Citizens Group Starts Spring Cleaning in East Quogue

Cleaning up the East Quogue community was the theme of Wednesday night’s East Quogue Citizens Advisory Committee meeting as members talked about new changes to the Highway Department’s leaf program, an inventory of the hamlet’s broken utility poles and plans to participate in Southampton’s Great East End Clean-Up this weekend.

Kicking off the evening’s agenda, members voted to send a thank-you letter to Highway Department Superintendent Alex Gregor. In light of recent developments concerning the leaf programs revamping, which includes suspending future leaf pick-up for residents and proposed designated dump sights next fall, the group wanted to thank Gregor for making a decision about the much-beleaguered program.

Joan Hughes, the committee president, said that it took courage for Gregor to make a decision about the controversial program and that now that a decision has been made, residents can move forward.

“I have to say Mr. Gregor’s decision was a brave move,” agreed Vito Gentile, a new member of committee. “I would like to add that when the town came to pick-up my leaves last week, they did a great job. They not only removed the leaf piles, but raked and swept.”

Gentile added that he is concerned for residents that can not afford to have a service clean-up their leaves next fall and that it may prove a hardship for many, but hopes there might be some dispensation offered from the Town.

KUDOS FOR COMBESES

Group members Carol and Rich Combes compiled an extensive list of all the damaged and doubled-up utility poles throughout East Quogue for the towns highway department. The husband and wife team say they spent six hours driving the highways and byways of the hamlet, noting utility poles in need of repair. 

According to Hughes, the town has gotten Verizon to agree to remove hazardous double poles and the Combes team volunteered to identify them.

“We found 33 of them in East Quogue,” Carol Combes said, “and we named thirteen areas where wiring is hanging down.”

SPRING CLEANING

Several members of the committee will meet on Sunday at the East Quogue Village Green to volunteer in Southampton’s . According to Hughes, volunteers will be focusing their efforts along Montauk Highway, cleaning up debris and litter in public areas. Anyone interested in helping with the clean-up efforts should report to the village green at 10 a.m. on Sunday.