Featured Story

This week in Shelter Island history

Old, open book with a damaged cover.

50 YEARS AGO IN HISTORY

In the first game in the history of the American Basketball Association the Anaheim Amigos lost to the Oakland Oaks 134-129 in Oakland.

American actress Kate Walsh, who has starred on both Grey’s Anatomy and its spinoff, Private Practice, was born in San Jose, California.

The St. Louis Cardinals beat the Boston Red Sox 4 games to 3 to win the 64th World Series.

Yoko Ono and John Lennon opened an exhibit in London titled “Yoko Plus Me.”

39 people, including singer-activist Joan Baez, were arrested in Oakland, California for blocking the entrance to the city’s military induction center.

And on Shelter Island . . .

50 YEARS AGO

Police split contemplated

It was 50 years ago when the five East End Towns were contemplating offering their own police services in place of Suffolk County Police. The reason, according to those favoring the move, was to cut costs and offer more services to East End communities while still drawing on the county’s department for some assistance.

There was no dissatisfaction with County Police, those pushing the idea said. They just believed they could meet their local needs at less than the $500,000 it was costing to be covered by the county.

POSTSCRIPT: Today, the five towns have their own police departments as do some of the East End villages.

30 YEARS AGO

Prepping for third annual 5K

It was 30 years ago at this time that organizers of the annual 5K run were prepping for the upcoming race. The classic 3.1 mile race was pretty much along the same course that is run today as the Fall 5K Run/Walk for Breast Cancer.

Organizers were hoping for at least 200 runners. While the intent of the race originally was to raise money for various charities, the cost of the event was higher than the money it brought in.

POSTSCRIPT: On October 21, organizers could see 300 or more racers on the course for the 18th annual race that primarily benefits the North Fork Breast Health Coalition and the Coalition for Women’s Cancers at Southampton Hospital.

20 YEARS AGO

Town looks at 2.1 percent tax hike

The year was 1997 and there was no state-imposed 2 percent tax cap as there is today. At the start of the budget season for 1998, the Town Board was looking at a spending plan proposed by Supervisor Hoot Sherman. It totaled $3.838 million and offered 4 percent raises across the board.

POSTSCRIPT: The current budget proposal by Supervisor Jim Dougherty hasn’t been totaled because there are still critical numbers missing, including the cost of health care benefits. Raises are generally proposed at 2 percent, although some are nearer the 3 percent mark.

It’s expected to be near the end of October before the Town Board completes its examination of the numbers and arrives at a budget it will present to voters at a November 8 public meeting.

10 YEARS AGO

Whoops! Budget short on causeway spending

Ten years ago, the Town Board was mired in budget discussions for 2008 when it was discovered that the $594,000 causeway project had failed to make it into the draft. Half was to be reimbursed by a federal grant, but until that money makes it into the coffers, the cost had to accounted for in the budget. There was also a lack of salary listings in the Highway Department budget. Highway Superintendent Mark Ketcham said he had been told not to list the salaries by Supervisor Alfred Kilb Jr. until contract talks had been completed.

But the result of leaving numbers had the possibility of resulting in a tax hike of more than 20 percent.

POSTSCRIPT: Typically, the Highway Department and Public Works account for a hefty piece of each year’s town budget and this year, that will be the same. The Town Board will be weighing requests to increase annual spending for roads in order to get the town on a 20-year cycle for repairs. Highway Superintendent Jay Card Jr. said the town did catch up some in the current year with more money appropriated. It’s on course to catch up, but not to reach that 20-year cycle that would take allocations of $200,000 each year, he said.

[email protected]