Amy's Perspective - $300,000.00 budgeted for “Revision of Town Code”

By Amy Fortunato

$300,000.00 budgeted for “Revision of Town Code”

Smithtown has a special charm and unique character on Long Island.  It is clearly an attractive destination.  There are numerous benefits to living and working in this appealing town.  Smithtown is family friendly - a safe community for children adults and seniors to thrive!   Our notable highlights include the exceptional school districts, beautiful beaches and parks situated within our vital historic heritage.  Retail shops and businesses also prosper.  Smithtown’s attractive neighborhoods draw new homeowners and pleases current residents who stay within our charming community. 

Smithtown asserts a pre-Revolutionary foundation.  Our history books describe the impact of the LIRR that brought urban families to our country setting in 1870.  Newly constructed homes and commercial buildings began to populate the countryside within Smithtown’s borders.  It became obvious to the town officials that organization and safety standards were necessary to manage this residential and business growth.   The Building Zone Ordinance of the Town of Smithtown, Chapter 54, (General Code Publishers Corp., Spencerport, NY 14559, 1970) states its purpose:

“A. To guide and regulate the orderly growth, development and redevelopment of the Town of Smithtown outside of the limits of any incorporated village, in accordance with a comprehensive plan and with long-term objectives, principles and standards deemed beneficial to the interests and welfare of the people.  

B. To protect the established character and the social and economic well-being of both private and public property.  

C. To promote, in the public interest, the utilization of land for the purposes for which it is most appropriate.  

D. To secure safety from fire, panic and other dangers, and to provide adequate light, air and convenience of access. 

E. To prevent overcrowding of land or buildings, and to avoid undue concentration of population.  

F.  To lessen and, where possible, to prevent traffic congestion on public streets and highways.  

G.  To conserve the value of buildings and to enhance the value of land throughout the town outside the limits of any incorporated village.”  

Obviously, Smithtown has added many more citizens and businesses to our community since 1970.  Our current context has expanded, BUT these principles retain their value to guide our elected town officials as they move to approve reviewing town code towards changes that allow for further development without drafting, adopting and completing a Comprehensive Master Plan based on a town-wide survey and other various issues that impact Smithtown.  The capital budget includes $300,000.00 for “Revision of Town Code” (2018 Proposed Capital Funding Plan.)  It’s time to revisit our past to inform our future in Smithtown.  

 Amy Fortunato is a Smithtown resident who ran for Town Council on the Democratic line in 2017.

Commack Resident Dr. Fred Kruger Honored With IEEE Outstanding Teacher Award

On Thursday evening, March 22, a ballroom at the Crest Hollow Country Club was filled for this year’s Annual Awards Banquet of the Long Island Section of the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE). Dr. Fred Kruger was presented the Region 1 award for Outstanding Teaching in an IEEE Area of Interest. “For outstanding mentoring of high school science students research activities and inspiriing them to pursue engineering and science as a career.”

Dr. Kruger has served as a Volunteer Science and Technology Mentor to students in the Commack (NY) High School Science Research Program and as a science, engineering, and technology consultant to the program for about 10 years. He has introduced several students to Ham Radio and the role it can play in support of their present and future science and engineering activities and education. Many of the students he helped mentor have gained local, regional and/or national, or international recognition for their competition winning science research projects. His wife, Dr. Barbara Kruger, has worked at his side as a Volunteer Science and Technology Mentor during the same period.

Commack resident Dr. Fred KrugerDr. Kruger holds a Ph.D. in Neuropsychology, a Post-Doctorate in Speech and Hearing Sciences, and is trained in electronic engineering and computer sciences.He is a Senior Life Member of the IEEE, a life member of: Acoustical Society of America, American Radio Relay League, and other organizations. He holds an FCC Extra Class Amateur Radio license (K2LDC), and an FCC First Class Commercial Radio-Telephone License. He serves on several ANSI/ASA and IEEE standards committees, the IEEE LI Section Executive Committee, and chairs the LI Rotary District 7255 Emergency Preparedness Committee. Dr. Kruger is also the AEC and DRO for Smithtown ARES. He holds several patents.

SUFFOLK CLOSEUP - Part 2 Leaf Blowers Health And Environmental Threat

SUFFOLK CLOSEUP

By Karl Grossman

Gas-fired leaf blowers—a terrible health and environmental threat.

First, about the noise racket caused by gas-fired leaf blowers. Regarding “noise pollution, gasoline-powered leaf blowers create noise levels of 90-100 decibels at close range and exceed the EPA’s recommended maximum noise level even at 50 feet. Excess noise produces an increase in blood pressure, adrenaline, heart rate and stress; it also damages hearing,” notes the Asthma Coalition of Long Island, headquartered in Hauppauge.  

“Leaf blowers are routinely used less than 50 feet from unconsenting pedestrians and neighboring homes that may be occupied by homeworkers, retirees, day sleepers, children, the disabled,” states a fact sheet on “leaf blower noise” from the East Hampton-based organization “Ban The Blowers.” 

The “Ban The Blowers” piece—titled “I Can’t Hear You”—goes on that “the World Health Organization recommends general daytime outdoor noise levels of 55 dBA [decibels] or less…Don’t be fooled by comparison of 65 decibels from a leaf blower to the volume of normal conversation that you had not invited and could not control….Acoustic experts say blower noise is especially irritating because of its particular pitch, the changing amplitude, and the lack of control of the hearer.”

As Kenneth Maue has written in an article in the Right to Quiet newsletter: “When harsh noise hits, instead of reaching out to greet the world with open ears, we shrink back into shells, or try to; in truth the ears can’t shut, nor like the eyes turn away. Noise controls space like an occupying army, travels through walls, enters houses, molests bodies, violates privacy, stops thought, batters each of us into isolation.”

Ever since they were introduced in the early 1970s, gas-fired leaf blowers have been causing intense noise. They have been zealously defended by many in the landscaping industry—in denial that far quieter, far less polluting lithium-powered electric leaf blowers are now available. As claimed a spokesperson for the Nassau Suffolk Landscape Gardeners Association, which is said by Newsday to be “representing 1,600 industry professionals,” they are needed “to effectively do jobs to customer satisfaction.”

As to health and environmental damage gas-fired leaf blowers cause, a leading regional environmental group is Citizens Campaign for the Environment, with 80,000 members and offices in Farmingdale on Long Island as well as in upstate New York and Connecticut. It explains: “While blowing leaves, gas leaf blowers also pick up dust and debris, potentially releasing significant particulate matter into the air. This particulate matter can include mold, pollen, feces, pesticides, and heavy metals which exacerbate asthma and other respiratory problems and cause long-term damage to the heart and lungs. In fact, particulate matter is the second highest cause of lung cancer after smoking.”

The organization goes on: “Gas leaf blowers are inefficient machines, emitting greenhouse gases including carbon and nitrogen oxide….These emissions also contain Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons—PAHs—and Benzene, two known human carcinogens. In Suffolk County, which has been given an ‘F’ for air quality by the American Lung Association for the last 14 years, there is no reason to continue to allow unregulated gas leaf blowers to release contaminants and increase air pollution.”

Or as Grasroots Environmental Education headquartered in Great Neck, a prominent group advancing ecological education on Long Island, states: ”Along with toxic volatile chemicals, gas leaf blowers release a particularly high level of particulate matter that is easily inhaled by people in the immediate and surrounding areas. Particulate matter is especially harmful for children, as their lung passages are narrow and this dangerous substance is easily trapped in deep lung tissue…Our organization has done extensive research on the ability of pesticides to adhere to particular type of soil. Leaf blowers create a lot of dust—especially when it is dry—and send these soil particulates into the air and into people’s homes through screens and windows…This translocation of lawn pesticides into people’s homes is another public health issue associated with the widespread use of blowers.”

Or as the Huntington Breast Cancer Coalition, in its opposition to gas-fired leaf blowers, declares: “We believe it is of utmost importance to Prioritize Prevention by identifying and mitigating the environmental causes of breast cancer and other life-long illnesses.” Gas-fired leaf blowers produce “endocrine disruptors and can be linked to asthma, cancer and other life-long illnesses.” 

It has been an uphill fight to restrict gas-fired leaf blowers on Long Island—although nationally they are now banned in Israel and their use limited in 400 communities across the United States. 

What might be done in Suffolk County or on the New York State level? That next week.

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. 

Amy's Perspective - Overdevelopment Was Not A Campaign Promise

By Amy Fortunato

As a strong and solid reminder, I would like to reiterate the campaign promises expressed during last year’s (11/2017) Town Supervisor and Town Council elections.  It wasn’t so long ago; but our human nature includes the tendency to forget, even the most important campaign commitments.  Obviously, there were a lot of ‘if elected, promises’ made.  Closer to the end of the campaigning season, lawn signs even appeared with a claim to reduce taxes, unlikely.  But, each of the candidates committed to transparency and dedication to complete and then adopt a Comprehensive Master Plan for Smithtown, which includes all five hamlets.  How soon we forget.  Okay, I get it – but this is the reminder notification.   Before any other issues are addressed, now is the time to act with integrity to serve the public of Smithtown as elected officials.  This ‘sell by’ date is past due. 

A Comprehensive Master Plan is an inclusive, intentional town plan based on our Smithtown town resident’s survey consensus and the essential issues that impact our community.   As promised, this plan must be recognized as absolutely necessary before any construction or renovation projects are considered, especially when a special exception is under advisement.  Historically, Smithtown’s current town codes were written to protect the interests and investments of the Smithtown residents at the time of their codification.  The campaign promise to address our local issues with transparency and integrity requires our Town Supervisor and Town Council to conduct business in an open and straightforward manner.  The onus is on our local town government to reach out and include any and all potentially interested residents rather than the ‘bare minimum’ approach.   The campaign promise to complete and adopt a Comprehensive Master Plan takes precedence over any other issues as the basis and foundation for their future administration.       

There are various proposed developments and issues throughout Smithtown that support the necessity of the Town Supervisor and Town Council to follow through by keeping their campaign commitments before addressing or acting on additional projects.  The negative implications of approving any special exceptions occur because the precedence for more construction to be approved would be based on the special exception.  Honoring those campaign promises to secure a prosperous future while sustaining our historic past in Smithtown is categorically essential.  REMINDER: Now is the time to keep those campaign commitments, rather than an administration that disregards the circumspect approach to our local government by completely and adopting a Comprehensive Master Plan.  REMINDER: Transparency is the clear and obvious approach to supervision with integrity. 

As an example of the necessity to live by these campaign commitments before addressing or acting on additional projects, please think about the implications of the proposed special exception requested by the Watermill Caterers.  The precedence set by allowing the Watermill Caterers to build a four-story hotel would introduce a different standard for any other business to build up to that height limit.  The proposed four-story height level changes the landscape and character of our town.  Smithtown single family residents comprise 85% of the town’s land use and population. A survey of Smithtown’s taxpaying residents is the only way to know whether the consensus exists for this relegation of our current code for height restriction.   Please commit to our campaign commitments before any further administration in Smithtown.    

Amy Fortunato is a Smithtown resident who ran on the Democratic line for Smithtown Town Council in 2017. 

Theater Review - 'In The Heights'

Theater Review – ‘In the Heights’

Produced by John W. Engeman Theater – Northport

Reviewed by Jeb Ladouceur

The production team at Northport’s plush Engeman Theater certainly knows how to pick ‘em. Their newest offering is a stimulating show that depicts a three-day slice of life ‘In the Heights.’ Not Brooklyn Heights (the upscale area across the river from Wall Street) … nor Jackson Heights (that’s a landlocked neighborhood in Queens) … this is about Washington Heights, bordered by two rivers, up near the northern tip of Manhattan.

German immigrants first populated the area’s high bluffs, but demographics changed radically over time and by the turn of the Twenty-First Century, so many immigrants from the Caribbean Islands had moved to Washington Heights that candidates for the presidency of the Dominican Republic began to hold campaign parades there! It’s this irrepressible Hispanic element, coupled with pathos and near-feverish dance moves that make ‘In the Heights’ such an interesting musical.

And ‘Heights,’ though a bit controversial, is obviously a winner, having garnered thirteen Tony nominations and four first place trophies (including Best Musical) after its opening at the Richard Rogers Theatre in 2008. Dissimilarly, fifty years earlier, the highly touted ‘West Side Story’ had gained less than half that number of recommendations and won in only the ‘Choreography’ and ‘Set Design’ categories.

Inevitably, there will be those who assume that the current Engeman offering is a North End version of ‘West Side Story.’ Not so. At the risk of being labeled some kind of Thespian heretic, I will confess that ‘West Side Story’ has never been my cup of tea. I dislike the show’s constant drumbeat of machismo nonsense (although it must be said the frenetic ‘Heights’ production too has its share of that) … and the repetitious nature of what Bernstein and company apparently intended to be timeless romantic anthems, often renders their version of ‘Romeo and Juliet’ rather tedious. 

But ‘In the Heights’ is a somewhat more interesting story—Nina, the ‘bright girl who made it out’ of The Heights—is back from her Freshman year at Stanford; trouble is, ‘the pride of her neighborhood, The Corner,’ isn’t home on break … unable to pay Stanford’s steep tuition (despite working two jobs), she’s suffered academically, and been forced to drop out of the prestigious institution.

The most distressing trouble Nina gets into stems from her failure early on to have told her hard-working parents the truth about her academic collapse several months prior. In other words, it’s the cover-up that proves to be the worst part of her sad experience. Nina finally fesses-up, though, and finds out who really loves her.

Throughout this show, fate intervenes in Twenty-First Century ways. In one particularly recognizable modern-day surprise, the play benefits from a healthy shot of realism often lacking in so many modern musicals. There’s a city-wide power failure, for example—many will remember the real thing when they see John Burkland’s clever staging of the blackout … go and experience for yourself what the other familiar touches are.

To select an all-star group from among the several actors performing at The Engeman thru April 29 is not to diminish a single member of the cast. Many of the ‘also featured’ players are every bit as pleasing to watch as are the stars: Spiro Marcos (Usnavi), Josh Marin (Benny), Cherry Torres (Nina), and standout Chiara Trentalange (Vanessa).

Director Paul Stancato, and Choreographer Sandalio Alvarez, must have been paying close attention when my associate, critic Charles Isherwood, conceded in The Times ”…this musical erupts in … collective joy … the energy it gives off could light up theGeorge Washington Bridge.” He hit the nail squarely on the head. Charles could have been speaking for all of us who had just seen Northport’s rousing rendition of ‘Heights,’ though I might have added kudos for Musical Director Alec Bart and the rest of the creative team that includes: Christopher Ash (scenic design), Christopher Vergara (costumes), John Burkland (lighting design), and Don Hanna (sound).

One wonders how The Engeman comes up with so many capable theatrical craftsmen, show after remarkable show.

One caveat: you won’t like ‘In the Heights’ if you detest rap musicals, as some of us admittedly do. But if the non-stop rat-a-tat of‘street opera’ turns you on, go see the twenty performers currently vocalizing and gyrating at Northport’s Engeman Theater. I’m told they’ve turned in a faithful rendition of what goes on in upper Manhattan.

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Award-winning writer, Jeb Ladouceur is the author of a dozen novels, and his theater and book reviews appear in several major L.I. publications. His recent hit, THE GHOSTWRITERS, explores the bizarre relationship between the late Harper Lee and Truman Capote. Ladouceur’s newly completed thriller, THE SOUTHWICK INCIDENT, was introduced at the Smithtown Library in May. The book involves a radicalized Yale student and his CIA pursuers. Mr. Ladouceur’s revealing website is www.JebsBooks.com