Politics & Government

Smithtown Notebook: Local Politicians Weigh In on Route 25 Fatal Accident, Fitzpatrick Offers Updates From Albany

Here's a rundown of what took place at town hall this week in the Town of Smithtown.

Levy, Fitzpatrick, DOT Weigh In on Death of Seamus Byrne, Pedestrian Safety on Route 25

One week ago today, 33-year-old Seamus Byrne , leaving local politicians and residents in shock of the loss of a decorated war veteran who served in Afghanistan and with new concerns of the lack of pedestrian safety on this stretch of road.

“On behalf of all of Suffolk County, we express our deepest sympathies to the family of this brave man who served his country so admirably,” said Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy.

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Deputy Director of Communications of the Office of Suffolk County Executive Mark L. Smith said with enforcement already heightened on Route 25, it’s up to the Town of Smithtown and New York State to now come up with any further safety actions.

“As has been noted by the Smithtown Supervisor, the town’s code enforcement has stepped up presence along Main Street, as has the Suffolk County Police Department’s Fourth Precinct,” Smith said. “From police reports this appears to be an unfortunate, split-second accident. Any future decisions regarding the configuration of the road rest with the state and with the town.”

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Seventh Assembly District Assemblyman Michael Fitzpatrick, R–Smithtown, offered his condolences to the Byrne family and said a thorough investigation is needed to see if any further safety measures can be implemented on Route 25.

“I think it would be imprudent to comment without having all the facts ... I want to see what the analysis of this accident is and see if there were any factors that contributed to this and at that point then it would easier to make a comment,” he said.

DOT spokeswoman Eileen Peters expressed her and the DOT’s grief over this tragic accident.

“We would really like to express our [Department of Transportation] sympathy to the entire Byrne family. It’s just a terrible tragedy,” Peters said. “The fact that we have been making all of these safety improvements makes our dismay and distress over this tragedy even worse, much worse, because we have been working with the locals and the Town of Smithtown and committees to improve safety in this area so this one is particularly distressing to all of us here at the DOT.”

A DOT investigation of the accident is pending.


Assemblyman Fitzpatrick Gives Update on All Happenings this Week in Albany

Fitzpatrick said he and his colleagues were very active in Albany this past week.

“We had a conference today [Monday] on the governor’s proposal for redistricting reform, that’s beginning to pick up a little steam. Mayor Koch is going to be in town tomorrow [Tuesday]. Of course you have the Last In First Out issue, Senator Flanagan is pushing through on the senate side … we’re going to be pretty busy up here,” he said.

The assemblyman said the hot topic of the week was Governor Andrew Cuomo’s redistricting bill, which would redraw Congressional and legislative districts. Fitzpatrick also said reformation of Last In First Out, a policy where teachers would be laid off by merit instead of seniority, was another hot issue in Albany this week, as it was passed 33-27 in the senate.

The assemblyman is also anticipating discussions to begin very soon of and the parents of children that occupy them.

“Now that we’re in the month of March … the budget is start coming to a head,” Fitzpatrick said.


Town Meetings This Week

The town will hold two meetings this week on Tuesday, March 8 – a Town Board Meeting at Town Hall at 2 p.m. and a Board of Zoning Appeals Meeting at the Smithtown Senior Center at 7 p.m.


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