Suffolk County Notebook: Levy Bows Out, Shotspotter Gets Go-Ahead, Disk Mystery Solved

The county’s biggest news came on Thursday, when two-term Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy announced that he would not run for a third term following and investigation into his campaign fundraising.

The county executive has turned in his $4 million warchest to District Attorney Thomas Spota, who said the move wrapped up a 16-month investigation into how Levy raised cash.



The announcement shocked local politicians and legislators, including former Chief Deputy County Executive James Morgo, who called the move a political “earthquake.”

Legis. William Lindsay, who presides over the Legislature, said Levy’s departure will change the dynamics of Suffolk politics.

"Levy's been a part of the landscape for 25 years. Things have changed with one announcement."



To date, Levy has spent 7 years as county executive, 15 years in the Suffolk County Legislature, representing the 8th district, and three years in Albany in the state assembly.

Shotspotter approved

The county legislature this week approved a measure to install a high-tech gunshot locator in five high-crime areas.

Following the county executive's approval, Shotspotter, a system that notifies police when a gun is fired in an area, will be installed in Huntington, Wyandanch, North Bellport, North Amityville and Brentwood.

Levy was an early opponent of the technology, but has since changed his mind, as shootings continue to plague those communities.

“I have been fighting for the installation of Shotspotter for more than a year and I am glad that County Executive Levy has decided to support our efforts,” said Legis. Kate Browning, in a statement.

Legislators are pushing to have the systems installed by July 1, when gun crimes traditionally pick up.

Westchester Waste Hits Suffolk Shores

The mystery of the thousands of white plastic disks that have washed up on the shores of the Long Island Sound from Northport to Mattituck is solved.

The Suffolk County Department of Health has tracked them to a wastewater treatment plant in Mamaroneck, N.Y.

The disks, which are normally used to clean wastewater by removing nitrogen, escaped from a aeration tank that was under construction.

James Tomarken, Suffolk County Commissioner of Health Services, said the disks do not pose a threat to locals.

“It is unlikely that anyone who touches the disks will encounter contaminants for several reasons: the disks went through a chlorination process before they were discharged, they traveled for a long time and distance in the cold marine environment, and disks themselves are not likely to harbor contaminants,” he said in a statement.

Though Tomarken added that residents should wear gloves when picking them off of beaches.

Legislature Checklist

The county legislature approved the following measures this week:

• A bill that requires hospitals, nursing homes, hospice facilities and long-term care facilities responsibly dispose of expired or unused medications passed unanimously.
• The county will set up “Understanding, Accepting and Respecting our Cultural Differences Week,” which honors Marcelo Lucero, an Ecudorean immigrant who was murdered in a brutal Patchogue hate crime in 2008
• The legislature also raised the fare from $1.50 to $2 for two East End bus routes, S92 and 10C, and added limited Sunday bus service for the area.