LIPA to get a hefty taste of 'Iced Tea' goals

The specific details are to come at Thursday's meeting of the Long Island Power Authority's trustees, but we learned that the LIPA board will get an earful from the Iced Tea Movement and then make changes so Long Island businesses can work more easily with the utility.

The movement started on Long Island a year ago by Peter Goldsmith, chairman of the Long Island Software and Technology Network, or LISTnet.

Goldsmith and some others were angered that a LIPA contract had been awarded to a California firm, and so formed the Iced Tea (for information technology) Movement.

Goldsmith has been asked to speak at LIPA's board meeting in Uniondale.

He said LIPA trustee David L. Calone, who is president of Babylon-based venture capital firm Jove Equity Partners Llc, also believes LIPA should better connect with Long Island companies.

"He felt the Iced Tea Movement was the perfect campaign to make this happen," Goldsmith said.

Calone said LIPA staff members are still working on details of a plan, which is to be finalized and announced at Thursday's meeting, after Goldsmith's address.

"Then staff and the trustees agreed we need a better way to reach out to Long Island businesses," Calone said.