December 12, 2019 A Note from Trustee Kathianne Snaden:

As liaison to public safety, I created a public safety task force and our first order of business was to address the issues at the train station uptown, more specifically, those arising in the vicinity of Pax Christi.

The community’s complaints including the breaking of curfew, sales of drugs from the premises and the stragglers turned away and left to become the problems in our neighborhood, were all addressed. I felt the best way to go about this was to educate myself and the task force on exactly what Pax does and how they do what they do for those in need. After meeting with the director of the facility, and numerous meetings with Valerie Cartwright, Kara Hahn, Suffolk County Police Commissioner and COPE officers, Director of Suffolk County Department of Social Services and other related parties, we recently toured the building and learned about the protocol and mission of the shelter. It was very eye opening and we learned a lot. Pax Christi does an incredible amount of good for those less fortunate in our community.

Immediate issues that will be addressed are to extend the fencing along the west side of the Pax Christi property as well as the possibility of changing and raising the fencing along the south side that faces the train platform. In addition, we discussed how to have better communication between Pax and our Code Department when people don’t meet the facility’s requirements for an overnight stay and are turned away. We feel that the best way to have a better working relationship with Pax is through education and communication. I am very happy with the progress that we have made thus far and will continue to nurture the positive and cooperative relationship moving forward.

Kathianne Snaden
Trustee