{ title: 'The observer. (Northport, Huntington TWP., N.Y.) 1962-current, September 20, 1979, Page 1, Image 1', download_links: [ { link: 'http://www.loc.gov/rss/ndnp/ndnp.xml', label: 'application/rss+xml', meta: 'News about NYS Historic Newspapers - RSS Feed', }, { link: '/lccn/sn84031205/1979-09-20/ed-1/seq-1/png/', label: 'image/png', meta: '', }, { link: '/lccn/sn84031205/1979-09-20/ed-1/seq-1.pdf', label: 'application/pdf', meta: '', }, { link: '/lccn/sn84031205/1979-09-20/ed-1/seq-1/ocr.xml', label: 'application/xml', meta: '', }, { link: '/lccn/sn84031205/1979-09-20/ed-1/seq-1/ocr.txt', label: 'text/plain', meta: '', }, ] }
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* hs *at tige Northport Pusits s > NORTHPORT, NEW 152% P re 0 in Q to ¢ o$ 12g 5 R n l o } W 41 R 2h ay 'A #B E is R -< By Jim Murphy Huntington Town officials took a step toward consolidating local gov- ernment this week as all the town's department heads moved their offices - into the New Town Hall at 100 Mair _ Street. MOVING IN: Huntington Supervisor Kenneth Butterfield unii'acks, as he moves into the Town Hall. Highway Superintendent Henry Murer says he will not join other department heads in the move. Board Approves Community House By Jeff Cahn The Northport Village Board voted unanimously: Tuesday night to allow the New York State United Cerebral Palsy foundation to establish a community residence for the mentally retarded on Main Street. The decision came two weeks after a public hearing at Norttiport Village Hall where residents spoke out in favor of the proposal. The board, in approving the site, took into account correspondence from residents voicing their approval of the community residence. A letter signed by five resident of Highland Avenue said that \we are definitely in favor of the (group home) . The people would be supervised and well screened before being put in a home like this.\ The residence, a two-story house located on the eastern end of Main Street, will house no more than seven adults afflicted with \mild to moder- All the Town officials, that is, except Highway Superintendent Henry Mur er, who claims his department car work more efficiently out ofits present 'Jocation, on Rafoy Road in Elwood. Mr. Murer's refusal to move has . triggered a confrontation with Hunt- ington Supefvisor Kenneth Butter- field, a showdown that may require a court decision to resolve the issue. \These moving plans have been in the works since 1976,\ said Mr. Butter- field. \Mr. Murer has had ample time to voice his opinions about the build- ing. I think he doesn't want to be up here with the other department heads, where he'll be under close public serutiny. Most people in this town don't even know where the Highway Depart- ment is located right now.\ Mr. Murer denied the allegation, saying that his department is more assessible to the public at its present location, and could better tend to the Town's needs. \Mr. Butterfield wants us to. move into an inadet=-ate and incomplete building,\. said the High- way chief. \Everyone knows the parking facilities are terrible. If the town employees decide to park their cars there, it won't leave any room for people who come in to use the Town :. ~. Hall. There is still construction going : on, and I have to think this is just a - - political ploy of Butterfield to give the impression that this new Town Hall wi - will be finished by Election Day. (Both +- Supervisor Butterfield and Mr. Murer o fire {gunning for repelection in Novem- '~. ber) ~ |_ - The official: Town position is that consolidating all Town departments under ong roof (at the refurbished ** Simpson Junior High School) will - mean a tremendous financial savings '- to the town. Formerly, various depart- ments had been scattered over 14 a rented buildings thorughout the town. | i The Highway Department complex is . \_ owned by the Town, however. Rick Jackofsky photo ate\ disabilities, according to New York State Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities spokes- person Barbara Townsend. 'The program will be funded by New York State grants and payments made by residents of the home by means of their Supplemental Security income. Day programs 6f one type or another will be made available to residents of the home depending on their level of ability. Those with will seek * work -in the community, while most residents will be transported to the Cerebral Palsy Day Center in Com- mack or to facilities such as the Sheltered Workshop at thé Association for the Help of Retarded Children (AHRC) in Bolemia. > New York State will finance the cost of refurbishing the house, which is in a \bad state of disrepair,\' according to Mrs. TownSend. ''The work will be extensive,\ she said, \and will meet On Tuesday, Town Public Works ' head Dominick Feeney (the person in charge of the departmental moving and the Democratic candidate to oppose Mr. Murer in November) received a phone call from Mr. Murer, telling him of the decision to remain at the present location. the strictest state codes when complet- ed.\ She hopes to have the home ready to receive residents by early January. In order to provide an atmosphere in which the residents and the communi- ty can \grow live-in house parents will be selected to work five days a week, with relief parents serving on weekends, 'Although the age level of the residents has not yet been deter- - mined, Mrs. Townsend indicated that they will all be on the same \Functional level.\ \Chronological age really isn't an important factor, but having the same talents and abilites is,\ she explained. The Town of Huntington presently operates two community residences, with a third in the planning stages. In January 1977, a community residence in Greenlawn was burned to the ground the day before the residents were scheduled to move their belong- ings in. Police say that arson is su- spected. - lo To I \My job isn't basically bureaucrat- ic; it's a working operation,\ said Mr. Murer. \The closer I am to my workers, the more efficient the opera- tion is. We were never consulted as to how much space we would require, and the amount budgeted in' the new building isn't enough. Down here {in Elwood) we have extensive files on Highway Business, files that just would not fit in the space allocated in the new Town Hall.\ \ Supervisor | Butterfield indicated that should Mr. Murer ignore. the directive to shift his department, the Town would take '\whatever appropri- ate action to move him in ourselves.\ The Supervisor also noted \all the administrative functions must be linked together, that was the whole purpose of reconstruction a new Town Hall. I think it's just sheer arrogance on his part. He may be able to utilize the trucks and facilities, but the Town of Huntington owns the buildings, and he (Mr. Murer) is not above the entire Town. I only hope it doesn't take a court case to settle this, but we will be prepared to take those steps, if neces- sary.\ \That's his right as a citizen,\ said the highway cHiief when appraised of the Supervisor's comment. \But it will be just as much my day in court as it will be his. He is an elected official, and be has no authority to give orders to another elected official. When it be- came apparent we were not going to have enough space, we cornmunicated our decision to Mr. Feeney on Tues- day. What I'm wondering is 'why is he (Mr. Butterfield) so anxious to get us down there with him?\ Mt. Butterfield was one of the first to move his department into the new building, which has been refurbished by federal funds over the last two years. It is expected the rest of the Town departments will be finished moving in sometime next week. Acébfding to Mrs, Townsend, there - are ~I8 such residences scattered throughout Long Island. \We think it's the best alternative -to institutionaliz- ing a person,\ she said after the public heanfini. **Placementwith a family is a more humane answer that usually leads to growth, both of the individual and the community.\\ Joan Gelirke attended last Tues- day's board meeting and told the trustees of her visit to a community house similar to the one proposed for Northport. \\It was extremely well run,\ she related, \and it was quite obvious that it had a positive effect upon the surrounding community .\ \*We would love t house eight or ten people, but the mouse just isn't big enough,\ Mrs. Townsend said recent- ly. \We do intend to take care of the property. We don't want people walk- .. ing b ng by and saying, 'There's a house for the retarded.\ Cs }f {l a “I \ ~ v,“ pH *, ers \*if Tule. mod E .. .§ s S E : E A 3 4 & M a i # f i , g x* ©4 %. «$ 3. 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