Town to seek grant to clean up Fresh Pond: Board has abandoned idea for unified Center septic system

By a 4-0 vote Tuesday the Town Board approved filing an application with Suffolk County for a grant to finance a pilot project for the next step in cleaning up Fresh Pond.

And in the process of discussing the issue, it was revealed that the idea of a unified septic system for Center buildings is off the drawing board. During the meeting, Gordon Gooding  wanted to know why the Town Board couldn’t proceed on two tracks at the same time — the Fresh Pond project and I/A systems for Center municipal buildings.

Councilman Benjamin Dyett said the Town Board is, indeed working on the Center effort, even though it hadn’t been discussed because of all the other matters on agendas. Mr. Dyett revealed what was suspected. The Town Board has abandoned the central wastewater system that proved so controversial during the previous administration. It now appears likely individual I/A systems will be installed in those Center buildings.

The cost of the Fresh Pond pilot project — which includes removing toxic nitrates and phosphorus from the pond — is expected to be $325,000; the Town would be expected to pay half of that cost. It’s possible, however, that the Town might also apply for a State grant for the project, and if both come through, it would cancel out the need for the Town to pay any of the cost of the pilot project.

That the matter came to a vote in a special meeting Tuesday following the work session was a surprise since a week earlier, Mr.  Dyett had told his colleagues he thought money could be better spent on installation of I/A system grants for Fresh Pond residents.

But Mr. Dyett Tuesday led the way to the successful vote on the pilot project, explaining he had spent the weekend researching what had gone before and why the project should be pursued.

What he learned was how much money had already been spent on the project and how much the Fresh Pond Neighborhood Association had contributed to the effort.

If a week earlier he declared that only those who live around Fresh Pond care about that body of water, he learned how many who don’t live there have contributed funds to push the project forward because of what Fresh Pond has meant to them and their families through the years.

Thanks to Supervisor Amber Brach-Williams, Deputy Supervisor Meg Larsen, members of the Fresh Pond Neighbors Association, including Peter Grand, who is chairman of the Water Advisory Committee, Town Attorney Stephen Kiely and others had spent time with Mr. Dyett spelling out all that had gone before.

Only Councilman Albert Dickson expressed some concern that he was hearing about the need for a grant decision so late. He said it was “sprung” on him at the last minute and he wished it had been discussed earlier. The application, however, had to be filed with the county by June 7, so Tuesday was the do-or-die date for a decision.

Mr. Dickson joined his colleagues in approving the grant application.