Full Transcript

about your training here. Sure, so myself and also Officer Lazewski had a eight-week course with the Nassau County Police Department going over everything from the nomenclature of the motorcycles everything to out riding with normal traffic and everything of such. Escorts, funerals, everything in between. Anything else you can say? It was an eight-week course. It was very vigorous. A lot of maneuvers, getting to know the bike like Officer Sashkevich said. A lot of traffic safety with the bike, traffic, parades, line of duty, funerals, regular funerals, any kind of police escorts. These bikes could actually do a lot more than what a lot of people think they can and they're a very great excellent tool to have with the police department. All right in closing, we had a wonderful day here today with the Riverhead Police Department with Chief Frost and Captain Wilsey and we got a tour of the building. The inside parts from communication center, to the detective division and how things are handled and how the operations work daily here. Our motorcycle unit is awesome. We're so proud of that but we couldn't be more proud of the men and women of the Riverhead Town Police Department. They do a fantastic job. It's a busy department. Each officer is trained in so many different aspects of law enforcement. It makes a better well-rounded police department and Ken, I don't know about you but I can't say enough good about these guys, the men and women. They just they're incredible in the work they do. So many other things that we haven't touched upon today. Our canine unit and other things in our crope units that are out there. Just phenomenal. So proud of our men and women in blue. Absolutely. Scuba team. Yes. Marine Bureau.

Thank you.

!

Thank you.

! Good morning everybody. Today is Tuesday, December 30th, 2025. We're here today for a special board meeting. If we could all please rise for the pledge and John McAuliffe, would you mind leading us? It's an honor. Thank you very much. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. And Eric. Thank you, John.

Thank you. Okay. We have two items on, two resolutions on today for the special town board meeting. We'll open up with any announcements. Board, does anybody have any announcements? Okay. We will move on then to comments on resolutions. Do we have any comments on the two resolutions that we have before us today?

Anybody online for comments? On Zoom? Anybody on Zoom for comments? Okay. Okay. I guess we will go right to the two resolutions.

Okay, first one is resolution number 1035.

Ratifies a budget adjustment for the purchase of a new dump truck for the highway department. So moved. Seconded. Vote, please. Waskey? Yes. Merrifield? Yes. Kern? Yes. And Hubbard? Yes. This is just sort of public notice. This is to replace a dump truck, relatively new dump truck, that caught on fire during the first snowstorm we had this year up on Sound Avenue and was destroyed. So this is a much-needed replacement after we see this past snowstorm. Our crew, Mike Zaleski is in the audience. Your crew, fantastic job once again. And the first one also. I mean, our roads are clean. I talk to people up in Brookhaven, and they're like, we're waiting two, three days for side streets to get plowed. And here you might have to wait two, three hours because you do the main arteries first, but you get there fast, and it's always a spectacular job for the highway department. So thank you very much, and this truck will be much needed, I'm sure. Yes. Thank you, Mike.

Resolution is adopted. Resolution 1036. Approves transfer of funds for the Suffolk County Fiscal Year 2024 and 2025 Community Development Block Grant Fund. So moved. Seconded. Thank you. Vote, please. Woski. Yes. Merrifield. Yes. Kern. And I'd like to, if I may, just when I say yes, I'd like to point out that this money is Community Development Block Grant money that the town has that they have. It's, again, grant money. This is not taxpayer's money. This is grant money that goes to, in this particular case, areas of low-income or blighted areas, which is what the downtown area qualifies as. And not only does the grant money have to go to specific areas, but it also can go to not-for-profits. This is $75,000 that we're transferring over to the Jazz Loft. We're doing that because initially the Jazz Loft, when they were first in negotiations with us, believed that there was a $250,000 grant that could be transferred over to them. The prior group that was at the Vale-Levitt went out of existence, and with that, we recently learned that the grant, that was a 10-year grant, was transferred to the Jazz Loft. The grant that was attached to that to repair the roof was also no longer available. Private donations from wealthy individuals in this town, major philanthropists and people that love our town, came forward with over $100,000, I believe it's in the tune of $160,000, to additionally help with this. The county has also given additional money. So this block grant money of $75,000 is going to the not-for-profit, Jazz Loft, to repair and restore the historic landmark, the Vale-Levitt. This money, as I said, is not-for-profit, goes to not-for-profit groups, and we've done this in the past. Most recently, we've also given $50,000 to the East End Arts, and we've also given money from community development block grant money to Grangeville Park, Art in the Parks. So this is just another not-for-profit group that we can give this particular grant to. And we've also given this particular money to, for a very worthy cause, the Jazz Loft is a wonderful economic boost to this town, and they will get off the ground and get running right away, and that will help the economy, the commercial economy in our town, because they will bring the crowds. They are a wonderful known entity, and at the contract signing that we had about a week and a half ago with the supervisor, it was a wonderful event. They performed, and it was wonderful seeing them. Thank you. It was wonderful to see the community, the philanthropy in this town, to help this group, this not-for-profit group that is an amazing group, and I'm thrilled to death they're coming. They're going to help the economy in the town so much. So I absolutely support it.

I support all the non-profits in here. I do not support the Jazz Loft, and for that reason I'm going to vote no, and I'm going to be very, very clear. The CDBG money. The CDBG money that we get comes from the county. There is no, grant money is not free money. It comes from somewhere. This happens to come out of county funds, number one. Number two, when the Jazz Loft presented to us, they, on their Q&E hearing, they were qualified and eligible, and at that hearing they did not say, we don't have the money if we do not get that grant money. So to me I'd go back for another Q&E and find out, do these people really have the money to do, to open this place up? So for me it's no. And Hubbard. I'm going to piggyback on what Denise said, and I really am excited for them to get into the Vale-Levitt. I'm excited for the Vale-Levitt to be used as what it should be used for. And as we know, it goes back basically decades of non-use, where we had many promises, many promises. But I think we've got the real deal in there now, and I'm very excited for it, so I absolutely vote yes. That resolution is adopted. That concludes the resolutions for today's meeting. Okay. We're going to open it up to comments from the public. Do we have anybody who wants to comment from the public?

John McAuliffe, a resident of the state of New York. From the public office in Rolling Woods, in Riverhead. First, obviously, Happy Holidays and Happy New Year to everybody. It's a moment of transition. I want to do a couple of observations. One is, yesterday I went to the scene that took place over by the State Police Headquarters and the Marta's Deli, Delhi, which suggests that this was a migrant event with ICE being followed by people in cars and beeping horns and then blocking exit with their cars from the Martes Delhi area. State police intervened to deal with the traffic problem if nothing else and had provided some parking facilities to ICE. So I just think that's across the river, but I think they were patrolled. They picked up some people in Riverhead and that this is going to be a growing problem for the next year as to how we deal with it. The second thing is I don't know whether Mr. Howard can make any comment. I noticed in the last executive session that you went into private discussion of CAT and obviously if it was private, you're not going to say exactly what you talked about. But can you give us any sense of the play with CAT that led to that private session? Yeah, that was just a general update on the pending litigation, which is there's a motion to dismiss submitted by our counsel pending and we are awaiting decision. OK, well that goes on to the new board. Finally, I was away for much of the last month, so I was not here when the building was finally torn down. But I hope that people on the board, the new supervisor, and the general public will go by the area because though I disagree with it, you've now created a real opportunity to have a truly open space between Main Street and the river and the amphitheater. And I hope that the idea of a hundred, five-story hotel gets reconsideration in the new year. If you haven't been to Greenport, I'm sure you have been and seen what the effect was on Greenport of opening up that space to the bay and where the carousel is. And just imagine what it would be like if that space were opened, if instead of a hotel, five-story hotel, there was a green lawn space moving down to the river. And then, without being able to get public public public public public public public public public public public public public public public public public public public public public public public public public public public public public public public public public public public public public public public public public public public public public public public public public public public public public public public public public public public public public public public public public public public public public public public public public public public public public public public public public public public public public public public public public public public public public public public public public public public public public public public public public public public public public public public public public public public public public public public public public public public public public public public public public public public public public public public public public public public public public public public

river but just imagine if we had twice as much green I'd like to come I'd like to make a comment I'd like to just personally tell you supervisor how absolutely honored and thrilled it has been to work on the town board with you these last two years I joined this because I wanted to work with you and I think you're a wonderful person with tremendous integrity and it has just been an honor I thank you so much for all your service to the town as a police officer as a councilman and as a supervisor I know you absolutely have like you say you bleed blue for Riverhead for the waves right it also could go for the police department as well but I know you met with the with the river the Riverhead colors at the high school but I just want to say that in these last two years that just I've been working with you yeah under your leadership we've completed the comprehensive plan which has linked 曲oo曲oo 曲oo 曲oo have an open space and that open space with the hotel with the playground with the amphitheater and all of that in that immediate area and the jazz love is going to be a tremendous economic boost to the town and helping commerce in the town helps the taxpayers with the revenue from commerce so that's all going to be generated and that was because of you with the contracts and with the actual implementation of the of the starting the demolition on that i couldn't be more thrilled to be a part of that with you also things that you've done under your leadership we're about to enact on the accessory dwelling unit that was something that you felt very strongly about to help our taxpayers in the town the homeowners to help them with their burden of their homes and also under your leadership well i don't know why it's not on the agenda today but the contract with the pga for over 150 000 for them to just park at epcal for a week again things that you've done under your leadership we're about to enact on the accessory dwelling unit and also under your leadership we're about to enact on the accessory dwelling unit and also under your leadership we're about to enact on the accessory dwelling unit I just wanted to thank you, sir, for everything you've done, and it's been a pleasure to work with you. And I hope you consider running again with this crazy one-year cycle of election this year. Well, thank you very much. And honestly, the pleasure has been all mine. I have a fantastic board. I've been blessed with a town full of employees that work their tails off for this town. We have superb employees. And they care as much about the town as I do. My staff, Devin, Debbie, Joanne, I've always said you can't make chicken salad out of chicken poop. Well, you guys made chicken salad out of chicken poop, and I appreciate all that you've done. And I wish you the best in the future. It's been a fun run. It really has. And I'm really. It's been a fun run. Ten years being in public office, it was a phenomenal learning experience. Every day something new comes up, and you think you've learned the way. And I was saying this morning to Dawn that, you know, you think, oh, yeah, we know how to handle that. And then there's a curveball that goes off from it that makes it different from the last time you did it. And that's what's so enjoyable about the job, because you do get to learn so much. And you never know what's around the corner or coming at you next. So kind of like being a police officer. It makes it an exciting job. But I just truly thank the people who voted me into office for ten years and given me this ten years of my life that I'm so thrilled that I did. That I, you know, didn't just retire from the police department and putz around town. That, you know, my love for the town is evident. And I really enjoyed my time here and with all the staff, with all the board. And also, we have Supervisor Halpin in the audience and I want to wish you nothing but the best. We've tried to transition everything over and I hope you feel comfortable with how we did it and brought you into getting up to speed and everything. And, yeah, I'm only a phone call away if you ever have a question. But on the other side of it, please respect and love the town of Riverhead like I do. Judge Local Judge Local Judge Local Judge Local Judge Local Judge Local Judge Local Judge Local Judge Local Judge Local Judge Local Judge Local Judge Local Judge Local Judge Local Judge Local And, you know, I'm only a phone call away if you ever have a question. But on the other side of it, please respect and love the town of Riverhead like I do. I just want to point out, thank you, Councilwoman Merrifield, for mentioning all of your accomplishments. And that's not even, you know, a fraction of them. I really hope that you enjoy the next few months. And I sincerely hope that you give this another run. I cannot tell you how many people have told me that they simply just did not come out and vote. And no disrespect to the incoming supervisor. I wish you all the luck in the world. But this is our guy. This is our supervisor. You'll always be supervisor to me. Thank you. Thank you, Joanne. Thank you very much. So, and Tim, I'm just going to say this. We've done a lot. I mean, we got rid of the comp plan people that were incompetent and moved that forward. And there's a long list. I'll say this. Yeah, we haven't always disagreed. We didn't agree today. But you've always been a gentleman, and I appreciate that. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, Bob. Appreciate that. Okay. Open comments from the public still. We're at Mike.

Speaking around the corner. Hello, everybody. Mike Zaleski. I work for the Highway Department. I just want to thank the Highway Department. This past storm was a doozy. A lot of snow fell at once. We were down. Numerous men with the flu. There's a flu bug going around. Equipment was down. One truck was on fire. Thank you for expediting, replacing that sooner than later. That's a huge help. But again, the conditions that occurred this past storm, so many people out sick. Equipment. Not always at 100%. Very proud to be the Highway Superintendent. And the men did an awesome job taking care of this town. I just want to publicly acknowledge that. We had help from other departments. Billings and Grounds sent us a man. Tom Vance. Sewer Department sent us a man. Mark Hoden. Water District sent us a man. Jonathan Vizik. Again, we all came together. It was a huge dumping of snow in a fast amount of time. And I'm just very proud the guys accomplished what they did in the circumstances. All right. Thank you. Thank you, Mike. Thanks, Mike. Any other comments? Anybody online with comments?

Okay. All right. That concludes our special town board meeting today. And I have a motion for adjournment. So moved. Closed the meeting. All in favor? Aye. All opposed? Okay. Happy New Year, everybody. Enjoy. Stay safe and stay healthy. Especially healthy. Because that flu bug is all over the place. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, all. And thank you for, I thank again the public for allowing me to serve for the past 10 years. Thank you very much.