Sewers in downtown Smithtown and Kings Park may soon be a realitiy according to Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone and Smithtown Town Supervisor Patrick Vecchio. The two men held a press conference at the Kings Park train station Friday announcing progress in the development of sewers in the town. Recent events have given new excitement to the possiblity that downtown areas will once again become viable places for living, shopping and social activities.
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Smithtown Supervisor Patrick Vecchio receives ceremonial check from Suffolk County Executive Steve BeelineThis week NYS Governor Andrew Cuomo announced $40 million in state funding to help the Town of Smithtown with sewer projects. Earlier this year, Suffolk County Executive Bellone awarded the Town of Smithtown $200,000 to advance the “Revitalizing Kings Park Downtown” action plan. At the Kings Park press conference Bellone presented Vecchio with a ceremonial $200,000 check to which the long time supervisor laughed and said “where’s the money”.
Both Bellone and Vecchio thanked Governor Cuomo for his recent announcement that $40 million is heading Smithtown’s way to help with sewer projects. The concept of sewers in Kings Park is not new, there is already a sewer system in Kings Park but infrastructure improvements are necessary to allow for growth in the downtown area.
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Director of Planning David Flynn, KP Civic Ass. Pres. Sean Lehmann, former Town Assessor Greg Hild, Environmental Planner Allyson Murray and former Director of Planning Frank DeRubeisThe KP Chamber of Commerce and KP Civic Association have a long history of advocating for improvements in Kings Park’s downtown, they recognized that sewers were integral to economic viability. In 2015 County Executive Belone told the organizations that is would be up to the community to decide if they wanted sewers and if it did, he would help find the resources to make it happen. The Kings Park Civic Association and the Kings Park Chamber of Commerce, with this clear mandate, started to work on developing a plan for downtown Kings Park. Vision L I was hired and the Revitalizing Downtown Kings Park Action Plan 2016 was developed. The plan included the input and support from the community as the county executive required.
Mr. Bellone, true to his word, worked with Supervisor Vecchio and Governor Cuomo to acquire the $40 million for downtown Kings Park and downtown Smithtown.
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KP residents Dorothy Chanin and Gayle Hessel both are members of Kings Park Civic AssociationCounty Executive Bellone credited Supervisor Vecchio’s vision. He spoke of a tour he took with Supervisor Vecchio in which the Supervisor explained how the lack of sewers hindered growth in the downtown areas. Bellone recognized the work of the Kings Park Chamber of Commerce and Kings Park Civic Association who worked with the community in bringing about a cogent plan for Kings Park’s future. The County Executive spoke about how necessary it is to get the community involved. He thanked Tony Tanzi, president of the Kings Park Chamber of Commerce, Sean Lehmann, President and Linda Henninger, V.P. of the Civic Association.
Linda Henninger spoke to the audience about her initial interaction with County Executive Bellone and how he kept telling her not to worry about the funding and that funding was the easy part. “The hard part, Steve Bellone told Linda, is getting the community involved.” She recalled how he shook her hand and even though she had doubts, the County Executive proved he was true to his word.
County Exec. Bellone presented Supervisor Vecchio with a draft plan for the sewer project. In a conversation with the supervisor after the press conference, he stated that he supported the sewering projects and added that there was still work to be done. No doubt the long time supervisor, who has a legacy of promoting government effieciencies and a cleaner environment, sees the the benefit of the sewers that come with state and county funding.