participate in Suffolk County’s procurement of services and goods. Local businesses will have the ability to more easily access and sign up for county bids and requests for proposals. This includes an emphasis on Minority- and Women- owned Business Enterprises (MWBE), as well as Veteran-owned businesses.
The website hub expands on the work of the county’s Business Recovery Unit (BRU), which County Executive Bellone launched in March of 2020 to serve as a one-stop-shop for businesses in Suffolk County that are looking for pandemic-related assistance. The unit consists of a comprehensive webpage, www.suffolkcountyny.gov/BRU, that continues to be updated with critical resources for businesses, and can be found under the “Pandemic Relief” tab on the new Business Hub website. In addition to the website, residents looking to be connected to the unit can call 311 or email [email protected].
During his State of the County address, Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone (D) presented an ambitious vision for a state-of-the-art north terminal at Long Island MacArthur Airport that would connect to both a newly erected convention center and to the main line of the Long Island Rail Road.
“Every great region must have a great regional airport and no one can deny that Long Island is one of the great regions in the nation,” Bellone said.
While Bellone is correct that Long Island is a great region and that it could benefit from a modernized airport terminal at MacArthur, the staff of TBR News Media would like to remind the county executive that there is still so much work to be done before this dream can ever materialize.
In its present form, Long Island’s prehistoric mass transit network is vastly unprepared to support Bellone’s grand vision. Look no further than the Long Island Expressway to discover the backward state of transportation affairs on the Island.
If one is lucky enough to be on the road at an hour when the expressway is not crammed with cars and trucks, there still remains the herculean task of dodging potholes. Out-of-state residents are horrified by the medieval conditions of this roadway — and the carnage inflicted upon their tires and front axles.
The LIRR offers little alternative. While railways around the nation and globe have modernized and expedited their services, Suffolk County residents ride home at a sluggish pace aboard rickety train cars. Riding the LIRR today is uncomfortable, exhausting and, frankly, not worth the price of the ticket.
Our airways do require a modern renovation, but so do our railways and roadways. Policymakers and regional planners need to consider these projects in tandem. Airports and train stations are not standalone facilities but part of a broader, integrated transportation ecosystem. It is that ecosystem that needs an overhaul.
It makes little sense for Suffolk County residents to dodge potholes en route to their state-of-the-art regional airport. It is equally nonsensical to bring 20th-century train cars into a modernized transportation hub.
In Suffolk County, leaders offer us bold visions for change without a roadmap to get us there. Our various public transit systems are remnants of a bygone way of life, artifacts of a time when the county had far fewer residents.
The challenges of immobility are real, likely a result of failed planning some decades ago. Our residents require relief right now as their freedom of movement and quality of life are both dangerously impeded.
TBR News Media sees the benefits of a modernized terminal at MacArthur, and believes Bellone’s idea is a good one. But there is a whole lot of work to be done before we can get there.
Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone has announced that the Suffolk County Veterans Service Agency will host its third annual Drive-thru Resource and Stand Down Event on Saturday, April 30 in the north parking lot of the H. Lee Dennison Building located at 100 Veterans Memorial Highway in Hauppauge from 11 a.m. to 12:45 p.m.
This year, 22 organizations and county agencies will participate, offering a variety of resources free-of-charge.
“Suffolk County is home to the largest veterans’ population in New York State and we must do all that we can to support our nations heroes,” said County Executive Bellone. “As part of the event, our local veterans will have access to critical information about services currently available to them, along with a host of supplies, including COVID-19 test kits.”
Attending veterans and their families will have an opportunity to receive clothing, fresh produce, personal hygiene items, cleaning supplies, gift cards, blankets, and much more. Information on various nonprofit veteran services, including for physical and mental health, will also be available. Registration is encouraged, but not required. To register, click here.
Over the last two years, more than 200 veteran attendees have received resources from the various organizations and county agencies at the Drive-thru Resource and Stand Down Event. The County anticipates 200 to 300 veterans will attend this year.
Organizations participating in this year’s event include:
o Suffolk County Veteran’s Services Agency
o Suffolk County Traffic & Parking Violations Agency
Lee Koppelman, sitting, in April 2018, was presented with a replica of the sign that marks a nature preserve dedicated in his honor by former Brookhaven Councilwoman Valerie Cartright, state Assemblyman Steve Englebright and Brookhaven Supervisor Ed Romaine. Photo from 2018 by Alex Petroski
After the passing of Lee Koppelman, Suffolk County’s first regional planning board director, he is remembered fondly by those who knew him and his considerable work.
File photo/TBR News Media
Koppelman, of South Setauket, died on March 21, at age 94, at Stony Brook University Hospital.
“Lee Koppelman was a true pioneer whose comprehensive vision for sustainable development on Long Island was well ahead of his time and laid the foundation for countless initiatives we are still pursuing to this day,” said County Executive Steve Bellone (D) in a statement. “Lee’s push, against political backlash, to preserve open space, manage coastal erosion and improve water quality has had a lasting impact that spans generations.”
Bellone added, “As a county, we continue to pull his ideas ‘off the drawing board,’ with more than 20,000 acres of open space and farmland being preserved, as well as continued investments into downtown sewering, water quality improvements and public transit corridors.”
Before his illustrious career, Koppelman was born in Harlem on May 19, 1927. He grew up in Astoria and graduated from Bryant High School in Queens. His parents owned greenhouses in addition to a flower shop in Manhattan.
Koppelman was a Navy veteran who joined in 1945. He held a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from City College of New York and a master’s degree from Pratt Institute. He also earned a doctorate in public administration from New York University.
After he was married, Koppelman and his wife, Connie, moved to Hauppauge, where the planner, then president of the Hauppauge Civic Association, would play an instrumental role in the development of the Hauppauge Industrial Park.
In 1960 the Koppelmans moved to Smithtown and in the late 1980s to East Setauket. In 2014, he and his wife moved to Jefferson Ferry’s independent living in South Setauket. According to his son Keith, Koppelman designed and built his homes in Hauppauge, Smithtown and East Setauket.
Koppelman served as the first Suffolk County regional planning board director for 28 years, from 1960 to 1988, and also served as the executive director of the Nassau-Suffolk Regional Planning Board from 1965 to 2006. He was an early advocate for preserving open space and was responsible for drawing up Suffolk’s first comprehensive master plan in 1970.
In an article by historian Noel Gish posted to the Stony Brook University website, he described Koppelman as “a planning gymnast, contorting and twisting his way through the development of the post-World War II period on Long Island.”
In addition to his accomplishments in his planning career, Koppelman was a professor emeritus at Stony Brook University, where he taught until last semester, according to his son. In 1988, he was appointed director of the Center for Regional Policy Studies at the school. The center handles research projects including governmental productivity, strategic economic planning and environmental planning.
“Lee Koppelman was a true pioneer whose comprehensive vision for sustainable development on Long Island was well ahead of his time and laid the foundation for countless initiatives we are still pursuing to this day.”
— Steve Bellone
According to his profile on the university’s website, his focus was “the environmental policy aspects of regional planning and has been specifically directed toward coastal zone management.”
Among his accomplishments listed on the SBU website, he was project manager for research “including coastal regional planning, comprehensive water management, shoreline erosion practices and related studies.” He was also involved “in the development of synthesis techniques for relating coastal zone science into the regional planning process.”
Leonie Huddy, distinguished professor and chair of the Department of Political Science, said Koppelman was “a leading member of the Stony Brook Political Science Department for over five decades and trained generations of local and regional leaders and policy analysts. He will be sorely missed.”
Koppelman also served as executive director of the Long Island Regional Planning Board and was chairman emeritus of the Town of Brookhaven Open Space and Farmland Acquisition Advisory Committee.
A 46-acre parcel of woodlands near the Stony Brook campus was named after him during a ceremony in April of 2018. Now known as Lee E. Koppelman Nature Preserve, the property east of Nicolls Road and south of the university has been owned by the Town of Brookhaven for nearly 50 years and was used as passive open space.
Brookhaven Town Supervisor Ed Romaine (R), who was a county legislator in the 1980s, said in a phone interview he worked closely with Koppelman during his time in the Legislature working on open space acquisitions in Suffolk County. Romaine was able to get one of the largest acquisitions with the former Havens Estate in Center Moriches. The acquisition included 263 acres of land, now known as Terrell River County Park, that sits from Montauk Highway south to Moriches Bay. He also worked with Koppelman on other acquisitions.
In later years, Koppelman hired Romaine, a former full-time teacher, to teach a graduate course at SBU in 2005. He described Koppelman as gifted and intelligent. He said the two may not have always agreed on matters, “but I always thought his heart was in the right place.”
“I thought he was a visionary, and people say, ‘Well, what does it mean to be a visionary or to have vision,” Romaine said. “Well, vision is the art of seeing what is invisible to others. He made quite visible to us the possibility of things that we should be working on as a county in terms of farmland acquisition, preservation, where development should take place.”
Romaine said he counts himself among others who “are beginning to see that his vision was for the, most part, the correct vision for the future of Long Island, and we regret those things where past leaders did not have the same vision — it was invisible to them to see what he was saying, what his vision was.”
The town supervisor said many would visit Koppelman’s office at SBU to seek advice.
Lee Koppelman in a recent photo from Jefferson Ferry where he lived.
“He was a guy with a tremendous amount of knowledge,” Romaine said. “He will be missed for a long time, and his contributions will go on long after his passing, so I have nothing but absolute praise for Lee Koppelman and his efforts to make sure that Long Island was somewhat more rational than it is today.”
State Assemblyman Steve Englebright (D-Setauket) said Koppelman was a superb administrator who knew how to surround himself with expert master planners. He said Koppelman and the planners “reflected a sense of mission and a sense of strength,” and he leaves behind a great legacy.
“In the years in which sprawl was a menace, every morning, there was Lee Koppelman and his cadre of top-flight planners who offered another vision for Long Island and made a difference, and enabled us to really bring thought into the experience of what appeared to be a daily exercise in chaos on the roadways and in the hallways where approvals for construction were being granted,” Englebright said. “He was a breath of fresh air.”
Englebright said Koppelman’s legacy will continue.
“The expectation, which is really built on of his legacy, is that we will plan, we will reason and we will make thoughtful decisions regarding our land use and natural resource uses,” Englebright said.
Koppelman is survived by his wife, Connie; four children Lesli, Claudia, Laurel and Keith; and three grandchildren Ezra, Ora and Dara. A funeral was held Thursday, March 24, at Shalom Memorial Chapels in Smithtown.
“We shared our father’s time and attention with the entire community of Long Island,” Keith Koppelman said in an email. “We have always been and will remain incredibly proud of him. Working for a rational future for Long Island did take him away from us at times, but now we have reminders of him everywhere we travel on the Island.”
Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone, at podium, and Town of Smithtown Supervisor Ed Wehrheim at a press conference Feb. 25. Photo by Rita J. Egan
Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone (D) and Smithtown Supervisor Ed Wehrheim (R) stopped by Smithtown’s senior citizens center to talk about COVID-19 and distribute at-home tests to center visitors Friday, Feb. 25.
Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone talks with visitors at the senior citizen center. Photo by Rita J. Egan
Before the press conference, county Legislator Leslie Kennedy (R-Nesconset) began delivering the 10,000 at-home COVID-19 test kits received by the town courtesy of the county. The kits were distributed on the day of the press conference and Monday to local assisted living communities, faith-based and small food pantries and community centers in the greater township.
Bellone said he reached out to New York Gov. Kathy Hocul (D) for help with continuing aid to vulnerable populations.
“This was the time to really begin the conversation about how we transition back to normal, to the stage where we are living with the virus, essentially the endemic stage of the virus, and you’re seeing that conversation happening now around the country, as well, which I think is very important,” Bellone said. “As we do that, as we move to that different stage of the virus and manage that risk moving forward, we do still need to be making sure we’re doing everything we can to provide the resources necessary to protect vulnerable populations, senior citizens, those who may have issues with immunity, etc. We need to make sure that things that we know work that are available that they are easily accessible and available to those residents.”
Suffolk officials have been working with various partners such as nonprofits and law enforcement agencies since the beginning of the year to distribute at-home tests, masks and hand sanitizer to the most vulnerable. Bellone said the county has distributed at this point over 200,000 test kits and expects over the next six months that Suffolk will be distributing several hundred thousand more test kits, focusing on the most vulnerable populations.
Bellone added that vaccines, testing and therapeutics have been making a difference.
The county supervisor thanked Wehrheim for his help during the pandemic.
“Supervisor Wehrheim has been an example of the kind of leadership that you need in unprecedented times, and I truly appreciate his partnership and the work that we were able to do together during the pandemic,” Bellone said.
Wehrheim also thanked Bellone for helping the town ensure that no one went without essentials during the pandemic and for the county’s continued support, especially for those on fixed incomes.
“Now families can visit loved ones in nursing homes with easy access to at-home test kits,” Wehrheim said. “Our older seniors can come back to a great senior community and our great senior citizens department to enjoy socializing. Most importantly, we can get back to living again, safer.”
New phase
Bellone said Suffolk County is moving into a new phase of the pandemic.
“We just recently went through what I would characterize as the second most impactful wave of this virus,” he said, adding the omicron wave’s variant infection and hospitalization rates were as high as at the beginning of the pandemic and the county once again saw double-digit deaths.
“We know that this pandemic has caused incalculable devastation, and there will be impacts that we’ll be dealing with for a long time to come, no doubt,” he said. “But, what is clear now is — I think a couple things — we’re moving into a different phase, and this virus is not going to go away. It is going to be here with us. It is something that we are going to be living with.”
Medical healthcare holding COVID-19 , Coronavirus swab collection kit, wearing PPE protective suit mask gloves, test tube for taking OP NP patient specimen sample,PCR DNA testing protocol process
In an effort to expand access to testing, Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone today announced the opening of three new community based testing sites. Rapid Antigen COVID-19 tests, which will be administered by Baseline Health and Reef Technologies, will be on a first come, first served basis.
The first testing site at Hecksher State Park will open on Wednesday, December 29th, the second testing site at Red Creek Park, which was formerly located at Francis S. Gabreski Airport, will open on Monday, January 3rd, and the third testing site located at Cathedral Pines County Park will open on Tuesday, January 4th.
“What we have learned so far is that the Omicron variant is highly transmittable and causing a spike in our daily positivity rate,” said Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone. “Testing is one of the best tools we have when it comes to containing the spread of this virus. As we approach the New Year, these three new sites will provide quick and convenient results for our residents so that they can protect themselves and their loved ones.”
Rapid Testing sites include:
Hecksher State Park, Field 8 (Opening on Wednesday, December 29th)
1 Heckscher State Parkway
East Islip
Open every Monday through Thursday from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM
Testing Capacity: Up 1,000 tests a day
Red Creek Park (Opening Monday, January 3rd)
102 Old Riverhead Rd
Hampton Bays
Open for school-required testing and community testing
Open on Mondays only from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM
Testing Capacity: Up to 500 tests per day
Cathedral Pines County Park (Opening on Tuesday, January 4th)
116 Yaphank Middle Island Rd
Middle Island
Open on Tuesdays and Fridays from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM
Testing Capacity: Up to 500 tests per day
Residents with any questions can contact Suffolk311.