January 24, 2023
Dear Quogue Residents,
Gazing out my office window, I am thrilled to see a buzz of activity across the street at the market. Dan and Karen Schmidt and their team are working away preparing to reopen. They are currently targeting opening by March 1st but there are still a few moving pieces. If you are in town, I encourage you to stop by and say hello.
Please also stop by the newly reopened Quogue Flower Shop & Gardens and meet Edwin and Hilma Balcarcel, who are excited to bring their floral expertise to the Quogue community.
The Trustees held our monthly meeting last Friday and awarded the contract to Rosemar Construction Inc. for the “Scrub Oak Road and Jessup Avenue Roadways Reconstruction Project”. Work is slated to begin in mid-February. This will inevitably lead to some inconvenience for us all, especially for those residing in the work areas. The contractor has undertaken to coordinate the work in a fashion that will minimize the timing of any road closures and ensure access by all residents. We will be working with the contractor in the next couple of weeks to finalize the detailed project timetable. Once finalized, details will be shared with the affected residents.
In order to pay for this ambitious project, the Trustees opted to issue $3,000,000 of Public Improvement Serial Bonds with a final maturity of 2038. In connection with the offering, we met with Moody’s to obtain a rating for the Bonds. I am very pleased to report that Moody’s issued a press release on Friday upgrading the Village of Quogue (and our Bonds) to Aaa, the highest possible rating. Moody’s stated that the upgraded rating “reflects a strong economy with a wealthy property tax base.” They also cited the Village’s “strong governance driven by conservative budgeting and sound financial management leading to strong reserves and liquidity.” What a remarkable and merited recognition of the exceptional stewardship of our beautiful Village by our former Mayor Peter Sartorius, our long-serving Board of Trustees, and our talented Village employees. Go Quogue!
You may have noticed some large orange trucks in the Village in the past couple of weeks. PSEG has contracted with the Asplundh Tree Expert Company to undertake a major tree pruning program. Some of the work is also in preparation for the Scrub Oak project as several utility poles will need to be relocated. This is the best time of year to perform tree work, and I would encourage you to speak with your landscapers or hire a tree expert to inspect the trees on your properties. As you may have read, the East End is unfortunately experiencing a serious infestation of pine beetles. Many of our native pine trees are dying. This can become quite dangerous in the event of strong winds, etc. For information, here is a link to a presentation on “24 Ways to Kill a Tree – and How NOT to Kill a Tree.” https://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/content/dam/pubs_ext_vt_edu/430/430-210/SPES-307.pdf
In the coming weeks, all patrolling officers in the Quogue Police Department will begin wearing body cameras. This roll out has been in the works for some time. The cameras will record all police activity and interactions with the public, which will add an additional level of safety and security for our officers and residents.
The Quogue Association recently sent around its winter newsletter with a wealth of local information and a reminder to renew membership for 2023. The Quogue Association plays an important role in our Village. The mission statement of the Association is “to foster the general welfare of the Village of Quogue and preserve its character as a desirable and attractive residential community, to support organizations that strengthen the quality of life in the Village and to acknowledge the accomplishments of individuals and groups whose actions have contributed to the welfare of the community.” Fun events that have been organized by the Association include concerts on the Village Green, the Annual Duck Race, and the Annual Beach Party at the Village Beach. I encourage you all to become members (or to renew) and to participate in the Association’s events. Here is a link to their website www.quogueassociation.org
And now for a few winter events:
The Quogue Wildlife Refuge is hosting a family friendly afternoon with Slow Food East End on January 28th from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm. SFEE is the local chapter of an international organization involving millions of people in over 160 countries. You will have an opportunity to meet their board members and learn more about their organization while enjoying warm soup and cider alongside a toasty fire. You can register on their website at www.quoguewildliferefuge.org. Please remember to consult the Refuge website as there is a regular stream of educational and family fun events.
On February 2nd at 3:30 pm, please mark your calendars to join the Quogue Library’s 4th Annual Groundhog Day Celebration. Join Tim, the Master of Ceremony, and Sam Champion, STAR Foundation groundhog, as he makes his 2023 prediction. Visit https://www.quoguelibrary.org to register.
On February 4th at 1:00 pm, the Library is holding a “virtual” talk with author D.T. Max who will share an intimate portrait of Stephen Sondheim based on conversations and interviews over the final years of his life. Again, visit https://www.quoguelibrary.org to register; a link will be emailed to registrants prior to the event.
Robert Treuhold
Mayor
631-653-4498