Dpa Newsletter March2009

DAVIS PARK ASSOCIATION

Officers; John Lund, President –Bob Spencer, Vice President –Mary Parker, Vice President Jayne Robinson, Secretary – June Haskins, Treasurer Directors; John Bauer –Geppie Celauro - Carole Kulman –Bill Mauck- Peter McGough - Joe Miccio – Kim Russell - Jim Wright

www.davispark.org

Newsletter March 2009 Hello again. It’s hard to believe but blender drinks at the Casino are just weeks away. Hope you all have had a healthy winter and are looking forward to another great season at the beach.

Town of Brookhaven Supervisor Special Election March 31 There will be a special election for Town of Brookhaven Supervisor to fill the vacancy left by Brian Foley’s election to the New York State Senate last November. Two candidates are engaged in a compressed campaign for Supervisor: Tim Mazzei, local District 5 Councilman for the past six years on the Brookhaven Town Board; and Mark Lesko from the Setauket area who has been with the United States Attorney’s office on Long Island leading all federal investigations in Brookhaven. Each candidate has a website: www.Timmazzei.com and www.Leskoforsupervisor.com. Please take time to learn about the issues Brookhaven faces and each candidate’s proposals to address them. Tim Mazzei’s campaign phone number is 631-319-6310 and he is having a fundraiser at West Lake on Montauk Highway March 26. Mark Lesko’s campaign phone number is 631-6961345 and he is having a fundraiser in Holtsville March 24. The special election will be Tuesday, March 31, 2009, at your regular polling place within Brookhaven Town. Absentee Ballot Applications for registered voters who will be out of the County on March 31st are available at http://www.elections.state.ny.us/NYSBOE/download/voting/absentee.pdf. (Note that this is the APPLICATION, not the ballot.) The application must be postmarked by March 24th so the Suffolk County Board of Elections can mail you the ballot. If there was ever a year to make sure your voice is heard, this could be it.

Davis Park Association, Inc. P.O. Box 386 Sayville, NY.11782 E-mail [email protected]

631-567-9292 fax 631-563-9292

March 2009 Newsletter -- page 2

Fire Island and Davis Park Nourishment Progress Construction in Davis Park is set to begin immediately with completion scheduled for the end of March. We are hoping that April will see beach accesses opened and walkways repaired. We are waiting for information from Fish & Wildlife for their plan on species monitoring and protection at Davis Park. We have all been involved in construction projects and know that you don’t have a final cost until the job is completely finished. We firmly believe that our nourishment project is within budget. We are working with the Town to get the final numbers for Davis Park in preparation for bonding the project for the next five years. You may recall the DPA planned early and used some Erosion District reserves to get the project started, as well as taxing at the $500,000 level for one year (2008) to allow homeowners to spread out payments for the project over six years instead of the five allowed under the bonding process. We earned about $17,000 in interest on that money and the Town will be bonding a smaller amount, which will save us interest on the bond. Subject to receiving the necessary information from the Town, we plan to have details on construction and monitoring costs at the DPA Spring Homeowners’ meeting. About half the communities participating in this project have completed one or more projects in the past and were all damaged to some extent by the April 2007 storm. Their dollar-taxing participation in previous beach nourishment projects earned them “engineered beach” status with FEMA and SEMO, who are now paying a portion of their current projects. The engineered beaches were also the first to receive sand in this project. When our project is complete, we will be part of that group and have some level of insurance for our investment in the community should another declared storm hit our beach. We are also fortunate to have the Town of Brookhaven participating at 20% of the project cost, based on their beach frontage and the investment they have in the community. During this summer homeowners on Fire Island will be asked to become active in the effort to secure the kind of protection for our beaches that has been provided to other coastal areas. We are paying the majority of this project with our taxes to protect Fire Island, our homes, and the vital South Shore of Long Island, while federal agencies are moving into the 45th year of planning to protect the South Shore as per the Congressional mandate in the 1960s and the National Seashore Act of 9-11-64. Boat Stickers for 2009 -- This year the Town of Brookhaven will issue boat stickers for Davis Park homeowners who dock their boats in the marina. To receive a sticker, the boat owner must show proof of residency (Davis Park tax bill) and boat registration under the same name. The boat must be present and the sticker will be immediately placed on the boat. The Town hopes these stickers will facilitate docking at the marina because homeowners will not need to produce documentation each time they come into the marina to pay. In addition, as per Town of Brookhaven fee resolution: Davis Park Property Owners – No Charge—Monday through Thursday (starting 3rd Monday of September to end of season). Dockage fees will be collected at the marina from May 16 through October 11.

Davis Park Association, Inc. P.O. Box 386 Sayville, NY.11782 E-mail [email protected]

631-567-9292 fax 631-563-9292

March 2009 Newsletter -- page 3 Sandspit Parking Stickers -- Parking stickers issued last year were 2-year stickers so fewer of you will be getting a parking sticker this year. If you do need a sticker, necessary documentation includes vehicle registration, driver's license, and 2009 Davis Park property tax bill/receipt, all in the same name. Last year some people had difficulties getting stickers, so be sure to check requirements before you come to avoid last-minute delays when you are trying to catch a ferry. Parking fees will be collected at the Sandspit parking lot from May 9 through November 1. Thanks to the Casino -- The covered dish cocktail party last September was a big hit with 94 attending and bringing finger foods. It was a great way to bid each other farewell for the season and the dancing was excellent. Check the calendar for this year’s date and come join the fun. Trash pick-up begins once a week on Monday, March 30, and moves to twice a week in mid-May (Mondays and Fridays). Recycling cans are again available through the DPA. Davis Park Beautification Committee -- Linda Spencer thanks all who contributed to the Davis Park Beautification Committee, and we thank her for her skill and dedication in planning and organizing this effort. Last year’s funds helped to clean up the garden, replant adopt-a-pots and boats, and maintain poop-a-scoop boxes. We also cut back Russian olives on Trustees Walk, phragmities from the milkweed, and vines near the Water Works. With our contributions, Linda added herb pots for community use near the Post Office, set up a tree nursery, and continued to germinate indigenous plants including pussy willow. In the fall, funds were used to buy and place bulbs and other plants near the Water Works, behind the Post Office, near the Harbor Store, and around the Davis Park Marina. All this activity has depleted Beautification Committee funds and new contributions would be welcome. Please give to help beautify our community, and plan to volunteer some time on Saturdays for planting, weeding, etc. Davis Park Ferry – Ferries begin on March 14 and follow the same early spring schedule as last year. For Saturday and Sunday, March 14 – April 5, there will be three round trips per day: ƒ Leave Patchogue 10:00 AM, 12:00 Noon, and 3:30 PM ƒ Leave Davis Park 10:30 AM, 12:35 PM, and 4:20 PM. You should receive a printed schedule in the mail shortly, and can look for it on the Ferry’s website ( http://www.davisparkferry.com/dp.shtml ). DPA Dues – Enclosed is a form for 2009 Davis Park Association dues. We have streamlined the process so you can also pay for Damminix tick treatments, and contribute to the Beautification Committee, the July 4th Parade, the Fire Island Association, etc. This information, including the dues form and the Damminix letter, is also available on the DPA website @ http://www.davispark.org/DPA2009-DuesForm.pdf .

Davis Park Association, Inc. P.O. Box 386 Sayville, NY.11782 E-mail [email protected]

631-567-9292 fax 631-563-9292