Senator Foley, Mayor Pontieri Announce Funding for Patchogue Village

Senator Brian X. Foley (D – Blue Point) and Patchogue Village Mayor Paul Pontieri announced today that Patchogue Village will receive $1 million in capital money from the State of New York.


The funding, secured by Senator Foley, will be used to make improvements to the sewer pump station in the Village of Patchogue. In addition to being important for the village, the improvements to this station are critical to the expansion of the sewer system on Main Street in East Patchogue.




“Economic recovery begins on Main Street,” said Senator Foley. “The completion of the sewer project in East Patchogue will allow businesses to expand and expansion means new jobs for those in the local community. I am glad I have been able to provide funding for the village that will aid in this project.”


“East Patchogue is the gateway to Patchogue and we must do everything we can to help make it ,” said Mayor Pontieri. “This will allow the hookup of East Patchogue to the Patchogue Village sewer system to be completed so that businesses along Montauk Highway can continue to grow. The Village of Patchogue is excited to be part of this growth and we thank Senator Foley for helping to secure the funding.”


“Eight years ago Senator Foley, then Legislator Foley, put in place a plan to rebuild East Main Street, the Gate Way to Patchogue, through his early efforts that is now being done,” said Mayor Pontieri. “This $1,000,000 grant from NYS helps complete that dream. Without this money we would not be able to connect East Patchogue to our waste water treatment plant. This will lead to economic growth and restore it to its former glory.”


“I think we all need to thank Senator Foley for securing the last piece of this puzzle. This state funding to upgrade the sewer pump station is integral to the sewering now taking place along East Main Street. Once the lines go in, interested business owners can hook in to the sewer system and we can all watch the East Main Street corridor flourish,” said Legislator Jack Eddington.


“I have been working many years on this sewer project and thank Senator Foley for this important funding,” said Brookhaven Town Councilman Tim Mazzei. “This funding will enhance the project and allow the sewer lines to be pumped.”
 
Posted from http://www.nysenate.gov/press-release/senator-foley-mayor-pontieri-announce-funding-patchogue-village

More about New York State Senator Brian X. Foley http://www.nysenate.gov/district/03

Suffolk County Offers Shelter to Residents as Hurricane Earl Approaches

As Hurricane Earl Approaches, Suffolk County offers the Shelter Location and Storm Surge Map to assist residents in preparing for the approaching storm. The map provides information on the nearest storm shelter, and what communities are most at risk from a potential storm.

Find this and more information at http://www.co.suffolk.ny.us/Home/departments/firerescue/Office%20of%20Emergency%20Management/Hurricane%20Watch.aspx

Letter from Mark Lesko, Brookhaven Town Supervisor

Dear Resident,
The Town of Brookhaven continues to monitor the track of Hurricane Earl as it moves up the east coast and all essential departments have taken the necessary steps to ensure that emergency crews and equipment are at the ready. I ask that you also prepare for the hurricane and do whatever you can to stay safe, so please use the links on this page to get the latest weather updates, hurricane planning information and more. If you need to contact the Town of Brookhaven please call 451-TOWN (Mon-Fri 9:30 am to 4:30 pm) and if you should need emergency shelter, please call the American Red Cross 24-hour a day emergency number at 631-924-6911. To report power outages or downed power lines, call the LIPA Call Center at 1-800-490-0075.

Thank you,
Mark Lesko, Brookhaven Town Supervisor

Visit this page at the Brookhaven Town Website for more information http://brookhaven.org/Departments/PublicSafety/OfficeofEmergencyManagement.aspx

Assemblyman Murray Urges Residents to Be Prepared for Possibility of Hurricane Earl

Freshman Assemblyman Dean Murray urged residents of the South Shore of Suffolk County to take preparations for the possibility of Hurricane Earl impacting our community.
"Hurricane Earl is currently tracking to hit the Eastern Coast of the United States over the next few days. The current path of the storm places it off of Long Island's Coastline late Friday.

With maximum sustained winds currently at 145 miles per hour, this storm has the capability of delivering significant damage to portions of eastern Long Island," said Murray.

As a result of the current computer models of Hurricane Earl's track, the National Hurricane Center has issued a Tropical Storm Warning for Long Island. Our State's Emergency Management Office (SEMO) has a website for hurricane preparedness at http://www.semo.state.ny.us/info/publicsafety/hurricaneprepare.cfm .

The website contains vital information including:
" Steps for Hurricane Preparedness;
" A list of emergency supplies that each family should have; and
" Steps for each family to set up a Family Response Plan.

"Residents are encouraged to access this internet resource now, prior to any possible power outages," said Assemblyman Murray. "As we saw with Hurricane Katrina, it is extremely important to be prepared for possible risks associated with an enormous and dangerous storm. The more information that our residents have prior to the storm reaching the coast, the better the preparation and response will be."

Supervisor Lesko Announces "Blight to Light" from April 2010

Dear Readers, Ocassionally I get sometime to look at our Government Representative sites, this statement from Supervisor Lesko is a must read, then click on the link below and watch the video.
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Supervisor Lesko proposed a sweeping initiative on April 26, 2010 to eradicate suburban blight in the Town of Brookhaven. Lesko and the Brookhaven Industrial Development Agency premiered a film, “Blight to Light”, at Stony Brook University’s Charles B. Wang Center, which for the first time ever portrays blight as opportunity. Lesko explained that the initiative is an effort to save suburbia.


“Suburban blight has reached epidemic proportions on Long Island, but the irony is these blighted properties provide the best opportunity for redevelopment,” said Supervisor Mark Lesko, “the package of incentives that I am proposing will make it incumbent upon the private sector to take action. The blight we have in Brookhaven is largely a result of poor government planning in the past, and today we are introducing a new way of thinking that can redefine where we live and spur redevelopment.”

The film, produced by the Brookhaven Industrial Development Agency, depicts real, graphic images of suburban blight in Brookhaven, but also demonstrates how these blighted properties can be turned into light through new planning methods, looking to models of redevelopment like downtown Patchogue.
"For over 30 years the IDA has concentrated its efforts on new construction and/or the expansion of commercial and industrial projects. We will now expand our horizon to include a focus on the Town's efforts toward the redevelopment of the aforementioned blighted properties," said Frederick Braun, Chairman of the Town of Brookhaven Industrial Development Agency.

The most innovative and game-changing initiative that was proposed was the B2L Grading System. This grading system assigns points to three categories: Blight Severity, Potential for Re-development, and Location of Re-development. The combined score the project receives in these three areas determines the level of the incentive package from the Town. The incentive packages, in order from the most basic incentive package to greatest incentive package, are The Illuminated incentive package, The Bright incentive package, The Radiant incentive package, The Brilliant incentive package.

For example, a project may receive a high grade if it has been vacant for decades and is a haven for crime, has community and environmentalist support, generates tax revenues and jobs, has a superior façade, is LEED compliant, and is located in a downtown near a transit hub.

“The B2L grading system puts the ball in the private sector’s court. We are proposing attractive incentive packages, and I am putting on the table a change of zone by the Town Board’s own motion as part of the “Brilliant” incentive package if the property is severely blighted, has the most potential for re-development, is a cutting edge, creative project, and is in the right location. This would save the private sector a tremendous amount of time and money,” said Supervisor Lesko. “We need redevelopment in the Town of Brookhaven to eradicate the blighted properties that are eyesores and sometimes create dangerous situations. Redevelopment will also stimulate exciting destinations, create jobs, and thereby reduce property tax."

See video http://brookhaven.org/Departments/OfficeoftheSupervisor/BlighttoLight.aspx#video

Murray - Success! Finally, a Forensic Audit of the MTA

Freshman Assemblyman Pleased Comptroller Finally Conducting Forensic Audit Murray Has Been Calling For Since March; Says Oversight Board of Authority Needed
Freshman Assemblyman Dean Murray today announced that he is pleased that New York State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli has finally agreed with the East Patchogue lawmaker, and decided to take action in regard to Murray's repeated requests for a forensic audit of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA)."There is not a day that goes by that I don't run into someone who is fed up with the MTA's blatant mismanagement and waste, and is outraged that they have to pay for it - regardless of whether they ever step foot on a train, subway or bus," said Murray. "While this forensic audit is certainly a good start, it can't stop with just overtime issues. I'm calling on the comptroller's office to follow this audit with a forensic audit of the MTA's contracts and dealings with subcontractors."Murray has been steadfast in demanding accountability and oversight of the MTA, maintaining that better fiscal controls over waste, fraud and abuse should have been used - instead of implementing the MTA payroll tax and other taxes and fees Long Island families and businesses have been forced to pay: March 3 - Just two weeks after taking office, Assemblyman Murray sent a letter to the comptroller, signed by 27 other lawmakers, calling for a forensic audit of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. April 11 - Assemblyman Murray hosted a press conference at the New York State Capitol, reiterating the need for a forensic audit of the MTA. May 13 - In response to the comptroller's announcement of an audit focusing on service interruptions and management efficiency, Murray stated that while this is a start, it falls short of what is needed…a forensic audit of the MTA. July 1 - NYS Comptroller released the findings of an audit that revealed significant mismanagement of the MTA's real estate holdings. July 16 - Assemblymen Murray and Marcus Molinaro (R-Red Hook) sent the state Comptroller and the Inspector General another letter calling once again, for a much more detailed and extensive forensic audit. August 2 - In response to the MTA's announcement that they plan to increase fares and cut more services, Assemblymen Murray and Michael Montesano (R-Glen Head) once again demanded that before the MTA hikes fares and cuts more services, that the comptroller conduct a forensic audit and that a Fiscal Oversight Control Board be established.

"Our residents and small businesses are fed up with paying taxes, fees and fare hikes for the MTA, and then seeing a never-ending stream of headlines watching their money go toward fraud and abuse. They're frustrated, they're mad, and they demand accountability - and I couldn't agree with them more," said Assemblyman Murray. "In addition to these forensic audits, I also believe that this exemplifies the need for the formation of a Fiscal Oversight Control Board of the MTA. Clearly, they have demonstrated that they are incapable of watching over themselves."