Community Corner

Huntington Notebook: Cuthbertson Testifies Before NY Senate on Boating Safety

News and notes from the Town of Huntington.

Cuthbertson Testifies Before NYS Senate on Boating Safety

Councilman Mark Cuthbertson testified before the New York State Senate Investigations and Government Operations Committee on Aug. 8 to examine Boating Safety the day after the . He was joined by the Town’s Senior Harbor Master, Harry Acker and Director of Maritime Services, Edward Carr.

Cuthbertson stressed the need for the State to draft legislation that would require basic Safe Boater training for all vessel owners and gave a brief overview of Huntington’s previous commitment to the issue as well as how it would facilitate such education.

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Since 2002 an average of fifty to sixty boaters per year have taken the New York State Boating Safety Course co-sponsored by the Town of Huntington and the Centerport Fire Department. However, Cuthbertson stressed with over 5,000 registered boaters in the Huntington-Northport Bay complex those numbers are simply not high enough. 

Cuthbertson suggested that a phase-in period be put in place on the education requirement so Town services would not be overburdened in the rush to fulfill the new mandate. 

Find out what's happening in Huntingtonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

He also shared the additional concerns our boaters discussed during the Aug. 7 forum on boating safety such as: the need for state issued Boating Licenses, the dangers of wakes from larger/speeding vessels, the need for vessel occupancy guidelines, set-up police presence to control boat departures at the conclusion of events, and the need for mandated boat inspections.

“There is a growing consensus that we simply need to make sure boaters are properly educated before going out on the water," said Cuthbertson. "We have laws and regulations in place for anyone who wishes to obtain a learner’s permit or driver’s license and how imperative it is to educate drivers on the rules of the road before handing them the keys.  The time has come to apply the same logic to boating."

New Businesses Open in Huntington

XO Restaurant Wine & Chocolate Bar at 69 Wall Street and Fit Body Bootcamp at 586 New York Avenue recently held ribbon cutting ceremonies.

XO Restaurant Wine & Chocolate Bar, owned by Zach and Cheryl Kitton, serves New American cuisine in their first floor restaurant.

Fit Body Bootcamp is a fun and energetic fitness workout program that focuses on clean eating and dynamic resistance training designed to get clients in shape in a safe and fun atmosphere.

Young Leaders Honored at Banquet

The Young Leaders Summer Banquet was held on Tuesday to honor members of the Huntington community who are active supporters the Young Leaders and to highlight the various volunteer efforts of the students involved throughout the year.

The Young Leaders is a group of students from the Town of Huntington who focus on community beautification efforts and facilitating programming to encourage civic-minded behaviors in Town of Huntington youth.

Councilwoman Berland presented each of the members with an official Town of Huntington certificate of recognition to highlight their many hours of community service throughout the year. As an active attendee of many of the Young Leaders events, Councilwoman Berland was also recognized for her continued support of the Young Leaders program with a commemorative plaque.

“It is so inspiring to see young students actively involved in making their Town a better place to live,” said Berland. 

Coming Up

The Planning Board will meet in Town Hall on Aug. 22 at 7 p.m. PDF agenda attached.

The next installment of Movies on the Lawn will feature "Dolphin Tale" at Crab Meadow Beach in Northport on Aug. 23. The movie, inspired by a true story, is about a lonely and friendless boy who untangles a hurt dolphin caught in a crab trap. He becomes very attached to the dolphin when the tail must be taken off to save the dolphin's life. The boy believes the dolphin would be able to swim normally if it was given a prosthetic tail. Cornell Cooperative will once again have their Marine Life displays for everyone to experience. Movie begins at sundown (around 8:30 p.m.).


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