Bayville Blog NY- Serving Bayville, Mill Neck, Center Island and Locust Valley New York - Community

Ransom Beach - A new novel by local author Lawrence Kelter

Admin — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 13:05:12 GMT

Due for release on October 12th.

Ransom Beach: It's not just the name of a North Shore recreation
area, it's the scene of the crime in Chalice's next thriller.

Here's a little bit about the book....

NYPD’s street savvy detective Stephanie Chalice is back and not a minute too soon. Her newest nemesis is a con artist and bloodthirsty killer, a chameleon able to change her identity at will, a ghost known only as Black. Chalice is called into action when a billionaire’s ward, an autistic child, is abducted from beneath the nose of his well trained bodyguard. Black’s reason for choosing this mark is not the obvious one. The kidnap victim is no ordinary child; he has never learned to read or write, and yet is capable of channeling the prophecies of his long dead ancestor; those that have long been memorialized, and those now thought to be ages lost. Chalice is put to the test, forced to decipher clues that defy explanation. Will she be able to outthink her diabolical opponent before it’s too late?

For more info about Lawrence Kelter click here

To order your copy of Ransom Beach click here

Presidential Election 08

Admin — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 05:49:58 GMT

General discussion on the election such as events, the Media coverage of, etc. Please rememeber that you are responsible for your content, please keep it constructive and free of personal attacks. All have the right to their own beliefs and opinions.

Republicans 08 - McCain / Palin

Admin — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 05:50:51 GMT

For posts regarding the Republican Candidates: - John Sidney McCain III for President / Sarah Louise Heath Palin for Vice President. Please rememeber that you are responsible for your content, please keep it constructive and free of personal attacks. All have the right to their own beliefs and opinions.

Democrats 08 - Obama / Biden

Admin — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 05:51:25 GMT

For posts regarding the Democratic Candidates: Barack Hussein Obama II - for President / Joseph Robinette Biden, Jr. - for Vice President. Please rememeber that you are responsible for your content, please keep it constructive and free of personal attacks. All have the right to their own beliefs and opinions.

Birches Update - Friends of the Bay Calling on All County Residents!

Admin — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 09:13:46 GMT

Friends of the Bay is Calling on All Nassau County Residents to urge their legislators to approve the Intermunicipal Agreement between the Town of Oyster Bay and Nassau County to connect the homes in the area known as The Birches to the Glen Cove Sewage Treatment plant.

This is an issue of concern to everyone who uses the waters of the Oyster Bay/Cold Spring Harbor Estuary!

Thank you to the dedicated group of Friends of the Bay supporters and Bayville residents who addressed the Planning, Development and Environment Committee regarding the Intermunicipal Agreement on August 4 at the Nassau County Legislature. The hearing, originally scheduled for 2:30, did not begin until 6:00 pm. We appreciate your dedication to attaining a resolution to this long standing issue.

The collaborative and creative solution developed by Nassau County and The Town of Oyster Bay will result in improved water quality for Mill Neck Creek and the entire estuary. This is an opportunity to address a long-standing problem with unacceptable environmental impacts that has gone on for too many years.

The inadequate sewage treatment plant at the Birches is a known and documented impairment to the water quality of Mill Neck Creek, the Oyster Bay National Wildlife Refuge, and estuary in general. Friends of the Bay's water quality monitoring results for Mill Neck Creek consistently reflect high coliform levels resulting from effluent released from the inadequate chlorination tank that has been in place since 1983. This has resulted in the discharge of untreated sewage into the tidal wetlands. A solution to this environmentally damaging plant has been negotiated by the Town of Oyster Bay and Nassau County. Please urge your legislators not to let the opportunity to resolve this problem pass.

A pump station to connect homes in the Birches to the Glen Cove sewage treatment plant is to be funded jointly by Nassau County and the Town of Oyster Bay. This project will be implemented in two phases over the next two years. The Town of Oyster Bay has already agreed to this plan. Now the Nassau County Legislature must approve it. The voting will take place on Monday, August 18 in an evening session beginning at 6:00 pm. The legislative office building is located at 1550 Franklin Avenue, Mineola. Please attend this session to show your support. If you cannot attend the meeting, write, call or email your legislator.

There are many examples of the County Legislature being supportive of environmental improvements that, while in a particular part of the county, are wildlife habitat and recreational areas that all county residents enjoy. Just to name a few: Massapequa Preserve, Tanglewood Preserve, Roosevelt Preserve Park, Milburn Pond Park, Silver Lake Park, Lofts Pond Park and Baxter Pond Park.

This year marks the 40th anniversary of the creation of the Oyster Bay National Wildlife Refuge, as well as the 150th anniversary of President Theodore Roosevelt's birth. President Roosevelt was the founder of the National Wildlife Refuge system. There cannot be a more appropriate way to honor both these occasions by finally attaining a solution to a long standing environmentally damaging situation.

You may send your letter of support to Honorable Diane Yatauro, Presiding Officer, Nassau County Legislature, at 1550 Franklin Avenue, Mineola, NY 11501. Legislator Diane Yatauro, of Glen Cove, represents the 18th Legislative District. The district covers Bayville, Brookville, Centre Island, Glen Cove, Glen Head, Lattingtown, Locust Valley, Matinecock, Mill Neck, Old Brookville, Old Westbury, Sea Cliff, Upper Brookville, and parts of Greenvale, Hicksville, Jericho, and Oyster Bay. You may also write to Honorable Judith Jacobs at the same address. Legislator Jacobs represents Legislative District 16, which is comprised of the communities of Bethpage, Cove Neck, East Norwich, Jericho, Laurel Hollow, Muttontown, Oyster Bay, Oyster Bay Cove, Plainview, Syosset, and Woodbury. If you prefer to send an email, or are from a different legislative district, go to the Nassau County Legislature website at http://www.nassaucountyny.gov/agencies/legis/index.html and follow the links.

Patricia Aitken
Friends of the Bay

Nassau County to Vote on Birches Agreement

Barry E Lamb — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 23:08:18 GMT

The Nassau County legislature is scheduled to vote on the Birches cost sharing agreement. The following was sent out by Friends of the Bay:

Update- the hearing will be held at the Theodore Roosevelt Executive and Legislative Building at 1550 Franklin Avenue, Mineola at 2:45 pm on Monday, August 4th. The hearing will be in the first floor legislative chamber.

Your help is needed to resolve the situation at the Birches.

Please come to a hearing by the Planning Committee of the Nassau County legislature at 2:45 pm on Monday, August 4th, to show your support for the Intermunicipal Agreement by Nassau County and the Town of Oyster Bay to connect the Birches to the Glen Cove sewage treatment plant. If you cannot attend the hearing, it is important that you call, email or write your legislator to voice your support for the Intermunicipal Agreement!

Friends of the Bay strongly supports the approval of the proposed Intermunicipal Agreement between Nassau County and the Town of Oyster Bay to connect these homes to the Glen Cove sewage treatment plant. This collaborative and creative solution will effectively address the concerns of the community, ultimately resulting in improved water quality for Mill Neck Creek.

The Planning Committee of the Nassau County legislature is scheduled to discuss this important issue and determine whether to move forward with the joint agreement at 2:45 on Monday, August 4th. To insure the swift passage of this important measure, please contact your local legislator and let them know that you support the approval of the Intermunicipal Agreement. This is an opportunity to address a long-standing problem with unacceptable environmental impacts that has gone on for too many years.

Nassau County and the Town of Oyster Bay have developed plans to address the inadequate sewage treatment system currently in place in the Birches community. The previous plan was to build a small package plant on the County lot, to treat and discharge sewage. However, the community was not satisfied with this solution due to concerns about the associated noise, odor and aesthetics, and they were looking for other options.

A pump station, to connect homes in the Birches to the Glen Cove sewage treatment plant recently taken over by the county, was seen as a better solution. This new plan, which is to be funded jointly by Nassau County and the Town of Oyster Bay, will be implemented in two phases over the next two years. For the interim period during construction, arrangements are being made to reimburse homeowners for the expenses incurred for the frequent pump outs of their overflowing septic tanks.

Friends of the Bay's water quality monitoring results for Mill Neck Creek consistently reflect high coliform levels resulting from effluent released from the inadequate chlorination tank that has been in place since 1983. This has resulted in the discharge of untreated sewage into the tidal wetlands and a tributary to Mill Neck Creek, which then flows out into the wider Oyster Bay National Wildlife Refuge. As a result, Mill Neck Creek has been closed to shellfishing for decades. A solution to this environmentally damaging plant has been negotiated by the Town of Oyster Bay and Nassau County. Please urge your legislators not to let the opportunity to resolve this problem pass.

Barry E. Lamb
Bayville

Sewage from the Birches to Take the Trip to Glen Cove

Barry E Lamb — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 20:29:24 GMT

On Wednesday, June 25^th, a meeting was held at Bailey Arboretum to update residents regarding changes to the plan for mitigating the raw sewage discharge from the Birches residential area, into Mill Neck Creek.

Earlier this year, Nassau County took possession of the Glen Cove sewage treatment plant. This prompted them to look into the possibility of connecting the Birches area, via a pump station and forced main, to the Glen Cove plant instead of constructing a packet treatment plant in the Birches area. This, of course, delayed the start of construction, which was to have already begun earlier this year. Needless to say, I was not happy with the delay. It was my contention that the collection system to be installed in the Birches community would be the same regardless of whether it delivered the sewage to a packet treatment plant to be treated and discharged, or to a pump station to be pumped to the Glen Cove plant. To me, this meant there was absolutely no reason to delay the start of construction, especially considering that the sewage flow into the Creek was mandated by the DEC to be halted before September of 2005 (though these mandates appear to incur no consequences whatsoever). As of yet, the cost sharing agreement for this portion of the project has yet to be signed by Nassau County and the Town of Oyster Bay.

I was also fairly sure that after the costs associated with installing a forced main to the Glen Cove plant would be prohibitive. This would be especially true if the forced main would be installed under Bayville and Horsehollow Roads, requiring very expensive restoration of these concrete roads.

At the meeting, the new plan was presented to a group that consisted primarily of residents of the Birches area as well as some other interested individuals. The plan is to install the collection system under the roadways of the Birches area exactly as it would have been with the packet plant. This collection system would transport the sewage down hill to the site where the packet plant was to be installed. Under the new plan, a pump station would be instead installed on this site. This pump station would then pump the sewage into the new forced main, under pressure, and uphill to a point where it can be connected to Glen Cove’s existing, gravity fed collection system. The new forced main would be a four inch diameter pipe installed along Bayville Road, Horsehollow Road and Skunk's Misery Road, where it would connect to the Glen Cove system on Forest Avenue for a downhill ride to the treatment plant.

In addition to all this, because the volume of sewage from the Birches alone would not be adequate to allow the pumping station to operate properly, a gravity fed collection pipe will be installed alongside the forced main that will connect the Locust Valley High School to the Birches pump station and subsequently to the Glen Cove plant.

While I am still somewhat disillusioned by what I consider an unnecessary delay to the start of the project (the collection system was originally scheduled to begin this past April and as of yet no agreement has been signed and the contract has not gone out to bid), I am happy that the concerns of some of the residents that live closest to the site of the pump station have been addressed. They had voiced their concerns regarding smell, noise, aesthetics and a reduction of their property values at the meeting at the Locust Valley Library last August ( see http://bayvilleblog.com/2007/08/23/birches-meeting-at-the-locust-valley-library.aspx). I am also happy that our elected officials do appear to be committed to solving this problem, even if their sense of urgency does not seem to equal my own.

I do have some concerns/suggestions regarding the project that I think will make it more cost effective over time. The first is that the collection system in the Birches be designed to allow it the capacity to also collect the sewage from the Hernan Avenue/Walton Avenue development. It is likely that this area suffers from the same soil conditions and underground hydrology as the Birches, the only difference being that the water table is lower and the underground flow does not cause the areas septic systems to back up. Instead I suspect the flow of groundwater is carrying sewage with it into the bay. The springs that flow continually from the Mill Neck Bay Marina site are evidence ofthis.

The second suggestion would be to install a second, larger diameter forced main pipe alongside the four inch main. By installing a second, say six inch, main in the same trench, we would be allowing for the possibility of expanding the system to include other problem areas without the added expense of re-excavating several miles of trench. The cost of laying a second line in an already excavated trench would be insignificant. The problem area that comes immediately to mind is the “Stands” area of Bayville, including the Tides, the amusement park, all the restaurants and the proposed office buildings. This area has long had extensive problems with their septic systems and, in addition to the added costs to these businesses, the ultimate destination for all this sewage is Mill Neck Bay. Connecting these businesses to a system already in place is a relatively simple and inexpensive process. Not designing in this extra capacity would be shortsighted.

Lastly, I would implore our elected official to expedite this project to the extent humanly possible. It was stated at the meeting that the collection system portion of the project could conceivably begin this fall and I would hope that every effort be made to make this happen as a gesture of goodfaith by our elected officials in both Nassau County and the Town of Oyster Bay. Only the knowledge that the digging has begun will reassure me that this threat to public health and quality of life will finally be on it’s way to resolution.

Barry E. Lamb

Bayville

Related Bayville Blog entries, in chronological order:

http://bayvilleblog.com/2006/11/12/raw-sewerage-still-flowing-into-the-creek.aspx

http://bayvilleblog.com/2007/03/18/the-birches-nomination-submitted.aspx

http://bayvilleblog.com/2007/04/18/the-bisches-gets-news12-coverage.aspx

http://bayvilleblog.com/2007/05/18/town-response-on-the-birches.aspx

http://bayvilleblog.com/2007/08/23/birches-meeting-at-the-locust-valley-library.aspx

The Deed - Williams Estate Deed and Cell Towers

Admin — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 22:02:20 GMT

It has been a little unclear as to how the Williams Estate deed reads as it pertains to the property on which the Bayville Water tower resides and the surrounding property. There has been a lot of talk about it during the recent meetings regarding the cell phone antennas but few have had the opportunity to read it. Here is your opportunity to review it and see how it relates to the cell towers (commercial enterprise) or anything else deemed offensive.

Harrison Williams Deed

Bayville Cell Towers FAQ's

International Association of Firefighter's - Position on the Health Effects from Radio Frequency/Microwave (RF/MW) Radiation in Fire Department Facilities from Base Stations for Antennas and Towers for the Conduction of Cell Phone Transmissions

Posted at the request of BRACT

Bayville Green Market Opens Saturday June 7th

Admin — Thu, 15 May 2008 20:54:42 GMT

The Green Market is scheduled to open Saturday, June 7 and remain open through Saturday, September 6, 2008. We are looking for volunteers - Anyone interested can call Joanne at Village Hall 628-1439 extension 10.

Posted at the request of Kate Naughton

LVCSD - Annual Election of Board Members and Budget Vote - Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Admin — Tue, 13 May 2008 06:06:25 GMT

The Locust Valley Central School District Annual Election of Board Members and Vote on the Budget will be held on Tuesday, May 20, 2008, between 12:00 noon and 10:00 p.m. at the following places:

Bayville Election District: Bayville Intermediate Schools

Brookville Election District: Community Hall, Brookville Reformed Church at the corner of Brookville Road and Wheatley Road

Locust Valley Election District: Locust Valley High School/Middle School

There will be a "Meet the Candidates” evening on Tuesday, May 13, 2008 at 8:00 p.m. in the High School Cafeteria. Six candidates are running for three seats on the Board of Education: incumbents Dr. Yao H. Chu and Ronald J. Walsh, as well as Philip Bellisari, Kathleen Falciano, Joseph Florio and Lisa McLoughlin.

Bayville Park Blvd. Civic Association Board Resigning - Meeting May 6th

Barry E Lamb — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 22:27:26 GMT

The board of the civic association is all resigning, with the exception of the treasurer. We have been the board for 2 years now but can no longer do it for various reasons. We sent out a flyer and held a general meeting in April to elect new officers. Out of 250 families only 7 families showed up; 4 of those families were the officers.

We are not a usual civic association. We have to have one to maintain our roads and drainage systems or else we will have to pay back the original grant we received to have the roads and drains fixed in the first place. This is really not about people wanting to live in a nice neighborhood, which is a very nice thing to do; it is about avoiding a substantial expense for each of our residents.

We need a new board to continue moving forward.

I can no longer do the job. I have 4 small children and had to go back to work (when I took the job I was suppose to stay home, I could not). I can not run a civic association, do my job and take care of 4 very small girls - it's just too much, and the civic association is not being taken care of properly.

We are having a meeting on May 6th at 7:00pm in the Community Center. Flyers will be mailed out shortly stating this. We need everyone to come and people to step up to the plate to run things. This is our community and we need to take care of it unless we want to just pay about 4,000 dollars per household for it, and let it return to the ugly horrible conditions it use to be.

Sincerely,

Roberta Amian, Soon to be Former Civic Association President

St. Gertrudes Pre-School

Admin — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 06:21:19 GMT

All,

This thread has been created to help organize multiple comments mis-posted under various other threads on the Blog. This is being done to relieve the maintenance of moving the comments. The contents of this thread do not reflect my personal thoughts and I only take responsibility for my entries/comments signed by myself.

Jeff Silver

Below are the comments originally posted under Community Announcements, they have not been alterered in any way.

Saturday, April 26, 2008 8:09 PM Maggie wrote:
Does anyone have any information on the news that St. Gert's preschool is now a state funded Universal Pre=K? What does this mean for our kids, our community, and our tuition?

Monday, April 28, 2008 6:53 AM L.V. Resident wrote:
It means they will be bussing kids in from other areas. So much for St. Gerts mending fences within the community. They knew they were going to be joining this Universal school thing for awhile so Abhore did not care that she lost 30 or so bayville pre-schoolers to other schools. They do not care about their parishoners!

Monday, April 28, 2008 6:32 PM Pre-school mom wrote:
Do you really understand what is happening here, or have you only gotten half of the answer? I heard rumors that kids were going to be bussed to St. Gert's from the "projects". This is not true. Here is the situation: Oyster Bay now has pre-k classes that are considered part of the school system (thereby being paid for by the taxpayers). For next year, they had a large enrollment, more than they could handle in their classrooms. Due to this, they began to look into schools that they felt would do as good a job, and could offer those to parents. The 2 schools they decided on were Little Scholars and St. Gert's. Therefore, parents will have a choice of sending where to send their children. As far as I am concerned, this is a plus for St. Gert's since a lot of schools were looked into, and they were one of the ones chosen. You should be happy that your child went to a school that is so highly thought of. My understanding from one of the mothers that currently has a child enrolled in the school, lives in Oyster Bay, and has decided to keep her child at St. Gert's for next year, is that there was an article in the Oyster Bay Enterprise. One thing I must say, is that I feel like once again, Father Peter has not stepped up to the plate to explain anything to the parents of, what is essentially, his pre-school. This is the part that I find most disturbing in everything, and I mean everything, that has happened.

Monday, April 28, 2008 8:14 PM wondering wrote:
I have two questions about this. None of it impacts me directly because my children do not attend St. Gerts, that is not our parish and we do not live in OB. So, just curiousity....

1. St. Gerts is a religious preschool, housed in a church, with a religious curriculum. How does that work with regards to this program being part of a public school district? Will they have to change/eliminate their religious education at the preschool level? How will that fly with the current parents who send their children there to get a Catholic education?

2. I heard that they did not get their national certification back after getting it the first time. How does that work with a public school choosing them? Are the St. Gerts teachers all certified in Early Childhood Ed? Are they all up to date in the other things Public school teachers have to be up do date in, like finger printing, background checks, Specific classes to recognize abuse (Certified teachers in the public system are mandatory reporters).

IF I were an OB parent, before I'd haul over the bridge each day or send my preschooler on a bus out of town, I would want the answers to these questions.

Monday, April 28, 2008 10:10 PM Woody wrote:
Saint Benedict Martyr, in Sea Cliff, Pius X in Plainview and Our Lady of Good Counsel in Inwood are all parish schools that now house either pre-school programs or programs for autistic children funded either by the state, county or AHRC (a private endowment.) Teachers in Pre-K and nursery schools do not have to be fully state certified to work as a teacher. Many programs rely on having one licensed person in the bulding and many teaching aides. Anyone working around children - lunchroom, maintainance people, etc., must have their fingerprints on file. If St. Gertrude's becomes a state funded universal pre-k they will accept children regardless of whether they can pay or not.

Tuesday, April 29, 2008 9:47 AM L.V. Resident wrote:
Don't kid yourself - It's not that St. Gert's is "so highly thought of", as much as the close proximity to O.B.(location) and how many kids it can house (size of the building).

LVCSD Board of Education Antenna Inquiry

Admin — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 21:23:35 GMT

It’s been brought to my attention that the LVCSD Board of Education has opened a dialogue with the Village Gov’t, expressing concerns about the safety of the Cell Towers being so close to BP. The Village has responded that there is little community opposition to this situation, merely a dozen or so people who are worried about it. That is patently untrue, as evidenced by the large attendance at last winter’s meetings about the NCPD proposal. In addition to the many people who attended and spoke at those meetings, I gathered upwards of 200 signatures on a petition, all asking the village to move the cell towers away from the children of our community. Mayor Siegel subsequently dismissed the impact of all those signatures by claiming that five people called her and told her they felt co-erced or forced to sign. If that is indeed true, that does not negate the many others who signed.

The Board would like to hear from the community, to see how people really feel about this. Please go to this page of the LVCSD website http://www.lvcsd.k12.ny.us/page.cfm?p=22

Click on the link on the bottom to email the school board. E-mails are printed and distributed to each board member. This is a very easy way for people to make their voices heard on this situation. The direct email for the board is: board@lvcsd.k12.ny.us

Thank you,

Edie Dickman

Bayville Election June 17th, 2008

Admin — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 18:48:17 GMT

To anyone interested in running for trustee of Bayville, there will be a Village Election June 17th, 2008.

Three Trustee positions are up for election. There are 6 Trustees in Bayville and they run on split years. Three Trustees (3) this year and then the opposite three (3) in 2010 when the next Mayoral Race occurs.

Anyone can run for Trustee. Maria Alfano-Hardy is the Village Clerk and she is the designated election official during Village Elections. Information on running can be obtained from her office or the Nassau County Board of Elections.

Any interested party/parties must have a petition signed supporting their Nomination for Candidacy and submitted to the Election Official (Marie Alfano-Hardy) 60 days prior to the election. All information and petitions are available in printable versions online through NYS Board of Elections or through the Nassau County Board of Elections.

Margaret Marchand

Smithers' Acquisition Approved

Barry E Lamb — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 06:48:21 GMT

The acquisition of the twenty-five acre Smither's property was unanimously approved yesterday. After several other items were addressed at the meeting, Diane Yatauro requested that those who were scheduled to speak on the Smithers' acquisition not do so for the sake of expediency, indicating that it would pass. When the the polling was complete, it was unanimous.

Thanks to everyone who wrote, e-mailed, called or went door to door collecting signatures. There is no question that it had an effect; it always does.

We can now move on to other issues including the St. Gertrude's property and why it has been so quiet on the Birches front (to my knowledge the agreement between the Town and County has never been signed).

Friends of the Bay has asked me to put up the following E-mail. They wanted to be sure to thank all of you who acted.

The Nassau County Legislature voted on February 25 to acquire the Smithers Property!

A sincere thank you to everyone who called, wrote or emailed their legislators.  The Smithers Property is an environmentally important and beautiful property and its preservation is a wonderful legacy to leave for generations to come.

Friends of the Bay commends the County Legislature on their unanimous vote to acquire the Smithers Property in Mill Neck, which is an outstanding environmental achievement. In the words of John James Audubon, "A true conservationist is a man who knows that the world is not given by his fathers but borrowed from his children."

This ecologically-significant property to be acquired in Mill Neck will continue to play a vital role in protecting Shu Swamp and the entire Oyster Bay/Cold Spring Harbor estuary system in which drains. Located in the state-designated Special Groundwater Protection Area, it contains two ponds, as well as many of the freshwater springs that supply Shu Swamp and in turn, Beaver Dam and Mill Neck Creek.  This acquisition will create a continuous preserve all the way to the Oyster Bay National Wildlife Refuge, helping to protect the water quality so critical to the health of the Oyster Bay/Cold Spring Harbor Estuary System.

The Smithers property, featured in a YouTube video produced by Friends of the Bay  at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OCFhU2TkUbU,  was ranked #1 by the County Executive's advisory committee based on its natural beauty as well as its environmental significance.

Please thank your legislators for voting to acquire the Smithers Property!

County Executive Thomas Suozzi - tsuozzi@nassaucountyny.gov

Presiding Officer Diane Yatauro - dyatauro@nassaucountyny.gov

Minority Leader Peter Schmitt - pschmitt@nassaucountyny.gov

Planning, Development and The Environment Committee:

David Denenberg, Chair - ddenenberg@nassaucountyny.gov

Judy Jacobs, Vice Chair - jjacobs@nassaucountyny.gov

Kevan Abrahams - kabrahams@nassaucountyny.gov

Jeff Toback - jtoback@nassaucountyny.gov

Wayne Wink - wwink@nassaucountyny.gov

Richard Nicolello - rnicolello@nassaucountyny.gov

Denise Ford - dford@nassaucountyny.gov

Norma Gonsalves - ngonsalves@nassaucountyny.gov

Ed Mangano - emangano@nassaucountyny.gov

To see who represents your area, visit the Nassau County Legislature Website athttp://www.nassaucountyny.gov/agencies/Legis/index.html

Barry E. Lamb

Bayville

Smithers' on YouTube

Barry E Lamb — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 17:40:22 GMT

Friends of the Bay has put together a YouTube video that shows how well the Smithers' property compliments Shu Swamp, Beaver Lake, Mill Neck Creek and the Oyster Bay National Wildlife Refuge. It's must view for anyone that is not familiar with the property. It's also a must view for any of our elected officials who may plan to vote against the acquisition without having bothered to walk the property. The e-mail that follows was sent out this morning:

Here's the Link (the one in the e-mail may not work): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OCFhU2TkUbU

The Smithers Property is on YouTube -
The future of this property will be decided by the Nassau County Legislature
on Monday, February 25

Click on the link below to learn more! Read on to see how you can be a voice for the bay and assist in the protection of this majestic and environmentally important property! - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OCFhU2TkUbU

Please show your support by attending the vote on Monday, February 25th at 10:00 am. The vote will take place at the Legislative Office Building, 5th Floor, 1 West Street, Mineola.

The Legislature will be voting on Monday, February 25 on whether or not to preserve the Smithers property, and protect our water quality and preserve open space. Please email your legislators NOW and let them know how important the health of the Oyster Bay/Cold Spring Harbor Estuary is to you! 77% of the voters of Nassau County want open space preserved!

County Executive Thomas Suozzi - tsuozzi@nassaucountyny.gov

Presiding Officer Diane Yatauro - dyatauro@nassaucountyny.gov

Minority Leader Peter Schmitt - pschmitt@nassaucountyny.gov

Planning, Development and The Environment Committee:

David Denenberg, Chair - ddenenberg@nassaucountyny.gov

Judy Jacobs, Vice Chair - jjacobs@nassaucountyny.gov

Kevan Abrahams - kabrahams@nassaucountyny.gov

Jeff Toback - jtoback@nassaucountyny.gov

Wayne Wink - wwink@nassaucountyny.gov

Richard Nicolello - rnicolello@nassaucountyny.gov

Denise Ford - dford@nassaucountyny.gov

Norma Gonsalves - ngonsalves@nassaucountyny.gov

Ed Mangano - emangano@nassaucountyny.gov

To see who represents your area, visit the Nassau County Legislature Website athttp://www.nassaucountyny.gov/agencies/Legis/index.html

If you have already written, called or emailed your legislators, our heartfelt thanks! If not, please take the time to do so now, and forward this email on to your friends so that they can be a voice for our bay, and preserve open space!

Smither's Pond - Lick the Damn Stamp

Barry E Lamb — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 07:09:07 GMT

I’m lucky enough to know the Smither’s property first hand (by way of trespass I’m afraid). I started climbing the fence to fish there when I was ~12 years old and in high school we would go there to swim off the dam in the upper pond. The water was crystal clear and the fishing was great. It would be a sin to allow this property to be subdivided and developed.

I have posted a sample letter below for people to copy, paste and modify, or just copy, paste and sign. What matters is that we let our legislators know that this is important to us and that we let them know on time. That means that you have to do it pretty much immediately. I have posted the E-mail and mailing addresses to make it as easy as possible and suggest that you e-mail your letters immediately, as well as snail mail them for Tuesday morning pick up.

Please, lick the damn stamp and let us know that you did it. Mine were E-mailed this morning and dropped in the box this afternoon (thanks Tom and Scott for your letters).

Barry E. Lamb
Bayville

The letter:

The Honorable Thomas Souzzi
Nassau County Executive Director
One West Street
Mineola, NY 11501

February 17, 2008

Dear County Executive Souzzi,

I am writing you to covey my absolute support for the acquisition of the Smither’s property under the 2006 Nassau County Environmental Bond Program. The acquisition of this 25 acre property will combine with the Shu Swamp Preserve, Beaver Dam, Mill Neck Bayand the Oyster Bay National Wildlife Refuge to create an unfragmented, continuous preserve to forever protect this beautiful water course.

An opportunity like this will only present itself once before this property is forever lost to development, profoundly affecting not only this property, but also the ecology of the entire downstream habitat.

The acquisition of this property may prove, in time, to be the crown jewel of the Environmental Bond Program. Please do everything in your power to ensure that this opportunity is not lost forever.

Sincerely,

The mailing addresses:

The Honorable Diane Yatauro
Presiding Officer, Nassau County Legislator
One West Street
Mineola, NY 11501

Dear Presiding Officer Yatauro,

The Honorable Peter Schmitt
Nassau County Minority Leader
One West Street
Mineola, NY 11501

Dear Minority Leader Schmitt,

And the E-mail addresses:

tsuozzi@nassaucountyny.gov

dyatauro@nassaucountyny.gov

pschmitt@attglobal.net

Thanks in advance to all that respond

Smithers' Pond - Open Space Acquisition in Question

Barry E Lamb — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 14:55:04 GMT

I just received the following E-mail from the North Shore Land Alliance. The Smithers property, for those of you who do not know, is located in Mill Neck at the intersection of Chicken Valley Rd. and Oyster Bay Rd (Mill Hill Rd.) where the blinking yellow light is. It has two ponds on it, as well as many of the fresh water springs that supply Shu Swamp and in turn, Beaver Dam and Mill Neck Creek. It is directly upstream of Shu Swamp and its acquisition would create a continuous preserve all the way to the Oyster Bay National Wildlife Refuge. Losing the opportunity to protect this property would be a grave mistake.

Barry E. Lamb

Bayville

Smither's Ponds, Mill Neck

WE NEED YOUR HELP TO PROTECT THIS LOCAL TREASURE!!

On Monday, February 11th, the Nassau County Legislature had the opportunity to authorize the purchase of the 25- acre Smither's Property in Mill Neck as the first of the open space acquisitions for the 2006 Environmental Bond Program. Based on its beauty, environmental significance and proximity to the Shu Swamp Preserve, it was the Bond Advisory Committee's first choice.

The legislators did not authorize the acquisition and in fact, tabled the vote until Monday, February 25th. This means we have less than 2 weeks to convince them that the Smither's Property is unique, wonderful and an important part of our community certainly worthy of acquisition!

We are writing you today to ask that you call, write or e-mail our elected officials and tell them how important the Smither's property is to our area. Attached are some facts that might help you with your messages but the most compelling of arguments are the ones that come from your heart.

Thank you in advance for taking action to protect our open spaces. Your letters, notes and/or phone calls should be sent to the following by February 21st:

Person/Address

County Executive Thomas R. Suozzi
1 West Street, Mineola, NY 11501
tsuozzi@nassaucountyny.gov
516-571-3131

Majority Leader Diane Yatauro
1 West Street, Mineola, NY 11501
dyatauro@nassaucountyny.gov
516-571-6218

Minority Leader Peter Schmitt
1 West Street, Mineola, NY 11501
pschmitt@attglobal.net
516-571-6212

Please call us with any questions you might have. 516-626-0908

SMITHER'S PROPERTY FACT SHEET

The 25-acre Smither's property located inthe village of Mill Neck is an integral part of the State designated Shu Swamp Protection Area. It was listed as a priority acquisition in the 2006 NewYork State Open Space Plan. The acquisition of the Smither's Property alongwith a small portion of the Humes property will connect a series of previously identified important conservation lands which together will encompass almost 200 acres.

Understanding the important biological diversity and significance of this area, the non-profit North Shore Wildlife Sanctuary was formed in the 1960's to begin to preserve this area of exceptional environmental value. They raised private funds to open the Shu Swamp Preserve, the center of the designated conservation area, built trails and aparking area so that it could be shared with the public.

This area is home to several state endangered and "unusual" plants, brook trout, a nesting area for great horned owls and ruby throated hummingbirds. North Shore Audubon reported that the Smithers Pond had the largest population of wood ducks seen in all of Nassau County at this year’s Christmas Bird Count.

There is a stand of very rare tulip trees that have not been cut since the 1860's. (The last exceptional standof tulip trees brought to our attention was located in Grace Forest in NorthHills and was lost to development in 2006.)

The Smither's property which has been in private hands and unaccessible to the public prior to this time is the most important link in connecting this significant conservation area.

Smithers was ranked first on the Environmental Bond Advisory Committee’s list because of both its beauty and its environmental significance.

Island Swamp Brook and Mill Neck Creek are fed by the Smither's Ponds which empty into Beaver Lake. All three bodies are considered significant freshwater wetlands within the Oyster Bay Special Groundwater Protection Area. Mill Neck Creek's wetlands have also been identified as Significant Fish and Wildlife Habitat by the New York Department of State.

Stewardship for this property will be provided by the North Shore Wildlife Sanctuary at no additional cost to the County. The Shu Swamp preserve is open to the public and provides a plentiful parking area as well as designated trails.

Preventing Smither's from being acquired would be a real disservice to the 77% of Nassau County's residents that voted so enthusiastically to fund the 2006 Environmental Bond Program.

Community Announcements and Miscellaneous Postings

Barry E Lamb — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 22:00:46 GMT

Use this to post ads, announce events or post comments that do not fit with an existing topic.

You can let everyone know about Little League registration, bake sale, charity car wash or public meeting.

This is also the place for those off topic posts that you don't know where to put. If you think the topic warrants it's own thread, let us know here and we'll move it to the main page.

Again, the possibilities are endless.

Lock Your Doors, Open Your Eyes

Barry E Lamb — Sat, 26 Jan 2008 15:03:50 GMT

My neighbors on Arlington La. and I woke up yesterday morning to something that was disturbing on several levels. Three of our cars at three different houses had been entered, ransacked and burglarized overnight and mine had been vandalized. The items stolen included a camera, Tom-Tom GPS unit, a satellite radio receiver, 2 EZ pass transceivers and our (obviously misplaced) sense of security. All three of the cars were unlocked; Locked cars were passed over. In addition, permanent magic marker was used to scribble all over three windows of my truck, including the words "F%@# You N$&##%@". Since I am not black, this probably doesn't qualify as a hate crime -just a stupid one.

In subsequent conversations with members of the NCPD and others, I have learned that there have been a substantial number of these incidents in Bayville recently, including several just last week. Had we had that information before hand, we likely would have been more careful. There have also been a marked increase in these break-ins in Nassau County as a whole. GPS receivers seem to be a popular target.

A couple of years ago, a similar series of break-ins were connected to a group of local teenagers - though no charges were brought against them. At this point, it is unclear whether these more recent crimes are being committed by locals, or outsiders targeting Bayville because we normally don't have a significant incidence of crime and are subsequently somewhat lax when it comes to security. I have to admit, I made it ridiculously easy for them.

What is clear, is that the residents of Bayville need to be more vigilant. Obviously, lock your car doors. This will not only protect yourself, but will have the added benefit of making them have to work harder and longer to find what they want, making them more susceptible to being caught. If they are from outside of Bayville, they are also less likely to view us as an easy target. Also, open your eyes. If you see something that looks suspicious, do something. Take down a plate number, notify the police, let people know. Post information about any other incidents that have already occurred and any that occur in the future. Timely information is needed.

Hopefully we will see an increase in police patrols down our residential streets at night and the residents will report what they see. During the winter, Bayville's streets are as quiet as it gets; it's not like we would have to pick these people out of a crowd at 2AM.

Catching them would be the best revenge for the most valuable item that was stolen - our sense of security.

Barry E. Lamb

Bayville

Hearing on LI Sound Tunnel Proposal

Admin — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 21:11:22 GMT

Senator Carl Marcellino held a hearing today in Oyster Bay regarding the Long Island Sound Tunnel Proposal. Below is the press release from the Senator.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 24, 2008

CONTACT: Kathy Wilson ( 516) 922-1811

MARCELLINO HOLDS HEARING ON LONG ISLAND SOUND TUNNEL PROPOSAL

Senator Carl L. Marcellino (R-Syosset) Chairman of the Senate Environmental Conservation Committee today held a joint hearing with the Senate Transportation Committee on the Long Island Sound Tunnel proposal.

This hearing afforded the committees the opportunity to question the developer about the project and to hear from government officials that represent the areas most directly affected. According to Senator Marcellino this is just the opening to an array of steps in the process.

"This is a serious proposal by serious people. It must be fully reviewed before we change the landscape of Long Island forever," Senator Marcellino said.

In preparation for the hearing Senator Marcellino visited the East Side Access tunnel project that will connect the Long Island Rail Road’s Main and Port Washington lines to a new terminal beneath Grand Central Terminal in Manhattan. There he witnessed first hand the workings of a 200 ton tunnel boring machine and the process used to remove the debris.

"Seeing first hand the process of building a tunnel gave me new insight to this proposal. The magnitude is astonishing," said Senator Marcellino.

"Through the course of this hearing I had the opportunity to ask many of my questions and questions of my constituent. Now I have a fuller understanding of what will be involved and the effect on the community, "

said Senator Marcellino.

Senator Marcellino had mailed the affected community and asked them to submit their concerns. In addition, on his web site, www.senatormarcellino.com, he has a quick poll to get the pulse of the community.

The proposed Long Island Sound tunnel is approximately 16 miles in length and would extend from Route 135 (Seaford-Oyster Bay Expressway) in Syosset, to the intersection of I-287 and I-95 in Rye, NY. The world’s longest roadway tunnel built in Norway is 15.2 miles

The project would be funded by the private sector and cost approximately $10 billion. The toll is estimated at $25 dollars one way.

The tunnel is expected to carry between 59,000 and 79,000 vehicles per day when it is completed in 2025. According to the Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority, annual average daily traffic in 2006 on the Queens Midtown Tunnel was 79,359.

Testifying at the hearing was Supervisor John Venditto of the Town of Oyster Bay,Vincent and Michael Polimeni of Polimeni International LLC, the engineering firm of Hatch Mott MacDonald, Dr. William Kelly, NYS Geologist, Professor Stanley Klein, Long Island University, Mayor Steven Otis of Rye, Valerie O’Keefe Supervisor of Mamaroneck, Mayor Drew Fixell of Tarrytown, Michael White, Executive Director of the Long Island Regional Planning Board and Mayor Harry Anand of the Village of Laurel Hollow.

In attendance were many of the local governmental leaders including, Mayor Vicki Segal, Mayor Tom Zoller, Councilwoman Rose Walker, Town Clerk Steve Labriola, Assemblyman Rob Walker and others.

"I thank everyone who came to offer their expertise and thoughts," concluded Senator Marcellino

Kathy D. Wilson

Communications Director

Senator Carl L. Marcellino - 5th Senate District 250 Townsend Square Oyster Bay, NY 11771

Phone: 516-922-1811 ** Fax: 516-922-1154 http://www.senatormarcellino.com

Bayville Lobster House Fire - 1/13/08

Admin — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 06:57:46 GMT

There was a fire at the Bayville Lobster House on Sunday evening resulting in the loss of a historical building in the Bayville Commons built sometime during the turn of the century. Along with the Bayville Fire Company multiple area fire departments responded to the blaze and did an incredible job at protecting the nearby exposures. This was a close one. The entire row of stores on that corner could have easily been lost due to the older type of construction and the proximity of the buildings. Despite the intensity of the fire there were no major injuries. Residents living above the restaurant were taken to the hospital for observation and later released.

Fire Images by Nick and Butch

BRACT Press Conference

Admin — Sun, 02 Dec 2007 18:57:09 GMT

There will be a press conference at the Water Tower this Thursday, December 6, 2007 at 3:30p.m. For all those who can make it, we look forward to seeing you there, and we thank you in advance for your support.

Sincerely,

The Members of BRACT

BayvilleResidentsACT.com

Residents of Locust Avenue Meeting

Admin — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 11:59:50 GMT

Residents of Locust Avenue are meeting Tuesday, October 30th, 7:30 pm, at the Village Community Center to discuss what to do about the poor condition of Locust Avenue. Many residents are still angry over the handwritten notices containing spelling errors that were received by all 23 home owners ordering the repair of the road.

The first 90 feet of Locust is paved and was torn up years ago by the paving company that paved Godfrey Avenue. The Mayor, at the last Village meeting on October 22nd, has given tacit approval to having the town pay for the repaving of this black top portion of Locust. Residents probably will get together to get Locust Avenue graded. This would include grading and adding recycled concrete and/or crushed stone.

The mayor told us not to do too much because the Village and state DEC still are fighting over where to place the storm outlets for the Valentine Beach project.

Locust avenue residents have indicated to the mayor that abutting and local streets are also contributing to the rain run off problem on Locust. Murray and Oak Streets flood directly onto Locust Avenue and Private Road contributes considerable run off to the catch basins on Mountain Avenue.

I'll post the outcome of the meeting.

~ Woody Elmore

On the Sound - Fish Tales & Marine Madness

Admin — Sat, 29 Sep 2007 19:50:02 GMT

I know what your thinking. Why put this out there now that the season is over, right? Well a lot of good fishing is just about to begin and I know there are a lot of you still out there on the weekends.

Use this spot to post your stories on the one that got away and just about anything else going on, in or around the water.

Jeff

Birches meeting at the Locust Valley Library

Barry E Lamb — Sat, 15 Sep 2007 14:15:14 GMT

On Monday, August 13th, an informational meeting was held at the Locust Valley Library to discuss the proposed Birches sewer treatment plant project. In particular, the meeting was set up to address the concerns some of the residents of the area had regarding the impact of the project, both during the construction phase and long term and to discuss the feasibility of an alternate location for the plant itself.

It was immediately apparent that this issue is finally getting the attention that it deserves from our elected officials. Present were; County Executive Tom Souzzi, Town Supervisor John Venditto, State Assemblyman Chuck Levine, County Legislator Diane Yatauro, Town Councilwoman Elizabeth Faughnan, Mayor Siegel, Mayor Williams, Mayor Michaelis and a representative from State Senator Marcellino’s office (I apologize if I have left anyone out). Both the Town and County had a number of people involved with the project present to answer questions and address concerns. The meeting room was filled to standing room only.

Long term concerns were pretty obvious to anyone who puts themselves in the position of living in the near vicinity of the plant itself; aesthetics of the lot and building, noise, smell and the effect on property values. Alternate sites had been previously suggested by some of the residents to move the plant farther from the area homes. Unfortunately, of the alternate sites suggested, the most feasible, in terms of design and construction, was a property acquired by Nassau County as open space several years ago, that is north of the development. When this option was explored it was found that it would take a bill passing both the NYS Senate and Assembly two years in a row to modify the open space designation. This delay was unacceptable to most in the room including the residents who lived farther away from the plant site. The one disconcerting thing about this meeting was that there seemed to be some resentment towards the residents close to the plant for raising these concerns. The other residents seemed to feel that they were trying to stop or delay the project for a prolonged period of time. Nothing could be further from the truth. Kyle Rabin and I had personally met with some of the nearby property owners prior to the meeting and they simply felt that all options needed to be considered in order to be sure that this solution was the best possible solution for all involved. I agree.

The residents were assured that the county was more than willing to address the aesthetics and that the building could be designed to look like a small house and that the noise and smell were also being addressed in the design of the plant and building. They were encouraged to meet with the design team for a more detailed explanation of the design and to raise any other concerns with them. They were also invited to tour another existing plant to get a better idea of the characteristics of this type of plant.

The timeframe and logistics of the construction phase were also discussed. The work is scheduled to begin this coming spring and should be completed within 18 months. When the project is complete the roads, which are in atrocious condition right now, will be re-paved. As of yet the cost sharing agreement has not been signed for reasons that are unclear to me. It should not take this long to iron out a 50/50 agreement.

The only other issue that seemed to be a sticking point with some residents is connecting the individual houses to the sewage collection system. This expense is to be the responsibility of the property owners and is likely to be several thousand dollars for each house. The plan right now is to require each homeowner to connect within a certain time frame. Each homeowner would contract separately with a private contractor to complete the work. There are several problems with this. Each homeowner would have to come up with the cash in one lump sum, there will be a delay in many of the houses hooking up (still contributing pollution to the bay), and it destines the area to continue to be in a state of construction for that additional time period. A much better solution would be for the County and/or Town to negotiate a price per house with the contractor doing the mainline installation to connect all of the houses and then assess each property over a period of several years to recover the money laid out.

Considering what we are dealing with, the residents seem to be relieved that this problem will finally be addressed. No more cesspool problems, new roads, and the stigma that has been associated with this community finally gone. This can only lead to a better quality of life and increased property values.

Not to mention a cleaner bay.

Barry E. Lamb

Bayville Blog

Build TR Museum Instead of Avalon Bay Apartments

Admin — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 18:50:33 GMT

As a builder, I believe that the Avalon Bay project on Pine Hollow Road, Oyster Bay is grossly out of line with current zoning laws and does not fit in with the character of the community. Why can't Avalon Bay make a proposal that fits within the current scope of the zoning laws that the Town already established through great dialog over the years with builders and the community?

I sense that many in the community feel similarly or are not sure what opinion to make because the alternative to Avalon Bay is unknown. Very little attention has been brought to the area south of the Bahnik Boys n' Girls Club until Avalon Bay made their proposal several years ago. The focus of the Oyster Bay Hamlet Plan adopted in 2002 and other rejuvenation efforts have been on areas north of the Lexington Avenue and Berry Hill Road intersection. Now that there is a focus on the southern area of town, we need to come together to find a solution to improving it. It is a reality that something will be built and operate at the Avalon Bay site at some point; so, we need to let developers, builders, and officials know what we will support. Then, perhaps we can all move forward and focus energy on improving the rest of our great community.

While we stand up to Avalon Bay's ridiculous proposal, we must also begin the dialog about the future of the site. I propose that the site be developed as the future museum on President Theodore Roosevelt. There is enough room to build a museum, have parking on-site, and to create an area for jitneys to maneuver. A museum generally is open during regular daytime hours, would be a more quiet neighbor than a retail establishment or an apartment complex with 24/7 activity, and tours could be connected to support the downtown establishments during regular business hours like the railroad museum is already doing.

One side of Town is anchored by Sagamore Hill, another by the Oyster Bay Railroad museum highlighting TR's use of the Oyster Bay line, and closer to the middle of town are both the Bahnik Boys n' Girls Club and the grand TR statue. We should spruce up the south side of town by anchoring it with a TR museum not an over sized apartment complex.

I believe we can get the community, Avalon Bay, the Town of Oyster Bay, the Theodore Roosevelt Association, Charles Wang, and other philanthropists interested in developing the site into something sustainable that fits in. Avalon Bay touts that they care so much about community character, then they should prove it by developing something within the scope of the law or help develop the property as something sustainable like a TR museum.

Oyster Bay was TR's home, let's focus on this. If you want to help me with this concept you can call me at 922-8145.

Sincerely,

Greg Van Dyke
Van Dyke Building & Construction Management

Inc. Village of Bayville Opens "Green Market"

Admin — Tue, 10 Jul 2007 07:52:29 GMT

The Inc. Village of Bayville has opened a GREEN MARKET on Saturday mornings from 8 a.m. until noon. They are selling organic fruit and produce. They also have organic pies. The market is staffed with volunteers. Anyone interested in participating please contact Kate Naughton at 628-1464 or via e-mail at Kate831@optonline.net.

Local farmers are welcome to participate.

Submitted by Admin at the request of Kate Naughton

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Silver Bay Spice & Trading Co. will also be there offering some of their hard to find gourmet food items and all natural products such as Sea Salts, Hot Sauces, Unique Spices, Exotic Coffee and Teas. Visit us on the web- silverbayspices.com

See you there, Saturday's from 8AM - 12PM!

Sorry, I couldn't resist the plug

Jeff Silver

Bayville Fire Co. 1 to host the 104th Nassau County Firefighters Parade & Drill

Admin — Wed, 27 Jun 2007 16:05:00 GMT

On July 13th & 14th, the Bayville Fire Company will be hosting the 104th Nassau County Firefighters Parade & Drill. The Fire Company is hosting this event in recognition and honor of Ex-Chief Robert Broccolo being elected as President of the Nassau County Firemen's Association. The members are proud to support Ex-Chief Broccolo as he is the third member of the Bayville Fire Company to hold this honor in the 85 years of the Fire Company's existence.

We would like to provide you with a schedule of events and how these festivities may impact our residents over the course of the weekend:

* Friday July 13th - Old Fashioned Drill at Firemen's Field in Oyster Bay.

This event will begin at 6:00 and will test the competing teams skills in ladder and hose events. The night will end with the traditional Bucket Brigade and the Nassau County Old Fashioned Champion will be crowned.

* Saturday July 14th - Motorized Drill at Firemen's Field in Oyster Bay.

This will be a test of skill as motorized racing vehicles will be used for various ladder & hose events. The tournament will end as the teams compete in the traditional Bucket Brigade. The Nassau County Motorized Champion will be crowned during this highly competitive event. The days events are scheduled to begin at 9:30am.

* Saturday July 14th - the 104th Nassau County Firemen's Association Parade.

Fire Departments from across Nassau County will be judged in this spectacular display of apparatus and firefighters. The parade is scheduled to begin at 6:00pm, but you should be aware of some road closures prior to the start of the parade.

At 5:00 - Bayville Avenue will be closed to all traffic other than those participating in the parade. This closure will be in effect from Ludlam Avenue west to Perry Avenue. Traffic will be permitted on Bayville Avenue east of Ludlam with out closures. Bayville Avenue west of Perry Avenue will remain open until 6:00.

The parade will be ending at Ransom Beach where refreshments and souvenirs will be available.

This event has been in the planning stages for over two years and the Fire Company has been working with the Nassau County Police Department and the Village Officials to see to every detail. Various neighborhood associations have been contacted as well to share critical information about the events leading up to the parade as well as during.

We hope to welcome the various fire departments to our beautiful village and that everyone enjoys the day.

The Officers & Members of the Bayville Fire Company

Bayville Residents Against Cell Towers (B.R.A.C.T.)

Admin — Tue, 26 Jun 2007 07:22:41 GMT

We are Bayville Residents Against Cell Towers (B.R.A.C.T.), a group of residents that love our Village. We are not against Bayville; we are against the decisions that led to the cell phone antennas that are presently on our water tower, as well as the proposed new police equipment to be added. We are not against the concept of protecting our residents during emergencies but we object strongly to their improper placement across the street from our elementary schools, atop an already very compromised water tower.

Because we love our Village, our children and our residents, we no longer wish to live with a situation that makes us feel unsafe and uncomfortable. We have expressed our concnerns to Mayor Siegel and the Village Trustees, but to no avail. While the Mayor and Trustees believe the antennas to be safe, there is overwhelming evidence indication the harmful effects of these antennas. It is our strong belief that the cellular towers that aim directly toward our children's schools pose a serious and eminent threat to the occupants of the schools. This deep concern felt by many of the residents (particularly parents of school children) wss voiced at each of the public hearings. Unfortunately, these concerns were ignored by the very people whole role is to serve the needs and well being of its constituency. Left with no other recourse, we residents must pursue our court system to uphold our legal rights to voice our concern and be heard.

We want our safe Bayville back. We want those antennas gone so that we do not add another toxic factor to the air we breathe and perhaps the water we drink. We need your help. For those of you who share our concerns, please support our mission. We are collecting funds in order to further our cause. Any monies collected shall go directly to fighting the existing and proposed towers atop the water tower (i.e.legal fees). All checks should be made payable to Bayville Residents Against Cell Towers and sent to B.R.A.C.T, PO Box 68, Bayville, NY 11709. Additionally, please do not hesitate to contact Madeleine Perrin or Jo-Tina DeGennaro at 628-3997 or by mail at PO Box 68, Bayville, NY 11709 if you have any questions or insight regarding this issue. We prefer all communications be addressed directly by phone or mail rather than the blog.

Thank you.
Madeleine Perrin

Moved by Admin at the request of Jo-Tina DeGennaro
Originally posted under VOB Accepts NCPD Proposal on 6/20/07

Let the Children Play!

Admin — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 20:29:50 GMT

The Poczatek's attorney asked for a motion to dismiss the charges against the Poczatek’s due to the fact that it violates their 14th Amendment rights.

The 14th Amendment reads-

Section 1. All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.

The Poczatek’s were charged with violating the following Village Code-

42-3. Enumeration of prohibited noises.

J. The shouting and crying of peddlers, hawkers and vendors which disturbs the peace and quiet of the neighborhood.

The Poczatek’s attorney expressed concern that the neighbor has video tape of their 5 and 11 year old children (and possibly others) playing in the pool in their bikinis. They family wants the tape turned in and destroyed.

After the motion to dismiss, the Village Counsel stated that the people rest and that all charges against the Poczatek’s be dropped.

Jeff S

Shhhh!!! Children Playing...

Admin — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 16:01:01 GMT

If you somehow missed the story about the Bayville parents that will be appearing in court tonight for their children making too much noise while playing, here is the Newsday article. The story has also had a lot of airplay on News 12 today at the top and bottom of the hour. The parents are due in Bayville Court tonight at 7PM to answer a noise complaint filed against them by a neighbor living behind them (with no children), saying that their children are too noisy while playing and swimming. Perhaps it’s time for adult only community?

More on this after tonight’s Court session...

Jeff S

Town Response on the Birches

Barry E Lamb — Fri, 18 May 2007 13:14:36 GMT

I received a letter from Supervisor Venditto yesterday in response to my letter, representing Residents for the Protection of Mill Neck Creek, regarding the Birches issue. Those of you who also sent in letters may have received a similar response. I have taken the time to re-type the body of the letter below, as it has some interesting new developments and shows that our efforts are indeed making a difference.

   Re: The Birches, Locust Valley

Dear Mr. Lamb:

This correspondence is in reply to your recent letter regarding the above referenced subject.

Over the past several months, the Town of Oyster Bay has engaged in productive discussions with both Nassau County and New York State in an effort to reach a satisfactory resolution to mitigate the water quality impacts that have resulted from malfunctioning sewage disposal systems in the Birches development in Locust Valley. The Town and the County are currently in the process of preparing an inter-municipal agreement to create the necessary legal framework which will provide for a 50-50 cost sharing arrangement for the construction of a community sewage treatment plant and collection system, and the rehabilitation of the local street network. It is expected that this agreement will be executed within the next few months.

Once the inter-municipal agreement is in place, the Town and County will complete the engineering design for the project. The plans for the sewage treatment plant already have essentially been finalized. Of the remaining components of the project, the Town will oversee the design of the roadway and drainage improvements, while the County will be responsible for the sewage collection system. The actual construction work will commence after a contractor has been selected through a competitive bidding process, subsequent to completion of the engineering design. In the interim, the Town and County will continue to pursue additional State funding, and we encourage you and your neighbors to support this effort by contacting your elected State representatives.

Although the community's eagerness for an expeditious conclusion to this matter is understandable, it is difficult at this time to forecast when precisely the Birches treatment plant will come on line. However, please be assured that the end is finally in sight; the process is now fully in gear and is moving steadily toward a resolution.

Please feel free to contact our Environmental Consultant, John Ellsworth, at 677-5824, if you have any questions.

                                                    Very Truly Yours,

                                                    John Venditto
                                                    Town Supervisor

                                                    Leonard Genova
                                                    Deputy Supervisor

The cost sharing agreement has been a major stumbling block in resolving this issue, so this is an important step. There is no question in my mind that the letters generated on this blog were the driving force behind this agreement.  After years of debate, when the constituents of these two municipalities voiced their impatience, a simple agreement to share the costs equally suddenly became palpable to both parties. As I've said before - it's all our money anyway. Those of you who took the time to send a letter, or even better, solicited letters from others, should congratulate yourselves - you did your part. Thanks.

It is encouraging to see the Town and County working together and it shows that the process can work, even if it is far more cumbersome that it needs to be, and I have more hope that this very real threat to public health will finally be resolved than I have ever had before. I will, however, withhold my thanks and praise for the day when the problem is actually solved and raw sewage has stopped flowing into Mill Neck Creek.

Barry E. Lamb
Bayville

Breast Cancer Survivor Stories

Admin — Mon, 07 May 2007 20:41:00 GMT

Hello. I am a breast cancer survivor, and currently working on a book- a collection of memoirs, stories and artwork from other breast cancer survivors. The stories can be fiction-loosely related to the cancer experience, survivor stories, and related artwork.

I hope to sell this (I am a published writer and journalist) and to earmark at least 1/2 of the profits for a breast cancer survivor's scholarship fund, since there doesn't seem to be anything of the sort anywhere.

I expect to pay contributors a small honorarium upon publishing contract-possibly earlier. Right now this is a one-woman project, and I am looking for contributors.

Stephanie Davy
stphndavy@yahoo.com

~posted by Admin at the request of Stephanie Davy~

Classifieds

Admin — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 22:05:18 GMT

Use this to post ads to sell, swap or give away just about anything, or to advertise services. Used cars, babysitters, yard sales, kids looking to shovel snow, or a lightly used bicycle that your kid outgrew and you can’t bear to throw away – give it to someone who can use it. If you over estimated the amount of paint or other household chemicals that you needed and have a couple of gallons left over, maybe someone can use it rather that throwing it into the waste stream.

It could also be used in conjunction with classifieds printed in the local papers. Briefly advertise your yard sale or car and give them this web address for a listing of items that will be offered or more details about the car.

Again, the possibilities are endless.