In this month’s newsletter you will find a review of the many projects the Civic has worked on diligently during 2011. You will most likely notice that one of the projects that the Civic has been involved with since its inception is notably absent from this list: the Portion Road Renovation Project. This is chiefly because the project has been successfully completed. Of course, we still continue to hear from members about minor issues now and again, but all of the major goals of creating a pedestrian-friendly roadway have been accomplished.

(I’m reminded here of the old advertising caveat that “your results may vary,” because we all still experience some traffic issues along the road, but if you can recall what it was like five years ago you will realize that the situation has substantially improved. Even more so if you’re a pedestrian or bicyclist.)

Over the years the Civic has used the bulk of its resources on advancing the Portion Road project, and with its completion we can now use those resources on the Portion Road Land Use Plan, the Ronkonkoma Hub (see below), and other community planning efforts to improve our region. But the Portion Road project was such an integral part of the mission of the Civic (it’s even stated as such in our bylaws) that there has been an ongoing discussion on the Executive Board about how to re-orient the mission of the Civic. After all, the Civic doesn’t exist just for the sake of having a local civic organization; it exists to address those issues that its members have identified as being crucial or having the biggest impact on the community at large.

As a member, your voice is essential in helping the Civic define its role. That’s why I’m making this personal appeal that you attend our meeting on Thursday, February 9th at 7:30 PM, at the American Legion Hall, 115 Church Street. I realize that our meetings compete with the many other activities available on a typical Thursday night; from a school-related activity to watching your favorite television show. So I’m asking that this one time you set aside other pursuits and take the time to help us, and your neighbors, plan for the future, our future, in Lake Ronkonkoma, for 2012 and beyond.

- George Schramm, LRCO President

Below is the Civic's meeting schedule for 2012. All meetings are at 7:30 PM, at the American Legion Hall, 115 Church Street, Lake Ronkonkoma.

If you use Google Calendar, you can subscribe to the Google's LRCO Meeting Calendar by clicking on this link:

Thursday, February 9th: General Membership Meeting
Thursday, March 8th: General Membership Meeting
Thursday, April 12th: General Membership Meeting
Thursday, May 10th: Annual Meeting & Elections
Thursday, June 14th: General Membership Meeting
Thursday, September 13th: General Membership Meeting
Thursday, October 11th: Meet the Candidates
Thursday, November 8th: General Membership Meeting
Thursday, February 14th, 2013: General Membership Meeting

"Mirrors of the Past" Photographic Exhibit Opens at the Port Jefferson Village Center
Exhibit traces the history of Lake Ronkonkoma with 120 enlarged photos
Now through February 29, 2012

Reception - Sunday, January 15, 2012, 1 - 3 pm
Meet the Lake Ronkonkoma Historical SocietyRead more...

For this month’s installment of Town Focus, Newsday.com will be running a series of articles by community journalist Erin Geismar about Ronkonkoma. Look for the Civic and the Civic president at: http://www.newsday.com/ronkonkomafocus

Civil Air Patrol is a non-profit service organization with headquarters in Bohemia near Islip Airport. Their members include Cadet members from 12-18 years old and Adult members.
They will be holding a Parents Open House on November 13th from 11AM to 3PM, on the east side of L.I. MacArthur Airport at 1600 Lincoln Ave. Holbrook, NY 11741.
This is a great opportunity to find out about the Civil Air Patrol.

The Lake Ronkonkoma Civic Organization, is pleased to announce we are offering a $500 scholarship to any January or June, 2012 graduating senior who intends to go on to college and lives within the Lake Ronkonkoma Civic Organization boundaries (see the Civic map).
The application can be picked up in the Sachem North High School Guidance Office or the Teen Desk at Sachem Public Library, or downloaded from our website. A 500-word essay is required, and contents and grammar will be taken into account. Outstanding finalists will be invited to appear for an interview.
The completed packets should be mailed to: Patricia Duffield, Chairperson, Lake Ronkonkoma Civic Organization Scholarship Committee, PO Box 2916, Lake Ronkonkoma NY 11779. If you have any questions, contact Patricia Duffield at kenpatduff@hotmail.com. Good luck to all who apply!

Here on are some recent news items regarding the proposed transit-oriented development of the 50 acres around the Ronkonkoma Train Station:Read more...

On July 28, 2011, members of the Lake Ronkonkoma Civic Organization attended a Public Information Meeting hosted by the Town of Brookhaven at the Middle Country Public Library in Centereach. Read more...

The Lake Ronkonkoma Civic Organization’s Annual Fall Festival, held September 24th at the Michael P. Murphy Beach, was a huge success. Read more...

The Civic has a Buy-A-Brick program for the memorial plaza that will surround the flagpole. For a modest $40 you can purchase a brick engraved with 3 lines of text. They make great holiday gifts. Civic member, Nick Crismali, has graciously volunteered to oversee our Buy-A-Brick program.
You can download an order form from our Downloads page.

About Arrowhead Community Park
In the fall of 2005, the Civic was successful in persuading the Town of Brookhaven to purchase the triangular-shaped property, bounded by Pond Road and Church Street, using Open Space funds. Since that time, the Civic has worked with the Town to make improvements to the park, such as new curbs, pedestrian crossings, an enclosing fence, and interior pathways. Using the triangular shape of the park as an opportunity to celebrate the Native American history of Lake Ronkonkoma, the park has been named the Arrowhead Community Park. (And if you’re wondering if any actual arrowheads were ever found nearby, the answer is “Yes!” and you can see a marvelous collection of them at the Historical Society Museum on Hawkins Avenue.)
Residents just like you have made a significant impact in their community with the simple act of donating some of their time to improve a once-abandoned parcel of land. But there’s plenty of space in the park and plenty of opportunity to show how much you care. Contact park coordinator, Mark Salzano at 1250zuluwx@optimum.net to volunteer.

Thanks to a grant by Suffolk County Legislator, Tom Muratore, in 2010, the Civic was able to buy park benches for the bus stops along the new Portion Road where bus shelters were not feasible. The benches were fabricated on Long Island and were installed this past Spring by Civic volunteers.

Congressman Tim Bishop was pleased to give an update on federal issues to the Lake Ronkonkoma Civic Organization and take questions from the membership on important issues.
Congressman Bishop discussed the need to find a balanced approach to reduce spending and cut the deficit with job creation. As an example of his work to cut the deficit, Congressman Bishop cited his efforts to eliminate approximately $20 billion in tax breaks enjoyed by the top five Big Oil companies. He noted that while those subsidies may have been useful when oil cost $18 a barrel, they are unnecessary when it is $100 a barrel.
"I want to learn what's on people's minds," Congressman Bishop told the Civic. "I want people to know the facts. There's an awful lot of misinformation out there. Misinformation is debilitating. My belief is that when people are possessed with the facts, reasonable people will make good decisions."
Congressman Bishop also discussed his support for Medicare and his opposition to plans to turn Medicare into a voucher system.
Congressman Bishop’s office is now located at 31 Oak Street in Patchogue and the phone number has been changed to 289-6500. Residents are urged to call Congressman Bishop’s office if they need assistance with any federal agency. In particular, Congressman Bishop has a caseworker who specializes in helping Suffolk County veterans and veterans are urged to contact the Congressman if they need any help.

Vision Long Island honored the Town of Brookhaven’s Portion Road Land Use Plan with a Smart Growth Award at a ceremony on Friday, June 17th, at the Crest Hollow Country Club. The Plan was recognized for “Certainty & Predictability” which are essential attributes for a successful land use plan. The Civic worked tirelessly alongside the Town’s Planning Department to craft a land use plan that implemented the community’s vision.
Watch the video about the award: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65Yb-R03UHw

The Smart Growth Award for the Portion Road Land Use Plan at the Vision Long Island luncheon: (L to R) Vision LI Executive Director Eric Alexander, Town of Brookhaven Planning Commissioner Tulio Bertoli, Town of Brookhaven Councilwoman Kathy Walsh, Lake Ronkonkoma Civic Organization President George Schramm, Lake Ronkonkoma Civic Organization Recording Secretary Pat Duffield, Lake Ronkonkoma Civic Organization Vice-president Dawn Hopkins, Town of Brookhaven Joseph Sanzano.

Our fiscal year ends at the end of May and that means it’s time once again to renew your membership. Renewing your membership early helps to save the Civic the cost of repeatedly mailing renewal forms.
So, if there is a blue membership renewal form inside your newsletter, then it’s time to pay your dues.Read more...

On March 7, 2011, the Town of Brookhaven issued a Request for Expression of Interest (RFEI) for developers to present the Town with a concept plan for the Ronkonkoma Hub transit-oriented development, which is one of the most significant opportunities in the region to create a beautiful new transit-oriented downtown.
Read more at the Brookhaven website: http://www.brookhaven.org/PressRoom/tabid/56/newsid970/985/Default.aspx

Brookhaven Town and the Ronkonkoma Cenacle have signed a conservation easement agreement that will protect approximately 12 acres of the over 40-acre estate once owned by the famous 19th century stage actress, Maude Adams.
According to the agreement, the purpose of the easement is to forever conserve the property to “assure the sustained, natural capacity and the ecological integrity of the Protected Property and its soils and vegetation and limit adverse aesthetic, wildlife and ecological impacts, particularly in public vistas.” Some of the land uses that are prohibited by the agreement include housing, camp grounds, golf courses, recreation fields, hotels, antennas, and equipment for telecommunication.
Maude Adams, who famously portrayed Peter Pan in 1905, donated her estate to the Cenacle Sisters in 1922. In 2007 the sisters decided to replace the 1927 Retreat House with a smaller, greener building scheduled to be complete in September 2011.

By George Schramm, Lake Ronkonkoma Civic Organization President

The year 2010 saw the loss of one of our community’s greatest assets: Bob Molinari, who passed away in November.Read more...

Assemblywoman Ginny Fields held a Press Conference today, March 19th, at the Islip Town Beach at Lake Ronkonkoma to announce the recognition of Lake Ronkonkoma as a state inland waterway.
You may see some of the press conference tonight on TV 10/55 News tonight at 11PM.
You can also read about it and see photos and video at a new local online news service called Sachem.patch:
http://sachem.patch.com/articles/lake-ronkonkoma-is-first-long-island-lake-added-to-list-of-states-inland-waterways

New York State Governor, David Paterson, signed legislation sponsored by Assemblywoman Ginny Fields and Senator Brian X. Foley officially designating Lake Ronkonkoma as an inland waterway. Recognition as a state inland waterway will enable Lake Ronkonkoma to receive new streams of funding and expedite economic development in the surrounding communities.

Every first Saturday of the month volunteers like you help keep Lake Ronkonkoma clean.
Saturday, April 3, 9:00 AM will be our next Portion Road & Hawkins Avenue Clean Up, weather permitting.
Read more...

The New York State Assembly passed legislation sponsored by Assemblywoman Ginny Fields officially designating Lake Ronkonkoma as an inland waterway. The bill, which passed in the Senate earlier this month, now goes to the Governor for signature.

The New York State Senate passed important legislation sponsored by Senator Brian X. Foley (D – Blue Point) officially designating Lake Ronkonkoma as an inland waterway. The bill is a crucial step towards cleaning up the lake and revitalizing the lakefront area. Read more...

A Neighborhood Watch program has proven to be a successful method of reducing the risk of crime. But don’t wait until your neighborhood has problems to participate; establishing a Neighborhood Watch now can prevent those problems from occurring.The Civic can assist your neighborhood in establishing a Neighborhood Watch.Read more...

Congratulations to Civic Vice-president, Dawn Hopkins, who was appointed as Brookhaven Town’s representative on the Suffolk County Parks Board of Trustees. Read more...

Becoming a member of the Civic is now just a click away, and renewing your membership couldn't get any easier.

The Civic now accepts credit cards, so now you can pay your membership dues online, safely and securely.Read more...

Lake Ronkonkoma residents, community groups, and Civic members participated in this year’s Great Brookhaven Plant-In by planting flowers and trees in the new Arrowhead Community Park.Read more...

Suffolk County Homemakers, Unit 38, will be meeting every Friday, from 9:30 AM to 1:30 PM, at the Ronkonkoma Fire District Building, on the corner of Portion Road and Hawkins Avenue, in Lake Ronkonkoma.
Suffolk County Homemakers is an organization that hosts local community service projects, donates to scholarships, worthwhile charities and organizations, and provides a social atmosphere where members can share talents and skills.
New members, and those who are interested in finding out more, are welcome to attend.

Lake Ronkonkoma is stocked and ready. Are you ready for the challenge of largemouth and smallmouth bass, Walleye, Chain Pickerel, Bluegill, Pumpkinseed, Black Crappie, Yellow Perch, White Perch, Carp, and Brown Bullhead?Read more...

The WS Commerdinger, Jr. County Park is open.Read more...

"Traffic does not yield to simple, appealing solutions. Adding lanes or roads is a short-lived fix. Widen one highway, and drivers from another will defect. Soon that road is worse than it was before." - Tom Vanderbilt, in his new book, "Traffic: Why We Drive the Way We Do (And What It Says About Us)."Read more...

Navy Names New Ship and Town Dedicates “Serenity Plaza” for “Medal of Honor” Recipient Navy SEAL Lt. Michael Murphy

On Wednesday afternoon, May 7th, on the shore of Lake Ronkonkoma, U.S. Navy Secretary Dr. Donald C. Winter, Brookhaven Supervisor Brian X. Foley, 5th District Councilman Timothy P. Mazzei, and 1st Congressional District Representative Tim Bishop today joined the Murphy family to honor Navy SEAL Lt. Michael Murphy of Patchogue. Lt. Murphy, who was killed in action in Afghanistan June 28, 2005, received the nation’s highest military medal, The Congressional Medal of Honor, for his courage, sacrifice, and heroic efforts to save the Navy SEALs under his command.Read more...

Brookhaven has unveiled its new Constituent Response System “451-TOWN.” This new system uses a single phone number to provide Brookhaven residents with direct access to all town services and information. Read more...

You can support your Civic and buy get some great stuff at the same time.
We have hats, shirts, mugs, tote bags, and more with the Civic logo and other neat Lake Ronkonkoma artwork.Read more...