TREASURE BY THE SEA

TOWN REELS IN SHINNECOCK DOCK FROM THE COUNTY

The Shinnecock Commercial Dock, home to one of the largest fishing fleets in the state, now solely belongs to the Town of Southampton. Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone formally transferred the deed to Supervisor Jay Schneiderman in a ceremony at the dock on June 28th. Until this transfer, the dock was owned by Suffolk County but operated by the Town of Southampton through an inter-municipal agreement, and the costs of repairs and upgrades were shared by both entities. This transfer not only gives the Town ownership of the two acre property, but also included 11 acres of bayfront property to the west of the dock. Councilwoman Lofstad, whose family is part of the commercial fishing industry, said, “Taking ownership of the infrastructure that is so important to our fisherman shows that the Town understands the importance of supporting this historical industry.” The Parks and Recreation Department will continue to manage the dock and additional bayfront property.

UPBEAT STATE OF THE TOWN ADDRESS

Supervisor Schneiderman described the State of the Town as “excellent” in his annual State of the Town address at the Town Board meeting on May 28th. The Supervisor highlighted the Town’s continued Aaa credit rating, which is the highest credit rating from Moody’s Investor Services, making strides with creating 80 workforce housing units and a 20 percent reduction in major crimes. Additionally, the Town is completing several infrastructure projects, including the renovation of the Ponquogue Beach Pavilion and the Tiana Lifesaving Station. The Supervisor reported that the Town continues to lead the region with several environmental initiatives, such as the septic system rebate, water quality improvements through the CPF program and the LED light program. The Town is also committed to new investment with an Aggregate Energy Program and sole ownership of the Shinnecock Dock to facilitate urgent repairs to protect and support our vital fishing industry.

NEW LED LIGHT PROGRAM SAVES MONEY AND ENERGY

The Town of Southampton was one of the first communities in the state to install LED street lighting and it’s already saving energy, money and reducing greenhouse gases. The conversion of 2,580 street lights is saving the Town annually over a million kilowatt hours, $168,000.00 in energy savings and $100,000.00 in maintenance costs. That’s the equivalent of taking 160 cars off the road. “These are real cost savings and tangible results to protect our environment,” said Parks Director Kristen Doulos. The New York Power Authority financed the $1.9 million project but the monthly savings is greater than the monthly loan payments. With these savings, the Town will receive a 100% return on its investment in about 7 years.

NEW SUFFOLK COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE POOL MAKES BIG SPLASH IN THE TOWN OF SOUTHAMPTON

Supervisor Jay Schneiderman and Councilman John Bouvier attended a ribbon cutting for the new pool at the Suffolk County Community College Eastern Campus in Northampton. The nearly $22 million, 40 thousand square foot, ADA accessible building features the 8 lane competitive sized pool, an 11,500 square foot gymnasium with 9 courts for basketball, volleyball and badminton, and a weight and fitness area with a climbing wall. “This is truly a dream come true,” said Supervisor Schneiderman, who fought passionately for the funding during his 12 years as County Legislator. “This is something the whole community can now enjoy.” Residents will be permitted to use the pool for a daily fee or through an annual membership, when it’s not being used for college classes or other training.

EARTH DAY CELEBRATION

Young and old alike participated in the annual Earth Day Festival at Good Ground Park on May 18th. While kids made bath bombs and got their faces painted, adult participants learned more about the Town’s Energy Conservation Program. There were demonstrations of the latest electric lawn maintenance equipment and electric cars, as well as workshops on how to create environmentally friendly lawn fertilizer and how to make your own compost. Attendees were able to take a yoga class in the beautiful, park setting and live music by a ukulele group and a steel drum band, entertained the crowd.  

PARENT ROUNDTABLE ON DRUGS, ALCOHOL USE AND VAPING

The Town’s “Addiction and Recovery” committee held a parent roundtable at the Greek Orthodox Church on Tuesday, May 14th to educate parents on the warning signs associated with substance abuse. Parenting experts and the Chief of Police discussed how to keep kids safe from the dangers of drugs, alcohol and vaping. Additionally, the police provided the parents with a Narcan demonstration and resource kits to take home and share with their schools.

OPIOID CANDLE LIGHT VIGIL

There were fewer candles on the stage for the second annual Candle Light Vigil held on Mother’s Day Eve on May 11th, indicating that we may be turning the corner in the opioid epidemic. Last year, there were close to 400 votives on the stage to represent the number of people who died from opioids in Suffolk County in 2017. This year, there were fewer than 300. There were also a larger number of taller candles, representing the number of victims in the Town of Southampton. In 2017, 19 people died from opioids in the Town, as compared to six last year. “We have had one reported death so far this year,” said Supervisor Jay Schneiderman. “That’s still one death too many but we are making strides.” Log onto WWW.FINDHELPSOUTHAMPTON.COM to learn more.

GOOD GROUND PARK ROCKS!

The Good Ground Park Concert series, Good Ground on Stage, got off to a great start with year with a little bit of country. Southbound took the stage on June 27th and brought line dancers to their feet! Some other new bands will rock the park for the first time this summer including, The Complete Unknowns, The Eagle River Band and Petty Rumours. East End favorite, The Nancy Atlas Project, returns to Good Ground Park on August 1st. There will also be two movie nights on July 18th and August 15th For a complete list of park events, visit our website at:
WWW.SOUTHAMPTONTOWNNY.GOV/GGP-ON-STAGE

SUPERVISOR AND ASSEMBLYMAN TALK TO COMMUTERS ON THE SOUTH FORK COMMUTER CONNECTION

The early train on the South Fork Commuter Connection out of Hampton Bays had some guest riders on Tuesday, May 28th. Supervisor Jay Schneiderman and State Assemblyman Fred Thiele took the train to talk to riders about the new alternative commute and to find out firsthand how well it is working. Most riders said they loved it. Many told stories about how they are getting to work stress free and how much they preferred the rail to the road. Some suggested that the late train heading west is not late enough to work with their schedules. Others requested a later train in the morning out of Speonk, instead of the second eastbound train that now originates in Hampton Bays. The Long Island Railroad is working on a possible alternative schedule for the fall that would include these suggestions.  

INTENTIONAL RELEASE OF BALLOONS BAN

The Town Board approved a resolution banning the intentional release of balloons at the June 25th Town Board Meeting. The intent of the legislation is to reduce the negative impact that balloons have on our environment. “We need to change our behaviors and find better alternatives to products that harm our environment,” said Councilwoman Lofstad, the sponsor of the resolution. “Balloons that have been released, or thrown in the garbage, become hazards to marine life and land animals. There are viable alternatives, such as butterfly releases, planting a tree in someone’s honor, or using whirligigs to attract attention. If we stop and think about where these single use items go after we are done with them, perhaps we will be more cognizant and careful in our choices.” The legislation is Councilwoman’s Lofstad’s latest effort to support environmental sustainability in the Town of Southampton. Earlier this year, she sponsored legislation to ban plastic straws and polystyrene in the Town.