Frank P. Petrone
Frank P. Petrone's almost 16-year tenure as Huntington Town Supervisor has been marked by sound fiscal management, community redevelopment, innovative economic and housing initiatives, dedication to preserving the environment and open space and major capital projects that further enhance the Town's outstanding quality of life.
Huntington maintains the highest bond rating of any municipality on Long Island and uses one of the smallest percentages of its budget to pay off debt. The Town's fiscal and accounting practices consistently merit a Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting by the Government Finance Officers Association. As the Town's chief fiscal officer, Supervisor Petrone has ensured that budgets are balanced and tax rates remain stable.
Supervisor Petrone sponsored three major bond acts that created a fund to purchase open space, upgrade Town parks and implement neighborhood improvements. The third bond act also includes funding for "green" initiatives. He spearheaded an innovative program allowing the transfer of density flow rights to preserve environmentally sensitive land while promoting economic development. Supervisor Petrone initiated a partnership with Suffolk County to share the cost of development rights to preserve farmland. He directed the upgrade of the Town's wastewater treatment plant to maintain and protect water quality in Huntington Harbor and Long Island Sound. The $18 million upgrade reduced nitrogen discharge by 90 percent and was awarded the American Council of Engineering Companies' Platinum Award.
To help provide affordable housing in the Town, Supervisor Petrone sponsored the creation of an Affordable Housing Trust Fund with contributions required from developers; initiated a Take Back the Blocks program that purchases and rehabilitates local eyesores and sells them to qualified residents; was instrumental in the creations of hundreds of rental and ownership units for working families and senior citizens; implemented programs that provide down payment assistance to help low- and moderate income first-time buyers purchase homes; and began a program of low-interest loans to help homeowners create legal "affordable" accessory apartments
He has led the effort to enhance and expand programs and activities for senior citizens and children, which resulted in Huntington being named one of the 100 best communities for young people by America's Promise Alliance in 2008. He sponsored a successful Gang Summit that brought together local school districts and led to the implementation of the communities and Schools Together (CAST) program. He sponsored legislation to provide more childcare for working families, provided funding to launch a comprehensive revitalization of Huntington Station, and implemented an aggressive economic development plan to attract new companies and hundreds of jobs to Huntington.
Supervisor Petrone has been a leader in the development of the Route 110 corridor as Long Island's commercial center and was instrumental in convincing companies such as Canon USA and Leviton to relocate their headquarters to Melville. He prioritized shovel-ready stimulative projects and developed green building legislation.
Supervisor Petrone initiated and oversaw a major revision to the Town's master plan that established the concept of Hamlet Zones to allow development appropriate to each geographic focal area.
As a former regional director for the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Supervisor Petrone has brought his emergency operations expertise to the Town, directing and implementing a major upgrade of the Town's Emergency Operations Center to state-of-the-art standards. The Supervisor has also been chosen by U.S. Congressman Steve Israel to Co-Chair his Congressional Hurricane Preparedness Group and has been a featured speaker at a special Hurricane Preparedness seminar at Dowling College.
Supervisor Petrone was first elected to a four-year term as Supervisor in 1993. He was re-elected in 1997, 2001 and 2005.
Prior to becoming Supervisor, Mr. Petrone worked for more than 18 years in public service. Past positions include Assistant Suffolk County Executive under three administrations, Director of Environmental Control for the Town of Huntington, Chief of Staff to the Suffolk County Legislature, and most notably as Regional Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). As Region II Director of FEMA, Mr. Petrone was instrumental in developing FEMA's Hurricane Preparedness Program and guided federal policy on disaster mitigation plans. During Hurricane Gloria, Mr. Petrone managed the response and recovery plan for FEMA on Long Island.
The Supervisor holds two Master's Degrees, an M.A. in Higher Education Administration from the University of Denver, and a M.P.A. in Public Administration/Policy from Long Island University. In addition, he holds a B.S. from SUNY Albany, an A.A.S. from Staten Island Community College, and an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from Five Towns College.
The Supervisor has two grown children. He and his wife, Patricia, reside in Commack.
Here is a detailed outline of some of Frank Petrone's key accomplishments as Huntington Supervisor:
Financial
- Delivered 15 consecutive balanced budgets and reduced property taxes on the average home in Huntington from a high of $840 to the present average of $784.
- Significantly reduced debt service, which once consumed 24 cents of every dollar that Huntington received in tax revenue, and now uses only 7 cents of each dollar, thus saving the Town millions in interest costs.
- Brought the Town from one of the worst bond ratings on Long Island to the best.
- Cut capital spending while at the same time increasing the Town's capital program utilizing reserve accounts containing funds that had been set aside.
- Instituted a "pay-as-you-go" philosophy to cut borrowing and cut interest costs.
- Sponsored legislation to offer the maximum tax exemptions allowable under the law for Huntington's seniors, our Firefighters and Ambulance workers, and our Veterans.
- Initiated a process to allow School Districts and other Municipalities to buy off Huntington Town contracts, thus creating economies of scale for all and saving taxpayer money.
- Organized opposition to MTA payroll tax, including forming a task force of school districts, library districts and fire districts to seek repeal of tax as it applies to public payrolls.
Environment
- Sponsored three bond acts to purchase and preserve open spaces and rehabilitate Town parks, playgrounds and beaches. Since 1998, the Town of Huntington has preserved more than 235 acres of environmentally sensitive lands throughout Huntington.
- Sponsored a program allowing the transfer of density flow rights from environmentally sensitive land to properties more appropriate for development.
- Implemented numerous programs to reduce storm water runoff; improve water quality; restore wetlands; and upgrade the Town's sewage treatment facility.
- Spearheaded efforts that produced a Local Waterfront Revitalization Program (LWRP) for the Huntington Harbor area.
- Sponsored the resolution in which the Town adopted the United States Conference of Mayors Climate Protection Agreement. As part of this agreement, the Town committed to measures that will increase the fuel efficiency of town fleet vehicles, promote transportation options such as car-pooling and public transit, set reduction targets for reducing global emissions in Town operations and adopt and enforce land-use policies that reduce sprawl and preserve open space.
- Sponsored a resolution to hire a Chief Sustainability Officer to ensure that Town policies and procedures meet green energy goals, including completion of a town-wide energy master plan.
- Increased the Town's fleet of hybrid and alternative fuel vehicles, engineered Town participation in nationwide test that added six Mini-E plug in electric vehicles and led move requiring contract garbage carters to operate their fleets on compressed natural gas.
- Oversaw completion and adoption of a new Master Plan that conforms to Smart Growth principles.
- Sponsored legislation to allow businesses in certain Industrial Areas to increase both density and height, if they construct a building, which attains a Silver certified rating under the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Commercial Green Building Rating System or other LEED Rating System approved by the U. S. Green Building Council.
- Obtained Federal "no-discharge" status for the Greater Huntington-Northport Bay Complex.
- Sponsored legislation ordering a phase-out of pesticide use on the Town's two golf courses.
- Expanded Town's recycling program.
- Received a $50,000 grant from the Long Island Power Authority to develop a study to identify bacterial loading resulting from storm water runoff.
- Opposed the construction of Broadwater.
Economic Development
- Formed and chaired the Route 110 Partnership to attract businesses to and promote economic development in the Route 110 corridor.
- Worked with Canon on the construction of its North American headquarters in Melville and with Leviton on the relocation of its headquarters to Melville
- Spearheaded the reconstruction of Walt Whitman Road, a $7 million project that is funded with Federal, State and local monies, and which will provide a total upgrading for this artery that is the downtown of the Melville area.
- Initiated plans for a small business incubator in Huntington Station
- Formed the Huntington Economic Development Corp. to spearhead redevelopment projects throughout the Town, with an initial focus on the Huntington Station area.
- Sponsored legislation requiring that all Town public works projects and all construction projects of over 100,000 square feet be built by a contractor who has an approved Apprenticeship Program.
Quality of Life
- Led the effort to update Huntington's Master Plan, which began with a series of Visioning Sessions to obtain input from our residents and culminated in the adoption of the Horizon 20/20 Plan by the Town Board in 2008
- Spearheaded efforts to revitalize Huntington Station.
- Sponsored legislation to provide funding for new Streetscaping along Route 110 in Huntington Station, including antique lighting fixtures and brick sidewalks to restore the original look of the Huntington Station Community.
- Re-instituted the hanging flower basket program in Huntington village and initiated similar programs in the Huntington Station and East Northport areas.
- Originated the "Take Back the Blocks" program, which purchased houses from absentee landlords, rehabilitates or replaces them and sells them to resident owners meeting income qualifications.
- Obtained $1.5 million Restore NY Communities grant for Columbia Street redevelopment and sought $1.2 million Restore NY Communities grand to demolish Tilden Brakes building in Huntington Station and replace it with a mixed-use, retail-residential complex.
- Initiated the "American Dream" program, providing down payment assistance to low- and moderate-income Town residents, helping young, first time home buyers.
- Purchased the former Solid Rock Ministries Building on New York Avenue, north of the Village and the Rose and Thistle property on New and Green Streets to provide 143 additional parking spaces in Huntington Village.
- Reconstructed and expanded the parking lot at the Cold Spring Harbor Long Island Rail Road Station, adding 71 spaces.
- Fought and defeated proposed train storage and cleaning facility in Greenlawn.
- Led efforts to transform blighted corner in Centerport into a passive, waterfront park.
- Sponsored legislation tightening the Town's Housing Codes to prevent the proliferation of sub-standard housing and assist the Town in prosecuting absentee landlords.
- Worked to strengthen the Town Code to prevent the sale of drug paraphernalia within Huntington and initiated a court action allowing the Suffolk County Police and Town investigators to seize merchandise that was being purchased for drug use.
- Increased penalties for repeat violators of the Town Code.
- Initiated a Universal Design program, providing incentives to builders who provide Universal Design building principles, such as zero step entry, 34 inch doorways, and adaptable bathrooms in residential construction, additions or modifications.
- Provided funding to rehabilitate and enhance playgrounds, parks, and ball fields.
- Instituted a program to place Heart Defibrillators in Town Buildings and Parks to assist victims of sudden cardiac arrest.
- Provided funding to restore and enhance Crab Meadow Golf Course. .
- Entered into an Agreement with the Urban League of Long Island to allow Huntington's Seniors to participate in a Senior Community Employment Program.
- Sponsored Anti-Gang Summit, bringing together School Districts and not for profits, leading to the formation of the Anti-Gang Task Force and the Communities and Schools Together Program (CAST).
- Worked with the Suffolk County Center on Holocaust, Diversity and Human Understanding to bring the "Embracing our Differences" Exhibit to Heckscher Park.