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Hen Island – Photos of Dubious Septic Systems

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Septic_hen_island_dsc03328_2Hen Island captures the imagination. Just a short boat ride from Rye’s "mainland" it seems a world away. It seems like an idyllic place.

Then you see how most of the 34 homes on the island handle human sewage (they don’t). The septic systems (if you can call them that) are crude at best and in many cases just feet away from the Long Island Sound. One would be hard pressed to believe any of us land lubbers would get away with such creative plumbing anywhere else in the city of Rye.

Septic_hen_island_north_dsc03343View MyRye.com’s photo album of Hen Island’s problems. Maybe not, but perhaps Westchester County and Rye City should call for some basic testing as requested from the Long Island Soundkeeper Terry Backer and confirm these systems meet all code requirements.

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145 COMMENTS

  1. Shame on me……I should have waited for the other shoe to drop, before entering favorable comments on the photos shown previously….It’s obvious “myrye” was invited out to do more than take pictures of lovely sunsets and clean, well-maintained cottages; as were published several days ago….Let’s fess up Dear Editor and tell eveyone who invited you out and who accompanied you on the photo journey….I see shadows of two people in one of the photos..I see the hand of someone (obviously, not the photographer) in another……The results of Mr. Tartaglione’s lawsuit have been widely written about here as well as other venues….Testing HAS been done…The Health Dept. has been to Hen Island…..I believe it’s important to remember the community on Hen Island is a seasonal one…Most of the campsite owners are present on the island for weekends only..there are very few folks who spend the entire summer there…The demands placed on the septic systems are not great…It’s a CAMPGROUND …I’d be curious to know if there are homeowners in Rye, bordering Long Island Sound, with septic tanks..

  2. Mr. Johnson,
    Your response sounds the likes of Commissioner Meyerson’s. Only the Commissioner has never stated testing was conducted. He only stated that the island was “inspected” (if he said he walked around for a few minutes it would have been more appropriate). There is a big difference between testing and inspecting. I believe stating the island was inspected is the Commissioner’s way of continuing the cover-up on Hen Island. Although he has been to the island, testing was never conducted. Your statement that “these are campsites” is another jape. The homes on Hen Island contain all the amenities present in a home on the mainland inclusive of TV, stereo, gas stoves, heaters, electricity, air conditioning, bedrooms, living rooms, kitchens, and bathrooms although it is true they were campsites at one time long before the sanitary code was established in 1959. Let me recite for you the dictionary definition of a campsite “a site where people on holiday can pitch a tent”. There are no tents on Hen Island. The picture of your home does not look like a tent. Is it your inference because most of the “campsite owners” are present on the island seasonally and for weekends only that it is acceptable to pollute and endanger the lives of residents and boaters during the season and on the weekend?

    In response to your final question regarding homeowners in Rye, bordering Long Island Sound with septic tanks. If septic tanks were present on Hen Island as they are in homes along the shores, we would have no sewage disposal problems. Mr. Johnson your comments and personal attacks are now being heard and seen in the court of public opinion and are loosing steam very quickly. I am also confident that the higher courts will soon allow my attorneys the opportunity to depose and expose all involved in covering-up a long neglected series of environmental injustices and building code avoidance on Hen Island.

  3. Ray, Ray, Ray……I know there is a vast difference between the condominium I own in Rye and the campsite cabin which occupies a spot on Hen Island…Amenities are few and far between on Hen Island..Electricity is provided by generator, for those who choose to employ that method..Personally, I have no TV..I have no stereo..I have no electricity..The cabin has very nice, functioning, gas lamps…..Fresh, drinking water is carried out to the island by the summer residents, on an as needed basis…There are no wells. There is no town water.. It’s unclear how I’m “endangering the lives of boaters”….Perhaps that’s an issue you should raise with the local police or city officials..It sounds very serious to me and needs to be addressed in a forum other than this one…To be honest, I have yet to be approached by any boaters suggesting I’ve placed them at risk….I’m not attacking you personally, Ray…..I’m just allowing the “court of public opinion” a point of view, other than yours….

  5. Posted in the minutes of the January 14, Rye City council meeting was Mayor Otis’s response to my question as to why the city had no plans to enforce the health, safety and environmental codes on Hen Island in 2009. Mayor Otis said “The sanitary issues relating to Hen Island are handled by the Westchester County Department of Health and the building code issues raised have been looked at by the cities building inspector and fire inspector”.

    The mayor’s comment on the sewage issues: When Deputy Health Commissioner Lenny S. Meyerson was informed that a home owner on Hen Island installed a new sewage pit and lied on his request letter to the health department this past summer, Commissioner Meyerson stated, “until the local building department advises DOH that the information was incorrect, there is no basis to revisit this office’s letter of no objection.” The complete letter can be view at: http://healtheharbor.com/correspondence/Meyerson_response_051308.pdf
    Simply stated, the health department will not open an investigation without the City of Rye’s complaint. Why has the City of Rye not informed the health department of the inconsistencies in the correspondence, and the installation of a new unapproved wastewater pit dug in the ground on Hen Island?
    In regards to Mayor Otis’s comment on building codes: When Westchester County Environmental Inspector Ron Gatto, along with the City of Rye Building Inspector Vincent Tamburro, inspected Hen Island in July of 2007, their report read; “The investigation/inspection clearly showed makeshift septic systems on many of the homes throughout the island. These systems were not approved by county health or the City of Rye Building Department. Some of the septic systems were at ground level or above with no with no fields or proper tanks. There were some pipes that entered the ground and discharged into an unknown area of the island.” The entire six page investigation report goes on to report on unhealthy conditions with regard to mosquito infestations and improper unsanitary drinking water conditions. The complete county report can be viewed at the below link.
    http://healtheharbor.com/correspondence/WestCounty_FOIL.pdf
    Why is the Mayor not being truthful about inspections on Hen Island?
    In regards to the Fire inspector: Jim Dianani the City of Rye’s fire inspector was on Hen Island in 2001. At that time he suggested the installation of dry fire hydrants on Hen Island. To this date, there are still no fire hydrants on Hen Island. That report can be viewed below.
    http://healtheharbor.com/documents/Emg%20Mgt%20and%20Stat%20Flight.pdf
    It appears to me that Mayor Otis’s is trying to cover up some very disturbing environmental, health and safety code violations. My statement to the mayor is as follows: If you are not going to enforce the laws that you have taken an oath to uphold, please step down so someone else will. The City of Rye deserves better.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MEUUFgvPrNM

  7. This seems to be an interesting article penned by Jay Sears. Jay was concerned and interested enough about his community to tour Hen Island in July of 2008. It is too bad that the Mayor or any of the council members took the time to do the same. Could it be they were afraid of what they might find in their own backyards? Keep up the great work Mayor. I hope everyone remembers this come November!!!

  9. I think the new Floatiemobile unit “# 2” should have a real toilet bowl mounted on the roof. In addition I heard this picture of the Mayor will be decaled on both sides.
    http://healtheharbor.com/gallery/pages/steveotis.html
    I think everyone that votes for him this coming election season should know what he represents and stands for. Is anyone aware of the location of his campaign headquarters? We are always looking for good parking spots.

    Jack A. (Mr. Floatie’s ass-istant)
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZUDT-VsHDN4&NR=1

  11. Wrong again Quincy; we don’t need expensive anything. What we need is to be safe and non-polluting and there are many way that can be accomplished it doesn’t have to be expensive. It just needs to be done and done correctly with permits and approvals and according to code even if that is a special code establish for Hen Island. However it is done, you must protect the people and the environment. Health and safety has nothing to do with how my neighbors feel. The Hen Island community has avoided all the laws of Rye since it was purchased in 1952. Remember the City said there were no problems for two years. All of a sudden the cover-up was uncovered and presto there were the violations. Now they are singing the same song about the sewage and potable water. This is 2009 and people should be a little smarter with public safety and the environment. As you can see the entire BS they have been selling you is not true.
    Ray Tartaglione

    PS why don’t you stay on thread? Could it be you don’t want everyone reading or seeing pictures about the Dubious Septic Systems

  12. Hen Island Quincy,
    You mean feasibility of a sewer line. There is a trunk line along the shore of Greenhaven less than 450 feet from the Island. By the way that line is already in the water. I believe that would be the best alternative and so does the city engineer George Moterlla in my conversations with him about it. He was the one that told me of the County trunk line was located along Greenhaven shoreline. Hen Island also has an easement for utilities that they don’t want the public to know about and that is also located in Greenhaven. As long as they stop the sewage from entering the sound I don’t really care how they solve the problem. They just need to solve it. It’s nice to see that you do understand that they are polluting the waters but sad to see that you are unwilling to make them stop.

  13. Voice of Reason,
    I keep telling you your name should be “irrational”

    “Some governmental agency (State, County, City) should condemn the whole damn Island”.
    Instead of fixing the problems and stopping the polluters from polluting, the government should take the island.

    “Financial and human costs mean nothing to him”.
    Instead of fixing the problems we should wait till someone get sick or another house blows up before we address the issues on Hen Island. Below is a picture from the last time a propane tank blew up on Hen Island two years ago. The flames were so high in the air the New York City Marine Fire unit responded to the near disaster. Who is the dangerous one here me or you? I put my name on this where is yours Mr. “irrational”
    http://healtheharbor.com/gallery/pages/codes/codes6.html

  14. I’d be curious to know where and how Mr. Tartaglione put a septic field on Hen Island’s “common ground”….From what I’ve heard, the island is “owned” by Kuder Island Colony and the land itself is owned by all the shareholders…Mr. Tartaglione would have to have received authorization from the shareholders as well as the City of Rye as well as Westchester County to dig in this enviornment…Ray, please post copies of said permits..then, maybe someone will give you some credibility…High and Dry in Rye

  15. Ted C,
    They can’t link up to any stories about how well the Islanders treat the environment. So they link up to anything they can. Maybe they can link to this one Photos of Dubious Septic Systems:
    http://www.myrye.com/my_weblog/2008/08/hen-island—ph.html
    or this one calling for testing by the Long Island Soundkeeper;
    http://www.myrye.com/my_weblog/2008/07/long-island-sou.html
    Or maybe this one where it lays out why the city of Rye and Mr. Plunkett avoided enforcement from the begining;
    http://www.myrye.com/my_weblog/2008/07/the-hen-island.html

    It must be a conspiracy against the Hen Islanders and according to these articles, Jay Sears and The Soundkeeper are also part of the conspiracy . That’s not to mention hundreds of others that have witnessed the Hen Island disasters first hand. Anyone interested in seeing it firsthand please give me a call or drop me an e-mail Ray@HEALtheHARBOR.com and I would be happy to take you on a little tour around the Island before they try to throw me off for exposing the pollution and the lawlessness.
    http://www.lohud.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2009909250342

    Ray Tartaglione

  16. Once again, you have not answered the question.

    Either you illegally expanded your septic system and your attorney is a liar.

    Or…

    You illegally installed a “self contained system” and you are a liar.

    Or…

    You still have the same outdated system and both you and your attorney are liars.

    Which is it?

    Answer the question…….

  17. Quincy,
    Right, Ray wants to chase everyone off the Island (including his friends and the others that support him) buy the Island and then partner up with Trump to build a couple of skyscrapers. The Planning board and the residents of Rye might allow that in 2095. Maybe you can come up with something a little more palatable for people to believe.

    Jack A. (Mr. Floatie’s ass-istant)
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZUDT-VsHDN4&NR=1

  19. Can you find Mr. Floatie in this picture?

    http://healtheharbor.com/gallery/pages/clearwaterfestival/clearwater3.html

    First one to answer the question correctly gets to fall into this sewage pit located on Hen Island;

    http://healtheharbor.com/gallery/pages/sewage/sewage12.html

    FYI; The City of Rye was put on notice in June by the Westchester County Department Of Health that this open sewage pit existed and needed to be addressed.

    Will the Hen Island community take the proper steps and get the proper permits required to close a sewage pit? Will they just fill it with dirt? Or will they just ignore it as Mayor Otis has allowed them to do for the past three years?

  20. Ray isnt that a picture of your 70+ next store neighbors house who you pretend to be a friend too? Did you offer him any help instead of taking cheap shots online?

    Can you discuss your strategy regarding mosquito control from a few years ago. I am not talking about removing the leaves.. I would like you to focus on the spraying of bug spray (i assume they had to be poison, but you know what happens when you assume) in the wetlands?

    Not sure a true environmetalist would have done that. Oh i am sorry your just an oppurtunist

  21. Plus you should speak to your neighbor and ask him if that is even a sewer pit as you say here. My understanding is that its not. I wonder if this is a possible slander lawsuit??

    Too bad you have him tricked that you care about him

  24. Kidme… how else would you like us to act? Ray has been running a smear campaign for years. Not until this year has there been any violations brought and the majority were for down branches. The rest? Do you have a spare propane tank next to your bbq? If so you better tie that baby down since your in violation. Ray is forcing them to find violations in fear he will sue the town. I believe the violations which were written up this year have all been cured or in the process of being cured.

    Do you really believe there is a city/county/state conspiracy to hide issues on the Island? Do you really believe we would subject our kids or ourselves to the risks that Ray has been falsly stating? Do you really think i am drinking water that is dirty? We arent a bunch of animals as Ray would like you to believe,, we are owners of homes on a island who are now dealing with a unhappy neighbor who apparently has more money and time on his hands then he knows what to do with. The Truth must be told

  25. “Not until this year has there been any violations brought and the majority were for down branches.”
    http://healtheharbor.com/correspondence/ryeviolations_040809.pdf

    “Do you have a spare propane tank next to your bbq? If so you better tie that baby down since you’re in violation. Ray is forcing them to find violations in fear he will sue the town.”
    http://healtheharbor.com/gallery/pages/codes/codes5.html

    “Do you really believe there is a city/county/state conspiracy to hide issues on the Island?”
    http://healtheharbor.com/documents/MeyersonLipsmanEmail.pdf

  28. Hey Ray –
    Instead for slining crap all over the place and blaming everyone why don’t you, for once, come up with some CONSTRUCTIVE solutiuons for the issues facing the Long Island watershed. Oh that’s right, you don’

  29. Opps.
    Mr T.
    You’re all talk and no action. BTW, the sewage pit you like to show as typical, HASN’T BEEN USED FOR 12 YEARS !!!. I find it hard to believe that sewage pits that have been abandoned are polluting. I have never met a more self-centered, antagonistic person with the most giant of egos. You are responsible for far more damage than you can possibly imagine but the real problem is that you just don’t care about anyone except yourself and please don’t feed everyone the line about the City not caring. Blah, blah,blah. Please do everyone a favor and crawl back under that rock that you crawled out from.
    What I find particularly interesting is that your two uber-rich buddies from Hen Island no longer come to your defense. Could it be that they too now think you’re an idiot

  31. Dear Hen Island Voice of Reason,
    I have copied and pasted Claudio’s recent post on MYRYE below, to respond to you comment that my supporters on Hen Island have abandoned me and the cause. Trust me I have many more than two supporters on the Island. As you can see from Claudio’s post many on Hen Island are afraid of the intimidation, vandalism and harassment tactics used to silence them. Although your threats have not been effective on me, they are on others but it will all be over soon. The truth will set you free, my brother.

    Dear Honest Citizen,
    I am not familiar with Mr. Schubert and his pond, The Rye Police Department or their grievances but I am very well versed on Hen Island and what transpires on the Island as I once sat as a member of the Board of Directors. We own cottage #13 on Hen Island’s north end. My wife Barbara and I have owned our cottage for over fifteen years and we live three doors away from Ray. “You say Ray is the only one complaining” that is not true. We have written letters to the Building Department, the City Manager, the Zoning Board, the Mayor and City Council on several occasions over the last few years, I have never received one response to any of my letters. Our last letter was just last month.
    In 1995 when we purchased our cottage, I did it as a surprise gift for my wife knowing how much she loved the water. After our first season we began to see what Hen Island life entailed. To our amazement we discovered some of the residents still buried their garbage in the center of the north end of the Island. We had a rat infestation similar to what you would find in a garbage dump, the island had no formal maintenance program, and public safety was never an issue discussed by anyone. I once witnessed one of the cottage owners disposing of a major appliance by dumping it in the tall grass in the rear of the Island. During the West Nile virus epidemic when dead birds were found on the Island as they frequently were, the instructions from the Board was to bury the dead bird and not report the incident to the Health Department.
    One might say we didn’t do our due diligence before we purchased our cottage but on the other hand, who would ever think or even check for that matter, to see if people were burying garbage in the yard in 1995. Who would think that a municipality would allow a community to avoid all the safety, building and environmental laws from inception? Who would think that owners would have been allowed to build septic systems just feet from the shoreline?
    In 1997 Ray purchased his cottage on the Island. I helped him run successfully for the Board of Directors and eventually he became President. During his term, Hen Island became a different place with the center of attention being placed on safety and responsibility. He stopped residents from burying their garbage on the Island, had thousands of pounds of buried garbage dug up and removed from the Island, implemented and organized a committee whose purpose was to make the island residents safe and implement a regular maintenance program; he created a responsible atmosphere that never existed before. Ray coordinated meetings with several governmental agencies in effort to make Hen Island a better place to live. He was singlehandedly responsible for implementing access to the Westchester County Medical Center helicopter. (If I may add, this has already saved the life of one adult resident and a small child was flown off the island for medical reasons a few years back) I could go on and on about all the community related improvements Ray should be credited for. Ray even introduced art to the Hen Island community. Should you walk on the north end of the Island you will witness many sculptures and whimsical artworks located and installed by Ray and the committees he has directed?
    Ray is one of the best neighbors a family could ask for. Although Hen Island still has a ways to go, we are where we are due to his efforts. There are many of us who support his efforts to right Hen Island wrongs. Most of his supporters may not agree with his tactics but do support his cause, I personally support both as I believe he has been effective with an administration in Rye that has tried to suppress the realities of Hen Island. I have not used my cottage for the past two years for a number of obvious reasons. Many on the island choose not to come forward in support of Ray due to fear of retaliation and harassment from the current Board of Directors and other islanders. I am sure you have heard of the many incidents of vandalism and harassment directed at Ray. Most people just are not willing to subject themselves to that type of pressure. As you may have recently read they are now trying to remove Ray from the Island because he is, for lack of a better word a whistleblower. Others refuse to come forward because they are simply embarrassed that they have been silent for so long knowing Hen Island’s unhealthy and dangerous situation for years. Ray is the voice of those that will not speak and is a very special and determined person. We who support him are happy to have him on our side.
    Claudio and Barbara Iodice
    Cottage # 13 Hen Island

  35. Mr. Henn,

    I noticed you skipped over the other issues I addressed in my response to you?

    I only said Hen Island was polluting because Terry Backer, the Long Island Soundkeeper said the septic systems on Hen Island were leaking into the Sound.
    Why not test it if there is nothing to hide?

    Curious…where did the pictures in the MyRye story come from, MARS?

    I’ll be at the Council Meeting tonight if there is anything you wish to speak with me about…like painting your sidewalk!

  38. Why did Ron Gatto say in his report there were no permits for any of the septic systems on Hen Island? Did Ron Gatto do any research before making this FALSE statement? If he didn’t do any research before making this statement, what’s the motivation for this false statement. Is Ron Gatto lieing or is he just incompetent?

  39. If Ron Gatto’s report is flawed due to his apparent incompentence, can anyone name me one person that is in a position of power that has agreed with Mr. Floatie? Ron Gatto is the only person Mr, Floatie refers to when trying to make his case. If Ron Gatto’s credibility is shot, who else does Mr. Floatie have?

  40. Mr. Google,

    Ron Gatto turned the case over to the BOH contrary to what we’ve repeatedly heard from Mr. Floatie. Mr. Floatie claimed that Myerson took the case away from Gatto when the report says, in black and white, that Gatto turned the case over voluntarily. Why does Mr. Floatie continue to mislead the people?

  41. ET,
    Here is an e-mail from Meyerson to his boss Health Commissioner Josh Lispman on July 19, 2007 two days after the inspection took place. Meyerson is telling his boss what the sewage problems are on Hen Island and options to eliminate them.

    This e-mail was written before Meyerson was issued the political order not to find any problems on Hen Island and before he was put in charge of the cover-up. This is obviously one of the reasons Meyerson was fired. Maybe you should be the one doing some research. Is there anything else I could supply you with.

    http://www.healtheharbor.com/documents/MeyersonLipsmanEmail.pdf

  42. ” Is there anything else I could supply you with.”

    As a matter of fact there is. How about supplying the email that shows
    “Meyerson was issued the political order not to find any problems on Hen Island and before he was put in charge of the cover-up. ”

    How about telling me why Gatto wrote in his report that there were no permits for the septic systems on Hen Island when that is not true? Tell me why you claimed Myerson took the case away from Gatto when Gatto’s report says he voluntarily gave it to Myerson? Tell me why Gatto didn’t know there was permits issued for septic systems on Hen Island? Tell me why Gatto’s report is wrong? Why did Gatto not find the permits Hen Island had on file at the building department? Did he look at the files or did he take someone else’s word that Hen Island had no permits?

  43. I encourage anyone interested in the harassment and discrimination Hen Island has been enduring over the past 3 years to take a trip to the building dept and ask to see the Wetlands and Watercourse permits issued to Hen Island since 1992. ( The Rye Wetlands and Watercourse permits only started being issued in 1992) In those permits you’ll see that Hen Island was granted BOH approval for ALL septic systems on Hen Island contrary to what Ron Gatto’s report says. In fact, the permits will tell you that BOH Commissioner Myerson was telling the truth and Ron Gatto’s report is not. Don’t take my word for it, go see for yourself.
    With that out of the way, lets apply the same rigorous standard that’s being applied to Hen Island to an average house in this city. Let’s start at the top, Mayor French. According to the tax records, due to the age of his house, I would assume the Mayor’s house has no CO and doesn’t conform or meet the requirements of any current building code of Rye. By the age of his house, it’s almost a given that his walls do not contain R-19 insulation. The ceiling beams are probably 2X6 and I say it’s a fair guess that he does not meet the R-38 insulation requirement in his ceilings. Do people realize the extra amount of greenhouse gases an under insulated house emits compared to a well insulated one?? Is the Mayor unnecessarily polluting the air we breathe and contributing to global warming? Why is Rye sitting on it’s hands as the Mayor is allowed to trash our environment with no permits? By the age of his house his electrical system most likely doesn’t conform to the current electrical code and it’s possible that he may even have balloon construction, both potential fire hazards. His house is also built in a flood plain and I’m pretty sure he has no Wetlands and Watercourse permit for it residing in the flood plain. Should we make the Mayor tear down his house every time the building code changes? Should we make the Mayor movehis house because his house was built in a flood plain (wetlands) with no Wetlands and Watercourse permit? Lets apply this standard to all the Council members houses! Does Joe Sack’s house meet all the current building codes? How about Jay Sears house? What about downtown? Where is downtown’s Wetlands and Watercourse permits? Is Hen island being discriminated against? By the looks of it, they may be.

  45. Put a fork in it guys, the goose is cooked
    City council meeting…no violations on Hen Island as per Board of Health and DEC.
    No violations and septic systems on hen Island legal..”as per “State supreme court”..
    No need for defence for a non – issue. No need indeed

  46. Environmental Terrorist,
    The permits you speak of are from the Planning Commission not the Health Department. After the no-name storm of 1992, a wetlands permit was issued to the Volpe residence on Hen Island to rebuild a storm damaged cottage. (The Volpe’s just happen to live next to Mayor French on Meadow Place. I wonder if that has anything to do with the Mayor’s new position not to enforce the sewage codes?) In the approval which was not a Health Department approval but a planning board approval, it states;

    ”the Westchester County Department of Health who has jurisdiction has approved re-connection to the existing septic system, and WHEREAS the Applicant at the Planning Commission’s and the Conservation Commission/Advisory Council’s request has agreed to consider using a state-of-the-art chemical or composting septic system”

    Mr. Volpe signed a sworn statement stating that the Health Department has allowed the reconnection but the Health Department has acknowledged they have no records of that approval or any approval on Hen Island anywhere.. The applicant has just installed that self composting septic system after 18 years and only as a result of the pressure from me to comply. So if it was agreed in 1992 to have the state of the art self composting system installed why did it take 18 years to do so? That seems like 18 years of sewage from the Volpe cottage polluting the waters. And if you say it was not polluting, why did you install the new system last year?

  48. “The permits you speak of are from the Planning Commission not the Health Department. After the no-name storm of 1992, a wetlands permit was issued to the Volpe residence on Hen Island to rebuild a storm damaged cottage. (The Volpe’s just happen to live next to Mayor French on Meadow Place. I wonder if that has anything to do with the Mayor’s new position not to enforce the sewage codes?) ”

    I guess a Volpe also lives next to Lenny Myerson, Steve Otis, Judge Bellantoni, and assorted other DEC employees. There must be a Volpe relative that lives next to the 4 judges in Brooklyn who unanimously turned down your appeal. In fact, the only person a Volpe doesn’t seem to live next to in the tri-state area is Ron Gatto. Too bad ,because if the Volpe family had just one more relative , Rye could have been spared 3 years of your obscene road show but alas, a family can only have a finite size. Oh well.

    “”the Westchester County Department of Health who has jurisdiction has approved re-connection to the existing septic system, and WHEREAS the Applicant at the Planning Commission’s and the Conservation Commission/Advisory Council’s request has agreed to consider using a state-of-the-art chemical or composting septic system”

    So your agreeing that Ron Gatto’s report is incorrect? Seems to me Hen Island has at least 1 permit for a septic system on Hen Island.

    “Mr. Volpe signed a sworn statement stating that the Health Department has allowed the reconnection but the Health Department has acknowledged they have no records of that approval or any approval on Hen Island anywhere..”

    So why is that Hen Island’s fault? Rye has a written record, a Wet lands and Watercourse permit issued 5 years before you became a Hen Islander. Are you saying that the permit is now null and void ?

    “The applicant has just installed that self composting septic system after 18 years and only as a result of the pressure from me to comply. So if it was agreed in 1992 to have the state of the art self composting system installed why did it take 18 years to do so? That seems like 18 years of sewage from the Volpe cottage polluting the waters. And if you say it was not polluting, why did you install the new system last year?”

    I don’t know. Why don’t you ask them. I had nothing to do with it.

    Do me a favor, When I wrote about Wetlands and Watercourse permits I was thinking of the one issued to you. But you bring up an even better one which is the one issued the Volpe’s in 1993. It was the 4th Wetlands and Watercourse Permit ever issued in Rye. Post the Volpe’s Wetlands and Watercourse permit on Healtheharbor.com .Since your the all truthful being, post the Volpe’s permit in it’s ENTIRETY on your website and let the people make their own judgement. Post it ALL. Not just the 3 pages of the permit but, all the accompanying documentation. Show everyone what a liar I am and prove that Ron Gato’s report is truthful. I’m betting you can’t.

  49. ET,

    I don’t think some of the government employees, er, ex-government employees you name here help you make a case for the proper local enforcement of the rule of law.

    Ex-Judge Bellantoni departed under a somewhat toxic cloud about a year ago –

    http://completelylegal.lohudblogs.com/2009/05/28/judge-bellantoni-and-curious-timing/

    And Health Commissioner Myerson and his boss Dr. Lispman were curiously fired by Andy Spano right after he lost his reelection effort. Mr. Spano left dozens of other political appointees on the county payroll for his successor to deal with – but not these two.

    I personally believe that the cleanup efforts are in fact underway out there on your unhappy island. Clearly the violations issued last year by the Rye City Building department are being addressed, yes? So why not take some pictures of specific “before” conditions off of the Heal The Harbor website – take some new ones yourself – and bring them both to City Hall for public dissemination? And maybe you’ve also progressed on some of these so called sanitary “non-issues” also displayed on that site? If you’ve made progress I would think it would be in everyone’s interest to show that progress.

  50. Chuck,
    Your logic is just as good as your fabricated stories. Maybe you should view the photos and read the article attached to this thread. “Hen Island – Photos of Dubious Septic Systems.”
    Or do you think Jay Sears is also a friend of mine and Andy Spano?

  51. So here is a three page list of violations issued by the City of Rye detailing just what a responsible community Hen Island is.
    http://www.healtheharbor.com/correspondence/ryeviolations_040809.pdf

    And here is the Rye Conservation Commission’s report also detailing just how environmental conscious the Hen Island community is.

    http://www.healtheharbor.com/documents/Hen%20Island%20Molloy%20CCAC%20report%203-20-09.pdf

    And lastly here is a letter from the infamous Heath Commissioner Lenny Meyerson detailing to his boss just how bad the sewage systems are and what the remedies entail. Two weeks after this e-mail was penned Commissioner Meyerson was instructed not to find any problems on Hen Island.

    http://www.healtheharbor.com/documents/MeyersonLipsmanEmail.pdf

  52. “The systems were not approved by WCDOH because they predated WCDOH approvals. That was later confirmed by WCDOH when they completed the investigation and made a determination.”

    Chuck,

    That statement is as untruthful as Ron Gatto’s report. You seem to be as ill-informed as Ron Gatto too. I asked Mr. Tartaglione to post the Volpe’s Wetlands and Watercourse permit in it’s entirety on healtheharbor.com but, I see he will not do so. The Volpe’s permit not only gives the Volpe’s the approval to reconnect to their existing septic tank, it also gives BOH approval for ALL septic tanks on Hen Island. So please stop spreading untruths because you seem to be extremely ignorant when it comes to this subject. Like I said, don’t take my word for it, take a trip to the Rye building dept. and ask to see the permit. Ron Gatto says their were no written approvals for any septic system on Hen Island. I say there is written approval for ALL the septic tanks on Hen Island. Who is being untruthful? Ron Gatto’s report or Environmental Terrorist? Go see for yourself.

  53. ET,
    It doesn’t pay for me to reason with you. It only gives you creditability. You are a polluter; your septic systems are located less than ten feet from the high tide water line.
    http://www.healtheharbor.com/gallery/pages/sewage/sewage2.html

    You endanger the lives of young children by collecting bird feces infected water from the roofs of your cottages and let them use it for showering, brushing teeth and washing your dishes that you eat from. This is Rye New York not the outback in some third world Country.
    http://www.healtheharbor.com/gallery/pages/water/water10.html

    You store over thirty thousand gallons of water in horse troughs and 55 gallon drums, encouraging mosquito breeding by the millions.
    http://www.healtheharbor.com/gallery/pages/water/water2.html

    Thanks to Hen Island Greenhaven is enjoying mosquito infestations also. I wonder why Milton point doesn’t have the mosquito problems that Greenhaven does. Could it be Greenhaven has the problem because they are only 400 feet away from the Island? http://www.healtheharbor.com/gallery/pages/sewage/sewage5.html

    You should have spent the $200,000.00 on fixing the pollution and water problems instead of using it on lawyers.

    Why not have your sewage systems tested as called for by The Soundkeeper? You should be embarrassed and ashamed of yourselves.
    http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.idealaunch.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/embarrassed-monkey.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.idealaunch.com/blog/content/confessions-of-a-content-marketing-hypocrite/&usg=__Ve1XQ6jEvqOofoib2r_OIO0Iuh0=&h=319&w=347&sz=9&hl=en&start=4&itbs=1&tbnid=uB7OYwiBlwjo9M:&tbnh=110&tbnw=120&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dembarrassed%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DG%26gbv%3D2%26tbs%3Disch:1

  54. I want to stick to the subject of Ron Gatto’s report and the Volpe’s Wetlands and Watercourse permit.We’re making progress. Do you agree that the Volpe permit gives written approval for ALL existing septic tanks on Hen Island as of 1993? That approval is written right in the permit. The BOH approved ALL septic tanks as of 1993. The BOH in 1993 didn’t include Lenny Myerson. The Rye Mayor in 1993 wasn’t Steve Otis. How do you explain that? The only problem I see is that I hear you expanded your septic system since 1993. Is that true? If so, you may be the only Hen Islander without a BOH approved septic system! Ironic, isn’t it?

  56. Still don’t want to admit that BOH approval of all septic tanks on Hen Island is written in the Volpe Wetlands and Watercourse permit? Instead you write…

    “HES believes the current subsurface disposal of residential wastewater water on Hen Island is impacting the groundwater and the waters of the Long Island Sound”

    Believes?????? I know for a FACT that every toilet in Rye impacts the waters of Long Island Sound. Rye’s waste is mixed with precious drinking water then mixed with Chlorine (sometimes) then dumped directly into the sound. That act certainly imbalances the waters of the Sound. When are you going to install a composting toilet if you’re trying to prove how much your septic system is polluting the Sound?

  57. BTW,

    I know why you posted a report saying someone “believes” Hen Island is impacting the water. It’s because you want all the septic systems flow and dye tested. Well, that’s not how it works. The systems on Hen Island are BOH approved except maybe for yours. There has been no evidence of failure or leakage in the numerous BOH inspections. Hen Island has already been subjected to enough discrimination. Hen Island has had electrical violations issued on electrical systems that were included in previously issued Certificate of Occupancies. Hen Island now conforms to the commercial propane code. The same propane code applied to gas stations selling propane. You think there’s any discrimination going on here? How does a house get an electrical violation on an electrical system that was already approved by a CO? When the rest of Rye is subjected to the same level of discrimination Hen Island has been subjected to then we’ll talk about flow and dye testing non-failing BOH approved septic systems on Hen Island.

  59. Here’s MAY 2010 news from Journal News, which shows the REAL issue to be resolved in favor of Hen Islanders, who just want to enjoy their soliude as they have for the past 60 + years..The state appellate court has upheld a judge’s decision that the waste system on Hen Island is adequate.

    Shareholder Ray Tartaglione had sued Kuder Island Colony, the corporation that owns the 26-acre private island off the coast of Rye, alleging that summer cottage residents allowed waste to seep into the Long Island Sound and failed to properly dispose of trash.

    Tartaglione frequently attended City Council meetings with Mr. Floatie, a human waste mascot pictured here, to press city officials to inspect the island.

    A state Supreme Court Justice ruled the system was satisfactory in 2008, and Tartaglione filed an appeal.

    The appellate court delivered its decision April 20.

    In a statement released today, Kuder Island Colony called Tartaglione “a disgruntled shareholder.”

    “The Board of Directors and the shareholders of Kuder Island Colony, Inc. are gratified that this unfortunate incident has been resolved,” it wrote. ” This is the last of multiple lawsuits that have been brought against the Corporation, all of which have been decided in favor of the Corporation.”

    …Ask yourselves why an individual who has remarked, in an article for the New York Times, would risk the continued enjoyment of his “piece of heaven on earth”…why?…Because he’s not interested in anything but his ego and retaliating against those who are involved in his justifiable removal from the board of directors….

  60. On May 5th Theresa Juva from the Journal news published a blog on the Journal site stating;

    “The state appellate court has upheld a judge’s decision that the waste system on Hen Island is adequate.”
    The above statement was a gross misinterpretation by Ms. Juva who was reporting on a press release sent out by the Board of Directors from Hen Island. That statement could not be further from the truth. The judges never addressed the wastewater systems on Hen Island. When we questioned Ms. Juva she admitted that she never read the decision. We then forwarded a copy of the decision to Ms. Juva and requested a retraction. She asked us to write a letter to the editor requesting the same. Our full requested response to Ms. Juva follows below.

    Although we are disappointed with the findings of the appellate division it should be noted that their decision was purely based on the business judgment rule of law (that courts will not lightly substitute their judgment for that of a company’s Board or managers), The Appellate court did not make any determination relating to pollution of Milton Harbor, the Long Island Sound or Hen Island’s failure to protect the health and safety of the public. We maintain our documented position that Kuder Island Corporation continues to “pollute both Milton Harbor and the Long Island Sound”, endangering the health, safety and welfare of Hen Island’s residents and the public. One lost legal battle is but a moment; a destroyed environment or ruined life is forever. With that in mind we shall continue our efforts undeterred.

  61. I continue to maintain my position that every human being and living thing on the planet continues to pollute our environment. Who’s going to provide legal representation for the Canadian Geese who continue to commit environmental atrocities every day in Milton Harbor?

  62. From Catherine Parker facebook page:

    To all Rye residents: Watch this show done in 2005 with Ray Tartaglione. Where is his outrage and concern for sewage? Where is Ray’s concern for mosquitos? By 2005, he has had his home on Hen Island for 9 Yrs. Hmm, potable water seems not to be an issue either for Ray. Please share this with your Rye facebook friends! We don’t tolerate bullies on the schoolyard: why tolerate them anywhere else!
    http://ryeny.swagit..com/play/05182011-31/0/

    In response to Councilwoman Parker’s facebook post that attempted to incite Rye residents against me. I requested Councilwoman Parker to allow me access to facebook so I could answer her in the same format that she had addressed me. She has not responded as of yet so I thought it would be appropriate for me to respond here.

    Councilwomen Parker,

    We did not have any testing done on Hen island till 2007 two years after the interview with Franklin Chu if not even more. Which is when we discovered that Hen Island was polluting the water with sewage and the roof collection water systems contained bird feces? During the years that you are referring to, I believed the propaganda that the Board of Directors on Hen Island sold to us. I also believed in Santa Clause when I was six but now I know better. This should not be about playing “I got ya” but should be about the fact that Hen Island is responsible for the pollution of Milton Harbor, not allowing resident’s access to potable water and the worst mosquito infestation in Westchester County affecting Greenhaven and Milton Point as well. Most important, is that the City Council including Ms. Parker is not protecting the health and safety of its residents. Why should everyone on Hen Island, Greenhaven and Milton Point go thru another season of a mosquito infestation and sewage in our swimming water?

    Hen Island is presently in the middle of suing Rye for the second time in an article 78 proceeding. Why did the Mayor and City council say they could not speak to me for a year due to pending litigation but yet they are speaking to Hen Island? Why is Rye having back door meetings with Hen Island and refusing to tell us information about those meetings? Why did the city not issue violations to Hen Island? According to Rye City code, fines could be imposed up to 500.00 per day for each and every day Hen Island allows the situation to exist. How fast would they fix the problems if that was to occur? Maybe you can answer my questions Ms. Parker?

    Ray Tartaglione

  63. ray, my dear friend, why are you hiding behind all of these posts and refusing to provide any facts to your claims.

    now that its been proven you have absolutely no basis for any of your claims then why would anybody in the rye back you?

  64. Incite the Rye people against you You don’t think driving a turd mobile and making up crazy stories that have no merit for your self serving needs may upset people? You expect Catherine Parker or anyone else to friend you on Facebook? You really are a nut job.

  65. Mr. Henn, (Island)
    I thought you would like to see an example from one of the letters being sent to the Mayor and the City Council and our response to them after the Mayor fails to answer them. The names of the authors have been removed in the interest of privacy. The people of Rye are finally waking up after four years of us trying to expose those of you on Hen Island that have no respect for the environment or the health and safety of the other local residents that surround Hen Island. Maybe you should look at the pictures and read the article that you have posted on, before you claim that the issues we complain of “have no merit”. Have a great Memorial Day weekend; I will see you out on the water, especially if you are going to be on the Island!

    Mr. Floatie

    —– Original Message —–
    From: ray@healtheharbor.com
    To:
    Sent: Thursday, May 26, 2011 3:01 PM
    Subject: Hen Island

    Dear,
    Thank you for signing our petition and for your concern. After four years of fighting this battle we are finally making progress in leaps and bounds. I have forwarded you a recent letter from another one of our supporters to the Mayor and City Council and my response to him. We encourage you and everyone else to write them and please cc me. I think you will find all the information in both the original letter and my response to him interesting. I have removed our supporters name in the interest of privacy. Find comfort in knowing that your e-mail address and name will be protected in the same way. Please feel free to forward this e-mail (along with mine, the Mayor and the City Council members e-mail addresses) to anyone you feel would be interested. The more that see what has been allowed to go on for years the faster we will get results. Thanks again for being involved, helping clean up the Sound and helping to stop the horrific Mosquitoes that are breeding by the millions on Hen Island.

    Ray Tartaglione
    Heal The Harbor.com
    101 Westmoreland Ave
    White Plains NY 10606
    Phone 914-948-1100
    Fax 914-997-2167
    http://www.HEALtheHARBOR.com
    Bringing attention to environmental injustice
    one harbor at a time

    Please consider the environment before printing this e-mail.

    The information contained in this message may be privileged, confidential,
    proprietary or otherwise protected from disclosure, please notify us
    immediately by replying to this message and deleting it from your computer
    if you have received this communication in error. Thank you.

    From: Ray Tartaglione [mailto:ray@HEALtheHARBOR.com]
    Sent: Wednesday, May 25, 2011 11:35 PM
    To: jsack@ryeny.gov; cparker@ryeny.gov; skeith@ryeny.gov; pjovanovich@ryeny.gov; pgamache@ryeny.gov; rfilippi@ryeny.gov; dfrench@ryeny.gov;
    Subject: Re: Hen Island

    Dear Mr.

    Thanks for responding to the Mayor and City Council. I am not sure if they answered you, for if they did, they did not CC me on it so I would like to follow up with you.

    Mayor French is attempting to tell citizens that Hen Island is a campsite and it is only used for a few months a year and the mosquito infestation only affects the residents of Hen Island. Please see the attached link to the Mayor’s update. http://www.myrye.com/my_weblog/2011/05/speaking-french-rye-mayors-city-council-update.html He is also trying to scare residents by saying that the city taxpayers will be responsible for the expenses to rectify the problems. All of his statements are outright lies. He is also attempting to defer enforcement to Westchester County after the County has told him that Rye needs to be the lead agency and needs to write the violations. The county has identified the violations in the following report issued by the Westchester County Environmental Enforcement unit in July of 2007. The City of Rye has neglected to address these issues ever since 2007. A link to that complete report is attached:

    http://www.healtheharbor.com/correspondence/WestCounty_FOIL.pdf

    In a recent Court decision, after the city claimed that the Health Department was responsible for enforcement of the Hen Island violations, the Supreme Court informed the City that they have the power and the laws to issue violations but only if the City chooses to do so. The City has refused to write violations and the City under the direction of Mayor French is holding closed door meeting with the Hen Island Board of Directors and refuses to release any specific information about those meetings. When asked who has attended and what was said in the meetings the only answers we received was “we are working on the issues and are happy with the progress.”

    We believe that the City of Rye should issue violations and impose fines for every day the Hen Island association allows the pollution, lack of potable water and mosquito infestation to continue. According to Rye code, the city could impose fines up to 500.00 per day per occurrence and there are thirty three homes on Hen Island. This could result in a win win situation for the city and the neighboring residents as well as Hen Island residents that wish to rectify the illegal uses. The city would receive the fines and the issues would be addressed immediately, as opposed to having to wait another season or even longer with very serious Health and safety issues being neglected. The Mayor and the City council have rejected this, even though issuing violations is standard procedure. Why you may ask.

    We believe it is because the Mayor has a personal relationship with a neighbor of his on Meadow Place named Volpe. Mr. Volpe’s uncle is the President of Hen Island and his mother is also a member of the Board of Directors of the Island. Mayor French has visited their Hen Island home for drinks before he was elected and tried to say when questioned at the last City council meeting that he visited the whole island and was not sure if it was the Volpe house he was in. (Another lie) If the mayor has responded to you, he most likely stated that he would forward your information to the City manager. I assure you, this is all rhetoric. If you would like to see the rhetoric first hand please watch the last two city council meetings at the attached link. http://ryeny.swagit.com/City_Council/
    You may view it in the May 25th meeting under agenda item #6 or you may view it in the May 11th meeting under agenda item # 7 starting about 6:30 into the segment.

    If you or any other Greenhaven or Milton Point residents would like to tour Hen Island and see what transpires with regard to sewage, water storage and the worst mosquito infestation in Westchester County. I would be happy to meet. You can also view all the issues we speak of on our website http://www.HEALtheHARBOR.com under the video/photo section. Please feel free to forward this letter to anyone you feel may be interested and/or you may contact me @ my work # 914-948-1100 anytime.

    Ray Tartaglione
    Heal The Harbor.com
    101 Westmoreland Ave
    White Plains NY 10606
    Phone 914-948-1100
    Fax 914-997-2167
    http://www.HEALtheHARBOR.com
    Bringing attention to environmental injustice
    one harbor at a time

    Please consider the environment before printing this e-mail.

    The information contained in this message may be privileged, confidential,
    proprietary or otherwise protected from disclosure, please notify us
    immediately by replying to this message and deleting it from your computer
    if you have received this communication in error. Thank you.

    —– Original Message —–
    From:
    To: dfrench@ryeny.gov ; rfilippi@ryeny.gov ; pgamache@ryeny.gov ; pjovanovich@ryeny.gov ; skeith@ryeny.gov ; cparker@ryeny.gov ; jsack@ryeny.gov
    Cc: ray@healtheharbor.com
    Sent: Wednesday, May 25, 2011 1:20 PM
    Subject: Hen Island

    Dear Representatives of the Rye City Council,

    As a resident of Greenhaven I am concerned with the alleged sewage being discharged from Hen Island. Growing up along the shores of the Long Island Sound it has been a pleasure to see the Sound and its surrounding habitats recover from the degradation it experienced throughout the century. Our state and federal environmental regulations have been implemented and thus, the Sound’s water quality has improved both aesthetically and in terms of its effluent discharge limitations.

    The Greenhaven community is discouraged to hear that Hen Island, a property practically adjacent to Greenhaven’s beloved beach, is being threatened with what seems to be negligent conduct and/or nonfeasance/misfeasance by the City.

    The City is constitutionally obligated to protect the health, safety and welfare of its citizens. By permitting mosquito infested water tanks and sewage discharge to accumulate within 400 feet from the Greenhaven association not only violates this obligation but threatens our property value. With recent precipitation patterns, West Nile Virus is a serious concern in a densely populated area such as Rye. We bathe in Greenhaven Beach with our children and we wish to prevent effluents from washing upon its shores and disease ridden mosquitoes from infesting our community. Although I have not come across any data that quantifies the maximum pollutant load or concentration allowed by Hen Island, the Greenhaven community fears Hen Island may be violating the state’s water quality standards.

    I understand that Hen Island is small and its discharge may be minute in comparison to other effluents leaching into the greater portions of the Sound. Nevertheless, Greenhaven is directly within the impact zone of the sewage and mosquito infestation and we wish to avoid any negative health effects. The public has grown concerned and we wish for the Rye City Council to address our health and environmental concerns through remedial action.

    Best,

  66. i rest my case, no facts. and we have to put up with all of this nonsense?

    “Although I have not come across any data that quantifies the maximum pollutant load or concentration allowed by Hen Island”

    ray?

  69. Councilwoman Parker could you please post on your Facebook page this mailer that we just sent out to all Greenhaven and Milton point residents.

    The health and safety of your family is still at risk here.

    My name is Ray Tartaglione and I have been a longtime homeowner and force for change out on Hen Island. You may have had a chance to see me speaking about Hen Island at the Rye City Council meetings over the last four years. I am writing you here “pre-season” to make sure you’re aware of the present Hen Island issues that are, by their proximity, affecting your property values and risking your personal health and safety and that of your children. These conditions include the continuous weekly release into Long Island Sound of hundreds of gallons of untreated sewage within 400 feet from the Greenhaven association beach and the gestation of swarms of mosquitoes transported to your backyards from our huge water “horse trough” holding tanks on the Island. These illegal conditions and others are the targets I’ve been focused on as I’ve pushed The Rye City Council to enforce the health and sanitary codes on their books year after year after year.

    Hen Island Sewage Disposal

    If you are a property owner in the vicinity or along the shores of Milton or Mamaroneck Harbors or use the Greenhaven association beach, I am sure you have noticed the eyesore of crumbling Hen Island buildings hoping they would be repaired or frankly go away. The reason you see so many dilapidated buildings is because for years the City of Rye would not enforce their building codes out on Hen Island. Many of those small buildings opposite the association beach are actually abandoned outhouses. Their original function has now been replaced by cottage systems which were illegally installed without any permits or approvals whatsoever. Why you may ask? Well it’s a very good question. Some of these systems are now clogged and not working. Others are less than ten feet from the water line. Many of them are illegally built and discharging untreated waste into the waters that you and your families swim and boat in all summer.

    In 1989 according to Rye City tax records there were 11 outhouses in use on Hen Island, today there is 1. That means that 10 outhouses were removed from service and 10 bathrooms were installed on the island without one permit being on file with the City of Rye or the County of Westchester. It’s an interesting fact to note that this makes Rye home to the only known still working outhouse in Westchester County and the City of Rye openly permits its operation.

    In 2008 a new house was erected on Hen Island and the City of Rye Building Department along with the Rye City Zoning Board – allowed the structure to be built without meeting any of the health or sanitary codes necessary for potable water or sewage disposal.

    As a result of my efforts in the past four years Rye City has begun to enforce their building inspections and construction codes. But the health and sanitary codes are still unaccountably being avoided, ignored and covered up as they have been for many years. If you swim, boat or otherwise enjoy the waters of Long Island Sound either in or near Milton Harbor make no mistake – you are affected by Hen Island.

    Hen Island’s Fresh Water Mosquitoes

    The Hen Island cottage community (unlike any other community in Westchester County) is allowed to collect water from their rooftops for domestic cottage use. Not only is this use illegal and dangerous to residents but this “non-potable” water is stored in 375 gallon containers, many of which are old galvanized metal horse watering troughs. Almost every home has 3 of these containers totaling over 1000 gallons of fresh “non-potable” water per cottage.

    There are 33 cottages on Hen Island which translates to approximately 33,000 gallons of stored fresh water. Mosquito larvacide cannot be employed in these tanks on Hen Island because the stored water is needed for use inside the cottages for dishwashing, toilet flushing and other domestic uses. Every summer, fresh water mosquito breeding in the tanks starts as soon as the temperature is consistently over 50 degrees. If you check The Westchester County website you’ll see that they indicate mosquitoes generally travel between 1 and 5 miles from their place of birth. Hen Island is located less than 450 feet from Greenhaven – and about 1500 feet from American Yacht Club and the rest of Milton Point.

    There is in fact no effective mosquito control program in place on Hen Island today. According to Westchester County’s mosquito program – “Operation Sting” – the number one requirement in mosquito control is to remove all standing water. The below is quoted from Westchester County’s website as the first step in mosquito control.
    Remove from around your home and neighbourhood anything that might hold standing water. For example: old tires, buckets and wheelbarrows. Report any standing water that you cannot remove by calling (914) 813-5000.

    Please note that the County requires that any standing water should be removed even in the smallest amounts. Additionally if it cannot be removed it should be reported. The amount of stagnant water stored on Hen Island today could be compared to the storing of over 33,000 one gallon buckets of stagnant standing water.
    According to the Center for Disease Control, New York State ranked number 2 in the highest of the eastern seaboard states for West Nile Virus and the Rye area has been one of the first communities to test positive regularly for West Nile virus. During the height of the last West Nile Virus epidemic in 2001, members of the Board of Directors of Hen Island instructed cottage owners to burry dead birds in effort not to draw attention to the mosquito infestations generated by the Island.

    What can you do?

    Hen Island residents have resisted drilling centrally located, multi cottage fresh water wells to obtain clean household water for years even though they’ve known they could. Hen Island residents know trunk sanitary sewer and water lines are also available for hook up already in Greenhaven. And they know that there are other installations available.

    So please, let your opinions be known. You can e-mail questions and concerns to your Rye City councilpersons listed below. You can come to the city council meetings and voice your opinions. Or perhaps the loudest message you could send is to consider voting out the sitting Rye City council members standing for re-election this November if they don’t act on this matter before we begin another summer cottage season out on Hen Island. Paula Gamache, Catherine Parker and Joe Sack are likely going to run once again this November. They should be receptive to your letters and calls about the cleanup of Hen Island right now.

    Douglas H. French – dfrench@ryeny.gov
    Richard P. Filippi – rfilippi@ryeny.gov
    Paula J. Gamache – pgamache@ryeny.gov
    Peter W. Jovanovich – pjovanovich@ryeny.gov
    Suzanna S. Keith – skeith@ryeny.gov
    Catherine F. Parker – cparker@ryeny.gov
    Joseph A. Sack – jsack@ryeny.gov

    Very Truly Yours,

    Raymond J. Tartaglione

    PS. You can view our photos and videos of the deplorable conditions on the Web at http://www.HEALtheHARBOR.com If you’d would like to reach me to discuss this matter please call me at 948-1100 9-5 M-F or feel free to e-mail me at Ray@HEALtheHARBOR.com

  70. unfortunately an allegation can’t translate into a fact. so far there are

    – no facts around so-called pollution in milton harbor
    – no facts around so-called pollution or disease in greenhaven
    – no facts around so-called pollution or disease on milton point

  73. Hey Ray!!!
    I get hungry every time I hear that word hay! I love hay. Best breakfast in the world! Although, I do lose my appetite talking about this human manure.
    Anyway.
    Here is a little video on what to do with the human compost. Remember on Hen Island they will be doing this X 34 homes. Do you think Mayor French’s wife
    would let him build a human compost pile in their backyard if they run out of storage room on Hen Island?

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1BWc-RjuWbs&feature=related

    Jack A. (Mr. Floatie’s ass-istant)
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZUDT-VsHDN4&NR=1

  76. Mr. T is right. We need to stop pollution. Closing auto shops located near homes and public parks is a good first step because they emit a toxic cocktail of carcinogenic air pollutants including, Perchloroethylene, Hexavalent Chromium, Benzene Metals, Solvents Solvents2, Methylene Chloride Solvents, Perchloroethylene Diesel Particulate Matter Solvents Diesel Particulate Matter. Studies show automobile facilities should not be located anywhere near homes. But Mr. T’s facility is located just 100 meters from a residential neighborhood including Kittrel Park where toddlers and infants play in the playground.

  78. Mister,
    Here is a video of how to store your drums of Shi*t from composting toilets. If you watch it you will see that the minimum storage is one year and the optimum time is two years.
    I can picture them stored on the Island now, just waiting for the first storm when the barrels will be floating in the water or more than likely submerged next to the propane tanks that are sitting at the bottom of Milton Harbor from the no name storm of 1992. Keep in mind that the people on Hen Island have no regard for the environment, so I am sure they will not follow proper procedures anyway.
    Composting is recommended and encouraged by and for the environmentally concerned not our stars on Hen Island who discard old stoves and refrigerators in the harbor at night.

    Keep in mind that in the video the drums are the accumulation of just one household. Imagine how many drums there will be for thirty four families. Oh, and then you still have to have septic systems anyway for the grey water.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LBZwOqLJvBA

  79. After they store a year or two worth of Sh*t on the Island (and I don’t mean to be crude but that what it is, till it turns to compost) then everyone will need the elevator shoes with the boots. Maybe you should contact Chrissy Hen for a large order of boots????

  81. Could you provide me with links to any environmental group in the world, besides HealTheHarbor, that advocate 19th century sewers over composting toilets? That advocate waste water treatment plants over recycling/composting human “waste”? Have a look at the links in the right hand column of your youtube link for other peoples opinion of composting toilets.

    BTW, have you contacted the people at

    New York State Department of State
    Division of Code Enforcement and Administration

    One Commerce Plaza
    99 Washington Avenue, Suite 1160
    Albany, New York 12231-0001

    to verify that Mayor French and Mayor Otis HAVE correctly enforced the potable water laws for the SEASONAL RESIDENCES on Hen Island according to NYS law? You still haven’t answered that question.

  82. Could you also provide me with links to environmental groups besides HealTheHarbor who are against the collection of rainwater for the purpose of conserving the limited supply of drinking water worldwide? How about links to any environmental group besides HealTheHarbor that advocates using drinking water to flush their sh*t into a sewer which overflows on Milton Road and drains directly into LI Sound every time the tide is higher than normal? Could you provide me the links to those organizations?

  83. @HealtheHarbor

    Since I know your organization has an affection for youtube how about providing youtube links instead of web links to any environmental group in the world, besides HealTheHarbor, that advocate 19th century sewers over composting toilets? Who advocate waste water treatment plants over recycling/composting human “waste”? Who advocate using drinking water to flush their sh*t into a sewer which overflows on Milton Road and drains directly into LI Sound every time the tide is higher than normal? Who are against the collection of rainwater to replace the use of drinking water for all purposes except the water you drink. Isn’t that why they call it POTABLE water, because it belongs in a POT, not in a toilet or in your garden hose? Could you provide those Youtube.com links?

  86. Doug French’s has finally come up with a fix for the septic systems on Hen Island that have been polluting the Long Island Sound for years. He is now going to allow an entire community (33 homes) to install sewage disposal systems along the shores of Milton Harbor without conducting any feasibility studies or obtaining any permits.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UljKdolg22I

    Here is an article depicting what happen when the San Francisco City Council decided to fix the sewer systems in their community without any feasibility studies.

    http://www.mnn.com/your-home/at-home/blogs/revenge-of-the-low-flow-toilets

  88. Mike,
    Nice to see you are finally using your real name. My comparison to San Francisco was to point out that the San Francisco City Council had no idea of what the repercussions would be when they implemented low flow toilets. Even though their intentions were good they are politicians not engineers. Similarly Mayor French and Mr. Pickup have no idea what the long term repercussions will be when the irresponsible Hen Islanders start to deposit partially composted feces along the shores of Milton Harbor. Composting toilets are designed to be used by environmentally concerned people. That is not what we have on Hen Island.

    French just wants to say “they are fixing the problems on Hen Island”. In actuality all he is doing is creating a bigger long term problem. The feces that used to go into the ground will be placed along the shoreline if the composting process is interrupted. Hopefully the home in question will have electricity to complete the process in a timely fashion. 50% of the homes on the Island do not. With no electricity the incomplete compost/feces pile will have to stored in 55 gallon drums and left in the sun for one year before the bacterial material can be safely handled.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UljKdolg22I&feature=plcp

    Don’t forget this is a community that was still burying garbage on the Island until I stopped them in 2001. This is a community that dumps their old appliances in the Harbor and in the high reeds, under the cover of darkness in the middle of the night. This is a community that was directed to burry dead birds during the height of the west Nile Virus epidemic to avoid bringing attention to the horrific mosquito infestation. And this is a community that still to this day fills in wetlands and collects water from rooftops.
    Just to give you a better example; The residents of Hen Island thought they were getting away with murder when the City of Rye was not policing Hen Island for health, safety and building code violations. What were the long term results? For years Islanders deposit rubbish and debris in the high reeds along the shoreline and store thousands of gallons of water thus creating mosquito breeding pools that have been affecting Milton Point and especially Green Haven. Just shows what happens when elected officials close their eyes to enforcement. Laws are made to protect and avoidance has long term effects. You can thank Doug French for allowing this to continue.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wy0aBtzUbXQ

  89. Ray…..I have ALWAYS used my name when posting to My Rye…Your paranoia is showing. Why would I NOT use my name?…I’m not fearful of repercussions….You more than insinuate the Hen Islanders CONTINUE to heave appliances into Long Island Sound….Is this true?…Or, just another of your silly statements you hope less knowledgeable folk will believe?…Hope you’re enjoying your summer on Hen Island.
    Don’t let the mosquitos bite…Oh, by the way, were there NO mosquitos on Hen Island when you bought your cottage there?…I’ve been going there since 1977…There have ALWAYS been mosquitos there….Long-timers kinda like them…They dishearten the less hearty.
    Mike Johnson

  91. Ron,
    Although I do have a strong concern for the environment, I don’t see myself as being an environmentalist. I would like to thank all the new customers from Rye that support R.J.T. Motorists Services ( http://rjtauto.com/ ) and our efforts to clean up Hen Island and Milton Harbor.

    I must tell you, in the last five years our Rye costumer base has increased tremendously already without you now writing songs about us. So Thank you for the Plug.

    That being said, I can tell that you put a lot of effort into the song, I do think the song is very creative and do find it a little flattering but I was expecting to hear it played by the band in the Harbor on Sunday and was a little disappointed when I didn’t. Maybe you can send it to the people at Rye Town Beach and have them play it as background music.

    Here is a instrumental that is a little more calming an really sends home the message.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xKM6N1Nj27s

  93. Mike,
    Sorry the spelling mistake, I will try and be a little more careful in the future especially when dealing with a “road” scholar like yourself but I am sure you got the message regardless.

    Below is your quoted comment from an earlier post of yours;
    “Hope you’re enjoying your summer on Hen Island. Don’t let the mosquitos bite…Oh, by the way, were there NO mosquitos on Hen Island when you bought your cottage there?…I’ve been going there since 1977…There have ALWAYS been mosquitos there….Long-timers kinda like them…They dishearten the less hearty. Mike Johnson”

    Maybe if it was your kid that died in your arms from West Nile Virus you might feel a little different about the mosquito infestation that breeds on Hen Island. Pay attention how far they fly. Take a peek at the below video and maybe since you are a “road” Scholar you can tell Mrs. King what words she could use to explain her daughter’s death to the rest of the family. Watch closely to the tears in her eyes as she tells her story, Mr. Scholar.

    http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-3445_162-57464498/waging-a-losing-war-against-mosquitoes/?tag=strip

    “We had to make the decision to take her off the life support,” said King. “And we took her off the life support, she was in my arms. I was holding her as she died.
    “They took her off all of her machines and her hoses in my arms, and they allowed me to help wash her up before they sent her down to the morgue.”
    Kimberly King buried her daughter on the day she would’ve started kindergarten.
    Or maybe Mr. Scholar, you could share some of the posts from this website with your “long timers” buddies like Mayor French. Now there is a guy that protects the health and safety of the public!
    http://www.facebook.com/groups/406191450760/

  94. Ever the sensationalist….huh, Ray….I’m afraid I don’t know Ms. King..Is she from Rye?…Or, Westchester..? I have not heard of any children dying from West Nile Virus in Rye?….It’s sad Ray…People die every day from one thing or another..To try and create an epidemic of fear seems somewhat pathetic on your part…
    Maybe if you paid closer attention in school, instead of “acting out”, as you mentioned in your NY Times article of years back, you wouldn’t need editing in your MyRye posts….Editing the TRUTH in your posts I don’t have enough time for…Mike Johnson

  95. Mike,
    I didn’t expect you to know Mrs. King. And I would bet you she would say the same thing “no one ever died in her home town either”. I did not create this epidemic of fear, just go to the Westchester County Department of Health website and see what they have to say about it. It’s not and epidemic of fear it’s a reality.
    http://health.westchestergov.com/west-nile-virus-/breeding-grounds-for-mosquitoes
    How come I haven’t seen you on the Island in the last ten years? Could you be in one of the high risk canadates? Might that be why you don’t go out there?

    Unfortunately it only takes one bite from the right mosquito. Maybe you can tell that mosquito where she should live. ( Its only the females that bite)

    Here is the bottom line on two issues:

    1.) When people start personally attacking their opponent and it has nothing to do with the issue, it’s because they can’t address the issue. It’s called ad hominem attacks, I am sure you know that word, Mr. scholar.

    2.) It amazes me that residents of Greenhaven and Milton Point along with the entire City of Rye should be exposed to the possibility of contracting West Nile Virus because 33 selfish homeowners on Hen Island don’t want to do what the rest of New York State is required to do by law and that is remove all standing water and maintain their property so as not to encourage mosquito breeding. Why should Hen Island be allowed to store over 33 thousand gallons of water when the rest of the state is not allowed to leave water in bird baths?
    http://healtheharbor.com/gallery/pages/water/water1.html

  96. Ray,
    I’m going to say this for the last time. Mosquitoes do not breed at the bottom of 33 thousand gallons of water. They breed on the surface. The total surface area of water stored on Hen Island is minute compared with tidal pools and other naturally occurring collections of water. Please stop the half-truths.

  97. VOR,
    Did you train your mosquito larvae not to swim to the bottom? I believe what you are referring to is the last stage of the larvae cycle where they have to float on top of the water to dry their wings before the take flight. But you should confirm that with Mike the Scholar.

    You should say it for the last time, because the 33 thousand gallons of water is stored in 375 gallon tanks and horse troughs. It’s you that is telling all the lies and I don’t consider them half truths I call it BS.
    http://healtheharbor.com/gallery/pages/water/water10.html

    How about the 14 fifty five gallon drums in this picture? http://healtheharbor.com/gallery/pages/water/water2.html

    Take a look at this chart and tell me what contains more water the 375 gallon horse troughs and plastic tanks that they use on Hen Island to store water or the pool in this picture?
    http://health.mo.gov/living/healthcondiseases/communicable/westnilevirus/pdf/protect_your_home_eng.pdf

    Hen Island residents are also responsible for filling in the wetlands and creating acres and acres of mosquito breeding pools because they have been piling their leaves and other debris in the high reed areas of the Island for years. Happy 4th!
    http://healtheharbor.com/video/thankyou-Mayor-French.html

  98. Ray…..One of the reasons you have not seen me out on Hen Island “in the past 10 years” is simply because, when I DO GO THERE I go to the annual parties held by Hen Islanders…You are NEVER there…I wonder why…? Oh, maybe it’s because ever since you were voted out as president of the Board and then removed from the Board of Directors entirely, no one will have anything to do with you….
    Your statements would carry more credence if you included yourself as one of the “33 cottage owners”, who keep water in large containers…Where do you get YOUR water ?…..Tell the truth…I know, it may be foreign to you….But, you can do it. Just say, ” I have one of the largest cistern, water-gathering(from the roof of my bird-feces-spattered roof) systems on Hen Island”…That’s the truth…Mike Johnson

  99. Mike,
    It’s nice to know you visit the Island so often, once every year. Maybe that explains why you as a member of the Board of Directors are unwilling to protect the health and safety of residents. Maybe that is why you choose not to eliminate the mosquito infestation, refuse to correct the illegal domestic water collection systems and why you enable the waters of Milton Harbor to be polluted by Islanders. If you never go out there, why should you be concerned about it? I will tell you why, because you are the leader of the selfish people, the ones that don’t care about the rest of the Hen Island residents that would like to correct the problems or the residents of Rye for that matter. You could care less about fixing the problems.

    “Entirely, no one will have anything to do with you”…Now once again here you go with the BS. What you mean to say is that none of the other Islanders that would like to live like animals will have anything to do with me. And why would that be Mike? Because they are perfectly fine living with the mosquitoes and they couldn’t give a rats butt if some child in Greenhaven or Hen Island gets infected with WNV or they could care less if someone gets sick from the bird feces infected water. They are perfectly fine living as they are, polluting the Sound, why because they have been doing it for years. You should have spent the half a million dollars fixing the problems instead of giving it to the lawyers. You could have saved a few hundred thousand and had the problems fixed by now. You are going to have to fix it at some point.

    So I hope this never happens but, sooner or later it will and then maybe that will make you change your tune. Then again you can always blame it on a restaurant or say the kid got bit by a mosquito when he was on vacation. It could never happen on Hen Island or in Greenhaven??????

    BTW, Mike what makes you think I would want to go to a party with a bunch of hillbillies that don’t care much about themselves let alone others? How is my spelling, Mr. Scholar?

  100. Sorry I forgot to include this;

    I have one of the largest cistern, water-gathering(from the roof of my bird-feces-spattered roof) systems on Hen Island” That is the truth!!!
    Problem is Mike, I can’t fix it without your approval from the Board of Directors. If I could, I would, trust me.

  101. Ray….I am no longer a member of the Board of Directors..I am no leader…And, you chose to purchase a cottage on Hen Island several years ago…Did you not know the island was inhabited by “hillbillies” at the time of purchase?…And, do you know how stupid it sounds for you to write such a thing?…You apparently have little regard for “hillbillies” and yet you purchased a cottage so you could live with them..WTF ?…And, don’t be lazy…stop collecting water off your roof…You can change how you supply water to your cottage if you wish…Haul it out in your boat. Be true to your beliefs…Oops…I forgot..you’re really not an environmentalist….Mike Johnson

  102. Mike,
    When I purchased my cottage, never in my wildest dream did I realize that the water systems in use were as dangerous as I later found them out to be. Never in my wildest dream did I realize that when the residents of Hen Island found out they were polluting the Sound that they would want to continue to do so and never in my wildest dream did I ever realize that residents would want to live in a place that breeds life threatening mosquitoes by the millions.

    What I find most amazing is that Steven Otis tried to convince the public that there were no problems on Hen Island and now Doug French is trying to BS the public into believing that he is doing something about it.

    I have nothing against hillbillies. The Beverly Hillbillies was one of my favorite shows as a kid, but as the show points out when you take them out of the hills it can create problems. The TV show used comedy to point that out but as you can see here in Westchester the actions you and your followers would like to continue, jeopardizes the health and safety of the public. It just does not work here in civilized residential communities. Here is a video of how someone who lives in the mountains of West Virginia deals with her sewage. It just does not work in Westchester. But Mayor Doug French is going to allow this in Rye NY.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Ih17XFOkSc

    If that one doesn’t make you sick enough try this one;
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0HkWckwXmC4&feature=autoplay&list=UUnJkQkqBpBs45n4UVU94DTA&playnext=1

  106. Peace on earth good will to men.
    Ray
    We pray you can lay to rest, at least for the season, all that anger and bitterness so tht we all may wish you a Merry and peaceful christmas.
    And with lick a happy new year.

  108. Wouldn’t it be great if the Rye City council could say that they support this? It is mind boggling. What they do support is Scott Pickup. Go figure!!!!

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=1csPD1K1dvg

    ”Around the world, water supplies face relentless threats from industrial waste, agricultural pollution and poor sewage treatment. The battle to protect water purity must be fought not just by national governments but also in every town and village on the planet.

    Even in the U.S., which has some of the toughest environmental laws, safeguarding rivers and reservoirs is a constant struggle. While many companies obey the rules, others still try to use waterways as dumpsites. American environmental-enforcement officials have been bombed, shot, run over and sued while trying to perform their duties.

    But the most demoralizing blows invariably come from their employers: the Governor or commissioner who wants to shield a political contributor or recruit polluters to the state by shutting down environmental enforcement.”
    —-
    “Environmental injustice is morally equivalent to any other form of racism — it has immediate health impacts and in the longer-term destroys the cultures and vitality of our highest risk communities. Above all else, pollution is a human rights violation. We need to make sure that our laws, our enforcement and all of our institutions recognize, understand and eliminate environmental racism.
    The solution to environmental racism remains the same: Better, stronger, environmental enforcement that protects every community and every citizen from pollution.”
    — Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.

  109. Ray your trolls are running wild here on other totally unrelated strings ever since their latest protector pulled the rip cord after his police fraud. Can’t you train them for Jay to hit appropriate stories? They’re as unmannered and dirty here as they are out in their offshore filth haven. Are they suddenly THAT upset their world is going to get remediated?

    In the police fraud matter I was wondering what our Mr. Holmes would like to tell all of us about our city management now that he’s up for 4 years of “vacation” in The Big House?

    Probably exactly what Scott Yandrasavitch has been holding onto to cut his own future DA deal?

    Names, dates, amounts, methodology and who can shut down any public questions.

    Ya know, just like the back-story on Hen Island.

    There may be a “problem” however getting the Westchester DA’s office to leave no stone upturned in pursuit of justice. This article below keeps popping up on searches. I don’t know if it’s factual but I still don’t see any rebuttals. That’s troubling. Especially since the current Rye City Manager has now fingered Kevin Plunkett, Rye former city attorney, as the person who “vetted” Scotty Y’s vaporous, illegal RM Staffing Co. – the Rye Golf Club cut-out, no-bid shell corp used to hire and financially exploit many many undocumented foreign workers. And Mr. Plunkett currently oversees the county health department too, doesn’t he?

    “Plunkett can be seen on almost a daily basis going in and out of Janet DiFiore’s office. Plunkett and Janet are now on the same team. Plunkett was promised a Supreme Court Judgeship position and the endorsement for Westchester D.A. in the event Janet doesn’t survive politically. All Plunkett has to do in Janet’s own words is to “fire that bitch Vasquez and get rid of whatever she was working on. She is dangerous and can bring us all down.””

    http://nycrubberroomreporter.blogspot.com/2012/08/westchester-da-janet-di-fiore-more-bad.html

    What say the French trolls?

  110. One of our resident communists, tedc, has weighed in on how he never met a piece of private property he didn’t want to control. Always disgruntled , always bitter but things really never change especially for people like him.

    Although ,the bright spot of his post was how he proved that LOVE IS BLIND. He didn’t notice that his boyfriend , Mr. FLotie, is the one who brought up Hen Island at 10:29 this morning on a thread that had nothing to do with Hen Island. It doesn’t surprise me much that he totally didn’t see that. Love is blind.

  111. @Jim Amico

    BTW, Since Hen Island doesn’t have any plumbing requirements, it explains why they don’t need a permit to put in a composting toilet. All this info is known to Mr. Flotie, he just pretends he doesn’t know and lies thru his teeth to try and convince the Rye general public that there is a cover up going on out there. There might not be a more unethical charecter in Westchester and Joe Sack follows him around like a little puppy dog.

  112. Doug,
    I know you are the Mayor but that does not entitle you to interpret city codes to fit the BS that you wish the public to believe. The code states residential buildings. A residential building is inclusive of a seasonal dwelling. If the code was written to be exclusive of seasonal dwellings it would state “except all seasonal dwellings. Maybe you should ask your city attorney for an interpretation. On second thought you better ask someone who paid attention in law school, she doesn’t realize what a conflict of interest is, so I doubt she could understand city code.

    Another thought Doug, are you acting out again because the Republican Party wasn’t willing to back you during the upcoming election? Are you pissed because your legacy is going to be “Rye’s most embarrassing Mayor”? Do you hold Mr. Floatie responsible for that? I would if I were you.

  113. Doug,
    Watch the “Council Project” linked below. It was made by Andrew Dapolite. That’s the kid you and Pickup forced to leave Rye TV because he wouldn’t lie for you.
    http://ryeny.swagit.com/play/12062011-82/#1

    All the great Mayors & Councilpersons and then there is you, telling us about sewage codes on Hen Island that don’t make sense.

    Doug French Rye’s most embarrassing Mayor
    Great Legacy!

    Jack A. (Mr. Floatie’s ass-istant)
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZUDT-VsHDN4&NR=1

  114. Picksie Dust & Mayor Mushrooms:
    Even campsites are required to be plumbed according to code. The real code, not some Alice in Wonderland version of the code. Hen Island is a glorified campsite at best.

    Anyway, building permits issued to Hen Island residences say “single family” residence. Seasonal residence is something you’ll find only far up where the sun don’t shine.

    § 157-17
    Toilet facilities.
    No tourist park or camp and no automobile tourist park or camp shall provide toilets, urinals, slop basins, washbasins, showers or baths, but each unit in such park or camp shall be separately equipped with such facilities and so constructed therein that each can be separately connected with the city sewer.
    § 157-18
    Plumbing.
    All plumbing and sanitary installations shall be made in accordance with the Plumbing and Building Codes of the city Editor’s Note: Ch. 68, Building Construction. and any other law, rule, regulation or ordinance of the city applicable thereto.
    § 157-19
    Water supply.
    The only water supply for such park or camp shall be the water supply used by the city at large.

  115. More desparation from Mr. Flotie. Now he’s quoting the code from PUBLIC parks and camp grounds. Spoken like a true commie. Mr. Flotie wants everyone’s private property to be owned by the government. Mr. Flotie hates private property rights, just like Joe Sack and Tedc. Hen Island is private property not a public campground or public park. All one has to do is go to the tax page on http://www.ryeny.gov to see that Hen Island is classified as Seasonal residences NOT single family residences or public campground. There is a difference and Mr. Flotie is WELL AWARE of them. In fact, he knows lawyers have already been over the code hundreds of times and it’s the reason he’s sheet out of luck. The Mayor and the City Manager have nothing to do with the code that applies to Hen Island but Mr. Flotie is going to PUNISH anyone who isn’t willing to use the government to take away Hen Island’s rights to exist as it’s shareholders wish. BTW, Joe Sack and tedc are both on board with all this communist agenda.

  116. Mr. Flotie says:

    “Anyway, building permits issued to Hen Island residences say “single family” residence. Seasonal residence is something you’ll find only far up where the sun don’t shine.”

    All one has to do is go to the Tax link on http://www.ryeny.gov and look up Hen Island’s taxes and you’ll find that the assessors office CLASSIFIES Hen Island as seasonal residences. Just another one of Mr. Flotie’s waterfall of lies. I’ve causght Mr. Flotie in at least 5 lies in the past 24 hrs. How many lies has he told over the past 6 years?

  117. Doug
    I am not sure who Doug & Scott In Fairytale Land is but it’s not me. Keep sling your Sh*t, the only one that believes it is you. Watching all the BS you expect the public to believe at the Council meetings, I expect what you are trying to sell here. Thank goodness you will be gone in January. You could have saved the city a lot of embarrassment if you left after you were exposed on your STAR taxes. Do the City a favor and take Pickup and Wilson with you in January. You will save the new council a lot of time getting rid of them.

  119. Never Learn,

    Not once have I ever given an opinion on City codes as they do or do not pertain to Hen Island!

    Ray nor anyone other living breathing human makes up my mind for me, I voice my opinions on facts, and what I witnessed on that Island isn’t fit for a dog walk, seasonal or yearly it’s disgusting any way you feel like shaking it sir!!!

    I listen to advice from good friends and I choose to follow it or not, not Ray. I blame no one for my Support of Doug French, no one led me in that direction but myself and Doug French. I listened to what he had to say and took him for his word, it was a mistake I will have to live with.
    At least I man enough to put my face and name to my words, I don’t hide from anyone or my mistakes. I owe up & move on, which is why it is not me the public wants to lynch!

  120. Dear You Never Learn:
    Hate to chime in when you are so busy giving Ray an **s kicking, but, in regards to Fairytale Land’s post, I went back to an old folder and pulled one (of many) COs from Hen Island.

    As you will see, the building department did, and does–in fact–issue CO’s for Hen Island cottages as “single family” residences. The proof is in the linking here: http://www.lausdeo10580.com/files/volpe-single-family-co.jpg

    The assessor has no authority to issue CO’s or to determine the occupancy of any building in the city. The bldg dept. does that, just ask the mayor who sent him his numerous violations for the illegal occuoancy of 13 Richard Pl. Wasn’t the assessor.

    Looks like you’re the one who will never learn.

    Now call me and everyone else a bunch of names and enjoy your day.

  122. Mayor French (I Never Learn):

    Nobody is “quoting the code from PUBLIC parks and camp grounds.” Chapter 157 of the code is entitled ‘Sanitary Regulations’.

    Here’s the definition of what a camp is, not that it matters to a dishonest fella like you…

    157-7{3} TOURIST PARK OR CAMP
    Any plot of ground upon which one or more camp cottages or cabins used for or arranged to be used for the accommodation of transients by the day, week or month are located.

    Sounds a lot like Hen Island back in the day (the code was written 1942, which predates the island’s incorporation).

    Hen Island is no longer full of transients, or squatters and it no longer resembles a campsite.

    It has since been sold, privately incorporated and now has a bunch of permanent single family structures.

    Either way you lose, and you never learn.

  123. @lausdeo

    Good question. I’ll answer it with another question.

    How can a Hen Island cottage receive a C/O for a permanent residence when it has no running water, no electricity, no insulation, etc..????

    Is it because the C/O is only for structural because Hen Island is classified as a SEASONAL RESIDENCE in the assessors office or is it because Hen Island are permanent residences??

    Just a little hint. There is no access to Hen Island from Nov 1 to April 1. Nobody on Hen Island can send their kids to Rye schools AND here’s the BIG ONE, the deed of Hen Island only allows it to be used for seasonal use.

    Let me know what you find out.

  124. INL:
    I do not know why a “Hen Island cottage [can] receive a C/O for a permanent–(single family is accurate)–residence when it has no running water, no electricity, no insulation, etc..????

    Except to say… those houses should not have received a COs if they don’t meet code in the first, period. You actually summed up and articulated Mr. Floatie’s argument almost better than he does.

    This is how it works in Rye, your property is supposed to meet Building Code, there is no such thing as an Assessors Code. There is no code for “season structures”–no such thing. This is why your argument is the weaker of the two. It is not factual.

    I researched Ray’s last law suit against Hen Island. The judge clearly stated the Rye City Code was up-to-date and applicable, should they decide to apply it. The reason the judge gave for dismissing the case was because she said did not have the power to make the city enforce their own code. It wasn’t because the law didn’t apply.

    Please don’t make me go get the ruling–that is what it says. The courts cannot make the city enforce their code. That is the responsibility of the city manager and the council.

    Again, this is not my fight, but I don’t mind chiming in with the facts as I know them. Your argument is flawed as is. You need an amendment to the code re-defining the structures on Hen Island, you can’t just re-define reality.

  125. There is no access to Hen Island from Nov 1 to April 1. Nobody on Hen Island can send their kids to Rye schools AND here’s the BIG ONE, the deed of Hen Island only allows it to be used for seasonal use.

    Correction; There is access to hen Island during the winter, I keep a boat in the water all winter for access and I use the Island during the winter as well as a few others who cottages are equipped with heating systems. Although I am not sure about the school guidelines for registration so you may be right on that one, I do now use Hen Island as my voting address. And as to your big one, nowhere in the deed does it state that the Island can only be used for seasonal use. If you think it does, please quote me the section.

    You have been singing these same songs for years with no facts to back them up but you’re BS. If you would like me to send you a copy of the deed I would be happy to do it. Just give me your e-mail address.
    BTW, the deed does specifically mention that residents of Hen Island will not pollute the waters of the Long Island Sound and Milton Harbor. And it does also include a utility easement that no municipality every required a connection to.

  126. A quote from Jay Sears on August 8, 2008 after touring Hen Island.

    “Just a short boat ride from Rye’s “mainland” it seems a world away. It seems like an idyllic place.
    Then you see how most of the 34 homes on the island handle human sewage (they don’t). The septic systems (if you can call them that) are crude at best and in many cases just feet away from the Long Island Sound. One would be hard pressed to believe any of us land lubbers would get away with such creative plumbing anywhere else in the city of Rye.”

  127. @Laus Deo

    You have no idea how the “code” works. There is “code” that applies to Hen Island but it’s mostly STATE code because they are classified as SEASONAL RESIDENCES. Believe it or not, the assessors classification is important. Maybe you should do more research before you make a statement like “You need an amendment to the code re-defining the structures on Hen Island”. They are already defined. Problem is Mr. Flotie doesn’t like the definition.

  128. @Mr. Flotie

    You write:

    “There is access to hen Island during the winter, I keep a boat in the water all winter for access and I use the Island during the winter ”

    Do you wear a 3-cornered hat and stand in the front of the boat and pretend you’re George Washington crossing the frozen Delaware on your way out to Hen Island? The Boat Basin is frozen solid during most of January and February due to the fresh water from Blind Brook laying on top of the salt water in the Boat Basin. What are you trying to prove? Do you use bubblers or do you just let your boat get frozen in? What about if anything happens to you while you’re out there? The police boats aren’t in the water during the winter. You insult Commissioner O’Conner frequently but it looks like even he has more common sense than you do. Just because you keep your boat encased in ice during the winter in the boat basin doesn’t mean there is access to Hen Island. Are you commuting from there? What happens if you get up one morning and you can’t get to the Boat Basin because it’s frozen over? Is your boat an ice breaker or do you use ice skates to cover the last 1/4 mile?

  129. The BOH is to “corrupt” to make any rational decisions in regards to Hen Island but Jay Sears, according to Mr. Flotie, is now the leading expert with regards to building codes and how they relate to Hen Island.

    Mr. FLotie writes:

    “I am not sure about the school guidelines for registration so you may be right on that one”

    Let fill you in on the guidlines. If you don’t own or rent a PERMANENT RESIDENT in Rye, your kids can’t go to school here because you’re not considered a resident of this town. SEASONAL RESIDENTS are not allowed to send their kids to Rye Schools. BTW, I’m sure you don’t get a break on your Boat Basin fee because you’re not a Rye resident. You pay NON-RESIDENT prices like every other Hen Islander who doesn’t actually live in Rye.

    @Laus Deo

    you write:

    “This is how it works in Rye, your property is supposed to meet Building Code, there is no such thing as an Assessors Code.”

    The building code that applies to your “structure” is based on what it is classified as in the Assessors Office. THAT is how it works. Hen Island is classified as SEASONAL RESIDENCES. Since there is NO code in Rye regarding SEASONAL RESIDENCES, the NYS Building Code is used. There are actually towns in NYS that have NO local building codes and use ALL the NYS code.

  130. Ray……What do the Kuder Island Bylaws state about using the island during the “off-season”?….And, do you comply with bylaws by notifying authorities when you go out there during the “off season”?…..I suspect you are well versed on the bylaws, as you were once the president of the board of directors…I’d like you to run for mayor of Rye now that you consider yourself a resident….I’ll look forward to City Council meetings with you heading them……I suspect your term will be short-lived, as it was on the Kuder Island Board….and, likely for the same reasons…..mike johnson

  131. You’ll Never Learn WIll You:

    As a real estate broker for the last decade I feel comfortable with my experience and knowledge of the code and various city agencies relating to housing.

    The assessor is responsible for the valuation of your property, not the occupancy. Sorry, there nothing you can say, no matter how many times you repeat it, to make it true. But, I will concede you are right and I am wrong as not to shatter your false reality.

    For everyone else, here is Chpt 68 of the City code:

    The Building Inspector shall administer and enforce all the provisions of the Uniform Code and the provisions of this chapter, including receiving building permit applications; reviewing plans and specifications; conducting inspections; issuing permits for the erection, alteration, relocation, addition, repair and/or demolition of buildings and structures; issuing certificates of occupancy; collecting fees as set forth by the City Council and maintaining and filing all records necessary for the administration of the office to the satisfaction of the City Council.

    BTW, search results for “seasonal” from city code here: http://ecode360.com/search/RY0730?query=seasonal

  132. Mike,
    I see you are still on that mission to completely ignore all the people from Hen Island that support my efforts, so why don’t you just go away and stop all your BS that Hen Island complies with all building codes;
    http://healtheharbor.com/correspondence.shtml

    “Effective today, I intend to personally begin a disfellowship doctrine. I shall shun you along with others who have contributed their support to your lawsuit….”Others similarly situated” : Claudio and Barbara Iodice, Doug Austrian, Lori DeCaro, Dina Santangelo, Red Pfohl, as well as Martha and Peter Barotz…I don’t expect you will miss my fellowship. As I have been less inclined to visit Hen Island, with all it’s recent turmoil.

    Perhaps others will join in my commitment to completely ignore the people I have mentioned.

    Michael Johnson”

  133. Typical…….Answer the questions, Ray.
    BTW, all the people who support you????….Are you serious?…You are the most reviled person on the island….And, likely in Rye as well…

  134. @Laus Deo writes:

    “The Building Inspector shall administer and enforce all the provisions of the Uniform Code and the provisions of this chapter, including receiving building permit applications; reviewing plans and specifications; conducting inspections; issuing permits for the erection, alteration, relocation, addition, repair and/or demolition of buildings and structures; issuing certificates of occupancy; collecting fees as set forth by the City Council and maintaining and filing all records necessary for the administration of the office to the satisfaction of the City Council. ”

    I agree with all that. Whether the Building Inspector relays the classification to the assessor who includes in your tax records or whether the Assessor does it, the bottom line is your classification ends up in your tax record. It is that tax record which holds the classification info. Based on the classification, certain code applies to your structure. Hen Island is classified as SEASONAL RESIDENCES. Since there is no local SEASONAL RESIDENT code in Rye’s building code the NYS building code is used. That is reality. Not some fantasy.

    According to NYS building code, Hen Island is perfectly legal. Mr. Flotie has lied to Rye for 6 straight years.

  135. It’s amazing how much pain and suffering Mr. Flotie goes thru to get out to an Island which , according to Mr, Flotie , is a hazard to your health. I mean, he’s breaking thru ice in the winter just to get out there. And don’t forget, there are propane tanks floating just below the surface in Milton Harbor since 1992 waiting for a boater to hit them and turn into a mushroom cloud. I guess those tanks must not be so dangerous when they’re cooled down below freezing in the winter. If a boater explodes in Milton Harbor in winter time and nobody is there to hear it, does it actually make a sound?

  136. There are only two types of people that would continue to attempt to protect the Hen Island community. (A community that continues to pollute the waters and increase the threat of West Nile Virus in Rye.)

    Those from Hen Island that would not want to correct the problems and those who support Doug French’s efforts to help protect his Meadow Place friend and neighbor, Ed Volpe who BTW is now a member of the Board of Directors for Hen Island. Volpe did such a great job getting French to help with the cover-up they made him a member of the Board.

    Anyway here is Doug French’s Legacy: Part I
    http://vimeo.com/64093092

  138. Ray Tartaglione writes:

    “Home-made bombs on Hen Island…”

    There is no methane gas in a composting toilet you knucklehead. The composting process doesn’t give off methane gas. If there was a pile of sh*t in that composting toilet without any carbon added then you may be right but since you didn’t mention that composting toilet stinking to high heaven there was no methane gas present. Stop your bullsh*t Ray. You always clear your throat when your lying. Ever notice that? You cleared your throat about 10 times in that video.

  139. Ray,

    So you purposely installed a composting toilet that gives off methane gas incorrectly so it would start a fire or create an explosion? Is that what I’m see here? Since you didn’t need a permit to install a composting toilet, you just went ahead and installed it right next to the hot water heater assuming it was producing methane gas so you would have an ignition source ? That’s f*cked up.

  141. And I forgot PROPANE must not be flammable either in those 6 unpermitted tanks next to the unpermitted hot water heater and the unpermitted electrical system. And for the record I am licensed and take the building codes VERY seriously. But hey, When you get blown clean off the shitter I will be happy to say ” I told you so”

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