Thatched Cottage revival has downsides

I am very discouraged that the Town of Huntington might allow development of a new catering hall on the site of the vacant Thatched Cottage in Centerport [“Remake for catering hall,” News, Nov. 1].

The Thatched Cottage did not have adequate parking without the use of a spillover lot on the next block. The town’s covenants and restrictions indicate that this secondary parking lot reverted to residential use when the Thatched Cottage went bankrupt. The Crest Group, which plans to renovate and reopen the Thatched Cottage as a catering hall called Water’s Edge, has known this but evidently believes it can have its way with the town.

The intersection of Route 25A and Little Neck Road is already very congested, with nearby stores and a firehouse. In addition, a 7-Eleven is proposed where a garage now exists. Residents of the area have attended meetings and written letters citing the town’s own rules, but we are getting nowhere.

Jim Walker, Centerport

I hope the Town of Huntington will not allow the former Thatched Cottage to be renovated and reopened as a catering hall. The site borders Centerport’s Mill Pond, near where a male and a female eagle have built a nest [“Where eagles pair: Birds of prey wow,” News, Oct. 15].

The noise and lights from a catering hall, lasting late into the night, will negatively impact these magnificent creatures.

Thomas L. Knight, Centerport

FAA should hold a true public hearing

The Federal Aviation Administration should follow the law and hold a public hearing about the creation of an alternate route for helicopters headed for the East End [“FAA should follow the law, hold a hearing on copters,” Editorial, Nov. 13].

At the height of the season, the noise that must be tolerated by East End and North Fork residents is incessant.

The FAA decided to hold three nighttime workshops to solicit public opinion. Many residents on the East End are seniors who, for safety, do not drive at night. The FAA must be held accountable to a new law that requires a public hearing in the communities affected. The hearing should occur at a time convenient and safe for residents.

There are safety, environmental and quality-of-life considerations about the helicopter traffic that the FAA has never fully addressed. The North Shore route that has copters travel across the North Fork is a bad idea. A route to and from the East End along the Atlantic coast would cover less ground and annoy fewer people.

Bob Bittner, Cutchogue

Libertarian message getting through in NY

For more than 30 years, the New York Libertarian Party has struggled to make itself heard. Every year, members would go through a grueling petitioning process, only to have its candidates challenged and thrown off ballots. There were even ridiculous obstacles while we gathered signatures, like being told by some authority that they were trespassing on a public street or venue!

In the Nov. 6 vote, however, gubernatorial candidate Larry Sharpe achieved a major victory that past candidates did not. He did not defeat Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo [“Four more years,” News, Nov. 7], but he pulled 90,000 votes statewide to gain automatic ballot status for the party (50,000 is the minimum).

New York has been losing residents because of high taxes, corruption, top-heavy government and over-regulation. Some, like myself, left to help elderly or sickly family members. Now New Yorkers will have a real choice in the direction of less government and candidates who are not career politicians getting rich off the taxpayers. The New York Libertarian Party and all those craving true freedom that comes only with limited constitutional government have much to celebrate.

Estelle Edwards, Port Charlotte, Florida

Editor’s note: The writer is former chairwoman of the Suffolk County chapter of the Libertarian Party of New York and ran for county executive in 2007.

Not all can build up overtime for pension

A Nov. 8 letter to the editor said that Suffolk County “police and other civil servants” are allowed to build up overtime the year before they retire to collect a larger pension [“Was well-paid police deputy only choice?”].

This is not true for all Suffolk County employees. Pensions for many are based on straight-time pay, and many are not even eligible for overtime. Suffolk County employees work extremely hard at their jobs, but all of the unions are not created equal.

Valerie Romeo, Bayport

Editor’s note: The writer served for 32 years for the county Department of Public Works, retiring as an assistant facilities space manager.