Septic law receives public hearing at Town Hall
An attempt by the Town Board to create a data base of septic systems on Shelter Island isn’t ready for prime time. Draft legislation on the issue was the subject of a public hearing on September 15.
Contractor Peder Larsen, responsible for upgrading and replacing many of the systems on the Island, said that while he understood the intent of the proposed law, the result could require compliance expenses many residents can’t afford .
Building Permit Examiner Lori Beard Raymond said the legislation is simply to provide the town with data so the type of system each property has and where they’re installed can be recorded.
Many residents have no idea where their septic systems are located, what type they have or, when work is done, they don’t always know whether a new system was installed, an existing system repaired or simply pumped out, Ms. Beard Raymond said.
The wording in the draft required notification to the town of repairs and changes to existing systems or construction of new ones that need a building permit. A building permit would also be required if any system is moved, repaired or replaced.
At the suggestion of Councilman Jim Colligan, Mr. Larsen agreed to work with Ms. Beard Raymond on a revision of the proposed law.
PIERCING THE CAP
The Town Board voted unanimously to allow the town to go above the state tax levy cap if it’s necessary to fund the 2018 budget. That doesn’t mean the cap will be pierced, although the Town Board has done so in the past.
By law, a vote is needed now, before budget talks get underway at the beginning of October
In other business, the Town Board:
• Allocated an additional $100,000 to be spent on road repairs since the money came from a 100 percent reimbursable grant and had not previously been allocated as income
• Set $150 as the annual fee for certain businesses to operate on town beaches or parks or on streets within 500 feet of the boundary of any town landing or park
• Awarded the contract for a horizontal grinder to Construction & Industrial Equipment of Lodi, New Jersey, at a cost of $710,000. The company was not the lowest bidder, but other bids failed to meet specifications.
• Appointed Mark Cappellino as a member of the Conservation Advisory Council
• Appointed Mike Bunce as a FIT aide at the rate of $16.66 per hour, retroactive to September 1
• Appointed Deborah Brewer as a part-time custodian, retroactive to September 3, at the rate of $25 per hour
• Approved a filming permit to GV Productions on Huntsville, Alabama, to film at 52 Peconic Avenue and on Grand Avenue between Waverly Place and Meadow Place on September 19 and 20, but agreed that in the event of foul weather, the shoot could occur the following weekend since it would not affect traffic at either site.
• Approved a fireworks permit for Fireworks by Grucci to have a display in Dering Harbor near the Dering Harbor Inn on September 24 at approximately 7:15 p.m.
