HomeMy WebLinkAboutTB-08/08/1990-FI31
SOUTHOLD TOWN BOARD
FISHERS ISLAND
AUGUST 8, 1990
A Regular Meeting of the Southold Town Board was held on Wednesday,
August 8, 1990, at Fishers Island, New York. Supervisor Harris opened the
meeting at 1:00 P.M., with the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.
Present: Supervisor Scott L. Harris
Justice Raymond W. Edwards
Councilwoman Ruth E). Oliva
Councilwoman Ellen M. La.~son
Councilman Thomas H. Wickham
Town Clerk Judith T. Terry
Town Attorney Harvey A. Arnoff
Assistant Town Attorney Matthew G. Kiernan
Absent: Councilman George L. Penny IV
SUPERVISOR HARRIS: I'd like to have a moment of silence for one of our Town
Assessor's, Fred Gordon, who passed on early this morning. We're all going to
miss him sadly. He was a tremendous worker for the Town, was dedicated towards
the people, that lived in Southold Town, being a resident of the Township most
~of his life. We, in this town, are going to really miss Mr. Gordon, and on behalf
of him and the Town Board, we'd like to thank you for your indulgence. I need
a motion to approve the minutes of the July 31, 1990.
Moved by Justice Edwards, seconded by Councilwoman Oliva, it was
RESOLVED that the minutes of the July 31, 1990, regular Town Board meeting
be and hereby approved.
Vote of the Town Board: Ayes: Councilman Wickham, Councilwoman Latson,
Councilwoman Oliva, Justice Edwards, Supervisor Harris.
This resolution was declared duly ADOPTED.
SUPERVISOR HARRIS: We'd like to set August 14, 1990, 7:30 P.M., the next
Town Board regularly scheduled meeting.
Moved by Councilwoman Latson, seconded by Justice Edwards, it was
RESOI~VED that the next regular meeting of the Southold Town Board will be held
at 7:30 P.M., Tuesday, August 14, 1990, at the Southold Town Hall, Southold,
New York.
Vote of the Town Board: Ayes: Councilman Wickham, Councilwoman Latson,
Councilwoman Oliva, Justice Edwards, Supervisor Harris.
This resolution was declared duly ADOPTED.
SUPERVISOR HARRIS: The order of business today, is actually your order of
business. We have put aside the regularly scheduled business of the Town to
listen to you. We have brought many officials with us today, too numerous to
mention. I was going to read some of our dignitaries and officials, that are here.
I think the fact that we have prepared agendas for you, and on the back of all
the agendas, you'll see ail the individuals and the various departments that they
represent, not only from the Town of Southold, but also, the County of Suffolk,
and also, the State of New York. So, based on that I'd like to get on with the
business of the afternoon. We've had this morning a meeting, that deals with
the solid waste issue in New York State, and certainly the solid waste issue that
deals with us in Southold Town. We met with the Conservancy, with members
of the Civic Association, members of the Garbage District, and also, members of
the Fishers Island Ferry District. I think that many of your question, that you
may have this afternoon, will be answered, and can be answered now by those
individuals, who are your representatives. It doesn't preclude that you still can't
ask questions of us, but I'd like to at least let you know that the Town of Southold
is committed towards working with you on Fishers Island, as we have always have
done. Fishers Island is the same as the mainland of Southold Town. Many times
lid hear it said, well, you on the mainland, and we're at Fishers Island, but it's
our attitude that Fishers Island is the same as the mainland. There's no difference.
You're treated exactly the same way, and you will be as long as I'm, at least, running
the Town of $outhold. At this time, -I'd like to turn it over to TOm Wickham, who
is also the Chairman of our Solid Waste Task Force, to sort of bring you up to
date a little bit on our meeting this morning, and what type of resolve, if any,
may of come out 'of our meeting.
COUNCILMAN WICK'HAM: Thank you, Scott. I feel completely inadequate to this
job, because I haven't heard yet, what all of your questions are. But I can antici-
pate some of them, and what I'll try to do is outline for you the broad contours
of our discussions this morning. This was a meeting called by the Commissioners
of the Garbage and Refuse. District held with the President of the Civic Association
and the various other people, as Scott said. The Town of Southold is, as you
know, currently developing a plan for how to manage the garbage problem all
over the Town of Southold. The first point I want to make is that plan incorporates
Fishers Island, as an integral part of the Town's total plan. Fishers Island is
not sort of off by itself. It's integrated throughout from the beginning to the
end of that plan. There's provision,for example, for STOP pickup. There's provi-
sion for all the..STOP meaning the pollutants like insecticides, paint thinners,
and all of that. There's provision for garbage, for construction, and contractors'
waste, all kinds of things, whatever is planned for the rest of the Town of Southold.
Fishers Island, there are provision here for that, also. This plan in draft form
should be available within about two weeks from today. The consulting firm, that's
doing it for us, is consulting with us every week on the final details to get this
first draft out. The draft will have within it, a base plan for handling the garbage
problem, based primarily on recycling, reuse, and reprocessing. It means that
the base plan, we hope to accommodate up to 70% reduction, down to only 30%
of the material through very agressive recycling, reuse and reprocessing, and
also, composting at home, and a composting of yard waste, .and grass, and chips,
and things like that in municpal landfills. $o, that is the key, the base plan
__of it. What's going to happen to the remaining 30%, is subject to six or eight
different scenarios, or six or eight different alternatives. The plan is going to
outline those six or eight alternatives, and then we in the Town, in consultation
with people here on Fishers Island, and elsewhere, are going to select from amongst
those six or eight alternatives, which ones we think will best suit the Town. Fishers
Island will be incorporated as in each one of those six or eight options, there
will be a provision for Fishers Island in each one. So, the plan is almost available.
It should be with us in another couple of weeks, and at that time we'll be having
further discussions with you, and your representatives, to figure out which seems_
to be the best for the Town. Now, with that background, and with the under-
standing that that plan is on it's way. It's being prepared by a consulting firm
by the name of Dvirka and Bartilucci. With the understanding that that plan
is on the way, I'd like now to refer to our meeting this morning, that I think
is not the first meeting, it's actually the second or third, with the people on.
Fishers Island with the concern about garbage. When that plan has been developed,
discussed, there will be hearings on it. There will be opportunities for exchange
and exchange of views. When the framework for what will happen to the garbage
is available here, there are two or three decisions that will have to be made. One
of them is on the future of the Garbage and Refuse District here on Fishers Island.
You're all aware much more acutely, than I~m aware, that this is a issue what
is the future of that district. Should it be retained? Should it be simply disbanded?
Should it be retained, but changed in shape, or form, or purpose? These are
questions that we feel should be addressed, not appropriate at this time, but in
the context of what the plan is going to be. What the plan is going to be will
take different shapes, and if it takes a particular shape, there may be a place
for a district, and a place for the Town. Alternatively if the plans all together
different, there may be no place for a district, and better to dissolve it. So,
our position is, let's not discuss dissolution of the district in the absence of a
plan, but put first things first. Have a plan in place, and then discuss what
are the appropriate rules for government of $outhold Town, and for the district
over here. That's one. The second thing, that you should be aware of, and
again, you're much more aware of this than we are, is the question of financing
that plan. It's the asumption of us, on the Town E~oard, as we develop this plan
for garbage in Southold Town, that this plan will carry all of the Town of Southold,
including Fishers Island, and in principle it will be financed by the Town. It
is our assumption as we go into this, that Fishers Island will not be expected
to pay through your own district taxes, to handle all of your garbage at this
point. Now, if there are additional...in other words, the plan would treat Fishers
Island just like any other part of the Town of Southold. No.w, if there are
additional services, that people here wish to have for their garbage, beyond that
that are provided in the rest of Southold Town, Greenport, and Mattituck, and
all of that, that there might be some value having a district to provide that. Those
AUGUST 8, 1990
are speculative, that really are still out there, and they need to be addressed,
and may be part of the reason for continuing some form of a district. We have
with us today, several legal people, who've done extensive research on the methods
by which a district and a municipality, like Southold Town, can actually work
as a partnership together, and I'm not a lawyer, and there's a lot of detail that
needs to go into this, but I think I i:an safely say, that there are perfectly valid
legal means with ample precedent by which districts and towns can collaborate,
or work in partnership to do things. What's important is that they sit down ahead
of time, and decide and agree as to what the nature of this partnership is going
to be. Who's going to do what, and how it's going to be paid for? So the last
point, that I'm coming to now, is that we, this morning, have set in place, I
believe, a process of discussions, and I wouldn't call them negotiations really,
but a process of meetings, by which the Commissioners with support from other
people here on Fishers Island, I'm sure they're not going to want to do this on
their own, together with some of us from the Town of Southold will sit down on
a regular basis and work out what will be the most appropriate, and I hope the
most economical solution in accordance with a plan, that you will also have a chance
to have a hearing, and your comments registered. So, that in short, is where
we stand today. I'm pleased with the discussions we had, and look forward to
the extent that I'm asked to have further involvement on that process, again.
SUPERVISOR HARRIS: Our Superintendent of Highways, Ray Jacobs. Ray, do
you want to stand up for a minute? Ray has asked, if there's any questions per-
taining to the roads, or anything in that nature on the Island here, that you
meet with him right after this meeting, and he'l~ be glad to go over some of the
concerns or problems, that you may have. That way we can conserve some time,
and maybe, even he'd have a chance to see what the nature of the problem is,
that you may disclose to him. Also, this morning while some of us were meeting
with one committee~ Councilwoman Ellen Latson, by the way who just got married
recently. Last time she was here, she was Ellen Larson. Ellen met this morning
with individuals dealing with Barlow Pond, and some of the problems that have
been arising over there, with the drinking water. Ellen, I'II let you elaborate
a little bit on that.
COUNCILWOMAN LARSEN: Thank you, Scott. Specifically, we met to discuss
the Fisher Island water supply watershed study. At a meeting on June13th, with
representatives from the Town of Southold, FIDCO, Fishers Island Water Works,
and the Fishers Island Conservancy, there was a tentative agreement, that the
preparation of a GELS, .Generic Environmental Impact Study, pursuant to SQRA,
would represent the best means of evaluating the existing and potential impact
of the water supply on Fishers Island. The report would produce a set of
recommended watershed rules and regulations. The existing hydrological data, .-
which was done in a study financed by the Fishers Island Nature .Conservancy,
was made available, both to the Suffolk County Department of Health, and to the
Suffolk County Planning Board. The Suffolk County Department of Health's position
was that additional information should be gathered, that is specific to the water
supply watershed. They based these findings on the questions that remain to
be addressed, as performed by the initial consultant. They would like to analyze
the existing water system to assure that all management options are available.
Would there be a need for existing wells, and what kind of protection can you
put on the wells that you have? What is the relationship of surface water and
ground water? What type of long range planning is needed for Fishers Island
water supply? Valerie Scopaz from our Planning Board, intitially made many of
the contacts, and brought many of the people together, recognizing the unique
problems, that Fishers Island residents face in terms of their water supply.
Present at the meeting was Mr. Ridgeway from F1DCO, Louise Harrison, who is
back here by the windows, if she could raise her hand, from the Suffolk County
Public Health Department. She's specifically works in the Office of Ecology, and
we're very honored to have Arthur Kunz from the Suffolk County Planning Board
present at the meeting, who has been recognized nationally for his planning
abilities. Mr. Kunz, through the Suffolk County Planning Board, has made
available in kind services, and will make available to Fishers Island, in kind
services, that will enable Fishers Island to computerize and go on a data base
system, that's being used by the U.S. Geology Association, the Suffolk County
Water Authority, the DEC, and it's called an Arc Info System. One of the long
term benefits,besides regulatory measurements to protect your water supply, and
know what areas are the contributing areas to your water supply, and what the
various relationship of ground and surface waters would be, would be a final set
of maps, that all departments and all agencies would be working with. In kind
services, that are being offered by both the Health Department, and the Suffolk
County Planning Board are estimated to be out of approximately $50,000.00 plus.
It would be additional costs, that would not be borne by either the CoUnty of
$50,000.00. What they recommend is test boring a monitor well install~tio~ of
twelve additional monitoring wells around Barlow Pond, to give them specific
information on the contributing areas, to determine exactly where your watershed
AUGUST 8, 1990
around that exist, and I, also, need to say, it's not just Barlow Pond. There
are a few other area study, but Barlow Pond, evidently, is the main one. The
expected cost of that is $30,000.00. Then water sample collection and analaysis
would have to be done at $6,000.00, surveying wells and topographical mapping
and drainage basin surveys, and final analysis and publication with recommendations
and implementations for laws and regulations regarding development around the
watershed area, and I understand, that would in the jurisdiction of both the
purveyor, who is your own water district, and the Suffolk County Department
of Public Health, so with that in mind, the Town Board, the Suffolk County
Department of Publ'ic"Health, and the Suffolk County Planning Board, need a
resolution from the Town Board requesting that these studies be done. SO I
would like to propose a resolution at this time.
Moved by Councilwoman Latson, seconded by Supervisor Harris, it was
RESOLVED that the Town Board of'the Town of Southold hereby formally requests
the Suffolk County Department of Planning and the Suffolk County Department
of Health Services to prepare a Generic Environmental Impact Statement on the
three reservoir watersheds on Fishers Island: Barlow Pond, Middle Farms Pond
and Treasure Island Pond. · :"
Vote of the Town Board: Ayes: Councilman Wickham, Councilwoman Latson,
Councilwoman Oliva, Justice Edwards, Supervisor Harris.
This resolution was declared duly ADOPTED.
SUPERVISOR HARRIS: Thank you, Ellen. This is the portion of the meeting
which is the most important, where we get to hear some of your views, and your
concerns, or praises, or whatever the case may be, and hopefully we have enough
people here, that can answer some of your questions. That's the idea of this
meeting, obviously, is to try and cover a broad spectrum of questions, that could
come out from you, the residents of Fishers Island, and at this time, if you'd
raise your hand, if anyone has questions on anything, we'd be glad to start enter-
taining them at this time. Yes, sir?
STEVE MALINOWSKI: Steve Malinowski. This is in reference to Barlow Pond.
Last year there was a application intially to DEC, on property that refers to the
Pond. The DEC granted a permit without realizing that number I, that Fishers
Island is a CEA, and number two, that the body of water around the property
was Barlow Pond, our drinking water supply. After that, they than went to the
Town, and I know that they made an application to the Town, and I was wondering
if you know how the Trustee's had a determination.
COUNCILWOMAN LATSON: The Trustees can answer that themselves, but I know
that throughout the Town Board that we knew that red flags were going up, that
other agencies were permitting, perhaps not so desirous activities around the
perimeter of Barlow Pond. However, as far as the Town Board goes, that's not
in our jurisdiction. Henry Smith is here. John Bredemeyer is the President of
the Trustees. He could answer that. But I think what the regulations will do,
and what Arthur Kunz expressed to us at the .meeting very clearly, is that. today
you have to be able to prove what you say. You have to have the information
to say, this is an important watershed to us, so they will be able to map and
document, and put the muscle behind any regulations, that are recommended.
To take the question mark out of any proposed development, so if A, a house
is proposed, B, you will know by the result of the study, whether this is a good
place or a bad place to put a house.
SUPERVISOR HARRIS: Henry, would you like to address that question?
HENRY SMITH: There is an application before the Town Trustees on that particular
pond. The application is still pending. As far as I know, there's been a Long
Environmental Assessment Form, so you realize that it is critical. The person
has given us an application. This has been going on now for a year, and what
status it is now, I couldn't tell you, but our secretary will be back in about an
hour, and I can get more information on how it stands right now.
STEVE MALINOWSKI: Will you wait for the results from the study, before you
make a determination?
HENRY SMITH: Oh, definitely. We can't do anything until then. So it's up
to the applicant to prove environmentally it won't do any damage to the drinking
water in Barlow Pond, or the area surrounding it.
STEVE MALINOWSKI: I mean the generic environmental impact study, the water
study around the pond, do you wait for that?
HENRY SMITH: I would say, yes. As long as that's being done, and it does
effect the pond, and does affect this applicant, I would say, yes.
AUGUST 8, 1990
35
SUPERVISOR HARRIS: Thank you, Henry. Anybody else? State your name,
please.
PETER BURR: My name is Peter Burr. I live down in the Fort Wright area,
~/hisler Avenue. I think I'll start off by saying first, intially, that I've grown
up with Ray Edwards, so anything I have to say in regards to some of the thoughts
I have, will not be much of a fan of his, but we do have some respect. I'm
somewhat provi~ncial today, in terms of the wastewater problem, which the Board
may know, the Boai;d'took some emergency action several weeks ago, because of
the overflow. Justice Edwards in a quote a year ago, a little over a year ago,
said that $17,000.00 was sufficient for the problems, but the sum got depleted.
That was his first quote. Then he said right after that, and this is in our Town
document, the Gazette, which is usually very accurate, and very well done. This
is a quote, there's been so much construction and destruction down in the Fort
area, that no one understands completely the network of main and feeder lines,
and that other trouble spots will appear in the future, Justice Edwards said. After
reviewing the matter with Town lawyer, there is no recourse for the people in
the sewer district, and they will have to pay for repairs in the future. Unquote.
Now, the action of the Board was to go ahead and use that 'sewer system for
overflow, anyway, and as the user, and as the payer, which is into this funding.
We, first, were not not given any options, as a user. There are forty-three of
us, and then the DEC placed a assist on the usage. The system simply wasn't
built to put overflow in the septic system. I just want to go on record, not
necessarily representing the other forty-two, but as a user, and as an annual
payer, and with the potential of an increased cost, because the system can't handle
the overflow, and what the Board's action says, regardless of that, even with
that problem we have to continue to use it, because there's nothing else we can
do. I~m just a little bit amazed, and somewhat disappointed that we as the users
have the potential for some extra work. I say this provincially. I mean, I've
lived on the Island for fifty years, my dad for eighty, and his father before him,
so we love the Island in it's entirety, but obviously we have some provincial
_concerns, that relates to our Fort Wright area. I would just like to say, I'm not
in this position today, but I'd like to stay with the sewer problem, and leave it
at that, but we've also, been reassessed down in the Fort area, and I would suggest
that that process, is clearly different than the one that we experience at home,
and I wrote a letter to the Assessor, and Ray Edwards, and we're still waiting
for forms to fill out, so I guess I just wanted to say, it's been a year of disappoint-
ment in terms of feeling somewhat left out in terms of our ability to do anything,
in terms of what we pay into a sewer district, and how many pay our taxes, and
so on. Thank you.
SUPERVISOR HARRIS: Mr. Burr, for your information there's an Assessor here,.
Robert Scott is here. He could possibly talk to you after the meeting on some
of the questions, you had asked, and also, Judge Edwards would like to make
a comment.
JUSTICE EDWARDS: This sewer problem arose last summer, and true Peter Burr
and I, do not see eye to eye. That's to be seen. We had the opportunity last
year to put someone on the district aware of this, and to have someone down in
the Fort area to be aware of this. But no one seemed to want to take the ball.
So, I sent paperwork into John Kuiby on this. Number one, the DEC did not
order a cease assist order down there at the Fort. It was the engineering firm
that said, they put a hold on it, and said, we do not think that it will take the
extra septic sludge. But, we at the Town Board, in an emergency like that,
overrode the engineers, and said that we have to do this until we can come up
with another option. Now, Johnny Gada only told me today, that he's been com-
municating with a Mr. Spencerburo in Connecticut, who will take the septic sludge
off the island, and take it to a disposal area in Connecticut, but it's going to
have to be a 6,000 gallon haul at a time, because individually, I think Johnny
will confirm that if he has to take his 2,000 gallon pumper off the island, it's
going to cost the individual about $500.00 a load to pump out a septic tank. Now,
true these people are having their tanks pump, are the ones that are going to
have to reavaluate their old cesspools, and upgrade to a newer system. The newer
systems do not need the care, that the old ones do. My family has been on the
island 100 years, too, and I'm very concerned about the environment of the Island,
and when we have to stop dumping the sludge in the landfill area, we have no
alternative. We're ~ot going to dump it overboard, and Johnny Gada does not
have the permits to transport it to Connecticut, and knowing the DEC it's going
to take him four or five months to get the permits to haul it on the boat, and
off the island. Regarding the taxation on the island, the reassessment of Whistler
Avenue, that's the first time that has been done, and it was done all alo~j the
street. I was there at the committee, when the committee did the reassert, g,
and Mr. Burr's letter was right there, and he sent a letter back in to the Board
of Assessment Review, and there was a form in there, and there was noticing
AUGUST 8, 1990
filled out on the form, and for everyone along Whistler Avenue was reassessed,
and it's the first time that those properties have reassessed down there, unless
there was a building permit issued, and I doubt if any building permits were issued
along Whistler Avenue. End of story. Thank you, Scott.
SUPERVISOR HARRIS: Moving on, does anyone else have a question? Yes?
NORMA 13ARTOW: Norma Barrow, and I'm a new resident on Fishers Island, although
I've been here on a boat. We did that a lot. My hometown, Greenwich, Connecticut,
I represented the town. I was on the Zoning Board, Taxation Board. I am totally
confused about how it works here, and that surprises me, because that's something
I've done quite a lot of, but I will see this gentleman here, because my taxes
on a tiny place here are considerablymo~ethan ona~ancyplace in Greenwich, so I
will ask this gentleman. Thank you very much.
SUPERVISOR HARRIS: Any other questions? Yes?
SALLY CASHEL: I'm Sally Cashel. Was it the Town Board, who said the sludge
could no longer go into the landfill?
JUSTICE EDWARDS: The DEC. The Department of Environmental Conservation.
SALLY CASHEL: The DEC? We've had dealings.
SUPERVISOR HARRIS: We all have.
SALLY CASHEL: Has the DEC said anything about the disposable diaper situation,
those being put into the landfill?
COUNCILWOMAN OLIVA: No.
SALLY CASHEL: Has anyone ever asked them this question?
TOWN ATTORNEY ARNOFF: We've asked them many questions. They don't
neccessarily answer them. That specific question, I don't think was asked them,
but I mean, there's been much correspondence with the DEC. You get answers
that don't really address the question, that you asked them in the first place.
They are frustrating organization to deal with, as I'm sure all of you know. It
is equally frustrating for us.
COUNCILWOMAN OLIVA: And that'~ all over the State, by the way. I was at
a conference for coastal management, and everybody of the elected officials there
say, I wish we could deal with you Gail $chaeffer, and the Department of State,
and not the DEC. Isn't there something you can do about them? So, we're not
the only ones here on Long Island. It's statewide that the DEC is not looked
on to favorably.
SUPERVISOR HARRIS: Is there any other questions? Yes, sir.
JOHN CLAVIN: John Clavin of the Walsh Park Benevolent, I stand up for. Since
the last time the Board was here, we did complete the phase one of our Walsh
Park Affordable Housing Project, thanks to the ~help of a lot of people in this
room, both residents and government officials. On the 25th of August, we're
having the dedication of the site and road, and I've sent letters to the Board,
I'm sure you've just about gotten them, inviting the Board, and the Planning Board,
and the 13uilding Department to come, and join us if they can, at least to know
that we appreciate all your help, and we wouldn't be were we are if we didn't
get that help.
SUPERVISOR HARRIS: Mr. Clavin, I'm sure that we as a Board, will make every
effort to come to your opening, and also, we would like to commend you. as a
Board, for the work and the time, that you've put in, as well as other members
of your organization. This certainly is a great start for the Town 350th Anniversary,
and we should proceed on that course in the many years ahead.
JOHN CLAVIN: I have a question. I thought someone in the room would like
to have answers from the other government agencies. I'm the Harbormaster in
Fishers Island, and we do not have a pumpout station. The subject of a pumpout
station came up two or three years ago, and they had not come up with the a
definite decision on where you have to have a pumpout station, and how they're
supposed to be constructed and so forth. I was concerned because there isn't
one in the harbor, and I was wondering if there was someone from the County,
or the State, or the Town, that knows whether we should have one, or not, at
this time?
AUGUST 8, 1990
SUPERVISOR HARRIS: Is there anyone here from the State, that could talk to
Mr. Clavin, and answer this?
LOUISE HARRISON: I'm from the Suffolk County Health Department. I can bring
that question back with me, and have someone call you.
COUNCILWOMAN LATSO~I:I was iust involved with that on a basis last year on
a committee I served at, and we, within the Town, tried to come up with some
areas, where we thought we could put pumpout facilities. One, maybe servicing
six marinas, that were all in an immediate area, and another, that type of thing.
What I ran into in investigating is that there are no set requirements that have
been adopted by the State, so individuals, such as yourself, who are concerned
and wanted to install a pumpout facility, but there were no guidelines for you
to follow, and you would go by hit or miss type of approach with the company
you dealt with, and be the way you attempted to fill out your application. You
wouldn't know whether it would be acceptable or not. Another thing I found
out, which I thought didn't make a whole lot of sense, was that the DEC didn't
want the pumpout facility, if it was a portable or stationery one, installed at the
end of a pier, or the end of a dock, even though the gas pumps were there,
because they were concerned with spillage, or leakage. Then it became a matter
of convenience for the boater, and for the person installing the pumpout. But
you're going to spend $8,000.00 for a pumpout facility, and you can't put it by
the gas pumps, how many people are going to use it? Greg Blass, who was the
former, our Legislative representative, made an attempt to put some of this all
together, to go through all the gobblegook, and come up with a sensible set of
regulations, and work with the agencies. I don't know if anybody's taken the
bull by the horns, so to speak, since then.
SUPERVISOR HARRIS: Let me refer, Legislator Mike Carracciolo, is in the back.
He's the First District Legislator of the Suffolk County Legislature. Mike, do
you know anything about this?
~.MICHAEI_ CARACCIOLO.' Only that there's been a barage of letters. It's been on
for discussion. I, too, will be happy to look into this, for the gentleman in the
back, both for him and the Town Board, and see if we can do ~.~ometbing.
COUNCILWOMAN OLIVA: And, also, just find out, too, I understand that can
be used in the holding tanks, that will not harm scavenger waste treatment plants.
I think we can regulate those, the ones that do not contain formaldehyde, and
if they don't, then the people in the boat will put them in the pumpout stations,
which then can be taken to our savage waste treatment on the mainland, and this
is very important for us to get this going. ~-
KENNETH LANIER: I'm Kenneth Lanier, Superintendent of the school on Fishers
Island. A number of years ago, the relationship developed with the Recreation
Department and the School District, where two tennis courts were put on school
property for community use. Since that time, those tennis courts have deteriorated,
one to the point where it's almost unusable. I'd just like to comment that 90%
of the use of those tennis courts is community use, non-school use. I'd like to
know who I could talk to, whether it be someone on the Board, or someone else,
about getting something done about needed repairs.
SUPERVISOR HARRIS: We have a gentleman, that again, we try to cover all bases.
We brought with us our $outhold Town Recreation Supervisor, Kenneth Reeves.
Ken, could you stand up for a minute? I'm sure you'll want to talk to Mr. Reeves
afterwards about this particular situation. He'll do all he can to help you with
that problem.
JUSTICE EDWARDS: I might comment on that. On three different occassions,
I saw the tennis court people over here, working on new construction. I approached
them, and asked them to send a bid,to come up with some kind of a bid, on that
one court down there, that is in sad shape, and I think, also Ken, you've approached
them, and not one of these people will come up with a bid. They'd just rather
come over here, and do the new ones, and not the old ones, so we're going to
have to nail somebody down to get them to come over here. I've spoken to them,
but you can not get a bid out. Thank you.
SUPERVISOR HARRIS: Thank you.
ALBERT STICKNEY: I'm Albert Stickney. With all the expense, it sounds like
second nature with this whole garbage question coming up. The Town's credit
rating, are we a triple A, or a triple B. I assume we're closer to the A t~han
the B. Do you run a surplus? Where do we stand actually?
AUGUST 8, 1990
SUPERVISOR HARRIS: John Cushman, our comptroller for the Town of Southold,
John, would you like to answer him on our credit rating?
JOHN CUSHMAN: Our credit rating is A now. Unfortunately, we can't get any-
thing higher that. Most of that bears on the situation with LILCO. That's part
of our tax base. As far as our finance are concerned, we are in fairly good shape.
simply because we have taken extra ordinary steps this year to keep expenses
down. We had a major expense last year, with the proposed composting, that
we had to, in fact, eat this year. This year it looks like we're going to make
it. We carried a big--surplus into this year, but unfortunately I don't think we're
going to see that carried next year. Just be prepared. We just started the
budget for next year, so we should know more in the next month or two.
SUPERVISOR HARRIS: Also, I'd like to further add that the Town of Southold,
which has been probably a heritage, that's been passed on from administration
to administration, prides itself in having probable one of the lowest bonded
indebtedness of all towns in Suffolk County, so I think on that note you should
feel at least secure in that respect, that Southold is proceeding with same thought,
that bonding, obviously is for the future generations are going to have to pay,
and whatever we can do to aleviate some of the future 'bonding, there's measures
that will be taken.
JUSTICE EDWARDS: Mr. Stickney, any time you would like, I get a monthly report,
usually it's a month behind from the Comptroller's Office, and if you ever like
to see that, I have them down in my office. That's the monthly ongoing report
of the finance of the Town of Southold. (Tape change)
ALBERT STICKNEY: Is that public record? May I iust make a suggestion, that
somehow something like that gets put out as a public record.
JUSTICE EDWARDS: I'll be glad to. It's about this thick.
:~SUPERVISOR HARRIS: Anybody else have a question?
JOSEPH CAPUTO: I'm County Comptroller of Suffolk County, Joseph Caputo.
What we do is we do go for the bond in the financial community quite often, and
when that happens you have to prepare an official statement, which give a litany
of our heritage and history of about 200 pages, which includes our last financial
statement, also. It's usually filed in every library in Suffolk County. I'm sure
the Town is required to file an annual statement in the State Comptroller's Office,
also, and they will probably be put on file in the libraries in the Town of Southold~,
that copy. So the libraries should have information with the most recent reports,
and if not, the Town or County offices. It should be in your library.
SUPERVISOR HARRIS: Councilman Wickham?
COUNCILMAN WICKHAM: i'd like to just comment ver~ briefly. The Town intends
to comply entirely with the DEC requirements regarding garbage. There are going
to be very substantial price tags associated with that. Some of them are going
to associated with Fishers Island obviously, but most of it will be associated with
the rest of the town, because the rest of the town is much larger. It's premature
to put a dollar sign .figure on that at this stage, because the report still isn't
available, but I think conservatively we can expect to see the costs, the costs
that the town pays for handling ~arbage trip!e, quadruple, maybe five times within
the next year or so, because of the State I~w. There's just no way, that we
think that can be avoided. We think we can contain it at that level, and not have
to go to ten times, and that's what we're striving for, but everybody here
should understand that it's going to cost substantially more money for the town
to handle garbage according to the new regulations that kick in, in December
of this year.
SPEEDY METTLER: Speedy Mettler, I'm President of the Civic Association. Recently,
as you all know, we have been circulating a petition on the Garbage and Refuse
District. We've been circulating a petition that essentially requests that the Garbage
District be resolved, and that Southold take care of our garbage. That is what
the wording in the petition says. I have substantiated in the last two Civic
Association meetings, that the sole purpose of this petition is to trigger hearings
with the Town Board about garbage. It does not mean that the people of Fishers
Island are a hundred percent, or eighty percent for dissolving the district. It
simply is a mechanism for getting these hearings going, so that we can find out
more, because obviously we're not in a position to know whether dissolving the
district is a smart thing to do until your plan is in place. I iust wanted the Board
to understand that this is what the feeling is. The Garbage Commissioners have
AUGUST 8, 1990
39
agreed that this is the case, and spoke at the association meetings on the record,
and I just wanted you to be aware of that, and we are looking forward to the
hearings. We are anxious to come up with a solution, as much as you are, and
we are not neccessarily in favor of this solution.
SUPERVISOR HARRIS: Mr. Mettler,'thank you very much for clarifying that position,
because I think many members of the Board really have been unclear as to exactly
what direction the Island was 'taking with the Garbage District, and i think that
should help a little bit, knowing that it's actually going to spur on continuing
cooperation and communication between ourselves, and you as a district. Thank
you. Is there any other questions at this time?
JOHN THATCHER: Scott, I'm John Thatcher, President of Fishers Island Conservancy,
and one of our Board members, who is not here this afternoon, asked me to ask
the Town Building Inspector, who I hope is here, what constitutes under the current
zoning laws an accessory building? Is an accessory building attached to the current
structure, or what is the legal definition?
SUPERVISOR HARRIS: John, I'll have either Matt Kiernan, who deals with zoning
on a frequent basis, Or_ Town Attorney. Harvey Arnoff, maybe would like to
address definitions. It's up to either one of you.
TOWN ATTORNEY ARNOFF:I don't havea¢opy of my code with me, but my recollection
of accessory buildings are detached, not attached. If they're attached, then they
beCome part of the main structure, so it would be an addition to the main structure
by definition.
JOHN THATCHER: In other words, a little causeway would still be an attachment
between two buildings?
TOWN ATTORNEY ARNOFF: It could make a detached an attached building.
. SUPERVISOR HARRIS: Maybe a further clarification on that, Gerry Goehringer,
~'our Chairman of our Zoning Board of Appeals, maybe he'd like to elaborate a little
bit on it.
JOHN THATCHER: After the meeting, would be fine.
SUPERVISOR HARRIS: He's right there, and I was going to suggest, if you could
talk to him after, he could help you with it. Thank you. Councilwoman Ruth
Oliva would like to address you for a minute.
COUNCILWOMAN OLIVA: I know there was a concern over here on Fishers Island,
concerning the Master Plan in your hamlet business district, that a motel would
be allowed on one acre. The Town Board has just passed a new law stating that
any motels in a hamlet business district, would require three acres, so I think
you're off the hook.
HENRY SMITH: I just want to mention pumpout stations. We at the Trustees,
everytime we get a marina, commercial marina, put' his application in to get a
permit, in that we put a rider. When they get their permit, that they have to
supply a pumpout station, as to when the State comes down with specifications,
as to what they want. I believe the word here on Fishers Island, is when they
apply for the expansions in their docks, I think a couple of years ago, in their
permit process we stipulated they have a pumpout station, when the State came
down their regulations, as to what they want. Right now, they said you have
to have a pumpout station, but when you ask them where to: put, or how big it
should it be, or how much should it hold, there's no answers. Until that time,
we can't tell anybody what they have to put in. That's like somebody painting
their house, and they ask what color. They say, I don't know, but don't make
it the wrong color.
NORMA BARTOW: I've been a boater for a long while. My understanding with
the whole pumpout station, which is not effective. What would happen is, you
get disgusted, you pump it out someplace, and later you take it out in the middle
of the Sound, and let go. I used to live on a boat. I realize there's a new kind
of toilet arrangement, a head. Are there pumpo,u,t stations? This is very
interesting.
HENRY SMITH: I don't know of any in New York State right now. There are
some in some of the parks, and the Mat-a-Mar Marina up in Mattituck. I know
in Block Island, they have a boat that comes around. You call on the radio and
they come to you, and pump it out. They come to realize, that in order ~or a
boat to use a pumpout, you have to make it very convenient. In other words,
in this area here, I 'm saying all over Southold Town, you '~ca'n't call to pump
0 AUGUST 8, 1990
everybody's boat out, but if they do have gas pumps, and things like that, that
is a co'nvenient place for boaters.
NORMA BARTOW: Newer boats, now, have holding tanks.
HENRY SMITH: They usually have a holding tank. By Federal law, all the boats
that are manufactured have to. It's like riding around with a cesspool in your
car. The State has to realize, even it's sewage, it's a lot better to have a place
of convenience for .boaters to pump out, then it is not to pump out.
COUNCILWOMAN OLIVA: I would suggest, that you start writing letters, perhaps,
to Gall Schaeffer, the Department of State, requesting some uniform specifications
for these things, because the Department of State and Gail Schaeffer, has really
been promoting the coastal preservation plan of all of New York State, the stablization
plan. So, pumpo~'~ stations are one of their big things, that all the marina should
have, but if there are no standards for one of these pumpout;: stations, then the
State, again, is at fault by not setting forth something that should be done. So,
I would suggest that anybody goes directly to the Department of State.
SUPERVISOR HARRIS: Yes, sir.
RUSSELL STEIN: My name is Russell Stein, and I'm actually a resident of Montauk,
and I did want to comment on this. I was Town Attorney at Easthampton, when
we tried to go to pumpou~- stations. The reason we couldn't do them was because
the DEC, I believe, or the Health Department, said that we could not take the
what was in the pumpou~'_ station, and put it in our scavenger waste plant. They
had just closed down the use of the landfill for sewage to be dumped, and that
cut it off right there, because of the chemicals in it, or whatever they said you
can't put it in your scavenger waste plant. It would harm the plant. I think
that's why it's come to a halt, basically ground to a halt, because you're no longer
allowed to put the waste in the ground, and it's not compatible with the plants.
We were a town ready to go for them, and we never did.
COUNCILWOMAN OLIVA: Russ, I think there are chemicals today. 1 was talking,
in fact, to one of your marina operator owners on the south side, and he just
requires people in his marinas to use the chemicals, that he Knows will not effect
the scavenger waste treatment plant in Easthampton, and evidently these chemicals
are not containing formaldehyde, and there able to be dumped.
RUSSELL STEIN: It has to be certified, that the manager of the plant will accept
it along with the solid waste. Generally that's been the problem.
COUNCILWOMAN OLIVA: That's why I say, please, write the Department of State.
SUPERVISOR HARRIS: Is there any other questions?
CYNTHIA ESTERBROOK: I'm Cynthia Esterbrook down at the Mobil station. Is
there'anything that can be done about the drainage situation in front of the Mobil
station? When it rains, there's a nice lake out there.
SUPERVISOR HARRIS: Is that off of one of the Town roads?
CYNTHIA ESTERBROOK: Yes.
SUPERVISOR HARRIS: If you could address that to Mr. Jacobs afterwards, I'm
sure he can hopefully come up with a resolve for that problem.
JUSTICE EDWARDS: I think, Scott, that's on the program. That's one of three
on the program.
SUPERVISOR HARRIS: Is there any other questions? (No response.) At this
time, on behalf of the Town Board, and various representatives of all level of
government, we'd like to thank you for your hospitality today. We hope to see
you soon. If there's anybody else, that has any other questions of anybody that's
here, please feel free. Judge Edwards has a closing comment.
JUSTICE EDWARDS: I have a little closing comment. I want to thank the people,
that were down there at the ferry boat to help transport the officials up here
to the American Legion, and also, a week from today at 12:00 o'clock noon, there
are thirty senior citizens coming in from the Southold Senior Citizen Club, and
if some of people could come down to the boat, and I'm hoping that the Ed Horning
AUGUST 8, 1990
and Kay Horning, are you li~tening?:'l~h6~ ~od can keep the museum open for
an extra half an hour for these senior citizens. They'll be coming in on the
noon boat. It would be appreciated, and then if you can take them into the
village; and then we'll get them from the village here. They'll be having their
brown bag lunch at the American Legion. Thank you.
SUPERVISOR HARRIS: I'd like to thanl~ the Fishers Island Ferry District, and
the Fishers Island American Legion for having us here today.
A motion to adjourn?
SUPERVISOR HARRIS: I'd like to thank the Fishers Island Ferry District, and
the Fishers Island American legion for having us here today. I'd like to close
the meeting with a proclamation in memory of Frederick Gordon.
Moved by Supervisor Harris, seconded by the entire Town Board,
WHEREAS, the Town Board has learned with deep sorrow of the death of FREDERICK
E. GORDON, Southold Town Assessor; and
WHEREAS, in his services to the people of the Town of Southold as a Town Trustee
from February 1, 1973 to December 31, 1975, a member of the Southold Town Planning
Board from January 1, 1976 to January 31, 1981, and Southold Town Assessor
from February 1, 1981, FRED GORDON distinguished himself as a dedicated,
conscientious and concerned public servant; and
WHEREAS, the Town of Southold is grateful to the family of FRED GORDON for
sharing his with the Town, as he gave of his time, talent and energy to make
Southold Town a better place to live; and
WHEREAS, FRED GORDON's record of outstanding service, diligence to duty and
dedication to the Town of Southold and its people deserves the sincere gratitude
of those with whom and for whom he served; and
WHEREAS, FRED GORDON exemplied the qualities of leadership and dedication,
an individual of great integrity, whose personal courage and character served
as an inspiration to all; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, that the Town Board of the Town of Southold, who will be deprived
of his wise counsel and judgement, hereby expresses its great loss in the passing
of FREDERICK E. GORDON; and be it further
RESOLVED, that a copy of this resolution be made a part of the public record
-and a copy be presented to the family of FREDERICK E. GORDON that we may
extend to them our sincere sympathy.
Dated: August 8, 1990.
Vote of the Town Board: Ayes: Councilman Wickham, Councilwoman Latson,
Councilwoman Oliva, Justice Edwards, Supervisor Harris.
This resolution was declared duly ADOPTED.
Moved by Councilwoman Oliva, seconded by Justice Edwards, it was
RESOLVED that the Town Board meeting and hereby is adjourned at 2:10 P.M.
Vote of the Town Board: Ayes: Councilman Wickham, Councilwoman Latson,
Councilwoman Oliva, Justice Edwards, Supervisor Harris.
This resolution was declared duly ADOPTED.
Judith T. Te~-ry /~
Southold Town Clerl~