LI Briefs: Village reveals $20M budget plan

NORTHPORT

Village reveals $20M budget plan

Northport Village officials are proposing a $20 million budget for the 2015-2016 fiscal year that starts March 1.

The budget represents a $1.2 million increase from the current year's budget. It includes a 3.4 percent rise in the tax levy, an increase over last year's boost of 2.7 percent.

The village is projecting it will need $11.4 million from taxpayers, up about $400,000 from 2014-2015.

Village residents can ask questions and offer comments on the tentative budget at a hearing at village hall scheduled for Jan. 7.

The public safety budget -- $4.7 million — is the largest single category of expenses. It includes $3.1 million for police salaries, overtime, dispatchers, temporary employees and crossing guards.

The second-highest expense was $4.5 million proposed for home and community services, which includes the cost of garbage collection, storm sewer maintenance and tree stump removal.

The tentative budget would spend $3.9 million on employee benefits.

As of Nov. 30, Northport's reserve accounts had a combined balance of $1.13 million.

— VALERIE BAUMAN

Training offered on overdose rescue kits

Nearly 100 people last week packed into the Northport Public Library to learn how to use opioid drug overdose kits.

Every participant age 18 or older received a free kit that included a few doses of a nasal spray with naloxone, also known by its brand name Narcan. Narcan can immediately reverse the effects of heroin and other opiate-based narcotics. The application is relatively easy for nonmedical professionals to use when someone overdoses, officials said.

In Suffolk County, deaths involving opiates have risen since 2004, officials have said.

The Suffolk County Department of Health Services started offering the community Narcan training in 2012, and the Northport-East Northport Drug-Alcohol Taskforce helped bring the event last Thursday to Northport.

“The pilot program was so successful, and the need for an opioid treatment so great, that New York State decided it was important to put Narcan into the hands of those who would most likely encounter a person overdosing, that is, friends and family of users,” the Suffolk health commissioner, Dr. James L. Tomarken, said in a statement.

— VALERIE BAUMAN

LONG BEACH

New recycling program approved

Long Beach City Council members approved a single-stream recycling program for residents that they said will save the city about $85 per ton on garbage expenses.

Residents will be given a new bin for all recyclable items, which will not have to be sorted prior to regular garbage pickup. The city will switch to the single bin system next month. Recycling pickups will now be delivered to transfer stations, rather than mixed with other garbage materials.

Council members said they made the change because they were concerned about the environment and wanted to increase the recycling rate in the city.

About 10 percent of garbage is currently recycled by residents, city spokesman Gordon Tepper said. It costs the city about $87.84 per ton when garbage is taken to a landfill, versus $2.25 per ton when recycled.

“The more people recycle, the less money it costs the city,” Tepper said.

Recyclable items include, glass, aluminum and metal cans, plastic bottles, patio furniture, newspapers and cardboard. Glass lids, plastic bags, chemical containers, diapers and Styrofoam packaging should be discarded in the trash.

All curbside recycling pickups are scheduled for 7 a.m. on Wednesdays. Recycling should not be packaged in plastic garbage bags.

— JOHN ASBURY

BROOKHAVEN TOWN

Gas company exec to fill seat on IDA, LDC

A propane gas distribution company executive will fill a vacant seat on the Brookhaven Industrial Development Agency and Local Development Corporation.

John O'Loughlin, of Center Moriches, was named to the unpaid position by a unanimous vote of the Brookhaven Town Board in October. The IDA and LDC receive applications for tax breaks and other economic incentives from businesses seeking to expand or relocate to Brookhaven.

O'Loughlin is chief operating officer and vice president of Bay Gas, a family-run propane gas distributor based in Shirley. The company, founded in 1968 by O'Loughlin's father, Jack, employs more than 50 people and has about 30,000 customers, an IDA spokesman said in a news release.

O'Loughlin replaces John Rose, who resigned in September when he was appointed to the Brookhaven Town Planning Board.

Town Supervisor Edward P. Romaine said in a statement issued this week that O'Loughlin's business experience “lends itself to a strong base for assisting the Industrial Development Agency and the Local Development Corp. in their roles in creating jobs and bringing businesses to the Town of Brookhaven."

- CARL MACGOWAN

HUNTINGTON

Holiday food drive to help pet owners

Time is running out to contribute to the Town of Huntington's “Holiday Pet Food Drive” to help local families and their furry friends.

Donations are being accepted through Tuesday at drop-off boxes at town hall and the Huntington Animal Shelter.

All donations will be given to the Harry Chapin Food Bank and Humanitarian Center in Huntington Station to distribute to Huntington pet owners.

“This is the first time we are doing this,” said town board member Susan A. Berland, who is sponsoring the drive along with the Huntington Youth Council. “There are a lot food drives going on throughout the town and I thought being the owner of five pets, four of which were adopted from the town pound, I know how expensive it is to feed animals.”

All pet food is welcome and needed, but there is a special request for cat food.

The animal shelter is at 106 Deposit Rd. in East Northport. Town Hall is at 100 Main St.

For more information, call TJ Hatter in Berland's office at 631-351-3018.

— DEBORAH S. MORRIS