Dear Quogue Residents,

Fall has arrived in Quogue with more than our share of gorgeous days, but we are finally confronting hurricanes in the eastern United States, as witnessed by Fiona’s devastating impact on Puerto Rico, and Ian’s imminent landfall in Florida.  Quogue was hit Sunday night with a freak “micro burst”, which toppled quite a number of trees in the Village and briefly caused a few power and internet outages, which were quickly repaired by PSEG and Optimum.  A big shout out to our Highway Department for their herculean efforts to clear our roads.  So far, our beach is holding up – fingers crossed that we get through the season without further damage.

While I have received no new news on the FIMP project, I can finally share the link to the promised video recording of the informational meeting held on August 31^st with representatives of the US Army Corps of Engineers, the NYS DEC and the Town of Southampton. https://youtu.be/HyhncYqhiZc

As many of you may have noticed, the work on selected roads began last week, including Post Lane, portions of Ocean Avenue, Midland Street, and Quogo Neck Lane, Deer Path, and the western end of Quogue Street.  The work should be completed this week, weather permitting.

I am pleased to report that Pi Gardiner has accepted the position of Quogue Village Historian.  Pi grew up in Quogue and has a deep appreciation of our Village and its history.  She currently serves on the Board of the Quogue Historical Society and will be a great asset to the Village in this role.

It is with sadness that I note that our former Mayor Thelma Georgeson recently died.  Our Village was blessed with the great benefit of her many decades of service to the community, not only serving as our Mayor for twelve years from 1990 to 2002, but also in her many volunteer efforts on the Planning Board, at the Library, and in general.  We mourn the loss of a dedicated public servant and remarkable human being.

We were all very sorry to learn that Andrew Botsford has decided to discontinue his At Quaquanantuck column, at least for the time being.  Andrew’s columns have enriched our community for many decades, and we will miss his intelligent and humorous commentary,  his helpful information on Village activities, and his beautiful photography.  I know I speak for all of Quogue in extending recognition and huge thanks to Andrew for creating through his columns an important resource and record of Village life for all Quogue residents.  My hope and expectation is that we will continue to benefit from Andrew’s many contributions to Quogue in the months and years to come.

The owners of the Quogue Market have posted a notice that they will be closing “for the winter” on October 10^th.  I am meeting with the owners to see if anything can be done, but am not sure what the outcome of the meeting will be.

Our Police Chief Chris Isola has asked me to remind you all to please not leave your keys and fobs in your parked cars.  Unfortunately, we are not immune to the wave of car thefts that you may have read about.  The thieves have an appetite for high end vehicles (particularly Range Rovers) and, in almost every theft, the keys/fobs were left in the vehicle.

And now for a few announcements of some of the many events and activities happening in Quogue in the coming days and weeks:

A reminder that the Quogue Library Art Committee’s Smart Phone Portrait Contest is ongoing with a deadline for submissions on October 15^th.  More details are available on the Library’s website at https://quogue.librarycalendar.com/events/month

This coming Saturday, October 1^st from 3:00 pm to 4:00 pm, the Quogue Library will be hosting a lecture presented by the New York Marine Center on endangered animal species.

On October 15^th at 5:00 pm, the Library will be hosting the next Foreign Policy Association Great Decisions discussion program entitled: “No end in sight: A Century of Drug Wars”.   Participants can join by zoom or attend in person.

On October 16^th from 5:00 pm to 6:30 pm, the Quogue Wildlife Refuge is hosting a Rites of Spring Concert on the theme of Music for a Changing Climate. Further details are available on the Refuge’s website at www.quoguewildliferefuge.org and tickets can be purchased at www.ritesmusic.org.

The Hampton Theatre Company’s 2022-2023 season kicks off next month with Over the River and Through the Woods, written by Joe DiPietro, with a run beginning on October 20^th through November 6^th.   Tickets can be purchased at www.hamptontheatre.org.

Apologies if I have overlooked an event; please let me know!

Enjoy the early days of fall!

Robert Treuhold
Mayor, Village of Quogue
631-653-4498

Dear Quogue Residents,

It is hard to believe that Labor Day is around the corner, and that the school year is about to begin!  We have been blessed this summer with spectacular weather, with the unfortunate consequence that the entire South Shore of Long Island being “upgraded” to severe drought status.  Please follow the SCWA’s guidelines for adjusting your irrigation schedule.   A related consequence is that Suffolk County is under an extreme high risk of fire.  The conditions are similar to August of 1995 when  a firestorm erupted in the Pine Barrens following a hot month with no rain.  Please exercise extra caution when firing up your grills!

With respect to our beaches, as in prior years, we are about to embark on a few days of “beach scraping” to reinforce the dunes on the eastern stretch of our Village.  We are still subject to plover restrictions as the Town of Southampton bird monitors have identified one remaining piping plover chick that is still too young to fly (or fledge).  They are estimating that the fledge date will be August 27^th if you want to mark your calendars.  Also, please remember that if you have a locker at the Village Beach, it needs to be emptied out before you leave for the summer and no later than September 18^th.

The Village is also about to embark on annual maintenance of our roads.  This is a two-step process.  The first phase will 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 will be laid down with a liquid emulsion.  This needs to be done in the early fall when the weather is still warm enough for the blue stone to bind properly.  After a few days, our Highway Department will then sweep up any remaining loose stones.

Some modifications to the intersection at the east end of Quogue Street and Montauk Highway are about to be underway.  We have been notified by Suffolk County that their highway crews will be in Quogue in the coming weeks to repaint all of the markings at that intersection.  New signage is also on order and should be installed in the fall.

And now for a few announcements:

The Quogue Junior Theater Troupe’s younger show The Little Mermaid Jr. opens tonight, August 23^rd and runs through Friday, August 26^th.  You can purchase tickets at https://qjtt.org/

On Saturday, August 27^th, from 4:00 pm to 5:00 pm, the Quogue Library is organizing an outdoor concert with The Sunnyland Jazz Band – light refreshments will be served, and on Sunday, August 28^th, from 5:00 pm to 6:00 pm, the Library will be hosting their final program in this year’s Summer Author Series with Adele Myers.

As previously announced, an informational meeting will be held next week on the Fire Island to Montauk Point (FIMP) beach nourishment project.  The meeting will take place in the Community Hall at 11:00 am on Wednesday, August 31^st.  More information will be posted on the Village Website.

Our Police Department is hosting a free child car seat education and safety check on Sunday, September 4^th at the Fire House.  There will be an instructional seminar from 9:00 am – 9:30 am followed by car seat safety checks from 9:30 am to 12:00 pm.

Southampton Town Supervisor Jay Schneiderman will be returning to Quogue on Saturday, September 10^th, at 10:00 am to give a “State of the Town” presentation on the Village Green.  The event is being hosted by the Quogue Association and will be Jay’s first return to Quogue since before Covid came to town .

That same day, at 7:30 pm, Quogue Chamber Music is hosting a concert in the Community Hall by Members of Manhattan Chamber Players.  Tickets can be purchased at http://quoguechambermusic.org/

Finally, we will be commemorating the anniversary of 9-11 at a ceremony at the Fire House beginning at 10:00 am.

Enjoy the final days of summer!

Robert Treuhold
Mayor, Village of Quogue
631-653-4498 (office)

I am pleased to announce that we will be holding an informational meeting on the Fire Island to Montauk Point (FIMP) Project in the Quogue Village Community Hall at 11:00 am on Wednesday, August 31^st.  Representatives from the US Army Corps of Engineers and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation will provide an update on the status of the Project, and representatives from the Town of Southampton will give an overview of the next steps involved in obtaining the required easements from the owners of the properties where the work will be performed.   Attendees will have an opportunity to raise any questions or concerns they may have about the process.  Property specific questions will be entertained during individual meetings at a later date.  I hope you will take this opportunity to join us to learn more about the Project.

 

Robert Treuhold

Mayor, Village of Quogue

631-653-4498

Dear Quogue Residents,

Having now been your Mayor for three weeks and experienced first-hand the range of “stuff” that crosses my desk, I now appreciate fully how lucky we have been for these past many years to have benefited from Peter’s hard work and wise leadership.  Hats off to Peter!

It has been a busy month, with a special surprise visit last Wednesday of a juvenile great white shark on our beaches.  The press frenzy this garnered brought back images from the release of the movie Jaws in the summer of 1975.  I certainly did not anticipate any comparison to Mayor Vaughn of Amity Island.  On a positive note, our Village Beach life guards are in regular contact with all of the local beaches and have received heightened training for shark surveillance.  The Town of Southampton is also activating a centralized notification system in coordination with all of the South Fork communities.

In another positive development for beach safety, I am pleased to report that the Westhampton War Memorial Volunteer Ambulance Corp, which provides EMS response to the Villages of Quogue, Westhampton Beach, Westhampton Dunes, along with five additional hamlets, is adding a water rescue team to their life saving services.  This new service will be activated in the coming weeks and is intended to provide coverage for unprotected waters. The Westhampton Ambulance Volunteer Water Rescue Squad will consist of experienced certified ocean rescue lifeguards, who will be dispatched to swimmers in distress along the ocean front and other bodies of water within the Westhampton Ambulance District.  Two of our own Police Officers, Ronan Seltenreich, and Scott Hickerson, are members of the Water Rescue Squad.

Staying focused on the beach front, as Peter noted in his “Final Words” letter, the Fire Island to Montauk Point (“FIMP”) beach nourishment project is moving forward, although the work that will directly affect our beaches is not slated to begin until the Fall of 2023.  We are coordinating with the Town of Southampton on the next steps involving obtaining the required easements.  An informational meeting will be held in the coming weeks for all interested residents to provide further details of the FIMP project.  Stay tuned.

One more beach related item – the Village has been coordinating with Relic Sustainability relic-sustainability.org to arrange for the installation of “Beach Cleanup Stations” at the Village Beach and the other beach clubs in Quogue.  Relic is the group that has sponsored the “Flupsy” (Floating Upwelling System) at the Village Dock in coordination with the Moriches Bay Project morichesbayproject.org.  The Flupsy is a system to nurture hundreds of thousands of oysters, which are then seeded throughout the bay to help clean our waters.

And a few reminders of some of the multitude of upcoming events in the month to come:

On Sunday, July 31^st, from 5:00 pm to 6:00 pm, the Quogue Library will be hosting the next program in its Summer Author Series with Anna Pitoniak.  Please consult the Quogue Library’s website for their rich offering of fun and educational events: www.quoguelibrary.org

The Quogue Junior Theater Troupe’s production of Chicago is coming to the stage in the Village Community Hall on August 2^nd– 5^th.  One of the fun benefits of having an office in the Village Hall is listening to the QJTT rehearsals.  The annual QJTT Summer Benefit is being held this coming Friday, July 29^th in the Village Community Hall at 7:00 pm.  You can purchase your tickets on line at qjtt.org

Our Village Police will be participating in a “Coffee with a Cop” event which will be held at Beth’s Café on Saturday, August 6^th, from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm.  Please stop by for an opportunity to meet members of our police force in an informal setting.

And then on Sunday, August 7^th, from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm is the annual Fire Department’s Open House – a must attend event for one and all. www.quoguefiredepartment.org

The Quogue Historical Society’s annual art show will be held on the Village Green on Saturday, August 13^th, from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm.  On Friday evening, August 12^th, from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm, QHS is hosting an Art Talk Benefit (and cocktails) also on the Village Green.  Tickets can be purchased through the QHS website:  https://quoguehistory.org

The Hampton Theatre Company is hosting their annual benefit on August 20^th from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm.  Tickets can be purchased at: www.hamptontheatre.org

The Quogue Association’s annual Beach Party will be held at the Village Beach on August 20^th beginning at 6:00 pm. https://quogueassociation.org

Apologies if I have overlooked any other events in our busy season.

Have fun and stay safe!

 

Robert Treuhold

Mayor, Village of Quogue

631-653-4498 (office)