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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTB-08/20/1975 31.0 aW" 197 SOUTHOLD TOWN BOARD MINUTES Meeting of August 20,. 1975 A regular meeting of the Southold Town Board was. held on Wednesday, August_ 20, 1975 at the Fishers Island School , Fishers Island, .New .York.: Supervisor Martocchia called the meeting- to order at 1:00 p.m. with the following -present: Supervisor Albert M. Martocchia Councilman James H. Rich, Jr. r Councilman James F. Homan Justice Martin. Suter Justice Louis M. Demarest Justice Francis T. Doyen Highway Superintendent Raymond C. Dean Town Attorney Robert W. Tasker Town Clerk Judith T. Boken Supervisor Martocchia expressed the Town Board' s pleasure to be holding this meeting on Fishers Island, and for the kind reception extended by the residents of Fishers Island. On motion of Councilman Rich, seconded by Councilman Homan, it was RESOLVED that the minutes of the August 12, 1975 meeting of the Southold Town Board be approved as submitted by the Town Clerk. Vote of the Town Board: Ayes: Supervisor Martocchia, Councilman Rich, Councilman Homan, Justice Suter, Justice Demarest, Justice Doyen. This resolution was declared duly adopted. On motion b;f Councilman Homan, seconded by Justice Suter, it was RESOLVED that the next regular meeting of the Southold Town Board will be held at 3:00 p.m. , Tuesday, August 26, 1975 at the Town Board meeting room, 16 South Street, Greenport, New York. Vote of the Town Board: Ayes: Supervisor Martocchia, Councilman Rich, Councilman Homan, Justice Suter, Justice Demarest, Justice Doyen. This resolution was declared duly adopted. Supervisor Martocchia reported the following: 1. Receipt of a letter from the Fishers Island Utility Company stating there will be an increase in their street lighting rates for 1976; their budget for 1976 will be $3,920.00, whereas the 1975 figure was $3,050.00. 2. Recei t of a letter from Workmen' s Compensation (State Insurance Fund} stating there will be a 4% increase. 3. Letter from Suffolk County Executive Klein relative to the HUD program. The town plans to use their allocated funds to construct a building for the senior citizens and youth. The town will receive $23,760.00 on the first grant, and the second and third grants will be larger. It is projected that the Town of Southold, if qualified, will receive a total of approximately $140,000.00. 4. A letter from John P. Gaillard, President of the Fishers Island Civic Association containing questions for the town and county officials. Supervisor Martocchia introduced Mr. Gaillard who made his presentation as follows: Mr. Gaillard welcomed the arrival of the Town Board members and various guests and officials who traveled to Fishers Island on the Olinda, and he expressed his thanks to Capt. Bicknell for providing the boat for the trip. AUG`-2 V 1915 �31 Mr. Gaillard reported the following: 1. The need for a new ferry boat, for which the Fishers Island Ferry District Commissioners are seeking a federal grant for assistance. s 2. The -Civic Association' s effort to prevent dumping of poisonous sludge .from the Thames River dredging midway between the Connecticut shore and Fishers Island.. They do not want to prevent the dredging, but want an alternative dumping site chosen. . Through the Natural Resources Defense Council, a suit was filed in opposition to the dumping site. The suit was lost, but an- appeal was filed. The hearing was held in June, and they are awaiting a decision. Mr. Gaillard wished- to thank the town board for putting the Town of Southold on record as supporting- Fishers Island' s opposition to the dumping site. 3. Fishers Island' s concern about the Coast Guard' s proposal to seasonalize their station and shift to a New London base due to the economu of operating the new 21 foot radar equipped boat. The Coast Guard insists that service will be more efficient. The proposed move also concerns two voluntary tasks the Coast Guard has been performing for Fishers Island: the 24 hour watch for the -fire and ambulance and alarm systems; and the evacuation of emergency hospital cases to the mainland. The future. is uncertain but Fishers Island is searching for alternative methods. Mr. Gaillard asks that- the Town Board consider taking some action to support the request that the Coast Guard station be maintained on Fishers Island. Reply to #3 Supervisor Martocchia 'reported that he and Town Attorney Tasker have begun work on this problem, and have made numerous telephone calls to various authorities. The' Town Board is deeply concerned about the possible withdrawal of the Coast Guard and will continue to .pursue the matter. (Mr. Gaillard continued) r4. The problem of the-deletion-of funds from .the New York State. budget for construction of dolphins at the entrance to Silver. Eel Pond to make safer the approach of boats, lespecially in the winter, had -been. -of great. conaern., However, Ferry District Commissioner Doyen has reported that• th:e funds- in' the :amount of $112,000.00 have been restored to the- budget so:,the planning arrangements are going ahead. :, Reply to #4 Mr. Austin Emory, New York State Regional .Director of Transportation stated that for the. past .year -he has been actively involved in trying to improve -the--- approach to the Silver Eel Cove harbor for the ferry. The. money_ was .set up some years ago under the jurisdiction of. the -Metropolital 'Transit Authority. Last year it was transferred to the-- State Department of Trans- portation and the restrictive language that. allowed only Orient Point as the place for it to be- _used. was .removed. Mr. Emory immediately thought of Fishers- Island and worked out a plan whereby some . of .the $300,000-.00 grant would be used to make a safe all-weather approachl . They requested the Corps of Army Engineers to remove the old ferry racks-,: but they have inspected it and .disclaimed' any respons-ibility to remove the racks, . however, Mr. Emory has written to them stating. that although they object, they will agree. to remove the racks themselves, if the Corps of Engineers will approve the application quickly so they can get on with the work and it will be done with State funds and the work, hopefully, will begin later in the fall. Mr. Emory explained that for a while the money for this project had been lost,. that in the- Governor' s executive budget the money was not -pulled- over into the current budget. However, through Assemblyman Perry Duryea' s office they worked hard to get the money into the supplemental budget and it is now avail- able. (Mr. Gaillard continued) 5. The question. of .ferry. rates .cause Fishers. Island residents great concern. They argue the ferry is for them the equivalent of town and county roads, therefore, they feel some subsidy, should be appropriated for the running 6f. this inter- state ferry., Reply to #5 Supervisor, Martocchia stated that although the suggestion was made that revenue sharing funds.-could be used toward .the purchase of a new ferry boat, that would not be legal, nor can the -town contribute revenue sharing funds to the ferry district nor any other district. However, the town board will pursue the matter of obtaining a possible federal grant for ' an inter- state-:ferry operation. Suffolk;County.-Executive .-John V. N. Klein offered to explore the possible use of Metropolitan Transit Operating Assistance State .Aide funds which the county receives for surface motor vehicle transportation in the county, i.e. ,buses; whether some- of -these funds could. be used for other- than surface trans- portation, or whereas the nature of this service being inter- state would have any implications. Mr.. Emory further supported County Executive Klein' s suggestion. He believes there might be opportunities- under New York State' s Operating Assistance for. Public Transportation. Recently, the City of New York applied to the state for a new Staten Island ferry. Mr. Emory does not knownwhat the outcome will be, but they will be looking into it carefully, and the outcome may affect Fishers Island.l - Mr. Emory also stated that with regard, also, to. the Ferry District, he has been approached by Jack Evans to see if they:could get the- law changed to allow amortization of anew vessel over a longer period of time. The municipal law allows ten years, but since the ferry' s life is longer than that, they will see if they can get that changed. Mr. Emory was also approached with regard to the airport, and it needs an overlay badly. The F.A.A. law expired on the lst of July, and the legislature has not passed the new bill for federal funds. .They have asked the Ferry District to give an estimate that can be put in the state budget to seek matching funds for next year or the year after. Mr. Emory stated that there is a plan which has been going for five years for aid to town roads. The formula has been changed so that now all of the east-end towns will be eligible for some money. It would amount -to about $14,400.00 on an annual basis to the Town of Southold. This could be used on two miles of road being repaired by the town personnel or under contract, or improving a bridge., etc. There is another new federal program, also for about the. same amount of money-, eligible for federal aid on town and county roads. (Mr. Gaillard continued) 6. The matter of the August 12 annual election of Fishers Island Ferry District Commissioners, whereby taxpaying residents on the- assessment rolls this year were. denied the right to vote, which had been exercised in the past. Inquiry of Mr. John Gada, Sr. , .who was one of those instrumental 'in creating the Ferry District, indicated that the intent of the law provides that eligible voters at a Fishers Island Ferry District election consists of two categories: residents qualified to vote at' the preceding local election, and by exception to the usual role, owners of real estate assessed at- the last preceding assessment roll. Mr. Gaillard reported that Town Attorney Tasker has informed him. that both those categories are entitled to vote and will- be able to do so in the future. 7. The question of' dogs running loose, and what legislation can be-:passed to stop this problem. There was further support from. the' audience for the control of dogs on Fishers Island. Reply to #7 Supervisor Martocchia advised that the Southold Town Board has attacked the dog problem many times. About three months ago the board- was about to ask the ton attorney 'to put together an ordinance that would be satisfactory for Southold Town, when a group of youths came before a -Town Board meeting with a lengthy petition asking the Town Board not to enact a leash ordinance as it would be cruel to the dogs. The Board is presently uncertain whether to adopt a leash ordinance or not. (Mr. Gaillard continued) 8., The question .of, water quality' at the beaches which was ` brought up last year. Mr. Gaillard reported that the water has been tested and Fishers Island has no worry, as the water AUG `2-6-1975 3 quality is safe 'at the town beaches and Hay Harbor side. 9. Last year it was mentioned the town was to receive $333,000'.00 :in Revenue' Sharing Funds, and whereas the town voters have since voted down a proposal for the funds to be expended for a new town hall, for what purposes will those funds be expended? Supervisor Martocchia then introduced the following officials: Suffolk County 'Executive John V. N. Klein Suffolk County Police Chief Inspector Paul Eckardt Suffolk County District Attorney Frank Rhinow Suffolk County Director of Probation Ronald Edeen Commissioner of Elections Everett McNab , Gerald Berger - From the Board of Elections Suffolk County Treasurer Jean Tuthill Suggolk County Deputy Treasurer Eugene Lester Deputy Commissioner of Health Services Dean Maris Special Assistant to Dr. McLaughlin - Mr. Rudd Suffolk County Health Department -- Robert Villa Suffolk County Clerk Lester M. Albertson _ Deputy County Clerk Arthur -Felice From Suffolk County Buildings & Grounds Henry .Clark, Jr. Program for the Aged - Betty Tatte & Photographer Don -Parker Commissioner of Public Works - Rudolph-M. Kammerer Deputy Commissioner of Public Works Barney Evans -From -Waterways Department Carl Eisenschmeid Suffolk County Commissioner of Consumer Affairs James J. Lack Director of -Suffolk County Dept. of Weights & Measures John Kerbs Suffolk County Legislator, lst Leg. District Norton- Daniels Suffolk County Legislator, 2nd Leg. District - H. Beecher Halsey Legislative Aide Chester Melot Suffolk County Personnel Officer Teresa Keyes Director of Suffolk County Fire Safety Ronald Buckingham From Suffolk County-Fire Advisory Board :- Anthony Blades Deputy Comm. , of Suffolk Cty. Fire Safety Richard Olmsted N.Y.S. Regional Dir. of Transportation Austin Emory N.Y.S. Environmental Conservation - John Lopato Suffolk County Airport Commissioner - Lt., Col. Robert Rosasco Dist. Supt. of Schools, lst Sup. District, Suffolk Cty. Philip Peters Mattituck-Cutchogue District Principal Roger Burns Southold -School District Principal -Walter Cain Suffolk County Parks Commissioner John D. Chester Southold Town- .Justice Francis T..r.Doyen Southold Town Justice Martin Suter Southold Town Justice .Louis -M. - Demarest . Southold Town Councilman James - H. Rich, Jr. Southold Town Councilman James F. Homan Southold Town .Clerk Judith T. B'oken Southold Town Attorney Robert W. Tasker Southold Town Highway ..Superintendent Raymond C. Dean Southold Town Chairman of Board of Assessors Edward W. Fox Former Southold Town Clerk Albert W. .Richmond . Southold Town Planning Board members: ; : ., Henry M6isa,,. Henry Raynor, Frank Coyle, Fred Grebe 'Secretary, Muriel Brush - Southold :Town Board _of App.eals members:. Robert W. Gillispie, -Chairman,- -- -Charles Gtigonis, Jr. ,. Serge ,Doyen; Jr. . . Southold Town Board -of -T-own .Trustees —Alvah B. Goldsmith, Ch. So_uthold .Town Building :Inspectors Howard Terry &George Fisher Southo.l'd Town Engineer Edward Bage Southold Town Chief of Police Carl Cataldo Southold Town Auditor Theodore Heuser Southold -Town Board of.-Housing Appeals member Kenneth Tabor Cutchogue -Fire Chief Vincent Wieczorek Greenport Fire Chief Joseph Heaney. Southold Fire Chief Paul Grattan East Marion Fire Chief Daniel Dzenkowski Greenport Village Mayor Joseph Townsend - , Greenport Village- Attorney John Munzel Greenport Village 'TrUstee Samuel Katz Suffolk County Planning Commission member Edward Wood Supervisor -Martocchia asked if anyone wished to address the board. Mrs. John Evans, -Fishers Island, stressed _that it is absolutely essential that the. Coast Guard remain year-round on Fishers Island. Supervisor. Martocchia.--assured -Mrs. Evans that the Town Board .will pursue -the matter further. ---,- Mr. Walter Hedge questioned the legality of Connecticut lobster- men obtaining New York licenses. He feels the law should be changed; ,they are :taking lobsters with :illegal. licenses. Justice Doyen stated that Assemblyman--Duryea' s .office:.has been advised of this problem and:--was- submitted a complete .outline and updating of, the Lobster- law, :-including :str.icter requirements to qualify as a resident. Assemblyman Duryea has . expressed a great deal of interest in this problem, and has been in communi- cation with the- Fishers Island Lobstermen' s Association on this matter and a solution of the problem looks hopeful. Mr. A. John Gada ,questioned the- legality-.of vehicles riding on the beaches. Supervisor --Martocchia -stated there. is not a. town ordinance controlling this, ,however, .a call .to the -police should be a solutionnto the problem: . Vehicles should not be above highwater mark, which. is considered private :property. Supervisor Martocchia thanked Mr.- . Gaillard and the Civic Assoc- iation for their preparation for .this meeting. ,. He- then stated that if the senior citizens of Fishers Island wished to organize, the necessary equipment is on Fishers:.Island this date. iHe stated- there are some benefits if you area member of the senior citizen organization. There is a budget item where the .town helps subsidize certain .items such as bus trips,. tours, etc. On motion :o.fdGouncilman Rich,. seconded by Councilman Homan, it was RESOLVED that this town board meeting be .re.cessed .at .2:15 p.m. to reconvene at 5:00 b m. Vote of the Town Board: Ayes: Super-visor- Martocchia, Councilman Rich, -Councilman Homan, Justice Suter,- .Justice Demarest, Justice Doyen.- This resolution was declared duly adopted. Meeting reconvened at 5:00 p.m. with the following present: Supervisor Albert M. Martocchia Councilman James H. Rich; Jr. . Councilman James F. Homan .. Justice Martin Suter Justice Louis M. Demarest Town Attorney- Robert W. Tasker Highway Superintendent -Raymond C.-Dean Town -Clerk .Judith T. Boken Absent: Justice Francis T. Doyen . Supervisor Martocchia read a letter from Mr. Joseph .J. Sullivan, Jr. of the Peconic Bay Broadcasting Corp:. adrirsing that on August 8, 1975 the Federal: Communications .Commission in Wash- ington, D. C. Approved an F.M. Frequent-y, for. Southold. The F.C.C. after due consideration, concluded that Southold is an under-served community from a broadcaEting standpoint. He hopes to. have the Southold station on the air next .summer. He extended his appreciation to the Town. Board- for their .past support. - On motion -of Councilman Rich, seconded by Councilman Homan, it was RESOLVED that the Southold Town Board hereby authorizes payment of Long Island Lighting Company street lighting bills which were presented at the July 8, 1975 meeting in the amount of $6,681.03. Vote of the Town Board: Ayes: Supervisor Martocchia, Councilman Rich, ' Councilman Homan, Justice Suter. No: Justice Demarest This resolution was declared duly adopted. A"1 :,2 0..,1975 On motion of Justice Suter, seconded by Councilman Rich, it was RESOLVED that there being no further business to come before _ this Town Board meeting that adjournment be called at 5:20 p.m. Vote of the Town Board: Ayes: Supervisor Martocchia, Councilman Rich, Councilman Homan, Justice Suter, Justice Demarest. This resolution was declared duly adopted. Judith T. Boken Town Clerk- -