meeting minutes

february 27, 2003

I. Opening

Meeting opened at 7:35 p.m. with the Pledge of Allegiance. President, Sid Bail, announced resignation of Vice President, Desiree Pasantino, appointment of Jill Lewis as acting Vice President and Nicole Fanelli-Burke as acting recording secretary.

II. Reading of the Minutes

Minutes of January 23, 2003 meeting were distributed, read through, and approved.

III. Treasurer’s Report

$2,220.61 in Civic Account, $1,839.88 in Duck Pond account. Reminder to pay 2003 dues.

IV. Correspondence

WR Congregational Church Trustees have written to Town of Riverhead requesting stop signs to be placed at the intersection of North Country Road and North Wading River Road. The letter cited pedestrian safety to and from church as its main concern. Church trustees have asked for Civic Association support. A short discussion ensued delineating pros and cons of an “all-way” stop sign at this intersection. Councilman Ed Densieski reviewed the town’s policy on installing stop signs, which includes review by the Traffic Committee, led by councilman Jim Lull. The site will be reviewed and inspected by Highway department and police department. A motion was made by Anna Zurawinsky to for civic support of request. A majority vote approved the motion.

V. Committee Reports

1. Brookhaven National Laboratory – Helga Guthy noted and distributed the Community Advisory Council Meeting Report of February 13, 2003, including a short biography of Praveen Chaudhari, the new Lab Director. This report included updates of the Medical Research Reactor, the high flux beam reactor, and the Brookhaven graphite research reactor, as well as the Peconic River baseline human health risk assessment and the Peconic River Cleanup. She also distributed BNL’s monthly newsletter, Laboratory Link for December, 2002 and February, 2003. For detailed information, look at the website: www.bny.gov.

2. Energy Committee – The Long Island Sustainable Energy Alliance (SEA) has issued a critique of LIPA’s draft Energy Plan, which was distributed to civic members. Also, copies of PPL’s Monthly Update for January were distributed.

3. Waterways Committee – Town of Riverhead has committed $200k in bonds to dredge Wading River Creek. There has been a pending lawsuit since 1996 (Jim Stark administration) between Riverhead and Keyspan. The power company was supposed to do the dredging, when the original nuclear plant was built. They no longer feel they are responsible.

VI. Unfinished Business

1. Little Flower Children’s Services has made an announcement that the Martin de Porres program, intended for the intervention of young sexual abuse victims (and sometimes offenders). Herbert Stupp, new administrator at Little Flower, felt the community’s concerns were strong enough to cancel the plan. Councilman Densieski assured members that he had met with members of LF’s board, and they assured him they would not try to bring the program in under another name.

2. Duck Pond Dredging – Meetings have been held with Brookhaven and Riverhead regarding the project. Nicole Fanelli-Burke gave an overview of a presentation given at a work session in Riverhead. Sid Bail gave an overview of a meeting with George Hoffman from Brookhaven’s Supervisor’s office. Members discussed concerns over road runoff into the ponds, and were assured that major drainage improvements were included in the project.

3. Last Chance Riverhead Coalition – Jill Lewis made a presentation at a Riverhead work session requesting that the coalition work along with town board to get the master plan in action before moratorium is up in June.

4. Spring Meadow – Subdivision permit denied by Brookhaven Planning Board. This old application would have allowed 75 homes to be built on 59 acres. Jill Lewis notified members that Tom Isles, Suffolk County Planning Director had a resolution in county legislature to purchase this parcel, perhaps along with funds from Brookhaven Town.

VII. New Business

1. Member concerns:

A. Anna Zurawinsky requested that members boycott products by Glaxco Smith Kline because of their apparently unethical actions. The company has ceased providing pharmaceutical supplies to Canadian drug makers. This keeps these Canadian companies from offering prescription drugs at much lower prices to American seniors.

B. Sarah Verneuille expressed concern about the large Marlboro sign in the front window of the Duck Pond Deli. How can the Civic approach the new owner about this concern? Mr. Densieski thinks there is legislation in place to prevent advertising of cigarettes in this manner.

C. Another member informed that the Middle School roof is still leaking and many classrooms have been affected. The roof replacement should have been done last summer. Residents need to put pressure on school administrators.

D. Helga Guthy announced the March 13, 2003 Veal-Leavitt fund-raiser.

E. A member mentioned that new federal legislation had been passed making it a crime to damage the pine barrens, punishable by up to $20,000 in fines: Pine Barrens Act.

2. Guest Speaker - Riverhead Council member Ed Densieski

Mr. Densieski was introduced in the context of his beliefs about aviation use at Calverton and about his opposition to the donation of 50 acres to Riverhead School district for a new high school. He spoke briefly about the article in the News Review (February 27, 2003) reporting on a contract to be signed between Riverhead Town and North East Holdings, to manage the 10,000 foot runway in the industrial core. He discussed what he knew about the zoning and what was allowed and disallowed, in terms of aviation. He acknowledge that Riverhead residents showed their opposition, as a whole , to a public airport, in a recent referendum.

A long and heated discussion ensued involving many members, as well as members of the Calverton Civic Organization, strongly opposing the contract with North East itself, as well as the secretiveness with which it has been pursued.

This concludes the minutes of the WRCA for Feburary 27, 2003.