The winners of the costume contest show off their prizes at the Village of Islandia’s 12th Annual Pumpkin Fest, which took place on October 28.
Six hundred residents came down to Islandia Village Hall to celebrate Halloween at The Village of Islandia’s 12th annual Pumpkin Fest on October 28. Throughout the event, children decorated their pumpkins, took part in a Halloween costume parade and contest and joined their families on hayrides. Islandia’s own “Joe the Singing Bus Driver” was there to tell spooky stories and sing Halloween songs to the children.
The village also provided guests with hot cocoa, cider and cookies. All the residents left with their very own pumpkins.
New York State Senator Tom Croci (left) presented Narcan Training at Islandia Village Hall on September 6. He is joined by Gregson H. Pigott (center), Director, Office of Minority Health, Suffolk County Department of Health Services, and Mike Zaleski (right), Deputy Mayor, Village of Islandia.
On September 6, the Office of New York State Senator Tom Croci presented Narcan Training at Islandia Village Hall. The guest speakers were Robert Delagi, Director, EMS and Public Health Emergency Preparedness, Suffolk County Department of Health Services, and Gregson H. Pigott, Director, Office of Minority Health, Suffolk County Department of Health Services.
Mr. Delagi discussed the increase in drug use and overdoses in Suffolk County, especially with opioids. However, he has seen more lives being saved as a result of Narcan. He also explained how to tell if someone has overdosed and demonstrated how to dispense Narcan to that person. Mr. Pigott described the various medications used to treat addicts and its effectiveness against certain types of opioids.
Approximately 30 people attended the training session. Those in attendance received a free Narcan overdose prevention bag.
Gavin Schrage cools off as he runs through the water slide during the Village of Islandia’s 12th annual Bar-B-Que, which was held on July 15.Allan M. Dorman (second from left), Mayor, Village of Islandia, is joined by (left to right) Keith Kellner, Plans Examiner, Village of Islandia; Chuck Kilroy, General Manager, Jake’s 58; and Iliana Kellner, Mr. Kellner’s daughter, at the Village of Islandia’s 12th annual Bar-B-Que.
More Than 50 Volunteers on Hand to Help Keep the Fun Going
On July 15, seven hundred seventy-two Islandia Village residents came out to the twelfth Annual Bar-B-Que. This year’s theme was “The Wild Wild West” as children in attendance received a free T-shirt to commemorate the event and a cowboy hat.
More than 50 volunteers — comprised of Village volunteers, local Boy Scouts and employees of Jake’s 58 — helped out at the event. Some of them served residents hamburgers, hot dogs, corn, salad, ice cream, soda and water, while others operating the carnival games at the event gave the children a chance to win some prizes.
Children enjoyed the day with a water slide, hayrides, games, races, pony rides, a petting zoo, face painting, piñatas, train rides, a limbo contest and a dunk tank. Musicians and a local DJ provided the music to keep the party going.
In addition, Mayor Allan M. Dorman hosted a blueberry pie eating contest with the winners each getting a blueberry pie. The Bar-B-Que also featured raffles, in which two lucky children each won a bicycle, courtesy of Bolla Market.
Allan M. Dorman (standing, front row, left), Mayor, Village of Islandia, and Raul Jimenez Cintron (standing, front row, fourth from left), Commander, Col. Francis S. Midura Veterans of Foreign Wars Post #12144, are joined by local war veterans and members of VFW Post #12144 at the Arbors Assisted Living at Islandia West during the “Vets’ Chat” on July 24.
On July 24, Allan M. Dorman, Mayor, Village of Islandia, and a Vietnam veteran, joined members of the Col. Francis S. Midura Veterans of Foreign Wars Post #12144 and local war veterans at The Arbors Assisted Living at Islandia West for a “Vets’ Chat.” Those in attendance enjoyed breakfast while discussing issues of concern as veterans and sharing stories of their time in the service and during combat.
Mayor Allan M. Dorman (third from left), Village of Islandia, is joined by dignitaries, local elected officials and first responders for the groundbreaking of the First Responders Recreational Ball Field on June 7. Also pictured (l-r): Michael Zaleski, Deputy Mayor, Village of Islandia and Chief, Central Islip Fire Department; Brian Hansberry, President, Gaming Division, Delaware North; Harry Singh, President/CEO, Bolla Market; Salvatore Vitale, Senior Property Manager, Breslin Realty; and Thomas Muratore, Suffolk County Legislator.
On June 7, Mayor Allan M. Dorman, Village of Islandia, joined Islandia Village Trustees, local elected officials and representatives of Delaware North, Bolla Market and Breslin Realty in the groundbreaking of the First Responders Recreational Ball Field.
The First Responders Recreational Ball Field will feature a state-of-the-art ball field for youth and community baseball and softball games. The redeveloped park will also include a concession stand, restrooms, a playground and an exercise path around the perimeter of the park with 10 different exercise stations.
Delaware North, operator of the new Jake’s 58 in Islandia, provided $1.53 million for the completion of the construction and the development of the ball field as part of its Taxpayer Relief Agreement with the village. Bolla Market contributed $500,000 for construction of the restrooms, a storage area and a concession stand. Breslin Realty had also donated $100,000 for the development of the ball field.
In 2014, the park, formerly known as Old Nichols Road Park, was acquired by the village from the Town of Islip with the help of then-Town Supervisor Tom Croci, for the purpose of developing a ball field on an underutilized, dilapidated property.
The acquisition was made possible through the assistance of then-New York State Senator Lee Zeldin and New York State Assemblyman Al Graf, who introduced legislation the previous year to authorize the transfer of ownership of the seven-acre park to the village at no cost. On June 17, 2013, the state Senate passed the bill; four days later, it was approved by the Assembly. On October 21, 2013, Governor Andrew Cuomo signed the bill into law.
“We wish to thank Delaware North, Bolla Market and Breslin Realty for their financial assistance on making this neighborhood baseball field become a reality,” Mayor Dorman said. “The park promises to be a place where members of our community will come together to spend time with their children and enjoy the outdoors. It will have the potential to become the focal point of our community, where we will be able to enjoy and improve upon our quality of life that living in a village affords to us.”
“Delaware North always establishes strong, cooperative relationships with the communities where we operate, so Delaware North and Jake’s 58 are proud to have established a strong relationship with the Village of Islandia and appreciate the village’s support,” said Brian Hansberry, president of Delaware North’s gaming division.
Allan M. Dorman (third from left), Mayor, Village of Islandia, poses with members of the Marine Corps League in front of the replacement United States Marine Corps medallion that was installed in time for the village’s annual Memorial Day ceremony, which took place at the Islandia Veterans Memorial Triangle on May 27.
On May 27, Mayor Allan M. Dorman, Village of Islandia, joined local war veterans and elected officials in unveiling the replacement United States Marine Corps medallion that was installed in the Islandia Veterans Memorial just before the start of the village’s annual Memorial Day ceremony.
The original medallion was unlawfully removed from the memorial on the night of January 15, 2017, causing significant damage to the memorial. The village is currently offering a $5,000 reward for the arrest and prosecution of those involved in this criminal act.
Mayor Dorman thanked Empire National Bank for its generous donation in assisting the village in purchasing the replacement medallion. The unveiling was followed by the village’s annual Memorial Day ceremony, which featured an invocation, a recognition of the local war veterans in attendance and those who gave the greatest sacrifice and the laying of the wreaths at the memorial.
Children run out to collect some of the 8,000 Easter eggs that were laid out on the grounds of Village Hall during Islandia Village’s 12th Annual Easter Egg Hunt on April 8.
Local families celebrated Easter a little early at Islandia Village Hall as they attended the 12th Annual Easter Egg Hunt, which took place on April 8. Children scampered across the grounds of Village Hall to collect some of the 8,000 eggs that were available; many of them contained a ticket in which the lucky children were able to redeem for a special prize. They also enjoyed hot cocoa, coffee, tea and cookies, danced to the music performed by “Joe the Singing Bus Driver” and had their pictures taken with the Easter Bunny.
Mayor Allan M. Dorman (second from left), Deputy Mayor Mike Zaleski (center) and Village Trustee Burhan Kisla (second from right) were sworn in during a special ceremony on April 4 by Phil Goglas (left), Suffolk County Court Judge and Acting Family Court Judge, and Frank Tantone (right), Family Court Judge.
Islandia Village Mayor Allan M. Dorman and Deputy Mayor Mike Zaleski were sworn in for another term during a special ceremony on April 4. Mayor Dorman was first elected in 2005. Mr. Zaleski was elected in 2009. They were joined by Burhan Kisla, who was recently elected to his first term as Village Trustee.
On March 21, Mayor Dorman was re-elected with 66% of the vote, defeating challenger Neil Munro, 507-258. Mr. Kisla and Mr. Zaleski were the top two vote-getters in a field of four Trustee candidates, with 487 and 484 votes, respectively. They defeated incumbent Trustee Diane Olk, who had 278 votes, and challenger Mario Carbellano, who received 275 votes.
The terms for Mayor and Village Trustee are four years each.
On March 21, the Village of Islandia held its election for Mayor and two Village Trustee positions. Allan M. Dorman was re-elected Mayor with 507 votes, winning 66% of the vote. He beat out challenger Neil Munro, who garnered 258 votes.
Burhan Kisla was elected new Village Trustee with 487 votes. Deputy Mayor Mike Zaleski was re-elected with 484 votes. They defeated incumbent Trustee Diane Olk, who had 278 votes, and challenger Mario Carbellano, who received 275 votes.
Pictured is Mayor Allan M. Dorman (fourth from right) along with members of the Islandia Village Board of Trustees holding the two checks from Delaware North in the amounts of $1 million and $1,532,400 at a special ceremony at the Islandia Marriott Hotel (Jake’s 58) on February 8. Also pictured (left to right): Gerry Peters, Village Building Inspector; Joseph Prokop, Village Attorney; Patty Peters, Village Trustee; Louis M. Jacobs, Co-Chief Executive Officer, Delaware North; Chuck Kilroy, General Manager, Islandia Marriott Hotel (Jake’s 58); Brian Hansberry, President of Gaming, Delaware North; Michael Zaleski, Deputy Mayor, Village of Islandia; and Barbara Lacey, Village Trustee.
Allan M. Dorman, Mayor, Village of Islandia, was presented with two checks from Delaware North during a special ceremony that took place on February 8 at the Islandia Marriott Hotel (Jake’s 58). These payments were made as part of the Taxpayer Relief Agreement the village made with Delaware North on August 17, 2016.
One check was a payment for $1,532,400 that would go to pay for the completion of construction and development of the First Responders Recreation Field on Old Nichols Road in Islandia. The other check for $1 million would be used as tax relief payment, in which residents would see their taxes reduced by 50% within the first two years of the agreement.
In addition to the initial payments, Delaware North will make $47 million in tax relief payments to the village over the next 20 years. Meanwhile, the company will be allowed to operate up to 1,000 Video Lottery Terminals, two Suffolk Off-Track Betting kiosks and OTB simulcasts at the hotel under a special use permit that was approved by the Village Board of Trustees on August 12, 2016. The agreement gives the village the authority to review the conditions of the special use permit every two years.
“These payments are providing real tax relief to village residents,” Mayor Dorman said. “As promised, the village already reduced property taxes this year by 25 percent and will reduce taxes by another 25 percent in 2018. This, combined with the village’s continued elimination of a garbage tax, saves residents about $700 a year. This is money in your pocket. This agreement will protect the financial security of the entire village. Business owners will also get this tax relief and enable them to expand their business needs in Islandia that creates much-needed jobs for local residents.”
