Columns

This week in Shelter Island history

Old, open book with a damaged cover.

50 YEARS AGO IN HISTORY

British Motor Corporation and Jaguar Cars announced merger plans to become British Motor Holdings.

Actor Matthew Fox, best known for roles in the Fox Network’s “Party of Five” and “Lost” was born in Abington, Pennsylvania.

Mass murderer Richard Speck murdered eight student nurses in their Chicago dormitory and was arrested two days after the killings.

British Prime Minister Harold Wilson flew to Moscow to try to broker peace talks to end the Vietnam war, but his suggestions were rejected by Soviet Union leaders.

“Half A Sixpence,” a musical comedy based on the H.G. Wells novel , “Kipps: The Story of a Simple Soul,” closed at the Broadhurst Theater in New York City after 512 performances and a Tony win the year before.

And on Shelter Island …

50 YEARS AGO
The history of the Historical Society

The Shelter Island Historical Society announced an upcoming July meeting 50 years ago, noting that the society, itself, was only a few months old. The meeting at the time was to be held at the Shelter Island Library.

POSTSCRIPT: Today, the thriving and growing Historical Society has its own home at Havens House and is engaged in an expansion project to provide more space for exhibits, record storage and work space for researchers using its resources.

30 YEARS AGO
How is town hiring handled?

That was a topic for a spirited discussion 30 years ago at a Town Board meeting when a woman who had applied to volunteer as secretary for then Police Chief George Ferrer learned the job had become paid and someone else had been hired.

Jeffrey Simes, who was supervisor at the time, said he had made the decision that the job should be filled by a paid employee and the Town Board had voted in favor of the appointment. Only Alfred Kilb Jr., who was then a councilman, had voted against the appointment, but said at the time it was because he thought the position wasn’t needed.

Mr. Simes said he thought it probably would be appropriate in the future to advertise town jobs and said he would consider doing so in the future.

POSTSCRIPT: Today, town jobs are generally based on Civil Service tests and are advertised with the Town Board interviewing potential candidates before settling on an appointee.

20 YEARS AGO
Beach permits may be required at Reel Point

The Town Board scheduled a public hearing 20 years ago on a proposed new town law meant to curb parking on the town landing at Reel Point.

The action came after a busy Fourth of July weekend when congestion in the area was considerable. Plans called for a restricted parking area that would include Club Drive, southward of Ram Island Road. Nearby Tuthill Road was already a private road.

Residents were to be granted free parking permits while nonresidents would be assessed a $25 annual fee.

The area had a reputation for being a mecca for non-sticker parking, according to then supervisor Hoot Sherman.

POSTSCRIPT: The Peconic Land Trust that owns much of Reel Point and the town are exploring ways to shore up Reel Point that has, through the years, been badly eroded.

Previous efforts to restore what has become a fragile area have met with ultimate failure, so before more money is spent, there needs to be a means of determining what will work.

10 YEARS AGO
Kilb battles perception of inaction on ticks

People didn’t seem to know it, but the town has been working hard to reduce the tick threat by reducing the deer herd, then supervisor Alfred Kilb Jr. said 10 years ago.

Previous administrations had also worked to battle the problem, Mr. Kilb said. But he rejected a push at the time to seek Department of Environmental permission to use 4-poster units here. There wasn’t enough information to justify the investment, Mr. Kilb argued.

POSTSCRIPT: Ten years later, the town continues to battle tick infestations that result in residents and visitors contracting tick-borne diseases.

Four-posters have been in use here since the town became part of a three year pilot program by Cornell University and Cornell Cooperative Extension. When the program that ran from 2008 through 2010 ended, the town took over the units, but has deployed fewer than the 60 that were in use during the Cornell study.

At the same time, there is added emphasis in the past year on culling the herd.