September 15, 2023

Dear Quogue Residents,

Fall is around the corner and hurricane season is upon us. With fingers crossed, it looks like Hurricane Lee will be moving north well east of Quogue.  However, it is moving slowly and we will certainly have a couple of windy days with rough surf and some beach erosion.  I announced last month that the Village would be performing the annual “beach scraping” in the coming weeks.  We have now learned that we did not satisfy the DEC’s standards for a sufficiently wide beach and, consequently, will not be able to scrape this year.

The oil and stone roadwork is ongoing and, weather permitting, should be completed next week.  The Village has now completed additional drainage work on Beach Lane. Some additional road and drainage improvements on Ogden Lane will be done next month.  There are numerous other drainage projects in the works.  A shout out to the ongoing hard work of our Highway Department.

On the subject of roads and traffic safety, the Village has now received a traffic engineering report from Dunn Engineering Associates.  They have recommended that we adopt an area wide reduction in our speed limit to 25 mph throughout all Village residential streets.  The Trustees are studying this report and will be holding a public hearing next month to consider amending our traffic regulations to reflect this recommendation.

We continue to look for measures to enhance the safety of everyone in our village – pedestrians, runners, cyclists and drivers.  In that vein, the Village recently installed new stop signs at the intersection of Jessup Avenue and Scrub Oak Road and at the intersection of Niamogue and Ogden Lanes.  Happily, the County has finally completed the corrective work at the intersection of Quogue Street and Montauk Highway.

A reminder that this is the final weekend at the Village Beach and all lockers must be emptied out this Sunday, September 17^th. In the light of Lee, the lifeguard stand has already been pulled and there will be no swimming allowed.

And now for a few upcoming events:

The Quogue Wildlife Refuge is hosting a presentation tomorrow, September 16^th, from 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm, on the intimate link between the use, culture and ecology of the Pine Barrens, and the uniquely important role that the Pine Barrens has played in the east end of Long Island’s natural and human history.

The following Saturday, September 23^rd, from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm, the Refuge will be hosting a sale of native plants grown by the Long Island Native Plant Initiative.  What better way to support Long Island’s natural beauty and wildlife than by planting native plants!

On Wednesday, September 20^th, from 7:00 pm to 8:15 pm, the Refuge has organized an introductory presentation to learn about the “meditative art” of East Asian calligraphy.

And finally, their next full moon night hike is slated for September 27th, from 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm. You can learn more about these events and register at www.quoguewildliferefuge.org.

Now through November 1^st, the Quogue Library will be collecting donations as part of The Great Give Back, an annual day of service where public libraries help out a foundation or charity.  This year the Library will be assisting the Southampton Animal Shelter Foundation.  They will be collecting dry pet food, pet supplies, blankets, and pet toy donations through the end of October.  The actual Great Give Back Day will be on Saturday, October 14^th, from 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm.

The Art Gallery at the Library is continuing the exhibition of Katama Eastman Photography’s black and white photographs on display through October 4^th. Their next exhibit will be of works by Melissa Hackett, a New York- and Southampton-based painter and printmaker, on display from October 7^th through November 15^th, with an Artist’s Talk and Reception on Saturday, October 7^th, from 3:30 pm to 5:00 pm.

The Library continues its impressive series of Author Talks with the next one slated for Saturday, September 23^rd, with a virtual presentation from 3:00 pm to 4:00 pm, by Jeffrey Sussman, author of Sin City Gangsters: The Rise and Decline of the Mob in Las Vegas. On Saturday, September 30^th from 3:00 pm to 4:00 pm, Jim Gover will read from his debut book Feel My Heart, A Poetry Collection.  On Tuesday, October 2^nd from 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm, Peter Bond will discuss his book The Leak: Politics, Activists, and Loss of Trust at Brookhaven National Laboratory.  And on Saturday, October 7^th from 3:00 pm to 4:00 pm, Jocelyn Simonson will discuss her book Radical Acts of Justice.

The next Foreign Policy Association Great Decisions discussion program is scheduled at the Library for Saturday, October 14^th, from 5:00 pm to 6:00 pm, on the topic of Iran at a Crossroads.  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 Hampton Theatre Company’s 2023-2024 season kicks off next month with Neil Simon’s Rose and Walsh, directed by George Loizides, with a run beginning October 19^th through November 5^th.  Tickets can be purchased at www.hamptontheatre.org.

Stay safe with the upcoming storm(s) and enjoy the last days of summer and first days of fall.

Robert Treuhold

Mayor

 

 

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 9^th, 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 45^th season, presenting Annie Jr. from August 22^nd – 25^th.  You can purchase tickets at www.qjtt.org.

The Quogue Wildlife Refuge is hosting their end of summer party next Friday, August 25^th, 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 29^th, 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 27^th, 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 29^th.  Katama Eastman Photography follows with black and white photographs on display from August 31^st to October 4^th, with an Artist’s Reception on Thursday, August 31^st, from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm. On Wednesday, September 6^th, 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 9^th, 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 9^th, 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 10^th.  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

August 17, 2023

Dear Quogue Residents,

With a sigh of relief, I am thrilled to report that the Post Lane bridge was reopened yesterday afternoon!   If the bridge had not reopened in time for the weekend, I was seriously considering leaving town.

I have expressed the Village’s appreciation to the Suffolk County DPW, and the primary contractors Hinck Electric and H&L Contracting, for working around the clock to complete the emergency repairs so quickly.

Please remember the Quogue Association’s Annual Village Beach Party is tomorrow evening beginning at 6:00 pm.  You can buy tickets at: https://quogueassociation.org/

Robert Treuhold

Mayor

July 28, 2023

Dear Quogue Residents,

I have received further details concerning the emergency repair work that needs to be done on the Quogue Bridge.  While I had very much hoped that this could be delayed until the fall, the Suffolk County DPW has now informed us that the repairs will begin on Tuesday, August 15^th, and they anticipate the bridge being out of service for three days.

The Quogue Bridge was built in 1938 and is the oldest moveable bridge maintained by Suffolk County. The bridge is a “double-leaf bascule” bridge with the original mechanical equipment. This is a fancy name for a drawbridge.  (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bascule_bridge) Certain electrical components were updated during the most recent rehabilitation about seven years ago, but the old equipment continues to be problematic given the original design of the bridge.

Currently, the steel angles that are holding counterweight blocks in place under the north bascule leaf have been pushed out to the point where they rub on the steel beams above when the bridge opens and closes. This leads to the bridge motors experiencing resistance to the point where the electrical system causes the motors to stop working until the system can be reset and the beams can finish their movement. The County authorities explain that this problem will only get worse as the summer heat sets in, which could cause the bridge to become inoperable both to vehicle and marine traffic.  In other words, if they do not perform the emergency repairs now, there could be a catastrophic failure that could lead to a much longer closure (think weeks or possibly months).

The current proposed solution is to support the counterweight blocks while the bridge is in the open position (or remove them temporarily) and install new steel angles in a position that will eliminate the rubbing. Unfortunately, this work can only be done with a complete road closure and a detour to traffic while the bridge remains open for the duration of the repair. The contractor estimates that the work will take a minimum of three shifts to complete, including working around the clock through Tuesday night, and the County anticipates a three-day closure to vehicular traffic as the bridge remains in the open position. This work will be done between Tuesday and Thursday when traffic is lightest.  If the work can be completed in three shifts, there is a possibility that the bridge would be reopened after two days.

The County plans to post numerous signs alerting drivers of the closure.  Our police and fire departments will of course be coordinating with Westhampton Beach to arrange for mutual assistance to ensure rapid response to any emergencies that might arise.  Let’s all keep our fingers crossed that the repairs can be accomplished quickly and the disruption to the Village kept to a minimum.

We know that this is going to be a huge distraction and inconvenience for all residents during our “high season”, especially all who live on Dune Road.

Robert Treuhold

Mayor