On behalf of the nearly 400 people who signed the petition to the Town of Huntington, as well as for the many others who for one reason or another could not do so, I want to take this opportunity to publicly thank Town of Huntington Supervisor Frank Petrone, and his staff, for their principled and sincere effort to turn the water on in Cold Spring Harbor. There are always situations where elected officials must make a choice, and in this instance, the Town of Huntington's Supervisor and council members made the correct one.

This is a decision that truly affects hundreds if not thousands of people, many who travel miles to partake of this water. The wells in the area go back in history to days before any of the early explorers arrived here in the New World, and they are part of the culture and fabric of the Cold Spring Harbor communtiy. These wells are not only a part of our history, but they are part of the beauty of Long Island. Instead of being turned off, they should be protected. Our hope is that the future of the wells will be safeguarded for the benefit of everyone.

Thanks also goes to everyone who joined together to restore access to the wells. Some signed the petition, others came to the rally, some showed up at town hall to let their elected officials know how they felt, and those in the media brought the issue to the attention of all the citizens. How appropriate that on the Fourth of July weekend, the people and the officials to whom we have entrusted our government could come together. This is a small but significant victory for all of the blessings we as Americans hold dear.

Happy Fourth of July, and thank you very much, each and everyone of you.

Joe Oliva
Christina Oliva
Phil Asaph
Hank Dam
Michael Harvey
Dave Kandell
Turn On The Water Committee