Town Board - Regular Meeting

under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Please remain standing for a moment of silence. I'd ask that you keeping your thoughts and prayers, the brave servicemen and women serving our country, both here and abroad. Thank you, please be seated.

Would the clerk call the roll?

Councilman Moneta.

Here.

Councilman Martinez.

Here.

Councilman McSweeney.

Here.

Councilman Gregory.

Here.

Supervisor Schaffer.

And I am here. So all five are present. We have a quorum. Welcome to this, the Wednesday, June 10th, 2026 meeting of the Babylon Town Board at 3 p.m. If you're here for your first time, the meeting is divided up into three sections. First is dedicated to the public hearings. There are five public hearings scheduled for today, so if you're interested in addressing the board on any of the public hearings, please fill out a card up front, file with our town clerk. Second portion is dedicated to the agenda. There are agendas on the table up front. If you're interested in addressing the board on any of the items listed on the agenda for that, we also ask you to fill out a card as well. And third portion is the open portion when residents can come forward and address the board on any matter concerning town government or town services that's not on today's agenda. When you do come forward, please state your name and address for the stenographer's benefit. that you keep your comments to three minutes. If you're watching us on our YouTube channel live on Wednesday, June 10th at 3 p.m., you can click on the link. That'll take you to today's agenda, and you can send us a message, question, comment, or concern. One of us will get back to you. If you're watching us at a future day and time, that link is still live, and again, you can send us a message. We will get back to you. So with that, We'll go into the public hearings. In the first public hearings, public hearing in reference to amending Chapter 2, Article 4, Section 2-8 of the Town of Babylon Uniform Code of Traffic Ordinances. I don't have any cards, so I'll take a motion from Councilman Mineta. Second by Councilman Martinez. All those in favor? Opposed? Hearing is closed. Decision is reserved. Second public hearing. Public hearing in reference to Chapter 3, Article 2, Section 3-4 of the Town of Babylon Uniform Code of Traffic Ordinances. Don't have any cards, so I'll take a motion from Councilman Martinez, second by Councilman McSweeney to close and reserve. All those in favor? Aye. Opposed? Hearing is closed. Decision reserved. Third public hearing is a public hearing on the question of dead ending and intersection in the town, namely the southern end of Colonial Road at Neptune Avenue in West Babylon. I don't have any cards. I will just note for the record, and I'll get it clarified, but ENCON, which is our residential garbage collection service company, wanted to put on the record that they had concerns about one of these, either three or four, and we'll clarify, and I'll ask that their concerns be added to the appropriate public hearing. for which one that they have uh... concerns about so i don't have any cards to take a motion from councilman mcsweeney second by councilman gregory to close and reserve all those in favor aye aye opposed hearing is closed decision is reserved fourth public hearing is public hearing on the question of dead ending and intersection of the town namely the northern end of chuck boulevard at erlanger boulevard in north babylon don't have any cards there again those comments regarding encon will apply to this if They're concerned about this particular street dead ending. So no cards. Take a motion from Councilman Gregory. Second by Councilman Mineta. Closed and reserved. All those in favor? Aye. Opposed? Hearing is closed. Decision reserved. Fifth public hearing is public hearing in reference to adopting a local law extending the temporary moratorium on battery energy storage system facilities in the town of Babel. I have one card. Tammy Palmieri.

Tammy Palmieri, 34 Liberty Street, Deer Park. Good afternoon.

Good afternoon.

As a proud Babylon resident, I absolutely support a best moratorium extension. Of course, an outright ban. on lithium-bess would be ideal. However, we know the state is preparing to bypass local zoning laws, especially those it deems unreasonably burdensome to state climate targets. California is on the same page. But interestingly, the best ordinance for the city of Vacaville, California mitigates that perceived unreasonable burden. It allows consideration of alternative battery technology, and that technology must be proven safe and have no risk of thermal runaway. It is very comprehensive and specifically excludes lithium vests. And if the state were to override the exclusion, there are significant protections for the community. My next point relates to the May 2023 Best Fire in East Hampton. In December that year, Governor Hochul declared, thankfully, the fire safety working group analysis shows no notable lasting impacts on the health or safety of the first responders or the communities they serve. I am submitting her press release along with a current Newsday article that paints a very, very different picture. Suffolk County Water Authority is suing the owners of that best because at least two drinking water wells were found to be contaminated from fire suppression efforts. More than two million gallons of firefighting water over 30 hours were used and became toxic runoff. Understand this best was 5 megawatts. That's 10 times the one that was proposed for West Babylon was 50. Those wells have been shut down and more need to be tested. Now there is a water supply and pressure issue. Remediating the disaster, including an underground toxic plume, will cost millions of dollars now. There were no protections outlined for the community or its water supply in the East Hampton Bess Ordinance. I asked the board to consider using the Vacaville Ordinance, which I'm submitting as a guideline to protect Babylon. Finally, the big industry talking point about these containerized systems is that a fire would not spread due to spacing between the units. Unfortunately, most best components, which can be remotely controlled, are imported. making these systems vulnerable to cyber attacks. So the idea that all containers cannot go on fire simultaneously is just wishful thinking. The reality is potentially a living nightmare. I submit to you a sobering article entitled, It's Time to Treat China's Connected Energy Systems as a National Security Risk. I appreciate your leadership on this issue. Thank you for your time.

Thank you. And Jen, if you could just make copies available to all of us. Yeah, and make sure each member gets one. Thank you for your help. I don't have any other cards, so I'll take a motion to close and reserve by Councilman Mineta, second by Councilman Martinez. All those in favor? Aye. Opposed, hearing is closed. Decision is reserved. That's it for the public hearings, and these are both for the open, so we'll go right into the agenda. Consensus resolution agenda. Any items that need to be removed? Okay, I'll take a motion.

Make a motion to approve the consensus resolution agenda.

Second. All those in favor? Aye. Opposed? Consensus resolution agenda is adopted as listed. Resolutions for today, resolution 452. Motion to approve?

Second.

All those in favor? Aye. Opposed? Resolutions approved. Resolution 453. I over 453. I second. All those in favor? Opposed? Resolutions approved. Resolution 454. I over 454.

Second.

All those in favor? Aye. Opposed? Resolutions approved. Resolution 455. Make a motion to approve. Second. All those in favor? Aye. Opposed? Resolutions approved. Resolution 456. Motion to approve. Second. All those in favor? Aye. Opposed? Resolutions approved. Resolution 457. I offer 457. I second. All those in favor? Opposed? Resolutions approved. I'll offer resolution 458. I second. Would the clerk call the roll?

Assemblyman Moneta?

Yes.

Assemblyman Martinez? Yes. Assemblyman McSweeney?

Yes.

Assemblyman Gregory? Yes. Supervisor Schaffer?

Yes. Resolutions approved. Five votes in favor, zero opposed. Resolution 459. Motion to approve. Second. All those in favor? Aye. Opposed? Resolutions approved. Resolution 460. I offer 460.

Second.

All those in favor? Opposed? Resolutions approved. Resolution 461.

I offer 461. Second.

All those in favor? Opposed? Resolutions approved. Resolution 462. Make a motion to approve. All in favor? Aye. Opposed? Resolutions approved. Resolution 463. Motion to approve. Second. All in favor? Aye. Opposed? Resolutions approved. Resolution 464. I offer 464. Second. All in favor? Opposed? Resolutions approved. Resolution 465. I offer 465. Second. All in favor? Opposed? Resolutions approved. And resolution 420.

I'll make a motion to table resolution number 420 to July 8th at 10 a.m.

Second. All those in favor of the tabling? Aye. Opposed? Resolution is to table to July 8th, 2026 at 10 AM. That's it for the resolutions. We'll go to the open portion to the cards with Pastor Keith Hayward.

Good afternoon to the board and everyone. 14 years ago, I was assigned to Bethel Church. and Rich came on as a supervisor, I think two weeks before I arrived. Rich had black hair. I had black hair. Rich is larger. I'm larger. My time at Bethel Church has come to a close. I've had 14 great years here in the town of Babylon. I wanna thank this board for their support. Everything that we've put our hands through, you've backed us. Even with bumps in the road, you stood by our side. I want to say thank you. I have an assignment in Virginia Beach. What's interesting is Alicia Marks came to me in 2012 and asked me not to do something. And I kept my word with her. And she's been absolutely wonderful, her and her mother. Just a great team. I have experienced an awesome support here. I was trying to stay until retirement. I'm leaving because my brother has some health challenges. He's the oldest, I'm the youngest. We live six and a half hours apart. So all we have is each other. So my assignment is at a Mount Zion in Virginia Beach. I started my career at a Mount Zion in Bermuda near the beach. I will end my career at a Mount Zion near the beach. So I came today to say thank you to all of you for being who you are. I ask one thing. In November, vote for Rick Schaefer.

Thank you, Pastor. I think I could speak for the board and say that we have truly enjoyed the working relationship, personal relationship, the professional relationship. You've been a tremendous leader, not just in the church, and we've seen the changes that have occurred in the church, all for the better. but you've been a tremendous leader throughout the town, and thank you for your service on one of our boards, as well as thank you for the wisdom that you've provided us over the years. We love and respect you, wish you nothing but the best, and know that we'll be hearing from you. Thank you. Okay, Frank Volpe.

Good afternoon to the board and everyone. State your name and address, Frank. Frank Volpe, 109 Opal Strat, Hop-Hop. I'm on the Hofstra wrestling team, and recently we all had to read this book together called Chop Wood, Carry Water, and it's a great, easy read, and I took away many valuable lessons from it, so I'm gonna share. This book follows a young boy named John who dreams of becoming a great samurai warrior. Like many people, John believes success comes from achieving big goals, which will then lead to the recognition and praise he always wants. However, he learns that true success comes from focusing on the process rather than the outcome. When John begins training with a wise sensei, he expects to learn advanced fighting techniques right away. Instead, he is told to complete simple tasks such as chopping wood and carrying water. At first, he becomes frustrated with these tasks because they seem unrelated to becoming a great warrior. Over time, though, he realizes that these simple routines are teaching him discipline, patience, and focus. Sounds familiar, right? Kind of like the Karate Kid. One of the most important lessons in the book is that success is built through small daily habits. Many of us focus on the results, whether it's getting good grades, winning a game, or landing a job. We often want success to happen quickly. The book reminds us that greatness doesn't come from one big moment. It comes from consistently putting in the work every day, even when the results are immediate. I can relate to this a lot in wrestling where I show up to practice every day and it doesn't always seem like I'm getting better, but when I go out and compete, I can actually see my progress. Every day you just have to try to get 1% better, and if you do consistently for 100 days, then you are now 100% better. Another lesson is the importance of staying present. John spends so much time worrying about the future and how long it will take to become successful, His sensei teaches him to focus on the tasks in front of him instead of constantly thinking about the future. This lesson is especially relevant today because it's so easy to compare ourselves with others and become discouraged when our progress seems slow. You have to focus on the task at hand and enjoy the process. When I show up to practice, I only want to be thinking about wrestling. I forget about that test tomorrow or that homework that I need to do, and I'm only focused on the task at hand. Overall, chop wood, carry water teaches that discipline, patience, and consistency are the keys to success. The title itself reminds us that achieving our goals the important work is still the daily effort that got us there. This book shows that success is not about reaching a destination as quickly as possible, it's about embracing the journey, trusting the process, and becoming better every day. Think about driving a car. The most exciting part of driving a car is when you're accelerating, not when you're going at the fast speed already, but when you're speeding up to it. So in life, enjoy your acceleration to the top, because from what I've learned, it's probably going to be more exciting than when you actually make it there. Thank you. Very good.

Frank, Frank, Frank, Frank, Frank, Frank, Frank, Frank, Frank.

So just by way of information, Frank is one of our interns at the town's industrial development agency this summer. And one of the agreements that I had with him before he got appointed was that he was going to make a couple of speeches. This is the first of several, Frank. And Johnny Russo, you're next, so... Yeah, all of our interns. So one of the things we've all stressed in our lives is to try and get the younger generation to step up and speak, communicate, drop the phones. And Frank's been doing a great job at that. If you had met Frank a year ago, he was very quiet. But he was excited about doing this today. And thank you for doing that. It was a great job, Frank. and you should see him out on the wrestling mat, too. Completely different person. Also, we have Anthony Mignon of 886 County Line Road, Amityville, who has submitted on June 1st, 2026, submission for today, and it's a letter with backup information that will be made available to the town board, so I ask that to be included in the record during the open portion. Anyone else wish to address the board? Seeing none, take a motion to adjourn from Councilman Mineta, seconded by Councilman Martinez. All those in favor? Aye. Opposed? Meeting is adjourned. Thank you.