Suffolk Notebook: Deficit Trimmed, Inventors Wanted

Suffolk's financial woes may still be bad, but this week they got just a bit better after Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone announced the county's budget gap has fallen to $300 million, down from earlier estimates of $530 million.

Bellone, according to a Reuters report, attributed the shrinking deficit to many of the cost-cutting plans recently enacted.

Those include the cutting of county positions, a move to make management-level worker contribute to their health plans and doubling red-light camera installations in the county.

Suffolk is also hoping get the county's 10,000 unionized employees to start paying into their health benefits, Deputy County Executive Jon Schneider told the news service.

Is There an Inventor in the House?
Suffolk County is on the hunt for local inventors looking to create the next must-have thing. The Suffolk County Inventors and Entrepreneurs Club will dedicate its entire July 17 meeting to showcasing these local inventions.

The county said past showcases have ended up with local inventors being featured on the Home Shopping Network and other national venues.

The event takes place at the H. Lee Dennison Building in Hauppauge at 7 p.m. Call 631-853-4805 or e-mail lisaann.broughton@suffolkcountyny.gov for more information.

What Do You Do If Your Child Goes Missing?
On Monday “Operation Safe Child” will kick off at the North Shore Public Library. It's a joint Brookhaven and Suffolk program that teaches parents what they need to do if their children ever go missing.

Officers from the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office will be at the event to photograph and fingerprint children, to be submitted to the New York State Department of Criminal Justice Services if ever an alert needs to be issued for a missing kid.

The event runs from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

County Gets New Real Estate Head
County Executive Bellone this week tapped Director of Community Development and Affordable Housing Jill Rosen-Nikoloff to lead Suffolk's Real Property division, and will be responsible for planning, land valuation and development affordable housing in partnership with several municipalities and developers.

The county executive said the move also saves money (see the aforementioned top item in this notebook) since Rosen-Nikoloff will hold both positions formerly held by two separate managers.