The Wades Beach bathroom rehab is awaiting new plumbing fixtures, a new concrete floor and other renovations. That was the message Tuesday from Councilman Jim Colligan in a capital projects update at the Town Board work session.
The windows have been removed and reframed for smaller windows, Colligan said. A new roof will be installed to match the one on the nearby pavilion, which was funded by the Shelter Island Lions Club.
The bathroom at the popular public bathing beach is one of many projects being carried out around Town that are on the docket of the Capital Planning & Grants Committee. The committee is working on additional funding from outside organizations to help finance the bathroom project, Colligan said.
Capital Planning & Grants Committee notes
Members met April 7 via Zoom, the video conferencing app.
In attendance were Colligan, Deputy Superintendent Amber Brach-Williams, Town Engineer John Cronin, Town Highway Superintendent Brian Sherman and the committee secretary, Amanda Gutiw. Also present were Jennifer Mesiano Higham, the Town’s grant writing consultant, and Town Attorny Bob DeStefano Jr.
We weren’t able to join; what follows is the synopsis Colligan reported to the Town (edited to comport with our style).
Shelter Island Medical Center
The Town is awaiting delivery of custom cabinets for the front portion of the Medical Center, as requested by the incoming tenant, Meeting House Lane Medical Practice PC. Sherman told the committee the project was 95 percent complete as of late February, Colligan reported.
Town Supervisor Gerry Siller has said he hopes the start date for the practice is no later than the end of April. Meantime, patients are able to visit the Meetinghouse Lane office in Wainscott. And, Dr. Peter Kelt has opened his office with ProHealth in the back part of the Medical Clinic.
Shelter Island Country Club decking and railings
Flooring and railing materials recently arrived, and the Town Engineer has inspected the deck’s understructure and made recommendations for remediation, Colligan said. No major problems were found, he reported.
“Brian and his crew have installed some fencing around the deck to protect the public from possible injury,” he wrote, noting this project, along with the Wades Beach bathhouse will be a main area of focus with Memorial Day as target date for completion.
Grace’s Lane bulkhead
Work on the Grace’s Lane bulkhead awaits permitting from Suffolk County, and finalization of funding. Half is to come from the county and half from Community Preservation Fund revenues, Colligan said. The bulkhead protects a public property called Dickerson Creek Overlook Preserve.
The preserve, at the end of Grace’s Lane, has 1.2 acres of open space with 221 feet of bulkhead along Dickerson Creek. It was purchased in 2008 in a 50/50 split between the Town and Suffolk County. You can read the Town’s stewardship plan for the site here.
Taylor’s Island Bulkhead/Dock Extension
The committee is awaiting approval of permit applications, and is hoping for an extension of the June 30, 2020 deadline for projects, like this one, that we were seeking funds under Super Storm Sandy funding, Colligan said.
“This may become a problem unless the state grants an extension due to the major slowdown of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, and NYS Parks and Recreation due to the COVID-19 crisis,” he reported.
Downtown Beautification Grant
The Town is considering a proposal to apply for a grant to create a pedestrian walkway for New York Avenue, Colligan reported. The narrow roadway is a major conduit for traffic in and out of the Heights that — even with restrictions against through trucking and a 25-mph speed limit — poses safety considerations for pedestrians.
Any such effort would require the support of the Shelter Island Heights Property Owners Corporation, he said, noting that he’d recently walked the area with Stella Lagudis, SIHPOC general manager.
Goat Hill Water Reuse Feasibility Study
The Town is moving forward with a feasibility study that will consider using water treated at the SIHPOC plant to irrigate areas of the public golf course at Goat Hill. The funds — $60,000 — are in place and the firm of Hazen and Sawyer has been selected to conduct the study, Colligan said. Contracts and other paperwork are circulating among the parties.
Other works in progress
These other projects are in the pipeline: Fresh Pond Feasibility Study; water quality improvements at the Shelter Island Presbyterian Church; an investigation of a possible municipal wastewater treatment facility for the Town Center; work on the school tennis/pickle ball courts; possible funding for improvements to the Youth Center porch; a municipal food scraps reduction, food donation and food scraps recycling program; and other possible solid waste/recyling grants.
At the Youth Center, all asbestos has been removed and new carpeting has been installed, Colligan reported, noting the Town is awaiting delivery on new front doors. Replacement windows and new AC are on hold.
The plan to build a roof over some of the machinery at the Recycling Center is also on hold, Colligan reported. Materials have been delivered, but the work will have to wait until other projects are completed.
Plans for a new comfort station at Crescent Beach are largely unchanged. “Jennifer has urged us to submit design costs that the Town has expended thus far in order to be reimbursed in a timely fashion,” Colligan reported in his meeting notes.
The Town is also investigating ways to improve ADA compliance for the six Town buildings in the Center and for that purpose is assessing current access conditions at: Town Hall, Assessors Office, Justice Hall, Police Headquarters, Youth Center and the Building Department.
