ENCA Plans 50th Anniversary Family Event

The East Norwich Civic Association (ENCA) is planning to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the organization. At their Aug. 23 meeting, Pat Cohen volunteered to work on the anniversary committee. Marie Colvin and President Matthew Meng said they, too, would serve to help work on the event. Sean Rainey and Rob Brusca were appointed in absentia, to join the committee. Ms. Colvin said they were considering an event for families at Chelsea. It was where the community celebrated its 300th anniversary several years ago.

President Matthew Meng told the group that he talked to Dave Ross, the owner of the Patio.com corner and was told that TD Bank will be there by December. Last month the Patio.com building had been taken down and a dumpster and a piece of construction equipment were on the site. By Aug. 23, a construction fence had gone up but nothing else happened. In the meantime, TD Bank celebrated the opening of their new location in Syosset. The ENCA has spoken to TD Bank representatives on the design of the building which they were told would be in keeping with this 300 year-old hamlet. The civic association feels that the bank is the best use of that parcel of land and is looking forward to seeing it completed.

29th Oyster Festival Excitement Begins

Charlie Dane, the little girl with the big voice, kicked off the Oyster Festival 2012 press conference with her full-throated rendition of The Star Spangled Banner. She will be one of the many performers that keep the festival alive with music. The kickoff took place on Aug. 17, at the flagpole area of Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Park, with the waterfront as its background.

This is the 29th Oyster Festival, announced Len Rothberg of EGC Group, the event production sponsorship chair. He said, “Next year will be the big “three-oh.” Verizon representative Patrick Lespinasse announced that besides being the title sponsor this year, they will be the title sponsor of Oyster Festival 30. Mr. Lespinasse said the Oyster Festival is proof that when government, business, the civics and private citizens all work together it is awesome.

Town Considers Amendments To Tree Removal Ordinance

Environmentalists attend meeting to be sure change is needed

Amendments to the code of the Town of Oyster Bay were discussed at the Tuesday, Aug. 14, town board meeting. They included regulations pertaining to the growing of bamboo on both residential and commercial property (see article on page 10), storm water management and erosion and sediment control, and the removal of trees on private property.

OB/CSH Protection Committee Signs On

In stark contrast to the divisive political scene in Washington, elected officials representing 14 local governments in the Oyster Bay/Cold Spring Harbor watershed came together on Aug. 8 to officially establish the Oyster Bay / Cold Spring Harbor Protection Committee.

With beautiful Oyster Bay Harbor as the backdrop representatives from 11 villages, two towns and Nassau County pledged their commitment to an inter-municipal agreement under the new gazebo in Theodore Roosevelt Park in Oyster Bay. The agreement codifies the relationship between the municipalities that have been meeting since January 2010 at the recommendation of the environmental advocacy organization, Friends of the Bay.

Oyster Fest To Host NFL LI Championship

The Oyster Bay Rotary and the Town of Oyster Bay announced that the NFL Punt, Pass & Kick Long Island Championship (LIC) will take place during the Oyster Festival on Sunday, Oct. 14, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the artificial turf athletic field at Theodore Roosevelt Park.

The NFL Punt, Pass & Kick football competition allows boys and girls ages 6 to 15 to showcase their talents in punting, passing, and kicking with scores based on distance and accuracy. Local qualifying events are held across Long Island during the summer, with the winners of the local events advancing to the LI championships Oct. 14 in Oyster Bay.

Witness Trees Exhibit Ends August 19

Now on view at the The Koenig Center, this National Park Service traveling show focuses on transforming history into art

Witness Trees, opened on July 15, at the Oyster Bay Historical Society’s Koenig Center as its summer exhibition, in partnership with Sagamore Hill National Historic Site (SHNHS) and runs now through Aug. 19. The items on display are the work of students from the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), using wood reclaimed from trees on four National Historic Sites.

SHNHS Superintendent Thomas Ross was very happy to see the works created by RISD students using wood reclaimed from trees on the National Historic Sites, In addition to Sagamore Hill, the contributing sites include Hampton Plantation in Maryland, the George Washington Birthplace in Virginia, and the Frederic Law Olmstead site in Massachusetts.

New York AutoFest Comes To Oyster Bay

Event will be held Sunday, August 12, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m

The New York AutoFest is coming to Oyster Bay on Sunday, Aug. 12, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., said Michele Browner, Oyster Bay-East Norwich Chamber of Commerce president.

Austin Azzaretto, the Cruise Night chair, said that the NY AutoFest was originally scheduled for Sunday, July 29 but it was cancelled due to the unpredictable weather. The NY AutoFest is a series of car shows held throughout the summer. All shows help raise funds for charitable organizations such as the Knights of Columbus and others.

Sea Wall Change Order At TR Park Questioned

When is a change order not a change order nor a sea wall a wall?

The Town of Oyster Bay is in Phase I of the process of renovating the Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Park although it recently jumped the gun and proceeded to do a project planned for Phase II, without going to bid. According to Town Councilman Anthony Macagnone, the $600,000 change order for work done on the Sea Wall recently, should have been sent out to bid. Phase II was expected to be included in the town budget in October and then sent out to bid and paid for with the funds for the project available in 2013.

At the May 15 Oyster Bay Town Board meeting Paul Leo, a representative of the Northeast Regional Council of Carpenters questioned the town on a change order for Resolution 471 as the board was preparing to vote on it. Resolution 471 states, “Resolution pertaining to Changer Order No. 1. for Contract No. DP11-059, Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Park Seawall Rehabilitation – Construction Phase.” Mr. Leo said it was for more than half a million — $600,000. He said the contractor was the low bidder and he asked because of the magnitude of the change amount, “Did they miss something in the bid specifications?” He said that change orders of $30,000 or $40,000 was one thing but $600,000 was not a change order.

DOT Hearing To Move LIRR Pedestrian Crossing

Town asks for relocation of entrance to enhance park access

As the Town of Oyster Bay (TOB) continues working on the renovation of the Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Park (TR Park) in the hamlet of Oyster Bay, a piece of the plan still needs an okay from the state. The town plans to relocate the pedestrian entrance to the park from Maxwell Avenue to Audrey Avenue which needs New York State Department of Transportation (DOT) approval. The park is maintained with taxpayer funds from the township of Oyster Bay. There is an entrance on Larrabee Avenue where parking fees are collected, the walk-in entrance by Maxwell, and the entrance on Bay Avenue that leads to the marina and picnic area are where no parking/entrance fees are required.

The DOT held a public hearing on the morning of Wednesday, July 25, in the Oyster Bay Community Center regarding the town’s request to relocate the at-grade pedestrian crossing over the Long Island Railroad (LIRR) tracks to Audrey Avenue. In response to a request from the public, they want to move the crossing from Maxwell Avenue,120 feet east to Audrey Avenue. NYSDOT Acting Chief Administrative Law Judge Robert A. Rybak presided over the hearing.

Kickoff For 50th Anniversary Celebration Of Sagamore Hill National Historic Site

Ceremonies on the piazza commemorate transfer from TRA to NPS

The National Park Service (NPS) is celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the Sagamore Hill National Historic Site (SHNHS) on Saturday, July 28, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. In July, 1962, President John F. Kennedy signed the legislation to transfer Sagamore Hill, the Long Island home of Theodore Roosevelt, from the Theodore Roosevelt Association (TRA) to the American people, to be administered by the NPS.

The July 28th kickoff to a year-long celebration is free and features unique events that will commemorate this significant occasion.