Hearing held on federal block grant requests: Oct. 6 Town Board meeting wrap

Local nonprofits made their pitches for funding from Riverhead Town’s 2027 federal Community Development Block Grant funding during a hearing Tuesday afternoon at Riverhead Town Hall. 

Riverhead anticipates receiving $275,000 in CDBG funding next year. The board’s attention then turned to requests for a share of Riverhead’s grant. 

Representatives of four organizations presented their programs at the hearing, while two others submitted applications for consideration. 

No funding decisions were made Tuesday, and written comments will be accepted through Oct. 24.

Felicia Scocozza, executive director of Riverhead Community Awareness Program, asked the board to continue supporting a social worker at Roanoke Avenue Elementary School. She said the position provides counseling and prevention services for students facing stress, trauma and other difficulties, and helps connect families with community resources.

Bread & More Kitchen sought assistance with the rising cost of providing free meals at First Congregational Church in downtown Riverhead. Its representative said the volunteer-run program serves roughly 80 to 90 meals each Monday, Wednesday and Thursday evening and operates nearly year-round. Council Member Robert Kern asked about its schedule; she said it serves meals 52 weeks a year, with limited holiday exceptions.

Warrior Ranch Foundation requested support for programs for veterans, first responders and their families. Its representative described work with rescued horses that helps participants develop communication and relationship skills. She said participants are not charged for the program.

The Riverhead Chamber of Commerce asked for $7,000 for “Chamber Tank,” a proposed eight-week program that would pair high school students with local business mentors. Students would learn business planning, budgeting and presentation skills, then present their plans to a panel of business owners. 

Council Member Ken Rothwell said the town had also received applications from Open Arms Care Center and Church of Harvest.

Community Development Director Dawn Thomas said Riverhead receives the federal funds through Suffolk County’s community development consortium. The board will consider the requests before deciding on allocations. The public hearing did not establish how much any applicant will receive.

Supervisor Jerry Halpin cast the lone dissenting vote on easements associated with the Summerwind Farms subdivision in Aquebogue.

Halpin cited unresolved violations, tickets and a stop-work order at the property. The resolution authorizes the supervisor to sign common-driveway and water-main easements.

Prior to the vote, Claudette Bianco of Baiting Hollow objected to moving the easements forward before the developer resolved the violations. Rothwell said the easement action was separate from the Planning Board’s subdivision approval. Town Attorney Erik Howard said the stop-work order remains in effect and will not be lifted until an agreement addresses the violations and the subdivision map is filed. Asked whether the developer would have to replace trees cleared at the site, Howard said the town did not anticipate requiring revegetation because, according to his discussions with planning and code-enforcement staff, the clearing was within the area designated for the subdivision.

The board set a Nov. 5 public hearing on the 2027 preliminary budget. It is scheduled to take place at 2:05 p.m. on that date. 

It scheduled a second hearing for Nov. 5 at 2 p.m. on a developer-funded water-main extension for a proposed warehouse at 1001 Scott Avenue in Calverton, within the EPCAL site.

The board authorized the town to seek proposals for redevelopment and operation of a destination attraction at 111 East Main Street. See separate story:
Riverhead seeks developers for ‘destination attraction’ at former science center site 

It also authorized an appraisal for property on Middle Road in Calverton where a controversial cannabis cultivation facility is proposed. See separate story: Town takes step toward possible purchase of Calverton parcel proposed for cannabis facility.

The board made a new Monroe Balancing Test determination, finding that the Suffolk County Water Authority is subject to town land-use regulations. See separate story: Riverhead demands easements, permits for SCWA water main along Main Road

The Town Board also promoted two police officers Tuesday. Officer Raymond LaPorte was promoted to detective and Officer Timothy Murphy was promoted to sergeant. See separate story: Two Riverhead cops promoted

In other action Tuesday, the board:

• authorized an agreement with IntelliShift for town vehicle-location and monitoring services

• authorized an agreement with GovPilot, doing business as Spatial Data Logic, for an online permitting system serving the Building, Planning and Fire Marshal departments.

• approved $34,530 from recreation developer fees for improvements to the walking path at Two Bears Park. 

• ratified a $100,000 Highway Department budget transfer following a late-September storm, allocating $70,000 for drainage work and $30,000 for wood chipping. 

• awarded a bid for a street-lighting bucket truck to Gabrielli Truck Sales and

• authorized the use of a projected $27,963 saving from that purchase for other lighting equipment.

• approved an additional $28,000 in landscape-architect work to design a standalone veterans memorial at Town Square 

• adjusted the funding assigned to previously authorized work on the adaptive playground and East End Arts relocation.

• ratified an application for $100,000 in state funding toward a brush-fire staging area at Veterans Memorial Park; 

• extended agreements for landfill monitoring, hazardous-waste removal and other supplies and services; 

• accepted donations for recreation programs, the Police Athletic League and resurfacing of the South Jamesport basketball court.

Ambulance facility work set to begin

Rothwell announced that the Riverhead Volunteer Ambulance Corps had moved its response operation to the former N.Y. State Armory building at 1405 Old Country Road while work proceeds on a replacement facility at its Osborn Avenue.

Public comment 

Two residents raised traffic-safety concerns during the open comment period. Maribeth Andresen, a Church Lane resident, described speeding and limited room for pedestrians on the narrow Aquebogue road. 

Bill Fullerton of Calverton  renewed his previous request for a traffic-control measure at the intersection of Horton and Reeves avenues, where he said a good friend of his was killed in a 2021 crash. Rothwell said he would put that intersection on an upcoming traffic-safety committee agenda.

Desmond Wong asked the town to identify its procedures for civilian employees when federal immigration authorities seek access to nonpublic town areas. He said he had received answers from the police chief about some police procedures but still wanted a response from the town attorney and board about civilian staff. The board did not provide a substantive answer during his comment.

Kevin Shea asked Council Member Joann Waski to correct earlier public remarks about his description of the Sept. 11 attacks. Waski apologized for what she had said about him while maintaining her objection to his earlier wording. Shea said one word had been a mistake and explained his intended meaning. 

Dawn Zebroski repeated prior complaints concerning town and Highway Department conduct.

The Town Clerk reported receipt of monthly Building Department, tax receiver, clerk and police reports, and correspondence on a range of issues, including battery energy storage, public safety, immigration and the tentative budget.The letters are reproduced in the meeting agenda, available here.