Projects for Shelter Island Town-owned buildings under discussion

The Capital Planning/Grants Committee is focused on how to put to use $70,000 in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) money. 

A decision has been made on making some critical Town-owned buildings compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act. The question at this stage is which structure or structures will ultimately be selected.

For awhile, the plan was to work on Police Headquarters and Justice Court. But the money isn’t enough for both projects. Another alternative is the Community Center, which continues to house the American Legion Hall.

Discussions at Town Board and Capital Planning /Grants Committee meetings indicate late October to decide where the money could go for access and improvements to the Police Department and/or the Community Center.

That puts Public Works Commissioner Ken Lewis Jr. front and center in terms of determining what can be done to each building and how much it will cost.

What was discussed at the Oct. 28 CapPlan/Grants meeting was a relatively small project that would provide access to the basement of Police Headquarters where a person could be brought in for questioning — a possible arrest and holding area.

Mr. Lewis indicated although some work could be done by a Public Works Department crew, costs could add up because of the presence of concrete and bricks.

As for the Community Center, it would be a larger project that could easily use all of the grant money, and perhaps more.

Mr. Lewis is charged with getting estimates of what it would take for installation not of a full elevator, but a lift that could work and be less expensive. It’s expected a decision could come in during the third week of November.

There are other grants that could be on tap for 2026, but answers the Town Board would need to have to move forward are stalled by the government shutdown in Washington.

Grant writer Jennifer Mesiano Higham promised to get word to officials as soon as the government solves its budget issues that have many government offices closed.