Long Island briefs

HEMPSTEAD TOWN

Board to decide on $16.66M in bonds

The Hempstead Town board plans to hold several hearings today to consider issuing bonds totaling nearly $16.66 million to fund facility improvements, vehicles and equipment for special districts.

The board will consider the East Meadow Water District's proposal to fund an upgrade of facilities and equipment for an estimated maximum of $3.8 million. The board will also hold a hearing on the Levittown Water District's plan to upgrade facilities and equipment for as much as $2.96 million.

The Hewlett Parking District is proposing spending a maximum of $2.7 million on parking field reconstruction. And the Town of Hempstead Park District is looking to make facility upgrades for as much as $2.6 million.

A maximum of $2.03 million would be used by the Town of Hempstead Refuse Disposal District for facility upgrades, vehicle purchases and equipment. The board will also consider the Roosevelt Field Water District's $2 million proposal to upgrade its facilities and equipment.

Also to be considered is whether to approve up to $365,000 for equipment upgrades and the purchase of an aerial truck for the Town of Hempstead Street Lighting District, as well as a maximum of $200,000 for the Franklin Square Park District for facility upgrades.

The board will meet at 10:30 a.m. in the Nathan L.H. Bennett Pavilion, adjacent to Hempstead Town Hall.

SUFFOLK COUNTY

Mosquito spraying today in marshes

A number of Suffolk County salt marshes will be sprayed today from 5 to 8 p.m. in an effort to control mosquito larvae, the first such treatment of the season, the county health department said Monday.

No precautions are suggested as "the helicopter will be flying at a very low level over marsh areas and taking other precautions to control drift into inhabited areas," health officials said in a news release.

Plus, the pesticide to be used, Vectobac 12AS, has "no significant human toxicity," officials said, and "human exposure from this operation is unlikely."

The treatment is weather-permitting and could be carried over to another day.

For more information, see www.suffolkcountyny.gov/Departments/HealthServices/PublicHealth/PreventiveServices/PesticideApplicationNotification.aspx

BROOKHAVEN TOWN

Board to vote on power plant review

The Brookhaven Town Board plans to vote tonight on an environmental review of the planned Caithness II power plant in Yaphank.

The $1.09 billion, 752-megawatt plant would be located next to an existing 350-megawatt Caithness plant that generates electricity for the Long Island Power Authority.

The town board expects to vote tonight on accepting a final version of a review studying the proposed plant's potential environmental impact. Acceptance is required before the town can issue a special permit for the plant to operate.

The meeting is at 5 p.m. at Brookhaven Town Hall, 1 Independence Hill, Farmingville.

LIPA officials have said the new plant is needed to fill a projected need for as much as 1,200 megawatts of additional power by 2023 and to fill in for power gaps when older plants are taken offline for overhauls.

Opponents have expressed concern that the new plant could cause older plants such as one in Port Jefferson to be permanently shuttered. Critics also have said a new plant is not needed because of flat or declining power use by Long Island residents in recent years, as well as LIPA's excess capacity at existing plants.

SUFFOLK COUNTY

No vote yet on bill to toughen bidding law

A Suffolk legislative committee yesterday delayed a vote on a bill that would make it harder for the county to bypass the competitive bidding process.

The proposed law would add a fourth member, appointed by the minority leader, to the county's waiver committee, which votes to suspend rules for issuing requests for proposals for consulting contracts. The county executive's office uses the waiver committee to expedite bidding for consulting services, including in cases where officials want to "invite" a bid because of a company's expertise in an area, said Public Works Commissioner Gilbert Anderson.

The current three-member panel, which meets monthly, is made up of two appointees from the county executive and one appointed by the legislative majority leader.

A waiver from the usual competitive bidding process would, under the bill, have to have three of the four votes to move forward.

Cilmi said it would bring additional scrutiny to the waiver process.

"The rules are there for good reason," said Legis. Tom Cilmi (R-Bay Shore), the bill's sponsor. "If you're going to waive the rules, you ought to have a better reason."

Representatives from Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone's administration and some lawmakers on the public works committee said they opposed the bill because it could hamper government efficiency.

Tom Vaughn, Bellone's director of intergovernmental relations, said the number of contracts waived by the county declined from 128 in 2012 to 92 in 2013. The county is on pace to waive eight contracts this year, Vaughn said.

Legis. Thomas F. Barraga (R-West Islip) expressed concern about tie votes on a four-member board. Barraga suggested a five-member board, with the new members appointed by the legislative minority leader and the county executive. Cilmi said he might support a five-member board.

The bill was tabled yesterday, but committee chairman Al Krupski (D-Cutchogue) promised to take up the bill again this month.

ISLIP TOWN

Art from the autistic shown at MacArthur

A new exhibit of art created by people with autism debuted at Long Island MacArthur Airport's atrium yesterday.

The artwork was created under the auspices of Family Residences and Essential Enterprises, an Old Bethpage-based nonprofit known as FREE that provides vocational training, creative opportunities and jobs for people with intellectual disabilities, mental illness and traumatic brain injury.

"We are so pleased to have individuals who participate in our art therapy programs featured in MacArthur airport, one of the largest travel hubs in the Long Island and New York region," Robert S. Budd, chief executive for the group, said in a news release. "Everyone who visits the airport, whether they are departing or arriving, will have the opportunity to experience an exhibit unlike any they've seen before."

For more information about the agency, call 516-870-7000 or visit familyres.org.

SETAUKET

Vote set for June 17 on firehouse fixes

A referendum on a $14.9 million plan to renovate and expand an aging East Setauket firehouse will be held June 17. The Setauket Fire District board of commissioners set the date at its meeting Thursday.

Voting will take place from noon to 9 p.m. at the firehouse, 190 Main St., East Setauket. All registered voters in the fire district are eligible to vote.

If approved, the 12,030-square-foot firehouse would be expanded to nearly 23,000 square feet.

Taxes on the average home would go up by 2.45 percent, or $93.83, to pay off a 25-year bond, district officials have said.

The project is needed because the firehouse, which dates to 1935 and was expanded twice before, is not large enough for modern firetrucks and equipment, district officials said. The original firehouse is expected to remain, but portions that were added in the 1950s and 1970s will be torn down.

Voters rejected two previous expansion plans in 2005 and 2008.

The 28-square-mile fire district serves about a dozen communities, including part of Stony Brook University.

GLEN COVE

Council meetings may go on the Net

Glen Cove City Council meetings could soon be webcast, Mayor Reginald Spinello said.

"In the interest of trying to let as many people see what's going on, we're going to be working on streaming these live so people can see them at home on their computer," Spinello said at last week's council meeting.

"The only thing, we won't take call-ins, OK?" he added.

Spinello said he didn't have a schedule yet for when the streaming could begin.

If streaming meetings comes to Glen Cove, it would join North Hempstead, which began streaming its meetings in February, and Long Beach started streaming its meetings on Jan. 1, 2012.

SUFFOLK COUNTY

Late budget analyst gets printed tribute

The county's budget staff quietly honored longtime budget analyst Carmine Chiusano, who died last year and for more than two decades was largely responsible for putting together the county's nearly 600-page budget.

The staff dedicated this year's budget to Chiusano, using page 116, with a photo, to laud his efforts as "unsurpassed."

"His commitment and dedication to creating a capital program . . . will benefit the citizens of Suffolk County for years to come," the dedication reads.

Then they added, "We will miss you 'Paygo,' a nickname given to Chiusano by former Deputy County Executive Paul Sabatino. The name is short for to "pay as you go" maintenance projects that should be funded through the annual operating budget rather than borrowed capital spending.

HEMPSTEAD TOWN

Students requesting stop signs for safety

Hempstead Town officials today are to welcome a group of 24 Sewanhaka High School students who will propose legislation to enhance safety in Elmont.

The Sewanhaka SAIL (Students Active in Law) class meets on a regular basis on issues affecting the community before and after the start of school, and safety concerns at three intersections in Elmont recently caught their attention.

"This group of young adults is proving how citizens can directly influence change in their communities," Town Supervisor Kate Murray said in a news release. "Through their grassroots efforts, these young men and women . . . are taking action."

Councilman Ed Ambrosino (R-North Valley Stream), who has worked with the students, said they will propose the installation of stop signs at both the northbound and southbound lanes of the three Elmont intersections: Madison Street at Landau Avenue, Marshall Street at Raff Avenue and Webster Street at Crest Avenue.

HUNTINGTON

Rivera appearance is one for the books

More than 1,000 people are expected to come out to Book Revue in Huntington tonight for a book signing with Yankees pitcher Mariano Rivera.

Rivera, who pitched for the team from 1995 to 2013, will be at the store from 7 to 9 p.m.

Robert Klein, the owner of Book Revue, said 1,000 copies of Rivera's pre-signed memoir "The Closer" will be available for $28.

"We will absolutely sell out of these books," said Klein, 61, of Centerport. "We could sell 5,000 if we were given that many, but Mariano is only with us for two hours."

Klein said attendees can buy two books, and groups of up to four can have their photo taken with Rivera. Personal pictures are prohibited. The group photos will be taken by sports memorabilia provider Steiner Sports and put online for attendees to see.

"We are honored to have the greatest relief pitcher in history," Klein said. "We have a lot of loyal customers, so I can imagine thousands of people coming out for this."