The Village of Lindenhurst has received a grant of $27,662 from Assemblyman Bob Sweeney's office, funds that will be used to put in new seats, carpeting and a new PA system in the Village Court Room. We are very grateful to Assemblyman Sweeney for this grant because that work is really needed in that court room, said Lindenhurst Mayor Tom Brennan. The funds come from the Justice Court Assistance Program, established by the New York State Legislature in 1999.

New York has nearly 1,300 Justice Courts funded by the towns and villages they serve. They provide a significant source of local and State revenue, and their ability to process cases and information promptly is essential to maintaining a statewide comprehensive criminal history database, as well as the operation of programs that protect domestic violence victims and keep drunk drivers off the road, said Sweeney.

The Village of Amityville also received a grant for $23,920 under the program, which state officials said recognized that these courts often have few resources, reflecting the budgetary limitations of the towns and villages that support them.

"I look forward to the continued operation of this program and to working with the State court system to ensure that the Justice courts remain an integral component of our system of justice," said Sweeney.

In other Village business, Brennan said that the Village has applied for and is receiving some additional money from Sweeney's office to address drainage issues. The first is to work on a program to clean up Fellers Pond, which empties into the Great South Bay. Lindenhurst will be installing a Smart Sponge filtration system at the pond. The sponges, already in use in Babylon Village, absorb contaminants, primarily from rainwater runoff, and trap it to ensure it does not get into the water system.