Ponquogue Bridge Town Trustees Meeting

[njdiver1]

Greetings!

Town Trustees Meeting
OPEN PUBLIC MEETING
NOVEMBER 3, 2014 @ 1pm
SOUTHAMPTON TOWN
SECOND FLOOR BOARD ROOM
116 Hampton Road
Southampton, NY 11968

The Town of Southampton Board of Trustees has invited the Long Island Divers Association to provide a 15 minute presentation on the old Ponquogue Bridge as it is seen through the eyes of divers. After a short introduction, Christopher Paparo who manages the Stony Brook University and Southampton College Campus Marine Science Centers will provide a video and photo presentation on the marine life ecosystem under the old Ponquogue Bridge.

The Board of Trustees works with the Town of Southampton Town Board. Long Island Divers Association is presenting information to the Board of Trustees that shows how valuable the old Bridge is to the ecosystem, the divers of Long Island, as well as the fishermen and boaters. There is no are area of Long Island as valuable to all of these associations as this Bridge. Our goal is to slow down any plans to possible remove the Bridge and save as much of the Bridge as possible for as long as possible.

Please attend this meeting and help support the efforts of saving the Old Ponquogue Bridge.

Barry Lipsky
President
Long Island Divers Association

 

[Mudd]

The last time I was out there (Oct 13th) workers were installing a fence to keep the fishermen off the bridge.

I have heard that the area is now closed to SCUBA divers (I have not traveled out there lately so I can not verify as to signage or what-not).

Sad times, my friends. Sad times.

If anyone can make this meeting on a workday, bless you.

I wish I could attend, but that is right in the middle of my work day in Queens.

 

[deeper thoughts]

Shame that was an interesting dive

 

[Rich Keller]

What results if any came out of this meeting?

 

[njdiver1]

OLD PONQUOGUE BRIDGE UPDATE

Greetings!

The Town of Southampton Board of Trustees in a scheduled open meeting of November 4, 2014 asked the Long Island Divers Association to speak about their concerns for the old Ponquogue Bridge. The meeting took place yesterday at 1pm in Town Hall and lasted about 45 minutes. All the conference room seats were full (about 100) as well as some standing in attendance.

LIDA presented the following goals:

Goals at this time of LIDA:

1. Slow down process of deciding what will be done with the Ponquogue Bridge.
2. Perform Engineering inspections of pilings, girders, joists, and decking.
3. Inspection results provided to a committee to make well thought out recommendations. LIDA would like to be represented on this committee.
4. Save as much of the Bridge as possible for as long as possible.
5. As divers, LIDA to provide the underwater eyes to show the Board of Trustees as well as all the public what we see under the old Ponquogue Bridge.

LIDA then had Christopher Paparo speak about the underwater ecosystem under the old Ponquogue Bridge. Chris is the Manager of the Marine Sciences Center at the Southampton campus of Stony Brook University. Chris also worked at the Riverhead Aquarium for 17 years from the date of its inception. Chris put on a slide presentation of underwater photos from under the old Ponquogue Bridge and then explained how removing the Bridge would affect the unique ecosystem we are so fortunate to have in Southampton.


Several members of the audience got up to speak in favor of keeping the Bridge including local fishermen, divers, local residents, and a high school student from West Hampton High School as well as the Southampton Town Supervisor Anna Throne-Hoist. Supervisor Hoist explained that the Town Board and the Town Trustees are all working together to leave as much of the Bridge as possible. The Town has committed to hire engineers to inspect the Bridge before any action is taken.

Supervisor Hoist assured everyone that the Town Board and Board of Trustees will make sure that solutions are made we can all take pleasure in and support.

The Board of Trustees is going to contact LIDA when a formal application is made to them for any work to take place on the Bridge. No work shall take place without plans and permitting approved by the Board of Trustees. At that time another hearing will take place.

LIDA is very pleased with the remarks made by Supervisor Hoist, the Board of Trustees, and all who attended the meeting yesterday. It is evident that the Town is listening to us and realizes the value of the old Ponquogue Bridge.

Barry Lipsky
President
Long Island Divers Association

---------- Post added November 9th, 2014 at 10:07 AM ----------

Press Release

Monday, November 17th at 7:00 p.m. the Hampton Bays Civic Association will hold its monthly meeting at The Southampton Town Community Center, 25 Ponquogue Avenue ...all are welcome. The subject of this month’s meeting is:

Can We protect and Defend The Marine Ecosystem and Fishing Pier of The Old Ponquogue Bridge.

Following a video presentation that demonstrates clearly the abundance, fragility, and dynamics of the colonies of biodiversity that inhabit the pilings of the old Ponquogue Bridge, a panel of qualified and experienced experts will discuss the procedures available to assess the damage time and Hurricane Sandy created to raise this issue.

This panel will be composed of members of the Southampton/ Hampton Bays workingCommunity: Anna Throne-Holst – Town Supervisor, Scott Horowitz and Ed Warner Jr. – Town Trustees, Barry Lipsky – LIDA1 President, Kevin McAllister – Founder of Defend H2O, and Christopher Paparo – Manager of the Stony Brook University and Southampton College Campus Marine Science Centers.

Together they will discuss the importance of finding a way to repair and preserve the remains of the old Ponquogue Bridge whose world class biodiversity has earned it a historic role with the Long Island Diving community ... whose beauty and reward lists it high on the list of places to fish on Long Island ... a bridge whose natural setting, unique history, and welcoming ambience creates a tourist attraction for anyone who loves those special qualities of life found only on the south shore of Long Island.

Tourist, home owner, diver, fisherman, boater, clammer, environmentalist, or if just once in your Hampton Bays life you wore the sweatshirt that declared:

I survived the Ponquogue Bridge ... join us.

For more information go to the HBCA website: http://hbcivic.org ... email us at: info@Hbcivic.org ... or call: 631.723.2239.


http://origin.library.constantconta.../1102284477885-48/Old_Ponquogue_Bridge_v4.pdf​

 

[Rich Keller]

What happened at this meeting?

 

[njdiver1]

Greetings!

LONG ISLAND DIVERS ASSOCIATION
PONQUOGUE BRIDGE
HAMPTON BAYS CIVIC ASSOCIATION MEETING

NOVEMBER 17, 2014

The Hampton Bays Civic Association held its monthly meeting on November 17th. A panel consisting of Southampton Town Supervisor Anna Throne-Holst, Trustee Scott Horowitz, Trustee Ed Warner Jr., Long Island Divers Association President Barry Lipsky and Kevin McAllister, former Peconic Bay Keeper and current head of Defend H2O, discuss the issues... facing the old Ponquogue Bridge in Hampton Bays.

KYLE CAMPBELL, Southampton Press.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Divers:

Long Island Divers Association has been consistent with their request to the Town of Southampton with their five points of consideration:

1) Slow down the process of deciding what will be done with the Old Ponquogue Bridge.

2) Perform Engineering inspections of pilings, girders, joists, and decking.

3) Inspection results provided to a committee formed to make well thought out recommendations.

4) Save as much of the Bridge as possible for as long as possible.

5) As divers, provide the underwater eyes to show the Town as well as all the public what we see under the Old Ponquogue Bridge.

The Town of Southampton has been in constant communication with LIDA about the Ponquogue Bridge since LIDA became involved less than two months ago. Town Supervisor Anna Throne-Holst has committed the Town to preserving the Old Ponquogue Bridge pending the results of the engineering inspection. Engineers are to begin inspections of the Bridge this week. The Town is also putting together a committee which includes LIDA to review the findings of the engineer's report before any interventions take place to the Bridge. The process of determining what takes place with the Bridge has definitely slowed down as the Town goes through a due process of listening to the requests of residents, fishermen, divers, and boaters; hiring professional engineers to inspect the Bridge, setting time aside to review those engineering reports, forming a committee to be a part of that review process, and allowing LIDA through Chris Paparo to show everyone what it looks like under the waters of the Old Ponquogue Bridge. The Town is also looking to place aside funds to make potential repairs or modifications to the Bridge. In addition, funds are being sought from FEMA as a result of the damage caused by Hurricane Sandy to the Old Ponquoque Bridge.

LIDA was very pleased to see so many divers at the Civic Association meeting in support of retaining the Old Ponquogue Bridge. Several valuable comments were made by divers Freddie Hughes, Danny McGrory, and Steve Burke. In order for the Town to justify keeping the Bridge, a continuous and very strong showing of divers must appear at every opportunity that comes up to support this incredibly important task. We have a long way to go and need you to be there. If the Town does not see the interest, they will have little reason to save the Bridge. Thank you all for your continuous support.


Barry Lipsky
President
Long Island Divers Association

 

[njdiver1]

PONQUOGUE BRIDGE GOOD NEWS!

Greetings! Mr. Horowitz said the south pier, the one accessible from Dune Road, was in better shape than he had anticipated. "The piles on the south side, we checked the ones on the outer side of the whole structure," he said. "They all seem to be in good shape." Long Island Divers Association is very pleased that the Town of Southampton has been addressing each of LIDA's requests on following due process for saving the Old Bridge. Great accomplishments have been made since it was declared to be removed only two months ago. LIDA appreciates all of those of who contributed to this accomplishment. Please continue to stay involved and continue to support LIDA's efforts in saving as much of the Old Bridge for as long as possible. Barry Lipsky President LIDA.