Fireworks show pulled from agenda for Town Board work session

Shelter Island Chamber President Art Williams was expected to report to the Town Board today on the status of the Chamber’s proposed Labor Day weekend fireworks show. But he asked Supervisor Jim Dougherty to take him off the agenda because, unofficially, it looks as if the fireworks show won’t go on after all.

Mr. Williams said his sense from Chamber members was that most preferred not to put on a Labor Day weekend show. He said the Chamber members probably would make that decision official with a vote at their meeting on Wednesday.

The topic was one of several items on one of the longest agendas the supervisor’s office has posted for a work session this summer.

Mr. Williams told the Town Board a week ago that the Chamber had decided to go ahead with an end-of-summer show on Sunday, September 2 and had begun the process of obtaining the required permits. But the Chamber began polling its members later in the week by email, asking if they wanted the show to be held or not.

Mr. Williams said in an interview then that restaurant owners had complained that a fireworks show would disrupt their dinner business at the earlier time dusk falls in September compared to mid-July, when the fireworks show was twice canceled because of a glitch and weather.

For more details, see this week’s August 2 Reporter.

The Town Board agenda for today’s 1 p.m. work session was as follows:

1. A.    Work Session
   1. Proposed law re abandoned underground fuel tanks
   2. Kogel bulkhead permit
   3. Lane wetlands permit
   4. September 2 fireworks
   5. Tax Receiver software

B.    Special Town Board Meeting

1. 1. Outdoor assembly permit applications
   2. Taylor’s Island resolution

C.    Executive Session

1. 1. Contract negotiations