July 17, 2023
Dear Quogue Residents,
Today is the 27th day of summer, which leaves us with 65 more days until fall – but who’s counting.
I wrote my first mayoral missive around a year ago and highlighted the unexpected (and unwelcome) visitation of a juvenile great white shark to the Village’s beaches. Unfortunately, July has once again brought a bevy of shark sightings and a handful of actual shark bites. I had hoped to put the references to Amity Island and Jaws behind us, but it would appear that having sharks in our waters has become the new normal. While sharks have always been present, they now appear to be closer to shore because of the abundance of baitfish in the warmer shallow waters. The Village Beach lifeguards are well-trained and are in regular contact with all of the lifeguards at the other local beaches to maintain a heightened vigilance. We have also been coordinating with the Town of Southampton who are exploring the possibility of rolling out drones. One complicating factor is that Quogue is technically a “no-fly zone” as a result of our proximity to Gabreski airport. In any event, please use common sense and always follow the lifeguards’ instructions; avoid swimming in areas with schools of fish, splashing fish, and diving seabirds; and avoid swimming at dusk, night and dawn.
On the topic of safety, it is once again time to remind everyone in the Village to exercise caution when walking, running and biking on our streets. The protocol is to walk and run against the traffic and cycle with the traffic. Please stay close to the edge of the road and do not walk/run/ride multiple people abreast. Please also remind your guests and children of these common-sense rules of the road. I am constantly amazed when I see residents running or walking down the middle of the street. The old adage of “sharing the road” applies both to drivers and to pedestrians/cyclists.
You will have noticed that additional road work was recently performed by the Suffolk County Department of Public Works (SCDPW) at the intersection of Quogue Street and Montauk Highway. A new guardrail was installed with the intent of tightening the intersection and improving visibility. The work is not yet complete and further paving and marking will be accomplished in the coming days/weeks to create a safer and wider bike and pedestrian path along the south side of the highway. I have been in regular contact with the SCDPW expressing the Village’s concerns about the current situation and they have agreed to address this in the near future.
On the subject of road work, SCDPW just informed me on Friday that they need to perform emergency repair work on the Post Lane bridge. While I do not have all the details, apparently the counterweights on the north side of the bridge are now chafing against the girders supporting the span when the bridge is opened and closed. The repair work has become urgent and will take the bridge out of commission for two or three days. I have asked that the work be deferred until after Labor Day, but the County fears they may have to accelerate the repairs to early August to avoid further damage. I will of course provide further details as soon as I have them. The County understands how disruptive this will be for everyone and has committed to working around the clock to minimize the time that the bridge will be out of commission.
On a more positive note, our Village Dock will soon be hosting a second “Flupsy” oyster nurturing system. A Flupsy is a “floating upwelling system” that houses hundreds of thousands of baby oysters (spats) that are then seeded throughout our bays to help clean the water. A mature oyster can filter up to 50 gallons of water per day. The agreement with the Moriches Bay Project (www.morichesbayproject.org) to add the second Flupsy has been made with the understanding that all of the oysters from the new one will be seeded in Quantuck Bay.
And now for a few upcoming events:
Fresh off their successful Summer Kick-Off on July 8th, the Library continues to host a plethora of activities. A few notable events include a discussion of the works of Donatello this Thursday, July 20th from 5:00 pm to 6:00 pm presented by Quogue resident Giuliana Castellani Koch, PhD. The next Quogue Authors in Conversation talk will be on Sunday, August 6th from 5:00 pm to 6:00 pm with Marin G. McGuinn, presenting his book, From Swampoodle to Mellon Bank CEO: An Irish-American’s Journey, in a conversation with Quogue’s own Andrew Botsford. The following Sunday, August 13th, also at 5:00 pm, former Mayor Peter Sartorius will be in conversation with Admiral Philip Dur, USN Retired, author of Between Land and Sea: A Cold Warrior’s Log, recounting his 30-year experience in the US Navy. The Banjo Rascals will perform in an outdoor concert on Friday, August 4th at 7:00 pm. The next Foreign Policy Association Great Decisions discussion program is scheduled for July 22nd from 5:00 pm to 6:00 pm on the topic of China and the US. Another Great Decision program is slated for Saturday, August 5th at the same time on the topic of Economic Warfare. Participants can join by zoom or attend in person. As always, 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
The Quogue Association’s annual Duck Race will take place on Friday, July 28th, starting at 4:00 pm at the Quogue Bridge with festivities at the finish line at the Village Dock. Please remember to buy your ducks! Their annual Village Beach Party will be on Friday, August 18th, from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm. https://quogueassociation.org/
The Quogue Historical Society is organizing two Walking Tours: Preserving Quogue’s History in Headstones at the Quogue Cemetery. The first is scheduled for Sunday, July 30th, at 3:00 pm, with the second scheduled for Sunday, September 10th. Space is limited so please reserve in advance. The QHS annual art show will be held on the Village Green on Saturday, August 12th, from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. QHS will also be hosting an Art Talk Benefit and Cocktails also on the Village Green on Friday, August 11th from 5:30 pm to 7:00 pm. Tickets can be purchased through the QHS website: www.quoguehistory.org
The Quogue Wildlife Refuge’s next full moon night hike is slated for August 1st from 8:00 pm to 9:30 pm. Please register at www.quoguewildliferefuge.org.
The Quogue Junior Theater Troupe is celebrating its 45th season, and they will be presenting Into the Woods from August 1st – 4th, and Annie Jr. from August 22nd – 25th. The annual QJTT Annual Benefit is being held on Friday, July 28th. You can purchase tickets at www.qjtt.org.
Our Police Department will be hosting a “Coffee with a Cop” event on the Village Green on Saturday, August 5th, from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm. Please stop by for an opportunity to meet with members of our police force.
The next day, Sunday, August 6th, from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm, is the Fire Department’s annual Open House. Please come one and all to support our volunteers and have fun while learning about fire safety!
Hope you are all enjoying the summer season!
Robert Treuhold
Mayor