April 22nd, 2021 – Islip Town Supervisor Angie Carpenter presented her annual State of the Town address Wednesday, praising town employees and residents for coming together and showing their strength and resolve during the COVID-19 pandemic. The 30-minute speech opened with a moment of silence paying tribute to the memory of the lives lost during the pandemic, and to frontline and healthcare workers for their sacrifices.
Supervisor Carpenter applauded the members of the Town Board, commissioners, department heads, and employees across all divisions, for quickly adapting to a state-mandated work-from-home order, while keeping local government operational. “Everyone, at every level has had to adapt. And while in the midst of those adaptations, this Town still faced, like all municipalities did, the very real obligation to fulfill its normal responsibilities, in addition to new ones,” said Supervisor Carpenter. “Some things had to be put on hold. Some things had to be changed due to the very nature of the health crisis and the limitations it presented. But we still had a job to do here in Islip. And by and large we did that job,” she said.
WATCH NOW: Town Supervisor Angie Carpenter's 2021 State of the Town Address
Keeping the public informed of breaking news and accurate information was essential throughout the pandemic, often through the use of the Town’s coronavirus homepage, which offered informative links to CDC, New York State and Suffolk County. The Town webpage outperformed every other Town page created in 2020 more than 10-fold, receiving over 100,000 hits. “As uncertainties surrounding the coronavirus arose, we immediately took steps to inform and guide our residents in English and in Spanish, when social media and competing sources sometimes added only confusion. Throughout the pandemic, we’ve updated you on breaking COVID news and information, Town-wide programs, mental health resources, as well as tools for reopening, the road to recovery, and now vaccine eligibility,” said the Supervisor.
The Supervisor addressed head-on, a recent lawsuit brought against the Town that resulted in the creation of four separate court-mandated councilmanic districts, including—a district that encompasses the hamlet of Brentwood and representing the Hispanic community. While this clearly signifies a major change in Town government, the Supervisor said her role and that of the members of the Town Board, remains exactly the same.
“I always have and always will, continue to represent all residents in the Town of Islip,” said Carpenter. “Our Town Board members, who will ultimately be elected by the residents in their town Councilmanic Districts, will always work with the best interests of the Town as a whole in mind. I want to reassure you that I, along with my colleagues on the Town Board, are listening…we respect your opinion and we want your input,” she said.
Noting the importance of the small business community to the local economy, the Supervisor said the Town will continue to look for ways to provide assistance where it is needed, citing the success of the Town’s recent Industrial Development Agency COVID-19 Emergency Grant and Loan Program established in July, 2020, after the State lifted the restriction on IDA’s from providing grants and loans to small businesses.
The agency allocated $250,000 to the program. Small businesses in Islip could apply for grants not exceeding $10,000, to use for the expenditure of personal protective equipment (PPE) or supplies. The agency has awarded all of the $250,000 to 48 different companies. The types of businesses range from dental offices and fitness centers to restaurants and retail establishments.
Likewise, the Town’s Community Development Agency recently announced the Emergency Rental Assistance Program, with 8.79 million dollars available to residents, to help pay overdue rent and utility costs. Residents and landlords can apply for up to 12 months of assistance at islipcda.org. Assistance will also be available for homeowners through the CDA’s Emergency Mortgage Assistance Program, set to launch by the end of this month. With 2 million dollars available to mortgage holders, homeowners can apply for up to 3 months of assistance at a time when every bit matters.
“This pandemic has taken too much from all of us, and we will continue to look for ways to explore new partnerships, and identify new opportunities to prevent it from taking anything more,” said Supervisor Carpenter. “We must be steadfast and remain vigilant to see each other through to the other side of this difficult time in our nation’s history. We’ve faced challenges and obstacles…and by working together, we’ve proven that we can overcome them. We’ve had to adapt. We’ve faced change. And faced the new challenges change brings. But change can also bring new opportunities,” she said.
“Since March 1 of 2015, I have been truly honored to be the Supervisor of our great Town of Islip—the third largest town in the State of New York. And I thank you for trusting in me as we’ve banded together through a most difficult year. With the partnership of my fellow Town Board members; the hard work of all of our professional and caring commissioners; and with the participation and support of our Town residents, we will continue to accomplish great things for our great Town of Islip. Together . . . 6 feet apart and with a mask on for now. . . but forward together nonetheless,” she said.
“So please, continue to practice common sense safety protocols, keep social distancing, wash your hands, wear those masks . . . and go out there and get your vaccine! Thank you, please be safe, and may God bless our Town,” concluded Supervisor Carpenter.
