Brookhaven Notebook: Town Credit Rating Reaffirmed

For the third time within the past year, Wall Street bond rating agencies have reaffirmed the Town of Brookhaven's good credit rating, the town announced Tuesday.

Standard and Poor's rating of AA+ with a stable outlook was also reaffirmed in March of 2011 and December of 2010. Moody's rating of Aa2 still stands as well, following its previous confirmation in November of 2011.

"The continued affirmation of our bond ratings shows that we are putting Brookhaven on the course towards a healthy financial future," supervisor Mark Lesko said in a statement. "While there are still challenges ahead with declining revenues, the rating agencies noted our past success of drastically cutting spending, fiscal discipline, and conservative budgeting."

The two agencies cited a 92 percent decrease in the use of surplus funds by the Town of Brookhaven during 2010.

Help the Animals Fund Gets Petco Grant

Help the Animals, a town nonprofit which supports animal welfare in the town, is the recipient of a $4,000 grant from Petco that will help the town's animal shelter continue to spay and neuter pets as well as support a trap-and-release program for feral animals in the town.

The trap-and-release methodology is considered a humane way to spay and neuter feral animals, in particular cats, as well as screen them for rabies. Research has shown it to be an effective way to reduce feral animal populations.

"The animal shelter does such great work with education and awareness about spaying and neutering and this grant will assist us in our efforts to take care of Brookhaven’s animals,” Lesko said in a statement.