Proposed County Budget Guts 3 Area Projects

Funding for three county projects in the Town of Smithtown could be cut if legislators approve County Executive Steve Bellone’s proposed 2014 capital budget.

Bellone presented his second proposal of  $130 million 2014 Capital Budget to the Suffolk legislature on April 15. While the second proposal is 27 percent less than this year’s budget, it cuts county funding for 13 capital projects currently underway and previously approved in the 2013-2015 Capital Budget.

Three of these 13 projects that could be affected, if the cuts are implemented, are in the Smithtown area.

“While savings are desperately needed to all levels of government, in all aspects, what was not mentioned, but for one page, were those projects fully underway, that became casualties relegated to the cutting room floor,” said Legis. John Kennedy Jr., R-Nesconset.

First, Bellone has proposed to discontinue the multi-year flood remediation project of the Northeast branch of the Nissequogue River. The county, Town of Smithtown and Village of the Branch have worked together,  spend more than $1 million to date to clear more than 4,000 feet of the tributary, according to Kennedy. A study of the river prepared by Suffolk County in 2007 estimated that 3,000 properties were impacted the shallow groundwater in the areas near the river of southern Smithtown, Hauppauge and Nesconset.

Bellone’s proposal cuts funding for Smithtown Boulevard Study, which proposed the reconstruction of several dangerous intersections along Smithtown Boulevard in Nesconset at Gilbert Avenue/Sheppard Lane, Mayfair Road and Terry Road. Suffolk’s Department of Public Works conducted a $74,000 study of this section of roadway from 2007 - 2009 that noted 32 accidents, and presented potential changes for feedback from residents in 2012. Construction was scheduled to start tentatively in 2013.

“Apparently, neither the money expended, nor community involvement, no lives lost or permanently impacted were of that great a concern to the executive’s budget office when deciding to terminate this capital project,” Kennedy said in a written statement.

The proposed 2014 Capital Budget also cuts funds for the renovations of historic homes at Blydenburgh County Park. In the park, there is the mill, which dates back to 1798 and Miller’s House, dating to 1802. Work has started to reconstruct the foundation of the mill, its sheathing and the replacement of timbers. However, additional work is needed to restore the functionality of the wheel.  Both of these properties are on the National Historic register and, according to Kennedy, represent the only publicly owned indigenous farm and mill buildings on Long Island.

Kennedy said he will propose three amendments to the capital budget to restore funding for these three local projects.

Bellone could not be reached immediately for comment on Tuesday afternoon.

A public hearing on Bellone’s proposed 2014 Capital Budget will be held on 2:30 p.m. May 7 at the Suffolk County Legislature building, 725 Veterans Memorial Highway, Smithtown.