The Port Times Record - March 23, 2023

Editorial

Chimes of liberty ring out for two-year terms

Frequent elections are a common feature of healthy, vibrant democracies. Here in the Village of Port Jefferson, the community should recognize the value elections bring.

Biennial elections, or those held every two years, have been in place since the village’s incorporation. However, during a business meeting held Monday, March 20, the Port Jeff Board of Trustees voted unanimously to alter the length of terms for village mayor, trustees and judges from two to four years.

At TBR News Media, we view one of our roles as watchdog of local government for the people. The free press must shine light upon power, especially power wielded hastily and imprudently. We, therefore, regard Monday’s decision as irresponsible and advise the voting public to reverse course.

PORT JEFFERSON • BELLE TERRE • PORT JEFFERSON STATION • TERRYVILLE

Photo by Raymond Janis

State legislators call for crackdown on deceptive packaging for THC products

This past week in Albany, New York State Sen. Dean Murray (R-Patchogue) and state Assemblywoman Jodi Giglio (R-Riverhead) joined with Republican colleagues from the state Senate and Assembly at a press conference calling for the crackdown on improper and deceptive packaging practices for edible products with THC infusions. The lawmakers said there has been

a dramatic increase in cases of children mistaking these products for regular candies and snack foods, with dangerous and sometimes deadly results.

Murray and Giglio have introduced legislation that would target this practice, mandating that THC-infused edibles on the market are marked and packaged plainly and increasing penalties for violators.

Pictured above, New York State Sen. Dean Murray (R-East Patchogue), left of poster, and state Assemblywoman Jodi Giglio (R-Riverhead), right of poster, along with Republican state legislators. Photo by New York State Senate Photography

Port Jeff board of trustees unanimously votes to extend terms for village offices

BY RAYMOND JANIS EDITOR1@TBRNEWSMEDIA.COM

In a historic act, the Village of Port Jefferson Board of Trustees voted 5-0 on Monday to extend the terms of service for village mayor, trustees and judges from two to four years.

Prompting the vote, village clerk Barbara Sakovich recommended the term changes during her report, outlining the logistical challenges of holding elections every year.

“As we have an election every year, and we’re gearing up for this June’s election, we know we’re not getting [voting] machines anymore because of the primaries,” the clerk said. “I just would like to maybe get everyone’s pulse on maybe changing the terms from two to four years so that we don’t have to keep doing this every year.”

Village attorney Brian Egan advised the board the term extensions would be legal under the New York State Village Law. The change would not affect ongoing terms but would impact the incoming mayor and trustees elected this June. The resolution is subject to a permissive referendum, which under the state law would enable the public to put the resolution out for a public vote this June.

Before the unanimous vote on the resolution, some board members offered their opinions on how four-year terms may benefit the village. “I always look at how you can get a higher voter

turnout across the village,” trustee Rebecca Kassay said. “Voter turnout is always relatively dismal, but having an election every single year, people don’t seem to know about it.”

Trustee Stan Loucks suggested the existing term lengths are inadequate for long-term decision-making and planning. “I’ve always thought two years is way too short,” he said. “The first year, you’re just getting your feet wet, and the next year you’re out there campaigning.”

Trustee Lauren Sheprow considered the permissive referendum an option available to community members if they choose to exercise it.

“Let democracy happen,” she said. “If the public wants to have a referendum or wants to have a vote on it, then they will let this board know. Give them the choice to come forward on it.”

Mayor’s response

In an interview following the decision, Mayor Margot Garant explained what village residents could expect moving forward.

“This is a board decision that is subject to a public referendum,” she said. “What that means is that the public … has 30 days within which to garner the requisite signatures to bring it to a public vote.”

Assessing the board’s motivations for approving the measure, Garant emphasized administering village elections has become highly problematic. She noted that the absence of electronic voting machines to conduct elections has placed undue strain on the village clerk, who

must count the ballots by hand.

“I believe part of what’s really driving this is the fact that we’re not getting electronic voting machines from the Suffolk County Board of Elections,” the mayor said. “To count the ballots by hand is a six- to eighthour exercise,” adding, “I think Barbara did not finish counting votes until 2 a.m. This year being a mayoral election, she’s probably going to be there until 3 or 4 in the morning.”

Garant, asked for her outlook on the electoral process in Port Jefferson, acknowledged that elections foster accountability for those in office. However, she stated the board must also weigh the challenges of administering such elections, especially when they are conducted by paper ballots and counted by hand.

Elections “create a sense of accountability,” she said. “But I think the resources it takes and the amount of energy it takes to run an election really does impact your ability to serve. A two-year term is not a long time to get things done.”

She added, “I think it’s always great to have your community engaged, and I think elections engage the public. … I made the motion because I think the pulse of the room was for that, and

again, the 5-0 resolution shows you that the political will was there.”

Asked whether there was adequate public input before passing the resolution, Garant said the board used the appropriate procedures and operated within the confines of the state Village Law.

“If the Board of Trustees has the authority to make that decision, I don’t think hearing more public input would have swayed that decision,” Garant said. “There is a mechanism by which the people can speak, and that was exactly what Lauren said — let them exercise their right to a permissive referendum.”

Pressed on whether fewer elections translate to less democracy, the mayor responded, “I don’t think so.” Effective democracy, she indicated, takes a more holistic approach.

“I think that there’s a broader definition to democracy,” she said. “Democracy is a government of the people, by the people, for the people. There are still a lot of mechanisms to keep that in place and working.”

She concluded, “I think we’re a little behind the times, and I think it’s time to catch up and let the people decide.”

THESE ARE NOT THE WORST OF TIMES, THESE ARE NOT THE BEST OF TIMES, BUT THIS IS THE TIME TO MAKE YOUR MOVE IN REAL ESTATE!

‘If the public wants to have a referendum or wants to have a vote on it, then they will let this board know.’

— LAUREN SHEPROW

Look for the Special Section

Our House

Taking village decision-making in a civic direction

We are pleased to announce that the Port Jefferson Civic Association is fully formed and welcomes all village residents.

Spring Edition

April 13th

other, more cost-effective alternatives still to be explored.

Going forward, the hope is that the

PERSPECTIVE

PJCA was founded to protect and represent residents’ voices in all village matters. Working together, we can identify and amplify concerns that would otherwise get overlooked and help ensure they are brought to the attention of our village representatives.

For example, the board of trustees without any prior notice or public debate voted March 20 to extend terms from two to four years starting in June 2023. The civic association does not have a position on the decision, but believes that term changes are significant and should be debated.

As a civic association, we can pinpoint an issue before it escalates to a crisis and encourage preemptive action. If we had had an active civic association in 2020, perhaps we could have avoided issuing a $10 million bond as the solution to the East Beach bluff predicament. While the erosion needed to be addressed, it was not an excuse for action without debate. The issuance of the bond took many residents by surprise. And although some funds have already been spent, it is not a done deal. Continuing discussions at Village Hall indicate there are

By Ana Hozyainova

civic association can collaborate with local officials to identify solutions that are sustainable, effective and in the best interests of village residents.

Besides the upper wall at Port Jefferson Country Club, PJCA will focus on the overdevelopment of the village. The latter is particularly alarming given the steep slopes, inefficient storm drainage and rising sea levels that make Port Jefferson vulnerable to flooding. That is why a strong focus on preserving open spaces is important. Open space has been proven to mitigate flooding and help purify water to maintain our aquifer — both of which, ultimately, save tax dollars. As a community, we will continue to face many issues of urgency and importance. We are committed to working with village officials and residents to find solutions that prioritize both the well-being of the villagers and the sustainability of our environment.

We call on all residents to join us in these important conversations. The PJCA meets at the Port Jefferson Free Library, every second Wednesday of the month. Our next meeting will be April 12 at 7:30 p.m. For more details, email portjeffcivicassociation@ gmail.com.

Ana Hozyainova is president of the Port Jefferson Civic Association.

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Raising the stakes for this year’s village elections

The stakes for the future of Port Jefferson are very high. It seems we have a real election this June in Port Jefferson, so we need a real contest of ideas.

PERSPECTIVE

I have iterated many issues for this campaign in The Port Times Record. More are specified here. We know Deputy Mayor Kathianne Snaden and trustee Stan Loucks will have much support from the development class. Will trustee Lauren Sheprow and trustee candidate Bob Juliano represent the residents?

Issues

Years of hard work and research done by our Port Jefferson residents for the master plan committee have been discarded in favor of developers’ plans for future intensive — and not always attractive — development.

I believe our current leadership has permitted blight to be exploited in order to extract concessions for larger zoning — zoning not recommended by our residents’ committee.

worked to secure better service and clean energy service. We need to coordinate our efforts with our neighbors in Port Jefferson Station/Terryville.

Finance

Tax revenue is going down, with a significant chance of plummeting. Debt will be going way up. Taxes are going up. There are options for solar power that can recoup some of this revenue.

I have the network to implement these strategies. So far, my efforts to implement these strategies have not been ignored — they have been rejected. Cleaner air, more revenue? We cannot let petty politics continue to thwart residents’ interests.

The following incidents have been reported by Suffolk County Police: Centereach man pleads guilty in beating death of friend

On March 17

John Mann IV, 20, of Centereach, pleaded guilty to Manslaughter in the First Degree for the premeditated fatal beating of Henry Hernandez, age 16, of Hempstead, whose skeletal remains were found in Centereach in 2020.

By Bruce Miller

The Industrial Development Agency of Brookhaven Town is giving away our tax base. What is “industrial” about apartment developments?

As a former school board member and president, I worked productively on repowering and to improve our tax base for 12 years, then leading this fight on our village board of trustees for eight years after that.

I speak regularly with National Grid leaders and have addressed our issues and advocated with LIPA’s CEO, Thomas Falcone. Who will lead this effort, which has such a profound impact on our tax base? What is their network to do this?

I worked on our environmental issues for 30 years. The Conservation Advisory Committee needs to be made a board again. The Architectural Review Committee should be made a board.

LIRR

The ride from Port Jeff only gets worse. All our elected leaders want “a better ride.” But who will “herd the cats,” so to speak? We need leadership to galvanize and focus around these efforts.

Looking at recent events, I fear the Long Island Rail Road will eliminate the Port Jefferson Branch line completely. I have

For a long time, merchants have advocated parking garages in Port Jefferson. Residents do not want Port Jefferson to look like Queens. I have proposed underground parking garages. Yes, this can be done. The Dutch have done this, creating parks to enhance their country and eliminating flooding at a bargain. How to pay for this? Claim our share of town, county, state and federal funds for open-space preservation in the form of openspace creation — “parks above parking.” This makes our village more attractive to visitors and prospective residents.

Claim infrastructure-hardening funding. Remember what the Dutch have done. Lease newly created parkland to restaurants for alfresco dining. Other parties may see value in this option as well. Let’s not forget parking fees.

Merchants pay the village PILOPS — payments in lieu of parking spots. But there could be actual parking spots to purchase by investing in Port Jefferson.

Condominiumize parking slots. Merchants and investors could purchase parking spots in prime locations for their exclusive use or derive revenue and tax deductions.

Our downtown businesses, apartments and fire department suffer from toxic intrusion when they flood. Investing in health is always a wise decision.

If you want a better future, we need to ask hard questions of our candidates.

Bruce Miller is a former Port Jefferson Village trustee.

A police investigation established that Mann and Hernandez became acquaintances in March 2019. A short time later, Hernandez went to Mann’s home located on Jay Road in Centereach and stole his father’s truck. On or around June 2, 2019, Mann lured Hernandez to a location known as the “Sand Pit,” where he duct-taped the victim and struck him multiple times with a blunt object. Mann placed Hernandez’s body in a hole on his property and covered it with debris. The defendant later moved Hernandez’ skeletal remains into a plastic tub and placed it on his next-door neighbor’s property, where it was ultimately recovered on March 15, 2020.

Mann is due back in court on April 19 and is expected to be sentenced to 20 years in prison followed by five years of post-release supervision.

Bronx man indicted for shooting two men at pool hall in Port Jefferson

Alexander Castillo, 26, of the Bronx, was indicted on March 15 for allegedly shooting two individuals following a dispute in a Port Jefferson pool hall over losing money in multiple games of pool.

According to the investigation, on December 28, 2022, Castillo was playing pool at a pool hall on Main Street in Port Jefferson for several hours. Over the course of the evening, Castillo allegedly became angry as his financial losses mounted after he placed wagers on each game.

At approximately 7:05 p.m., Castillo left the pool hall and returned approximately three minutes later wearing a ski mask and hat, and carrying a loaded firearm. Castillo allegedly attempted to forcibly take back his losses from his opponent by displaying the loaded firearm and demanding the money back that he had lost playing pool throughout the night.

A struggle ensued where Castillo’s opponent and another male tried to wrestle the gun away from Castillo.

Wanted for criminal mischief

Suffolk County Crime Stoppers and Suffolk County Police Fourth Precinct Crime Section officers are seeking the public’s help to identify and locate a man who allegedly damaged a vehicle in a Lake Grove parking lot on March 4.

A man exited a white Mercedes Benz SUV in a parking lot on Alexander Avenue at 8:10 p.m. and allegedly scratched the side of a 2023 Rivian R1S parked in the lot. The man got back in the Mercedes and left the scene.

Castillo allegedly shot one victim in the groin area and shot the second victim in the chest. After shooting the two men, Castillo fled before police arrived. Both victims were taken to local hospitals and received emergency medical treatment for their injuries. Castillo was discovered hiding out in New York City and was arrested on Feb. 10 by the Suffolk County Police Department.. He is due back in court on April 13.

Motorcyclist killed in Islandia crash

Suffolk County Police Fourth Squad detectives are investigating a motor vehicle crash that killed a motorcyclist in Islandia on March 17.

Michael Laskaris was driving a 2019 Hino box truck westbound on Veterans Memorial Highway at 7:35 a.m. when he attempted to make a U-turn at the intersection of East Suffolk Avenue in front of an eastbound 2005 Suzuki motorcycle operated by Joshua Taylor. Taylor hit the brakes and the motorcycle skidded on the pavement causing the motorcyclist to be ejected.

Taylor, 20, of Islandia, was pronounced dead at the scene. Laskaris, 66, of Selden, was not injured. Anyone with information is asked to call the Fourth Squad at 631-854-8452.

— COMPILED BY HEIDI SUTTON

Suffolk County Crime Stoppers offers a cash reward for information that leads to an arrest. Anyone with information about these incidents can contact Suffolk County Crime Stoppers to submit an anonymous tip by calling 1-800-220-TIPS.

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Putin’s folly

One year of war, no path to victory

BY RICH ACRITELLI DESK@TBRNEWSMEDIA.COM

The Russo-Ukrainian War has become the largest European conflict since World War II, which ended in 1945.

A year after the Russian invasion, and with his nation fighting for its survival, Ukraine’s leader President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has told the world his forces would continue their efforts.

The year of bloodshed

At first, the international community believed the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv had no chance of holding out against a wellcoordinated Russian assault. Yet the capital city remains in Ukrainian hands.

Some cities in Ukraine now resemble the World War II-ruined cities of Berlin, Dresden and Warsaw, buried in rubble.

At some points in the war, Zelenskyy has warned against the potential collapse of his lines as Russian assaults have been levied against his army. The president of Russia, Vladimir Putin, has relied on the costly strategy of attrition against the Ukrainians, even as his army has endured as many as 200,000 casualties.

During this year of fighting, Ukraine, with a smaller army, has relied on Cold War-era planes, helicopters, guns and tanks yet has thwarted Russian movement.

With European allies like Germany deploying Leopard tanks, the key to Ukrainian survival has rested in the constant supply of weapons from the coalition that the United States has created.

The war has demonstrated the might of American weaponry, which has stymied the Russians. Through the proximity of American bases in Poland and Germany, American forces have also trained Ukrainian noncommissioned officers to lead their soldiers better.

This expertise has also aided Ukrainian military officials, who have learned to mobilize Patriot air defense systems, Abrams tanks and artillery guns. Although the Biden administration has continually downplayed the deployment of fighter planes for the Ukrainians, reports indicate that training has already commenced for some of their pilots.

A disconnected dictator

Putin, meanwhile, continually targets civilian populations of Ukraine’s major cities and towns, causing death and destruction with hypersonic missiles that are almost impossible to shoot down.

On the world stage, the Russian army

has no clear path to victory. Some of Putin’s soldiers have even sent videos to their families and the press, revealing how poorly equipped

and trained they are to meet the Ukrainians on the battlefield.

Some Russians have openly criticized

the government for mishandling the invasion effort. Putin’s government has lost much credibility along the way.

During the early days of the war, the Russian dictator said his goal was to rid Ukraine of its “Nazi” elements that influenced the government in Kyiv. During a recent G20 Summit in New Delhi, Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov was met with laughter when he said, “The war, which we are trying to stop, which was launched against us using Ukrainian people.”

These confused comments suggest an increasingly disconnected Putin regime, a Kremlin that has lost the global public relations battle to justify the war.

Resentment against the regime

Domestic instability has been a primary concern when looking at the Russian regime under Putin. The dictator is in constant fear over his own security, increasingly suspicious that he will be deposed.

The Wagner Group, a Russian paramilitary organization that has spearheaded much of the fighting, has had several public differences in how this war was being carried out under Putin’s directives. Some believe that Putin views the Wagner Group as a threat to his own rule.

It is estimated that the Wagner Group has lost over 30,000 mercenaries, with about 9,000 fighters killed in action, U.S. officials said last month. Putin’s forces quickly surpassed the 15,000 Russians killed during the Soviet War in Afghanistan from 1979-89.

There is rising distress within the Russian population over the many soldiers who will not return alive. It has not helped Putin’s cause that his armies receive little training before being shipped off to the Ukrainian front against a battle-hardened foe.

Through the startling number of casualties, deficiencies in Russian hardware and a total lack of leadership, Putin has repeatedly stated that nuclear weapons remain on the table.

All signs point to a defeated and embarrassed former world power. At every turn, Putin has refused to believe the Ukrainians could mount a capable resistance. One year later, Ukraine continues to push for victory.

Rich Acritelli is a history teacher at Rocky Point High School and adjunct professor at Suffolk County Community College. Written in conjunction with members of the high school’s History Honor Society.

A year ago, Vladimir Putin waged an unprovoked war against Ukraine. Today, he leads an army that is poorly trained, ill-equipped and increasingly resentful of his command. Pixabay photo

LEGALS

LEGALS con’t from pg. 2

BURNS-SHANNONINDIVIDUALLYANDASTRUSTEEOF

TRUSTDATEDJUNE1, THESHANNONLIVING

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2023at11:00AM,premises

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COVID-19mitigationprotocolsandassuchall

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To Place A Legal Notice Email: legals@tbrnewsmedia.com

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FarrellLowe,Esq.,Referee

WehrleDriveWilliamsville, GrossPolowy,LLC1775

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Luminaires ----April5,2023

Bid#23029–New210CFM

TowBehindAirCompressor--April5,2023

Bid#23030–NewExcavatorMountedHeavyDuty

WoodShear---April5,2023

Bid#23022–Port-A-Lavsat

VariousTownLocations April6,2023

Specificationsfortheabovereferencedbidwillbe

availablebeginningMarch

23,2023.

linkforBids. (brookhavenny.gov):clickon Market|Brookhaven,NY

- Followdirectionstoregisteranddownloaddocument.

- Questionsmustbesubmittedinwritingtothe

followinge-mail:

PurchasingGroup@ brookhavenny.gov

TheTownofBrookhaven

informalitiesor allbidsandtowaiveany anddeclareinvalidanyor reservestherighttoreject

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process.

Furtherinformationcanbe

451-6252 obtainedbycalling(631)

KathleenC.Koppenhoefer

TOWNOFBROOKHAVEN DeputyCommissioner

1361403/231xptr

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Port Jefferson’s Science Olympiad team earns three medals at state competition

Parking pandemonium: Tensions swell as parking season takes off in Port Jeff

BY RAYMOND JANIS EDITOR1@TBRNEWSMEDIA.COM

The managed parking system in the Village of Port Jefferson has undergone considerable changes this season, prompting debate among some within the community.

Beginning March 15, the village government has incorporated various technologies into its managed parking apparatus, such as automated license plate reading, which village officials say expedites and standardizes parking enforcement.

“We’re looking to make sure that enforcement is more equitable, that there’s less room for a mistake or discretion,” Mayor Margot Garant said in an exclusive interview. “The license plate reader is in at least one of the code vehicles, and when it drives through the parking lot, it scans everything very quickly.” She added, “I think it’s going to be a much more blanketed, equitable process and easier for all parties.”

Luciano attributes much of the village’s parking adversity to a lack of responsiveness from the village government, suggesting his recommendations to the village have fallen on deaf ears.

“We’ve sat down in meetings, we’ve sent letters over the last two years,” he said. “They say, ‘Thank you for the input,’ and then they do what they want. They don’t want to take any recommendations from anybody.”

Wood suggested his office is actively coordinating with the business community and that no significant changes have been made to the system other than entering a plate number instead of a space number.

“There are no changes to navigate,” Wood said. “The parker himself only enters a plate number instead of a space number, and that’s self-evident. But that being said, my office is always available to answer questions on a one-by-one basis and/or my assistant, Rita.”

place that is as attractive, and that faces the water, which is such a magnet for this whole sector of the Island,” he said. “You want to go to Port Jefferson because there are businesses, and a vibrant walk along the harbor is exciting.”

But, he added, “It means you’re always going to have a traffic jam.”

Meanwhile, the Town of Brookhaven, which operates the marina parking lot near the ferry terminal, has set its 2023 parking rates at five times the rate of Port Jefferson’s managed lots. Wood said this could further strain the village’s already cramped lots.

“My common sense tells me that if something is $5 an hour, and they can get that same service for $1 an hour, that tells me they’re going to put more pressure on us,” he said.

Possible solutions

The Earl L. Vandermeulen High School Science Olympiad team participated in the 2023 New York state competition at Le Moyne College in Syracuse on March 17 and 18. The team placed 28th overall out of 60 teams from across New York state.

There were 23 events in various STEM and science-related topics. The top 10 pairs of students in each event earned a medal.

Port Jefferson’s team earned three state medals in Disease Detectives, Green Generation

Educational experiences at Frost Valley for PJ students

Port Jefferson Middle School eighth graders participated in nature hikes, science exploration, outdoor living skills, trust-building activities and teamwork during this year’s trip to Frost Valley. The two days of adventures included ziplining, a glider activity, snow tubing, visiting waterfalls, observing animals and crossing cable bridges.

Frost Valley educators introduced the students to a variety of animals and reptiles and helped them understand how these species spend their days both in captivity and in the wild. The students also took a maple sugar trail hike in which they tasted freshly made maple syrup.

“It was an educational experience that our

and Remote Sensing.

Coaches were Amanda Perovich and Melissa Garcia. Additional chaperones were Gregory Gorniok and Dannie Holland.

“We continue to be impressed by our high school Science Olympiad students in their hard work and success,” Garcia said. “The teams received many compliments from event staff in terms of excellent sportsmanship and kindness, and we will also take that as a win.”

Kevin Wood, the village’s parking administrator, outlined how the new tech would operate. He said pay-by-plate metering allows for more efficient enforcement of overtime parking and eliminates the need for double payment caused by temporarily leaving and losing a parking space, among other potential benefits.

Wood said digital payment also simplifies parking during future visits as the system remembers one’s plate number. “The next time you come back into town, your plate number is already filled in,” he said. “You can’t say that about a space number because you park in a different space every time.”

The village has also digitized its residential permitting process, supplanting the previous method which was performed by hand. So far, Wood said his office has received nearly 2,000 permits.

Responsiveness questions

The changes to parking procedure have met some opposition, particularly from the business community. James Luciano, owner of PJ Lobster House, has been among the opponents to the changes.

In an interview, Luciano indicated that many of his older customers prefer the preexisting method of paying at a meter.

The new system “is a hassle for the older clientele,” he said, suggesting older customers often make multiple trips to and from their cars to pay for parking.

Garant said her administration remains committed to working with merchants over any concerns with the system. Nonetheless, she expressed confidence that the new system would prevail over time.

“There are some recommendations that they have and questions, and we’re answering them as we can,” the mayor said. “Obviously, with anything, you’re going to get mixed concerns. I think once everybody settles into this new system, they’ll find that it’s an easier system to use.”

Capacity: an age-old problem

Parking is a decades-old quandary in Port Jeff, confounding generations of local officials who have struggled to solve the parking puzzle.

Richard Murdocco, adjunct professor in the Department of Political Science at Stony Brook University, summarized the issue in a word.

“Capacity — hands down, capacity,” he said. “It’s what all the villages on Long Island struggle with. How do you shoehorn in more parking without compromising the very character that people are seeking out?”

Wood concurred with this assessment.

“The number one challenge is capacity,” he said. “It accounts for just about everything we are challenged with.”

Murdocco said a natural tension exists between preserving the historic character of an area and expanding parking capacity. He added, however, that the capacity issue would eventually cap the village’s growth potential for its residential and commercial districts.

“Policymakers should begin exploring some more modern, viable options,” the SBU adjunct professor said. The most obvious option, he indicated, would be to construct a parking garage.

This proposal would come with its own set of challenges, according to Englebright. “I don’t think there’s an easy answer to this because even if you add a parking garage, I think it will be oversubscribed on the first day,” he said.

Wood noted that he gives “daily thought” to this idea, which is also proposed in the village’s 2030 Comprehensive Plan. However, given the natural topography and existing built environment, the municipality remains hamstrung in specific ways.

“Now is the time where I think we would have a serious look at building multidecks [above-ground parking garages], but it’s not so easy because of the landscape of Port Jeff, the depth of the water and things like that,” he said.

Asked whether he foresees the village accommodating a garage in the coming decades, the parking administrator responded affirmatively.

don’t have underground structures protruding from the ground.”

Another alternative the village is actively seeking is shared parking, that is, entering into agreements with nearby businesses to facilitate access to their lots during nonbusiness hours.

Wood said he and trustee Rebecca Kassay are working to enter into shared-use parking agreements, particularly with hospitals and medical offices in Upper Port.

“There’s not a lot of commercial activity happening uptown, but that will change,” Wood said, adding that shared parking would offer “immediate parking to people frequenting uptown.”

Kassay, who also serves as the village’s environmental commissioner, said the shared parking proposal would help minimize the need for building new parking lots uptown, as well as the clearings and heightened flooding characteristic of such construction.

of that body.

“We had a committee for upward of eight or nine years,” she said. “I think that they brought great concerns, and we heard from them.”

Asked whether the village should reinstitute the parking committee, she responded, “I’m on my way out, so I’ll leave that to the next administration,” adding, “I think Kevin is doing a great job, so I’m going to let the next elected mayor make those decisions going forward.”

Wood emphasized that a committee would not resolve the core issue permeating all parking woes villagewide. “The one thing we all end up talking about is the lack of capacity,” the parking administrator said. “All the committees in the world won’t fix the immediate need for more capacity.”

He added, “We get feedback all the time. We take it under advisement. But again, it usually leads back, after everything is said and done, to lack of capacity.”

Detailing why he believed the committee had disbanded, Luciano again suggested a lack of responsiveness from the village. “They got rid of it because they didn’t want to hear input anymore and because they were going to do what they wanted to do.”

Ana Hozyainova, president of the Port Jefferson Civic Association, has joined the call for resurrecting the parking committee. In an email statement, she said a parking committee would reintroduce debate to the parking decision-making process.

“The Port Jeff Civic Association fully supports the reestablishment of a parking committee composed of representatives from all stakeholders,” she said. “Reinstituting the parking committee would provide a transparent forum for discussion and decision-making.”

students will have for a long, long time,” principal Brian Walker said. “It was inspiring to see our students challenge themselves in new ways and witness the character building and bonding with their classmates in an environment different from the school.”

“I know it doesn’t seem like a lot, but when you have clientele that are in their 60s, 70s and 80s, it is a lot for them to do that,” he added.

He said he receives daily complaints over digital payment, estimating complications using the system “probably happen 25 times a day — it’s a big problem that people are complaining about.”

Former village trustee Bruce Miller regarded the capacity constraints as all-pervasive, compounding other problems, such as traffic congestion. “It creates a lot of traffic that’s needless,” he said. “People are circling and circling and circling to find a parking place.”

Former New York State Assemblyman Steve Englebright (D-Setauket) commented on the generations of anguished parkers pressed to find a space. He regarded Port Jefferson as distinctive for its blend of bustling downtown activity and limited capacity.

“The oversubscription of use is inevitable for a

“I’d like to hope that we can come to the point where that possibility could happen,” he said, adding, “If it were in the best interest of the community and residents, I’d like to think we could come to an agreement on that.”

Miller advised the village government to explore underground parking, an option he said would boost capacity without disrupting the area’s historic character.

“A lot of the residents and public do not want an aboveground parking garage — we’re not rural here, but we just don’t see ourselves as urban,” he said. “The advantage of underground parking is that it doesn’t make your town look urban. You

Shared parking “would prevent more square footage uptown from being hardscaped, which is a contributor to the flooding because water is not being collected, recharged and filtered in the way it naturally would,” she said.

The trustee added, “The issue of parking is very real, but the creative solutions, like shared parking, are a way that we as a village can solve parking issues, be environmentally conscious and save taxpayers money by not building and maintaining additional lots.”

Parking committee

Garant, who had coordinated with a parking committee composed of residents and merchants earlier in her tenure, recounted the history and role

Wood, instead, encouraged concerned parties to take their concerns to the village board. For him, public comments during village board meetings provide community members the proper forum to be heard.

Public comment “is the best way to communicate what you are trying to say about any subject,” Wood said.

Luciano, on the other hand, advocated for the reinstatement of the parking committee as a means to properly filter concerns from the greater community.

“The parking committee needs to exist, and the village needs to take the recommendations from the parking committee,” he said.

The civic president added, “It would also help ensure that we face our parking challenges in a manner that addresses the needs and concerns of all our residents and still preserves the character and appearance of our beautiful village.”

Englebright regarded the proposal for a parking committee as necessary for promoting public participation.

“If you live in the village, there has to be some sense of being able to participate,” he said. “There needs to be some reasonable balance between the commercialism that dominates parts of the downtown and the needs of the residents, which should not take second place.”

He added, “I don’t know how you do that without some sort of forum other than the regular meetings of the village board. It would seem to me that some democratization would be logical.”

Earl L. Vandermeulen High School Science Olympiad team members. Photo courtesy PJSD

Port Jefferson Middle School students.

Photo courtesy PJSD

‘It would seem to me that some democratization would be logical.’

— STEVE ENGLEBRIGHT

‘Policymakers should begin exploring some more modern, viable options.’

— RICHARD MURDOCCO

‘The number one challenge is capacity. It accounts for just about everything we are challenged with.’

— KEVIN WOOD

Digital payment and a lack of meters has sparked some criticism within the community. Photo by Raymond Janis

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Financial Services

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Finds Under 50

4ONECENTPOSTCARDS,3 coinsold,$45631-473-0963.

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CLAYREDSTANDARD COREDBRICK(8”X4”),.50 each,uptp130 631-941-4425.

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Garage Sales

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Mt.SinaiCongregational Church,233NorthCountry Rd.,Mt.Sinai.

Health, Fitness & Beauty

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Housesitting Services

TRAVELING?

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Merchandise

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Miscellaneous

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Musical Instruments

BLUESMANPIANOTUNING Certifiedpianotechnician, 631-681-9723, bluesmanpianotuning@gmail. com, www.bluesmanpianotuning.com

Musical Instruments

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Schools/Instruction/ Tutoring

PIANO-GUITAR-BASS Allages-levels-styles. Manylocalreferences. Recommendedbyallarea schools.TonyMann, 631-473-3443,631-332-6005

The Village TIMES HERALD

The Village BEACON RECORD

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The TIMES of Smithtown

The TIMES of Middle Country

The TIMES of Huntington, Northport & East Northport

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EMPLOYMENT/CAREERS

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PUBLISHER’SEMPLOYMENTNOTICE:Allemploymentadvertisinginthisnewspaperissubjecttosection296 ofthehumanrightslawwhich makesitillegaltoadvertise anypreference,limitationor discriminationbasedonrace, color,creed,nationalorigin, disability,maritalstatus,sex, ageorarrestconvictionrecord oranintentiontomakeany suchpreference,limitationor discrimination.Title29,U.S. CodeChap630,excludesthe FederalGov’t.fromtheage discriminationprovisions.This newspaperwillnotknowingly acceptanyadvertisingforemploymentwhichisinviolation ofthelaw.Ourreadersareinformedthatemploymentofferingsadvertisedinthisnewspaperareavailableonanequal opportunitybasis.

RECEPTIONIST/FULLTIME

BusyEastSetauketRealEstate Officeisseekingamotivated teamplayerwithstrongcomputerskills,clear,friendly speakingvoice,professional appearance&excellentcustomerserviceskills.Fulltime position,withoneWeekendday. Socialmediaskillsaplus.

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SERVERS/ WAITSTAFF/BAR NEEDED

Part-time, weekends required. Reliable and responsible. Will train, apply online at majesticgardens.com or in person

MAJESTIC GARDENS

420 Rte. 25A, Rocky Point, NY 631.744.9500

Help Wanted

SIGNFABRICATOR/ INSTALLER

Wellestablishedsign,exhibit& displaycompanylookingfora fulltimesignfabricatorandinstaller.Wouldberesponsiblefor production&signanddisplay fabricationandinstallation. Constructionplanningand orderingmaterials,Workclosely withourdesignerstomanage projectsfromfabricationto delivery/installation,Workwith shoptoolsandequipment, Estimatingleadtimesand projectcosts,Graphicdesign skillsareaplus,Backgroundin thesign/displayindustryaplus“ MillerMohr&KellyDesign GroupinSetauket. 631-941-2769

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SIGN FABRICATOR / INSTALLER

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Please E-Mail Resume to Setauket.Office @Elliman.com or call 631.767.2187 or 631.384.8515

Career Services

COMPUTER&ITTRAINING PROGRAM!TrainONLINEto gettheskillstobecomeaComputer&HelpDeskProfessional now!GrantsandScholarships availableforcertainprograms forqualifiedapplicants.CallCTI fordetails!844-947-0192(M-F 8am-6pmET).Computerwith internetisrequired.

Part-Time Sales/ Customer Service

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email resume: class@tbrnewspapers.com

Help Wanted

WHEATLEYHILLSGOLF CLUB,EASTWILLISTONNOW HIRING:Waitstaff&Bussers, FrontDeskReceptionist,ClubhouseMaintenance,Valet Parker,Pantry-PrepPosition CompetitiveHourlyWageEmail:Frontdesk@wheatleyhills. com

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P/TSALES/CUSTOMER SERVICE

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AUTOMOTIVE SERVICES

$$$ TOP CASH PAID $$$

All Trucks, Cars & Vans Toyota, Honda, Nissan, Domestic/Foreign Highest prices paid for fixable vehicles. Also buy motorcycles and muscle cars.

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Carpentry

LONGHILLCARPENTRY

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Cesspool Services

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Clean-Ups

LETSTEVEDOIT

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Electricians

SOUNDVIEWELECTRICAL CONTRACTING

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Fences

SMITHPOINTFENCE. DEERPROBLEM?WECAN HELP!Wood,PVC,ChainLink, Stockade.Freeestimates. Nowoffering12monthinterest freefinancing. Commercial/Residential. 70JayneBlvd.,PJS.Lic.37690H/Ins.631-743-9797 www.smithpointfence.com.

Floor Services/Sales

FINESANDING& REFINISHING

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Home Improvement

ALLPHASESOF HOMEIMPROVEMENT

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BLUSTARRENOVATIONS

TheNorthShore’sMostTrusted RenovationExperts. 631-751-0751

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Home Improvement

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Home Repairs/ Construction

LUXDEVELOPMENTGROUP

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LUXDISASTER RESTORATION24/7

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Lawn & Landscaping

SETAUKETLANDSCAPE DESIGN

StoneDriveways/Walkways, Walls/Stairs/Patios/Masonry, Brickwork/RepairsLand Clearing/Drainage,Grading/ Excavating.Plantings/Mulch, RainGardens. SteveAntos,631-689-6082 setauketlandscape.com ServingThreeVillages

SWANCOVE LANDSCAPING

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Landscape Materials

SCREENEDTOPSOIL

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Masonry

CARLBONGIORNO LANDSCAPE/MASON CONTRACTOR

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Masonry

JOE’SGENERAL CONTRACTING

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Painting/Spackling/ Wallpaper

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Plumbing/Heating

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Satellite TV

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Tree Work

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Planting,pruning,removals, stumpgrinding.FreeEstimates. Fullyinsured. LIC#50701-H.631-862-9291

REAL ESTATE

GARVIES POINT APARTMENTS

46 NEWLY CONSTRUCTED Studio, 1, 2 and 3 BEDROOM AFFORDABLE APARTMENTS located at 500700 Dickson Street, Glen Cove, NY. Rents ranging from $1,375 - $3,289. Tenant pays electricity, electric heat, and electric cooking. Trash removal and sewer included in rent. INCOME LIMITS & ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS APPLY. Maximum income limits ranging from $61,080 - $168,600 *minimum income limits also apply. Income limits subject to unit size, household size & set-aside requirements; please visit www. cgmrcompliance.com for details. To request an application by mail, write to GARVIES POINT, PO Box 440, Wading River, NY 11792, call (631) 910-6200, or email garviespoint@cgmrcompliance.com. Visit www.NYHousingSearch.gov for postmarked no later than April 17, 2023. Late applications will not be considered. A Public Lottery to be held at Hilton Garden Inn, 3 Harbor Park Drive, Port Washington on May 1st, 2023 starting at 12pm.

APARTAMENTOS PUNTO GARVIES

46 APARTAMENTOS RECIENTEMENTE CONSTRUIDOS DE 1, 2 Y 3 HABITACIONES A UN PRECIO ASEQUIBLE ubicados en 500-700 Dickson Street, Glen Cove, NY. Rentas que van desde $1,375 - $3,289. El inquilino paga la electricidad, la calefacción eléctrica y la cocina eléctrica. Recolección de basura y alcantarillado incluidos en el alquiler. APLICAN LÍMITES DE INGRESOS Y REQUISITOS DE ELEGIBILIDAD. Límites de ingresos máximos que van desde $61,080 - $168,600 *también se aplican límites de ingresos mínimos. Límites de ingresos sujetos al tamaño de la unidad, tamaño del hogar y requisitos de reserva; visite www.cgmrcompliance.com para obtener más detalles. Para solicitar una solicitud por correo, escriba a GARVIES POINT, PO Box 440, Wading River, NY 11792, llame al (631) 910-6200 o envíe un correo electrónico a garviespoint@cgmrcompliance.com. Visite www.NYHousingSearch.gov para obtener información adicional. matasellos a más tardar el 17 de abril de 2023. No se considerarán las solicitudes tardías. Una lotería pública que se llevará a cabo en Hilton Garden Inn, 3 Harbor Park Drive, Port Washington el 1 de mayo de 2023 a partir de las 12:00 p. m.

GARVIES POINT

Rentals

SETAUKETHighVisibility,25A, cornerofficesuitewithlarge plateglasswindow,privatebath, ownthermostat,nicelydecorated,offstreetparking,Village TimesBuilding,Call 631-751-7744.

Rentals

FREEGOLF-LIVEINACOUNTRYCLUBatBrettonWoods,3 bedrooms,21/2baths$3000,2 bedroom11/2baths$2300,2 bedroom,2bath$2500 STRATHMOREEAST 631-698-3400.

GARVIES POINT

APATMAN GARVIES POINT

46 Studio, 1, 2 ak 3 CHAMB KI FÈK KONSTRI APATMAN AbòDAB ki chita nan 500-700 Dickson Street, Glen Cove, NY. Pri lwaye ki soti nan $1,375 - $3,289. Lokatè peye elektrisite, chalè elektrik, ak kwit manje elektrik. Retire fatra ak egou enkli nan lwaye a. LIMIT REVNI AK KONDISYON ELLIJIBILITE APLIKE. Limit revni maksimòm ki soti nan $61,080 - $168,600 *limit revni minimòm aplike tou. Limit revni yo depann de gwosè inite w la, gwosè kay la ak kondisyon pou mete sou kote; tanpri vizite www.cgmrcompliance.com pou plis detay. Pou mande yon aplikasyon pa lapòs, ekri GARVIES POINT, PO Box 440, Wading River, NY 11792, rele (631) 910-6200, oswa imèl garviespoint@cgmrcompliance.com. Vizite www.NYHousingSearch.gov pou plis enfòmasyon. Aplikan ki soumèt plis pase yon aplikasyon ka diskalifye. Aplikasyon yo dwe gen yon kach postal pa pita pase 17 avril 2023. Yo p ap konsidere aplikasyon an reta. Yon lotri piblik ki pral fèt nan Hilton Garden Inn, 3 Harbour Park Drive, Port Washington le 1ye me 2023 apati 12pm.

GARVIES PPOINT APARTMENTS

46 BAGONG TINUNONG Studio, 1, 2 at 3 KWARTO AFFORDABLE APARTMENTS na matatagpuan sa 500700 Dickson Street, Glen Cove, NY. Mga upa mula $1,375 - $3,289. Nagbabayad ng kuryente, electric heat, at electric cooking ang nangungupahan. Pagtanggal ng basura at imburnal na kasama sa upa. LUMAPAT ANG MGA LIMITASYON SA KITA AT MGA KINAKAILANGAN SA KARAPATAY. Pinakamataas na limitasyon sa kita mula sa $61,080 - $168,600 *nalalapat din ang pinakamababang limitasyon sa kita. Ang mga limitasyon sa kita ay napapailalim sa laki ng unit, laki ng sambahayan at mga kinakailangan sa set-aside; mangyaring bisitahin ang www.cgmrcompliance.com para sa mga detalye. Upang humiling ng aplikasyon sa pamamagitan ng koreo, sumulat sa GARVIES POINT, PO Box 440, Wading River, NY 11792, tumawag sa (631) 910-6200, o mag-email sa garviespoint@cgmrcompliance.com. Bisitahin ang www.NYHousingSearch.gov para sa karagdagang impormasyon. Ang mga aplikante na nagsumite ng higit sa isang aplikasyon ay maaaring madiskwalipika. Ang mga aplikasyon ay dapat na naka-postmark nang hindi lalampas sa Abril 17, 2023. Ang mga huling aplikasyon ay hindi isasaalang-alang. Isang Pampublikong Lottery na gaganapin sa Hilton Garden Inn, 3 Harbour Park Drive, Port Washington sa ika-1 ng Mayo, 2023 simula 12pm.

tionbecauseofrace,color,religion,sex,handicap,familial status,ornationalorigin,orintentiontomakeanysuchpreference,limitation,ordiscrimination.”

Wewillnotknowinglyaccept anyadvertisingforrealestate whichisinviolationofthelaw. Allpersonsareherebyinformedthatalldwellingsadvertisedareavailableonan equalopportunitybasis.

Editorial

Democratize parking

Port Jefferson has a parking problem. This problem is not the fault of any one administration but the natural consequence of maintaining a bustling downtown with limited parking capacity.

It is a problem that has been with Port Jeff for decades and may soon affect various other municipalities throughout the area. As the towns of Brookhaven, Smithtown and Huntington look to expand sewer capacity and revitalize downtowns, local leaders should learn from Port Jeff’s parking struggles.

In Port Jeff, as in other communities, parking decisions matter. Parking administration is an expression of a community’s values and priorities. Managing parking requires a delicate balancing act between the various stakeholders seeking access to the community — residents, visitors, shoppers, employees and business owners, among others.

At root, parking decisions are about equitable land use. For other land-use decisions, we have planning departments and zoning boards whose members negotiate and compromise before rendering judgment. We also have committees for various other areas of local governance, such as parks and recreation, communications, conservation and architectural review.

However, municipalities often lack committees for an issue as central as parking. Without a parking committee, parking management seems estranged from the political process, the community stakeholders lacking the forum necessary to translate their interests into sound policy.

Moreover, the existing dynamic is inequitable to those who make parking decisions. Without a committee to channel the community’s wants and needs, the burden of policy falls upon a select few. In Port Jeff’s case, the parking administrator unfairly bears the responsibility of making representative decisions for the entire community, suffering alone the slings and arrows from all competing parties. We regard this arrangement as increasingly untenable and ineffective.

History informs us that uniformity of opinion is not possible. For this reason, a functioning democratic system works to channel the many interests of the people into the political process. Only through that process can a representative policy outcome arise. Parking is no different.

We are committed to the premise that fair policies emerge from an open, deliberative process. It is, therefore, necessary for municipalities throughout our coverage area to form parking committees, opening the decision-making process to all concerned parties. Let us democratize parking here on Long Island. It’s vitally needed.

The opinions of columnists and letter writers are their own. They do not speak for the newspaper.

Chimes of liberty

Continued from COVER

Biennial elections strengthen the ties between elected officials and their constituents. Up for election every two years, the representative continuously returns to the people, selling his or her vision to the public, receiving ideas in exchange. This symbiotic process keeps governmental decisions reflective of the public will.

During debates over ratification of the U.S. Constitution, Americans argued most vehemently over the structure of Congress. At the height of those debates, James Madison, in Federalist No. 52, advanced the most coherent and convincing rationale for maintaining two-year terms in the House of Representatives.

“As it is essential to liberty that the government in general should have a common interest with the people,” Madison wrote, “so it is particularly essential that the branch of it under consideration should have an immediate dependence on, and an intimate sympathy with, the people.”

The “intimate sympathy” between congressmen and their districts — kindled through biennial elections — distinguishes the lower chamber as the “People’s House.” Over more than two centuries after

ratification, we still elect congressional representatives every two years.

But an even greater incentive remains for preserving the current system in Port Jeff. This year’s election season is already underway, with three of the five members of the current board seeking election in less than 90 days.

Whether or not the board appreciates this fact, Monday’s vote comes at a delicate historical moment. Within the broader national context, many are losing faith in American democracy, as both major political parties and an often-unrestrained national press and social media work in tandem to erode public trust in our democratic norms.

Election denial is becoming a mainstay of our national political discourse. Allegations of voter fraud, voter suppression and election interference are commonplace today. Monday’s vote signals a lack of awareness of these broader currents, setting a dangerous precedent by localizing our national democratic defects.

Finally, the term extensions flatly disregard ongoing concerns among some villagers who fear the decisions made by this board might be made in an untransparent and undemocratic manner. By extending their terms and expanding the scope of their powers, board members risk further alienating residents from the

Letters to the Editor

Waiting for Rinaldi to be made LIRR president

Just over 12 months ago, Long Island Rail Road President Phillip Eng retired effective Feb. 25, 2022. Metropolitan Transportation Authority Chairman Janno Lieber immediately appointed Metro-North President Catherine Rinaldi as interim LIRR president.

After 12 months on the job, she has developed a good working knowledge of the agency organization, staff, operations, facilities and customer needs. She is familiar with ongoing capital projects in the LIRR portion of the $51.5 billion 2020-24 Five Year Capital Plan.

If Lieber is happy with Rinaldi’s performance to date, why hasn’t he made her

decision-making process.

The village government has some serious work ahead. Between declining public revenue, a rising budget and a sometimes disillusioned electorate, policymaking now more than ever requires close coordination between village officials and their community. Monday’s outcome does the opposite, creating more distance and potentially shielding representatives from public scrutiny.

Citizens have recourse. Under the New York Village Law, the voters can overturn this resolution through a permissive referendum. We encourage residents to do their part to help collect the necessary signatures, then to defeat this ill-conceived measure at the ballot box in June.

But more must be done to reinvigorate democracy in Port Jeff. Too few attend village board meetings or write us letters detailing their local concerns. A lack of public participation communicates a lack of interest to the board. Citizens must actively engage and work with their local government.

May this board and electorate rediscover the power of intimate sympathy. May shared love of democracy bind citizens to their local representatives once again. As June nears, let the chimes of liberty ring out loudly in Port Jefferson village.

the next permanent LIRR president? Is there something we don’t know?

Remember that Lieber, just like his predecessors, will need the blessing of the governor. Just like past history, Gov. Kathy Hochul [D] will play a behind-the-scenes role in the selection of a permanent LIRR president.

Larry Penner Great Neck

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No time to literally die and other attempts to awkwardly split infinitives

Infinitives appear to be like peanut butter and jelly for me. I don’t want to add bananas, nuts or anything else between the two spreads, because peanut butter and jelly represent a taste combination that agrees with me and my digestive tract.

a reader to add a verbal hiccup. Maybe some English — or language arts in modern educational parlance — teacher back in my days at Ward Melville High School shared his or her dislike for split infinitives that makes me want to cringe when reading an otherwise effective sentence.

Let’s pause to consider Harper Lee’s “To Kill a Mockingbird.” Perhaps an infinitive splitter might want to add an adverb, such as “To Treacherously Kill a Mockingbird” or “To Slanderously Kill a Mockingbird.” Both options struggle to add an unnecessary word.

got to do with it?” If we split the infinitive, she might sing, “what’s love go to accurately do with it?” Turner doesn’t want to encourage love when she’s enjoying the physical connection. Would “accurately” threaten to trample on the song’s meaning?

BY DANIEL DUNAIEF

The combination of the word “to” and a verb belong together, without adverbs, adjectives, nouns or other parts of speech jammed between them. I want to love, to live, to eat, to sleep, to play and to laugh without any additional words attempting to clog up the ideas or to interfere with the narrative flow.

And yet, in modern prose, people increasingly chose to split infinitives, jamming words in between “to” and a verb. For me, that’s like forcing

To make my point, I’d like to consider (yes, this is a column about infinitives so prepare to be amazed) how several important quotes, phrases, book and movie titles might read with a split infinitive. To begin, let’s explore Thomas Jefferson’s words from the Declaration of Independence: “We hold these truths to be self evident.” Those words would falter if he had chosen to write: “We hold these truths to fundamentally be self evident.”

Would you like to consider Shakespeare?

Hamlet’s soliloquy in which he ponders whether “to be or not to be” would fall flat if he said, “to kind of be or not to comfortably be.” That not only sounds wrong, but it loses the power of a pithy line about the nature of existence and his willingness to continue to live (yup, two in a row) in a world of treachery.

How about James Bond’s “License to Kill?” Would a split infinitive change that to “License to violently kill?” It’s already a Bond film, so you’re prepared to witness violence. Would you prefer to imagine “License to vengefully kill?” Would that have affected its ability to win at the box office? I tend to doubt that.

Another Bond movie with an infinitive is “No time to die.” An adverb addict might want to convert the title to “No time to literally die.” Well, yeah, Bond films force the titular character to confront death. These days, people are inclined to overuse the word “literally” anyway, as in, “I literally ate all the food on my plate.” I suspect few people would interrupt to ask if you’d figuratively or literally eaten everything.

How about Tina Turner’s song “What’s love

The book by Ernest Hemingway, who preferred to use simple prose, would lose some of its resonance if we added anything to the title, “To have and have not.” Borrowing from a vastly overused word that could become “To fully have and have not.”

So, to sum up the idea, to get to the point, to address the important issue, and to make myself clear, I still believe, no matter how acceptable it might be, that splitting infinitives jams an unnecessary word where it doesn’t belong, threatening to dilute its meaning, to alter its trajectory and to cause unnecessary misdirection. Let’s agree to keep infinitives together, giving them room to be, to love and to bask in their original meaning. Now, to return to where I began, I’d like to find some peanut butter and jelly.

Was that Dear John letter you received from your heartthrob written by a bot?

To see how it worked, when I got the link for ChatGPT, the Artificial Intelligence or OpenAI software sent from my grandson, I asked it to write 650 words about Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Why FDR? I had just finished reading a book about FDR’s “Splendid Deception,” the ways the president hid his polio infirmity from the American public, and he was on my mind.

So, I am going to let you see what was written immediately, on command, in less than five minutes before my disbelieving eyes. Remember, this was authored by a robot.

beginning a career in politics. He served as a New York state senator from 1910 to 1913, and later as Assistant Secretary of the Navy under President Woodrow Wilson.

In 1921, at the age of 39, FDR was struck by polio, which left him paralyzed from the waist down. Despite this setback, he remained active in politics and was elected Governor of New York in 1928.

It was during the Great Depression, however, that FDR’s leadership would truly shine. When he took office in 1933, the country was in the midst of the worst economic crisis in its history. Millions of Americans were out of work, banks were failing, and confidence in the government was at an alltime low.

which established codes of fair competition for businesses.

FDR’s New Deal was not without its critics, who argued that it represented an unwarranted expansion of federal power and an infringement on individual liberties. But for many Americans, especially those who were struggling to make ends meet during the Depression, FDR’s bold leadership and willingness to take decisive action were a source of hope and inspiration.

bold action in the face of crisis.

FDR’s famous quote, “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself,” has become a rallying cry for leaders in times of crisis. It reflects his belief that the American people had the strength and resilience to overcome even the most daunting challenges, and that with the right leadership and the right policies, anything was possible.

BY LEAH S. DUNAIEF

President Franklin D. Roosevelt, commonly known as FDR, is remembered as one of the most influential and transformative leaders in American history. During his 12-year tenure as President, he led the United States through some of its most challenging times, including the Great Depression and World War II.

FDR was born into a wealthy family in Hyde Park, New York, in 1882. He attended Harvard University and Columbia Law School before

FDR responded to the crisis with a bold and ambitious plan to revitalize the economy, which he called the New Deal. The New Deal included a range of programs and policies designed to provide relief to the unemployed, stimulate economic growth, and reform the financial system.

One of the most famous New Deal programs was the Civilian Conservation Corps, which provided jobs to young men in conservation and reforestation projects. Other programs included the Agricultural Adjustment Act, which sought to stabilize crop prices and support farmers, and the National Industrial Recovery Act,

FDR was also a key figure in American foreign policy during World War II. When the war broke out in Europe in 1939, he declared that the United States would remain neutral. But after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, he led the country into the war with a resolve and determination that would help turn the tide against the Axis powers.

FDR was instrumental in building the alliance with the Soviet Union and the United Kingdom, which would eventually lead to victory in Europe. He also played a key role in the development of the atomic bomb, which would be used to end the war in the Pacific.

Despite his many accomplishments, FDR was not without his flaws. Critics have accused him of overreaching in his use of executive power, and of turning a blind eye to human rights abuses committed by the Soviet Union during the war. But his legacy remains one of visionary leadership and

Today, as the United States faces new challenges, from economic inequality to political polarization to climate change, FDR’s legacy remains a source of inspiration and guidance. His commitment to bold action in the face of crisis, his belief in the power of government to make a positive difference in people’s lives, and his unwavering faith in the American people, continue to resonate with us today.

How do teachers distinguish what was written by a student or by the bot? By the same token, having a bot help in other contexts, such as planning a schedule or working up a travel itinerary can be a huge help. ChatGPT, launched this past November, can analyze content from a wide range of information on the internet and then create original content. But is it always correct information? Will the bot take jobs from humans? Or will it merely offer a baseline of information upon which humans can then add more nuanced input?

Stay tuned.

Passover 2023 easter 2023

“Whoops wrong Holiday! Finally lightening up a little. It has been a long year!”

“Don’t worry Myra I got this covered!”

Passover Family Dinner for 8

Chicken Soup with Matzo Balls

Chicken Breast Filled with Savory Kugel or

Braised Short Ribs (Boneless)

Triple Berry Sauce

Roasted Potatoes

Green Beans with Garlic and Oil

Box of Matzo

Macaroons

$275 (Chicken Breast) • $340 (Short Ribs)

Food is not Kosher.

Please Place Orders by March 29 Wednesday, Pick up:

April 5th, Wednesday ~ 12 pm to 4 pm

Easter Family Dinner for 8

Caesar Salad

Honey Baked Ham

Topped with Caramelized Pineapple with Honey Mustard or

Braised Short Ribs (Boneless)

Green Beans with Garlic and Oil

Herb Roasted Potatoes

Assorted Dinner Rolls

Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting or Harvest Berry Bindi Tart

$300 (Ham) • $345 (Short Ribs)

Please Place Orders by March 31 Friday, Pick up:

April 7th, Friday ~ 12 pm to 4 pm

April 8th, Saturday ~ 10 am to 4 pm

April 6th, Thursday ~ 10 am to 4 pm Not Responsible for Typographical Errors

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