03/24/2015 General Meeting Minutes (PDF)
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SUFFOLK COUNTY LEGISLATURE GENERAL MEETING FIFTH DAY March 24, 2015 Verbatim Transcript MEETING HELD AT THE WILLIAM H. ROGERS LEGISLATURE BUILDING IN THE ROSE Y. CARACAPPA LEGISLATIVE AUDITORIUM 725 VETERANS MEMORIAL HIGHWAY SMITHTOWN, NEW YORK Minutes Taken By Alison Mahoney & Lucia Braaten - Court Stenographers Verbatim Transcript Prepared By Alison Mahoney, Lucia Braaten, Kim Castiglione - Legislative Secretary, & Denise Weaver - Legislative Aide (*The meeting was called to order at 4:02 P.M.*) (The following was taken by Alison Mahoney - Court Stenographer & was transcribed by Kim Castiglione - Legislative Secretary) P.O. GREGORY: Okay. Good evening, Mr. Clerk. Could I have all Legislators to the horseshoe, please? Mr. Clerk, do the roll call. MR. LAUBE: Good evening, Mr. Presiding Officer. (*Roll was called by Mr. Laube - Clerk of the Legislature*) LEG. KRUPSKI: Here. LEG. BROWNING: (Excused Absence). LEG. MURATORE: (Not Present). LEG. HAHN: Present. LEG. ANKER: Here. LEG. CALARCO: Present. LEG. LINDSAY: (Not Present). LEG. MARTINEZ: Here. LEG. CILMI: Here. LEG. BARRAGA: Here. LEG. TROTTA: Here. LEG. McCAFFREY: Here. LEG. STERN: (Not Present). 2 LEG. D'AMARO: Here. LEG. SPENCER: (Not Present). D.P.O. SCHNEIDERMAN: (Not Present). P.O. GREGORY: Here. LEG. MURATORE: Here. MR. LAUBE: Twelve. (Amended to 16. Legislator Browning - Excused Absence; District #12 - Vacant Seat) P.O. GREGORY: Okay. Mr. Clerk, please recognize Legislator Browning as an excused absence. MR. LAUBE: Will do. P.O. GREGORY: Okay. We will have the Pledge of Allegiance or salute to the flag led by Legislator Stern. Salutation Okay. Legislator Stern will introduce the Half Hollow Hills Blue Notes Jazz Vocal Ensemble, students from Half Hollow Hills High School West, who will sing the National Anthem. LEG. STERN: Thank you, Mr. Presiding Officer. And good afternoon to everyone. As we're welcoming some of our guests today, it is my pleasure to introduce the Half Hollow Hills Blue Notes, which is High School West's Select Vocal Jazz Ensemble and is conducted by Choral Director Michele Martuffi. The Blue Notes perform in the district and throughout the community. Past performances have included Half Hollow Hills Night at Nassau Coliseum for the New York Islanders, SCHEMA Jazz Festival, Music in the Parks competitions, Berkeley Jazz Festival, Citifield, Half Hollow Hills Founders Day, and Festival Disney. Please join me in welcoming today the Half Hollow Hills Blue Notes. Applause LEG. STERN: Joining us today for the Invocation is Pastor Roy Minnix. Pastor Minnix was called to St. Luke Lutheran Church in Dix Hills in January of 2014. Since then, his family has thoroughly enjoyed getting to know both their St. Luke family and the larger Long Island community. Prior to receiving the call to St. Luke, Pastor Minnix served a parish in Hudson, New York, and then as campus pastor at his alma mater, Concordia College, New York, located in Bronxville. After graduating from Concordia College in 2001, Pastor Minnix completed his Master's Degree in Divinity at Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri. His graduate studies at the seminary also included an internship at Peace with Christ Lutheran Churn in Fort Collins, Colorado, where Pastor Minnix was able to create a 3 new college outreach ministry. In 2013, Pastor Minnix was awarded a Doctorate in Executive Leadership from St. John Fisher College in Rochester, New York. His research investigated the role of a mentor in the spiritual and faith development of the young adult. In addition to serving the congregation, Pastor Minnix has served on the Columbia County Habitat for Humanity, as a rape crisis counselor, as head of the annual Holocaust Commemoration for the Interfaith Council of Westchester, and presently sits on a dissertation committee. Having gone to high school on the Jersey Shore, both Pastor Minnix and wife, Jennifer, are happy to be back near the water and feel very much at home in their new surroundings. We are so pleased to have him as a part of our greater Dix Hills community. Please join me in welcoming today for the Innovation Pastor Roy Minnix. Applause PASTOR MINNIX: Let us pray. Almighty God, we give thanks to you that in your sheer goodness and mercy you have ordered all things for our good. Through your creation and throughout our communities we see your continued care and hand at work. We give you thanks for those whom you have raised up into service, those here today, gathered in the persistent hope that you will forever make known the paths you have placed before us. Through your profit Micah you once declared God has shown you what is good, and what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. Through your son you have given us a perfect example of what you desire from us and for all people. In these days you have promised to continue to reveal your will and your promises. We pray today that you might reveal to us a shared purpose, one that seeks to serve and not to be served. One that finds its fulfillment in humility and compassion. Bless those who seek to be a blessing. Strengthen those who seek the general welfare of all, and may our work today and always be according to your great purpose, a plan that is far greater than the challenges we face in our lives, our communities and even throughout the world. Give us your spirit of wisdom and strength to know your will and to do it. We ask all these things in the precious name of our Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen. "Amen" Said in Unison P.O. GREGORY: If you would all please remain standing, get a little exercise. Have a moment of silence in memory of Madeline D'Andre, wife of former Legislator Michael D'Andre, and Carol O'Leary, wife of former Legislator Pete O'Leary, who passed away recently. And in memory of former Riverhead Town Supervisor, James Stark, who passed away recently from lung cancer. Jim was elected Supervisor in 1995 after serving five years as town councilman. During his tenure on the Town Board, the town adopted special zoning that allowed for the development of the Tanger Outlets. While Supervisor, he played key roles that ultimately led to the development of the Long Island Aquarium and revitalization of the Suffolk Theatre. Former Supervisor Stark is the father of Legislative Aide, Catherine Stark. We extend our deepest sympathy and prayers to their families. As always, let us remember all the men and women who put themselves in harm's way every day to protect our country. Moment of Silence Observed Please be seated. Also, as Legislator Spencer just reminded me, this morning the flight, the German flight in France that went down this morning. Our hearts and prayers go out to the 150 plus families that are suffering today as well. 4 Before we begin proclamation presentations, I would like to recognize and welcome as guests of Legislator McCaffrey some advanced placement students from Lindenhurst High School interested in understanding how politics works on the local level. Welcome, guys. Where are you? Oh, out in the hallway. First lesson of politics, come early. (*Laughter*) LEG. HAHN: It will clear out. P.O. GREGORY: It will clear out. All right. Proclamations. We have several proclamations, first being in recognition of Women's History Month. In 2002 the Legislature passed Resolution No. 786 of 2002 to select a Woman of Distinction in March of every year. Legislator Stern will present a proclamation on behalf of the Suffolk County Legislature to Rosemarie Kluepfel. LEG. STERN: Thank you, Mr. Presiding Officer. And again, good afternoon, everyone. This is a real personal pleasure for me, a longtime volunteer, Rosemarie Kluephel has dedicated herself to those who have served our great nation. She regularly volunteers her time at the Northport VA Medical Center assisting with food distribution for homeless veterans and speaking with residents at the VA to help them with the difficulties that they face. She's held numerous fundraisers for veterans through the local Huntington chapters of the VFW and American Legion, and is even known among the organizations as their local mascot for her passionate support over these past many years. Her most recent contribution to our veterans is through her leadership of the Fairway Foundation, the 501(c)3 arm of the Mortgage Corporation in which 100% of all the proceeds raised goes to providing homes for wounded veterans. Rosemarie leads the Long Island efforts of this initiative, and through her skillful leadership she's raised more than $30,000 through benefit concerts, comedy shows and door to door outreach in order to rebuild two homes to meet the needs of two wounded Long Island veterans. Not only does she head all of the Long Island fundraising efforts, but she's also a hands on volunteer, putting hammer to nail to construct the homes. However, Rosemarie's efforts aren't exclusive to veterans causes. For five years she's led a charity fashion show at the Walt Whitman Mall to benefit the Dolan Center and has also used her gift of songwriting to help fight childhood bullying. Included in her volunteer efforts is her work with the Society of Italian Americans and Friends Organization. She's a founding member of the Long Island Chapter, which has held several charitable events to benefit local hospitals and other organizations in our communities. Rosemarie sets an outstanding example for all of us here in Suffolk County, but she's especially a role model for women in our community. Working as the only female loan specialist and also the only employee with a background in construction, she stands out not for her gender, but for her dedication and for her skill.