Peace on Earth, Goodwill Toward Men....

Saturday, December 6th was the Christmas Tree Lighting Celebration at Smith Point. Although minor conflict clouded the days leading up to it, the night was ultimately a gathering of friends, neighbors and the community spirit that abounds when people come together for a common good. Both Smith Point organizations celebrated the season of hope, illuminating the night with festive decorations, holiday music, and the bright smiles of children as they greeted Santa Claus.

Later that same evening, Pattersquash Creek Civic Association and Mastic Beach Property Owners Association held a joint celebration at their Christmas Tree Lighting. Hundreds of residents turned out at the newly decorated gazebo on Neighborhood Road bringing good cheer and community pride to welcome in this holiday season. It was a wonderful evening for all.

The Smith Point Peninsula Homeowner's Association wishes everyone a very Merry Christmas, Happy Hannukah, Happy Kwanza or whatever holiday you and your family may be celebrating. Blessings and good tidings to all!

Smith Point Bridge Dressed for the Holidays

Members of Smith Point Peninsula Homeowners Association have donated two lighted wreaths to decorate the Smith Point Bridge. After applying for all of the proper permits, Mike Trotta, Vinny Albino and Frank Lombardo designed and created the wreaths, and hung them on the north and south walls of the bridge house. They certainly add that festive touch as cars and campers travel over the bridge.

Special thanks to Suffolk County Department of Public Works and the William Floyd Community Summit and members Debra and Richard Hagan for their cooperative efforts with Smith Point Peninsula Homeowners in bringing this idea "to light".

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

WISHING EVERYONE A VERY

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

AND REMINDING YOU ALL THAT OUR

HOLIDAY TREE LIGHTING CELEBRATION

WILL BE HELD ON

SATURDAY, DEC. 6TH AT 5:30PM.

HOPE TO SEE YOU ALL THERE!

Where Flowers Bloom, So Does Hope...

Smith Point Peninsula Homeowners Association has been dedicated to improving the quality of life in the Smith Point neighborhood by deeds and details, encouraging all who live here to take pride in the Smith Point community. Recently, members of the SPPHOA took advantage of a sunny day before the weather turned cold to plant bulbs around the neighborhood. The bulbs were supplied by William Floyd Community Summit's Beautification Committee and were planted along the Parkway corridor and by Shirley Beach at Smith Landing.

After the last frost this coming Spring, these blooms will provide some lovely color and beauty in our community. They should also stand as a reminder to us all that we can find beauty if we look around and the hope we have for our lovely waterfront community is something we must never give up. So as we begin our 2008 holiday season, don't forget to spread the joy, share the hope and give thanks for all of the good things in your life.

Jack & Jill Come to Smith Landing

William Floyd Community Summit has again secured funds for their Beautification Committee. Pat Matthews, Chairwoman of the committee, was able to commission another bronze statue for our community thanks to a grant through Brookhaven Town Councilman Keith Romaine. The Smith Point Peninsula Homeowners Association, members of the Summit, are proud to be part of the effort working with the Beautification Committee to improve our community with projects such as this. The statue, called JACK & JILL, depicts a young boy and girl with a pail of water, and will be placed in the park at Shirley Beach at Smith Landing. In addition to the statue, the Beautification Committee has also supplied bulbs which will be planted in and around the beach area. Smith Point Peninsula Homeowners Assoc. will be planting on November 15th for those who wish to join in to beautify the neighborhood. Just another example of SPPHOA's efforts to keep our neighborhood and our beach beautiful.

Smith Point Homeowners - Back To Work

After a summer meeting hiatus, Smith Point Peninsula Homeowners Association had their fall meeting on Tuesday, September 16th at the Mastic Beach Firehouse. President Vinny Albino brought everyone up to speed on the status of the numerous property complaints that our association has brought to the Town of Brookhaven. If you are having a problem with a neighborhood "eyesore", please send us an email with the address and description of the complaint. (Email: smptpha@aol.com) Each complaint is investigated and addressed and we will succeed at cleaning up our community one property at a time.

Everyone commented on the tremendous success of the Shirley Beach this season. The beach was utilized more than it has been in many years. With vandalism down and picnicking up, its safe to say that we are indeed "Taking care of our own backyard!" So many residents have thanked our association for bringing this park back to the gem it was meant to be. These efforts will be continued throughout the winter months for locals to enjoy.

Mosquitoes were once again a "biting" topic. Suffolk County will be spraying our area over the next few days. If you are having problems with mosquitoes, please contact Vector Control at (631) 852-4270.

Stay tuned to our website for our upcoming events and for happenings in the Smith Point area.

Hurricane Season

As we enter this second weekend in September, our news channels are flooded (no pun intended) with warnings and images of Hurricane Ike bearing down on Texas. With an expected flood wall exceeding 20 feet, residents there were strongly advised to evacuate or face "certain death". Amazingly, some people chose not to evacuate. We should keep them in our prayers. Approximately 100 years ago, this same Texas area was destroyed by a hurricane with tens of thousands of people killed. Seventy years ago, the Mastic-Shirley community faced that same devastation. So as we watch Hurricane Ike this weekend, we should remember - "There but for the grace of God, go I." Our community is as vulnerable as New Orleans or Galveston. Your family should have their own evacuation plan in place. Keep your valuables, including insurance policies, in an easily accessible place. Have a first aid kit, batteries, working flashlights, portable radio, canned goods and bottled water stored somewhere safe and easy to get to. Don't wait for the devastation to hit - take a page out of the Boy Scout manual - BE PREPARED!

Labor Day Weekend - Summer's Swan Song

And what a beautiful summer it was at Smith Point. Nearly every weekend was picture perfect. The beaches were clean and vibrant with activity. The waterways were busy with boaters, fishermen and jetskiers. So much summer fun and all of it right in our backyard. I hope everyone was able to spend a little time outdoors over the past few weeks. But remember. Its not over folks. There are beautiful days yet to come. Indian summer is truly a fabulous time of year at Smith Point. The beaches are not quite deserted, and still available for us to enjoy. Take advantage of those lovely warm days that pop up, even as late as November. Visit Smith Point Beach, or Shirley Beach at Smith Landing. It's a little slice of paradise.

National Night Out

On Tuesday, August 5th, the William Floyd Community Summit will be hosting National Night Out on the grounds of the Wm Floyd High School sports fields. National Night Out is celebrated all across the country on the same evening. Its purpose is to promote safe neighborhoods and better community-police relations. It was started 25 years ago to fight back against crime in communities and is still going strong.

This is a FREE event, with food, beverages, fun and games for kids, and a chance to meet with your friends and neighbors and various community organizations, and Town and County officials. Representatives from the Suffolk County Police Department and the Sheriff's Department will be there. So come on out to celebrate a National Night Out Against Crime. You will have the opportunity to obtain information as well as take the family out for some food and fun. And best of all............IT'S FREE!

Smith Point: A Charitable Community

The Smith Point community has been the home of charitable events for many years now. There is the Bay Area Bridge 5K Run supporting the Community Library's Family Literacy Project and the LI2Day Walk Against Breast Cancer. These events have been generously hosted and supported by our neighborhoods. Recently members of the community were invited to a meeting to discuss having another fireworks show and festival here. In spite of the traffic and other problems that go along with these events, the Smith Point community was in favor of holding this event here. Unfortunately, we've recently learned that this event will not be held at Smith Point County Park.

This past weekend, however, the LI2Day Walk Against Breast Cancer did take place. The event started early Saturday morning at Smith Point County Park with more than 400 walkers making the trek through our community, walking all the way to Southaven Park, where they stopped for lunch, and then continuing on to Cathedral Pines County Park. On Sunday morning, the walkers hit the trail back to Smith Point Marina, for a celebratory lunch and a Survivor's March over the bridge to Smith Point County Park. Along the way, the walkers were cheered on by residents from their homes, from their cars and at rest stops along the trail. The Mastic, Shirley and Mastic Beach Fire Depts. and Ambulance Companies patrolled the route to assist the walkers. Despite the terrible heat, these walkers did not give up and our own Mastic Beach Fire Dept. was on hand to greet them at the Marina with a cool firehose shower celebrating their return.

On September 13th, our community will host the Bay Area Bridge 5K Run. More than 300 runners will participate in support of the Family Literacy Project at the Mastics-Shirley-Moriches Community Library. And once again, our community will be there to support another wonderful cause.

Who Needs Key West, Fla......We Have Shirley Beach at Smith Landing!

If you've ever been to Key West, you may know about the nightly ritual of gathering in the square to watch their most fabulous sunset. There are food vendors and various performers for the crowds to enjoy while waiting for the golden orb to turn amber, then orange until it finally drops below the horizon. When the weather cooperates, it is a magnificent site to behold.

The same holds true for Shirley Beach at Smith Landing, the only west-facing, south shore beach in Suffolk County. On any given night, local residents arrive at the beach after dinner, sometimes bringing a cup of tea or coffee, and watch as the warmth of day leaves us for a star filled night sky. During the day the park is frequented by people all year long. From picnicing to windsurfing, young and old alike find enjoyment from this little tract of land left to us by Walter T. Shirley. On Saturday morning, while walking around the park, I spotted a mother duck with five little ducklings following her from the grass to the sand, then walking along the waters edge. I stood and watched as one by one they following their mom as she stepped into the water and swam out into the bay. Shirley Beach truly is a gem in our community.

Last weekend, Smith Point Peninsula Homeowners Association hosted a "Key West Night" at Shirley Beach at Smith Landing. There were families, barbeque, salads, desserts, music and the setting sun. The windy conditions didn't stop the children from gathering around the pinata or playing by the shoreline. Members conversed, and especially enjoyed hearing tales from residents who have lived in the community for more than 30 years. We looked at photos from a time before any homes were built along the shore, when a ferry carried you from the dock at Smith Landing across the bay to Smith Point Beach, when moms spent their entire summers sitting in the sand watching their children play in the water. A simpler time when our community really was a sleepy little town. This lovely little neighborhood beach shows us that we can still enjoy a little bit of that simplicity and it reminds us why we moved here in the first place.

Taking Care of Our Own Backyard

Thomas Edison once said "Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work". Smith Point Peninsula Homeowners has not missed their opportunity to uncover a gem within our neighborhood - Shirley Beach at Smith Landing and happily engages in the work it takes to maintain its beauty.

For almost 8 months now, the members of the Smith Point Homeowners have been the stewards of our local beach. They have worked tirelessly on cleaning and maintaining the beach every day. During the "off season", which primarily runs from September through May they have opened the beach gates every morning and closed the beach each evening so everyone can enjoy our beach during the winter and spring months, when the beach is generally closed. This has enabled residents to enjoy the sunsets, go windsurfing or just watch the bay as it rolls onto the shore.

The Board and other members have also taken on the responsibility of cleaning the beach daily, and cleaning the entire shoreline from the manor to the marina on a weekly basis. Many residents have expressed their gratitude claiming that "Shirley Beach hasn't looked this clean in years."

But the SPPHOA didn't stop there. They lobbied Brookhaven Town to spring for some wonderful improvements to the park, including repainting the building inside and out, delivering and securing new picnic tables and new barbeque pits, weeding, edging, mulching and planting new flowers in the neglected beds. In addition, the Town cleaned up the playground area and spread new mulch near all of the equipment and added new trash cans with wildlife-resistant covers to help keep the litter where it belongs.

So next time you're in the neighborhood, stop by Shirley Beach at Smith Landing, take a stroll along the shore, or just sit down and enjoy the view. But please be sure to pick up after yourself and help keep your park clean. You and your neighbors will be glad you did.

We are ever so grateful to Brookhaven Town for listening to its residents and especially for entrusting the care of its precious jewel, Shirley Beach at Smith Landing, to the Smith Point Peninsula Homeowners Association. This is the best example of taking care of one's own backyard.

Open Season

As summer quickly approaches, we are reminded that our community hosts one of the best summertime attractions in Brookhaven Town - Smith Point County Park. The beach and campground at Smith Point are visited by thousands each year and with that comes the traffic and the litter. But more important is the economic boost those visitors can bring to our community. Thankfully we will soon have more to offer visitors than fast food. Applebees will be a welcomed alternative.

Recently, Smith Point Peninsula Homeowner's president Vinny Albino and Board Member Mike Trotta were invited to meet with Legislator Browning, Chamber of Commerce president Mark Smothergill and others to discuss the feasibility of bringing back the 4th of July Fireworks show to Smith Point Beach. If handled properly, this can be a positive event for our community. Cooperation from the Suffolk County Police Department in handling traffic and parking issues, and of course littering, can assure a successful event.

Summertime also means more visitors to our Smith Point Marina with boats and jetskis heading out into the bay and brings to question where we are in the planning of any further development of the Marina property. Our next poll will discuss how area residents feel about proposals for the Marina. Check back next month to voice your opinion.

Manor of St. George Property Woes

The property belonging to the Manor of St. George has been facing some problems over trash! The shopping center at the south side of the Manor's property has not installed a fence, allowing litter and debris to accumulate along the wooded area belonging to the Manor. Volunteers have been trying to keep the area clean, but without that fence, more garbage will continue to collect there. Another area of concern is their property along the Talmage Trail. Brookhaven Highway department was called in this past week to clear out mulch and brush that was dumped behind the snow fence along the Manor property outside of the Golden Gate community. That area of the Manor has long been a feeding site for the local wildlife. Let's be good neighbors to our Manor of St. George. Please, NO DUMPING BY THE MANOR!

Mastic Beach Village Exploratory Committee

Our neighbors to the east have taken steps for creating an incorporated Village of Mastic Beach. (Note: no decision has been made yet regarding the village name) Two community organizations, Concerned Citizens of Mastic Beach and Pattersquash Creek Civic Assocation have been actively raising money and have retained municipal attorney Joseph Prokop to begin the process. The exploratory committee includes members of Concerned Citizens of Mastic Beach, Pattersquash Creek Civic, Mastic Beach Property Owners and other local organizations and churches.

Mastic Beach is our neighboring beautiful waterfront community who have had the lion's share of problems with absentee landlords, lack of enforcement of zoning, housing and rental codes in recent years. Their main street, Neighborhood Road, is in the beginning stages of a revitalization and the proposed Village could possibly be just the stimulus needed for investment in the business districts of the Mastic Beach community.

The attorney, Mr. Prokop will be setting up an escrow account for the group to continue raising the funds needed as they move forward with this project. We wish them all the best.

Smith's Landing, Once Again

At the urging of Smith Point community residents, Councilman Keith Romaine and the Brookhaven Town Board passed resolution 379-08, renaming Shirley Beach to the historic name "Smith's Landing". The resolution states this will properly identify and preserve the historic accuracy of the Town facility which is located on Grandview Drive. The issue of recognizing and preserving the rich history of the waterfront communities of Smith Point and Mastic Beach were brought to Councilman Romaine's attention during his 2007 campaign.

7th Precinct Hosts Open House for Community

Residents from the many hamlets located in the 7th Police Precinct gathered at the William Floyd Parkway facility on Thursday April 17th for an Open Community meeting. The meetings which will be held monthly on the 3rd Thursday of each month from 7pm to 8:30pm are aimed at giving the residents a better understanding of the Police Department, its duties and responsibilities and keep a dialogue going with the communities they serve. Inspector John Meehan and several of his officers talked to community members from Rocky Point, Shoreham, Ridge, Manor Park, Mastic and Shirley. They tackled issues from traffic violations to sex offenders, even touching on topics like gangs, drugs and other criminal activity. The good news was that overall, crime is down. But there is still plenty of work and the men and women of the 7th are up to the task. Residents are encouraged to participate and bring their police issues to the next meeting. The Inspector and his staff are eager to assist us.

Fire Island National Seashore News

The following press release was issued by the Fire Island National Seashore regarding several upcoming activities:

National Park Week/Junior Ranger Day Programs at Fire Island National Seashore:
Variety of Activities Planned for April 19 - 27, 2008 Patchogue, NY—

Fire Island National Seashore and its partners and volunteers are providing several opportunities to help you celebrate National Park Week this year. As part of an annual nationwide event, National Park Week 2008 is being held from April 19 to April 27. The theme this year is Kids in Parks. Across the country, National Park Service (NPS) sites will celebrate the natural and cultural history preserved in these treasures by promoting active learning, recreation, inspiration, and stewardship. Long Island’s local national parks offer a chance to explore and learn about the significance of national treasures close to home.

Fire Island National Seashore will launch National Park Week with a March for Parks 2008 event at the Fire Island Lighthouse on Saturday, April 19 at 8 a.m. The annual Fire Island Lighthouse Area Trek is a special 2- hour guided tour of the grounds of the historic Fire Island Light Station and beyond, to the site of the Surf Hotel and the former Fire Island State Park. A $10 program fee includes light refreshments and commemorative T- shirt. Reservations are required. Call the Fire Island Lighthouse Preservation Society at 631- 661- 4876 to sign up.

National Park Week coincides with Earth Day (April 22). This year special Earth Day Hikes into the Fire Island Wilderness are scheduled to honor the event. Three- hour programs will leave the Wilderness Visitor Center on Sunday, April 20 and Tuesday, April 22 at 10 a.m.

Fire Island National Seashore’s National Junior Ranger Day activities on Saturday, April 26, include Orienteering at the Fire Island Lighthouse and at the Wilderness Visitor Center, both available from 9:30 a.m. – 3 p.m., along with a new program at the Wilderness Visitor Center. Ocean Discovery is offered from 1 – 2 p.m. on April 26 at the Wilderness Visitor Center. This program includes a craft activity for kids as they learn about waves, tides, marine life, and how people have had an influence on the marine ecosystem.
Finding Your Way around the Park is an orienteering/mapping program developed for children and their families to learn more about Fire Island National Seashore. Site specific programs provide an enjoyable way to explore the grounds around the historic Fire Island Lighthouse or the Wilderness Visitor Center, gateway to New York State’s only federally designated wilderness area, the Otis Pike Fire Island High Dune Wilderness. Kits include a guide booklet, clipboard, compass, work booklet, and a park map. Children must sign out a kit with their parents. Participants in this program on Saturday, April 26, 2008, will receive a Junior Ranger patch. The activity may also help local girl scouts and boy scouts earn their orienteering badges. Call Irene Rosen at 631-687- 4765 for more information.

To learn more about National Park Week 2008 and March for Parks and National Junior Ranger Day, visit the National Park Week website at www.nps.gov/npweek/.

For more information about the Junior Ranger Program and Webrangers, visit their websites at www.nps.gov/webrangers/ and http://www.nps.gov/learn/juniorranger.htm.

For more information about Fire Island National Seashore, visit the park’s website at www.nps.gov/fiis.

Keeping the Smith Point Peninsula Clean

Weather permitting, the Smith Point Homeowners Association is joining with other local civic organizations to participate in the townwide community clean-up on Saturday, April 5th. The clean-up effort is part of the Keep America Beautiful/Keep Brookhaven Clean Program. Members will meet to don their gloves and safety vests by Shirley Beach at Smith Landing. They will proceed from there to their assigned locations in the neighborhood picking up trash and debris. Volunteers from Brookhaven Town's Highway Department will be on hand to assist with collecting the trash and carting it away.

Each year the Smith Point community hosts hundreds of visitors to our beaches and historic sites. What better way to prepare for our summer tourist season than by taking pride in our neighborhood and making it litter-free.

Shirley Beach Stewardship

As many of you know, our Homeowner's Association began a stewardship with the Town of Brookhaven Parks Dept. to keep Shirley Beach at Smith Landing open during the winter season. SPPHOA President Vinny Albino and Vice President Frank Lombardo have opened and closed the beach EVERY DAY for the residents to enjoy the playground, the park, the sunshine, watersports or just watching the beautiful sunsets. The residents near Shirley Beach are thrilled that not only have our Association members been opening the gates, but more important they've been keeping it CLEAN~ The last storm brought quite a bit of debris and working alongside the Parks Department, our members cleared away the mess in record time. Please enjoy your beach!

CVS Coming to the Community

CVS broke ground on the corner of Wm Floyd Pky. & Havenwood Dr.
Although many Smith Point residents were not in favor of the approval of CVS on the corner of Havenwood Dr and Wm Floyd Pky, it was mainly due to traffic issues and the fact that we were initially advised that CVS was to be built on Neighborhood Road in Mastic Beach as an anchor store in the revitalization project. Obviously, this CVS will be located in our community and hopefully they will be a good neighbor to the residents of Smith Point. They are making tremendous progress and our residents will surely look forward to their grand opening.

It Takes A Village?

Neighboring civic association Pattersquash Creek Civic held a meeting for the Tri-Hamlet community to discuss the creation of a Village and its potential to gain control of housing issues in the area. Through more stringent zoning and licensing, Villages have greater influence over how properties are planned, developed and utilized. The creation of a Village is a daunting task however and examining it as possibility for the Tri-Hamlet communities is the only first step of the process. Local residents have expressed mixed feelings about becoming an Incorporated Village and we will surely be hearing more on this very important topic in the future.

WBLI DJ Apologizes

When WBLI radio DJ Randy Spears made derogatory remarks against the Mastic-Shirley community residents joined together to protest and boycott the radio station and demand an apology from DJ Randy.
WBLI Station Manager John Shea, along with Randy Spears and his morning co-hosts met with Community Coalition Members and elected officials on Monday March 3rd to apologize for remarks made against the community. Reading from a written statement, Randy spoke about the positive attributes of Shirley and the Mastics, including its historic significance and agreed to return to the community for a tour, and to work with the community leaders and officials to help promote the positive side of the community we call "HOME".

Boscos Bulldozed!

The former Bosco's Pizzeria and other structures on that site have finally been demolished. The site had been an eyesore and plagued with problems for quite some time and most recently was the site of a community protest against crime in the area. Suffolk County has donated land adjacent to the old pizzeria site to Brookhaven Town for use as a municipal parking lot in accordance with the Mastic Road revitalization plan. A fine example of both levels of government working together to help our community. It is expected that Dunkin Donuts will be built upon the site in the near future. It will be a welcomed improvement.