Town Board Discusses Bamboo, Liquor and The Budget

The Huntington Town Board at its September 24th meeting voted to urge the Commissioners of the State of New York Department of Environmental Conservation and Department of Agriculture and Markets as well as the NYS Invasive Species Council to add Invasive Bamboo onto the NYS Invasive Species List.  The measure was approved by a unanimous vote of 5-0. The resolution is basically symbolic in nature as said resolution does not enact any specific legislation.  It merely sends a message to the state that they (the state) should act upon the issue by regulating Bamboo through the aforementioned list. 

The resolution approved at the meeting takes note of a recent amendment to the State Environmental Conservation Law, effective next January 20, that requires the New York State Council on Invasive Species to work with other state departments to develop and promulgate joint regulations restricting the sale, purchase, possession, propagation, introduction, importation, transport and disposal of invasive species.  

Additionally, by unanimous vote of the Town Board, a resolution was passed urging the NYS Liquor Authority to conduct a public hearing on whether a license should be granted or denied to a new retail store to be located at 295 W. Jericho Turnpike, Huntington Station, NY.

Furthermore, a separate resolution was passed by a 3-2 vote, whereby the Governor of the State of New York and the State Legislature is urged to place limits on the number of retail liquor store licenses that can be issued within a geographic area and to set forth standards defining “saturation” of said area for the purpose of limiting the number of retail liquor store licenses which may be issued.

Supervisor Petrone, Councilwoman Berland and Councilman Cuthbertson approved this resolution while Councilman Mayoka and Councilman Cook voted against the measure. While Petrone, Berland and Cuthbertson felt that passage of the resolution is required to deal with quality of life issues through regulating the sale of alcohol by defining saturation, Mayoka and Cook feel that this essentially constitutes increased government regulation which would negatively impact small business.  

Supervisor Petrone also announced that a special Town Board meeting will be held at 9 a.m. on Friday, Sept. 28, to present the 2013 budget.