Brookhaven Notebook: Town Gets Security Grant, Affordable Housing Parcels

A grant of about $7,000 has been awarded to the Town of Brookhaven to cover overtime costs associated with the town's participation in Operation S.H.I.E.L.D.

Operation S.H.I.E.L.D. is an association of more than 30 marine agencies that is coordinated by the Suffolk County Sherrif's Marine Division, New York State Department of Homeland Security, the U.S. Coast Guard, Customs and Border Protection, and other agencies. Through the program, foreign flagged vessels in all marinas and bodies of water in Brookhaven and other municipalities are checked at random times throughout the year for proper documentation and eqipment.

"Keeping our waterways and constituents safe is always a top priority and our participation in Operation S.H.I.E.L.D. helps our town to provide the extra enforcement needed at those critical times of the year to provide the security necessary," town councilman Steve Fiore-Rosenfeld said.

Town Gets Affordable Housing Parcels from County

Suffolk County executive Steve Levy announced this week the county has donated four more parcels of land intended for affordable housing in the Town of Brookhaven.

Together with one donated last week that is earmarked for a returning Iraq or Afghanistan veteran, these properties will bring the total number of affordable housing units in Brookhaven to 296 under the countywide Housing Opportunities Program, a town spokesman said Friday.

At the same time, the town signed an agreement with the nonprofit agencies partnered under the Housing Opportunities Program. That includes Habitat for Humanity, the Economic Opportunity Council of Suffolk, and the Long Island Housing Partnership, who will make sure the homes are put in the hands of those who have pre-qualified for affordable housing.

Under the program, families with an income of less than 80 percent of the area median income – or $84,900 for a family of four – are eligible for these homes.

“We must do everything we can to provide young and working families a chance to own a home in Suffolk County at an affordable rate,” Levy said. “We hope that these measures will help to keep more home grown, highly educated members of the workforce right here in Suffolk County.”

The four parcels of land are abandoned properties seized by the county for failure to pay taxes. They are located in Farmingville, Shirley, Bellport and Medford.

Town Animal Shelter Reopens

Following a ringworm outbreak during the first week of August, the Town of Brookhaven Animal Shelter reopened Aug. 15. It had been closed to new adoptions and resident drop-offs for approximately two weeks. A town spokesman said Friday that each animal was dipped and cultured four times to treat or prevent possible ringworm. The shelter houses about 300 animals.

Coalition Calls on DEC to Rescind Compost Permit

The Brookhaven Coalition, an association of community groups from across the Town of Brookhaven, sent a letter to the state Department of Environmental Conservation calling for the revokation of a permit variance which allows Long Island Compost to operate without being fully enclosed at its facility in Yaphank. For the full story, .

Rocky Point VFW to Unveil 9/11 Memorial

A new Sept. 11 memorial will be unveiled Sept. 4 at 11 a.m. at Diamond in the Pines Park in Coram. It is being built by the Rocky Point VFW Post 6249; to view photos from the memorial construction.

“It’s hard to believe that 10 years have passed since that fateful day when all Americans were joined together in grief for those who lost their lives," town councilwman Jane Bonner said in a statement. "This memorial will serve as a fitting tribute to the heroes and victims of 9-11 and a reminder of the strength and perseverance that we as country exhibited during such a painful time in out history.”