Vol. 77, No. 41
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Friday, October 13, 2017
Sen. Schumer, Navy Secretary pledge help in cleaning water pollution plume
Pictured from left to right are Bethpage Water District Superintendent Michael Boufis, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer (NY), and Secretary of the Navy Richard V. Spencer
On Friday September 29, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer convened and led a critical meeting between new U.S. Navy Secretary Richard V. Spencer and local water districts that have been impacted by the toxic plumes coming from the former Navy-Grumman site in Bethpage. Bethpage Water District stood front and center along with Senator Schumer, Secretary Spencer and representatives from Massapequa Water District as well as South Farmingdale Water District at a press conference held on the steps of the Massapequa Water District. Earlier this year, Schumer met with Secretary Spencer, then nominee Spencer, where he pushed various Northrop Grumman plume-related clean up and payment issues. In that meeting, Schumer urged the nominee to do everything in his power to get the Navy to proactively corral the migrating contamination from the toxic plume and address new radioactive contamination in and around the former Navy-Grumman site in Bethpage. Senator Schumer specifically urged nominee Spencer to visit Bethpage and meet with local water district officials. As a result of their meeting, Navy Secretary Spencer committed to Schumer’s request. “Having U.S. Navy Secretary Spencer in Bethpage is an opportunity for the local water districts to educate the Secretary on the critical need for the Navy to more aggressively contain the advancement of the plume and to establish a better system for more prompt payment of the considerable costs the water districts absorb while they fight this battle,” said U.S. Senator Schumer. “We thank See page 19
Oyster Bay Town Board debate highlights puzzle for challengers BY RIKKI N. MASSAND
The League of Women Voters (LWV) of Nassau County hosted a numbers-crunching, policymaking and leadership forum on Tuesday night, October 3 at the Plainview-Old Bethpage Public Library on Old Country Road. The seated multi-candidate debate brought this year’s candidates for the Oyster Bay Town Board in front of an auditorium, with over 60 attendees. However, as pointed out by a Democratic challenger last Tuesday night, none of the councilmembers in the current Town of Oyster Bay administration, including three
newcomers now weeks ahead of their first Town Board election, came and participated in the Nassau County League of Women Voters’ 2017 forum. Norma Schaefer, East Nassau representative from the League of Women Voters, announced just before the forum got underway that Town of Oyster Bay Supervisor Joseph Saladino “has not responded at all, despite numerous attempts by the League.” She said lifelong Plainview resident and current Oyster Bay Councilman Louis Imbroto had another event to attend but was trying to make it to the October 3 forum.
Meanwhile, as Schaefer and moderator Paula Blum announced that Councilwoman Michelle Johnson and Councilman Tom Hand would not be able to attend. Saladino, Imbroto and Hand are all new to the Oyster Bay Town Board as they were sworn into office in three separate ceremonies in 2017, in January, March and May. Imbroto replaced Councilman Joseph Pinto, who resigned in March to become the new TOBAY parks commissioner, as Supervisor Saladino commented at the time that he and his staff initiated the changeover in the
Parks Department. Councilman Hand replaced Councilman Chris J. Coschignano who resigned on May 23, after spending the last 16 years involved in public service. This year’s Democratic Party slate for Council include Dr. Marc Herman, Robert K. Freier, Eva M. Pearson and James W. Versocki. The candidates for TOBAY Supervisor at the October 3 LWV Forum included Dr. Herman, Jonathan Clarke, John Mangelli and Robert Ripp, an independent from Massapequa. Town Council candidates included Steven A. Abreu, See page 19
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