Joe Mondello Blows it Out His Own Dufflebag

Many nervous Lighthouse supporters have raised the specter of State GOP chairman Joseph Mondello, who also runs the Republican Party in Nassau County and the Town of Hempstead. Some were concerned that he was pulling the strings in a covert campaign against the Lighthouse, as evidenced by his telling Lighthouse Project supporter Joe Conte to "blow it out [his] dufflebag" at Kate Murray's re-election rally in May. This capped a string of bizarre behavior by the Chairman, as he, earlier that week, sent paid staffers to Tom Suozzi's rally (which was, in a totally non-provocative move - yea, right - held right outside Republican Party headquarters) to heckle and throw teabags at both the County Executive and Nina Petraro Bastardi, who is now running for office as a Democrat but used to be an officer in the Nassau County Young Republicans.

Mr. Mondello's hold on the State GOP has been tenuous for months, ever since the Republicans lost a majority in the State Senate for the first time in decades last November. Behavior such as this only increased calls for the chairman to step aside in favor of fresh leadership. Mr. Mondello, known as a stubborn and tenacious man, responded by attempting to assert his control ever more strongly on the party. This space has speculated in the past that he would be desperate for a win in the Town of Hempstead in the upcoming elections, because the Town was his first bastion of power and could prove a signal that he is still a formidable force that can win elections. Considering his opening salvo aimed at Joe Conte, and the fact that Jay Jacobs, Nassau Democratic Chairman, was recently tapped to lead the state Democrats, this could have become very ugly.

Mr. Mondello ended the speculation yesterday, announcing that he would not seek re-election to his position at the helm of the state GOP at its convention next month, and he will concentrate on his duties in Nassau County.

What it Means for the Lighthouse

Mr. Mondello's decision to leave his post has raised valid questions surrounding the Lighthouse. Some wonder whether he will soften his stance now that he does not have a prominent job to protect, and others rightly worry he will become even more radical now that state-wide (and national) spotlight is off him.

Personally, I think the former will play out. We have seen prominent Republicans, such as Assemb. Bob Barra (R - Lynbrook, a former Islanders employee) and Assemb. Fred Thiele (R-Bridgehampton), throw their support behind the Lighthouse, not to mention all Republicans in the County Legislature not named Nicolello or Muscarella. Above all else, Joe Mondello looked out of touch when, as other members of the party he supposedly leads were talking about the benefits the Lighthouse will bring, he accused a concerned voter of being a paid plant for the Lighthouse Development Group.

Mr. Mondello has an injured reputation as he is, rightly or not, taking the blame for many of the Republican Party's losses in New York over the previous years. He will likely regroup and lick his wounds now that he does not have to defend his statewide office. As another election draws near, Mr. Mondello will concentrate on local races, such as Legis. Ed Mangano's spirited (though, in my opinion, ultimately doomed) attempt to unseat Tom Suozzi, and he will not concern himself as much with the Lighthouse. Ironically, Kristen McElroy's (remember her?) "I'm Running By Making Myself Invisible" campaign may also help this, as Mr. Mondello will let the Town of Hempstead shake out this process on its own.

(Blogger's Note: I am still working on getting a few interviews with people in the Town of Hempstead to shine some light on what they're thinking right now. Stay tuned)

In addition, various sources have strongly disputed the notion that Kate Murray was ever beholden to Mr. Mondello, and this should marginalize him even further as the Lighthouse process unfolds.

Bottom Line

At this point, I believe Joe Mondello is a non-issue in the ongoing Lighthouse debate. The final hurdle is between the developers and the Town of Hempstead, as they negotiate the Final Environmental Impact Statement and move toward a zoning hearing. As always, we need to be at the ready to show our positive support for this project, and make sure they know we are still here, dufflebags and all.

Please share your thoughts in comments. Petition. Email Me. Follow me on Twitter.

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Moving Out of Public Comments - All For Re-Zoning

A few quick updates before we get into the main event:

Listen to the Preds on the Glass Broadcast

We had a great show last night, as Katrina Doell from the Lighthouse, Dee Karl from Hockeybuzz and the 7th Woman blog, and I guested on the Preds on the Glass radio show. The hosts, Buddy and Jackson Oakes, were first-class, with a level of preparation that puts many mainstream outlets in this area to shame.

We talked Lighthouse and Islanders for a full hour and 20 minutes - click here to listen to the full show.

Thank You Again, Garden City News

In case you missed it, the Garden City News published my letter in response to Christine Mullaney of the Garden City Eastern Property Owners' Association, as well as another letter from a Garden City resident who favors the Lighthouse. It was very gratifying to see that.

It's just as gratifying that I have received emails from Garden City residents who are strongly in favor of the Lighthouse. This is not a community ready to take up arms as one against progress, and it's even more clear that the traditional NIMBY's are not going to win this debate the way they have won too many others here on Long Island.

To the Main Event

For many years, the Lighthouse Process has plodded toward the mandatory Public Comments period of the SEQR (State Environmental Quality Review) process. Public Comments were supposed to be the Big Show for the Lighthouse Project, a time when supporters and opponents would duke it out in a high-profile setting and set the stage for the rest of the negotiations.

As you know, the public hearing occurred two weeks ago, and supporters made up roughly 90% of the audience. Now, as of yesterday, the Public Comment period is officially over, so I am proud to debut the latest graphic:


We are now into the real meat of the process. The public comments have been added to the official record, and all legitimate comments must be discussed and mitigated before we can move forward. According to reports released by the Town of Hempstead, 503 comments in support of the Lighthouse were submitted, with 322 opposed - expect a lot more on this tomorrow or Thursday.

For the Lighthouse, and those who want to see it become reality, the new goal is clear: the re-zoning hearing. I think it would be beneficial to re-visit some of the upcoming steps, like I previously did here, and to discuss what we can expect as the process unfolds.

Next Up: Final Scoping and Final Environmental Impact Statement

(Blogger's Note: I'm using the timeline the Town of Hempstead has shared at previous public hearings)

We are currently in the phase that will lead into preparation of the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS). Unlike the DGEIS, which was prepared solely by the Lighthouse, the FEIS is owned by the Lead Agency, in this case the Town of Hempstead. Therefore, the FEIS is the only document with the legal burden of being both complete and correct; in other words, the Town must adopt the FEIS and certify that the Lighthouse will take all necessary actions to mitigate potentially negative environmental impact from the development.

This is also where the final scope, the details of the project, will be locked-in. Some have said this is where both sides will "meet in the middle," but the cold hard truth is that nobody knows where the middle is. It could be the project as proposed, or it could end up being something else. I don't know, at this point.

After That: Approval of Sub-divisions

After the FEIS is adopted, the Nassau County Planning Commission will approve the exact location of each structure and feature in the Lighthouse. They have been in the loop from the beginning, so I expect this to be a relatively painless step.

Re-Zoning

This is the true Tipping Point, the decision that would pave the way for our Island dream to become reality. The Lighthouse site is not zoned for the mixed-use community that is currently planned, and the Town, which controls zoning, must approve the change before construction can begin.

This will be the biggest hearing of them all, the time when, rather than sharing concerns or talking about abstract concepts like the DGEIS, we will simply be able to discuss whether we think the Lighthouse is a good project for Long Island. An approval of re-zoning paves the way for construction to begin.

What About the Deadline?

Charles Wang has been very clear: if he does not have "certainty" (read: a re-zoning approval) by October 3, the exclusive relationship with Nassau County and the Town of Hempstead will end. This does not mean the Lighthouse is dead, but it does mean that Mr. Wang can entertain other offers for his hockey team while still pursuing a positive outcome on the Lighthouse.

I'm sure, to many readers, this begs the question: given what has to be done, can we meet this deadline?

I think I owe it to all of you to give my honest opinion. We have 6 weeks to finalize the Environmental Impact Statement, get approval from the County, and have a re-zoning approval, when the review of DGEIS took a Town of Hempstead-record 4 1/2 months. I ardently hope something can be worked out by the deadline, but from my perspective, as someone observing the process, it does not look good.

Regardless, we must continue to work toward a positive end for the Lighthouse. As I said last night on Preds on the Glass, we must all work toward the goal of breaking ground next summer, regardless of what happens by October 3. We have helped to bring this process farther along than some thought possible, and we can't quit now.

I have reached out to a few officials at the Town of Hempstead, and I hope to have their take on the next steps in the process up on the blog within the next week.

Bottom Line

We have been through many twists and turns since the Lighthouse Project was officially unveiled to the public 5 years ago (with work beginning over 7 years ago). As recently as May, things looked dire, with negative signals seemingly coming from the Town of Hempstead every day. Recently, the Town has been great, following through on its promise to move the process forward and participating in high-level meetings.

Now, this is where the rubber hits the road. The coming weeks and months will decide the future of the Lighthouse Project and, as a result, the future of Long Island for generations to come.

This is our moment, and we must continue to stand up for the world as it should be, lest we be doomed to accept the world as it is.

Please share your thoughts in comments. Petition. Email Me. Follow me on Twitter.