This week in Shelter Island history

10 YEARS AGO
Sgt. Card is officer of the year

The Kiwanis Club of Southampton chose 18-year Shelter Island Police veteran Jay Card at its officer of the year, honoring him at an awards ceremony in Aquebogue. Sgt. Card was selected for his “overall performance,” according to Chief Jim Read who said the officer’s initiative and “countless hours of his own time” spent overhauling the department’s records management system made him deserving of the honor. He also spearheaded the department’s Speed Enforcement Education program, a community policing effort to reduce speeding on the Island. That program had earned an innovative practices award from the Automobile Club of New York.

POSTSCRIPT: Today, Mr. Card has just completed his first year as the town’s highway superintendent and commissioner of public works, winning applause from officials and residents for his performance in those jobs.

20 YEARS AGO
Garbage statistics review good and bad news

The results of a more than year-long study of recycling on Shelter Island in 1993 revealed that Islanders were headed toward a hike in fees for bags needed to dispose of garbage. But statistics also showed that there was an increase in the amount of materials being recycled, not only saving the town money in disposing of garbage, but also bringing in some income from recycling. Still, the overall effort was operating at a deficit that needed to be made up with tax money.

POSTSCRIPT: Public Works Commissioner Jay Card Jr. continues to see an increase in people recycling today and is exploring sources to sell those recyclables with an eye to increasing revenues to the town.

30 YEARS AGO
Health officials probe Island’s medical needs

Then supervisor Mal Nevel chaired a round of meetings in 1983 to discuss how Shelter Island’s medical needs were being handled. Members of the medical profession, county officials and other related representatives responded to questions from residents. Concerns emerged after the announcement that Dr. George Stroll was going to retire in May 1993. But the retirement wasn’t the only issue. The Town Board wanted to ensure the  town-owned Medical Center was being used to its fullest capacity in meeting the needs of an aging population on the Island.

POSTSCRIPT: Today, Island Urgent operating here as Shelter Island Family Medicine, staffs the Medical Center several days a week and has made a commitment to the Island that in a storm such as Sandy, someone would be available on the Island before and throughout to meet critical needs. Physicians Assistant John Reilly was on duty through Sandy and did handle one critically ill patient who had to be transported to Southampton Hospital.

50 YEARS AGO
Conflict of interest cited in firing
Then building inspector Michael Minenna was required to resign  his post in 1963 because the Town Board is prohibited from hiring anyone for a paid post who is engaged in a separate business related to that post. Mr. Minenna was a plumber. Not only was the resignation required by town code, but it was in line with the New York State Building Code that the town was in the process of adopting.

POSTSCRIPT: Bill Banks is the current building inspector who will be starting his 18th year on the job in May.