NSWCA_Collage_2017Huntington Station, NY USA…………… Voters in both Nassau and Suffolk counties have spoken at the polls and elected or re-elected water commissioners in all commissioner-run water districts. The Nassau Suffolk Water Commissioners’ Association (NSWCA), which consists of water commissioners representing 21 Long Island water districts, congratulates and welcomes all. Water District Commissioners will serve  three-year terms beginning January 1, 2018, and which run through December 31, 2020. There are three water district commissioner positions and district elections for one position are held annually. District residents vote for one commissioner of the three commissioner positions each year.

Nassau Suffolk Water Commissioners’ Association (NSWCA) President and Plainview Water District Commissioner Andrew Bader commented, “We are extremely pleased to welcome our new and returning colleagues to the NSWCA. Commissioner-run water districts enable all registered residents to express their opinions and personal preferences for the men and women of their choice through the voting process. This hyper-local voting basis enables communities to effectively ensure that the vote of every resident truly counts, and that goals such as sustainability, water quality and economics match the views and opinions of each individual community.”Albertson:                      Richard Ockovic

Bethpage:                     John Sullivan

Carle Place:                   Lawrence F. Zaino Jr.

Cathedral Gardens:        Raymond R. Rockensies

Franklin Square:             Salvatore A. Intagliata

Garden City Park:           Peter Chimenti

Glenwood:                     Kenneth S. Uihlein

Greenlawn:                    John H. Clark

Hicksville:                     William Schuckmann

Jericho:                         Patricia A. Beckerle

Locust Valley:                Pasquale J. Eliseo

Manhasset-Lakeville:      Mark S. Sauvigne

Massapequa:                 Thomas McCarthy

Oyster Bay:                   Robert McEvoy

Plainview:                     Marc Laykind

Port Washington:             Peter Meyer

Roslyn:                         William Costigan

South Farmingdale:        Ralph Atoria

South Huntington:            Ciro DePalo

West Hempstead:         Kenneth P. Wenthen Jr

Westbury:                     William C. Olsen

NSWCA Commissioners received an education and updating about recent changes in the Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) from FOIL maven Robert J. Freeman.  Mr. Freeman is the Executive Director of the New York State Committee on Open Government. Mr. Robert  Freeman has worked for the Committee since its creation in 1974 and was appointed Executive Director in 1976.

Every New York State or municipal department, board, bureau, division, commission, committee, public authority, public corporation, council, office or other governmental entity performing a governmental or proprietary function is subject to the Law.

Each of the aforementioned governmental entities is an “agency.” Courts are outside its coverage but often must disclose records under other provisions of law. The State Legislature is covered by the Freedom of Information Law, but is treated differently from agencies generally. Private corporations or companies are not subject to the Freedom of Information Law.

The intensive training session is part of the ongoing NSWCA Training Series. The session was held at the Westbury Fire Department to accommodate the large turnout which also included District Superintendents and employees.

Left to right Commissioner William Schuckmann (Hicksville WD), Commissioner Michael Rich (Oyster Bay WD), Commissioner Andrew Bader (Plainview WD), Mr. Robert Freeman, Commissioner Kenneth P. Wenthen Jr.

Mr. Freeman He received his law degree from New York University and a BS in Foreign Servicrom Georgetown University in Washington, DC.

At a recent meeting held by Nassau Suffolk Water Commissioners’ Association (NSWCA), Nick Mervosh, Iot* Specialist, Energy & Utility Iot at Verizon (Garden City, NY) addressed the audience on the subject of “Smart Water” as part of the NSWCA’s ongoing Educational Series.

Verizon, one of top 10 tech companies, plays a major role in the advanced water and utilities business with new technology. Mr. Mervosh pointed out “by offering a large computing platform as a service solution including analytics and security, Verizon, can help water districts satisfy New York State’s mandate to reduce water usage. Part of this can be done gradually through intelligent water metering that enables all water meters to speak the same language and would ‘fork lift upgrades’.”

“It was enlightening to have Mr. Nick Mervosh address the commissioners with such an interesting and fact-filled presentation,” remarked Andrew N. Bader, NSWCA President and Plainview Water Commissioner. “We learn and we take these educational lessons to heart, which is why even in the worst part of Superstorm Sandy, no commissioner-run water district failed to deliver water.”

Photo left to right:  Vincent AbbatielloWestbury WD; Nick Mervosh Verizon; Andrew N. Bader NSWCA President and Planview WD: Michael F. Rich III Oyster Bay WD; Kenneth P. Wenthen Jr., West Hempstead WD.

LICAP Announces Public Hearing Dates :  Draft Groundwater Resources Management Plan now available for public review at LIAquiferCommission.com

The Long Island Commission for Aquifer Protection (LICAP) recently released its draft Groundwater Resources Management Plan, and is seeking to elicit feedback on the document during a series of public hearings. A schedule of hearings is as follows:

 Hauppauge- November 30th 3:00-5:00 PM

• Evening hearing begins at 6:00 PM
• William J. Lindsay County Complex, W.H. Rogers Legislature Building, Building #20,
• 725 Veterans Memorial Highway, Smithtown, NY 11787.

Mineola- December 5th  3:00-5:00 PM

• Evening hearing begins at 6:00 PM
• Peter J. Schmitt Memorial Legislative Chamber, 1st Floor, Theodore Roosevelt Executive & Legislative Building,
• 1550 Franklin Avenue, Mineola, NY 11501.

Riverhead– December 6th 6:00-8:00 PM 

• Evans K. Griffing Building,
• 423 Griffing Avenue, Riverhead, NY 11901

The 236-page plan is available for the public’s review at LIAquiferCommission.com. At the start of each public hearing, Steven Colabufo, a Water Resources Manager with Suffolk County Water Authority, will give a presentation summarizing the contents of the Plan, with public comment immediately following the presentation.

The Groundwater Resource Management Plan, written and compiled by the members of LICAP, includes qualitative and quantitative groundwater data, outlines anthropogenic threats to groundwater, discusses existing regulatory groundwater management regimes, assesses the adequacy of existing groundwater management regulations, and most importantly develops actionable recommendations for legislative bodies.

Public comment on the plan will also be accepted in writing through Friday, December 8th. Written submissions may be mailed to LICAP, Attn: Seth Wallach, 4060 Sunrise Highway, Oakdale NY, 11769 or emailed to LICAP@SCWA.com. 

The nine-member LICAP Board is expected to approve the finalized plan at the organization’s next general meeting on December 13 at the Suffolk County Water Authority Education Center located at 260 Motor Parkway in Hauppauge beginning at 10 a.m. All LICAP general meetings are open to the public.

LICAP is a bi-county entity created in 2013 through a joint resolution by the Nassau and Suffolk County Legislatures to address both quality and quantity issues facing Long Island’s aquifer system, and to advocate for a coordinated, regional approach to groundwater resources management. For more information about LICAP or the Groundwater Resources Management Plan, visit LIAquiferCommission.com.

GRMP Release

Former Roslyn Water Commissioner Jack Russo passed away peacefully on September 21, 2017, at the age of 94.  A memorial tribute was held on Saturday, October 7 at the Bryant Library, 2 Paper Mill Road, Roslyn NY. Jack was a long time honorary member of the NSWCA and served as NSWCA President 2000 – 2002.

“Jack” as we knew him, served the Village of East Hills as Trustee for 24 years and on the Roslyn Water District Board for 23 years, many of them as Chair.  An expert in water district operations and environmental issues, Jack was well known for his conservation efforts and the protection of our natural resources, including our great aquifer water supply.

Jack had many business successes and continued to be a force for the environment. One of his proudest accomplishments was the preservation of the 50+ acre site of the former Air National Guard Base as a Special Groundwater Protection area, which later became the Park at East Hills.

As District Superintendent Richard Passariello summarized so succinctly, “Jack epitomized the meaning of public service.”

~Clean Water & Grant Funding for Water Infrastructure Improvements Among Topic Discussed~

At a recent Nassau Suffolk Water Commissioners’ Association (NSWCA) meeting, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Regional Director Carrie Meek Gallagher discussed a host of topics and specific actions regarding clean water, ensuring grant funding for water infrastructure needs, and reducing irrigation demand.

“As we seek to protect, preserve and monitor the environment and public health, testing wells, particularly those not sampled in 7-10 years, is extremely important to ensure a plentiful supply of clean water,” Ms. Gallagher said. “The DEC also plans to thoroughly review existing records, maps and other documentation pertaining to the possible use of radiological materials at former military and industrial facilities across Long Island to ascertain any information gaps and better evaluate potential impacts to public health and the environment from such past practices.”

Ms. Gallagher discussed the need for grant funding for water infrastructure improvements and the potentially huge impact of reducing irrigation demand on Long Island. “We will roll out a new and broader conservation plan in Nassau and Suffolk counties. This will include golf courses, which of course are large scale consumers of groundwater,” Ms. Gallagher added. The presentation was followed by a lively question and answer session.

“It was a pleasure having Carrie Meek Gallagher address the commissioners with such an open and informative presentation,” stated Andrew N. Bader, NSWCA President and Plainview Water District Commissioner. “Conservation and sustainability are topics of vital importance to all 21 of our member Districts each and every day.”

The NSWCA’s Continuing Education Series recently featured guest speaker Robert J. Freeman, Esq., Executive Director and Chief Attorney of the New York State Committee on Open Government.  Mr. Freeman’s informative and entertaining presentation centered on the Freedom of Information Law (FOIL), including compliance, public access and best practices. He  addressed the group on details of public access, the scope of freedom of information, and lesser known or often-misinterpreted facts of open meeting compliance.  All observations were explained to assist elected officials in maintaining best practices when serving their municipalities. The training meeting was open to all NSWCA members and district employees and was extremely well attended.

Left to right:  Hicksville Water Commissioner and NSWCA Secretary Bill Schuckmann; Oyster Bay Water District Commissioner and NSWCA 2nd VP Michael F. Rich III; NSWCA President and Plainview Water District Commissioner Andrew N. Bader; Mr. Freeman; West Hempstead Water District Commissioner and NSWCA Treasurer, Kenneth P. Wenthen Jr.