First Lady Commends Town of Brookhaven for "Preservation of Its Heritage Assets" and "Protecting Historic Assets" REALLY?

Why we are cynical of the Town of Brookhaven!  For years the Fire Place History Club has been battling the Town to maintain our historic cemeteries--something they are mandated to do by New York State law.  Even after we get a court ruling in our favor, the Town has dragged its feet.  The work required is relatively low cost.  And we are in danger of loosing grant money because of it.  I wouldn't call this a job well done.

 

Is she really  recognizing the Town of Brookhaven for its efforts in protecting "historic assets" and preserving "its heritage assets."   From what we see, and is reported in the media, the Town of Brookhaven is at the bottom of the heap. 

 

 

First Lady Michelle Obama Designates Brookhaven Town as a Preserve America Community

November 23, 2011

Farmingville, NY – Supervisor Mark Lesko has announced that the Town of Brookhaven will receive a certificate of designation signed by First Lady Michelle Obama announcing that Brookhaven Town is now a Preserve America Community. Communities designated through the program receive national recognition for their accomplishments in preserving special places and telling the nation’s story.

Many Preserve America Communities are featured in “Discover Our Shared Heritage” National Register Travel Itineraries, as well as in the “Teaching with Historic Places” curricular materials created by the National Park Service. More than 850 Preserve America Communities have been designated in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and two U.S. territories, including historic neighborhoods within large cities and tribal communities. Benefits include the use of the Preserve America logo on educational and promotional materials; a community sign; listing in a web-based directory that showcases Brookhaven’s preservation efforts and heritage tourism destinations; and other support. The Town of Brookhaven is one of only 4 Long Island communities to receive the Preserve America Community designation. The other designees are Oyster Bay Hamlet, Shelter Island, and Great Neck Plaza.

“I thank the First Lady for recognizing Brookhaven Town’s efforts to preserve our heritage and tell the story of our 356 year history,” said Supervisor Lesko. “We have many fine examples of restored historic properties including the Longwood Estate in Ridge, Hobbs Farm in Centereach; and the Swan River Schoolhouse in East Patchogue that are open to the public and used for educational programming.”

Another important component to the designation is a focus on cooperative projects between government and not-for-profits, including Hobbs Farm, the Swan River Schoolhouse, the Long Island Music Hall of Fame building in Port Jefferson, the historic photo exhibit at Town Hall and the Terryville Union Hall/Cumsewogue-Terryville Historical Society. The Town of Brookhaven is home to a remarkable number of historic sites, including 46 Town-designated landmarks, 23 New York State Registered Landmarks, 33 National Register Properties, and one National Historic Landmark.

Preserve America is a federal program that encourages and supports community efforts to preserve and enjoy our priceless cultural and natural heritage. The goals of the program include a greater shared knowledge about the nation’s past, strengthened regional identities and local pride, increased local participation in preserving the country’s cultural and natural heritage assets, and support for the economic vitality of our communities. Since the program’s inception in 2003, the First Lady of the United States has been involved in supporting and promoting Preserve America. Permanent authorizing legislation for the program was passed by Congress and signed by President Obama in March 2009. Among the many

Preserve America Community designation is granted to eligible communities that submit an application and meet three general criteria:

1. The community has recently supported a historic or cultural preservation project that has promoted and/or is currently promoting heritage tourism or otherwise fostering economic vitality, and also involved a public-private partnership between government entities and at least one civic association, non-profit, and/or business enterprise.
2. The governing body of the community has adopted a resolution indicating its commitment to the preservation of its heritage assets.
3. The community meets at least five criteria specified in three broad categories: discovering heritage through historic places, protecting historic resources, and promoting historic assets.

Detailed information on all aspects of this initiative can be found at www.preserveamerica.gov.

To learn more about the history and heritage of the Town of Brookhaven, go to www.brookhaven.org or our tourism website at www.visitbrookhaven.com  and click on Things to Do in the menu bar.

Division of Public Information * Office of the Supervisor
One Independence Hill • Farmingville • NY 11738 • Phone (631) 451-6595 • Fax (631) 451-6258

Brookhaven Hamlet History Quiz

Brookhaven Hamlet History Quiz

Here's a challenge from the students in the Bellport High School History Club! It's time to get out your history books and visit the library for a little research on local history (or visit http://BrookhavenSouthHaven.org). Search for the correct answers and return the completed Hamlet History Quiz for your chance to win the 1st, 2nd or 3rd prize. Members of the History Club will select the winners at their January, 2012 meeting. You can submit your answers to the BVA website (http://www.brookhavenvillageassociation.org) or at the Hamlet History Quiz box in the Brookhaven Free Library.

Entries are welcome from individuals, a family or a class in the South Country Central School District. Winners and the correct answers will be announced on the BVA website in January. Good luck and have fun learning some local history!

•  What was the original name of Mott Lane?

•  This publisher of the Long Island Advance had his house down on Beaver Dam Road, by the landing.

•   Frank Forrester (pen name, Henry William Herbert) had been in South Haven with Daniel Webster in 1827. What famous artwork are they portrayed in?

•  Until 1871, Brookhaven Village was known as ...?

•  Name three famous magazine publishers who resided in Brookhaven?

•  How did Brookhaven get its name?

•  What are the boundary lines for Brookhaven Hamlet

•  Who is the artist/sculptor who had a summer home and studio on Beaver Dam Road?

•  What resident of Brookhaven designed the US postage stamp, "Atoms for Peace"?

•   He was the President of the American Institute of Architecture and had a large estate on Bellhaven Road. Who is he?

FW: Newsday Editorial on LI Compost

From: Sharon - Brookhaven Community Coalition [mailto:sharon@BrookhavenCC.org]
Sent: Wednesday, November 02, 2011 8:30 PM
Subject: Newsday Editorial on LI Compost

 

http://www.newsday.com/opinion/state-dec-right-to-raise-a-stink-1.3292296

State DEC right to raise a stink

November 2, 2011

 

Though composting is an important element in managing our region's solid waste, a large facility for handling the raw materials of compost can be smelly, dusty and hazardous to the health of neighbors. So the state's Department of Environmental Conservation has done the right thing in cracking down on Long Island Compost in Yaphank.

 

Composting converts organic materials into rich soil and reduces the solid waste going to incinerators or getting shipped off-Island. That's useful. But big facilities can cause big problems.

 

This one receives leaves, grass clippings and wood chips, sends material to farms to be composted, and bags and sells compost and mulch. Its owners have tried to reduce the impacts, and promise to reduce future grass clippings they take in. But odors and dust persist.

 

Last week, DEC formally notified its operators about a change in the permit that has governed it since 2000. The agency will now require the company to construct a building to contain its yard-waste transfer operations and reduce the piles of wood chips. That will help nearby families that have been living with the dust and stench to breathe easier.

 

Long Island Compost disputes the DEC findings and recommendations and is appealing. But the agency seems justified in tightening the rules. For the sake of the long-suffering neighbors, we hope the appeals process and some ultimate resolution will not drag on for many more months.