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Table of Contents: BEACH REPLENISHMENT |
FHCA SPRING MEETING FIRE ISLAND LAWSUIT YEAR 2000 TAXES NEW FHCA BOARD MEMBERS MOSQUITO CONTROL EFFORTS FAIR HARBOR FIRE DEPARTMENT CELEBRATES 70Th YEAR NEW FIRE TRUCK Calendar of Events |
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Since last summer, Erica Feder of Fair Harbor, Ken Cohen of Dunewood, and
Mario Posilico of Saltaire have been working on the next beach
replenishment project. Town
of Islip regulations require that we solicit competitive bids.
Accordingly, they sent out requests for proposals to seven coastal
engineering firms. The team
received three bids from Coastal Planning, ATM, and Coastal Systems, and
chose Coastal Planning as our beach designer.
After the bids were received clarification of some issues was
needed to be certain what was included on each bid.
Also needed was an understanding of what additional expenses may be
incurred, and negotiation on some of these additional costs.
Coastal Planning submitted a joint bid with Land Use Inc. for the
permitting part of their bid.
While some of us had some concerns with Land Use in the past, they have
been effective on Fire Island, and were chosen by Coastal Planning as
their partner for that part of the project.
A further source of delay was waiting for Saltaire to approve the
project. Both Fair Harbor and
Dunewood have their community’s support to proceed.
In Fair Harbor the community has approved the expenditure of funds,
which the Fair Harbor Dune District plans to take from funds left in the
capital budget from the previous replenishment.
Fair Harbor share of the planning process is $61,101, or 34% of the
total. The percentage share is calculated based on beach length, as it was
for monitoring and for the previous project.
The actual replenishment project will require a bond issue, which will
have to be approved by the voters.
The project has to be contracted by the Town of Islip.
We expect the planning phases to be completed so that we can vote
on a referendum on Election Day in the late fall.
The earliest realistic date to deposit sand is next spring.
Even if somehow we (the community) could rush through a bond
proposal, the plans and permits will take time.
Furthermore, it is pointless to put sand down in the fall that will
be washed away over the winter.
Replenishment projects should be done in the spring so that the
summer beach build-up can add to the deposited sand. Given the current state of the beach, and the steep drop from the level of the walks down to the beach, the FHCA has asked the Town of Islip to build stairs at each walk that will allow residents to reach the beach without damaging the dunes. The town has agreed to our request and intends to have the stairs in place before the beginning of the summer. The exact date is unclear at this time, as the town needs various approvals before it can proceed.
Beginning April 1 2001 Fair Harbor will have a new garbage contractor.
Stang Carting has won the contract to provide garbage pick-up in
Fair Harbor for the next two years.
Under this new contract pick-up days will be on Mondays and
Thursdays. Stang will also
put public garbage cans at all the crosswalks on Central Walk.
These cans will have lids to prevent spillage.
The new contract also includes Sunday morning collection from the
dock area. In the past this
Sunday pick-up was paid for by the FHCA under a separate contract.
Spring Cleanup will be on Saturday May 12th Remember
this is for household items and small brush ONLY. No construction
material.
The FHCA has ordered six new decorative metal garbage cans for the dock
area. These cans should be in
place by the beginning of May.
The cans are similar to those located in the bay beach area in
Saltaire. These are
heavy-duty cans with heavy lids, which should be more difficult for the
various animals in Fair Harbor to overturn.
We hope that this will improve the physical appearance of the dock
area, and also decrease the amount of refuse in the dock area.
Saul Shine, a resident of Fair Harbor for over 50 years, died this past
fall. Saul first came to Fair
Harbor in 1955 as a renter, but soon became an owner, first on Broadway
and then on Fifth. He was a
member of the fire department from his first days in Fair Harbor, although
he had been inactive for many years. He was deeply concerned about the community and made his
views known at many community association meetings.
Saul refused to grow old. He
started a new career at sixty.
His thirst for knowledge had no end.
He was an inspiration to all of us who are growing older as to how
to make our senior years as rewarding and productive as possible. Please update the FHCA database by filling in the database update sheets that were included with the spring mailing. This information is essential for the directory, as well as for keeping in contact with Fair Harbor residents. Elections for Deputy Commissioner of the Fair Harbor- Dunewood Medical District will take place at the FHCA meeting held on Sunday May. 20th.
As you may know, the district raises funds by taxing Dunewood and Fair
Harbor property. The deputy
commissioner is responsible for creating and managing the budget and for
overseeing the selection of doctors who reside in Fair Harbor during the
summer. So far the following
individuals have indicated that they would run for the position: Ralph Brozan Lawyer and the incumbent office holder.
Dr. Ken Levites
Family
Practitioner,
and participant in the medical program.
Dr. Chuck Orso
Internist, former Medical Director at Nynex. Others have expressed interest. Please contact Gene Levy if you have any interest in being a candidate.
The Town of Islip has
taken the responsibility for building the new public toilets, to be
located at Central and Elm.
The building will meet all the requirements of the Suffolk County Health
Department. Its construction will bring Fair Harbor into compliance with
state regulations, and ensure that lifeguard service will continue to be
provided by the Town of Islip.
The plan is to have the construction completed mid-May. FAIR HARBOR
The Fair Harbor Water District is now under the jurisdiction of the
Suffolk County Water District (SCWD).
Brentwood Water is out of the loop.
The well on Central and Cranberry has had its pump rebuilt and a
new liner installed in the casing.
It will be fully operational this season.
Unfortunately, the well on Bay Walk by the ferry dock is
experiencing significant problems, and must be replaced.
SCWA will try to fix it in time for this summer, but this appears
unlikely. In the interim we will be interconnected to the Lonelyville
well. As a result the Fair
Harbor water system will not be up to full capacity.
So
Please Conserve Water
The spring meeting of the FHCA will be held in the old Firehouse on
Sunday, May 20th at 10:00 am.
The meeting will include the
election for the Deputy Commissioner of the Medical District as well as
the election of FHCA board members.
In addition we will discuss the status of the lawsuit regarding the
Fire Island Interim Project (see below). This is your chance to get things done.
We have heard from the New York Coastal Partnership, Inc. (NYCP) through
their counsel Irving Like that it has succeeded in raising the initial
funds necessary to file suit against the Secretary of Interior and other
government officials responsible for delaying the Fire Island Interim
Project. On January 3, 2001,
NYCP served a 60-day Notice of Intent To Sue upon those officials, a copy
of which will be sent to you on request.
The next step is to file a Summons & Complaint in Federal Court,
which will identify the parties who have joined the suit.
NYCP's objective is to join as many Fire Island and mainland property
owners' associations as possible as plaintiffs in the suit.
This is necessary in order to send a powerful message of the unity
of thousands of Fire Island and South Shore taxpayers in supporting the
litigation.
Mr. Like has asked the FHCA to consider joining as a plaintiff in the
proceeding. The FHCA has standing, that is, it is authorized by law to
join the lawsuit. As a matter
of policy, however, the FHCA members will be asked to vote on whether such
action should be taken. Our
Association will not incur any expense by virtue of its consenting to
serve as a plaintiff.
The Board feels strongly that FHCA should take advantage of this
opportunity. We have at stake
not only investments in our homes, but the irreplaceable asset that we
cherish -- the unique, roadless Fire Island experience, the sense of
community, peace and recreational variety.
The lawsuit will remind the bureaucrats of the historical fact that the
Fire Island National Seashore was created and made publicly accessible,
largely through the efforts of Fire Islanders.
It was accomplished through a
unique, legally enforceable compact designed to protect and balance
property rights,
as well as important natural resources.
The suit will emphasize that Fire Islanders have always served as nature's
stewards of the beaches and dunes, and that it is not the presence of our
homes, but ill-designed projects and lack of reasonable maintenance that
have weakened Fire Island.
Fair Harbor residents pay for most of their services via special taxing
districts. These districts
and the current taxes are listed below. There are roughly 350 homes in Fair Harbor so that dividing
these numbers by the number of homes gives a rough indication of the per
house cost.
DISTRICT
TOTAL PER
HOME Fire District $61,379 $175.00 Dock District $36,785 $105.00 Water District $11,287 $ 32.00 Medical District $36,104 $103.00
Erosion Control
$200,000
$571.00
The community association is looking for new board members.
The existing board members have served for many years, and we need
new blood. Anyone who would
like to join the board and make a positive impact on the community is
asked to call or Email Gene Levy.
631 583 9079
An
ongoing goal of the FHCA is to decrease the number of adult mosquitoes
that potentially could transmit harmful diseases to humans.
Mosquitoes are a natural part of our environment.
It is not possible or desirable eliminate them. Some species of
mosquitoes can travel extensive distances. With that in mind all FI
communities, homeowners and agencies need to work together to be most
effective for the benefit of all.
The
control of
breeding is the first line of defense in limiting the effects of adult
mosquitoes within our Community. Here every homeowner and renter carries
the responsibility to eliminate ALL standing water in and around their
properties where possible.
The FHCA has identified approximately 28 properties where accumulating
water is expected to remain for at least 3 days after rains and/or high
tides. We are planning, in cooperation with the Fair Harbor/Dunewood
Medical District, to have a professional applicator treat the properties
with Bti. Mosquito Dunks at least three times during the summer.
Out of those 28 homeowners, 20 have given the necessary releases, 1
refused. We were unable to contact 9 (yes, we know the math is not
correct) and need your help to get the word out to those homeowners. The
properties are: 66 Oak, 64 Holly, 14 Fifth, 25 Fifth, 15 Elm, 16 Elm, 93
Walnut, Walnut (center of Bay Block, westside), Walnut (Ctrl & Walnut,
northeast corner). If you own
those properties or have telephone numbers for those owners, please
contact us as indicated below.
The cost of the program is not certain at this time but will be borne this year by the paying members of the FHCA and the Fair Harbor/Dunewood Medical District. A bid request (RFP) is being mailed to local Pesticide Applicators by 4/20. The complete plan is available by emailing: Or calling 583-7750. |
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FAIR HARBOR FIRE DEPARTMENT CELEBRATES
The Fire Department celebrates 70 years of service to the Community
this year, and they will be commemorating this anniversary with a series
of events throughout the summer months.
We’ll kick off the festivities with the traditional Pancake Breakfast &
Open House on Sunday of Memorial Day weekend (May 27).
On Sunday, July 8, you’ll be able to see how much your department
has changed and grown over the last 70 years at a special Open House
featuring an exhibit of old and new equipment, memorabilia and vintage
photos. Come Saturday August 11, you’ll have a chance to pick up treasures
from years gone by at a special White Elephant Sale.
The new truck should be in Fair Harbor on May 15.
The truck has been delivered to Long Island Fire Apparatus in
Huntington where the final equipment is being added to the truck.
The new truck will be fully tested and all officers and qualified
drivers trained in its operation on the mainland prior to final acceptance
at Fair Harbor. |
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Calendar of Events
Copyright 2001
Fair
Harbor Community Association
We
welcome your comments and suggestions.
Feel free to contact us via email
4/9/01 |
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Revised: 01/14/2004