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RECAP: Manorville residents demand ambulance district fix

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The Town Board heard from a group of frustrated Manorville residents who demanded a resolution to what they say are unacceptably long response times from the Riverhead Ambulance Corps at the board’s 7 p.m. meeting Tuesday night.

One resident, Clare Bennett, said ambulance crews took an hour to get to the scene of a child choking in their neighborhood.

“Are you ready for a lawsuit when someone dies?” she asked the board.

Town officials said the Riverhead and Manorville ambulance departments are in discussions to redefine the districts, but that talks had stalled. Supervisor Sean Walter promised to set up a meeting between the department chiefs and residents and said the town will pull the 911 tape from the alleged hour-long response to find out what happened.

The Board also okayed a resolution that allowed them to take action against a Baiting Hollow property they allege has violated town code. Town officials said the house on Goose Lane is acting as an illegal dog shelter.

The board had also planned to approve a land clearing permit for the controversial proposed retail center in Wading River called “Knightland,” but a court order issued Monday will prevent the board from taking action, town officials said.

The Riverhead Neighborhood Preservation Coalition has sued the town over the site plan approval for the project, and while the case was thrown out of court, the group has filed an appeal to revive the suit.

For a full recap of the meeting click below.