Town Board wrap-up: Police promotions, fly-boarding regs, controversy over Baiting Hollow home

Riverhead’s first female police sergeant took the oath of office last night at Riverhead Town Hall, as Riverhead Police Chief David Hegermiller swore in two sergeants and a new lieutenant, following the unanimous approval of their appointments by the Riverhead Town Board.

Lt. Sean Egan, Sgt. Jill Kubetz and Sgt. Jon Devereaux were surrounded by family members as they each took the oath of office administered by the chief, with Capt. Richard Smith and members of the town board looking on.  See photos, below.

Cop named Riverhead Town employee of the year

Police Officer Douglas Geraci was honored last night as Employee of the Year by the Riverhead Town Labor-Management Committee.

The committee solicits nominations for the annual award from town employees, then selects from those who are nominated.

Geraci was nominated by Riverhead employee Maryann Tague who said she had occasion to interact with Geraci in the line of duty and was extremely impressed with his professionalism and competence.

Police Officer Kerri Fetten, a labor-management committee member and a member of the same squad as the honoree, said she’s worked with Geraci since 1993, when they both started on the Riverhead force.

“It’s an honor and a privilege to work with him,” Fetten said.

Supervisor Sean Walter told Geraci, “You exemplify what it means to be a police officer in the Town of Riverhead.”

The honoree was presented with a town board proclamation, a town seal, a $100 gift certificate from the labor-management committee and a day off.

‘Epiphany’ in Baiting Hollow at center of controversy
A public hearing on an alleged unsafe structure on Founders Path in Baiting Hollow lasted for more than an hour as property owner Eugene Lafurno tried to convince the town board that the structure he’s building is pursuant to approved building plans filed with the town.

Lafurno told the board he is building a 6,000-square-foot “mansion” called “the Epiphany” and insists that the tower-like structure he’s built atop the home at 162 Founders Path is the center of the new construction.

Town officials maintain Lafurno has built the addition, which they say exceeds height limitations, without a building permit. The town has issued the property owner code violation citations. After he failed to appear in court, he was arrested in 2013. Lafurno said last night he spent seven months in jail as a result of that arrest.

The homeowner, who brought with him one large suitcase filled with papers and two smaller ones also stuffed with plans and papers, insists that the structure is legal and argued that the town is violating his constitutional rights by interfering with his free expression of religion and violating federal code by trying to force him to take down the American flag he’s flying atop the structure.

Neighbors testified last night that they are afraid the structure will fall or be blown down on their properties and worry that it poses a risk to their property and personal safety.

“It’s clear that Mr. Lafurno is using the letter of the law very loosely here —calling it a cupola, making reference to the flag of the United States of America… to prevent the town from enforcing its building code,” said neighbor Christopher Santini, who said he’s lived next door to Lafurno for 13 years.

“He’s been telling me he’s building this mansion and subsequently built that abortion of a structure that’s there now,” Santini said.

“I’m putting my faith in the town board to put a quick end to this and not waste any more time to make sure Mr Lafurno abides by the letter of the law,” he said.

In a letter to the board, neighbor Jonathan Cohen said “debris that has blown off from the illegal structure” has landed on his driveway “on numerous occasions.”

He won’t allow his children to play on the driveway because of it, Cohen said, asking the board to order the structure removed “before someone gets hurt or even posibly killed.”

“It’s a safety risk not only to the owner of the proerty but also to neighbors,” Cohen said.

The hearing was adjourned to March 3 because town engineer Ken Testa was not available to testify last night.

Another go-round on new waterways regs

Rules aimed at regulating flyboarding and similar water sports in town waterways got another public hearing last night.

In a muted proceeding following the contentious and lengthy unsafe structure hearing, neighbors of Treasure Cove Marina objected again to the operation of Flyboard Long Island in the cove adjoining their Riverside Drive neighborhood and asked the town board to approve proposed regulations that would force the operator to move out into the bay.

Kevin McAllister of Defend H20 also reiterated his objections on environmental grounds to the flyboarding operation, which he maintains contributes to conditions that have led to the classification of the Peconic River as an impaired water body. The force of the jet propulsion stirs up the water bottom and causes suspension of solids in the water, increasing turbidity and depleting dissolved oxygen, he said.

He supported the new code, but urged the board to move the operation further east than even what has been proposed, to the area near Iron Point and Indian Island Park.

“This is pretty black and white. Operation within the river corridor, especially if its blowing bottom, is going to be problematic, leading to the water quality degradation I’ve described,” McAllister said. “Do the right thing and move it out.”

North Fork Environmental Council president Bill Toedter agreed with McAllister. “I support the amendment and also [McAllister’s] comments in trying to find more solid ways of landmarking this, both for enforcement purposes but also for moving it out of the organic bottom and moving it to a more sandy soil. I think that’s very important,” Toedter said.

“I’m just asking you to work with me on the 300 feet,” Flyboard Long Island operator James Bissett IV told the board last night. “Give me 300 feet from any residences, because obviously that’s been a problem,” he said. But he asked the board to make the minimum distance from shores or docks 200 feet. “Spectators like to watch this,” he said.

“I just want to improve the town,” Bissett said. “People come from out of state for a half-hour lesson. They stay at the hotel, go out to eat. I like to show them what Riverhead is and what it can be,” he said. “I’m a part of this town and I’m here to work with you guys.”

The hearing record was left open for written comment until 4:30 p.m. on Feb. 27.

Defining ‘family’

A hearing on a proposed amendment to clarify the meaning of the term “family” as used in the zoning code drew no speakers. The hearing record was left open till Feb 27 for written comment.

In other action last night, the town board:

•  approved(in a 4-1 vote, Councilwoman Jodi Giglio voting no) an $8,000 stipend for recreation superintendent Raymond Coyne, for additional duties assumed following the resignation of the youth bureau director resigned;

•  authorized an extension of the town’s contract with the Riverhead Volunteer Ambulance Corps until March 31, pending ongoing negotiations of a new contract;

•  authorized, in a 4-1 vote, a professional services agreement with East End Accounting Services Corp., with Giglio casting the lone no vote;

•  authorized the retention of the law firm of Stephen E. Losquadro to commence an enforcement action against the owner of property at 162 Founders Path, Baiting Hollow, which was the subject of the unsafe structure hearing last night.

Pataki Cahill contract put on hold
In a split vote, the board tabled a resolution to authorize a professional services agreement with Pataki Cahill Group for marketing services in connection with the Calverton Enterprise Park property. Councilman James Wooten voted with Giglio and Councilman George Gabrielsen to table the measure. Councilman John Dunleavy and the supervisor voted against tabling it.

“I just think we should have another opportunity to discuss this as a board,” Wooten said.