|
|
Civic spikes rumors, gets SBU update
|
September 09, 2009 | 03:14 PM
Back-to-school day signified back to work for the Civic Association of the Setaukets and Stony Brook in a very full program at the season's first meeting at the Emma Clark Library Tuesday.
| | 
|  |
| |  | | 
| | | The Setauket Post Office is not about to close, according to the foundation that owns the building.
FIle photo (click for larger version) | |
President Kara Hahn opened proceedings by declaring it had been a "wonderful summer," and thanked the Stony Brook and Setauket fire departments for "two fantastic events" in early August, followed by the Chamber of Commerce's twice-delayed barbecue at West Meadow Beach. "The community benefited," Hahn said.
The president said members have been disturbed by recent rumors that the old Setauket Post Office is to be closed in an economy drive. She asked member Cynthia Barnes to read aloud an email from Timothy Glynn, president- of Frank Melville Memorial Foundation that owns the post office building. Glynn wrote that "the rumors are just rumors," adding, "I have spoken with the local postmaster, Bill Huber, who says that there are no plans to close the post office."
Hahn then asked Barnes for an update on the historic Rubber Factory Houses in her role as president of the Three Village Community Trust. Barnes was pleased to report the Brookhaven Board of Zoning Appeals had approved the removal of the houses from Setauket Fire District land to the rear of the trust's Bruce House property on Main Street. Through Assemblyman Steve Englebright (D-East Setauket), Barnes said a state grant of $95,000 had been secured but the trust must now raise matching funds for installing foundations and moving the structures.
SBU: buildings, roads and environment
Hahn introduced officials of Stony Brook University for their annual review: All Things University. SBU's Barbara Chernow, vice president for facilities and services, gave a slide presentation on upcoming construction projects including the Campus Recreation Center, the Simons Math and Geometry building, a 600-bed student facility, and bio-medical and computer science buildings. For the most part, Chernow said, the work is focused on renovations to make the "buildings watertight" and to maintain "services for students and staff." All buildings are now renovated to the LEED silver standard.
Chernow described plans for new roadways, including a roundabout, saying the university had listened to "traffic circle" ideas from the civic association.
Turning to the Research and Development Campus (the former Gyrodyne property), she said that one building is in use while another should be ready "one year ahead." The target is to have 10 buildings operational within 12 years, Chernow said.
Amy Provenzano, executive director of environmental stewardship at SBU, then spoke on what she called "sustainability" in fields such as energy conservation, recycling and alternative energy sources. Provenzano explained there were three active consulting bodies: the Campus Environment Committee, the Student Environment Club ("very involved, continually pushing") and the Sustainability Task Force. She said the university was looking at new technologies such as small wind turbines on buildings, and quoted several ongoing recycling projects.
Provenzano's final topic was the upgrading of the sewage treatment plant. Although there were member concerns about the levels of nitrogen being discharged into the Long Island Sound, she said that the pounds-per-day amount is less than 1 percent of the Island total. The university "is discharging so little," added Chernow.
From the audience, Assemblyman Englebright thanked Chernow for her role in improving "the dialogue between the university and the community." In particular, he wanted to know if the university's commitment to Flax Pond, "primarily for research," would be continued. Chernow said she could give no guarantees, but noted that new SBU President Dr. Samuel Stanley was "supportive of research and conservation."
SBUMC
Next up was Dr. Steven Strongwater, CEO of SBU Medical Center, who described as "most exciting" the new partnership of Dr. Stanley and SUNY Chancellor Nancy Zimpher. It was a "perfect moment," he said, adding that "the Long Island economy is dependent on what happens at Stony Brook with research and health care."
Dr. Strongwater stated that patients will always come first. The medical center's objective was to be "world class" and a top-ranked institution for scientific research and training. One of his slides stated there are 546 beds in the hospital, 5,499 employees and 979 physicians. He noted that medical "demand grows as we get older."
Dr. Strongwater said there were "spectacular things going on" at SBUMC from cancer research to advanced cardiac imaging and surgical robotics. "The goal is to go to less invasive operations," he explained. "The era is moving to prevention and less intervention; there are fewer incisions, faster response times and less time in hospital."
Apart from imminent plans for setting up a neuro-intensive care unit, he said SBUMC is working toward a children's hospital where there is a "tremendous need" in Suffolk County. He noted that obesity among the young is of epidemic proportions.
Dr. Strongwater concluded by emphasizing that SBUMC is an "academic medical center" that is "highly dependent on support from the community and state." He said there had been a "$50 million cut" in the budget due to the effects of the poor economy, but "we move ahead."
| |
|
|
|
| |
Copyright 2010
(631) 751-7744 | news@tbrnewspapers.com | www.northshoreoflongisland.com | About |
|
| |
|
