Riverhead Town Board meeting wrap-up: Feb. 22

Three new police officers were added to the Riverhead Police Department by the Town Board at its Feb. 22 meeting. Rachel Doroski, Brandon Williams and Zachary Kolyer were appointed probationary police officers and sworn in by Riverhead Town Supervisor Yvette Aguiar at the beginning of the meeting.

Riverhead Cub Scout Pack 242 opened Wednesday evening’s meeting by leading the board and a packed meeting room in the salute to the flag, followed by a recitation of the Scout Oath and the Scout Law. The meeting capped an afternoon tour of Town Hall by the Scouts, who met with elected officials and town workers, learning about the functions of town government.

“The Scouts earned belt loops, their last pin and, most importantly, the Weebelos 2 completed their final requirement for their “Arrow of Light” badge,” Den Leader Brian Linnen said.

Also at the meeting the board honored 2022 Employee of the Year Justin Berry and Employee of the Quarter Margaret McKay.

Berry, a five-year employee Riverhead Sewer District employee, was recognized for his dedicated service to the sewer district, where he is in charge of operating and maintaining the collection system, which consists of 24 pumping stations and 24 miles of gravity and force main sewer, according to a proclamation read aloud by Council Member Frank Beyrodt.

Berry was also recognized for his actions, as a Riverhead volunteer firefighter, in saving the life of a man trapped in a house fire in Riverhead on Dec. 30.

MORE COVERAGE: ‘It was a Riverhead save’: Brave firefighter who climbed through window of burning home to save trapped victim credits all first responders

McKay, who works at the highway department, was honored as Employee of the Quarter for her service to the Town of Riverhead and to the town’s Labor-Management Committee.

“Margaret takes her work very serious, and she takes a lot of pride in everything she does,” Highway Superintendent Mike Zaleski said. “She’s very, very committed, with the highway department, all the duties she performs and everything she does 110%,” Zaleski said.

The Town Board held a public hearing on a proposed Downtown Riverfront Overlay District. The hearing drew little in-person comment, with only two speakers standing at the podium asking questions about the proposed code. Community Development Director Dawn Thomas acknowledged that the language will continue to be worked on to achieve more clarity for certain provisions. The hearing was closed and the record left open for written comment until 4:30 p.m. on March 3. Comments should be delivered to the Riverhead Town Clerk, 200 Howell Avenue, Riverhead NY 11901 or by email.

In other action at the meeting, the Town Board:

Approved a license agreement with Race Track, Not Street to authorize the drag-racing promotor’s storage of equipment on the 7,000-foot runway at the Calverton Enterprise Park, at a fee of $600 per month retroactive to Nov. 1. The agreement continues through July 31, after which Race Track, Not Street racing events are scheduled to begin for the 2023 season.

MORE COVERAGE: Town seeks to legalize storage of drag-racing equipment left on EPCAL runway by promoter months ago

Authorized the Community Development Department and the Riverhead Water District to apply for Congressionally directed funding to in an amount to be determined from Sen. Charles Schumer, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand and Rep. Nick LaLota, and be it to fund water district extensions to serve residents in Manorville and Calverton whose private wells are contaminated with PFOS and PFOA.

Scheduled a March 7 public hearing on a special permit application to construct a two-story addition to a pre-existing nonconforming two-family dwelling at 644 Roanoke Avenue. The hearing was set for 2 p.m.

Scheduled a March 7 public hearing on proposed changes to the town code governing site plan review procedures. The hearing is scheduled for 2:05 p.m.

Scheduled a March 7 public hearing on proposed parking restrictions along Edwards Avenue from its intersection with Beach Way south to Meadow Drive, limiting parking to by permit only on the west and south sides of the road. The hearing is set for 2:25 p.m.

Approved the special event permit application of the N.Y. Marine Rescue Center for the annual “Paddle Battle” fundraiser, to be held on Saturday, July 29, with a rain date of Sunday, July 30.

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