Grand tells Dickson WQI money isn’t ‘slush fund’

The money that assists property owners to install innovative/ alternative (I/A) septic systems is not “a slush fund.” That’s what Water Advisory Commit-tee (WAC) chairman Peter Grand wants Councilman Albert Dickson to understand. The subject arose at an August WAC meeting in discussing funding amassed from a real estate transfer tax paid by purchasers of buyers of Island properties. The money represents up to 20 percent of what comes into the Community Preservation Fund.

Mr. Dickson referred to the money as being seen by some as “a slush fund,” leading to a brief clash between the two men. Mr. Grand has maintained the money is meant to be spent not just for grants to those who want to install I/A septic systems to reduce nitrogen, but for other projects, including the cost of water testing in various areas of the Island.

Mr. Dickson and others, including Greg Toner, who represents the Water Quality Improvement Advisory Board on the WAC, have objected to the money being used for water testing without agreement from those receiving the money to allow full results to be provided to the Town.

Residents of Silver Beach, the Menantic Peninsula and, most recently, Hay Beach have asked for money to pay for water testing in those areas and, perhaps, others.

While the argument between the men flared briefly, it quickly cooled, but as the meeting was ending, Mr. Grand made an appeal to Mr. Dickson not to make further references to the WQI money representing a “slush fund.”

The WAC mission statement was on the Aug. 19 agenda with a draft offered by member Andrew Chap-man and some suggestions from member Doug Sherrod.

Plans called for it to be finalized and submitted to the Town Board with the expectation it would be presented to the Town Board for its approval.

Pointing out his previous calls for actions and not just talk about water-related issues, Mr. Chapman said the WAC has amassed a lot of data and should make recommendations to the Town Board that if adopted would result in ensuring potable water would be available for all Islanders. The role of the WAC is to identify problems and offer recommendations for tackling them. It should base its recommendations on science and data, he added, and present information on risks and rewards as well as costs of various solutions and offer potential sources of funding.

Member Lisa Shaw outlined plans for gathering information from people visiting the WAC’s table at the Aug. 24 Green Expo with simple questions, including whether residents have concerns about water quality in their area and where they live; whether they have had their water tested in the past five years. The survey would also ask if they would be willing to have test results submitted to the Town as well as the property owner.

She, Mr. Chapman and Town Engineer Joe Finora participated in a WAC-sponsored public forum under the tent at the Library on Aug. 27 to discuss with residents options for dealing with potable water issues. A followup forum is planned for this fall, Mr. Grand said.

On another issue, Mr. Finora shared an update he has previously given to the Town Board on the status of a septic system to serve the Center municipal complex.

As he told the Town Board, there is no easy solution and a lot of factors come into play in terms of not just cost, but what will pass muster with both the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and the Suffolk County Department of Health Services.

Another necessary consideration is future needs for various buildings. The library, following the school, plans to install its own I/A system. But should it come back into the fold, its expansion project soon to be underway will impact its needs that would be expected to expand. Similarly, the Town Hall complex present needs are expected to change with expansions to accommodate its growing staff. Add to that more expansion that could take place to add conference or other space and that, too, could affect what system would be needed.

Given the buildings expected to be served by whatever systems are in the mix — expected to include the Community Center, Police Department, Justice Court and the Center Firehouse — some buildings are easy to accommodate and others, more complex. The Police Department, for example would be an easy building to accommodate with an I/A system and its use and corresponding needs are not expected to change, Mr. Finora said.

The Town Hall complex is expected to be more intensive and expensive, he said.

But the needs for each building will also be affected by the parcel sizes that determine if there is enough space to properly separate septic systems from wells.

There are also more strict requirements for these public buildings than for residential properties.

Add to that testing in Sachem’s Woods to determine if there is a source of clean water that could be found and accessed through a well dug there and pumped to at least some of the buildings.

Suffolk Country Water Authority (SCWA) officials are willing to conduct the testing and if the site proves to be able to provide potable water, that could be achieved by the SCWA. SCWA already manages the West Neck Water District and Dering Harbor’s water system. But there is skepticism from some Islanders about greater involvement of the SCWA, Mr. Finora said.