More than 1,000 local business people, community leaders, government officials and area residents are expected to attend this year’s Long Island Smart Growth Summit on Friday, the event’s largest post-pandemic crowd.
Organized by Vision Long Island, the 22nd annual Smart Growth Summit will be held at the Crest Hollow Country Club in Woodbury and will feature 20 workshops and about 130 speakers discussing topics related to housing redevelopment, pedestrian safety, downtown revitalization and infrastructure investment.
Fifteen leaders of Long Island municipalities will join the summit’s State of the Towns and Villages Panel, including Brookhaven Supervisor-Elect Dan Panico, Smithtown Supervisor Ed Wehrheim, Babylon Supervisor Rich Schaffer, Islip Supervisor Angie Carpenter, Hempstead Supervisor Don Clavin, Oyster Bay Supervisor Joseph Saladino, Huntington Supervisor Ed Smyth, North Hempstead Supervisor Jen DeSena, Southampton Supervisor Jay Schneiderman, Village of Hempstead Mayor Waylyn Hobbs, Village of Mineola Mayor Paul Periera, Village of Farmingdale Mayor Ralph Ekstrand, Village of Amityville Mayor Dennis Siry, Village of Lindenhurst Mayor Mike Lavorata and City of Glen Cove Mayor Pamela Panzenback.
This year’s event will also feature a luncheon session with a keynote speech from incoming Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine who will provide a preview of top priorities in his administration as they relate to infrastructure, planning and getting resources from Albany and Washington. New York State Secretary of State Robert Rodriguez will provide an update from Albany on the state’s handling of grants and resources to local communities. State Senators Kevin Thomas, Monica Martinez and Jack Martins will provide a preview of next year’s Albany legislative session. Suffolk County Presiding Officer Kevin McCaffrey will cover the county legislature’s efforts to advance pedestrian safety and assist Main Street businesses.
The Long Island Main Street Alliance will have members from dozens of downtown communities to build support for local redevelopment and more than a dozen representatives from local communities will provide an update on their upcoming plans.
Panel discussion topics will include transportation, clean energy and water infrastructure, pedestrian safety, human service needs, racial disparities, securing grants for the promotion of downtowns, affordable housing, transit-oriented development, commercial development and regional economic development projects.
Another session at the event is the Long Island Youth Summit, incorporating students from St. Joseph’s University, SUNY Old Westbury, Hofstra University, Farmingdale State and local high schools, which aims to bring young people into the planning process of their communities including workforce training to navigate potential jobs.
“The process of bringing together divisions in public life starts with focused listening, taking the time for dialogue and pulling together resources to address the needs of local communities,” Eric Alexander, director of Vision Long Island and founder of the Long Island Main Street Alliance, said in a written statement . “This year’s Smart Growth Summit comes at a time when middle-class, working-class and lower-income folks are experiencing economic pain. The opportunity from the power of local leaders pulling together can lift up our communities.”
The Long Island Smart Growth Summit runs from 8 a.m. through 4 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 1.
Image and article originally from libn.com. Read the original article here.