"We are working on overcoming the barriers to redevelopment" - Nassau County Exec. Ed Mangano

Long Island Business News

Long Island Business News is Long Island’s only publication devoted to local commerce and has been the premier source of news and data on business, economic trends and the region’s robust entrepreneurial sector for more than 50 years. As the area’s No. 1 source for news on Long Island’s 120,000-plus businesses, they pay special attention to the region’s leading sectors: education, health care, high-tech, financial and professional services, and commercial real estate and development.

In addition to weekly editions, LIBN produces a full line of annual publications, including the Book of Lists, the Tech Island Directory, Doing Business on Long Island and the nonprofit community’s Annual Philanthropy Day Directory.

Become a supporter of Smart Growth

Vision Long Island prides itself on having a broad range of supporters.  Become one today. A donation as small as $50 buys outreach materials to help a community build support for their vision. $500 sponsors an entire newsletter.  $5,000 makes you a lead sponsor of our Smart Growth Summit, buying 10 tickets and a key branding opportunity for your organization.
 
Your tax-deductible donation goes directly to Vision and lets you help strengthen efforts to put Smart Growth principles into action.

Deadline approaching for Smart Growth Awards - deadline extended to today at 5pm!

The deadline for nominations for the 2010 Smart Growth Awards has been extended and is now less than a week away. The eight annual event will honor individuals and organizations taking leadership in advancing Smart Growth projects, policies, regulations and initiatives. Specific focus areas include mixed-use development, affordable housing, environmental health and safety, open space and historic preservation, traffic calming and pedestrian safety, transportation enhancements, clean energy, downtown revitalization and/or community based planning. The deadline for submissions is March 5th at 5pm.

Award recipients will stand out from other entries in their ability to demonstrate one or more of these basic principles:

1. Mix Land Uses
2. Take advantage of compact building design
3. Create housing choices for a range of household types, family sizes and incomes
4. Create walkable neighborhoods
5. Foster distinctive, attractive communities with a strong sense of place.
6. Preserve open space, farmland, historic buildings and critical environmental areas
7. Strengthen existing communities and achieve more balanced regional development
8. Provide a variety of transportation choices
9. Make development decisions predictable, fair and cost effective.
10. Encourage citizen and stakeholder participation in development decisions
11. Utilize clean energy and green building development

Submit this form and relevant materials to Vision Long Island, a 501(c)3 not-for-profit corporation. Please include relevant reports, images, plans, renderings, news articles and other supportive materials. Do not send originals materials as we cannot guarantee their safe return.

The Awards will be handed out on Friday, June 18th from 11:30am-2pm at the Crest Hollow Country Club. Registration information is available here.

Attend Long Island's first LEED-ND® conference March 23rd

Please attend the first Long Island LEED-ND® conference March 23rd from 8:30am-3:00pm at the Sustainability Institute at Molloy College in East Farmingdale. Come to this informative worksession to learn about LEED-ND®: LEED®'s newest neighborhood-based green design standards, led by some of the region's foremost experts. LEED-ND® (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design, Neighborhood Development) was developed in partnership with the US Green Building Council, Congress for the New Urbanism and the Natural Resources Defense Council. Workshops will cover: Smart Location & Linkage, Neighborhood Pattern & Design, Green Construction & Technology and Regional Priority Credit.

Sponsorship opportunities are available, starting at $500 and going up to $3000. Individual tickets are $75. The event is sponsored by the Sustainability Institute at Molloy College, the US Green Building Council, Vision Long Island and CNU-NY.

For more information or to RSVP, contact Vision Long Island at 631-261-0242 or email info@visionlongisland.org. Download the flyer for the event here. The Sustainability Institute at Molloy College is located at 7180 Republic Airport, East Farmingdale.

State Labor Department regional innovation grant to provide 500-plus Long Islanders with workforce training

More than 500 Long Islanders will participate in a myriad of industry-specific and job readiness courses at local colleges and universities as part of the region's 13N initiative – a regional workforce innovation grant – funded by the New York State Department of Labor. The grant was awarded to “Connect Long Island,” a consortium of the three Long Island Workforce Investment Boards: Hempstead/Long Beach, Oyster Bay/North Hempstead/Glen Cove and Suffolk County.

A total of 22 courses are being offered free of charge to both incumbent and dislocated workers ranging from Project Management and Manufacturing Basics to Business Writing and Quick Books. The courses offered help meet the skill gaps identified in a 2009 manufacturing and healthcare industry survey developed and implemented by the Long Island Forum for Technology (LIFT), the grant manager.

Since the program's implementation in 2008, nearly 1,400 Long Islanders have participated in 13N training. “The courses are helping to give a much-needed needed boost to unemployed workers in their job search,” reports Mark J. Grossman, the New York State Department of Labor’s Commissioner’s Representative for Long Island. “The program is also helping to broaden and refine the skillsets of incumbent workers looking to move up the career ladder.”

The demand has been enormous and only a limited number of seats are still available for the Spring course cycle. Go to www.lift.org and tap the “Worker Training” link to access a course schedule. Another round of training is planned for the fall of 2010.

Pictured is a February 15, 2010 meeting of the Connect Long Island executive committee, the governing body of the 13N grant, which consists of representatives of the region’s three Workforce Investment Boards, Empire State Development, and the New York State Department of Labor’s Division of Employment & Workforce Solutions, the region’s Labor Market Analyst, and the Commissioner's Long Island Regional Representative.

MTA hearings begin on Long Island; next hearing in Riverhead on Monday, March 8th

The MTA held the first in a series of nine regional public hearings Monday evening in Carle Place. The hearings have been scheduled to address the $800 million budget deficit that the agency is facing. Massive service cuts are planned to plug the budget gap, including elimination of service from Ronkonkoma to Greenport except on summer weekends, the elimination of 13 Long Island Bus lines and drastic service cuts on other LIRR and LI Bus lines. The City will also be hit with the elimination of student MetroCards and cuts to NYC Transit subways and buses. The MTA plans to cut 1,100 administrative and station management jobs, including 150 from the LIRR, but those cuts will only make a small dent in the gap. Before the MTA board can vote on service changes, the transportation authority is required to hear from riders.

Nearly 500 Long Islanders showed up at the hearing on Monday, which Newsday described as "rowdy." Several elected officials attended and spoke, including Nassau County Legislator David Denenberg, who said "What you're doing is 180 degrees in the opposite direction of where you should be going...What happened? You got your new [payroll] tax."

MTA Chair Jay Walder admitted "The service changes do involve pain. They will affect people's lives and they will make it more difficult for people to get to work...We're sorry about that. Unfortunately we can't spend money that we don't have."

Newsday continued, "Rider advocates and development experts questioned Walder's plan Monday, arguing that the agency could transfer $90 million in stimulus funds from its capital budget to supplement its operating budget. Calling the cuts "horrific" and "tone-deaf," Eric Alexander, executive director of Vision Long Island, said: "We can't have transit-oriented development without transit.""

The second hearing on Long Island will be at Riverhead County Center, Suffolk County Legislative Auditorum, Evans K. Griffing Builing: 300 Center Drive, in Riverhead on Monday, March 8th at 6pm. It is important that Long Islanders show up to this hearing to protest the cuts, especially on the East End where downtown revitalization projects depend on increased LIRR service. Register in advance to speak at the hearing here. You can also comment by email.

Newsday wants to hear from you about the future of transportation on LI

Over the next year, Newsday will look back at Long Island in 1978, take the pulse of LI today and map out where Long Islanders want to be in the next few decades. Add your voice to the conversation, starting with the next installment of "The Future of Long Island" which will feature transportation. Newsday wants your thoughts on the following issues: Should a tunnel be built under the Long Island Sound? How can traffic congestion be relieved? What's one single thing Long Island must do to improve how we get around? What other areas should we explore? Chime in online here. Newsday will collect the responses and post them online -- and some may also be published in the print paper. Tell Long Island's only major daily newspaper that you support traffic calming measures, public transportation, walkable communities, and other Smart Growth planning principles.

Long Island receives energy conservation funding

Twenty-three Long Island organizations are the recipients of funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), designated for energy conservation projects. The energy efficiency, renewable energy and clean fleet projects will reduce energy and operating costs and fully return the initial investment in just under seven years. The projects were competitively selected through the New York State Energy Program. Measures funded include installation of lighting and lighting controls, heating, cooling and controls, building envelope, photovoltaic systems, high efficiency biomass boilers, solar thermal, small wind generators and alternative-fuel refueling stations and vehicles.

The Long Island organizations receiving funding are the Amagansett Fire District, Association for the Help of Retarded Children, East Meadow Public Library, Good Shepard Lutheran Church and School, John T. Mather Memorial Hospital, Kellenberg Memorial High School, Maria Regina Residence, Molloy College, New York Institute of Technology, Port Jefferson UFSD, Ross School, Suffolk County Community College, Suffolk County Department of Public Works, The Long Island Home, Town of Huntington, Village of Bellport, Village of East Rockaway, Village of Freeport, Village of Southampton, Village of East Hampton, Village of Sag Harbor, West Sayville-Oakdale Fire District and William Floyd UFSD.

Through these awards, New York continues to invest in a clean energy economy and achieve Governor Paterson's goal of meeting 45 percent of the State's energy needs through energy efficiency and renewable energy by 2015. The “45 by 15” program is one of the nation's most aggressive energy efficiency and renewable energy initiatives. It is conservatively estimated that this program will create 50,000 new jobs throughout the State. Special thanks to President Obama and Long Island's Congressional Delegation for making this funding possible.

Transportation advocacy on the Hill

On February 24th and 25th, Vision's Eric Alexander traveled to Washington DC for some good old fashioned Congressional advocacy. There were two major components to the trip. The first was with a group called Go21, a Virginia-based organization that is dedicated to finding solutions to our nation's increasing freight transportation needs (or, Growth Options for the 21st Century). Hundreds of rail advocates descended upon Washington on "American Railroad Day," though Eric was the only Long Islander to be seen! The main agenda item of the group was to push for tax incentive legislation for businesses that meet their freight needs through rail. This action item would improve job development in an important field that promotes environmental sustainability as well as livable communities.

The second agenda was a Long Island-specific one, with similar legislative items to the ones covered at the statewide Long Island Lobby Day last month. We covered transportation, sewers, and Smart Growth projects.

For transportation, there were three main legislative items. First was the passage of a federal Complete Streets bill (S.584/H.R. 1443). Complete Streets is a policy that ensures all users of the transportation system, including pedestrians, bicyclists, transit users, children, seniors and individuals with disabilities are able to travel safely and conveniently on and across federally funded streets and highways. Designing roadways from a Complete Streets perspective will create safer environments for all users, as well as promote cycling and walking as viable forms of transportation. Complete Streets bills have passed in several states including California, Oregon, Massachusetts, Illinois, and Virginia (a bill is on the table for discussion in New York). A federal bill, as first proposed in March 2009, would provide tremendous benefits to Long Island’s transportation system.

Federal Assistance for Transit Operations (H.R. 2746), which would allow public transit agencies representing cities larger than 200,000 people to flex part of their capital transit funds, including stimulus dollars, for operating expenses, creating greater flexibility for use of federal dollars in urban areas. The cash-strapped MTA would benefit immensely from this bill.

The famous "jobs bill" (The Jobs for Main Street Act, H.R. 2847) has the opportunity to incorporate large-scale transportation investments in its goal of putting Americans back to work. The House version of the bill, which passed in December 2009, redirects $75 billion in Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) savings from Wall Street to Main Street to fund infrastructure and job investments. The infrastructure investments, worth $48.3 billion total, include $27.5 billion in highway infrastructure and $8.4 billion for public transportation, as well as funds for Amtrak, airports and more. The Senate version of the bill, passed last week, greatly maintains the status quo of transportation funding and policy. Both versions extend the deadline for reauthorizing the Surface Transportation Program until September 30, 2010. The current transportation program, SAFETEA-LU, places an unbalanced emphasis on highways over transit. We want the jobs bill to move forward as soon as possible while ensuring that critical transportation components do not get watered down.

Sewers- Federal support for water infrastructure had dropped about 70 percent over the last two decades, delaying critical maintenance and necessary upgrades. Hundreds of sewage and wastewater treatment facilities have deteriorated and needs have been identified for establishing new infrastructure to assist existing communities. Even with federal stimulus dollars total sewer spending is very low. New York State received over 600 applications for wastewater projects around the state for 2010, but depending on the size and cost of those selected, officials anticipate funding between 70 and 80 projects. Long Islanders agree that a key step in preparing for growth and maintaining our existing population is to ensure that sewer infrastructure is adequately maintained, upgraded and expanded in key communities. In order for downtowns to thrive, population density must increase and new businesses need to open. Smart Growth cannot occur in communities without sewers. With inevitable population growth imminent on Long Island—NYMTC predicts 307,000 new residents in Suffolk and 154,000 in Nassau by the year 2035—sewer infrastructure must be in place to ensure that growth is accommodated in an intelligent and protective manner. Vision Long Island supports funding for the following waste water infrastructure priorities on Long Island: Mastic/Shirley, Bay Park STP, Wyandanch, Rocky Point, Bergen Point, Smithtown/Kings Park, and Northport.

Finally, we reviewed the status of Smart Growth projects on Long Island. There are many Smart Growth projects of various size and scale that should advance on Long Island to accommodate future growth, including new communities and transit-oriented developments. All of these projects have undergone significant a significant public process and are poised to move forward pending funding and some approvals. One key funding mechanism for moving these and other local projects forward are Community Development Block Grants, which should be fully funded in the next budget. Projects we support include: the Lighthouse, Glen Isle and revitalizations in Riverhead, Hicksville and Brookhaven.

Over the two days, Eric met with Senator Chuck Schumer, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, Congressman Steve Israel, Congressman Tim Bishop, Congresswoman Carolyn McCarthy, Congressman Gary Ackerman, staff for Congressman Peter King and Congressman Jerrold Nadler. There was an overall receptive tone from the lawmakers, as well as some agreements to co-sponsor some of the bills we presented. We are hopeful that there will be transportation and sewer investments in the near future.

Attend the upcoming MTA hearings

The second hearing on Long Island will be at Riverhead County Center, Suffolk County Legislative Auditorum, Evans K. Griffing Builing: 300 Center Drive, in Riverhead on Monday, March 8th at 6pm. It is important that Long Islanders show up to this hearing to protest the cuts, especially on the East End where downtown revitalization projects depend on increased LIRR service. Register in advance to speak at the hearing here. You can also comment by email.

Update: Keep our State Parks open!

Several of Long Island's State parks are facing the threat of closure due to the Governor's budget proposal for the next fiscal year. A dozen parks could close or face serious cuts by summer, including Valley Stream, Hempstead Lake, Jones Beach (west swimming pool closure), Bethpage, Cold Spring Harbor, Trail View, Connetquot River, Brentwood, Nissequogue River, Caleb Smith, Heckscher, Brookhaven, Montauk Downs, and Orient Beach. State Parks have seen funding reductions of 40 percent over the last two years, and these cuts would see an additional 16 percent cut. Closing these parks would be incredibly detrimental for local communities. In these difficult economic times, State parks are affordable places where families can gather and engage in both recreational and cultural activities. This is the last action the State should be taking to close its budget gap.

The park cuts come from cuts to the Environmental Protection Fund (EPF), the state's only dedicated source for environmental funding. The EPF was instituted 16 years ago to provide a consistent stream of revenue for open space protection, farmland preservation, park creation and expansion, recycling and a number of other critical environmental programs. Investments made through the EPF not only protect our natural resources and public health; they also play an important role in New York’s economic well-being. Programs funded by the EPF create jobs, eliminate solid waste, prevent pollution, provide clean drinking water, protect ecosystems and community character, and connect communities and our children with the outdoors. In short, every county in New York benefits from EPF-funded programs. Funded by a real estate transfer tax, the EPF has been a tremendous success, preserving the irreplaceable beauty of New York State for generations to come. However, in recent years sizeable chunks of its funding—now nearly $500 million in all—have been swept out of the Fund and into other programs to help balance the state’s budget. The EPF is facing a 33% cut in the next budget, which will be acted on by April 1st. If passed as proposed, New Yorkers would see a $69 million cut to the EPF and an indefinite halt to open space protection projects, as well as over $40 million of cuts to our state parks.

Members of a Long Island State parks advisory committee have been meeting to look for ways to keep the budget cuts from closing the parks, including seeking corporate sponsorships/selling the naming rights to some parks, a longer park season that includes collecting fees, and raising beach fees. According to NYLCV, with the closure of some State parks increasingly likely, "To soften the blow, the governor has since offered amendments that would divert $5 million from the state's Environmental Protection Fund, earmarked for park capital improvements, into park operating expenses. He also has proposed allowing state parks to raise fees to raise an additional $4 million."

There are several ways to speak out against the closures, including rallies and petitions (some events have already past):

Rally for the Long Island Delegation to the NYS Legislature
"Rescuing Long Island: The Environmental Protection Fund"
Friday, March 5, 3:00-5:30pm
Old Bethpage Village Restoration's Visitor Center, 1303 Round Swamp Road, Bethpage
Let our State Elected Officials know how important the Environmental Protection Fund is to Long Island and that we would appreciate their help protecting it. Sponsored by Nassau County Executive Ed Mangano, Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy, North Hempstead Supervisor Jon Kaiman, Huntington Supervisor Frank Petrone, Oyster Bay Supervisor John Venditto, and over 60 Long Island advocacy groups. (list still in formation). RSVP to Lisa Ott of the North Shore Land Alliance at (516) 626-0908.

Petition to save Nissequogue River State Park
The Park Advocate and the Nissequogue River State Park Foundation are working together to protect the Nissequogue River State Park. The Nissequogue River State Park is home of Tiffany Field, a marina used by many community boaters and a popular summer science camp. Help send a message to the State letting them know that Long Islanders oppose these closures by signing the online petition. The petition tells the Governor, New York State Parks Department, and State Legislators that closing community parks will have a negative impact on all New Yorkers and we must find a way to save them! More information is available on their website.

Sign on to a letter to Governor Paterson
Sign on to the following group letter to Governor Paterson as soon as possible. Signers can include local businesses (especially chambers of commerce), friends groups, and other organizations. Please include signatures and detailed contact information (as well as logos, if applicable), and send to Rachel Boehr, Campaign to Save New York State Parks: rboehr@malkinross.com or (845) 269-0570.

March 2010

The Honorable David A. Paterson
State Capitol
Albany, NY 12224

Dear Governor Paterson:

We are writing to request that $11.3 million in operations funding for the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (OPRHP) be included in the final FY 2010-11 State Budget. Without this funding, 91 state parks and historic sites are at risk of closing and another 40 are subject to possible service reductions. We recognize that the State is facing an unprecedented fiscal crisis, but cutting funding for state parks and historic sites will only hurt local economies and threaten stewardship efforts that provide recreational opportunities for all New Yorkers, as well as further the State’s conservation goals.

The OPRHP budget has been cut disproportionately when compared to most other agencies. Over the past two years, the agency’s budget has been cut by $46 million, which equates to 25% of its operating budget. With 85% of the agency’s operating budget going directly toward running New York’s 213 state parks and historic sites, there is no more excess to cut. The agency has already eliminated 1,000 permanent and seasonal workers and last year’s budget cuts resulted in service reductions at 100 state parks and historic sites.

State parks and historic sites bring countless benefits to New York in the form of tourism, economic investment and environmental protection. In total, nearly 57 million people visited New York parks last year. A recent study commissioned by Parks & Trails New York showed that for each dollar the State spends on parks and historic sites, the State and local economies receive five dollars in economic investment. This is a yearly total investment of $1.9 billion. Given the State’s current fiscal condition, slashing OPRHP’s funding will be a huge blow to New York’s fragile economy. In addition, state parks and historic sites contribute to the rich cultural opportunities across the state, while playing a central role in preserving the State’s open spaces and habitats.

In the Long Island region alone, where there are 16 parks and sites in danger of closure or service reductions, 19.9 million people visited the parks, nearly double the number that visited the Niagara region. Additionally parks provided the area with $410 million in economic output and nearly 4,000 jobs. In these tough times, we cannot afford to be losing economic activity nor should we be shutting down low-cost areas for families, Long Island families and visitors alike.

As you work to make the difficult decisions that must be made this fiscal year, we ask that you remember the value that state parks and historic sites provide to New Yorkers. Please include $11.3 million for OPRHP operations funding in the final FY 2010-11 State Budget and keep our state parks and historic sites open.

Sincerely,

(your name and organization)

NYS DOT Rt. 27 survey ends Sunday, March 14th

The New York State Department of Transportation is now conducting a survey about the Sunrise Highway Corridor Sustainable Transportation Study area and is seeking input from the community. The study area runs along NY Rt. 27, from Medford Ave (NY Rt. 112) to Wading River Rd. in the Town of Brookhaven. The DOT wants to work with the community to produce a plan for a more appealing and modernized Sunrise Highway corridor.

The survey can be accessed on the DOT's website here. For more information, contact the Sunrise Highway Study Team, Room 4A3, 250 Veterans Memorial Highway, Haupauge, NY 11788, 631-952-6234 or by email at R10-Route27Study@dot.state.ny.us.

Huntington Town Board to hold public hearing for Huntington Station TOD on March 9th

The Huntington Town Board, at its first meeting of the year, voted to schedule a March 9th public hearing on the creation of the Huntington Station Transit Oriented District, a move aimed at allowing a range of housing opportunities for people at different income levels and at different stages of life at a location where residents will have increased access to mass transit and a reduced dependency on the automobile.  This district will be applied to the 26.6-acre district located on about a half mile from the Huntington Long Island Rail Road station, on the north side of East Fifth Street, which AvalonBay Communities Inc. is looking to develop with a mix of market rate and affordable housing.

Details regarding time and location will be announced soon. Read more on the Town's website.

The Green Economy: Promise and Potential on March 12th

The Sustainability Institute at Molloy College presents the 2010 Joseph F. Maher Forum at Molloy College: "The Green Economy: Promise and Potential." The forum will take place on Friday March 12th from 1:00-4:45pm at the Hays Theater, Wilbur Arts Center at Molloy College.

The keynote speaker will be New York Times bestselling author Peter C. Fusaro, who is the Chairman and Founder of Global Change Associates. Panel discussions include Government Policy that Promotes Green Job Creation and The Nuts and Bolts of Green Jobs. Speakers and invited speakers include Neal Lewis of the Sustainability Institute, Richard M. Kessel of New York Power Authority, Thomas P. DiNapoli, New York State Comptroller, Kevin S. Law of Long Island Power Authority, Steve Bellone, Babylon Town Supervisor, Alfonse D’Amato, Former U.S. Senator and Founder of Park Strategies LLC, Edward P. Mangano, Nassau County Executive, Kate Murray, Hempstead Town Supervisor, Steve Levy, Suffolk County Executive, Kristopher Shaw of Crescent Energy, LLC, David Kirkpatrick of SJF Ventures, Albert Harsch of Eastern Energy Systems, Dawn Dzurilla of Gaia Human Capital Consultants, David Schieren of EmPower, John Cameron of Cameron Engineering, Ross D. Ain of Caithness Long Island, LLC, John Durso of Local 338 RWDSU/UFCW, Ray List of EnLink Geoenergy, and Micah Kotch of Polytechnic Institute of NYU.

The event will be followed by a cocktail reception and networking until 6pm. Please RSVP by March 5th. Tickets are $50 per person.

For more information, email event@molloy.edu or call 516.678.5000 ext. 6622.

New Jersey Future Redevelopment Forum rescheduled for March 19th

The New Jersey Future Redevelopment Forum, which is one of the state’s largest events for municipalities, developers, and advocates interested in Smart Growth, has been rescheduled due to snow for Friday, March 19th from 8am-4pm at the New Brunswick Hyatt Hotel and Conference Center. The event’s keynote speaker is Shelly Poticha, the Senior Advisor for Sustainable Housing and Communities at the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, who will discuss the department’s new “livable communities” initiatives. Lieutenant Governor Kim Guadagno will also offer remarks during lunch. Event workshops range from ground-level sessions, on topics like green building design and how municipalities can attract employers, to policy-focused discussions on New Jersey’s new complete streets policy and new transit projects in northern and southern Jersey.

For more information and to register, visit their website.

LIPC celebrates 31 years on March 27th

The Long Island Progressive Coalition and REP-LI invites you to celebrate 31 years of LIPC Fighting for Social and Human Dignity. The annual luncheon will be on Saturday, March 27 from 11am-2pm at the Timber Point Country Club, Great River Road in Great River and will honor: Kirk Kordeleski, Bethpage Federal Credit Union with the Paul Gutierrez Award for Contributions to Human Dignity; Michele Lynch, SEIU Local 1199 with the Bill Pickering Labor Leader Award; Supervisor Steven Bellone, Town of Babylon with the Award for Environmental Vision in Sustainable Development; Serge Martinez & the Hofstra Law Clinic as a Long Islander Who Has Made A Difference; Gerry Mooney, Group for the East End as a Long Islander Who Has Made A Difference; Amparo Sadler as a Long Islander Who Has Made A Difference; and Pastor Mack Smith, Trinity Evangelical Lutheran as a Long Islander Who Has Made A Difference.

Tickets are $75 each, 2 for $125 or $700 for a table of 12. Additional sponsorship opportunities are available. To purchase your ticket or for more information, contact Debbie-Ann Chang at 516-541-1006, ext 14.

Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credits: the free workshop on April 6 (Rescheduled)

Rehabilitation tax credits provide real financial incentives for the reuse of historic buildings. Under-utilized on Long Island, these credits are not limited to distressed census tracts, have great potential in downtown revitalization, and can apply to both commercial and residential properties. Learn more about the full scope of the federal and state programs from industry experts and the New York State Historic Preservation Office for a workshop discussion on program eligibility, application procedures and how credits can be monetized. This free workshop will include program overviews with information on National Register eligibility and listing, financing information (including syndication opportunities for non-profits), case studies and time for question and answers. Developers, preservationists, local governments, property owners and architects will have special interest.

The workshop will take place on April 6th (rescheduled due to snow) from 7-9pm at Riverhead Town Hall (200 Howell Avenue in Riverhead). It is hosted by the Society for the Preservation of Long Island Antiquities (SPLIA) & Town of Riverhead Landmarks Preservation Commission. Speakers will include Elizabeth Martin, Historic Sites Restoration Coordinator and Virginia Bartos, Historic Preservation Program Analyst at New York State Historic Preservation Office; Ward Dennis, Partner at Nixon Peabody, LLP; and Charlotte Lee, Associate at Higgins Quasebarth & Partners, LLC. Introduced by James Wooten, Riverhead Town Council; Alexandra Wolfe, Preservation Services Director, SPLIA; and Richard Wines, Riverhead LPC.

For more information or to RSVP, contact Alexandra Wolfe at SPLIA by phone 631-692-4664 or email awolfe@splia.org.

Northport ArtWalk kicks off April 11th

Starting on Sunday, April 11th from 4-7pm and continuing May 2nd and June 13th during the same hours, the Northport Chamber of Commerce and the Northport Arts Coalition are hosting a new event, Northport ArtWalk. The free event includes a self-guided walking tour of established and emerging artists at many galleries, studios and eclectic gallery-for-a-day venues in Northport's Main Street area. Enjoy possible performances, music, restaurants, antique shops, boutiques and cafes. It's a great way to check out Northport's bustling and diverse art community.

If you are interested in being a host merchant, you will work with the artist to display their work in your place of business. Formal details on the arrangements are available online here. Completed applications should be returned to Caffe Portofino, 249 Main St., Northport, NY 11768, attn: Lisa/ArtWalk coordinator. Applications are available online here. The deadline is March 15th. Contact Lisa Harris with any questions at 631-262-7656.

Walk/Bike conference to be held on Long Island June 7th

June 7th is the first ever Walk/Bike New York conference for Long Island: Encouraging Sustainable Movement. Creating walkable and bikeable environments requires an active collaboration of people with interests in safety, land use, economic development, transportation, education, law enforcement and health promotion. This one-day symposium is expected to draw approximately 200 attendees from various disciplines and provide participants with the tools to work together to create walkable and bikeable communities in New York State. A keynote address will be delivered by Dr. Arthur Wendel, Medical Officer for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Environmental Health, Public Health and Built Environment Initiative. Topics will include Complete Streets, Safe Routes for Seniors and Youth, Education & Encouragement, Law Enforcement, Local Highlights, Funding Sources and Legislative Updates. Help make Long Island's roads safer!

The conference is a Quality Communities Symposium sponsored by the NYS Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee, the NYS Department of Health, and the Institute for Traffic Safety Management & Research in conjunction with the NYS Department of Transportation, NYS Department of State, New York Bicycling Coalition, Parks & Trails New York, Federal Highway Administration, NYS Association of Chiefs of Police, Inc., NYS Metropolitan Planning Organization Association and AARP.

The event will take place at the Hyatt Regency in Hauppauge. Early Registration fee $40 (postmarked by May 14); Late/On Site is $50. Due to limited capacity, early registration is recommended. You can register online here. For more information, contact Janine Schultz at 518-453-0291 x104 or email jschultz@itsmr.org.

Request for Letters of Interest: Smart Growth implementation assistance

The Development, Community and Environment Division in EPA’s Office of Policy, Economics and Innovation is seeking applications for technical assistance from communities that want to incorporate smart growth in their future development to meet environmental and other community goals. This request is being coordinated under the interagency Partnership for Sustainable Communities. Staff from HUD and DOT will assist in the provision of this technical assistance. Selected communities or states will receive assistance in the form of a multi-day visit from a team of experts organized by EPA, HUD and DOT and other national partners to work with local leaders. EPA plans to assist three to four communities over a period of twelve months. The Agency anticipates announcing the selected communities this fall.

Eligible entities are tribal, local, regional and state governments and nonprofit organizations that have a demonstrated partnership with a governmental entity. Letters of interest are due at 3:00 pm EST, April 9, 2010. For more information and application materials, click here.

National Endowment for the Arts seeks applications for Challenge America Fast-Track program

The National Endowment for the Arts is accepting applications through the Challenge America Fast-Track project. Challenge America Fast-Track offers support primarily to small and mid-sized organizations for projects that extend the reach of the arts to underserved communities—those whose opportunities to experience the arts are limited by geography, ethnicity, economics or disability. Eligibility includes non-profit organizations; state or local governments; private, public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; or federally recognized Native American tribal governments. Individual awards are not to exceed $10,000.

The deadline for submission is Thursday, May 27th. For more information, contact the National Endowment for the Arts, 1100 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20506; 202-682-5700; fasttrack@arts.gov.

Volunteer with North Shore Land Alliance

Help protect the lands that protect your drinking water and natural areas! Volunteer your time, knowledge and experience to the North Shore Land Alliance (NSLA) and its work to protect and improve the natural areas of our communities which provides clean drinking water, locally grown food and recreational opportunities for today’s residents and for the generations that follow. NSLA needs your help to provide educational outreach, assist with data entry and online research and perform stewardship activities such as maintaining trails, pulling invasive vegetation, and conducting and documenting site visits. They also need volunteers to take photographs of and document occurrences of plants and wildlife and lead nature walks.

By volunteering with the NSLA, you can learn new things while helping to educate others, meet new friends while affecting positive change and spend time outside in some of Long Island's most beautiful and peaceful places as you get a little exercise.

To start volunteering with the North Shore Land Alliance please contact their Volunteer Coordinator at 516-626-0908 or email to volunteers@northshorelandalliance.org. To learn more about the North Shore Land Alliance, visit their website.

LIA seeks new president

The Long Island Association is searching for a new President, following the resignation of Matt Crosson, effective later this year. In the coming years, the Long Island Association, under the leadership of the President, will actively play a leadership role in growing the economy, advocating for businesses, marketing Long Island and developing a thriving association membership. The President reports to the Long Island Association Board of Directors and is charged with the overall operations and financial condition of the Association. The successful candidate must have a deep understanding of business and preferably business on Long Island and should: have the skills to recruit new members and maintain relationships with current members; be committed to political neutrality; have the ability, experience, and values to lead a strong board in a collaborative basis and have a successful experience in moving strategy forward to achieve goals; be a gifted leader with strong written and oral communication skills; be experienced in running a significant business or organization, hiring a great team and moving an organization forward financially and strategically; be knowledgeable of substantial issues that may affect Long Island and have the ability to articulate the issues and work with public officials toward solutions; and be experienced in collaborating with other business organizations in order to advance the greater good.

The position requires a Bachelor’s Degree, with a Masters or professional degree preferred; at least five years experience in business or organizational management; and experience working for and with a Board of Directors. Preference will be given to a candidate with substantial knowledge of Long Island. Salary commensurate with experience. Deadline for application: March 25, 2010.

Please send cover letter and resume to: LIA@bethpagefcu.com. Include you reasons for interest in the job, your successful track record of achieving results, your view of the LIA mission and its impact on the Long Island economy, and the top 3 priorities you would focus on in 2010-2012 as President of the LIA.

Vision Long Island Seeking Fall Interns

Vision Long Island is seeking unpaid interns for Spring and Summer 2010. If you are interested in suburban/urban planning, community development, local government, or sustainability, consider working for us part time.

Our staff likes to say we "wear many hats," and interns will have to do the same. Interns will assist with planning, design, outreach, event planning, writing, research, attending meetings, reporting, photography, and more. Bring your unique skill set to the table! We are looking for energetic and conscientious individuals with an interest in suburban/urban planning from a bottom-up perspective. This is a valuable opportunity to work with great people in a small office environment and learn about the issues impacting Long Island. Strong writing skills a plus.

Note that hours, start date, and end date are all flexible. Although this is an unpaid position, we will gladly work with you to provide college credit and transportation reimbursement. We will also work with you to make sure you have a great experience that is tailored to your specific interests and skill set.

Individuals interested in learning more are encouraged to contact us at info@visionlongisland.org. Please put "Internships for 2010" in the subject heading. You are welcome to include a resume and/or letter, and please indicate if you are available in the Spring, Summer, or both.

CURLING!!!

Olympic Curling swept the nation in February. For many Americans, first we laughed at the household-chore-turned-Olympic-sport. Then for about a day, we whined about how many hours the television networks devoted to the game. But by the end, we learned the rules and we were addicted. Now that the Olympics are over, you may be feeling some curling withdrawal. So why don't you head over to the Long Island Curling Club this weekend! Located in Long Beach, the LI Curling Club offers beginning curling lessons for only $25 every Saturday night at 9:30pm during the winter. You'll learn the basic delivery and sweeping techniques.

Wear comfortable clothes and rubber soled shoes (most athletic or walking shoes are fine). Equipment is provided by the club so there's no need to bring anything. You can schedule a session at another time by contacting the club. Let them know that you are interested in a "Learn to Curl" session.

The City of Long Beach indoor Ice Arena is located at 150 West Bay Drive in Long Beach (they also offer ice skating). You can call them at 516-208-6136 or email icearena@longbeachny.org. For more information, visit licurling.com.

Annual Polar Bear Plunge at Oyster Bay on Sunday

The United Cerebral Palsy Association of Nassau County presents the 6th annual Polar Bear Plunge, taking place this Sunday, March 7th at Theodore Roosevelt Park, West End Avenue in Oyster Bay. The event starts at 1:00pm and the Plunge will be at 2:00. Join the spirited Polar Bears and their supporters as they jump into the freezing cold water once again to help raise funds for United Cerebral Palsy Association of Nassau County. Honorary Co-Chairs John Venditto, Town of Oyster Bay Supervisor and Assemblyman Harvey Weisenberg, along with Chairman Jack Sullivan and the Polar Bear Committee have worked to make this the best plunge ever. DJ Danny Kelly will be on hand to entertain the enthusiastic crowd and to keep the swimmers and fans warm and there is always plenty of good conversation shared over hot soup donated by H.R. Singleton's restaurant, plus hot coffee and tea donated by Dunkin' Donuts. Volunteers from the Atlantic Steamer Fire Company will be donating and serving delicious hot dogs. There will even be a prize for best pre-plunge costume.

Participation is free but donations will be accepted. Online registration including a liability waiver is required for swimmers. Come out and support: rain snow or shine! (There will be an indoor assembly area.) For more information and a link to a registration form, visit their website.

SMART GROWTH NEWS

Newsletter Editor: Michelle Dutchen, Director of Communications
Contributors: Eric Alexander, Executive Director; Tara Klein, Planning Coordinator;
Tawaun Weber, Assistant Director; Elissa Ward, Director of Sustainability; Juliana Roberts Dubovsky, Planning Consultant; Chris Kyle, Program Coordinator

We strive to provide continued quality publications such as this each week. If you have any news or events that you would like to add to our newsletter, submit them to info@visionlongisland.org for consideration.

If you are interested in becoming a newsletter or news blast sponsor, please call the office at 631-261-0242 for rates and opportunities.

For more information about Vision Long Island, visit visionlongisland.org or contact us at:
24 Woodbine Ave. Suite One Northport, NY 11768.
Phone: (631) 261-0242. Fax: (631) 754-4452.
Email: info@visionlongisland.org