This week in Shelter Island history
50 YEARS AGO IN HISTORY
The Beatles, after declaring an end to touring, released their eighth and many said, their best album, “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.”
Lucille Ball took home an Emmy for the best performance by an actress in a lead role for The Lucy Show.
Roy Emerson defeated Tony Roche in the French Open tennis tournament.
CNN newsman Anderson Cooper was born in New York City to Gloria Vanderbilt and Wyatt Emory Cooper.
Protests in West Berlin against the arrival of the Shah of Iran resulted in violence and 27-year-old Benno Ohnesorg was killed, giving rise to the terrorist group 2 June Movement.
And on Shelter Island . . .
50 YEARS AGO
Citizens form SIA
It was 50 years ago that a group of residents gathered on a warm Saturday afternoon laying the groundwork for The Shelter Island Association.
The purpose of the fledgling organization was “to initiate, broaden, assist and encourage a continuing participation by residents and property owners in any activity having a bearing on the betterment, advancement and best interest of Shelter Island,” according to its mission statement.
Group leaders said the statement was purposely broad to allow members to achieve their aims.
POSTSCRIPT: The SIA remains a thriving organization today, bringing together people from various neighborhood association to discuss issues to bring to bear on decisions made by the Town Board.
30 YEARS AGO
East End supes protest PBA settlement
In early June 1987, the East End Supervisors and Mayors Association was pushing back against Police Benevolent Associations in the area about forcing police departments to hire full-time officers instead of seasonal employees.
With expanding populations on the East End in summer months, the need for the “provisionals” is critical, said then Sag Harbor Mayor George Butts.
“If we have to go out and hire more full-timers just to use in the summertime, it’s going to be a disaster,” he said.
POSTSCRIPT: The towns all use summer part-time officers today, while some who start in that role go on to join departments as full-time officers when there is an opening.
20 YEARS AGO
HPOC focuses on NEXTEL antenna application
The Heights Property Owners Corporation inked a contract with NEXTEL to install antennas atop the water tower on Prospect Avenue amidst wooded home sites. Members complained they were not consulted before the HPOC board took the action.
POSTSCRIPT: Currently pending are two applications from the Shelter Island Fire Department — one for a tower at the Manhansett Firehouse on Cobbetts Lane and the other for a higher tower at the Center Firehouse to better facilitate radio calls and communications among firefighters on the scene in areas where there are currently dead zones. The Cobbetts Lane tower would also provide space for cell phone providers to attach antennas. Both need ZBA approvals and the Cobbetts Lane tower has drawn criticisms from neighbors.
10 YEARS AGO
Beach rules, parking need work
The Town Board was faced with more than the usual struggles about parking at beaches in 2007 because of a torn up parking lot at Wades Beach and a closing of traffic to Shell Beach.
Having already experienced overcrowding at beaches the previous weekend, Police Chief Jim Read asked the Town Board to consider signs and enforcement at beaches by May 15 in future years instead of June 15.
There was also an issue of a wedding scheduled at Wade’s Beach in late June and a question about whether the parking area would be ready or the wedding moved to Crescent Beach. But a request to put a tent and dance floor on the beach met with stiff opposition.
POSTSCRIPT: Popular Shelter Island town beaches typically attract visitors and for the past two years, the town has sold day passes to visitors who aren’t staying on the Island. Those staying at hotels and B&Bs typically get beach passes that are sold to those establishments for use by their guests.
