Commack - Kings Park Rotary Club Visiting Mindanao Phillippines

Members of the Commack - Kings Park Rotary Club are visiting Mindanao, Phillippines. The club is organizing a water project to provide clean drinking water to the residents. John Washington and Elsie Service (third and fourth from the left) are Commack - Kings Park Rotarians.

We arrived in Cebu on the 28 of May. We took a boat to Mindanao. There is a portable WiFi we bought Saturday and can use for one month, at a flat rate.  We met many of the members  at their 3850 district assembly  meeting.  Rotary club from Dipolog and Oroquieta have agreed  to work together on the water project.  Member’s of the two club’s met at Elsie house and proceeded to see the current water spring source. Lindon SeeDiet having worked previously on a water project is taking a lead on this. We will update more in the coming week. Sorry for the delay .

St. James - CVS Application Draws A Standing Room Only Crowd

By p.biancaniello (click on photos to enlarge)

They came, they listened and they don’t want it. That was the message  expressed by the 100 or so St. James taxpayers who attended the Smithtown Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA) meeting Tuesday, June 9, 2015. The topic was the CVS application to build a store on the corner of Lake Avenue and Woodlawn Avenue. 

In 2014 CVS Albany LLC, filed an application in the Town of Smithtown to build on the corner of Woodlawn and Lake Avenues in St. James. The proposed site is a lot zoned residential. At that time CVS was asking that the property be rezoned to Commercial Business. The residents attending the 2014 hearing roared  that they didn’t want it.  CVS withdrew its application.  

CVS is back before the BZA asking for variances and a special exception that would allow them to construct their store. A BZA public hearing is the forum where the case for the application is made first by the applicant followed by public comments.   Vincent Trimarco is the attorney for CVS.  Also representing the applicant was traffic expert Patrick Lenihan, Director of Transportation at VHB Engineering. Mr. Lenihan offered assurances that the traffic issues would be addressed by “rearranging timing on traffic signal” at the Woodlawn/Lake Ave. intersection.  Mr. Lenihan does not anticipate much additional traffic stating that the majority of the traffic will not be CVS specific but rather cars already on their way to or from a location.  Courtney Reily, also from VHB Engineering, requested that the BZA grant relief from the parking requirements. Under current code, CVS is required to have 124 parking spaces and one loading Bay. CVS is looking for relief that would permit 57 parking spaces and one loading bay.

The CVS application seeks: 1 - A parking variance of approximately 54%, 2 -  Special permit for parking in R10 Residential Zone, 3 - Relief for parking greater than 50 feet into the residential district, 4- Relief for a buffer, 5 -Relief for the prinicpal building not conforming to parking requirements, 6 - Relief for requirement related to parking greater than 15 feet from Lake Ave.

The Planning Department was asked to comment on the application. Long time Senior Town Planner David Flynn, who was recently appointed Director of Smithtown Planning Department, read comments from the planning department’s report in which he offered the Planning Department’s official recommendation that the application be denied. The audience, a filled to capacity crowd, was pleased and met his comment with wild applause. Mr. Flynn explained the decision by stating that the applicants request for variances were substantial and that collectively they would have an impact on the character of the neighborhood. He stated that the lot is residentially zoned and to grant the relief requested “is tantamount to rezoning and not eligible for a special exception.”  “Any alleged harship in complying with the ordinance is self-created,” said Flynn. “This zoning has been in existence and for CVS to pick a property that is not suitably zoned, they’ve created their own practical difficulty.” 

St. James resident Denise McMahonIf there was a message the residents wanted to hear it was the message Mr. Flynn delivered. Resident Denise McMahon delivered petitions to BZA members with 1,200 signatures in opposition to the application. “I don’t think anyone here objects to a CVS in St. James: what we are objecting to is trying to squeeze a 10lb. saussage into a five lb bag.” Speaker after speaker stepped-up to the podium to state their concerns about traffic, parking and the impact on the community should the application be approved. “Mr. Flynn, dig your heels in.” said one speaker. 

Rev. Miguel Pagon - New Jerusalem ChurchNot every speaker opposed the application. At the end of a long line of speakers opposing the CVS application came Pastor Miguel Pagan from the New Jerusalem Church On Woodlawn Avenue. Rev. Pagan supported the application saying it would provide better access to health care and prescription needs. Rev. Pagan also spoke about the deterioration of the buildings on the proposed site. A long line of parishoners from the New Jerusalem Church stepped up to the podium in support of the CVS application.  

Assemblyman Fitzpatrick - Felony Convictions Must Result In Forfeiture Of Pensions

FITZPATRICK: PENSION REFORM ESSENTIAL TO THE ECONOMIC HEALTH OF NEW YORK

A statement from Assemblyman Mike Fitzpatrick (R,C,I-Smithtown)

            “My Assembly Minority Conference colleagues and I have proposed a number of significant reforms since the beginning of the legislative session, one of which is legislation (A.4643) that would amend the New York State Constitution to strip public servants, including elected officials, of their taxpayer-funded pensions if convicted of a felony directly related to their job duties. A similar measure (S.4611), agreed upon by the Assembly, Senate and Gov. Cuomo, was minutes away from being passed as part of the New York State budget before being removed from consideration.

            “The Majority has now put forth its own heavily watered-down version of this bill, (A.7704) which may not apply to most of New York’s public’s servants, including some members of the New York State Public Employees Federation as well as the Civil Service Employees Association. Those unaffected by this legislation would be allowed to collect their pensions even if convicted of these felonies. We must end the practice of corrupt state officials cashing in at taxpayer expense.

             “Once we have properly addressed this issue, we must go a step further and transition all elected officials into a 401(k)-style defined contribution platform to save taxpayers millions while alleviating the conflict of interest that exists in the state legislature. With six-figure pensions on the line, elected officials are more likely to take action that guarantees reelection rather than action that will save taxpayers money. We must end this practice.”

Nature and Youth Prevail at Caleb Smith's 13th Annual Junior Angler Fishing Tournament

Nature and Youth Prevail at Caleb Smith Event - (click on photos to enlarge)

Snapping turtle laying eggs, undisturbed, all morning at Site 10. A snapping turtle, undisturbed at the activity around her, dug a nest and laid herRyan O’Connor, 9, of Smithtown and dad Chris, wait for a bite. Seen in the background are anglers at the peninsula sites on Willow Pond. eggs during the morning session of the Friends of Caleb Smith Preserve’s 13th Annual Junior Angler Fishing Tournament on Saturday, June 6, 2015.  Site number ten was left without a young angler as a result, while ten children, ages 5-12, caught a total of 23 fish at other marked sites around Willow Pond at the Smithtown state park.

Winners in the morning session [from left]: Anthony Ross, Lena Umbrino, Dennis SteeleWinners at the morning session [ages 5-8]: 

Lena Umbrino, 8, Kings Park, first prize: catching the most fish [3];

Anthony Ross, 6, of Seaford, second prize: largest pan fish [an 8-inch blue gill];

Dennis Steele, 6, of Lake Grove, third prize, largest “other” fish caught [an 11-1/2-inch bass].

Winners in the afternoon session [from left]: Edward Belanger, Timothy Glover, Christopher BelangerWinners in the afternoon session (ages 9-12):

Timothy Glover, 11, of Center Moriches, first prize: most fish caught [four]

Christopher Belanger, 10, of Smithtown, second prize: largest pan fish [8-1/2”]

Edward Belanger, 12, of Smithtown, third prize: largest “other” fish [12-1/2” bass]

For further information about Friends activities please visit www.friendsofcalebsmith.org

It's Back! Kings Park Farmers Market Opens For Its Fifth Season

Kings Park Farmers Market Opens Successfully For a Fifth Season

Kings Park, NY- June 8, 2015 -The Kings Park Farmers Market opened Sunday, June 7th, to a beautiful day and a crowd of enthusiastic residents.  In its 5th year at the municipal lot on Main Street, the market has woven itself into the fabric of the Kings Park community.

Alyson Elish- Swartz of the Kings Park Civic Association and Deborah Staiano of LI Greenmarket present a $300 donation to representatives of the St. Joseph’s Food Pantry.The market is sponsored by the Kings Park Civic Association (KPCA) and run by LI Greenmarket.  Every Sunday during the market’s season, the community is not only able to avail itself to fresh locally grown vegetables, greens and fruit, but also Long Island corn, eggs, heirloom tomatoes, potatoes, squash, onions, cheese, pasta, pickles, soaps, local fish, baked goods, gluten free cookies, soy candles, jams and more.  

The market along with providing these wonderful products, has made its stamp on the community in so many other ways.  The KPCA and LI Greenmarket have not only donated thousands of pounds of food to the St. Joseph food pantry, they have also donated well over $1,000. 

The farmer’s market has been host to many events such as a school supply drive and coat drive for underprivileged children, a book collection for our soldiers overseas, an annual Fall Festival, baking contests and a variety of charitable fundraisers, including raising money for cancer research, Hula Hoops for Hope, Hurricane Sandy victims and our own VFW.

Through raffles, the Kings Park Civic Association is able to provide a scholarship each year to a graduating Kings Park High School senior.

The market boasts a KPCA sponsored community table wherein community organizations can meet, fundraise and educate the community about their groups. Some of these organizations include the Council of Schools, KP in the Know, Kings Park Youth, Nissequogue River State Park Foundation, the Kings Park Fire Department, the Kings Park Photography Club, the Kings Park Chamber of Commerce, local Girl Scouts and the Town of Smithtown’s Green Homes program. 

The market highlights local businesses, such as Abrakadoodle, Cafe Red and Sombreros, through various activities and cooking demonstrations.  The Kings Park business community has enthusiastically supported the market during these past five years. From supplying food vouchers and coupons to those who donate food for the food pantry, like Fort Salonga IGA and Café Red have done, to displaying the Kings Park Farmer’s Market poster in their store windows, local businesses have embraced the market.

In turn, the Kings Park Farmers Market bolsters the local economy by bringing people into Kings Park, who then shop at other businesses in town. 

Most of all, the market promotes a sense of community. Patrons know the farmers by name, such as Teddy from Thera Farms, Michelle and David from Fink Farms, and Paul from Paul’s Fish. In turn, regulars are greeted by name and new shoppers welcomed with big smiles.

The Kings Park Farmers Market is held at the municipal lot on Main Street (across from the Kings Park Fire Department) on Sundays from June through November 22nd from 9 AM to 2 PM.