40 Year Smithtown Supervisor Patrick R Vecchio Sept. 1930 - April 2019

Smithtown Supervisor Patrick R Vecchio has died at the age of 88. Supervisor Vecchio served in his position for a record forty years. First elected in 1977 he took office in 1978 and held it until he was defeated in a Republican primary by Edward Wehrheim in 2017.

Forty years in office earned Patrick Vecchio a reputation as a strong fiscal conservative who increased Smithtown’s reputation as one of the best places to live in Suffolk County. Recognizing his place in Smithtown’s history the Smithtown Town Board named Town Hall the Patrick R Vecchio Town Hall Building in 2015.

Patrick Vecchio died Saturday, April 6th at St. Catherine of Sienna Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Smithtown.

Update on Sunday, April 7, 2019 at 3:48PM by .

Today, Congressman Lee Zeldin (R, NY-1) issued the following statement on the passing of former Smithtown Supervisor Patrick Vecchio: “Having served the Town of Smithtown for a record tenure of 40 years following a career as a NYPD officer and Army veteran, there’s no doubt that Pat was a dedicated public servant, committed to the community he loved. His breadth of experience was unparalleled and his passing leaves a huge loss in the heart of our community.”

FYI - Lee Zeldin Issued Statement Supporting Release Of Mueller Report

Rep. Zeldin: Release It All…Start to Finish: The Mueller Report, Docs re Clinton Probe Ending, Trump-Russia Probe Launching, Page FISA Applications & More

By: Lee Zeldin 
Date: March 28, 2019 
Location: Washington, DC 

WASHINGTON - Congressman Lee Zeldin (R, NY-1) just issued the following statement:

Congressman Lee Zeldin“The American people deserve the truth, the opportunity to review all relevant information and to make their own conclusions. Release it all…start to finish. This includes the Mueller report, documents related to the Clinton probe ending, the Trump-Russia probe launching, the Page FISA applications and more. The public deserves to know the truth, the whole truth & nothing but the truth. Sunlight & accountability!”

Rep. Zeldin also issued the following tweet here

SUFFOLK CLOSEUP - LIPA Approves Food Scraps-To-Energy Plant

SUFFOLK CLOSEUP

By Karl Grossman

 The recent approval by the trustees of Long Island Power Authority for a food scraps-to-energy plant to be built in Yaphank links back to an original purpose of LIPA—to develop safe, alternative means of power.

LIPA was created by the Long Island Power Act of 1985 primarily to prevent the Shoreham nuclear power plant from going into operation and to further instead safe energy technologies. In its three decades, LIPA has emphasized solar and wind power to generate electricity. The food scraps-to-energy OK marks a move to another form of safe energy.

The LIPA trustees voted unanimously on March 20 for an $84 million 20-year contract to buy energy from a facility to be built by American Organic Energy that would convert 180,000 tons of food scraps a year into bio-gas to fuel a six megawatt power plant as well as vehicles and equipment. 

Underlying this is the huge problem of food waste in the United States. Some 40 percent of food produced in the nation is wasted, studies have found.  One way to deal with this was featured on the Today show a day before LIPA acted, in a segment titled “Cooking With Trash.” It featured Cameron Macleish who has a YouTube channel with that name. He came with seemingly fresh food retrieved from a dumpster, and with his mother, Ellen, a chef. 

Dumpster-dumping for food is “like opening a treasure chest…There is so much good food thrown out on a daily basis,” he stated, his interviewers somewhat taken aback.

This is one way to reduce food waste. Another way is a movement today involving restaurants pledging to generate “zero waste” with a variety of recipes using produce that otherwise would end up in the trash. 

There are other strategies. Governor Andrew Cuomo has been seeking to require “organizations that produce large amounts of excess food a year to donate edible items to food banks and recycle the rest.” He heralded the new “groundbreaking…clean energy project.”

No matter how much the reduction in wasted food, there still would be inedible scraps. Charles Vigliotti, co-founder of American Organic Energy, said that “on Long Island, the notion that we would put virtually all our commercial food waste onto trucks and carry it to Ohio and North Carolina is just insane.”

The main safe alternative energy technologies—solar and wind—are an energy bonanza. With 38 solar photovoltaic panels on the roof of our house for 10 years, I still marvel at seeing the electric meter going backwards—the panels are harvesting more electricity than we are using. We saved much in installing them with a LIPA rebate. That rebate no longer exists, but over the decade the price of solar panels has halved and their output significantly increased. Houses and commercial and government buildings throughout Long Island should have solar panels on their roofs.

Coupled with this, we had an “energy audit” done of leaks and other issues and took simple steps to make our more than century-old saltbox house energy efficient. 

We also have two rooftop solar panels that produce hot water.

LIPA has been deeply involved in the major state initiative underway to place wind turbines well off our shores.

Yet in addition to the sun which on most days shines on us and the winds that blow mightily off our coasts, there are other available energy sources. Take wave and tidal power long advocated here by Sarah Meyland, a professor in the Department of Environmental Technology and Sustainability at New York Institute of Technology in Old Westbury. As Dr. Meyland has stated: “One thing Long Island has that no one else in the state has is wave energy. We have it 24 hours a day. The sun doesn’t have to shine, the wind doesn’t have to blow. Tides rise and fall on a regular basis, day in and day out.” Countries especially in Scandinavia, have “deployed tide-generated plants that are completely submerged and generate a lot of electricity. It’s absolutely clean, and if we could support enough of these, we would solve a lot of our downstate energy problems.”

Indeed, next to Roosevelt Island in the East River, off Long Island’s west end, Verdant Power has had a demonstration project with six turbines spinning with the river’s motion. Verdant now seeks to install 30 turbines to generate electricity. 

There are opportunities to use tidal power to Long Island’s east—with Plum Gut off Orient Point ideal. Natural Currents Energy Services has been considering it.  We’ve been in Plum Gut in our sailboat when the tide is changing—and, wow, what power waits to be tapped! As for the waves hitting Long Island’s ocean beaches, the energy that can be gotten from them is also endless—and other nations are harnessing wave-power. 

Considering its founding mission, it’s a natural for LIPA to be a safe energy leader.

Karl Grossman is a veteran investigative reporter and columnist, the winner of numerous awards for his work and a member of the L.I. Journalism Hall of Fame. He is a professor of journalism at SUNY/College at Old Westbury and the author of six books. 

Women's History Month SCPD Commissioner Geraldine Hart Goes To Commack HS

photo credit Brenda LentschWomen’s History Month means different things to people. The world for women in 2019 is very different from the world of fifty years ago. Unfortunately, there are still glass ceilings that women are fighting to break but the ceilings are fewer. Earlier this week at Commack High School, sixteen female students had the opportunity to see history for themselves.  On Monday, March 25th, nineteen students all leaders met with Suffolk County Police Commissioner Geraldine Hart, the first female police commissioner in Suffolk County history.

The nineteen attendees were Erin Sass (11th),Crystal Curcio (11th), DaVaughna Tulloch (12th), Jenna Theodorellis (12th), Kim Liao (11th), Kristina Parkas (11th), Amy Pasquale (11th), Brianna Michel (11th), Paige Robinson (11th), Jenna Cicalo (11th), Samantha Silverman (10th), Alyssa Braxton (11th), Emily Hartman (10th), Cathleen Deutsch (12th), Noa Mizrachi (12th), Jackie Dweck (12th), Stephanie Schneider (12th), Carly Sukiel (12th), Jackie Cianci (12th).

Commack School District Clerk Debbie Virga, who also holds the title of Director of Community Relations, was the organizer of the Women’s History Event. Commack HS Principal Leslie Boritz was the proud host. The students came with interest and questions. Accolades to the students for coming up with insightful and provocative questions. Accolades to Commissioner Hart who answered every question. 

Police Commissioner Hart center with Commack HS Principal Leslie Boritz (L) and District Clerk Debbie Virga (R)Commissioner Hart is a Long Island native who grew up in Northport and graduated from Northport High School. She developed her passion for the FBI while on a fifth grade field trip to FBI Headquarters in D.C. She determined that becoming an agent would be her career choice and focused on making it a reality.

FBI agents are required to have an undergrad degree, an advanced degree or three years work experience. Hart went to St. John’s University Law School upon graduation she encountered a hiring freeze at the FBI. When the freeze was lifted Hart was notified of her acceptance. Her excitement was short lived. She received a letter rescinding her acceptance. There was a problem with her background check. 

Devastated but keeping her eyes on the prize; Hart was determined to find out what was discovered in the background check. Not an easy thing to do as the information is not provided to the applicant. This lady wasn’t about to give up on her life dream. Knowing that she made choices in her life that would ensure FBI acceptance, she turned all her attention on the problem and discovered the holdup was a report of an unpaid school loan which was a grant not requiring payment. Problem solved.

Following training she was sent to NY and worked on health care cases. A health care murder case she worked on successfully led to her reassignment  to organized crime and gangs. She now worked on the Lucchese organized crime and the Kubecka and Barstow murder case which involved a Northport carting company.

A promotion put her in management, another promotion and she was head of FBI LI region. she worked on MS13 cases and investigated Suffolk County Police Chief James Burke. Under Suffolk County Police Commissioner Tim Sini a collaborative relationship developed between the FBI and the SCPD.

Although she never planned to leave the FB, when the Police Commisioner’s job became available in April 2018 she took it and hasn’t looked back. “That door is closed” is how she answered a question about returning to the FBI.

So what’s it like being the first female Suffolk County Police Commissioner? The FBI and the SCPD are similar in that they are predominantly male (11 percent female in FBI and 9 percent in SCPD), but the pace and breadth of work is different. Everyday there is something new happening and new to learn. Acknowledging that there are things she had no experience with she explained to the students the importance of being aware of what she doesn’t know and to learn from those who have knowledge she doesn’t. She is quick to say that the SCPD is very professional and those she works with have been supportive. The intense media attention is something she didn’t experience in the FBI. This, she pointed out, has nothing to do with gender but the nature of the position.

Her advice to the students was, “Be authentic, be yourself. Don’t try to be something you are not. Don’t try to act like a man in a man’s world.” Policing is changing and she would like to see more women consider joining the force. Women, she says, bring a lot to the table. In 2019 policing has a guardian mentality not a warrior mentality. This new way of thinking is a good fit for women who often are good at multitasking and collaboration.  Hart emphasized the variety of opportunities in the SCPD including marine, canine, tech and information.

Careers rise and fall on reputation. According to Hart, having the respect of your peers is important. This is especially true for women who tend to be unwilling to self promote, your colleagues will be your verifiers.

A question about being the first female led to an anecdote about a visit to the police quartermaster. Touring with females, a police officer handed her a pair of pants and asked “can you get behind the counter I need my pants changed.” Uncomfortable for the officer, she said ” The situation can go two ways and she chose to laugh about it.”

What is most important to Commissioner Hart is her family. She trys to find a balance in her home and work life. “My kids are always the priority. and I make that known.” There are times that according to Hart “I give a little bit.”  The FBI had flexibility in scheduling and allowed people to work part time with a reduction in pay. She did this when her children were young. This allowed her to both continue her service and be there for her kids, a choice that many women confront. 

Jenna Theodorellis presents SCPD Commissioner Hart with Commack memorabiliaThe choices Hart made changed her life for the better. She advised the students to “keep your mind and options open to things you may never have imagined.” Too many women feel they must know everything there is before taking a position.  I’m not ready is a common phrase. Hart’s advice “of course you are ready.” Throwing out a statistic that women feel the need to know ninety percent and men only fifty percent she encouraged the students to grab opportunities. “If you want something there is nothing that will stand in the way… perseverance. Set your sites on it whatever makes you happy. If you love what you do it’s never work.”

Summing up Commisioner Hart’s presentation is easy, own your mistakes, slow down be more deliberative. The tempo might call for quick decision, but take a moment to look at the big picture and facts will come into focus. Mentor, be collaborative, be a good listener, no ego, find a good balance in family and work life. Remember to give and take. 

Sage advice from the first female Suffolk County Police Commissioner Geraldine Hart.

SUFFOLK CLOSEUP - Bellone - Kennedy 2019

SUFFOLK CLOSEUP

By Karl Grossman

Facing each other in the top election race this year in Suffolk County—for county executive—are the incumbent, Steve Bellone, seeking a third four-year term, and County Comptroller John M. Kennedy, Jr. who has served in various positions in Suffolk government for 33 years.

A big advantage for Democrat Bellone is already having a campaign fund of $2 million. Republican Kennedy has a fraction of that.

Mr. Kennedy is a former Suffolk County legislator who has also held posts in the offices of county executive and county clerk. He has been highly critical of Mr. Bellone notably of Mr. Bellone’s handling of county financial matters about which Mr. Kennedy opened his campaign.

Mr. Bellone, a lawyer, was a member of the Babylon Town Board and that town’s supervisor before his election as county executive. He got off to a bumpy start. “Suffolk Exec’s First Year, Out Of The Office,” was the front-page banner headline of Newsday in 2013. The article began: “Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone was absent from the office for days at a time or longer during his first year on the job and often was difficult to reach, said four high-level sources with direct knowledge of his schedule.” He “would spend hours at a time during workdays at restaurants, and aides who were searching for him even monitored twitter uses for reported sightings.”  The piece quoted one source as saying: “He would not return phone calls, sometimes for five days; it was very challenging.”

Instead of being in his office in the H. Lee Dennison Building in Hauppauge, “Bellone spent hours at a time during the week at restaurants, primarily Panera Bread in North Babylon, not far from his home, all of the sources said.” During this period the county faced a “projected three-year deficit of as much as $530 million.”

Mr. Bellone was quoted in the article as saying he felt “very isolated and the public doesn’t come in” to the Dennison Building. The piece went on that following Suffolk being hit by superstorm Sandy, he “has been far more engaged in daily operations.” In recent times, Mr. Bellone has been quite active generating news.

He has promoted diversity most recently calling for the Suffolk Police Department to be “more diverse….The world around us is changing,” he said in a presentation this month. On the  On the environmental front, he had the county challenge the lawsuit brought by the Long Island Pine Barrens Society that would have crippled the nationally-renown Suffolk County Farmland Preservation Program. Big priorities have been development in Suffolk—such as the “Ronkonkoma Hub” project—to ostensibly provide an economic shot, and also sewering.

Mr. Kennedy of Nesconset worked at nearby Kings Park Psychiatric Center while attending Stony Brook University where he received a B.A. in psychology. After graduation, he became a counselor and administrator at a New York State Office of Mental Health outpatient program. He went on to law school and in addition to being an attorney has a master’s degree in business administration with a concentration in capital budgeting.

He starting working for Suffolk County government in 1986, under County Executive Peter F. Cohalan, a GOPer, in the executive’s Office for the Aging. Mr. Kennedy then served a succession of county executives, two Republicans and Democrat Patrick Halpin, and in 1995 held a high position in the county clerk’s office. He was elected to the Suffolk Legislature in 2003 and was its Republican minority leader between 2012 and 2014 when he was first elected Suffolk comptroller, the county’s chief financial officer and fiscal watchdog.

His online biography stresses his advocacy as a county legislator of measures “preserving local open space, groundwater and ecosystems.” In recent weeks, he, too, has hit a bumpy stretch, for sending out federal 1099 tax forms to Suffolk homeowners who have entered the county’s Residential Septic Incentive Program. It provides $10,000 to $20,000 grants toward installation of “advanced” wastewater treatment systems that substantially reduce nitrogen discharges which have caused serious pollution to bays and other water bodies. Homeowners fearing they may be liable for thousands of dollars in taxes have complained and so has the Bellone administration which says this would be contrary to a legal opinion it has received.

Mr. Kennedy was re-elected last year. As comptroller he has charged Mr. Bellone with “a complete absence of leadership” causing Suffolk to be “on the precipice of financial crisis.” He announced his candidacy for county executive in front of the Dennison Building last month declaring that Mr. Bellone “deserves an F” for repeated Wall Street downgrades of county bonds. “We’re saying enough is enough,” he said. “We will stop the hemorrhaging. We will stop the bleeding. We will cut up the credit cards. We will start to pay our debts….We will save Suffolk.”

Karl Grossman is a veteran investigative reporter and columnist, the winner of numerous awards for his work and a member of the L.I. Journalism Hall of Fame. He is a professor of journalism at SUNY/College at Old Westbury and the author of six books.