You Can't Get There From Here

30 March 2010 -- yet another Spring Storm. This one dumped 16 inches of rain in 24 hours, with moderate wind. Some minor coastal flooding. I passed by here about noon. Tree must have fallen but a short time later—on Beaver Dam Road at Edgar Avenue. By 2 pm, the Town of Brookhaven highway department had it all cleaned up. Just the stump of a tree—and a neighbor walking his dog staring in amazement—was all you could see. It's so rare these days that something good can be said about Town performance.

Photograph by Marty Van Lith

Brookhaven Hamlet, NY Walking Tour April 11, 2010

Click Image to enlarge

This event is one of several sponsored by the Town of Brookhaven in celebration of the town's 355th anniversary.

Vicious Storm Strikes Brookhaven/South Haven

A vicious early Spring storm hit the Northeast coast Saturday, March 13, 2010, with aftereffects into Sunday and Monday. Hurricane force gusts accompanied strong winds and heavy rain for much of Saturday, and strong winds continued into Sunday and Monday. Brookhaven and South Haven Hamlets felt the effects, but there was surprisingly little property damage. Parts of the hamlets were without power, telephone and cable service. And quite a few large trees were felled. Streets and yards were were littered with smaller branches. Fortunately, in spite of the winds, tides were not exceptionally high.

This tree on Beaver Dam Road toppled across the front yard, but missed the house.

A common scene through the hamlets as trees and limbs were cleared. This photo is at a residence at the foot of Mott Lane

This tree was felled on South Country Road. It's a bit surprising that it lasted as long has it did, being mostly hollow. While it struck the house, it did not appear as if major damage was done.

This tree, on South Country Road in front of the Presbyterian Manse, brought down some telephone lines but missed the power cables.

This is the side yard of the Post-Morrow Foundation headquarters on Bay Road. Photo contributed by Marty Van Lith.

Cemetery Maintenance Lawsuit Update

Just an update on how things are going with the legal proceedings for the Fire Place History Club's cemetery lawsuit—

The Town of Brookhaven responded to our 45-point reply to their first response, in which they had denied owning the cemeteries, claiming that they are privately owned and thus the Town is not responsible. They also denied responsibility for maintenance and care of abandoned cemeteries. They did not address one single point of the 45 points we made demonstrating that the Town is mandated by NYS law to maintain these cemeteries. Instead, they continued pursuing their contention that these are private cemeteries and none of their business.

We answered this second Town response by reiterating our first response and saying that it's irrelevant anyway since the law requires the Town to maintain abandoned cemeteries by "whomsoever owned" in any town.

While it was originally thought that the case would be settled by this Tuesday, March 9, it turns out that's the date on which all final paperwork is due in court. The decision will be made whenever Justice Tanebaum gets around to it, which our attorney Reggie Seltzer doesn't think will be anytime soon. So, we are still in limbo and may have to cancel some of the work we have grant money for Hollis to do.

Volunteers restoring LI's abandoned cemeteries

Today's Long Island Newsday has a story reporting on efforts in the Town of Babylon to conserve and maintain its abandoned cemeteries (click on the blog title link).

From the article:

'Under state law, towns must take over the care of abandoned cemeteries.'
"'There's no doubt that there's all kinds of historic value to our rural cemeteries,' [Lindsey] Henry [Babylon Town board member] said."

While the Town of Babylon is expanding its efforts to conserve and maintain its historic abandoned cemeteries, our Town of Brookhaven is spending thousands of dollars to fight a citizens lawsuit that would require the Town to perform the minimal maintenance required by New York State law.

Welcome to Gobbledygook Twaddle?

Read Article, Long Island Advance, 25 February 2010, page 8

Some have trouble trouble understanding California politics, but now this seems elementary as compared to the Town of Nuttiness. The Town has hired someone to look at and restore the historic cemeteries -- a sensible idea I might add, given the Town's past history -- that the Town's Law Department is spending thousands of dollars to prove they don't own or have to care for. Will someone please explain? (The Town is currently fighting a lawsuit brought by the Fire Place History Club in Brookhaven Hamlet that seeks to compel the Town to maintain historic cemeteries in accordance with long established State law. Next court hearing date is March 9th. )

It's also should be noted that the consultant, Joel Snodgrass, has been only hired to "look at existing historic homes in the northern areas of Brookhaven Town," another example of north shore elitism often found in Town policies.

Ice "Yachts" 1940

Marty Van Lith reports this British Pathé link to ice boats in the Great South Bay, 1940. Title reads: "Pathetone Lightens The "Blackout" With - ICY SCOOTERS! Various shots of people skimming across the ice of a frozen bay in ice yachts - it looks like good fun! One of the boats tips right over, though the two men in it try to prevent it."

Modern photographs by Bobby Sterling, Winter 0f 2007. We call them ice scooters. These photographs were taken off the foot of Mott Lane, Brookhaven Hamlet. Their design has changed little since 1940.