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AMITYvIlle _____________
HERALD ReCORD
Also serving Amityville, North Amityville, Amity Harbor, Copiague, and East Massapequa
Is there a fire in you?
Babylon’s Congressional Gold Medal honoree
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VOL. 130 NO. 17
Amityville Village budget hearing set Page 11
APRIL 23-29, 2025
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O’Neill becomes Mayor, Amityville trustees and justices also sworn in By CAROLYN JAMES cjames@liherald.com
Christie Leigh Babirad/Herald photos
Supervisor Rich Schaffer talks about renovation of Babylon Central Fire and Rescue Alarm facility.
Town of Babylon unveils hot new fire and rescue dispatch facility By CHRISTIE LEIGH BABIRAD cbabirad@liherald.com
In recognition of National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week, the Town of Babylon last week unveiled its newly renovated Babylon Central Fire and Rescue Alarm Corporation dispatch facility, located in the basement of Town Hall. The project had been in the works for 25 years, according to Babylon Town Supervisor Rich Schaffer. “It has been a long time coming since my first tour of duty when we talked about the need for stability to fund this,” Schaffer said. “This is all in the name of timely responses to protect our residents, and now calls can be dispatched out of here instead of through 911, which cuts off time in an emergency.” Mark Ziegler, former president of Babylon Central Fire Alarm, said the upgrades mark a major step forward. “I’m looking forward to everyone seeing
the whole new radio room,” Ziegler said. “It’s a very large project, and it has brought us up to modern times, making it easier to dispatch calls.” During a tour of the facility, H. James Kenning III, chief of administration at Babylon Central Fire and Rescue Alarm Corporation, described the improvements. The updated space now includes six working consoles and a kitchen area, creating a more comfortable and efficient work environment for dispatchers. Previously, the facility was cramped, with only four consoles and no separate lunch area. Kenning recalled conditions during Superstorm Sandy, when as many as 15 staffers were crowded into the small room. The reconfigured layout now allows for a more open and functional floor plan. “We’re now able to sit six people down answering incoming 911 calls and not worry about that information getting out,” Kenning CONTINUED ON PAGE 2
As a crowd of approximately 200 friends, family members and supporters looked on, newly elected Mayor Michael O’Neill was sworn into office Monday, April 22, during the Village of Amityville’s organizational meeting. Also sworn in were Trustee Owen Brooks, who won reelection, and newly elected Trustee Robert Russo. Both will serve four-year terms. O’Neill also appointed local attorney Adam Ansanelli to fill his now-vacant trustee seat, which expires in 2027. Village Justice Joseph Calabrese, who was reelected, and Associate Justice Colleen Nugent also took the oath of office. Before the swearing-in, outgoing Mayor Dennis Siry delivered a brief but emotional farewell speech, thanking those who supported him during his eight years in office. He paid tribute to the late Marie Garaf-fo, longtime secretary to the Zoning Board of Appeals and assistant to four mayors. During Siry’s tenure, the second floor of Village Hall was named in her honor. “I am very grateful to the Village for having given me this opportunity,” Siry said. He thanked the Beautification Society, Superintendent of Public Works Bruce Hopper, Murdock, and Wendy O’Neill, his assistant and secretary. Siry said his focus over the past eight years was to
leave the Village in a better place than when he took office. “I think we have accomplished that,” he said. Outgoing board member Kevin Smith echoed Siry’s sentiments. “I believe we have left the Village better than it was when we took office, and I am proud of that,” Smith said. O’Neill called the moment bittersweet, acknowledging the absence of Siry and Smith moving forward. “I am humbled by the trust the people of Amityville placed in me,” O’Neill said. “It’s an exciting time in the Village, and I look forward to completing many of the projects we have underway.” He said his choice to appoint Ansanelli came after much thought and discussion. Ansanelli operates a law firm, Ansanelli Law Group, in Amityville and is co-counsel in his father’s law firm, Ansanelli Law, also in the village. He is married and the father of three children. If he chooses to remain on the board, he will have to run in a special election to complete the remainder of O’Neill’s term, and again the following year for a full four-year term. “I was very focused on selecting a younger person committed to the Village and ready to move us to the next level,” O’Neill said. “I’m excited to work with Adam, Rob and Owen.” He added that, like his predecessor, he hopes to leave the Village in a better place than he CONTINUED ON PAGE 2