Police Chief’s priority: ADA compliance for headquarters, plus Island flood concerns

Police Chief Jim Read let his colleagues on the Capital Planning/Grants Committee know he will be seeking money in the 2027 budget to make his department headquarters compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Ideally, he would hope a grant source might be identified to fund construction. But if a grant can’t be secured, he views the need as critical necessity.

He has plans that were drafted a few years ago, making the station accessible in need of changes to accommodate people who might want to report a situation to those who need to be questioned at length or be jailed overnight.

His words came at the end of an April committee meeting with no discussion among the other members.

Earlier in the meeting there were discussions of other projects, particularly those requiring money for hazard mitigation projects.

North and South ferry company needs to deal with flooding situations topped the list.

Town Engineer Joe Finora said he has spoken with officials of both ferry companies to discuss design plans for flood mitigation. He is working with them to finalize their comments in conjunction with L.T. McLean Associates of Brookhaven, specialists in coastal and marine designs.

Prabhnoor Multani of the New York State Division of Homeland Security Emergency Services (DHSES) has supported the Island efforts to mitigate long-term risks to life and property, expressing pleasure with Mr. Finora’s progress. A partial government shutdown has put funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to be delayed, Town grants consultant Jennifer Mesiano Higham said.

To hit a May 22  deadline for filing a grant application prompted her to advise not to rush an application but wait until 2027. The grants don’t cover planning activities and the emphasis now is on shovel-ready projects, she said.

There will be much competition for grants that are likely to go to communities that have experienced wildfires or significant flooding

Rushing the application can be risky,” Ms. Mesiano Higham warned.

Wise planning make it better to bypass this year and have a solid application ready for 2027, she said.

“Slow and steady wins the race,” Ms. Mesiano Higham said.

BRIC grants

Two areas have recently been identified as needing remediation because low lying roadways tend to wash over from flooding resulting during major storms. The Ram Island Causeway and the entrance to the Westmoreland community block emergency vehicles from reaching people in need. So great is the flooding at times that residents from the Rams and Westmoreland are completely blocked from entering or leaving those areas. Evacuating people in need 0f emergency medical care are also trapped. There have been discussions of raising roadways or purchasing a high water vehicle to respond to emergencies.

Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program is another grant program that has shifted  Federal Emergency Management Agency money from responding to emergencies to taking action to better preparation to avoid dangerous situations.

BRIC grants aim to fund projects that deliver immediate measurable risk reduction, Ms. Mesiano Higham said. Successful applicants tend to be communities that are vulnerable to natural hazards, Ms. Mesiano Higham said.

Tot Lot

The need to bring the Tot Lot up to snuff has been desired, but for awhile seemed like a project that would be long delayed. The work is estimated at $500,000 and with so many pressing needs, it has lingered.

But now,  because it has a high price tag and seemed to be less critical to other needs to many.

When the Tot Lot was first created almost 20 years ago, Supervisor Amber Brach-Williams recalled the cost was about $45,000. 

Now there are New York Play grants that could pay some of the cost, but prior to success, the Town needs to own the Tot Lot  that is part of the school district. Paperwork has been issued to Superintendent Brian Doelger, Ed.D., who said the agreement is with the district’s attorney, but he promised to follow up on the status as the deadline for the application is June 15.

The Town is also looking at increasing the amount of its Community Development Block Grant application that could provide a total of $194,000 and some money from that could be applied to the Tot Lot project.

The announcement that the Shelter Island Lions Club and Gardiner’s Bay Country Club is also considering providing some money from its Rocking for the Rock fundraising effort and has listed the Tot Lot as one of the needs it might be able to help fund.

With various sources contributing, it could still fall short of the full cost, but once it’s known how much might be available from various grant sources, it can reach out to the public, hoping t close the gap with contributions, the supervisor said.