Residents demand solution to yearlong dispute over Stony Brook road, Grist Mill Pond repairs
Last August, historic flooding caused massive damage to the infrastructure of Harbor Road and Grist Mill Pond.
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Close to 200 people rallied Saturday, demanding repairs to Stony Brook road and pond badly damaged in last summer’s historic flooding.
"It's been a year, it's way to long for the community to suffer like this," explained one resident.
Last August, historic flooding caused massive damage to the infrastructure of Harbor Road and Grist Mill Pond.
Since then, residents say the Town of Brookhaven and the Ward Melville Heritage Organization have been at odds over who's responsible for the repairing road and restoring the pond.
RELATED: Residents demand damaged Stony Brook road and pond be fixed, 10 months after historic flooding
"We need them to step up," added another resident who attended Saturday's rally.
Many voiced their concerns about what say is a lack of cooperation between the two sides. Both the town and Ward Melville agree something needs to be done to get the road and pond fully restored.
"We need the owner to sign on the dotted line. We will take the entire project between us and Smithtown Village, the Head of the Harbor and the County of Suffolk," says Brookhaven Town Supervisor Dan Panico.
"It's a public road. Why they would think a not-for-profit corporation would fix a public road is beyond me," explained Dr. Richard Rugen, chairman of the board of the Ward Melville Heritage Organization.
