A Message

from MAYOR MARGOT GARANT

Who can believe it's September already and where did the summer go? September and the fall months are always a refreshing time in the Village of Port Jefferson as our residents feel as if they get our streets back and enjoy strolling downtown and participating in many of the Village events that take place. 

This year we celebrate our 13^th Village Cup Regatta where we sail against Mather Hospital, in partnership with the Port Jefferson Yacht Club, to heighten awareness and raise money to fight pancreatic cancer. Each year the competition is fierce to win the vetted cup in a sailing race in the harbor. The real winners, however, are the Lustgarten Foundation and the Palliative Care Unit at Mather Hospital and those who help care for those inflicted with and who battle against this disease on a daily basis. 

If you've never experienced the thrill of the Dragon Boat races, please come down to Harborfront Park on September 17^th to enjoy a day full of competition, culture, and camaraderie. Be sure to visit the second floor of the Village Center for a photographic exhibit of Cedar Hill Cemetery entitled Hidden Sanctuary of Our Past. One of our valued treasures at the Village Center is the archive room where we currently house over 23,000 digitized, historic images of the history of the Village and surrounding communities. Thanks to former historian Kenneth Brady for his contributions to the archive over the years, our current Village historian Chris Ryon for his research and collaborative efforts, the volunteers of the Conservancy and our staff member, Susan Orifici, for making these historic exhibits possible and extremely interesting. All exhibits are open to the public, free of charge. 

Although there's so much to talk about, in summary, I will mention that we were very happy to attend a tour of the new Conifer building which is the new gateway building and a cornerstone in the revitalization efforts of Upper Port. I was thrilled to see the open common spaces and the many amenities for all residents with luxurious one and two- bedroom apartments with large windows and gorgeous views, smartly located next to the railroad station. This building offers 100% affordable housing which will make a perfect partner to engage Stony Brook University students and young, working professionals to be able to live in a safe place and help us make a distinct new community in Upper Port. Importantly, a 3000 square-foot retail space on the main level awaits a brand-new tenant, such as a new coffee house or bagel shop which will help create the new vibe that we've been waiting for in Upper Port.

THE FIRE DEPARTMENT DONATES 4X4

Safety is the priority!

The public safety of the Incorporated Village of Port Jefferson is a priority for both the Village and Port Jefferson Fire Department. They work hand in hand on emergencies and safety in our Village. PJFD has taken it a step further by donating a Ford Expedition 4x4 to the Village for the Fire Marshal to use.

The vehicle was previously the Chief's vehicle used for incident command and has been at almost all of the major incidents that have happened in the past 12 years!

The Chief used it as a base of operations. It was also used to reach people amid storms when roads were impassable to non-4x4 vehicles.

Now that it's retired from its duties as an incident command vehicle, it will be utilized by Fire Marshal Stumpf for his daily use, including commercial inspections, apartment license inspections, responding to alarm activations, and keeping us safe!

The SUV is an excellent addition to our community's public safety network!

Selah Strong: An Overlooked hero of the Culper Spy Ring by Mark Sternberg

DIVE INTO HISTORY!

Learn about undercover PJ Patriots that helped General George Washington

Come celebrate Port Jefferson's history with George Washington's Culper Spy Ring. Our area is full of intriguing and hidden stories of how America's first spy ring came together secretly to provide General George Washington with the information needed to turn the tide of the American Revolution.

How did this all come to be? Where did they meet up? Who were these people, anyway?

You'll find out on Saturday, September 10^th, at the Drowned Meadow Cottage Museum at 141 West Broadway. The museum will be open from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm for FREE family fun activities.



You'll have the opportunity to participate in guided tours, re-enactments by privateers who plundered the Roe family (our very own local spies!), and colonial-themed storytelling for children. There will also be enlarged battlefield maps available for viewing, as well as new exhibits featuring AI-created artwork and a historical display of the role of our local colonists. George Washington's Culper Spy Ring is the stuff of legends—and it happened right here! So come on out and join us for a day full of fun activities! You won't want to miss this chance to explore our area's rich history with friends old and new!

More On Mark Sternberg, Our Expert Volunteer

If adventure, intrigue, and meeting a published history expert are your thing. Then you have to meet Mark Sternberg!

His research has connected Port Jefferson to General George Washington's Culper Spy Ring. If you haven't heard of the Culper Spy Ring, they established a sophisticated and unconventional method of conveying information to General Washington to help win the revolutionary war.

Mark is our Culper Spy Ring Historian for the Drowned Meadow Cottage Museum, also known as the home of Phillips Roe. When you meet Mark, his excitement for our history is contagious. He pulls you into our past, leaving you amazed at the journey he is taking you on! "Roe was a farmer and merchant who also was part of George Washington's Culper Spy Ring. As part of my role as the Culper Spy Ring Historian, I'm doing a deep dive into the Roe family of Drowned Meadow, the former name for Port Jefferson, and I've made a lot of headway in finding out more about how the Roes played key roles in the Culper Spy Ring." Mark shares. "I've been interested in the Culper Spy Ring since 2013. I read Dr. Robert Sisler's books and wanted to know more about Phillips and Nathaniel Roe Jr.'s participation. When I checked with the Port Jefferson Village Historian at the time, I was told that the Roe brothers' role in the Culper Spy Ring was just legend. However, I wasn't convinced and kept researching. I eventually tracked down the letter I was looking for, which we now refer to as the 'Letter of Significance' from Loyalist Nehemiah Marks which definitively tied the brothers to the Ring. With the COVID pandemic in 2020, I moved back to Long Island and returned to my research on the Roe's involvement in the spy ring and met with the museum team to make new material for the upcoming museum."

We asked Mark - What are the most exciting discoveries from your Culper Spy research? And he responded - "Why spoil the surprise!?! I recommend everyone attend on September 10^th to see the first batch of discoveries that will help reshape our understanding of the Culper Spy Ring and the role the residents of Drowned Meadow played. I'm also excited to announce that I had a big discovery regarding Selah Strong that serves as the basis for my featured article in the Fall issue of New York Archives Magazine." Click here to read Mark's eye-opening article.

He truly loves sharing his excitement with people. "On a few occasions when I've been working in the Cottage, I've had people knock repeatedly on the door, desperately wanting to see inside. Many are huge Culper Spy Ring fans, but some are just passionate Port Jefferson residents. I don't have it in me to turn them away, so I may do a short impromptu tour, but I can see in their reactions that they deeply appreciate it and love learning one more piece of Long Island's rich history. The feeling reminds me of the same way I felt when I was younger, and Mildred Michos and Dr. Sisler would share their love for Port Jeff's history with us as schoolchildren. The passion is infectious, and you always just want to know more."

The Drowned Meadow Cottage Museum will be a destination for both residents and tourists. Mark and the team have made it all happen. "It's been wonderful to work with Chris Ryon, our Village Historian - his enthusiasm for history (and pretty much everything) has been a great help to our team moving towards our final vision for the museum. Tara Penske has also been helpful in creating programs for children, particularly when a Revolutionary War spy ring can be a bit of a complicated topic. I'll also never forget the late Jill Russell, who was just an incredible person to get to know and work with as part of my previous volunteering with the Village. I also owe a huge debt of gratitude to my wife Lara and my family for helping me with my research and in preparing the museum for opening. I know the entire team has also appreciated Mayor Garant and Village Clerk Barbara Sakovich's unwavering support through this entire process." 

Don't miss the must-see reopening event on September 10^th from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm at the Drowned Meadow Cottage Museum. If you are interested in volunteering, please reach out! The Drowned Meadow Cottage Museum is always looking for new volunteers and anyone passionate about the Revolutionary War era on Long Island.

from Deputy Mayor Kathianne Snaden

#PJBEAUTIFUL

Take time to stop and enjoy the flowers!

Deputy Mayor Kathianne Snaden and the Parks Department team have been hard at work creating a beautiful landscape here in Port Jefferson. As you walk around the Village, you have enjoyed spring blooms and summer splendor, but now with fall entering the picture - it will be even more amazing! These types of details are what make our Village unique and beautiful and elevate it to another level!

Thank you, Trustee Snaden for your vision and hard work!

CONSTRUCTION AT EAST BEACH

Click the video to see the progress

The construction of our East Beach bluff stabilization wall is now underway! We will keep you updated on how the construction is coming along.

Please stay clear of East Beach. It is not safe for the public to be there. Heavy equipment and materials will take up most of the parking lot and the beach, not just the work area. The entire site will be an active construction zone with vehicles, equipment, and other material being moved around.

Be sure to check out future eReports to follow along as our bluff project advances.

From Code Chief Leute

This past week there were reports of persons attempting to open car doors in our Village. As most are aware, we have mentioned this numerous times at our monthly board meetings at Village Hall. Several homeowners had these individuals walk up their driveways and try the doors on their vehicles. Code was forwarded video of the subjects and the vehicle they were using, a white, mid-size SUV. Three persons are viewed; one driving the car, and one checking car doors on each side of the street.   Please be diligent and lock your car doors each night to avoid having any items stolen. Please also remember that leaving a bag, packages, a pocketbook or any items of interest within plain view in the car could cause these criminals to break a window to grab that item.   These incidents are reported to have occurred between 1:00 am and 4:30 am. SCPD is aware of this illegal activity, and Code has requested additional midnight residential patrols. Please be aware of these occurrences, and call Police immediately if you see this or any suspicious activity or behavior in your neighborhood. Please also notify Code by calling 631-774-0066 and advising our staff as well. Always tell us your name, street address, a call back number, and a description of the event that has occurred.

The best way to avoid being victimized by these criminals is to simply lock your car doors each night. If we all lock our doors, they will avoid our area as the proceeds of their acts will be less than perhaps other areas.

Thank you!

PLEASE DON'T FEED THE DEER

 

Wild animals have specialized diets. If you feed deer in your backyard or at a park, you could be harming them instead of helping them. Bringing deer together at feeding sites increases their risk of contracting communicable diseases, such as chronic wasting disease, from other deer.

Supplemental feeding of wild deer is harmful and can:

1. Cause bouts of severe diarrhea and dehydration, which could be deadly, and they can become malnourished or die if fed the wrong foods.

2. Increase the number of deer-vehicle collisions when they are coaxed into residential neighborhoods.

3. Encourage deer to accept human presence, leading to other dangerous interactions between deer and humans.

4. Cause the spread of Tick-Bourne diseases.

5. Cause damage to the natural habitat. Deer being fed also eat vegetation in the surrounding area, which can lead to overgrazing. Plants in that area can be damaged or destroyed by the deer. The result is a habitat that supports fewer animals. In turn, the deer become dependent on artificial feeding.

6. Cause decreased nutrition for deer during winter. Deer are ruminants like cows and have a multi-chambered stomach with a complicated digestive process. If the type of food the deer consume is suddenly changed through feeding by humans, it can take a considerable time for the digestive process to adapt to the new food. The animal can receive little nutrition when it needs it most.

7. Alter the migratory movements of deer to critical wintering areas.

Lisa Jaeger

Jaegers Run Animal Rescue Inc.

Lisa Jaeger is a certified wildlife rescuer and Jaegers Run Animal Rescue Inc founder. Transport-recovery and rehabilitation of sick, injured, abused and abandoned - wild and domestic animals are the rescue's primary focus.

LISEC QUICK & DIRTY BOAT BUILD COMPETITION RECAP

Fun was had by all!

The Quick & Dirty Boat Build is a family-friendly annual event where the contestants come out to design, build, test, and race human-powered watercraft during a weekend of fun in the harbor!

Seven teams participated, and it was a beautiful weekend with perfect weather. Ken Callirgos and Matt Deveau took first place. Second place (Alex and Andrew Smith) and third place (Doug Santo and Chris Voorhis) teams were on a crazy journey. They battled each other, paddling backward all the way across the finish line. 

After climbing out of their boats at the end of the race, the competitors high-fived each other, which shows the spirit of the event. It's about quick thinking, fun, and teamwork. Keep a lookout in August 2023 for the 12^th annual Quick & Dirty Boat Build! It is a family fun day, intertwining engineering and physics with sunshine and laughter. 

TAKING ACTION FOR OUR ENVIRONMENT

Technology leads to effective collaboration

Trustees Kathianne Snaden and Rebecca Kassay, with a passion for beautification and environmental efforts, have created synergy in their activities. Starting last year, Kathianne Snaden led a beautification project throughout the Village. At the same time, Rebecca Kassay's pursuits have been focused on environmental sustainability, including a project to identify and replace the dead, dying, or missing trees along Village streets. That left them to find a significant overlap between interests in the built environment and the natural environment.

"Street trees are an important aspect of the Village's environmental efforts, which I've been assessing as the Village's Commissioner of Environmental Sustainability; these trees can provide habitat, reduce ambient temperatures, absorb rainfall, capture carbon, and so much more. Street tree efforts also fit naturally into Trustee Snaden's beautification efforts, adding seasonal interest and the charm of quaint-feeling tree-lined Village streets. By collaborating, Trustees consider a wider variety of perspectives while addressing Village issues, producing optimal solutions for the Village: why not provide spring blossoms and autumn colors while taking action to combat climate change and flooding?" States Trustee Kassay.

Next time you're strolling down East Main Street- especially on a hot day- be mindful of how it feels to walk along the sections lined with healthy street trees versus those without a leafy canopy. Trees lower surface and air temperatures by providing shade and by a process called evapotranspiration. Shaded surfaces- think asphalt, sidewalks, benches- can be 20–45°F cooler than the peak temperatures of unshaded surfaces. Street trees also add to Port Jefferson Village's unique sense of place, making it a more attractive place to stroll around. Additionally, this effort addresses potential safety concerns, as we will remove dead tree limbs and see that the tree beds are leveled with stones or grates.

"In the long run, the goal is for the Village to have a comprehensive map of and plan for their street trees. We will work with property owners, both commercial and private, along with the Business Improvement District to plant street trees, further enhancing the beauty and resilience of the Village," explains Trustee Snaden.

In order to pinpoint and describe each tree site in need of replacement or maintenance, as well as sites that would benefit from the addition of street trees, Rebecca has used Google Maps to create a tool that will enable everyone involved to have a more concise path forward. This use of technology will maintain clarity for all involved.

Stay tuned for updates at future board meetings. Residents with thoughts or questions about this effort can reach out to Trustee Kassay (trustee-kassay@portjeff.com) and Trustee Snaden (trustee-snaden@portjeff.com).  

THERE'S A NEW BUILDING IN TOWN

and it's going to change the game.

We're talking about Port Jefferson Crossing, the apartments opening soon uptown. It's a brand-new three-story building that will offer residents an affordable place to live. It's an excellent option for young people just starting out or empty nesters looking to downsize.

Our Mayor, Village trustees, Village attorney, Director of Economic Development, members of the Planning Board, and Zoning Board of Appeals visited to see the progress made firsthand. "I'm thrilled to see this project come to fruition. Having a bright, beautiful new building at the gateway to our Village, coupled with the fact that it will provide affordable housing, is very exciting. I'm looking forward to the continued transformation of Upper Port, and this project is a fantastic start." shares Deputy Mayor Kathianne Snaden.

It's not just apartments. It's a mixed-use building that includes retail space and underground parking. The first floor of the building is a very spacious, bright, and airy retail space. We can't wait to see it full of life, whether it be a wet or dry space or a combination of the two!

So why are we so excited about this new development? Because it is the next step in the uptown revitalization process! It's great news for our residents and our extended community. 

Many applications are submitted for this housing, but the process of approving them has not begun yet.

Ribbon cutting for the grand opening should be around Thanksgiving. We'll keep you posted!

Meet Brian Rowe, the Assistant Labor Crew Leader for the Parks Department in our Village. If you've ever had a perfect stroll down Harborfront park or a great afternoon with the kids at Rocketship Park, you know how much work goes into keeping our parks looking as good as they do. Brian has been hard at work for 11 years and is one of the main reasons we have such a beautiful place to live. Brian manages our parks crews and keeps everything running smoothly. He encourages residents to contact him about any improvements or ideas they have for our parks. "All members of the parks department are very approachable," Brian explains. "If you have a question, concern, or idea, please share it with us." He adds that he uses this feedback to try to better the parks for all who use them.

Brian is a SUNY Stony Brook graduate and is married with three young kids, a dog, and a cat. He lives close by in Smithtown and loves the North Shore of Long Island. "In Port Jefferson, I enjoy the harbor, restaurants, shops, parks, sunsets, ice skating, 4^th of July, Dickens, this list could go on and on," he says.

"The best thing about this position is being able to work in such a great setting. The residents are great too. PJ still has that small town feel, and I really enjoy the little things like a simple hello to the residents I see on a daily basis." he shares. Brian is willing to work hard because he really cares about the cleanliness, safety, and overall condition of our Parks.

We appreciate having a guy like Brian on our team! His work is evident in our everyday lives, and we are grateful for his skills that create a better Port Jefferson!