Thanks to everyone who made the 2018 Harvest Fest a success!
Thanks to everyone who made the 2018 Harvest Fest a success!
Dear Lake Grove Residents,
As we begin the next 50 years as an Incorporated Village, I am very confident about a positive future.
The formula for success has worked well in the past and has provided us with the wisdom that we need going forward.
Through the years of being an elected official and a public servant, I am quite aware of the importance of the relationships that you establish and maintain with other municipalities and layers of government. We have built strong alliances with the other Villages, the Town of Brookhaven and Suffolk County officials to provide for shared services that save taxpayer dollars by not duplicating services and expenses. We have Inter-municipal agreements and cooperative bidding processes that give us better purchasing power for contracting and equipment.
Going forward, we must expand on this theme and continue to work together as one, without giving up our individual identity. While working together benefits us all, it is important to keep a keen sense of why we incorporated as we did 50 years ago. Our local laws and codes must provide for what we believe is best to sustain and improve our quality of life issues. We must decide what is important to us as a community and legislate accordingly. Local laws which in many cases are more defined and enforced protect what we and those before us worked so hard to establish.
Villages are a level of government closest to the people. The Village has three boards each consisting of five members. The Village Board which is made up of the Mayor and four Trustees, the Planning Board, and the Board of Appeals. Each board plays a vital role in protecting our way of life and standard of living. Our local laws give us the authority needed to do just that.
We, your Village officials, are not political figures. I consider us to be public servants. While we might not always be in concurrence with each other, we always find common ground for the good of the Village. There is no place for politics at this level. I have worked with the Village Board for many years now and I am proud to call each member a colleague and a friend. That’s what makes it work so well. Most are all too aware of what occurs at other levels of government when camaraderie and solidarity do not exist.
A result of working together is the continuance of the positive trend. The Village has no debt. I am proud to say that while we have maintained a budget within the tax cap regulations for many years, we are still fiscally sound and continue to provide a high level of services.
My goal is that together, we carry this positive movement into the next 50 years. I will continue to work with all of my colleagues for as long as I can to bring that goal to fruition. It has been a pleasure to work collectively with all of my colleagues on the Village Board and with both of our other very competent and qualified boards.
As always, thank you for your continued support and allowing me to serve our outstanding Village.
Robert (Bob) Scottaline
Mayor
Incorporated Village of Lake Grove
Suffolk County Sheriff Errol Toulon Jr. attended the Village of Lake Grove’s 50th Anniversary Celebration where he met with Mayor Robert Scottaline and took to the podium to address the crowd about the love and pride he has for the village, which he has called home for over 25 years.
Dear Friends and Neighbors,
I think we can declare Lake Grove’s 50thanniversary celebration a complete success. A great job was done by our committee and all of our volunteers. While at times it seemed as though Mother Nature was working against us, the beautiful complete rainbow that appeared at the end of the events on Sunday assured us it was just a test of our resolve and determination.
Saturday brought us a few heavy showers, heat and humidity, but the music never stopped. The crowd was unwavering and durable and the last band of the evening continued to play past the time they were scheduled for. All were having a wonderful time. Our DPW staff swept large puddles away, blocked possible unsafe areas with cones, and continued to show us why I consider them a staff that any municipality would be proud of.
Sunday morning brought us some mist for the 5K run and it looked ominous for the early hours. The moisture gave way to an overcast, lower humidity, cooler day that was perfect for the scheduled events. Hawkins Avenue was extremely lively with many craft and food vendors and those enjoying the festivities. Again we were treated to amazing entertainment provided by extremely talented bands. The final band of the day again requested to play longer as all were having a very good time.
Many have inquired about the possibility of a similar annual event that could be labeled “Lake Grove Fest”. It would likely be a one day event with the road closure, vendors, and music. I, along with the Village Board will explore our options and see if it is prudent to make that happen. It is certainly an opportunity to show our pride in our community to the surrounding areas. Lake Grove property values are rising and selling quickly.
There are so many people and organizations to thank and I can’t cover them all in this letter. Please pick up an event journal at Village Hall if you don’t already have one. Very special thanks go out to our local Suffolk County Police and Explorers, the Suffolk Sheriff’s Department, and both Centereach and Ronkonkoma fire departments. I also want to applaud QuickChek and 7-Eleven for their generosity and assistance the entire weekend.
We celebrated 50 years of being a successful Village. We recognized those that came before us that had the wisdom and fortitude to establish the Village and those past and present that have worked so hard to sustain what they started and make it even better.
It was a very, very successful event and celebration. Thanks again to all that made it possible. I hope everyone enjoyed it as much as those that I had the pleasure of talking to during the weekend festivities.
Respectfully Yours,
Robert (Bob) Scottaline
Thank you to Town of Brookhaven Supervisor, Ed Romain, for attending and presenting a proclamation during the Village of Lake Grove 50th Anniversary celebration.
Photos of the #LG50 event by Karen Curtiss …
In honor of the 50th anniversary of the incorporation of the Village of Lake Grove, Lake Grove resident Karen Curtiss took some photos (shot on the Canon A2E with Kodak Ektar 35mm film), comparing some landmarks in historic photos to what they look like today, in 2018. Be sure to use the slider to see Lake Grove then and now by clicking the link below!
The Village of Lake Grove will be placing a time capsule at Village Hall in honor of the 50th anniversary this summer.
Come to the 50th Anniversary celebration on August 18 and 19 to see the time capsule and put your suggestions down to be evaluated.
We will keep the community informed about a ceremony to bury the capsule, which will not be opened again for another 50 years in 2068!
Dear Fellow Lake Grove Residents,
From time to time, I feel it is necessary to roll out a fresh version of a letter such as this. I think it becomes more obvious in the warmer weather when we are all out and about, that not all residents are aware of their recycling responsibility. While we have made great strides over the years and many are very conscientious about recycling, there still is a lot more that we can do.
While jogging or riding my bike throughout the well-groomed areas of our Village, I can’t help but notice the large boxes from appliances or those that arrive from Amazon or other on-line shopping services sitting at the curb on regular household garbage days. When this goes in with the regular household garbage we pay to dispose of it rather than get paid for it, as we do when we recycle. As you may be aware, the Village has an Inter-municipal agreement with the Town of Brookhaven for single stream (paper, cardboard, glass, plastic, metal cans) recycling. Please check the garbage schedule/recycling calendar for holiday weeks when recycling might be omitted for that week. If you misplaced your calendar, it also can be found on our web page.
Recycling is fiscally and environmentally responsible. If you’re already doing your part, maybe helping to educate a neighbor would be the next best thing.
METAL RECYCLING
Many longtime residents might remember a time before this administration, when we would contact the Town of Brookhaven to pick up our old appliances and heavy metals. While the Town is very proficient, it is also very large. The window to pick up these appliances could be days or weeks before a truck would come by. We purchased a lift gate for one of our vehicles approximately twelve years ago to do these pick-ups with our crew (The truck and lift gate have been updated since). The money that we receive in scrap metal goes right back into our budget to help control taxes.
If you have appliances or metal of any size or weight, please contact us before or as soon as you put it out at the curb. Those that drive through communities scavenging for metal create an unsafe state for all. Our vehicles are equipped with DOT required safety lights. Our staff wears all of the proper safety equipment for visibility and personal safety. We will arrive as soon as possible for the safety of all and for fiscal and environmental responsibility.
CONTINUING TO DO OUR PART AT VILLAGE HALL
While we ask all residents to try to recycle as efficiently as possible, we do practice what we preach. Along with complying with single stream recycling, we also have our garage heated with a waste oil burner. The oil that is removed from our vehicles when they are serviced is then used to heat the garage where the work is being performed. We also provide electricity to our offices with Solar panels making us one of the most efficient villages on Long Island.
Thank you very much for you continued support.
Robert (Bob) Scottaline, Mayor
