savesagharbor.com
PLEASE SUPPORT THE SAG HARBOR COMMUNITY FOOD PANTRY!
where: First Presbyterian (Old Whalers') Church, 44 Union St
when: Tuesday, from 11AM to 1:30 PM.
Lillian Woudsma is its director, and in the last four years the SHCFP instituted a FRESH IS BETTER PROGRAM. She writes, "We try to serve only fresh fruits and vegetables and keep canned food to a minimum. Each week we distribute fresh eggs, milk, bread, butter, cheese as well as chicken, beef or fish along with fresh vegetables and fruits. We are looking for ways to tell people how much we need money in the summer as well as the winter."
If you are a person or family in need, there is a simple form to fill out, available
in Spanish or English. Heating Oil Cost assistance is available!
Lillian can be reached at jwoudsma@optonline.net , or you may just stop by the Food Pantry to give donations in the form of edible goods or money. Checks should be made out to:
Sag Harbor Community Food Pantry, 44 Union St, PO Box 1241, Sag Harbor, NY 11963
You can call Lillian at 631-329-2151, or on her cell at 631-553-6515.
Ladies Village Improvement Society of Sag Harbor
PO Box 2222, Sag Harbor, NY 11963
The Sag Harbor Ladies Village Improvement Society (LVIS) is an organization founded in 1887 that is dedicated to the well-being of our citizens and the beautification of the Village, with a new “green” perspective! The LVIS is always looking for new members and volunteers, including any interested men. Please contact Esther Ricker by e-mail at: nanster@optonline.net
Do you know about the Sag Harbor CAC?
The Citizens Advisory Committee concept was originally established by Fred Thiele in 1996 to represent those hamlet areas in Southampton Town not covered by any village government. There are thirteen CACs in the Town representing hamlets both east and west of the canal. Each focuses on any local hamlet issue it wishes to bring to the Town Board's attention and sometimes forms coalitions with other CACs around issues that affect more than one hamlet area.
The Sag Harbor CAC meets the first Friday of each month at 4:30PM at Pierson High School Library. Meetings are open to the public. Membership opens once a year in January, contingent upon Town Board approval. Anyone can become a member at that time. Please think about joining this rich and vital community of local activists. Further questions can be addressed to John N. Linder at 631-725-6067.
Write a LETTER regarding the proposed Ferry Road CONDOMINIUMS
As you may know, our friends at CONPOSH held a very informative meeting February 15th at the Old Whalers' Church regarding a proposal from a developer who would like permission to build 22 condominiums, with 22 boat slips, beside the Sag Harbor/North Haven bridge, where the Harborview Professional Building now stands along the waterfront. Many Sag Harbor and North Haven residents (and others!) have expressed concerns about the size and placement of the proposed development, noting that it will block traffic, water views, and possibly even access to the waterfront. The review process will move forward soon, with most of Sag Harbor's boards involved. Many local residents would like to see some or all of this waterfront property preserved as a public park. You can add your voice to this effort by contacting Mary Wilson, Community Preservation Fund Manager for Southampton Town, asking that she make the property (1,3 & 5 Ferry Rd.) a priority, and by contacting Southampton's Town Council (same address as in the above letter) with the same message. Also, we urge you to copy Sag Harbor Mayor Gregory Ferraris on your messages, since he has expressed the hope that we might think about regional planning for the greater Sag Harbor area.
[date], 2008
Mary Wilson
Community Preservation Fund Manager
116 Hampton Road
Southampton, NY 11968
Dear Ms. Wilson,
I/We wish to express my/our concerns at the proposed development for condominiums to be erected at the base of the Sag Harbor/North Haven bridge. if constructed, this development would restrict access to the waterfront, alter and obstruct traffic patterns, increase environmental concerns, and certainly alter the aesthetic appeal of what is arguably the most beautiful gateway to Sag Harbor Village, enjoyed by all residents of the Village and surrounding areas, and by visitors.
I/We urge you to make it a priority, when the parcel becomes available, to begin the process of allocating Community Preservation Fund money for purchase of this land for use as a public parkland.
Yours most sincerely,
____________________ __________________________ ____________________________
name(s) street city, state, zip code
This letter should also be sent to:
Mayor Brian Gilbride
PO Box 660
Sag Harbor, NY 11963
(To print out this letter, simply highlight the text by passing your cursor over it. Then copy (Command-C on a Mac, Control-C on a PC) and paste (Command-V on a Mac, Control-V on a PC) it into any word processor or text program and print it out. We urge you to add personal information, opinions, and any necessary changes!)
Another extremely important letter:
This has much more weight than even petitions! Here is a sample letter to Mayor Gilbride and the Sag Harbor Board of Trustees. Please personalize if you can, and remember to be respectful. Feel free to cut & paste this text, and add your own thoughts:
Mayor Brian Gilbride
Sag Harbor Municipal Building
PO Box 660
Sag Harbor, NY 11963
Dear Mayor Gilbride,
I/We are writing to thank you and the Board of Trustees for the great work you’ve done so far in keeping Sag Harbor from being overdeveloped.
I/We wish to express our support and continued concern for the Village. I/We hope that a comprehensive plan can be established, and support zoning and other regulations for the future of families and the family- and locally-owned residences and businesses here.
Sag Harbor Village and its waterfront represents the best in small-town quality of life, and we join you in doing whatever is necessary to help Sag Harbor remain the un-Hampton it now is.
Respectfully yours,
Historic preservation is key at the Sag Harbor Historical Society!
Visit the Society's website at: http://www.sagharborhistoricalsociety.org/
There are links to the history of Sag Harbor, some wonderful old photos, and an invitation to explore Sag Harbor with them.
CONTACT INFORMATION:
Phone: (631) 725-5092 Mailing Address: P.O. Box 1709, Sag Harbor, NY 11963
Contact: Joan B. Tripp, President E-Mail: SagHarborHist@aol.com
The Dark Sky Society sponsors "Dark Sky" Lighting for Sag Harbor!
Now installed right in front of the Sag Harbor Historical Society is a new kind of streetlight fixture that gives better light, uses HALF the wattage of a traditional streetlight, and can both save us money and give us back our starry skies, even in cities and villages.
An article on Dark Sky lighting may be read HERE.
Sag Harbor is going green! A new group, 725 Green, has generated a lot of excitement. It is currently being formalized and forming committees:
- a core group to oversee 725 Green
- promoting bike use
- 'greening' the schools
- recycling (specifically, bins for bottles/cans in public places)
- education and outreach
- pesticide use
- composting projects
- local food (a community garden?)
- zoning and alternative energy
- finding shop owners who want to work on 'greening' Main St.
If you would like to be on a committee, or have some other ideas, or would like to help in any other way, please email Gigimor@aol.com
Making a greener Long Island
Long Island Green and 725 Green are working together to make every Sag Harbor home and business more energy efficient. Please be part of this vital effort! It takes very little effort and should save you about $100/month on your utility bills. Visit http://www.ligreen.com/725green/ now and sign up for a free home energy audit! Put money in your pocket, protect the planet, and help to make Sag Harbor a model 'green' village!
725 Green is an organization of people, representing every aspect of life in Sag Harbor, who are committed to protecting this exceptional place, as well as our Earth as a whole.
You may also wish to visit Renewable Energy Long Island. RELI is a membership-based, not-for-profit organization promoting clean, sustainable energy use and generation for Long Island.
Another sustainability group to hit the ground (wheeling!) is SPOKESPEOPLE, a new bicycling advocacy group, headed by Sinead Fitzgibbon. Sinead can be reached at sineadpt@optonline.net
So what can you do to Save Sag Harbor?
Do you know about Friends of the Long Pond Greenbelt?
The Long Pond Greenbelt, spectacular in its wealth of rare plants, animals, and ecological communities is widely recognized as one of the state's most environmentally significant areas. It harbors one of the highest concentration of rare plants and animals in New York State. The Greenbelt's most splendid feature consists of a collection of thirteen coastal plain ponds and pond shore communities. The New York Heritage Program classifies many of the Greenbelt's ponds, fauna, and flora as rare both in New York State and worldwide. In recognition of the area's unique and fragile status, Southampton has dedicated 14 of its Greenbelt parcels into its Nature Preserve program, which extends the highest degree of protection in town law. The rest of Southampton's Greenbelt properties are currently in nomination for Nature Preserve status. Write them at greenbeltnews@aol.com
The Eastville Community Historical Society,
established in 1981, Linking Three Cultures
African Americans, Native Americans, Eastern European Jews, as well as
many other European immigrants all lived and Eastvile - so named because it was "East of the Village"
and was one of the earliest multi-ethnic communities on the East End.
ECHS is dedicated to preserving the historic Eastville neighborhood and its rich cultural past.
Its headquarters is at 139 Hampton St, Sag Harbor, NY 11963,
and can be reached at (631) 725-4711.
An article about a recent exhibition at the Society may be found HERE.
Kevin McAllister is our Baykeeper. Being a water-based community, our personal health, the health of our environment and the health of our economy depends on keeping our waters safe and clean. Please click on the logo to the right, and if you have questions, the Peconic Baykeeper can be reached at: mac@peconicbaykeeper.org
EDIBLE EAST END looks at ways to encourage people to support the sustainable and artisanal foods and goods produced right here on the East End. Their website list events, has fascinating articles (both historical and contemporary), and even a wonderful GUIDE to available sources of these tastier, more sustainable, more local sources! Click the picture on the right for more information.
Group for the East End protects and restores the environment of eastern Long Island through education, citizen action and professional advocacy. We inspire people to embrace a conservation ethic. The Group was established in 1972 as Group for America's South Fork.
The Peconic Land Trust, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, was established in 1983 by John v.H. Halsey and a small group of local residents to ensure the protection of Long Island’s working farms, natural lands, and heritage. Since its inception, the Trust has worked diligently with landowners, communities, and municipalities to protect more than 9,500 acres of land, conserving more working farms on Long Island than any other private conservation organization, and securing millions of dollars from the public and private sector for land protection.
Did you know that The Nature Conservancy is very involved with Long Island? They sponsor programs to increase funding for preserving land, working to save the Pine Barrens, the Piping Plovers, and the health of Long Island Sound.
Adding to the natural beauty of our area, including the Long Pond Greenbelt, is the Long Island Trail Lovers’ Coalition. Their object is to preserve trails for experiencing the beauty of Long Island by foot. You can go to their website and get lots of information on where to hike, and you may also visit Hiking Long Island, which also promotes the preservation of our wild places for the enjoyment of all and provides hiking maps!
