https://www.brookhavenny.gov/501/District-1

Councilmember Jonathan Kornreich, 1 Independence Hill, Farmingville, NY (2026)

06/10/2026

Save Flowerfield Fairgrounds!

For years, residents, civic leaders, environmental advocates, and local officials have raised serious concerns about the proposal to develop the Flowerfield site in St. James. Those concerns have been hanging over our heads for far too long: traffic on 25A, impacts to the Stony Brook Harbor watershed, stormwater runoff, nitrogen pollution, flooding, and the permanent loss of one of the area’s most important remaining open spaces.

We know all too well that once land like this is paved over and built on, it is gone for good.

Recent signs suggest that public acquisition may finally be within reach. If Suffolk County is prepared to step up and help preserve Flowerfield, that effort deserves strong public support. This would be good news for St. James, Head of the Harbor, Setauket, Stony Brook Harbor, and the larger North Shore community.

I am grateful to the Saint James - Head of the Harbor Neighborhood Preservation Coalition Three Village Civic Association Peconic Land Trust, as well as people like Joseph Bollhofer and Judy Ogden, and the many residents and civic organizations who have worked for years to protect this land. I also appreciate the continued advocacy of Legislator Steve Englebright and County Executive Ed Romaine, who have both recognized the importance of preserving Flowerfield.

Now is the time to finish the job. Flowerfield should be preserved for open space, watershed protection, and future generations. If public acquisition moves forward, we should welcome it, support it, and make sure this land is permanently protected.

06/10/2026

The Town of Brookhaven’s Youth Bureau is hosting the 2026 “Brookhaven’s Got Talent” Poetry Slam and invites students entering grades 7 through 12 next school year to showcase their creativity. This year’s theme, “Celebrating America’s 250th Anniversary,” encourages young writers to reflect on the nation’s history, values, and future through poetry. Submissions may range from a short haiku to a poem of up to 250 words.

Students can apply and submit their work online at brookhavenny.gov/PoetrySlam, and all entries must include a signed parent or guardian consent form. The submission deadline is July 31, 2026. For more information, visit brookhavenny.gov/PoetrySlam or contact the Youth Bureau at 631-451-8011.

06/08/2026

Data Center Update:

I have been writing and talking about my concerns regarding data centers for the past few months because I believe Brookhaven needs to get ahead of this issue before applications start landing on our desks.

Across the country, communities are asking the same questions: how much electricity will these facilities require, how much water will they use for cooling, who pays for grid upgrades, and do local governments have the right rules in place to regulate them properly?

These questions are particularly pertinent to us here in Brookhaven because of the inherently fragile nature of living on an island. On Long Island, our drinking water comes from the aquifer beneath our feet. We do not have a reservoir system to fall back on. If a data center uses our drinking water for cooling, it can have real impacts on our future. Similarly, our electrical generation and distribution system is a finite resource. If a large private user requires major electric upgrades, ordinary ratepayers should not be stuck paying those costs.

That is why I advocated for an 18-month moratorium in Brookhaven, and I am grateful that the Supervisor and Town Board have agreed to take that step. The goal is not to just delay for delay’s sake. It is to give us time to study the issue carefully so that when we press “unpause,” we have a solid framework to protect residents, electric ratepayers, and the aquifer.

This is not about banning technology. Data centers support online shopping, banking, medical records, streaming, cybersecurity, business software, and much more. But modern infrastructure needs modern rules. If these facilities are proposed here, we should know how much power and water they need, how they plan to cool, whether they can use reclaimed or non-potable water, and who pays for infrastructure upgrades.

This issue is also bigger than Brookhaven. The aquifer and electric grid are regional resources shared by residents across the island. Pushing a poorly regulated data center from one town to another does not solve the problem, so we need a regional solution. That's why I am grateful to Assemblywoman Rebecca Kassay for helping carry these concerns to Albany and supporting the State’s similar moratorium bill, now awaiting the Governor’s action. I also want to thank Supervisor Dan Panico, who has been active and engaged on this issue from the beginning.

This is the planning approach the Brookhaven Town Board should take whenever a major new use comes before us: study the impacts, bring the right people into the conversation, and set rules that protect the community over the long term.

06/01/2026

To celebrate New York Invasive Species Awareness Week, the Town is hosting an invasive/native plant walk at West Meadow Beach on June 9 from 11:00 am to 12:00 pm. The walk will be guided by GEI Consultants, who will share information about local ecology, invasive species, and upcoming project plans in the area. If you’d like to attend, please register here: https://liisma.org/event/west-meadow-beach-invasive-species-walk/ or scan the QR code on the flyer.

05/25/2026

Today was an emotional day as I attended Memorial Day ceremonies across our community.

I began the morning at Steven Crowley Park in Terryville, where American Legion Wilson Ritch Post 432 hosted a moving ceremony in memory of Corporal Steven J. Crowley, a Marine from Port Jefferson Station who was killed while serving as a Marine Security Guard at the United States Embassy in Islamabad, Pakistan, on November 21, 1979.

It was especially meaningful to be there with Corporal Crowley’s brother and niece in attendance. Memorial Day can sometimes ask us to hold numbers that are almost too large to carry. More than 1.3 million Americans have died in service to our country. Being at that park, and joined by his family was a reminder that each one of the 1.3 million lost soldiers we mourn today was a special person to someone and that each one represents an empty chair at the table in someone’s home.

I also joined VFW Post 4927 in Port Jefferson Station, where I was moved by spending time with families with multiple generations of service, including enlistees, officers, and members of veterans auxiliaries. Their continued commitment is a reminder that service is often not just an individual calling, but a family legacy.

From there, I attended the Port Jefferson Veterans Monument Park memorial ceremony in Port Jefferson Village, and later joined VFW Post 3054 at Memorial Park in Setauket for a large and well-attended ceremony, followed by food and fellowship back at the post.

At the last stop, I was speaking with my friend David Tracy, who noticed that I had grown quiet as I was processing the events of the day. David is a highly respected United States Marine Corps veteran who served four years, completed two tours of duty in Iraq during the Global War on Terror, and was awarded the Purple Heart for injuries sustained during his first tour. He told me that, in service, they are trained to mourn the death of a comrade and move forward, perhaps allowing time to grieve later.

I will admit that it did not comfort me. It made me even more mindful that the cost of service does not always end when the ceremony ends, or even when the war ends. Many veterans carry the memory of those they lost, the weight of surviving when others did not, and the weight of grief that had to be set aside in order to keep going.

For any veteran, service member, or loved one who is struggling, help is available. The Veterans Crisis Line provides free, confidential support 24/7. Call 988 and press 1, text 838255, or chat online with the Veterans Crisis Line.

Thank you to American Legion Wilson Ritch Post 432, VFW Post 4927 Port Jefferson Station, The Irving Hart Post of the American Legion, Veterans Of Foreign Wars, East Setauket, NY, Post 3054 Inc., American Legion Harbor Post 417, Long Island State Veterans Home, Assemblywoman Rebecca Kassay NYS District 4, Assemblyman Steve Englebright and all the veterans, families, volunteers, scouts, first responders, clergy, and residents who made today’s ceremonies so meaningful.

05/21/2026

As spring flowering bulbs continue to grow and bloom, please help protect these shared efforts by avoiding mowing, line trimming, or cutting back green leaves too early. Allowing the foliage to naturally brown out helps store energy for next year’s flowers. Thank you to Old Town Blooms for creating this helpful flyer to raise awareness.

05/19/2026

I’m so grateful to everyone who came out for the Great Brookhaven Cleanup this past Saturday! Every year, it’s inspiring to see so many residents volunteer their time to help beautify our community and show pride in the place we all call home.
What makes Brookhaven special is that this spirit of community doesn’t just happen on cleanup day, it happens all year long. So many people quietly step up every day to help keep our neighborhoods, parks, and beaches clean, and I truly appreciate all that you do.

A special thank you to the incredible groups I had the opportunity to join this past weekend, as well as those I wasn’t able to visit but know were out there making a difference in our community:
• Port Jefferson Station / Terryville Chamber of Commerce
• Strongs Neck Civic Association
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• Three Village Community Trust

Thank you all for your hard work and dedication to our community.
I am proud of the community I live in!

05/13/2026

We are happy to update you on meaningful progress on the rebuilding of Harbor Road and the restoration of the Mill Pond.
The The Ward Melville Heritage Organization (WMHO), as owner of the property, is now actively leading the engineering and permitting process to restore the dam, the pond, and Harbor Road together, an approach my office has advocated for from the beginning.

As shared at a recent meeting of the Three Village Civic Association by Abigail Choi, multiple engineering studies have already been completed, and construction plans are now underway. Those plans are expected to be completed this summer before being submitted to the DEC Dam Safety Division and other agencies for review.

Funding commitments are also coming together. Governor Hochul has committed $2.75 million, Congressman LaLota has secured $2.5 million in federal support, and the Town of Brookhaven has committed up to $1 million. Assemblywoman Rebecca Kassay NYS District 4 is also seeking funding in this year’s budget. WMHO has already invested substantial resources into the engineering and design process. There is still no confirmed commitment from the Village of Head of the Harbor.

The recent dismissal of the Village of Head of the Harbor’s lawsuit against WMHO also clarified an important point, which is that courts cannot compel a private property owner to reconstruct privately owned infrastructure under these circumstances. That is one reason why the Town of Brookhaven chose not to participate in the litigation. We believed taxpayer resources were better spent advancing engineering, funding coordination, and a workable path toward reconstruction rather than joining Head of the Harbor in pursuing litigation that was unlikely to succeed.

There is still work ahead, including permitting and contractor selection, but for the first time since the collapse there is now a coordinated path forward and active progress toward reconstruction. Additionally, WMHO has created a website with updates so members of the public can have greater access to news about the project.

For further details, please visit https://wmho.org/road-to-recovery-harbor-rd-mill-pond-updates/

05/13/2026

I had a great time attending the opening of the Three Village Farmers & Artisans Market's 12th Season last week! This market is one of the many events that make our community so special. I make it a point to stop by nearly every week during the season to restock on honey, bread and fresh vegetables but more than that, I enjoy getting to know and support our neighbors and small businesses.

A special thank you to the Three Village Historical Society for hosting this beloved market year after year. This isn't an easy task but they always come back with even more variety each year. I am grateful for the vendors who show up week after week to share their craft with us.

The market runs Fridays from may though October and I encourage everyone to come out, shop local and experience what makes Three Village such a wonderful place to live.

05/13/2026

The Town of Brookhaven is updating its Comprehensive Land Use Plan, a blueprint that will help guide future growth, development, and investment across all hamlets while addressing housing, infrastructure, environmental protection, and quality of life.

Our Council District’s Open House will be held tomorrow, May 13 from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM at the New Village Recreation Center, 20 Wireless Road, Centereach.

Residents are encouraged to attend, review the materials, share feedback, and help shape the future of our Town!

For those who cannot attend, please scan the QR code on the flyer below or visit the project website to take the survey or share your ideas directly on the interactive map.

For more information, please visit PlanBrookhaven.com or call my office at 631-451-6963.

Councilmember Jonathan Kornreich

06/10/2026

06/10/2026

06/08/2026

06/01/2026

05/25/2026

05/21/2026

05/19/2026

05/13/2026

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