Dear Neighbor: 

As many may know, I was raised in a family that was deeply involved in politics and government. My father, Donald DeRiggi, served as the Mayor of Glen Cove, a Commissioner of Finance, a City Councilman and a County Court judge before he retired.

He taught us it was a privilege to be a public servant, and that, though governance may be contentious, it was important to do so fairly and in the best interest of the people, regardless of political affiliation. This has made the last three and a half years of Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman quite jarring.

His administration has erected countless roadblocks to shield itself from scrutiny – so much so that my colleagues Scott Davis and Debra Mulé were forced to sue the County Executive to secure information about his “armed militia”.

Similarly, his administration has refused to say how the future life of Nassau University Medical Center (NUMC) would be protected. This regionally significant hospital is an essential safety net for the community and must not be neglected. To get any answers, we have had to resort to the Freedom of Information Act. Soon after, the hospital’s leadership was accused of taking advantage of the public - allegedly to the tune of millions of dollars.

One would think that County Executive Blakeman would condemn such damaging behavior from his appointees – but his silence has spoken volumes and sent a clear message that he has little interest in fair, equitable and responsive government.

We are continuing to fight for fairness in the distribution of Community Revitalization Program (CRP) grants, where Blakeman has made his partisan bias obvious. To date, districts represented by Republicans have had a staggering 50 grant requests approved. Districts served by Democratic members have received zero approvals through the normal legislative process, and more than 30 Democratic CRPs remain caught in the blockade. Specific to District 11, this includes $350,000 to improve Pascucci Field in Glen Cove, $275,000 for an all-ability playground in Port Washington, $110,000 to upgrade Maccarone Stadium in Glen Cove and $100,000 for a local history center at the Port Washington Library. These funds are not being held up on their merits. Rather, they’re being held up over partisan politics.

During my two decades as a public servant and elected official, I have learned that effective leaders, regardless of political affiliation, must not operate in secrecy. They must not demand political allegiance - and they must not unilaterally shut out opposition voices. To operate in a purely partisan manner, as the Blakeman administration has for the last three and a half years, betrays the spirit of community service and our duty to fight for the greater good of the people – all of the people.

Sincerely,

Delia DeRiggi-Whitton, Nassau County Legislature Minority Leader

Nassau County’s Department of Public Works (DPW) is moving forward with planning for the forthcoming Shore Road streetscape, flood mitigation and traffic calming initiative for Glen Cove, Glenwood Landing and Sea Cliff - a project for which Minority Leader Deriggi-Whitton has secured $14.6 million in capital funding to support.

DPW officials confirmed that they are in the process of obtaining approvals to begin surveys for the project, which spans a length of 3.3 miles encompassing Shore Road, Prospect Avenue, Cliff Way and the Boulevard in Glen Cove (0.70 miles) Glenwood Landing (0.92 miles) and Sea Cliff (1.7 miles).

Flood mitigation and drainage improvements are the top priority, and the revised plans call for two new outflow pipes and the modernization and optimization of drainage infrastructure near Scudders Pond near Tappan Beach, as well as improvements on Shore Road near 14 The Boulevard, and a full replacement of an outflow pipe on Shore Road in the vicinity of 158 The Boulevard.

Once flooding is addressed, the focus will shift toward traffic improvements. Plans call for rebuilding signals on Shore Road at Glenwood Road, Prospect Avenue at the Tappen Beach entrance, and Prospect Avenue at Littleworth Lane; and a full reconstruction of the intersection of Prospect Avenue at Littleworth Lane. Speed awareness devices will be added throughout the route as part of an overall traffic calming strategy that includes roadway reconstruction and resurfacing, ADA curb ramp and sidewalk improvements, and streetscaping and beautification along the project’s northernmost limits.

Although Nassau County has accrued more than $98 million in proceeds from various settlements with opioid manufacturers, retailers and distributors, County Executive Blakeman has gotten just 9 percent of those funds to agencies that provide prevention, treatment and recovery resources.

After years of delays, the County Legislature recently created a method for providers to submit applications; and authorized a maximum allocation of $1 million to bring in an outside firm to get the program on the right track at long last.

As part of the contract with the County, the portal operator presented an initial report at the end of June outlining the current state of the opioid fund. While initial details were thin, the report made it clear: The Blakeman administration desperately needs to accelerate the release of funds to life-saving agencies on the front lines and implement bold strategies, such as expanding Nassau University Medical Center’s inpatient detox and rehabilitation wards, to make a positive impact upon the ongoing opioid crisis.

As part of those efforts, Minority Leader DeRiggi-Whitton partnered with Nassau County’s Department of Human Services and Corinne Kaufman, who lost her granddaughter, Paige Gibbons, to fentanyl poisoning, to host a Narcan training workshop at Glen Cove High School for graduating seniors.

“I regularly hear from families pleading for help, desperate for action. While we cannot undo the pain already inflicted, we can demand accountability,” Minority Leader DeRiggi-Whitton said. “Every life we lose to opioid addiction is one too many, and I will continue to closely monitor these funds and ensure they are used in a serious and impactful manner.”

Disaster Prep Workshop in Glen Head

After a successful emergency preparedness workshop at the Sea Cliff Fire Department that drew nearly 100 participants, Delia and New York State are partnering to host a second workshop at American Legion Post 336 in Glenwood Landing at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 1.

Participants will learn how to create a family plan for any type of natural or man-made disaster, respond accordingly, and recover as quickly as possible to pre-disaster conditions. Each family will receive a free Citizen Preparedness Corps Response Starter Kit filled with essentials.

RSVPs are required and these workshops fill fast - so please scan the QR code or register at www.prepare.ny.gov!

“Mammovan” Coming to Glen Cove

Delia is partnering with NuHealth to bring the breast cancer screening van to the Littig House Community Center in Port Washington on Saturday, Sept. 27 and the Charles Evans Center in Glen Cove on Thursday, Oct. 9!

Free mammograms will be made available to women over the age of 40. Appointments include a breast exam from a nurse, a mammography, and self-examination instructions.

Appointments are required, and mammograms are free for uninsured women based on eligibility. Contact Delia’s office at (516) 571-6211 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to RSVP while supplies last!

Get “H.E.L.P.” From The Experts With Filing For Your Tax Exemptions

Join us at an upcoming Homeowner Exemption Liaison Program (H.E.L.P.) seminar for individualized assistance from Department of Assessment staff! Whether you’re filing for the first time or renewing, it’s an easy and convenient way to submit your application.

Wednesday, 9/24 - SEA CLIFF VILLAGE HALL - 300 Sea Cliff Avenue, Sea Cliff 11579

Wednesday, 10/22 - PORT WASH. LIBRARY - 1 Library Drive, Port Washington 11050

All workshops noon - 2 p.m. - please arrive no later than 1:30 p.m.

Dear Neighbor: 

As the leader of Nassau County’s Democratic Legislative delegation, I am so proud to lead a team that stands together to fight for our constituents and work as one in the pursuit of good government.

Prior to April 23, the administration of County Executive Bruce Blakeman had been blocking over $1.3 million in grant funding for first responders in Democratic districts. Meanwhile, he approved 34 projects, totaling $2.5 million, for Republican-backed projects - just like the ones we have proposed. You read that correctly - 34 to nothing.

The political bias was blatant, and we as a caucus made a decision to confront the County Executive and demand that he fund our first responders. We achieved this by leveraging our vote for the capital plan - which requires a 13-member supermajority. A month later, after drawing our line in the sand, we secured those grants and passed the Fiscal Year 2025 capital plan, which delivers vital infrastructure investments across our County.

This was a major victory, but the work of holding this administration accountable continues. My colleagues on the Public Safety committee are persisting in their legal demand for the dissolution of the County Executive’s reckless and unlawful armed militia - and long-overdue transparency and clarity as to how we got here in the first place.

We are also keenly focused on combating the opioid drug crisis and pushing the County Executive to end his years of delays in the release of opioid lawsuit settlement funds to agencies that are providing key prevention, treatment and recovery resources. Responding to the administration’s dismal performance thus far - of nearly $100 million received, just $5.3 million has been spent - the Legislature approved hiring an outside firm to administer a grant portal that will aid in delivering these life-saving resources more expeditiously. It is imperative that we turn this program around and get this money doing what it should have been doing all along - helping people on the road to long-term, sustainable recovery from addiction and substance abuse.

In these challenging times for the world and our nation, I frequently look for the good and draw inspiration from people who are making a difference - and I won’t stop fighting to make Nassau County a better place for all of us.

Sincerely,
Delia DeRiggi-Whitton, Minority Leader
Nassau County Legislature, District 11

Delia is thrilled to report that $10,000 in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) grant money has been secured for the Glen Cove Business Improvement District’s annual Downtown Sounds concert series!

These resources will build upon the $7,500 Delia previously delivered from the County’s Hotel-Motel Occupancy Tax Fund grant last fall in support of the beloved community tradition, which began as Jazz in the Square in 1997 and grown since then to become a major regional attraction in downtown Glen Cove.

Democratic lawmakers on the Legislature’s Public Safety committee - led by Legislator Scott Davis and Alternate Deputy Minority Leader Debra Mulé - sued County Executive Blakeman in February to challenge his creation of an illegal taxpayer-funded armed civilian militia. Represented by Kelner & Kelner, Esqs. and the Free and Fair Litigation Group, the suit is seeking to block the Blakeman administration from deputizing private citizens as “special sheriff’s deputies” and using public funds for a program that lacks transparency, oversight, and legal authority.

Specifically, the suit alleges that County Executive Blakeman cannot create an armed civilian force under New York County Law §655 and accuses Blakeman of violating the Freedom of Information Law by ignoring formal requests by Democratic legislators for basic information about the controversial program.

View news conference clip (2:34)

On April 23, the Nassau County Legislature voted to authorize borrowing for the Fiscal Year 2025 capital infrastructure plan - marking a major victory for the members of the Legislature’s Democratic Minority Caucus.

In doing so, Minority Leader DeRiggi-Whitton successfully led the Democratic caucus in leveraging bond authorization – which requires a 13-vote supermajority to pass - to break County Executive Blakeman’s more than yearlong freeze on $1.3 million in grants for 14 first responder agencies for districts represented by Democratic legislators.

The following key public safety resources were delivered for District 11:

Port Washington Fire Department - $190,000
$100,000 for new firefighting gear and $90,000 for a breathing air compressor

Glen Cove FD & EMS - $110,237
$73,127 for turnout gear for the Glen Cove Fire Department and $37,400 for cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) devices for City of Glen Cove EMS

Sands Point Police Department - $100,000
$30,000 for a license plate reader/radar unit and $70,000 in upgrades to the Department’s phone system

Glenwood Fire Department - $24,903
New computers for the department’s ambulances

Sea Cliff Fire Department - $13,000
Personal protective equipment (PPE) washer and dryer for the Department’s medical unit

Delia and New York State are partnering to host an emergency preparedness workshop at the Sea Cliff Fire Department at 7 p.m. on Thursday, July 31.

Participants will learn how to create a family plan for any type of natural or man-made disaster, respond accordingly, and recover as quickly as possible to pre-disaster conditions. Each family participating will receive a free Citizen Preparedness Corps Response Starter Kit filled with essentials. RSVPs are required and these workshops fill fast - scan the QR code or visit www.prepare.ny.gov to register today!

More than 150 people packed Bayville’s Crescent Beach Club on April 9 for the 19th annual “Cooking for a Cure” – an event which raised over $65,000 for the Diabetes Research Institute Foundation.

The night’s honoree was Sea Cliff Village Administrator Bruce Kennedy – a longtime supporter of diabetes advocacy who was thrust further into the cause when his son, Alex, was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes on Feb. 8, 2023.

On With The Show! $100K for Port’s Landmark on Main Street

Delia supported a $100,000 ARPA grant for the Jeanne Rimsky Theater at Port Washington’s Landmark on Main Street. The funds support HVAC and bathroom renovations as part of $750,000 in improvements.

“Plant A Row” To Feed The Hungry!

The team from Plant a Row for the Hungry recently visited the Legislature to complete paperwork for the first half of a $50,000 ARPA grant Delia secured for them last winter. 

Since its launch, Plant A Row has delivered more than 325,000 servings of fresh produce to food pantries. We can’t wait to see what they’ll be able to reap from this investment in the fight to end food insecurity in our region.

Visit https://plantarowforthehungry.org/ to get involved in the 2025 season!

Join us at an upcoming Homeowner Exemption Liaison Program (H.E.L.P.) seminar for individualized assistance from Department of Assessment staff! Whether you’re filing for the first time or renewing, it’s an easy and convenient way to submit your application.

Wednesday, 9/24 - SEA CLIFF VILLAGE HALL - 300 Sea Cliff Avenue, Sea Cliff 11579
Wednesday, 10/22 - PORT WASH. LIBRARY - 1 Library Drive, Port Washington 11050

All workshops noon - 2 p.m. - please arrive no later than 1:30 p.m.