Zeroing in on runoff work, planning priorities
Matt Sherman goes over the DEC permit for the Zagoreos wetlands application, with Town Attorney Laury Dowd, one of two applications reviewed for completeness during Tuesday’s Town Hall work session.
Town Board work sessions held since the recent election have been brief. A summary of topics discussed at the November 4 and 10 work sessions follows.
MS4 UPDATE
The town is officially under the jurisdiction of a federal runoff mitigation permit, Town Attorney Laury Dowd announced. The town’s Notice of Intent to comply with MS4 runoff rules was accepted by the state Department of Environmental Conservation in October, obligating the town to move forward on compliance.
An annual report is due in March 2010 and a newly formed group of code enforcement and elected town officials will be charged with identifying illicit runoff discharges. Next year and beyond the town will adopt new construction runoff rules, develop public education materials and draft stormwater runoff maps. By 2012, the town must adopt a full stormwater management plan. “Please continue to keep our feet to the fire on this one,” Town Supervisor Jim Dougherty said.
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN REVIEW
Aquifer protection and waterfront management are getting attention during ongoing efforts to identify top priorities to meet the goals of the town’s Comprehensive Plan, Councilwoman Chris Lewis reported. Suggestions include installing additional groundwater monitoring wells, hosting water issue presentations and reviewing waterfront business issues. A report on Comprehensive Plan action items is available on the town website, shelterislandtown.us.
SHELL BEACH REPAIR COSTS
The long wait for the Federal Emergency Management Agency to reimburse town costs to reconstruct and armor the shoreline of Shell Beach ended this week. A check for $523,086.93 was received from the State Emergency Management Organization, Ms. Lewis announced on Tuesday.
The town is also expecting federal funds of $200,000, secured by Congressman Tim Bishop, to repair groins at the end and on the West Neck Harbor side of the peninsula. Engineering and permitting of the groins will begin after the funds are awarded.
CHANGING TERMS OF OFFICE
Ms. Lewis said that many residents have expressed support for putting two propositions up for a public referendum. One would extend the length of the town supervisor’s term from two to four years. The other would do the same for the highway superintendent term. Now is the time to pursue it, she said, so that new terms, if approved, would be in place for the 2011 election.
Extending the terms makes sense, she said, to bring continuity to the work of the offices, which has become more complicated. “It just seems to be a matter of practicality.”
“If people don’t like it,” Councilman Ed Brown noted, “they can vote it down.”
VOLUNTEER DISCOUNTS
Fire District Commissioner Keith Clark requested that the town consider a discount or waiving of the annual membership for firefighters’ use of the town FIT Center at the school.
FIT Director Garth Griffin told the board Tuesday that the issue has come up before and presents this conundrum: “At what point would we say yes to some [volunteers], no to others?”
He said that the rates, currently at $165 for an individual membership, are set for the town to break even — “it’s pay to play” and the town can’t afford to entertain free memberships.
Mr. Griffin said he would bring the request to the FIT Committee and discuss any options. Mr. Brown said, “There might be more than one way to do this.”
BLOCK GRANT FUNDS
Board members discussed suggestions for spending $16,000 from a county Community Development Block Grant expected in 2010. The board will vote at its regular meeting Friday on a plan to earmark $2,400 for the food pantry, $10,000 for upgrades to the Senior Activity Center kitchen, and $3,600 to improve handicap access to Legion Hall.