Marty Buchman spoke to Sarah Anker, the Suffolk County Legislator for the area where the trail is going to be located. She provided some answers to questions that members had asked at the July General meeting.

1. The funding expires August 31st. If there is no shovel in the ground the money goes back to the federal government
2. The county bill is a ONE TIME only commitment of 500,000.  The feds have guaranteed 10,000,000. Hence the trail is 96% federally funded.
3. There will be no annual maintenance budget. maintenance will be done by the parks dept and DOT under existing budgets
4. There is a possibility for private funding but that is a last ditch possibility if the vote fails
5. The trail vote is now a stand-alone vote and no longer part of the bond package.

SBRA members need to remember the names of any “no” votes regardless of the results.