Friday clean-up, fuel depot update

Several weeks ago, Ms. Sherry Peregrin approached me about an Island-wide clean-up day. The event would be called “Trash Mash” and would help the community in an effort to be more aware of the need to use the three “R’s” — reduce, reuse and recycle.


This event will take place on the day after Thanksgiving. [See Calendar, p. B5.] There are private sponsors and the Highway Department will be providing unmarked yellow trash bags and gloves for the clean-up. This event will not only help keep Shelter Island clean and beautiful, but will help keep the environment healthy.


The government-mandated program MS4 — Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems — shows that runoff from the roads, parking lots and lawns is not the only pollution problem. Litter is a big contributor of illicit discharges to the environment. Please take part in this event and become part of a solution to litter.


The new fuel depot is well underway and the sub-contractor expects to be done by the first week in December. The new depot was funded by a state grant I found and asked our grant writers to look into. It is a “shared services” grant. The Town, the Shelter Island School District and the Village of Dering Harbor will share the facility. 


This will allow the school and village to purchase fuel at a discounted rate, which turns into saving taxpayers money. The grant was a 90 percent/10 percent match, which means the town has purchased a new $200,000 fuel depot for $20,000, a huge savings to the taxpayers.


Leaf clean-up, installing catch basins, screening sand for the winter ice, and cutting roadside brush have been keeping the highway crews busy. If you have any requests and/or comments please call my office at 631-749-1090 or drop me an email at [email protected].