OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Town Board Meeting - May 5, 2026: Battery Storage Moratorium, Water District Bonds, and School Impact Agreements

Meeting Portal — Tuesday, May 5, 2026
BodyHuntington, New York
SessionMeeting Portal
DateTuesday, May 5, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
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Transcript — Verbatim
0:05

Please join Councilman Bernardo for the Pledge of Allegiance.

0:24

Well, good afternoon, everyone.

0:26

Thank you for coming out today.

0:28

I have uh a couple presentations I would like to make, and I'd like to start by asking Stacy Udall to come down and stand in front.

0:37

We have a presentation and a big thank you to you.

0:47

Welcome, Stacy.

0:48

You can come up here and face.

0:52

Well, Stacy is an advocate for the Foundation for Peripheral Neuropathy and an FPN warrior since 2012.

1:00

Today, we recognize the campaign that starts this week for peripheral neuropathy awareness.

1:06

This campaign educates people about the damage to peripheral nerves.

1:10

This awareness campaign is held annually during the first week of May.

1:15

Peripheral neuropathy has over 100 known causes.

1:20

When the peripheral nerves are damaged or destroyed and can't send messages to the br from the brain to other parts of the body, it can cause numbness, tingling, burning, and other medical deficits.

1:29

It is an invisible and often misdiagnosed condition that affects approximately 30 million people in the United States alone.

1:37

Peripheral Neuropathy Awareness Week has started, was started in 2002, and this year's observance takes place from May 3rd through the 9th.

1:52

There's more.

2:12

Thank you.

2:13

Thank you.

2:13

Bravo.

2:33

Stacy, can you just stand there as we can get the photo?

2:39

Everybody in thank you.

2:58

And secondly, it's the week everyone in Huntington has been woo the week everyone in Huntington has been waiting for.

3:06

And with bated breath and much anticipation, it is municipal clerks' week.

3:21

Andrew, I can't read your handwriting here.

3:22

Is that what it coincides with uh Cinco de Mayo?

3:27

Just uh you know a coincidence.

3:30

These clerks, I'll tell you.

3:31

So Municipal Clerks Week is observed nationwide for in May since 1980 and spotlights the history of different communities.

3:41

This week, the Huntington Joanne Rea Archives joins the many organizations across the United States in bringing Huntington's history to life by curating exhibits and conducting presentations.

3:54

The archives collect, preserve, and provide access to the permanent records of the town of Huntington.

4:00

In honor of both Municipal Clerks Week and the 250th anniversary of our nation's independence, the Joanne Rea Archives and Town Clerk Andrew Rea will are dedicating or dedicated to preserving and sharing our town's rich history through education and community programs.

4:17

Our town clerk Andrew Reya invites all residents and visitors to the 2026 archival exhibit, George Washington's visit to Long Island in 1790 and the Culper spy ring on display throughout town hall.

4:32

The exhibit features historic artifact artifacts, including revolutionary war era documents and early town records.

4:39

Additional programming includes commemorate a commemorative bus tour inspired by George Washington's 1790 visit, developed in partnership with the town historian Robert Hughes and the Huntington Historical Society, headed by Stephanie Gotard.

4:54

I encourage residents and visitors to take advantage of everything Huntington has to offer for the 250th anniversary of American independence, starting right here in Town Hall.

5:04

And on behalf of the Town of Huntington, it is my honor to present this proclamation to Town Clerk Andrew Rea in recognition of Municipal Clerks Week 2026.

5:23

Very well.

5:24

All right, everybody, smile.

5:31

Mama will be so happy.

5:35

Except Jason.

5:36

Sweet.

5:37

She's very happy right now.

5:40

Yeah.

5:42

You got that?

5:43

All right.

5:44

Thank you.

5:58

All right.

5:59

Thank you, Town Clerk.

6:00

Rea, Clerk of Palooza, this week in the town of Huntington.

6:04

Come down for the whole office wants to develop workers.

6:08

Oh, you're gonna have to show them.

6:11

All right.

6:12

So we'll start at this point.

6:13

Mr.

6:13

Town Clerk, we're gonna go into our public hearings.

6:15

So please read the notice for public hearing number one, please.

6:19

Thank you to all my colleagues on the town board.

6:22

It's much appreciated to be recognized.

6:25

And I accept that on behalf of my very hard-working staff in the town clerk's office, which are second to none.

6:32

So thank you all.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Energy Management██████████████████18%
Procedural██████████████14%
Zoning And Land Use████████████12%
Water And Wastewater Management███████████11%
Public Safety██████████10%
Transportation Safety█████5%
Miscellaneous████4%
Public Engagement████4%
Historic Preservation████4%
Summary of Proceedings

Town Board Meeting - May 5, 2026

The Town of Huntington held a meeting on May 5, 2026, at 2:00 PM at Town Hall. The board conducted nine public hearings, two Board of Trustees hearings, a public portion, and voted on over 50 resolutions. Key topics included a proposed six-month moratorium on battery energy storage systems (BESS), a $6.2 million bond for the South Huntington Water District for PFAS treatment, a local law requiring financial impact agreements with school districts for certain mixed-use developments, and the appointment of a new Director of Engineering Services and Comptroller.

Consent Calendar

  • Resolutions 2026-251 through 2026-309 were adopted unanimously or with roll-call votes. Notable actions included:
    • Designating May as Jewish American Heritage Month.
    • Authorizing agreements for youth services, beach cleanups, park uses, and hockey camps.
    • Approving contracts for tree removal at Old Northport Burying Ground, waste collection extensions, and ice rink maintenance.
    • Appointing Scott Spittle as Director of Engineering Services, Jonas Wagner as Comptroller and DBE/MWBE Officer, and Yvonne Rendazo as Title VI/ADA Coordinator.
    • Authorizing bonds: $100,000 for underground tank removal, $350,000 for security cameras, and $15,500,000 for the Energy and Infrastructure Renewal Initiative (roll call vote, 5-0).
    • Scheduling a public hearing for blighted property and for Nathan Hale Beach Club dock license.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • South Huntington Water District Bond (PH #3): Michael Cornfeld (ratepayer) criticized lack of transparency and questioned the need for bonds given existing surcharges. Michael McCarthy (attorney for district) clarified the bond is for GAC treatment at Plant 17 to meet new federal PFAS standards and will be net neutral due to retiring debt. Patricia Salomari expressed concerns about transparency and oversight. Councilman Bernardo stated it is a federal mandate and the town is not the governing body.

  • Battery Storage Moratorium (PH #8): Multiple speakers urged the board not to enact a moratorium:

    • Melissa Parrott (Renewable Energy Long Island) cited a 97-98% drop in fire incident rates and called for education over delay.
    • Matthew Arisich (Building Trades Council) highlighted union jobs and grid benefits, asking to postpone any vote until after the May 14 forum.
    • Billy Roberti (Huntington Station resident) argued BESS prevents blackouts and uses safer LFP batteries.
    • Peter Gollin (former LIPA trustee) explained modern safety standards and self-extinguishing fires.
    • Lucia Yu (Key Capture Energy) warned that a moratorium would send a negative signal to developers.
    • Jordan Christensen (Citizens Campaign for Environment) thanked the board for planning a meeting with fire chiefs and urged no vote.
    • Joe Stallone (NY League of Conservation Voters) supported BESS for grid resilience.
    • Doug Schmidt (environmental scientist) cited New York State's robust safety standards.
    • Melanie De Palma (Huntington Station) stressed summer blackout risks.
    • Roseanne Grohl (resident) questioned long-term sustainability of renewables and suggested alternatives.
    • Councilman Bernardo announced a meeting with fire chiefs next week to discuss safety.

  • School Financial Impact Agreements (PH #9):

    • Mike Florio (Long Island Builders Institute) opposed giving school districts veto power, calling it uncertain for development.
    • Kyle Strober (Association for Better Long Island) argued the law exceeds legal bounds and would stifle the Melville Town Center.
    • Lisa Bloomstein (Hills resident) stated the property currently pays ~$560,000 in taxes and the proposed PILOT would be lower, imposing a net loss on the district.
    • Elizabeth Englebrand (resident) reported that the Half Hollow Hills Superintendent said the agreement was "not what the school district wanted" but was what was offered.
    • Councilman Bernardo defended the negotiation, stating the district will receive additional payments beyond the PILOT, and condos will be fully taxed.

  • Public Portion:

    • Billy Roberti (ACERs) endorsed the Siemens Energy Performance Contract and announced a climate education event.
    • John Fornudo (volunteer) updated on Old Northport Burying Ground restoration, requesting tree removal and perpetual maintenance.
    • Trudy Pellegrino (Sunset Drive resident) requested a stop sign due to dangerous speeds and a recent 4-car accident.
    • Karen Steinhouse (park steward) expressed frustration over long delays in installing playground equipment at Justice Brown Playground.
    • Daniel Carpen (resident) mocked board members with "Makes Voters Angry" awards for their votes on Melville Crossing.
    • Roseanne Grohl argued apartments pay less in taxes than single-family homes and called for square-foot-based taxation.
    • Margaret Roebuck lamented overdevelopment and the loss of suburban character.
    • Jerry Brandon reported unsafe unloading of cars on Jericho Turnpike from dealerships.

Discussion Items

  • Battery Storage Moratorium: Councilman Bernardo outlined a plan to meet with fire chiefs to hear their concerns before moving forward. He emphasized he wants firefighter input to determine next steps. Several speakers noted that state standards have been updated and training is available.

  • School Financial Impact Agreements: The board discussed the purpose of Local Law Intro No. 23-2026 as a tool to require developers to negotiate with school districts when seeking PILOT agreements. Councilman Bernardo clarified that the town does not grant PILOTs; they are done by Suffolk County IDA. The law would require developers to reach a financial agreement with the district before final site plan approval.

  • Old Northport Burying Ground: John Fornudo detailed progress on restoration, including tree removal, historic registry nomination, and future improvements. The board then passed Resolution 2026-283 to nominate the site to the State and National Register.

  • Park Equipment Installation: Karen Steinhouse's complaint about delayed installation prompted Councilman Bernardo to promise to investigate the queue.

Key Outcomes

  • Public Hearings Closed: All nine public hearings and three Board of Trustees hearings were closed without opposition on the stop signs, LEED amendments, and dock variances (Centerport Yacht Club and Knutson Family Trust).
  • No Vote on Moratorium: The board did not vote on the battery storage moratorium; Councilman Bernardo plans to meet with fire chiefs on May 14 before making a recommendation.
  • Resolutions Adopted: All listed resolutions passed, including the $15.5M bond for energy improvements, appointments, and the school financial impact local law (Intro No. 23-2026) which was adopted after public hearing. The bond for the South Huntington Water District ($6.2M) was also approved.
  • Next Steps: The town will schedule a public hearing for the Nathan Hale Beach Club license (June 9). The board will also hold a public hearing on blighted property at 5 Floor Street on June 9. The energy initiative contracts with Siemens will move forward.
  • Appointments Confirmed: Scott Spittle as Director of Engineering Services, Jonas Wagner as Comptroller and DBE/MWBE Officer, and Yvonne Rendazo as Title VI/ADA Coordinator.

Meeting Transcript

Please join Councilman Bernardo for the Pledge of Allegiance. Well, good afternoon, everyone. Thank you for coming out today. I have uh a couple presentations I would like to make, and I'd like to start by asking Stacy Udall to come down and stand in front. We have a presentation and a big thank you to you. Welcome, Stacy. You can come up here and face. Well, Stacy is an advocate for the Foundation for Peripheral Neuropathy and an FPN warrior since 2012. Today, we recognize the campaign that starts this week for peripheral neuropathy awareness. This campaign educates people about the damage to peripheral nerves. This awareness campaign is held annually during the first week of May. Peripheral neuropathy has over 100 known causes. When the peripheral nerves are damaged or destroyed and can't send messages to the br from the brain to other parts of the body, it can cause numbness, tingling, burning, and other medical deficits. It is an invisible and often misdiagnosed condition that affects approximately 30 million people in the United States alone. Peripheral Neuropathy Awareness Week has started, was started in 2002, and this year's observance takes place from May 3rd through the 9th. There's more. Thank you. Thank you. Bravo. Stacy, can you just stand there as we can get the photo? Everybody in thank you. And secondly, it's the week everyone in Huntington has been woo the week everyone in Huntington has been waiting for. And with bated breath and much anticipation, it is municipal clerks' week. Andrew, I can't read your handwriting here. Is that what it coincides with uh Cinco de Mayo? Just uh you know a coincidence. These clerks, I'll tell you. So Municipal Clerks Week is observed nationwide for in May since 1980 and spotlights the history of different communities. This week, the Huntington Joanne Rea Archives joins the many organizations across the United States in bringing Huntington's history to life by curating exhibits and conducting presentations. The archives collect, preserve, and provide access to the permanent records of the town of Huntington. In honor of both Municipal Clerks Week and the 250th anniversary of our nation's independence, the Joanne Rea Archives and Town Clerk Andrew Rea will are dedicating or dedicated to preserving and sharing our town's rich history through education and community programs. Our town clerk Andrew Reya invites all residents and visitors to the 2026 archival exhibit, George Washington's visit to Long Island in 1790 and the Culper spy ring on display throughout town hall. The exhibit features historic artifact artifacts, including revolutionary war era documents and early town records. Additional programming includes commemorate a commemorative bus tour inspired by George Washington's 1790 visit, developed in partnership with the town historian Robert Hughes and the Huntington Historical Society, headed by Stephanie Gotard. I encourage residents and visitors to take advantage of everything Huntington has to offer for the 250th anniversary of American independence, starting right here in Town Hall. And on behalf of the Town of Huntington, it is my honor to present this proclamation to Town Clerk Andrew Rea in recognition of Municipal Clerks Week 2026. Very well. All right, everybody, smile. Mama will be so happy. Except Jason. Sweet. She's very happy right now. Yeah. You got that? All right. Thank you. All right. Thank you, Town Clerk. Rea, Clerk of Palooza, this week in the town of Huntington. Come down for the whole office wants to develop workers.

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