$350,00 to flow from state to Shelter Island
New York State money totaling about $350,000 is ticketed for Shelter Island.
Supervisor Jim Dougherty announced at Tuesday’s Town Board work session he’d heard from Assemblyman Fred Thiele Jr. (I-Sag Harbor) that $25,000 had been “locked up” for the Island. An additional $100,000 has been promised by the office of State Senator Ken LaValle (R-Port Jefferson) for the Island.
The latter funds will be dedicated for capital projects, but the $250,000 secured by Mr. Thiele is “pretty wide open” when it comes to spending, Mr. Dougherty said.
The town will spend the money and be reimbursed by the state later, Mr. Dougherty said. He suggested that “we spend it on something we would have spent it on anyway,” and his colleagues agreed.
Mr. Dougherty asked Commissioner of Public Works Jay Card Jr. for his suggestions. Part of the funds should be “put back in our roads,” Mr. Card said. We’re way, way behind where we should be and every dollar spent now will save us four, five or six times.”
Another project that should be addressed, Mr. Card said, was the roof at the Medical Center, with an estimated coast of about $30,000. Councilman Paul Shepherd noted that the board should “keep the Medical Center roof on the front burner. If it fails there will be additional costs inside.”
Town Clerk Dorothy Ogar mentioned the parking lots at town hall and Police Department headquarters, both described by Mr. Card as “terrible.” Fixing the lots has a price tag of about $90,000, Mr. Card added.
Councilwoman Chris Lewis suggested that a priority should be to fix the culvert under Midway Road at Dickerson Creek to save a salt marsh, which would cost about $25,000, Mr. Card said.
Mr. Dougherty said after further consultation with his colleagues, he’ll be in touch with Mr. Thiele and Mr. LaValle with a list of projects the town will undertake to be reimbursed.
In other business, the board was in agreement to change its policy of providing $105 a month up front to pay 26 retired town employees for a part of their Medicare expenses. In the future, the town will reimburse the retirees.
