At its November 19 meeting, the Huntington Town Board moved to take legal action against opioid manufacturers, distributors, and sellers to recover the Town’s costs of fighting the opioid epidemic, and conducted other town business.
The Town Board approved the retention of Tate Grossman Kelly & Iaccarino, LLP (TGKI Law), the firm having decades of collective experience with complex mass tort and multi-district litigation representing dozens of municipalities seeking reimbursement for monies spent addressing the opioid crisis, to represent the legal interests of the Town of Huntington and its special districts, and commence an action against the manufacturers, distributors, and sellers of opioids, and all other responsible parties, to recover all damages and costs incurred and to be incurred by the Town and its special districts in connection with the opioid crisis.
Supervisor Chad A. Lupinacci and Councilman Eugene Cook co-sponsored the resolution hiring the self-described “Opioid Crisis Recovery Law Firm.”
“Given the specialized nature of this litigation, hiring TGKI Law will benefit the Town and our residents, not only from their expertise in this area, having represented other municipalities fighting the opioid crisis, including those on Long Island,” said Supervisor Chad A. Lupinacci, “but in sharing the costs for their expert consultants with those other municipalities, reducing the litigation costs for our residents, to ensure those who helped create this public health and safety crisis are made responsible for the costs of fighting it.”
“It is extremely important that the Town of Huntington retain Tate Grossman Kelly & Iaccarino, LLP to handle this complex litigation to recover the financial costs of the opioid crisis, to the Huntington community against the manufacturers, distributors, and sellers of these opioid medications. Unfortunately, this lawsuit will not recover the harm and heartbreak this crisis has brought to the victims and their families who suffer or lost their life to opioids,” stated Councilman Eugene Cook. “This is a necessary first step to hold the pharmaceutical companies responsible for the monies spent on health care, substance abuse programs, public education, Narcan training and supplies and the criminal justices costs associated with the misuse of these prescription drugs.”
The Town Board scheduled a Referendum to be held on Friday, December 20, 2019, from 12:00 PM to 9:00 PM, at Huntington Town Hall, Room 114, 100 Main Street, Huntington, NY 11743, setting forth a proposition to be voted on, considering amending the Huntington Community First Aid Squad Inc. Service Award Program to increase the monthly service award from $20 to $30 to further incentivize volunteer ambulance workers.
Supervisor Lupinacci co-sponsored the resolution scheduling the Referendum with Councilwoman Joan Cergol.
“Eligible voters in the Huntington Community Ambulance District will have a choice on December 20th to increase the monthly service award for the first responders who make the ongoing personal sacrifice to keep our community safe while motivating others to volunteer to help our community,” said Supervisor Lupinacci.
“I am pleased to co-sponsor, with Supervisor Lupinacci, the referendum requested by Huntington Community First Aid Squad in connection with their monthly service award benefit program (LOSAP),” said Councilwoman Joan Cergol. “I am so grateful for their volunteerism, competence and personal sacrifice. This is the least we can do to say thank you for a job well done, 365 days a year.”
Voters residing within the Huntington Community Ambulance District who would like to vote in the Referendum but are not currently registered to vote with the Suffolk County Board of Elections may register on Thursday, December 5, 2019 between 12:00 PM and 8:00 PM at Huntington Town Hall, Room 114, 100 Main Street, Huntington, NY 11743.
Voters unable to vote in person on December 20 may vote by absentee ballot. An application for an absentee ballot must be received by the Town Clerk at least seven days before the election if the ballot is to be mailed to the voter, or the day before the election, if the ballot is to be delivered personally to the voter or their agent. The Town Clerk’s office is located in Room 102 of Huntington Town Hall, 100 Main Street, Huntington, NY 11743, reachable at (631) 351-3216.
The Town Board scheduled an additional Town Board meeting for Tuesday, December 3, 2019 at 2:00 PM, at which additional resolutions related to the Referendum will be considered.
The Town Board scheduled public hearings for the Tuesday, December 17, 2019 Town Board meeting at 2:00 PM:
- To consider amending the Code of the Town of Huntington, Chapter 111 (Fire Prevention), Article VII (Operational Permits), §111-59 (Automotive Repair Garage/Gasoline Service Stations), and Article IX (Miscellaneous Prohibitions), §111-102 (Flammable Liquids Dispensing Systems); to eliminate the longtime ban on self-serve gas dispensing nozzles while still requiring full-service dispensing nozzles to be present at all gas stations.
- To consider amending the Code of the Town of Huntington, Chapter 91 (Carnivals, Circuses, Fairs and Amusement Events) Section 91-4 (Location of Amusement Rides Restricted); to eliminate existing restrictions on the maximum number of rides allowed per event.
- To consider amending the Uniform Traffic Code of the Town of Huntington, Article I (Definitions; Word Usage) of Chapter TC1 (General Provisions); to add four federal holidays (Martin Luther King, Jr. Day; Washington’s Birthday; Columbus Day; Veterans Day) to the Town’s current definition of “holiday” to allow for free metered parking on these days, as is customary for other federal holidays.
- To consider amending the Code of the Town of Huntington, Chapter 159 (Recreational Facilities), Article I (Administrative Provisions) and Article II (Use Regulations and Restrictions); to allow service dogs in areas dogs are prohibited.
- To consider amending the Code of the Town of Huntington, Chapter 198 (Zoning), Article XVIII (Administration and Enforcement); to ensure that all use and occupancy requirements are set forth as zoning requirements to allow for their enforcement in the Town’s Bureau of Administrative Adjudication.
- To consider amending the Uniform Traffic Code of the Town of Huntington, Article III of Chapter TC3 (Parking Regulations); Schedule P (On-Street Metered Parking); to correct the description of the metered parking area on Elm Street in Huntington.
- To consider executing an agreement with the Incorporated Village of Northport to furnish Fire Protection Services for the Town of Huntington Fire Protection District No. 1.
- Acting in their roles as the Board of Trustees, to consider the issuance of a special use permit and the execution of a license agreement pursuant to the Marine Conservation Law, Town Code Chapter 137 for the construction of a residential fixed pier and floating dock assembly. Applicants: Timothy and Anne Marie Monahan Location: 133 Woodbine Avenue, Northport, NY S.C.T.M. #0404-012.00-01.00-001.000.
- Acting in their roles as the Board of Trustees, to consider the issuance of a special use permit pursuant to the Marine Conservation Law, Town code Chapter 137 for the construction of a residential fixed pier and floating dock assembly. Applicant: Gary Yerganian Location: 30 Spring Hollow Road, Centerport, NY S.C.T.M. #0400-047.00-04.00-009.000.
In other action, the Town Board:
- Designated the the Old Centerport Methodist Church, 15 Park Circle, Centerport as an Historic Landmark to ensure it retains its historical character.
- Increased transparency for requested zone changes by requiring applicants seeking zone changes to notify affected residents of a public hearing in an envelope clearly marked “Required Notification Regarding Proposed Zone Change” on the front of the envelope.
- Adopted the Capital Budget for the Fiscal Year commencing January 1, 2020.
- Adopted the Assessment Roll for the Huntington Sewer District.
- Adopted the Assessment Roll for the Centerport Sewer District
- Extended the time to make a determination an additional 90 days to March 14, 2020 regarding zone change application #2014-ZM-403, 131 Spring Road, to change the Zoning from R-10 Residence District to R-3M Garden Apartment Special District for property located on the west side of Spring Road, south of Gaines Street, Huntington.
- Adopted a Use of Facilities Policy for the use of Buildings, Grounds and Facilities under the jurisdiction of the Town of Huntington Department of General Services by outside organizations to shift the burden of cost from taxpayers to the organizations using the facilities, with exceptions for charitable organizations and not-for-profit organizations.
- Authorized the Supervisor to apply for and accept $75,000 in funding under the 2019 New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Urban and Community Forestry Grants Program Round 15.
- Authorized the Town to apply for and receive $76,484 in grant funding under the NY State and Municipal Facilities Capital Program to replace pothole patching equipment from 1979, which will assist the Highway Department in extending the lifetime of pothole repairs from 30-150 days to 1.5-3 years.
- Enacted No Stopping restrictions from 7:00 AM to 4:00 PM on school days along the western segment of Pine Drive from Flora Street to its terminus in Cold Spring Harbor, for which a public hearing was held in response to resident requests.
- Approved free public ice skating and ice skate rentals from 5pm to 9pm on Saturday, December 14, for Supervisor Lupinacci’s Winter Wonderland at Dix Hills Ice Rink event to promote the Dix Hill Ice Rink facility.
- Recognized certain roads within the Town of Huntington, having been used as public highways for a period of 10 years or more, as public highways by usage pursuant to Highway Law §189: Second Street in East Northport; Bruno Street, Evers Street, Ciro Street, Chatham Place, Fairway Place, Pine Drive, and White Hill Road in Cold Spring Harbor.
In the photos (l-r): The Huntington Town Board with honorees after Supervisor Chad A. Lupinacci presented proclamations to Huntington High School’s Alexa Helburn, whose photography exhibition at the Cold Spring Harbor Library, sponsored by the Huntington-Oyster Bay Audubon Society, raised $780 to help Mayan girls in Guatemala stay in school, and William Cznadel, 2019 USA Football’s Heart of a Giant nominee from Commack High School.
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