August 18, 2023
Dear Quogue Residents,
We have certainly been blessed with a lot of rain the past couple of weeks. Looking at the bright side, I have received fewer dire warnings from the SCWA about drought conditions in Suffolk County. On a less positive note, many of our residents have had to deal with flooded streets. While this is not exactly a new problem, we are always looking for ways to accelerate the dissipation of flood waters through improving drainage and, where appropriate, raising roadways. Given the high water table in many areas of the Village, certain roads are extremely challenging, especially at high tide.
The Town of Southampton organized an informational meeting last weekend with an update on the FIMP beach renourishment project. As I have previously reported, the Town is currently undertaking surveys of all of the beachfront properties in the project area. For Quogue, this represents 47 properties running from just east of the Post Lane bridge (now reopened in case you missed the news) to the border with East Quogue. The Town expects to have completed the survey work by the end of September, at which point the appraisers will do their calculations to prepare offers to the homeowners in order to obtain the required easements. This work is expected to be completed by January. If all the easements can be obtained by May, there is still a reasonable chance for the project to take place in the fall/winter of 2024/2025. If the paperwork is not in place by then, it looks like the project will be delayed another year until the winter of 2025/2026. Please feel free to contact me should you have any questions.
As in prior years, the Village is about to perform the annual “beach scraping” exercise to reinforce the dunes on the eastern stretch of Quogue. In the fall, beachfront homeowners will be contacted about installing new beach fencing where necessary.
An area of increasing concern is the growing use of electric bicycles in the Village. While I applaud the use of bicycles as a general matter, e-bikes can be quite dangerous given their speed. They are regulated by NY State and are not authorized to be used by children under the age of 16. Helmets are required for 16 and 17 year-olds, and frankly should be worn at all times. E-bikes are only allowed on streets with speed limits no greater than 30 mph, meaning that they should not be used on Montauk Highway or Route 104. On the subject of helmets, they are meant to be worn – not carried in a basket or strapped to the handlebars. Parents, please educate your kids!
The Village is about to embark on our annual oil and stone maintenance. For many years, the Village has had an annual budget to maintain a certain number of roads each year on a rotating basis. The first phase should begin right after Labor Day, with a smooth layer of asphalt being spread to fill in holes and cracks, and to level the streets. The second phase will take place the following week (weather permitting), when blue stone gravel will be laid down with a liquid oil emulsion (hence the name “oil and stone”). This needs to be done in the early fall when the weather is still warm enough for the gravel to bind properly. After a few days, our Highway Department will then sweep up the remaining loose stones.
On an environmental note, last week Nancy and I attended a fundraiser at the Cornell Cooperative Extension’s Marine Environmental Learning Center in Southold. The event highlighted two important local initiatives: “Choose Local F.I.S.H.” (Fresh, Indigenous, Sustainable, Healthy) to encourage all to discover the variety of local fish choices Long Island has to offer. The event was also sponsored by Slow Food East End, the local chapter of Slow Food USA and part of a global, grassroots organization founded in 1989 in Italy to prevent the disappearance of local food cultures and traditions, counteract the rise of “fast life”, and to combat people’s dwindling interest in the food they eat, where it comes from, and how our food choices affect the world around us. I encourage you to visit their websites to learn more about these great organizations: www.slowfoodeastend.org and www.localfish.org. The Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) of Suffolk County is a non-profit community educational agency with the overriding mission of making Suffolk County a desirable place to live and work by preserving the county’s vast heritage, protecting our eco-systems, supporting families, and providing youth with opportunities for community service and research-based education in science, technology, engineering and math. You can learn more by visiting www.ccesuffolk.org.
And now for a few upcoming events:
The Quogue Association has two upcoming events: its Annual Village Beach Party takes place this evening at the Village Beach from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm. And on September 9th, at 10:00 am, Town Supervisor Jay Schneiderman will be delivering his annual State of the Town Address on the Village Green. In the event of inclement weather, the event will be moved inside the Village Hall. https://quogueassociation.org
The Quogue Junior Theater Troupe is concluding its 45th season, presenting Annie Jr. from August 22nd – 25th. You can purchase tickets at www.qjtt.org.
The Quogue Wildlife Refuge is hosting their end of summer party next Friday, August 25th, from 5:00 pm to 6:30 pm. While the party is primarily for the kids who attended the Summer Ecology Program and their families, all are welcome to join the fun. Their next full moon night hike is slated for August 29th, from 7:30 pm to 9:00 pm. Please register at www.quoguewildliferefuge.org.
The final installment of the Library’s Quogue Authors in Conversation series will be on Sunday, August 27th, from 5:00 pm to 6:00 pm, with Genevieve Crane in conversation with Paul Harding, who is the author of This Other Eden, followed by a Q&A, book sale and signing, and wine and cheese ($10 per person). The Art Gallery at the Library is continuing the exhibition of Bess Ratliff’s series of pastel works through August 29th. Katama Eastman Photography follows with black and white photographs on display from August 31st to October 4th, with an Artist’s Reception on Thursday, August 31st, from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm. On Wednesday, September 6th, from 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm, Lee McAllister, author of Hiking Long island: A Comprehensive Guide to Parks and Trails, will be leading a visual presentation and discussion on Long Island’s natural beauty. The next Foreign Policy Association Great Decisions discussion program is scheduled for Saturday, September 9th, from 5:00 pm to 6:00 pm, on the topic of Global Famine. As always, consult the Library’s well-packed calendar to sign up for their rich offering of movies and programs of all types: https://www.quoguelibrary.org/
On Saturday, September 9th, at 7:30 pm, Quogue Chamber Music presents the Balourdet String Quartet at the Quogue Community Hall, with a program including works by Mendelssohn, Beethoven and Hugo Wolf. Tickets can be purchased at www.quoguechambermusic.org.
The second of the Quogue Historical Society’s Walking Tours: Preserving Quogue’s History in Headstones at the Quogue Cemetery is scheduled for Sunday, September 10th. Space is limited so please reserve in advance: www.quoguehistory.org
Labor Day is around the corner so enjoy these last days of the summer season, especially now that you can get to the beach without a detour!
Robert Treuhold
Mayor