MINUTES of the MIDDLE ISLAND CIVIC ASSOCIATION Regular Meeting, Thursday, June 18, 2009, Longwood Public Library
MICA OFFICERS in ATTENDANCE: President Tom Talbot, First Vice president Denise Arnold, Second Vice President Betsey Martinez, Treasurer Larry Mazza, Secretary Gail Lynch-Bailey. THOSE WHO SIGNED IN: Jacqui Palatnik, Chris Hanley, Maryann Schick, Patrick Henagan, Jack Stinton, Fred Steinmann, Irene Steinmann, Frank Bailey; ALSO IN ATTENDANCE: Harold Bachmann, Ira Brickman, Roz Muraskin.
I. The meeting was CALLED TO ORDER at 7:08 p.m.
II. The PLEDGE of ALLEGIANCE was recited.
III. PRESIDENT’S REPORT
*July MICA meeting will need another location as Longwood Library is booked with summer youth program
*Bartlett Pond Park: new playground equipment will be open soon, rain hampering progress; Alliance & MICA’s Memorial Day event successful there; Mr. Bachmann meeting with Paul Infranco to finalize installation of other war memorials there, “Buy-a-Brick” for veterans will be used for walkway
* Bus shelter between Bartlett Pond Park and Union Cemetery destroyed by car crash; working to remove debris
* Bone Marrow Drive for cancer-stricken Longwood HS student Alex Mele: Thursday, July 16th from 3-8 pm at MIFD. Donors must be between age 18-60 for this simple cheek-swab. A doctor is donating the $42 cost per test, which can also be done at home and mailed in. Mr. Brickmann explained that Alex completed his final possible chemotherapy round and is home after 35 days in hospital. Past drives for Alex netted a match for a patient in Queens. Mrs. Mele passed away 2 years ago and Mr. Mele is on leave from his job to care for the family. Ridge Civic President Pat Henagan said his group has donated $100 to Alex’s baseball team to cover costs of beverages the team will sell at the drive to raise funds for Alex. MICA will contribute similarly.
* Grant possibility from Legislator Dan Losquadro: MICA needs fiscal agent to facilitate, may have one available
*Newest Troop 433 Eagle Scout is Glen Vogeli; MICA presented at his Eagle Court of Honor on June 14th.
* BNL Summer Sundays – very interesting and entertaining variety of topics, flyers here to take home, attend with family
* MICA Scholarships – $100 checks to a male and female LHS senior presented at-well attended June 3rd Awards Ceremony
* Great Brookhaven Clean Up – President Talbot presented “Thank You” certificates to MICA participants who were among the 4,000 people collecting 700 tons of litter from our town’s streets on April 18th.
IV. The TREASURER’S REPORT listed $727.19 in checking; $3182.24 in savings.
V. The May meeting MINUTES were accepted as written on a motion by Mr. Stinton, seconded by Mr. Bachmann.
VI. UNFINISHED BUSINESS – Victorian Estates site plan was approved on June 1st; unclear what changes were agreed upon.
VII. NEW BUSINESS/GUEST SPEAKERS: Having postponed form MICA’s May meeting, former TOB Supervisor John LaMura, Esq., representing Breslin Realty, and Kathryn Eiseman, AICP, environmental and community planner for Nelson, Pope and Voorhis, gave a very limited overview of plans for the Artist Lake Plaza at the former Kmart site. They distributed a summary handout that differed little from their initial November presentation and expressed regret that no further info would be forthcoming at the behest of newly appointed TOB Planning Commissioner Tulio Bertoli, who asked them to hold off on naming the new tenant. But when pressed on whether said tenant would be Lowe’s Home Improvement, LaMura said they actually didn’t have any tenants committed yet but that they do want a dept. store, and they will return to MICA after Bertoli’s review. LaMura also said that Dana Hepler will be the architect involved and that Breslin, who is not a speculator and will remain the property owner, is committed to the pedestrian promenade, outdoor dining and water feature, donation of recreational space to TOB and fixing this blighted spot in Middle Island.
VIII. DISCUSSION: Some member concerns expressed during and after the Kmart presentation: traffic impacts on Rt 25 and neighborhood streets, especially Currans and Bailey roads; shrinking buffer zone along Currans; too much asphalt and parking; saving trees and wooded acreage in rear; fire access to property; size of buildings, too many empty stores in area already, need viable tenants so we don’t have a repeat of Kmart; emphasis on recreational aspects rather than retail; conformation to TOB land use plan and legal implications therein; review of other land use plan concepts, such as roundabout and Kogel site alternatives; need for citizen input on plan via communication with planning dept, Commissioner Bertoli and Councilwoman Kepert; realization that perhaps it’s better that Breslin plan isn’t yet written in stone, giving us more opportunity to change it for better.
IX. The meeting was ADJOURNED at 8:30 p.m.
Respectfully submitted, –Gail Lynch-Bailey, MICA Secretary