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Town of Huntington

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From left, Councilman Ed Smyth, Councilman Mark Cuthbertson, Supervisor Chad A. Lupinacci, Carlos Ortiz (Regional VP for Suffolk County, Sun River Health), Lisa Santeramo (Assistant Secretary for Intergovernmental Affairs, Governor Cuomo's office)

UPDATE: Supervisor Chad A. Lupinacci, Councilman Ed Smyth and Councilman Mark Cuthbertson were joined by Lisa Santeramo of Governor Andrew Cuomo’s office and Carlos Ortiz of Sun River Health for the opening day of a pop-up COVID-19 vaccination site, on March 22, where 600 doses of the Moderna vaccine will be administered by appointment only at the Town of Huntington Senior Center.  

“We are pleased to be able to offer a large, safe vaccination site at the Town’s Senior Center, something we have been working on with the Governor’s office for some time now,” said Supervisor Chad A. Lupinacci. “We look forward to the day we can reopen this community facility to our senior residents and end the isolation many continue experiencing for over a year now: these vaccinations are getting us one step closer to normal.” 

Councilman Ed Smyth stated, “I encourage everyone to get a vaccine at the earliest possible date. I understand many people are anxious about it. Many people have reservations about vaccines based on medical concerns, historical concerns, or religious concerns.  If you have concerns, please speak directly with your doctor, community and religious leaders. Please don’t substitute an internet search for actual medical advice.” 

Councilman Mark Cuthbertson stated, “Today and tomorrow 600 seniors will be vaccinated at our Senior Center, we are hopeful that NYS will allocate more vaccines so we can continue to vaccinate our residents.” 

“Sun River Health is proud to partner with the Governor’s Office, the Town of Huntington, and the Huntington Senior Center to continue the important work that will finally bring an end to the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Anne Kauffman Nolon, MPH, Sun River Health CEO. “Thank you to all our dedicated staff and partners providing vaccines to members of the Huntington community this week.” 

Rodney Nichols, Huntington resident, was very happy to receive the vaccine on March 22.

In coordination with the Governor’s office, the Town of Huntington is hosting a pop-up COVID-19 vaccination site for New York residents ages 60+ by appointment only at the Town’s Senior Center on Monday, March 22 & Tuesday, March 23 between 9AM and 3PM for 600 doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine to be administered by Sun River Health (2nd doses to be administered on Monday, April 19 & Tuesday, April 20).  

In January, Supervisor Chad A. Lupinacci sent a letter signed by the entire Town Board to the Governor’s office offering the Town of Huntington Senior Center facility as a potential COVID-19 vaccination site, due to the space, parking and refrigeration facilities available. 

The Lupinacci administration had previously conducted an in-house analysis of space under its jurisdiction that would accommodate the basic needs of a vaccine point of distribution. 

The administration determined that the Senior Center (423 Park Avenue, Huntington), largely vacant due to COVID-19, would provide the State with a complement of amenities including, but not limited to a spacious cafeteria, numerous classrooms, bathrooms, refrigerators, heating and air-conditioning, and plentiful parking spaces. 

The Senior Center’s close proximity to NYS Route 110, NYS Route 25A and Park Avenue is conducive to easy access from all points of the Town. Furthermore, the facility is situated between Jackson Avenue and Park Avenue, which would provide flexible traffic control options. 

 

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Councilman Mark Cuthbertson. File photo

By Harry To

Town of Huntington Councilman Mark Cuthbertson (D) is not seeking reelection and is instead vying for the Suffolk County Legislature seat in the 18th District.

Huntington Councilman Mark Cuthbertson

The seat is currently held by William “Doc” Spencer (D-Centerport), who was arrested last October in a sex-for-drugs sting. Police said he allegedly planned to meet a prostitute in the parking lot of a Goodwill store in Elwood to trade sex for pills, reportedly oxycodone. Spencer has decided against running for reelection.

Cuthbertson has served for over two decades on the Huntington Town Board. Now, he hopes to translate his experience in local politics to the county level.

“Experience with budgeting and finance, open space and environmental protection, economic

development, employee relations and collective bargaining, and public safety are among the

areas that would allow me to hit the ground running as a county legislator,” he said in a phone interview Friday. “There are various facets of my private sector experience in commercial real estate, civil rights litigation and land use that also round out my experience and will allow me to better serve the people as a county legislator.”

According to a press release, Cuthbertson’s accomplishments as a legislator include sponsorship of two open space contracts that resulted in the preservation of hundreds of acres of environmentally sensitive lands, strengthening local laws to increase affordable housing for

working families and helping raise the town bond rating to AAA, the highest rating.

Cuthbertson is a lifelong resident of Huntington, graduating from Walt Whitman High School. Later he attended Villanova University and earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration and then his juris doctor degree from Albany Law School, where he was a member of the Albany Law Review publication.

He is also a graduate of the Energeia Partnership at Molloy College, a leadership institute

dedicated to addressing complex and challenging issues on Long Island.

Rich Schaffer, chairman of the Suffolk County Democratic Committee, spoke about

Cuthbertson’s local popularity.

“Councilman Mark Cuthbertson has been consistently reelected to the Huntington Town Council

because of his record delivering for the families of Huntington,” Schaffer said.“We’re excited to work with Mark to keep our Democratic majority in the Legislature so he can continue working to improve the lives of Suffolk County families.”

To oppose Cuthbertson, the Suffolk County Republican Party has put forth Stephanie Bontempi,

a fifth-grade teacher at The Green Vale School in Old Brookville and chairperson of the Town of Huntington’s Beautification Advisory Council.

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Town of Huntington Supervisor Chad Lupinacci was cleared of any wrongdoing in a recent investigation of sexual harassment rumors. File photo by Lina Weingarten

Huntington Town Supervisor Chad Lupinacci (R) released a statement Feb. 26 on his decision not to seek reelection in 2021.

“After much deliberation and consideration with my family, friends and advisers, I have decided not to seek reelection as Huntington Town Supervisor this November. To be clear, this was my decision and my decision alone made in the best interest of my family, the town, and the Republican Party.  While this decision is a difficult one, it is made easier by the fact that in less than one term I have delivered on all of my campaign promises and will continue to accomplish the many goals I set out to achieve before this final year is complete.  Few administrations have faced as many challenges, and few have achieved what we have.  I am proud that I will leave the Town of Huntington in a far better place than when I took office, and for that reason I am incredibly optimistic about the future of the Town and its hamlets that I love so much.

“The effort to take the Town in a new direction began roughly four years ago and was inspired by my deep roots in Huntington, which was borne from a small butcher shop operated by my grandfather on New York Avenue in the old Huntington Station.  On the campaign trail, I often recounted the importance of this butcher shop to my family’s history in Huntington and it served as my impetus for revitalizing the Huntington Station area.  My campaign attracted a broad coalition inspired by my community connections, broad platform and commitment to move the Town in a new and better direction.

“In office, I immediately set to work on fulfilling my campaign promises.  In our first month, I fulfilled my promise to make town government more transparent and accountable to its residents by enacting term limits, strengthening our ethics laws and increasing opportunities for constituent feedback.  These measures increased confidence in town government and the democratic process.

“I also pledged to preserve and enhance the wonderful quality of life that makes Huntington a special place to live, work and raise a family.  Every day, we worked to protect the suburban charm of our neighborhoods and historic downtowns, while creating new economic opportunity for this generation and the next.  To provide our children with an even better town than the one we inherited, we committed to smart development, curbed the overdevelopment of Huntington Village, invested in open space and farmland preservation, revitalized our waterfront, and continued the reinvestment in and revitalization of Huntington Station.

“Among so many other accomplishments, I spearheaded the creation of the Town of Huntington Bureau of Administrative Adjudication, the first town court of its kind on Long Island, to efficiently adjudicate violations of the Huntington Town Code; held the line on property taxes with three Tax Cap-compliant budgets; protected the Town’s AAA-bond rating; and made unprecedented investments in our Town parks and facilities.

“While so much was accomplished to date, my time as Supervisor may be defined by two unprecedented challenges, one inherited, and one that no one could have anticipated.

“The decade-long litigation with LIPA over the assessment on the Northport Power Plant posed an existential threat to all homeowners, commercial property owners, and the Northport-East Northport School District.  With settlement negotiations stagnant, a looming court judgment threatened ruin for our beautiful Town.  Under my leadership, the Town negotiated an unprecedented settlement few thought possible.  We eliminated the threat of total financial devastation, including up to $825 million in future tax refund payments to LIPA, which hung over the heads of our residents for over a decade, secured millions of dollars in additional funding for our schools and Town, and protected our residents against unsustainable tax increases.

“The once-in-a-lifetime pandemic came without warning and required quick decision-making and visionary leadership to protect our residents, businesses, front line workers and Town employees.  Our Town developed a comprehensive plan to safely reopen facilities and deliver important services to our residents.  We continued to provide daily meals for our senior citizens.  We adopted countless measures to assist struggling local businesses, including the creation of a small business task force that continues to make recommendations for additional measures.  Our country suffered terribly from this pandemic, and our Town was not spared that pain.  I send my thoughts and prayers to all the victims of this insidious virus as well as their surviving family members.  We will never forget and the first Monday in March has now been designated as “COVID-19 Victims and Survivors Memorial Day” in the Town of Huntington.

“As this phase of my public service career comes to a conclusion, I must thank our outstanding Town workers for everything that they have done to help make the new direction vision a reality.  Public service remains a noble pursuit and our employees fully understand that.

“Our Town remarkedly includes so many people of different backgrounds and we draw our strength from this diversity.  The Town Supervisor must ensure that the voices of all such people are heard and respected.  I am proud to have served as a time when Huntington has come together with a united voice, even as our national discourse tends to divide us.  To this end, over the course of my term, I have encouraged the celebration of our diversity while promoting a vision of a unified Town centered upon our shared values and common humanity as evidenced by initiatives preserving Huntington’s Black history and honoring the lives of Dr. Agnes Hiller, Samuel Ballton, Peter Crippen, and Paul Johnson.

“During my time as Town Supervisor, I have often thought of Jackie Robinson’s famous quote that “a life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives.”  This quote motivated me during challenging times and inspired me to do more to help our residents.  Whether one is in the public or private sector, we should remember Mr. Robinson’s wise words and do our best to make our corner of the world a better place.  I am committed to doing just that in the next phase of my life because those values are my inheritance.

“I want to thank everyone for the friendship and support they have given me during my time as Town Supervisor.  It has been an honor and a privilege to serve our Town and its residents and, rest assured, that I will continue approaching each day through the end of my term with the same vigor and passion for public service that I had on the day I was first elected.”

Lupinacci will serve the remainder of his existing term in office.

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Rebecca Sanin

The president and CEO of a local nonprofit is ready to make some changes in Huntington if elected in November.

“I care so much about our neighbors, so many of our neighbors, both families and businesses, are struggling with the economic assaults of COVID-19. And I think this is a very unique time in history. We need an executive in the supervisor’s office with a record of innovation.”

— Rebecca Sanin

Earlier this month, the Huntington Town Democratic Committee announced Rebecca Sanin’s run for Town of Huntington supervisor. The 42-year-old, who lives in Huntington Station with her family, has served as the president and CEO of the Health & Welfare Council of Long Island since 2017. Prior to that, she worked with Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone’s (D) administration for more than five years as an assistant deputy county executive.

“I worked on creating an environment of continuous improvement, and I would bring those skill sets to Town Hall to make sure that we’re doing an analysis of what we should be doing, what we can be doing, how we can do things differently, how we can improve public service,” she said. “And, how we can create better access so that every member of our community feels that they can connect with their leaders and departments in the town.”

Sanin added that due to her work in the county and the nonprofit sector she has experience working with different levels of government.

“I think it’s very important that an executive in the Town of Huntington is able to work with the state as it’s recovering from COVID-19 and is able to work with the county, is able to work effectively with the villages,” she said. “These relationships are very important when it comes to making sure that every Huntington resident is effectively served, and I bring that skill set to this candidacy.”

The candidate said with the council she has helped to bring the nonprofit business community together and has helped to lead the sector through the pandemic.

She said for her being in the political arena is all about public service, and at a young age she used to volunteer to serve food in soup kitchens.

When the Huntington school district school board began talks in 2010 to close the Jack Abrams Intermediate School due to crime in the area, Sanin worked with others to try to get the school reopened. She said it was important to the children and families in the community, and she felt there was a way to keep children in the school while residents worked to eliminate neighborhood gang and gun violence.

“It was the Jack Abrams school closing that really birthed in me the importance of advocacy, and the importance of community togetherness and working together with the community too, to make sure that we have the best outcomes we can for families,” she added.

Sanin’s love for the town runs deep.

“I care so much about our neighbors, so many of our neighbors, both families and businesses, are struggling with the economic assaults of COVID-19,” she said. “And I think this is a very unique time in history. We need an executive in the supervisor’s office with a record of innovation.”

She added that the town could be a model to show what it means to put people first and show support for the business community.

“We really need to be creative about how we build our future together,” Sanin said. “One of my greatest strengths is consensus building — bringing people together, helping people to work together toward solutions. You know, I want to take my skill set and my record of leadership and bring it to the town that I love more than any.”

“One of my greatest strengths is consensus building — bringing people together, helping people to work together toward solutions.”

— Rebecca Sanin

When it comes to the pandemic, she said she believes the aftereffects will be felt for years to come.

“It’s a multiyear recession, for sure, and it’s a time in which people who were struggling before COVID are now in crisis, and a whole lot of people who have never struggled in their lives are losing their businesses or losing their livelihoods or losing their jobs,” she said. “We have to be creative and think about the role of the town, and how the town can play a leadership role in catalyzing our recovery.”

Sanin recognizes how unique and diverse Huntington is with its different hamlets, where residents in one area may have different concerns than another part of the town.

“It’s very important that we listen to the community when we decide our priorities,” she said. “An executive shouldn’t come into office and say, ‘This is what we’re going to do.’ We should be listening to the community, we should be responding to the needs of the community — both families and the business community. And I think we have to be doing that with an eye toward innovation, because these are very unique times. And if we don’t innovate — if we aren’t willing to reflect and do the analysis that’s necessary to build a bright future — then we’re going to have significant challenges.”

The candidate said people’s faith in government needs to be restored, and it starts by putting qualified people in as department heads.

Huntington Supervisor Chad Lupinacci (R) has not announced if he will be running again for office in November. There are rumors that Councilman Eugene Cook (R) will run instead, but no official announcement has been made.

Sanin said no matter who runs, she will still be a fresh face in town government. On the same ticket there will be two candidates for council members: Jennifer Hebert of Huntington and Joe Schramm of Northport, who are both running for office for the first time.

“They’re extremely dedicated to making sure that Huntington residents get what they need and deserve,” Sanin said.

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Reverend Mother Agnes Hiller in an undated photo.

Supervisor Chad A. Lupinacci, the Huntington Town Board and Town officials will be joined by Rev. Bernadette Watkins, pastors and members of Mt. Calvary Holy Church of Huntington and family of the late Rev. Mother Agnes Hiller for a street dedication ceremony in Mother Hiller’s honor at the corner of East 10th Street and New York Avenue in Huntington Station on Monday, February 22.

Please note: public attendance is limited to guests related to Rev. Hiller and church members who have pre-RSVPed.

Rev. Bernadette Watkins met with Supervisor Chad A. Lupinacci in the summer of 2019 to discuss honoring the late Reverend Mother Agnes Hiller and her contributions to the Huntington Station community. Mother Hiller, as she came to be known, dedicated her life to serving the Huntington Station community by taking in dozens of children and organizing various programs to address issues of hunger, drug abuse, teen pregnancy, and families in need.

At their September 2019 meeting, the Town Board officially recognized Mother Hiller’s untiring work to improve the lives of residents of the Huntington Station community by renaming the block of East 10th Street, from New York Avenue to First Avenue, in Huntington Station as East 10th Street/Dr. Agnes Hiller Way. A street dedication ceremony was planned for May 2020 but the COVID-19 pandemic forced the event’s postponement.

Agnes Hiller was born in 1903. As a young woman in 1932, she became one of the first members of the newly formed Mt. Calvary Holy Church of Huntington. She later became assistant pastor and then was named pastor of Mt. Calvary Holy Church soon after the church relocated to its present location at East 10th Street. She served as pastor until she retired in 1994 at the age of 90.

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Charged with alleged conspiracy and falsification of civil service application

Dominic Spada, a former Huntington employee, is facing charges for allegedly falsifying his work experience on a Suffolk County Department of Civil Service application. File photo from the Town of Huntington

A Huntington resident, who until recently worked for the town and serves as a Village of Huntington Bay trustee, is facing charges for allegedly falsifying his work experience on a Suffolk County Department of Civil Service application and conspiring with another individual to corroborate the false claims.

On Feb. 10, county District Attorney Tim Sini (D) announced the indictment of Dominic Spada, 58, according to a press release from Sini’s office. The charges include offering a false instrument for filing in the first degree; making a punishable false written statement; falsifying business records in the second degree; and conspiracy in the fifth degree. All are class A misdemeanor crimes except for offering a false instrument, which is a class E felony. 

Spada stepped down as the director of Maritime Services for the Town of Huntington Feb. 5, according to town Supervisor Chad Lupinacci (R), who accepted the resignation. The supervisor made it clear in an email statement that the charges have nothing to do with Spada’s position with the town.

“Based on Mr. Spada’s accomplishments during his short time in office, he may be the best director of Maritime Services the town has ever had, which is what makes this loss so significant,”
Lupinacci said.

“Mr. Spada’s stellar record includes making our waterways and shorelines safer than ever before for residents, beachgoers and boaters, taking the cost burden off the taxpayer in the process, returning federal and state tax dollars back to Huntington through grant-funded emergency response boats, and his complete in-house, under-budget renovations of our marinas and waterfront facilities that were neglected for 20 years. What Mr. Spada achieved for the town and all of our residents is unparalleled and we thank him for his service,” the supervisor added.

According to the DA’s office, in August 2018, Spada, who is also a Town of Islip harbormaster and the first assistant chief of the Halesite Fire Department, filed an application with the Department of Civil Service to take the open competitive examination for a bay constable position. Applicants must have a minimum of two years maritime experience to qualify, and Spada allegedly claimed on his application that he had worked for a Huntington-based maritime towing company, according to Sini’s office. Spada also allegedly claimed he worked for five years for the company, and he asked the owner of the company to corroborate his false application.

According to Spada’s profile page on the Village of Huntington Bay’s website, the village trustee has been a Huntington resident for 10 years. In 2007, he was recognized as the Halesite Fire Department Firefighter of the Year. He also was listed on the website as coaching youth lacrosse and football, and playing lacrosse in an over-40 league. He is married and has two children.

Spada was arraigned Feb. 10 and pleaded not guilty. He was released on his own recognizance and is due back in court March 16. If convicted of the top count, Spada can face four years in prison.

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In the photo: Rebecca Tripoli (center front) and Supervisor Chad A. Lupinacci (center back) with Rebecca’s mother (Sara), father (Frank), grandparents, aunt, uncle and two cousins. Photo from Town of Huntington

Supervisor Chad A. Lupinacci honored Rebecca Tripoli, a 4th grader from Melville, on Monday, December 21, for raising $140 in donations to purchase supplies for families in local shelters.

 “Rebecca represents the best of the greater Huntington community. Not only did she selflessly think of others during the holiday season, which can be a tough time for many, especially those in need, but she did something about it and made an impact at our shelters and in the hearts of many across our community,” said Sup. Lupinacci as he presented a proclamation from the Huntington Town Board to Rebecca outside her home on Monday evening.

9-year-old Rebecca Tripoli, a 4th grader from Melville, took up a collection to buy supplies for local shelters, raising $140. She researched local shelters’ websites, saw what they needed, made a list and went shopping.

“I felt grateful that my life was great, and I thought of the homeless people that had nothing. So I bought groceries to give them something,” said Rebecca, who purchased “fruit cups, ramen noodles, black beans, candy canes, pasta, canned vegetables, chicken soup, water and juice boxes, diapers, baby lotion, razors, toothbrushes, toothpaste, deodorant, and shaving cream,” all of which was donated to Family Service League.

Rebecca’s mother Sara added that Rebecca knew candy canes weren’t on the list but she wanted to do something to make the children smile around Christmas, “Rebecca’s father and I really are proud that she came up with the idea to help people less fortunate than her. We talk about this together a lot, that there are people right here in our community and in her school that don’t have enough food to eat, or even a place to live. She has a big heart and also a lot of ambition, and decided to do something about it. We were really surprised and honored that Mr. Lupinacci came to our home and recognized her for her work. It was an exciting day for us all!”

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From left, Town Clerk Andrew P. Raia; Councilman Ed Smyth; Supervisor Chad A. Lupinacci; Lona Graepel; Receiver of Taxes Jillian Guthman; and Councilman Eugene Cook. Photo from Town of Huntington

Supervisor Chad A. Lupinacci and Town officials Councilman Eugene Cook, Councilman Ed Smyth, Town Clerk Andrew P. Raia and Receiver of Taxes Jillian Guthman joined Lona Graepel from Long Island Farmers Markets for a ribbon cutting at the opening of the Huntington Winter Farmers Market in the Town’s John J. Flanagan Center in Huntington on Dec. 5.

“Who doesn’t love a farmer’s market?! Thanks to Lona Graepel from Long Island Farmers Markets for keeping the ‘shop local’ tradition going through the cold weather months!” said Sup. Lupinacci. 

“It was my pleasure to join my colleagues at the Winter Farmer’s Market on Saturday.  I would recommend to everyone to find some time on Saturdays to explore the Winter Farmer’s Market with their family, as there are many wonderful vendors there, with something for everyone,” said Councilman Cook.  “Please remember to mask up and social distance while enjoying the market.” 

“The Farmers Market is a year-round reminder to shop as locally as possible,” said Councilman Smyth. 

“It’s exciting to be a part of the Grand Opening for the Winter Farmers Market here in Huntington. A major part of our local economy is shopping for fresh, local goods and Lona Graepel, Market Manager at Long Island Farmers Market, is doing this by keeping our residents thriving for fresh foods,” said Raia. “This year, I have the pleasure of displaying a “Farming in Huntington” Exhibit in the Town of Huntington Jo-Ann Raia Archives, which features farmers present and past. Farming has always played a strong role in the development of Huntington, and it is important to continue eating fresh foods while supporting our local farmers.” 

“What a treat to purchase a uniquely made item from a member of our community.  You can find everything from micro-greens to designer cutting boards and doggie treats and more all while supporting our local economy,” said Guthman. 

The Huntington Winter Farmers Market runs every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.  through March 27, 2021 at the John J. Flanagan Center, 423 Park Avenue, Huntington (behind the Cinema Arts Centre). Shop for local gourmet foods and beverages, sweet and healthy treats, organic bath and body products, in an “all under one roof” Farmer’s Market setup while enjoying live music. Masks are mandatory. Call 631-944-2661 for more information.

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From left, Supervisor Chad A. Lupinacci presents an Archives Month proclamation to Town Archivist Antonia Mattheou and Town Clerk Andrew P. Raia
Scenes from the Farming in Huntington exhibit
Scenes from the Farming in Huntington exhibit
Scenes from the Farming in Huntington exhibit
Scenes from the Farming in Huntington exhibit

Huntington Town Supervisor Chad A. Lupinacci presented Town Clerk Andrew P. Raia with a proclamation commemorating American Archives Month in front of the Town Clerk’s new Farming in Huntington exhibit on Oct. 20.

“Farming has a long and fascinating history in the Town of Huntington, and I would like to thank those farms which are participating in my office’s Farming in Huntington exhibit as part of Archives Month 2020,” said Raia.

“Our rural roots are on display in the Town Clerk’s “Farming in Huntington” exhibit, which also punctuates the need to preserve this type of open space to maintain the character of our Town,” said Sup. Lupinacci. “The Town Clerk’s Archives Month exhibit highlights the significance of preserving historical records and help us understand how our past has influenced our present.”

Farms featured in the exhibit include Albert H. Schmitt Family Farms, Albert Schmitt & Sons Farms, Carlson’s Elwood Farms, Crossroads Farm, DeLea Sod Farms, Dobler Farms, ELIJA Farm, Elwood Pumpkin and Christmas Tree Farm, F & W Schmitt’s Family Farm, Kerber’s Farm, Lewis Oliver Dairy, Makinajian Poultry Farm, Manor Farm, Mediavilla Orchards, Prianti Farms Inc., Richters Orchard, Schneider’s Farm, Tilden Lane Farm and White Post Farms of Melville.

“The images, artifacts and antique items loaned to the exhibit from owners of the participating farms provide an in-depth look into the evolution of farming in Huntington and serve as an educational experience for individuals of all ages,” said Raia.

A virtual Farming in Huntington exhibit with an interactive tour map is also in production, and will be announced when it is available for viewing. A dedication and renaming of the Huntington Town Clerk’s Records Center & Archives Division in honor of Jo-Ann Raia, Huntington’s Town Clerk for 38 years, originally scheduled for 2020 will take place in 2021, with details to come.

The exhibit will be on display on all three floors of Huntington Town Hall for one year and will be open to the public free of charge by appointment. Please call the Town Clerk’s office at 631-351-3206 or the Town Archivist at 631-351-3035 to schedule a tour.

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File photo by Lina Weingarten

Last week, the Town of Huntington announced the Long Island Power Authority agreed to provide an additional $3 million
to the town if a settlement were to go through. The money is in addition to the proposed settlement for the Northport Power Station tax certiorari case, according to a town press release.

After an Aug. 10 town public forum held at Heckscher Park, LIPA agreed to extend the deadline for the town to accept the latest settlement proposal on the Northport Power Station tax certiorari litigation to Thursday, Sept. 3, when the town will hold a public hearing via Zoom on the issue.

After the hearing, the board will vote on the settlement. According to town and LIPA officials, the additional $3 million is to reduce the impact of COVID-19 on Huntington residents.

“We recognize the challenge of the pandemic on the town’s finances and have accommodated their request for additional assistance in the first three years of the settlement,” LIPA officials said in an email statement. “The Northport-East Northport school board voted overwhelmingly to settle this long-standing litigation, and we believe we have made a fair offer for the town to move forward.”

Town Supervisor Chad Lupinacci (R) said in the release that the $3 million in additional payments will be made by LIPA to the town of $1 million per year in 2021 through 2023.

“While we were fortunate to be in a strong financial position when COVID-19 hit, the long-term impacts of this unprecedented economic crisis on our local economy and future government operations are not fully known,” the supervisor said.

Councilman Mark Cuthbertson (D) said he would continue to analyze the settlement “but any money that will go to the taxpayers is certainly a welcome development.”

Councilwoman Joan Cergol (D) said the money will soften any financial impacts of COVID-19 “and is certainly worthy of consideration in helping to protect and preserve vital town services and programs that our residents depend on and deserve, especially during these, and continuing difficult times.”

The proposed deal would reduce LIPA’s annual tax bill on the Northport power plant from $86 million to $46 million by 2027.

The public hearing will start at 6 p.m. on Sept. 3. Public comment may be submitted ahead of the forum at huntingtonny.gov/lipa-forum. The forum will livestream on Optimum 18, FIOS 38 and at huntingtonny.gov/featured-programs, where residents may sign up to speak during the forum.

The Town Board’s vote on the LIPA proposal will take place immediately after the public forum ends, and in addition to being livestreamed on Optimum and FIOS, it can be viewed at huntingtonny.gov/meetings.

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