Dear Neighbor:
I hope this letter finds you and your family well and that 2024 is off to a good start.
I am pleased to inform you that once again, The Village Board of Trustees passed a budget for 2024 that continues to freeze taxes. We also eliminated the garbage tax for the fourteenth year in a row, saving residents an average of $500-$550 per year, compared to what they would expect to pay if they lived outside the Village. This, combined with the 50% tax cuts in 2017 and 2018 still in place, thanks to our Taxpayer Relief Agreement with Jake’s 58, saves residents over $1,100 per year on average, depending on the assessed value of their home. Together, we continue to demonstrate that local village governments can lower the tax burden on residents while, at the same time, improve local quality of life.
As I reported last year, at the request of the Governor of New York and Suffolk OTB, the Village has agreed to the installation of 1,000 additional video lottery terminals at Jake’s 58. As part of the agreement, upon completion of the expansion of the hotel and parking garage within two years, revenue for the Village will more than double to $4.6 million per year for the next 20 years. I am pleased to inform you that, as a result, the agreement will eliminate the need for Village property taxes beginning in 2025- 26 for the foreseeable future.
In addition, we are also working on an incentive program to help residents pay their school taxes. We often hear that the high cost of living and taxes are driving forces for so many residents, especially our seniors, to leave Long Island. Combined with the elimination of the Village and garbage taxes, this incentive program will help make Islandia one of the most attractive — and the most affordable — communities to live in on Long Island and will help many of our residents stay in the place where they raised their families and called home.
Our park continues to be one of the focal points with respect to improving quality of life in our Village. The First Responders Recreational Ball Field is a true state-of-the-art complex featuring ball fields for youth and community baseball and softball games, a concession stand, restrooms, a gazebo, a playground, and an exercise path with ten different exercise stations. We are planning additions to the Park this year that I am sure you will be pleased to see. The First Responders Recreation Ball Field and the 9/11 Memorial are both living up to the highest standards of giving recognition to our first responders, who sacrificed and continue to serve our communities.
Our residents are enjoying the new pickleball courts that we installed last year, thanks to Village Trustees Victor Montanez III and Raymond Bush, who spearheaded this project. We had a great turnout for our grand opening and everyone had a lot of fun. If you wish to reserve a court, go to voi.pickleplanner.com and download the app.
After being under two years of COVID safety restrictions, our events returned to normalcy this year and our residents came out in droves to spend time with their neighbors. Over 600 people attended the Village BBQ at First Responders Recreational Ball Field and over 800 at the Fall Festival event. More than 200 people attended our holiday buffet and tree lighting events. We are also looking to bring back Music Under the Stars in front of the gazebo and Family Movie Night on the big screen.
I am also pleased to inform you that the Village completed its comprehensive street lighting program last year. The new lighting is helping to enhance public safety and improve the aesthetics of our neighborhoods. Through the program, we replaced over 300 lights with LED lighting in our residential community.
In December, we provided keys and deeds to three houses for three female war veterans. The selection of who would receive these homes was based on the need for the often overlooked community of female veterans. This spring, we will have a special ceremony welcoming our new neighbors. Residents will be invited to attend.
In addition, the Col. Francis S. Midura Veterans of Foreign Wars Post #12144 celebrated its grand reopening with its expanded meeting space. The space will easily accommodate the current veterans during its monthly meetings and serve as a recruiting tool to attract more veterans to the post.
The Village also takes care of its seniors. We encourage our seniors to visit the Senior Center. It is a great place to go and meet your neighbors, play games, watch movies and attend special events. Please check our website for more information about our upcoming events.
Thank you again for the opportunity to serve you as your Mayor and remember: this is only the beginning! Please don’t hesitate to email me at adorman@newvillageofislandia.com or call me at (631) 348-1133 with any questions.
Sincerely,
Allan M. Dorman
Mayor
Dear Neighbor:
I want to start off by wishing everyone health and happiness for this year. The year 2022 continued to be a challenge for all of us in the Village of Islandia and across our country. I expect 2023 will present more challenges that we will also overcome.
On the bright side, we once again passed a budget for 2023 that continues to freeze taxes. We also eliminated the garbage tax for the thirteenth year in a row, saving residents an average of $500 per year, compared to what they would expect to pay if they lived outside the Village. This, combined with the 50% tax cuts in 2017 and 2018 still in place, thanks to our Taxpayer Relief Agreement with Jake’s 58, saves residents over $1,100 per year on average, depending on the assessed value of their home. Together, we continue to demonstrate that local village governments can lower the tax burden on residents while, at the same time, improve local quality of life.
At the request of the Governor of New York and Suffolk OTB, the Village has agreed to the installation of 1,000 additional video lottery terminals at Jake’s 58. As part of the agreement, upon completion of the expansion of the hotel and parking garage in approximately two years, revenue for the Village will more than double to $4.6 million per year for an additional 20 years. I am pleased to inform you that this agreement will eliminate the need for Village taxes starting in 2025-2026 upon completion of the OTB expansion. As a result of this extension, the value of our agreement with OTB will exceed $100 million. While I changed my position on this issue, I have always felt that taxpayer money should belong in your pockets, rather than in the hands of the government. This money belongs to you, your children and grandchildren.
In addition, we are also working on an initiative program to help residents with more tax relief. We often hear that the high cost of living and taxes are driving forces for so many residents, especially our seniors, to leave Long Island. I feel that the elimination of Village taxes, the continued elimination of the garbage tax and this initiative program will go a long way in helping to make Islandia one of the most attractive communities to live in on Long Island and will help many of our residents stay in the place where they raised their families and called home. The value of our homes will increase in a TAX-FREE Village.
On the subject of public safety, we restructured our Public Safety and Fire Marshal departments, purchased new vehicles and hired additional officers. I’m sure you have noticed a positive presence in our Village. I am pleased to inform you that the Village will begin a comprehensive street lighting program this year that will go a long way in not only enhancing public safety, but also improving upon the aesthetics of our neighborhoods.
Our park continues to be one of the focal points with respect to improving quality of life in our Village. The Recreational Ball Field is a true state-of-the-art complex featuring ball fields for youth and community baseball and softball games, a concession stand, restrooms, a gazebo, a playground, and an exercise path with ten different exercise stations. This summer, we will be adding two new pickleball courts.
After being under two years of COVID safety restrictions, our events returned to normalcy this year and our residents came out in droves to spend time with their neighbors. Over 500 people attended the Village BBQ and the Fall Festival at First Responders Recreational Ball Field. More than 200 people attended our holiday buffet and tree lighting events at the Village Hall. We are also looking to bring back Music Under the Stars in front of the gazebo and Family Movie Night on the big screen.
Please join me at the “Cup of Joe” events in the future to learn more about your Village. Thank you again for the opportunity to serve you as your Mayor and remember: this is only the beginning!
Please don’t hesitate to email me at adorman@newvillageofislandia.com or call me at (631) 348-1133 with any questions.
Sincerely,
Allan M. Dorman
Mayor
Dear Neighbor:
I want to start off by wishing everyone health and happiness for this year. The year 2021 continued to be a challenge for all of us in the Village of Islandia and across our country. I expect 2022 will present more challenges that we will also overcome.
On the bright side, we once again passed a budget for 2022 that continues to freeze taxes. We also eliminated the garbage tax for the twelfth year in a row, saving residents an average of $500 per year, compared to what they would expect to pay if they lived outside the Village. This, combined with the 50% tax cuts in 2017 and 2018 still in place, thanks to our Taxpayer Relief Agreement with Jake’s 58, saves residents over $1,000 per year on average, depending on the assessed value of their home. Together, we continue to demonstrate that local village governments can lower the tax burden on residents while, at the same time, can improve the quality of life.
On other matters, I wish to welcome Raymond Bush as our new Trustee. Raymond has lived in the Village for 50 years and will fill the role until the next election. He is a man of high standing and has served as Past Commander of the Col. Francis S. Midura VFW Post #12144. Ray is replacing Burhan Kisla, who is retiring after serving for eight years on the Village Board. I would like to wish Burhan the best of luck in all his future endeavors. He is a dear friend and colleague of ours, and we will miss his wisdom and passion for the Village. We also would like to welcome Kevin Peterson as our new Fire Marshal. His 27 years of professional experience and integrity are impeccable.
Four new vehicles were recently purchased for Public Safety and Code Enforcement. Once all of the aging vehicles are replaced, there will be eight new vehicles in total serving our Village. While all employees in the department are on the lookout for public safety issues affecting local quality of life, code enforcement is focused on educating property owners and ensuring the safety of our homes. Public safety focuses on quality of life and public safety issues in our community.
I am also proud to report that the Village of Islandia Senior Center has fully reopened. The Senior Center was closed during the pandemic and reopened afterwards, but only for a limited time. Since the most recent reopening, our older residents have come back to enjoy spending time with one another, watching movies, playing board games and socializing. We also celebrated the full reopening by having Pizza Night for the seniors every Thursday night. The Senior Center is open every Monday, Tuesday and Thursday from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.; Tuesday and Thursday nights from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.; and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Our park continues to be one of the focal points with respect to improving quality of life in our Village. The First Responders Recreational Ball Field is a true state-of-the-art complex featuring ball fields for youth and community baseball and softball games, a concession stand, restrooms, a playground, and an exercise path with ten different exercise stations. I look forward to once again hosting our Village events, such as our Easter Egg Hunt, Annual Village Bar-B-Que — which 950 residents attended in 2019 — and the Pumpkin Fest on the grounds. We are also looking to bring back Music Under the Stars in front of the gazebo and Family Movie Night on the big screen.
Thank you again for the opportunity to serve you as your Mayor and remember: this is only the beginning! Please don’t hesitate to email me at adorman@newvillageofislandia.com or call me at (631) 348-1133 with any questions.
Sincerely,
Allan M. Dorman
Mayor
Dear Neighbor:
I want to wish everyone a happy and healthy belated New Year. The year 2020 was a challenge for all of us in the Village of Islandia and across our country. I expect 2021 to be challenging also. With the pandemic still upon us, we must be careful how we live our lives during this crisis. Please wash your hands, don’t touch your face, keep your distance (six feet) and wear a mask. The Village continues to work with our insurance company to purchase masks at a reduced cost. These savings have been passed on to our residents with our free mask distributions held at the Village Hall.
On other matters, I am pleased to report that the Village Board passed a budget for the tax year of 2021 without any increase in taxes for our residents. The Village will also eliminate the garbage fee for the eleventh year in a row. This means residents have saved an average of $500 per year, compared to what they would expect to pay if they lived outside the Village for their garbage to be picked up. This, combined with the 50% tax cuts in 2017 and 2018 still in place, saves residents over $1,000 per year on average, based on the assessed value of their home. Together, we have demonstrated that local village governments can lower the tax burden on residents while, at the same time, improving quality of life.
Our new park has been one of the focal points with respect to improving the quality of life in our Village. The First Responders Recreational Ball Field is a true state-of-the-art complex featuring ball fields for youth and community baseball and softball games, a concession stand, restrooms, a playground, and an exercise path with ten different exercise stations. I look forward to once again hosting our Village events on the grounds, such as our Easter Egg Hunt, Pumpkin Fest and Annual Village Bar-B-Que, which was attended by 950 residents in 2019.
On other matters, for the safety and convenience of our pedestrians, we are constructing new sidewalks along Old Nichols Road for those who walk to Village Hall to attend our Village Board meetings or our Village events, especially those who have little children with them; it can be extremely dangerous, especially at night. As a result, we have undertaken this project with the safety of pedestrians — and children — in mind. Our plan this year is to continue to repair and replace sidewalks where needed. The Force Main Project is coming to an end in our Village. The final new roadwork is mostly complete. We still have new signage and lighting to install.
Despite the closure due to COVID-19, and in accordance with our agreement, the Village recently received its 2021 payment in the amount of $2,250,000.00 from Jake’s 58 that Delaware North and OTB agreed to pay as part of its Taxpayer Relief Agreement with the Village of Islandia. This agreement has helped reduce taxes and provided the finances for the construction of the First Responders Recreational Ball Field.
Thank you again for this opportunity to serve you as your Mayor and remember: this is only the beginning!
Sincerely,
Allan M. Dorman
Mayor
Dear Neighbor:
The last couple of months provided a challenge for the Village. However, the lockdown brought out the best in its residents, showing resiliency, kindness and generosity. The Village has kept its lines of communications open by posting notices online and sending messages through email and social media.
Throughout this crisis, our Village has stuck together. We saw neighbors helping neighbors in these unsettling and troubling times, whether it was making and donating masks to local medical personnel, or volunteering their time going grocery shopping for those unable to leave their homes. During this time, the Village has been doing its part, distributing 1,280 face masks to local residents on three separate days: May 20, May 27 and June 10. We have also enclosed a flyer announcing another face mask distribution event on June 17 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Village Hall.
In a show of unity, we placed American flags in front of the homes of our residents on June 14, in honor of Flag Day. This has taken place throughout the Village for the past 10 years.
Our Village office employees have already returned to work, helping to make our government run more efficiently. Village Hall will be reopening to the general public, effective June 22. However, this will be on a part-time basis, operating weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., except on Wednesdays, when the office is closed.
We have kept our Public Safety Department open during this time, protecting the Village and keeping our residents safe. Our Sanitation Department has been working around the clock to “Keep Islandia Clean” by continuing its garbage service. Our Highway Department has also been working very hard; the summer crews have begun sweeping the streets, keeping our roadways clean and safe. In addition, the Suffolk County Force Main project is nearing completion.
If you have any questions, or if you would just like to chat, you may contact me at adorman@newvillageofislandia.com. I will answer every email. You may also fill out our contact form at www.newvillageofislandia.com to receive updates via email.
Sincerely,
Allan M. Dorman
Mayor
Dear Neighbor:
For nearly two months, in order to stop the spread of the coronavirus, many of us have sheltered in place and used social distancing when out and about to exercise or purchase necessities. Just recently, another requirement has been put in place in which those who leave home to go shopping must wear a mask. These actions seem to be working, as the number of new cases in the state has declined considerably.
Throughout this crisis, our Village has stuck together. We are seeing neighbors helping neighbors in these unsettling and troubling times, whether it is making and donating masks to local medical personnel, or volunteering their time going grocery shopping for those who may not be able to leave their homes due to physical disabilities or weakened immune systems that can make those susceptible to the coronavirus.
Our annual Memorial Day ceremony scheduled for Saturday, May 23 has been cancelled. Instead, I will be joined by a small number of people at Veterans Memorial Triangle to say a prayer for those who gave their lives for this great country. We thought it would be unsafe to have such a large gathering, especially with our veterans, who are elderly and, therefore, most susceptible to the virus. As an additional precaution, we have decided to close down the VFW hall until further notice.
Both Village Hall and Justice Court continue to remain closed to the public, but the Court will continue to process payments for traffic tickets. Our Village office employees are working remotely to make sure our government continues to operate efficiently. We hired an outside certified contractor to disinfect our offices to ensure they will be safe when our employees return to work. Our sanitation crews are continuing garbage pickup service and our Highway Department is working around the clock to keep our roads safe. In addition, our essential employees are continuing with the upkeep of the Village grounds and the First Responders Memorial Ball Field, which we plan to open on May 18, but with reduced hours. Please check our website (https://www.newvillageofislandia.com/covid-19-resources/) for the ball field’s hours of operation.
Now that the curve has flattened, we anticipate a slow and steady return to the outside world. It will take some time before everything is back to normal and we will finally be able to say “hello” to our family, friends and neighbors in person once again. Until then, we have to stay safe and stay positive.
If you have any questions, or if you would just like to chat, you may contact me at adorman@newvillageofislandia.com. I will answer every email. You may also fill out our contact form at www.newvillageofislandia.com to receive updates via email.
Sincerely,
Allan M. Dorman
Mayor
AN UPDATE FROM THE NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH REGARDING COVID-19
Governor Andrew Cuomo is planning to lift the shutdown on nonessential businesses on May 15. In addition, many parks, beaches and golf courses have reopened to the public. However, the state’s Health Department is asking that everyone continue to practice social distancing guidelines.
With that in mind, we ask our residents to continue following these rules:
When out in public, stay at least six feet away from others, wear a protective face mask and avoid all large mass gatherings. |
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Do not visit a relative’s or neighbor’s house, unless it is to drop off groceries or medications. |
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Even if the weather is nice outside, if you feel sick and have the following symptoms (coughing, sneezing, high fever), STAY HOME! |
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If you cough or sneeze, do so inside the bend of your elbow. If you are using tissues, please dispose of them after use in a receptacle with a lid. |
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When at home, wash your hands for at least 20 seconds, especially before and after eating; after using the restroom; after sneezing, coughing or blowing your nose; before handling food; after touching or cleaning surfaces that may be contaminated; and after using equipment and supplies that have been shared or passed on to others. If there is no soap, use hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. |
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Long periods of isolation may result in loneliness and depression. If you feel lonely and/or depressed, call the COVID-19 Emotional Support Hotline at 1-844-863-9314. If you are a doctor, nurse, first responder or other health care professional working at the front line, text the Kate Spade New York Foundation and Crisis Text Line at NYFRONTLINE to 741-741. |
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To stay up-to-date, visit https://www.newvillageofislandia.com/covid-19-resources/. |
Dear Neighbor:
I am writing to update you on how the coronavirus outbreak is affecting your Village government:
- Village Hall has been closed indefinitely. As a result, we will conduct our monthly work session on March 31 and our Village board meeting on April 7 through a conference call; these meetings will not be open for public comment. Minutes of the meetings will be available.
- We also cancelled our Cup of Joe that was scheduled for March 28. It is our hope that we can host another Cup of Joe — whether in person or over Facebook Live — sometime in the near future.
- Justice Court has been closed until further notice. Those with unpaid parking tickets and suspension lifts may mail them to Justice Court at 1100 Old Nichols Road, Islandia, NY 11749. If you are unsure of the amount of your fine or lift, please email aprokop@newvillageofislandia.com or amurphy@newvillageofislandia.com.
- Due to the state mandate prohibiting large gatherings, we have closed down the First Responders Recreational Ball Field. We have also cancelled the Easter Egg Hunt scheduled for April 4 and the Village’s 35th anniversary celebration that was supposed to take place on April 11.
- The Islandia Senior Center is being shut down for the time being. All scheduled activities at the Center have been cancelled.
- Garbage collection in the Village will continue as scheduled.
I know that job losses, infection reports and health care fears have had a tremendous impact on our quality of life. As difficult as these times may seem, I can assure you that we will get through this. It’s not the first pandemic that has affected our country, and it’s certainly not the first crisis, either. We know that very well as New Yorkers and as Americans.
Let’s make the most of this together. Take the opportunity to spend more time with our family, learn a new skill, or take on a home improvement. As we do so, please look in on our neighbors who may be alone at this time. Staying home and social distancing is having an impact on all of us, especially those of us who don’t have someone to ride out the storm with.
If you have any questions, or if you would just like to chat, you may contact me at adorman@newvillageofislandia.com. I will answer every email. You may also fill out our contact form at www.newvillageofislandia.com to receive updates via email.
Stay safe and stay vigilant.
Sincerely,
Allan M. Dorman
Mayor
Dear Neighbor:
Many of you have heard of the growing number of coronavirus cases in Suffolk County and how this is affecting our quality of life. This pandemic has also affected local municipalities, which have resorted to closures of their offices and cutbacks to basic services, including garbage collection. During this crucial time, we want to give you an update on what is happening with our Village meetings and events:
- Village Hall has been closed indefinitely. As a result, we will conduct our monthly work session on March 31 and our Village board meeting on April 7 through a conference call; these meetings will not be open to the public. Minutes of the meetings will be available upon request.
- We also cancelled our Cup of Joe that was scheduled for March 28. It is our hope that we can host another Cup of Joe — whether in person or over Facebook Live — sometime in the near future.
- Justice Court has been closed until further notice. Those with unpaid parking tickets and suspension lifts may mail them to Justice Court at 1100 Old Nichols Road, Islandia, NY 11749. If you are unsure of the amount of your fine or lift, please email aprokop@newvillageofislandia.com or amurphy@newvillageofislandia.com.
- Due to the state mandate prohibiting large gatherings, we have closed down the First Responders Recreational Ball Field. We have also cancelled the Easter Egg Hunt scheduled for April 4 and the Village’s 35th anniversary celebration that was supposed to take place on April 11.
- The Islandia Senior Center is being shut down for the time being. All scheduled activities at the Center have been cancelled.
- Garbage collection in the Village will continue as scheduled.
We are currently following the directives as ordered by the Suffolk County Department of Health, the New York State Department of Health and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and we are asking our residents to do the same. That means washing your hands thoroughly and often, avoiding physical contact, self-isolation if you show signs of the disease and staying away from large gatherings.
If you have any questions, you may contact me at adorman@newvillageofislandia.com. I will answer every email. You may also fill out our contact form at www.newvillageofislandia.com to receive updates via email.
Stay safe and stay vigilant.
Sincerely,
Allan M. Dorman
Mayor
I want to wish everyone a happy and healthy New Year. The year 2019 was an exciting one for the Village of Islandia and I expect 2020 to be even better.
I am pleased to report that the Village Board passed a budget for the tax year of 2020 without any increase in taxes for our residents.
The Village will also continue to eliminate the garbage fee for the tenth year in a row. This means residents continue to save an average of $500 per year, compared to what they would have to pay if they lived outside the Village to have their garbage removed. This, combined with the 50% tax cuts achieved between 2017 and 2018, saves residents over $1,000 per year on average, based on the assessed value of your home.
The Village has demonstrated that local village governments can lower the tax burden on local residents while, at the same time, improving local quality of life. We can take pride in what we have accomplished in this endeavor.
The new park is a true state-of-the-art complex featuring ball fields for youth and community baseball and softball games, a concession stand, restrooms, a playground and an exercise path with ten different exercise stations. I look forward to continuing to host our Village events on the park grounds, including the Easter Egg Hunt, Baseball Clinics, Village Bar-B-Que, Movie Nights and Pumpkin Fest. The highlight of this past year was that 950 residents attended the Bar-B-Que.
In other matters, we recently constructed new sidewalks along Old Nichols Road for those who walk to Village Hall to attend our Village Board meetings or events. Especially for those who have little children with them, it can be very dangerous, especially at night. As a result, we completed this project with the safety of pedestrians — and children — in mind.
Our plan this year is to repair and replace sidewalks where needed. The Force Main Project is coming to an end. The final new roadwork, for the most part, is complete. We still have new signage and lighting to install.
Delaware North recently sent the Village another $2 million as part of its Taxpayer Relief Agreement with the Village. Delaware North has been a good neighbor in providing payments to the Village, which has helped keep taxes down and provided financing for the construction of the First Responders Recreational Ball Field. The total amount of the agreement is $47 million, so the Village will continue to see this additional revenue stream for many years to come.
Thank you again for this opportunity to serve you and, remember: this is only the beginning!
Sincerely,
Allan M. Dorman
Mayor