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 SENATOR
FLANAGAN HERALDS KINGS PARK PSYCHIATRIC CENTER COURT RULING |
NYS Sen.
John Flanagan
Press Release
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Senator John J. Flanagan (2nd Senate District) today
joined with Kings Park community leaders in declaring a major
victory in a lawsuit regarding the future of the Kings Park
Psychiatric Center (KPPC). The lawsuit, which was filed earlier this
year by developer Arker Companies and Cherokee Northeast, LLC
(Cherokee Arker) and follows Senator Flanagan's successful efforts
to cancel the sale of the KPPC site, was dismissed in New York State
Supreme Court by Justice Elizabeth Hazlitt Emerson based upon the
clear language of the contract.
Cherokee Arker had filed the lawsuit in an effort to force the sale
of the property and reap a financial windfall. In a decision
released on Friday, Justice Emerson ruled that the developer was
entitled solely to the return of their deposit and any interest
accrued as specified in the purchase-and-sale agreement. This
decision was based on unmistakable language in the agreement entered
into by the developer.
"It was clear as soon as this lawsuit was filed that Cherokee
Arker's claims were frivolous and without merit and this ruling
affirms that fact.
The contract clearly spells out the limited relief they are entitled
to in plain English and the company must recognize that fact,"
stated Senator Flanagan. "I hope that the company can be realistic
enough to realize that the facts are clearly on the side of the
Kings Park community and stops wasting taxpayer money on senseless
court battles."
As the third bidder for the property, Cherokee Arker quickly drew
criticism from the community after proposing 1,800 units of high
density housing for the site. Despite repeated requests by Senator
Flanagan to withdraw the 1,800 unit proposal, to publicly commit to
continuation of tax payments to the Kings Park School District, and
to do more community outreach, Cherokee Arker did little to gain
credibility or favor with residents, elected officials or civic
organizations. That led to Senator Flanagan's efforts to have the
contract with Cherokee Arker canceled back in January.
After the cancellation, Senator Flanagan was able to secure $25
million in state funding for the cleanup of the site to help reduce
the cost of cleanup to any entity controlling the property and
reduce the need for increased construction. This funding will
greatly reduce the need for any future overdevelopment to cover the
cost of remediation.
Since that time, Senator Flanagan has continued to meet with civic
leaders, State, County and Town officials, planning directors,
environmental advocates and residents to explore alternative
redevelopment options for the site.
Those discussions have focused on placing control in the hands of
local officials and preserving tax payments to the Kings Park School
District to protect the taxpayers of the area. This effort has led
to a plan that would place a majority of the land in the Nissequoque
State Park to protect this valuable revenue stream for the school
while preserving the open space of this beautiful parcel of land.
The remainder of the site would then be transferred to the Town of
Smithtown for as little as one dollar to enable local control over
its use.
This will allow any decision to be made with input from the
residents of Kings Park.
"The cancellation of the sale, the securing of cleanup funding and
now the denial of this baseless lawsuit make it clear that
overdevelopment is no longer an acceptable idea. The residents of
Kings Park should be able to have a strong voice in the direction of
their community and they must be able to decide their future. We
will continue to work together to get the land into the state park
system and place control over this site in local hands so that the
community, and not some developer, has the final say," stated
Senator Flanagan.
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Their Faces Lit Up... |
By Ken Kraska |
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Photo Courtesy of King Pedlar
It was a crisp December afternoon as the
residents of Kings Park lined the corner of Main & Church streets.
Parents and grandparents alike watched the faces of their excited
children beam as the antique fire truck pumper arrived with Santa
and his elves. This long standing tradition has been the prelude to
the lighting of the town's very own holiday tree located next to the
Kings Park Library in Veteran's Plaza.
Photo Courtesy of King Pedlar
GREAT JOB!
12/03/06 |
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 Legislator
Nowick
Meets New
Smithtown Library Director |
Lynne C. Nowick
Press Release
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(Smithtown, NY)… Suffolk County
Legislator Lynne C. Nowick (R-St. James) recently met with Robert
Lusak, the new Smithtown Library Director. A resident of Nesconset,
Mr. Lusak was the director at the Babylon Library before coming to
Smithtown. Legislator Nowick and Mr. Lusak discussed the
continuation of the Summer Family Concert Series at the library as
they looked at a photo from last year’s event. Legislator Nowick is
a longtime supporter of the Smithtown Library and looks forward to
working with Mr. Lusak on other projects.
Legislator Lynne C. Nowick
represents the 13th Legislative District, which includes Smithtown,
Fort Salonga, Kings Park, San Remo, Nissequogue, Head of the Harbor,
and St. James, as well as portions of Commack and East Northport.
She chairs the Parks and Recreation Committee and serves on the
Economic Development, Higher Education and Energy; Consumer
Protection; and Labor, Workforce and Affordable Housing Committees. |
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TIPS
TO KEEP THE HOLIDAY SEASON SAFE |
NYS Sen.
John Flanagan
Press Release
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Senator John J. Flanagan, Jr. (2nd Senate District)
is reminding residents to practice fire safety in the home during
the upcoming holidays.
While the holiday season is a time for family and for fun, holiday
fires injure 2,600 individuals and cause over $930 million in damage
according to the United States Fire Administration (USFA).
“While nearly all of us celebrate in some way during the holiday
season, it is important to remember to exercise proper caution while
we
celebrate. This is a time of family, fun and togetherness and a
little
precaution will help make the holidays better for everyone,” said
Senator Flanagan. "Please be safe, be cautious and have a great
holiday season."
The USFA offers the following fire safety tips:
HOLIDAY LIGHTS
· Maintain Your Holiday Lights: Inspect holiday lights each year for
frayed wires, bare spots, gaps in the insulation, broken or cracked
sockets, and excessive kinking or wear before putting them up. Use
only lighting listed by an approved testing laboratory.
· Do Not Overload Electrical Outlets: Do not link more than three
light
strands, unless the directions indicate it is safe. Connect strings
of lights to an extension cord before plugging the cord into the
outlet and make sure to periodically check the wires to make sure
they are cool to the touch.
· Do Not Leave Holiday Lights on Unattended: When you are not home,
please remember to turn lights off.
HOLIDAY DECORATIONS
· Use Only Nonflammable Decorations: All decorations should be
nonflammable or flame-retardant and placed away from heat vents.
· Never Put Wrapping Paper in a Fireplace: It can throw off
dangerous
sparks and produce a chemical build-up in the home that could cause
an explosion.
· Artificial Christmas Trees: If you are using a metallic or
artificial
tree, make sure it is flame retardant.
CANDLE CARE
· Avoid Using Lit Candles: If you do use them, make sure they are in
stable holders and place them where they cannot be easily knocked
down and never leave the house with candles burning.
· Never Put Lit Candles on a Tree: Do not go near a Christmas tree
with
an open flame.
PREVENTING CHRISTMAS TREE FIRE
· Selecting a Tree for the Holiday: Needles on fresh trees should be
green and hard to pull back from the branches, and the needle should
not break if the tree has been freshly cut. The trunk should be
sticky to the touch.
Old trees can be identified by bouncing the tree trunk on the
ground.
If many needles fall off, the tree has been cut too long, has
probably dried out, and is a fire hazard.
· Caring for Your Tree: Do not place your tree close to a heat
source,
including a fireplace or heat vent. The heat will dry out the tree,
causing it to be more easily ignited by heat, flame or sparks.
Be careful not to drop or flick cigarette ashes near a tree. Do not
put your live tree up too early or leave it up for longer than two
weeks. Keep the tree stand filled with water at all times.
· Disposing of Your Tree: Never put tree branches or needles in a
fireplace or wood burning stove. When the tree becomes dry, discard
it promptly. The best way to dispose of your tree is by taking it to
a recycling center or having it hauled away by a community pick-up
service.
Finally, as in every season, have working smoke alarms installed on
every level of your home, test them monthly and keep them clean and
equipped with fresh batteries at all times. Everyone in your
household must know how and when to call for help. And remember to
practice your home escape plan.
For more information about fire safety, please visit Senator
Flanagan’s web site at www.senatorflanagan.com and click on the
Helpful Hints for Holiday Shopping and Safety link. You can also
order home safety brochures from Senator Flanagan by visiting his
web site or by calling Senator Flanagan's office at 631-361-2154.
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