March 22, 2023
Dear Quogue Residents,
Spring has arrived, the days are getting longer, and the daffodils and crocuses are blooming!
Dan Schmidt and his team are nearing their opening date. The new retrofit is almost complete and the first deliveries have started to arrive. Dan tells me he is on track to open by the end of the month.
The Scrub Oak/Jessup Project is moving along and appears to be ahead of schedule thanks to favorable weather. The stretch of Jessup south of Montauk Highway is on track to be substantially completed in the next week, at which point a “binder” layer of asphalt will be put down. A different team will then commence the sidewalk work on Jessup, while the removal work of the old concrete will move north across Montauk and continue on Scrub Oak. While the roads are fully reopened each afternoon around 3:00 pm, please exercise caution when driving through the work zone.
The Quogue School District has scheduled a “Special Proposition Vote” on March 29th from 2:00 pm – 8:00 pm at the Quogue School. Voter approval is sought to authorize the use of funds from the school’s “Facility Preservation and Upgrade Capital Reserve”, established in 2017, for the purpose of performing a complete renovation of the existing, deteriorating, and outdated playground structures.
With the arrival of warmer weather, we can all start thinking ahead to lazy days at the beach. The Village will begin the annual processing of beach stickers and locker applications the first week of April. Application forms will be available on the Village website at www.villageofquogueny.gov. Please follow the instructions carefully and take care to submit all the information that is required. Please remember that applications may take up to five business days to process. Pick-ups will be on Fridays only from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., commencing on April 28, and also on Saturday May 20, May 27 and June 3 from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. You can also elect to have the stickers mailed to you.
With the arrival of spring, the Village Highway Department will begin picking up leaves on April 1st. Leaves must be on the shoulder of the street by April 30th in order to be picked up. Please do not pile leaves around fire hydrants or utility equipment. DO NOT USE PLASTIC BAGS. Bags will not be picked up, and you will have to remove them. No brush, such as twigs and branches, or lawn cuttings will be taken away, and mixing this debris with leaves will result in the leaves not being removed. Brush with branches up to 3” in diameter may be taken to the Westhampton recycling facility free of charge from April 15th through May 31st. For more information, go to www.southamptontownny.gov. For safety reasons, leaves may not be piled on the shoulder of Montauk Highway. Property owners and landscapers who take leaves from any Quogue property may arrange with the Quogue Highway Department to leave them at the highway yard. That will avoid having piles in front of your property waiting to be picked up and blowing back onto your lawn.
For those of you who rent out your property, please remember that the entire dwelling (not a floor or a room) must be rented, the minimum rental period is 14 days, and a rental permit is required from the Village irrespective of the time of year. Rental applications and the rules governing rentals are available on the Village website at www.villageofquogueny.gov.
A reminder to any of you who may have changed mailing addresses over the course of the past year. If you have not already done so, please let the Village Office know your new address. We will be mailing out the annual property tax bills in early June. Speaking of addresses, please remember to display your house numbers prominently. It is the law, first of all, but more importantly it is for your own safety. You do not want an ambulance, police car, or fire truck to be delayed looking for the correct house.
And now for a few upcoming events:
The Hampton Theatre Company’s 2022-2023 season continues with The Lifespan of a Fact, written by Jeremy Kareken & David Murrell and Gordon Farrell, directed by George Loizides, and produced by Andrew Botsford. Performances began on March 16th and run through April 2nd. It’s a great show and I encourage you all to attend. Tickets can be purchased at www.hamptontheatre.org.
The Quogue Wildlife Refuge is organizing a lecture on March 25th at 2:00 pm providing an introduction to the different species of seals found in New York waters. You will have an opportunity to learn about the New York Marine Rescue Center and their efforts to help these animals in need. This is especially timely given the sighting of a very large grey seal yesterday on the beaches of Quogue. https://longisland.news12.com/amp/ny-marine-rescue-center-to-monitor-grey-seal-on-quogue-beach
On April 5th, the Refuge has organized their next Full Moon Night Hike, from 7:30 pm to 9:00 pm. The following Saturday, April 8th, the Refuge is organizing an egg hunt for toddlers aged 2-4. There are two sessions, one at 9:00 am and the second at 10:00 am. You can register for these events on their website at www.quoguewildliferefuge.org.
The Quogue Volunteer Fire Department is also organizing an egg hunt the same day, Saturday, April 8th, at the fire house beginning at 11:00 am sharp.
As always, the Quogue Library has daily programs for everyone of all ages. On March 23rd, from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm, the Library is organizing a Garden Kick-off presented by Renato Stafford. On Wednesday, April 12th at 6:00 pm, the Library is hosting a Truffles: Signs of Spring dinner, served by Chef Colette and featuring the most delectable of fungi, truffles. The Library Gallery’s next exhibit is “Indelible: Prints by Andrea Cote and Lesley Obrock” opening Saturday, April 15th, with a reception and demonstration on Sunday, April 16th at 2:30 pm. Consult the Library’s well-packed calendar to sign up for their rich offering of movies and programs of all types: https://quogue.librarycalendar.com/events/month
Robert Treuhold
Mayor, Village of Quogue
631-653-4498