Smithtown Town Budget Hearing - Taxes Are Going Up

Smithtown taxes are going up (click here for Town’s Tentative Budget).  The town board held its public hearing on the budget, Thursday at the Eugene Canataro Senior Center.   There was no discussion by the board members on the $103 million proposal but there were comments by town residents.

Mr. Krauss, a resident of Smithtown, expressed his displeasure with the increase.  He raised the point that the tax increase is not just $46.83 (the amount that a home with an assessed value of $5,500 will be paying)  it is an increase in addition to the library tax increase and the school tax increase and the Suffolk County Police tax increase.  Mr. Krauss stated that the increasing taxes could become unaffordable for people in the town.  He also raised the issue of the theft of the town’s recyclables.  He pointed out that the solution proposed by the Supervisor, hiring more public safety officers, did not seem to make economic sense. He claimed the costs to the taxpayer would exceed the amount lost due to the theft of the recyclables. In addition, Mr. Krauss asked why no one has been held responsible for the thefts and why no one has been fired. 

Democratic candidate for NY State Assembly in the 8th legislative district, Jesse Safer, pointed out that the proposed increase did not reflect the “realities of Smithtown’s real estate market.” Mr. Safer, an attorney and a former Nassau County property tax hearing officer  said “Our goal is to retain ownership of the homes in Smithtown, to attract the home buyers… Increasing property taxes, even with some reductions, discourages people from buying homes in the Smithtown area.” He also made the point that tax grievances, a problem in Nassau County, could become the reality in Smithtown.

The Supervisor’s budget message states,”It should be noted that a large portion of the increase includes $1.8 million which is attributable to pension and hospitalization costs.  Increased fuel costs also is a factor.” The budget message did not mention the modest (2 percent ) pay increases most town employees received nor the 10 percent increase for the appointed members of the Planning Board and Board of Zoning Appeals. The proposed budget seems to have the support of the Town Board members and is expected to be adopted in November.

LOOK WHO'S 90 YEARS OLD - HAPPY BIRTHDAY EDWARD JOHN BOROWSKI

Happy Birthday Ed!

Edward John Borowski was born on October 27, 1922 in Jamaica, New York.

As a teenager, he served in the Civilian Conservation Corps. (known as the C.C.C.s) in Idaho, prior to serving in World War II as a Storekeeper 2nd Class (“SK2”) in the United States Navy on the U.S.S. Battleship Texas from November 27, 1942 to October 4, 1945. Among many medals received, Edward was honored with the Good Conduct Medal, WWII Victory Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with two bronze stars and the Philippine LIB Medal. Edward remains to be a proud WWII Veteran for the past sixty years.

He married his wife, Rose, on October 5, 1952 at St. Joseph’s R.C. Church in Jamaica, New York. She passed away in 1999. They originally resided in Jamaica, New York when they were married. They had 3 children: Janet (Orlando), Robert and Paul (and Kathryn). They moved to Hauppauge, New York in 1966 and have resided there ever since. He has four grandchildren, Stephanie, James and Michael Orlando and Amanda Rose Borowski. In addition, Edward has five godchildren and many nieces and nephews with cousins in the United States and in Poland. His family has always been his first priority and joy in his life.

Ed worked as a technician for Fairchild Republic and Hobart and retired from Mueller Martini in Hauppauge at age 70. His post-retirement life has been focused on his family and volunteerism. He has volunteered at the Long Island Veteran’s Home in Stony Brook, New York for over 15 years. He received the New York State Senate Veteran’s Hall of Fame Award by Senator John Flanagan in 2010. He, also, very much enjoys building model ships, painting, sketching and traveling.

Ed continues to enjoy going to the Dude ranches in Upstate New York with the Young at Heart St. Thomas More Church Seniors Group, also, reminding him of his younger single days riding a horse. Ed has been very active in both, Jamaica, Queens and Hauppauge.

In Jamaica, Ed was Commander of the Catholic War Veterans in 1945, President of the Holy Name Society and Member of The Appolite’s Polish Social Club, Polish Legion American Veterans #5, St. Vincent Society and Usher at St. Joseph’s R.C. Church.

In Hauppauge, Ed was Commander of the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post #5796 in 1980 located in Kings Park, Advisor of Explorer Post 1776, maintaining the Richard “Bull” Smith Historical Trail in Smithtown and Brookhaven started in 1975, Service Officer of the VFW presenting many citations to Eagle Scouts across Suffolk County, Boy Scout Fingerprinting Merit Badge Counselor, Usher at St. Thomas More R.C. Church and President of The Rose Borowski Memorial Scholarship Foundation, an annual scholarship given to a graduating Hauppauge High School Senior for exhibiting excellent qualities in community service, scholastic achievement and Scouting.

Commack - Kings Park Rotary Club Helping Those Who Need It Most!

For many years the Commack – Kings Park Rotary Club has worked with The Dolan Health Center in Huntington on “The Gift Of Sight” program.  The program provides eye testing and eye services to people in need.  The “Gift of Sight” program was originally created to provide services to children. Although the program currently sees more adults than children its mission remains the same, providing eye care to those who cannot get it elswhere.  The Commack – Kings Park Rotary Club is committed to working to make lives better for people wherever they may be. In this case they are right here in our own backyard. (L-R Club President Phil Facquet III - Dolan Health Center Director, Terence Smith,  Former Club President and Liason to “Gift of Sight”, Barbara Kruger)

Oktoberfest and Autumn Feasts - What’s Cookin’? – Smithtown

Oktoberfest and Autumn Feasts - What’s Cookin’? – Smithtown

 By Nancy Vallarella

This is the best time of the year to satisfy cravings for Bavarian cuisine.  Smithtown residents are especially lucky, we do not have to travel far to satisfy the yen.  Many options are available here in town but hurry; some are only available through Sunday.

Faradays of Smithtown kicked off Oktoberfest on October 1^st with a German three course dinner.  Some of the specialties featured are: potato pancakes, knockwurst, jaegurschnitzel, Hungarian goulash, and sauerbraten.  This three course German dinner is offered for $25. Pints of Paulaner Oktoberfest and Riesling by the glass are offered at $5 each. This dinning event is available through October 31^st.

Further west on Main Street, Croxley’s Ale House of Smithtown is serving German specialty dishes. Bavarian pretzels, potato pancakes, knockwurst, sauerbraten, kasseler rippchen (smoked pork chop) and wienerschnitzel with an accompanied reduced price for German biergarten beers are served through this Sunday, October 21st. 

Available all year round – Main Street Meats (MSM) located at 36 E Main Street. Here you can grab frozen entrees that are prepared on the premises.  Jaegurschnitzel, rouladen, dumplings in sauerbraten gravy and wienerschnitzel are some of the choices available. MSM has a large selection of fresh and vacuum packed knockwurst, weisswurst, krainerwurst and bratwurst from Forest Pork Store, Karl Ehmer and Schaller and Weber. They also stock imported spaetzel, red cabbage, sauerkraut and mustards. If all of this inspires you to host your own Oktoberfestapoluzza – Main Street Meats can cater the event.

For a home cooked Oktoberfest family dinner, try Great Grandma Fank’s German Style Pot Roast Recipe – located in the right column of Smithtown Matters Food & Restaurant Directory. This family recipe is over 100-years-old.  It requires marinating the beef in beer overnight instead of the several days of marinating in brine that traditional sauerbraten requires. It captures all of the sweet and tart goodness one looks forward to in a traditional sauerbraten but is somehow even more delicious than its traditional cousin.  I’ve been making and serving it for twenty years to rave reviews. The smell of this cooking will turn your residence into a chalet in the Alps. 

After you have labored over a hot stove, treat yourself and some company to a fine dining experience…This Sunday, October 21^st, Mirabelle Restaurant is offering a five course Peconic Bay Winery Autumn Dinner. The dinner starts with an Autumn Salad with pears, mache, beets and Catapano goat cheese curd and ends with a Spiced Sweet Potato Cake with pear ice cream. I won’t tease you with the rest of the in between menu items (trust me they are even more divine) because only a few seats are available. Call now for availability at the 5pm or 6:30pm seating. $75 pp ++ includes the ten wine pairings. Mirabelle Restaurant contact information is available in Smithtown Matters Food & Restaurant Directory.  - Access their website here for more information on seasonal menus and other dining events.

KAT – Kitchen a Trattoria is creating new fall menu items daily. This small kitchen turns out some big flavor.  Orecchiette with roasted cauliflower, raisins and breadcrumbs, Chicken Liver Crostino with apple preserves and Duck Confit severed with mushroom cream sauce have been featured.  Shown in this photo:  KAT staff turning fall harvest favorites into menu items.   Wondering what they are making with that squash?   Guess we will just have to dine there to find out!

Kings Park Youth Donates Baseball Field to Kings Park High School

Kings Park, NY – October 18, 2012 – Kings Park Youth (KPY) announced the donation of an upgrade to the Kings Park High School JV Baseball field.   The field, which is located on the western end of the school property on Rt. 25A, had become unusable over the last several years due to cutbacks in school funding.   The upgrade will include new fences, cement floors for future dugouts, a sprinkler system and a re-graded, sod field.  

Dr. Susan Agruso, Superintendent of the Kings Park School District, stated “We are very grateful to KPY for their generous donation.  This is a significant improvement to our athletic fields and a terrific example of how the Kings Park community goes above and beyond to support our schools.” 

Darryl Valinchus, President of KPY, stated “we are so happy that we’ve been able to put this together for the school.  Everyone in the school district from the Superintendent, the Athletic Department and the Grounds Maintenance staff have been very supportive through the entire process.  The field will be a model baseball diamond so that our JV baseball team can have a pristine baseball field that all of us in Kings Park can be proud of.”

Work on the field began on September 17^th and is expected to be completed before the end of October.  The field is new sod so it will need the remainder of the fall and winter to take root and will be ready for the spring baseball season for the JV baseball team.  

The field was made possible through the generous contributions of KPY and several of their members including;  Agostinelli Family, Cebulski Family, Gugliuzzo Family, Kings Park Irrigation, Don Brown from Relish Restaurant, Billy Moser from Wamco Electric and DeLea Sod Company.  There are several additional improvements KPY hopes to complete by the spring.  As an example, they will be soliciting additional funds to complete the dugouts.  Anyone interested in helping out is encouraged to contact Glenn Chiuchiolo or Joe Bianco at info@kingsparkyouth.com. 

Kings Park Youth is proud to celebrate over 50 years of service to the community.  KPY fields football, cheerleading, softball and baseball teams for more than 1,200 children per year.  Anyone interested in learning more about KPY can visit www.kingsparkyouth.com or email info@kingsparkyouth.com.