GREENPORT–The town will make a major land purchase to protect its water supply.
Councilmen voted unanimously at their January meeting to spend $292,000 to buy a 73-acre parcel between the South Wells and Middle Road in lower Greenport.
The purchase resolution is subject to a public hearing at a date to be determined. The seller is Andy Wyda.
Later in the meeting, during public comment, resident Madelyn Super gently scolded the “very soft-spoken” Town Board: “You’re spending $300,000 on some land–which is probably a perfectly good idea–while many of the people who come to these meetings can’t hear what you’re saying.”
Murmurs of assent came from around the room. A microphone system will be looked into.
Once again, the matter of speeding traffic on Joslen Boulevard arose. Resident Vincent Concra said the southbound Stop sign at Cedar Parkway helped at first, but the problem continues, endangering children and other pedestrians on the residential street.
“This was predicted 10 years ago,” said resident Dan Kenneally, “when the state wanted to widen Route 9 to four lanes, and the Town Board said No.”
An informal survey Thursday by this reporter at the site of the Stop sign observed two full stops, a dozen rolling stops and one outright blast-through.
Also at the January meeting, the board:
*Heard from an engineer’s representative that the wastewater treatment facility project is 85% complete, and the town is in compliance with Part 1 of the state Department of Environmental Conservation consent order
*Learned that Code Enforcement Officer John Florio arranged the donation of a lift to the town by Walmart
*Learned that Greenport needs a representative on the county Environmental Management Council.
In a brief organization session, the board:
*Appointed Sonya Van Bortel with the firm of Rapport, Myers, Whitbeck, Shaw & Rodenhausen town attorney
*Set salaries for town officials: Supervisor Edward Nabozny, $13,951 plus $2,868 as budget officer (Councilman Thomas Fleming opposed); Town Justices Francis Abitabile and Robert Brenzel, $11,228; Councilmen Fleming, Keith Mortefolio, Gary Graziano, $6,174, and Guy Apicella, $6,174 plus $1,476 as deputy supervisor; Town Clerk Sharon Zempko, $34,948 plus $828.04 as registrar; Highway Superintendent Mark Gaylord, $48,204.
*Appointed Beth MacGiffert deputy town clerk at a salary of $14 per hour for a 35-hour week; also appointed her, over Councilman Fleming’s No vote, secretary to the Planning Board at $80 per meeting and $15 per hour for Wednesday morning office hours
*Appointed former Town Clerk Kathleen Bucholsky second deputy town clerk, to serve on call when both Mrs. Zempko and Mrs. MacGiffert must be away from the office. Councilmen Apicella and Fleming voted No.