Bill Text: NY K00650 | 2021-2022 | General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Commemorating the 150th Anniversary of the Town of Babylon, New York

Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill

Status: (Passed) 2022-03-15 - adopted [K00650 Detail]

Download: New_York-2021-K00650-Introduced.html

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Assembly Resolution No. 650

BY: M. of A. Jean-Pierre

        COMMEMORATING the 150th Anniversary of the Town of
        Babylon, New York

  WHEREAS,  It  is  the  intent  of this Legislative Body to honor and
commemorate  the  distinguished  histories  of  the  communities   which
comprise the noble body of this great Empire State; and

  WHEREAS,  Attendant  to  such  concern,  and in full accord with its
long-standing traditions, this  Legislative  Body  is  justly  proud  to
commemorate  the  150th  Anniversary  of the Town of Babylon, in Suffolk
County, New York; and

  WHEREAS, The Town of Babylon is located approximately 30 miles  east
of  Manhattan, New York, and is considered a suburban community with the
benefit of being located along the beautiful  shorelines  of  the  Great
South Bay; the Town is positioned in geographic proximity to the beating
heart  of  New  York  City  and  in  a  lively area that provides to its
citizens a variety of opportunities; and

  WHEREAS, As of the 2020 census, 218,223 citizens live in the Town of
Babylon; and

  WHEREAS, The very first settler in the territory later to  be  known
as  the  Town of Babylon was Captain Jacob Conklin, who arrived in 1710,
and built the first home in the area now known as Wheatley  Heights;  he
served  the  pirate  Captain  Kidd  and  earned  a large sum of money he
decided to invest in lands; and

  WHEREAS, Captain Jacob Conklin's son Nathaniel, a patriot serving in
the Revolutionary War, named the location  Babylon  in  1803;  the  name
caught  on quickly and in 1830, the Federal Government provided official
recognition by changing the name of  the  post  office  from  Huntington
South to Babylon; and

  WHEREAS,  Huntington  South  started  expanding and flourishing, and
disagreements arose between the two  areas  of  the  cities,  North  and
South;  a road project in the Village of Huntington was the final straw,
and on January 27, 1872, a referendum was held, and the voters supported
a two-town division; and

  WHEREAS, A commission was established, and new boundaries were drawn
under the suggestions and supervision of James T. Morris of  Amityville,
New  York;  the bill was introduced to the New York State Legislature on
February 17, 1872, and approved on March 13, 1872; and

  WHEREAS, A new government  was  formed  and  candidates  for  public
office  were  nominated, and Elbert Carll became the first Supervisor of
the Town of Babylon after winning a close election; and

  WHEREAS, On April 2, 1878, the  official  seal  was  authorized,  an
American  eagle  representing  the  nation  surrounded  by  symbols that
characterize the main industry of the new town;  the  seal  has  a  blue
center surrounded by an outer circle of white; and


  WHEREAS,  At the first Town meeting, five resolutions were approved,
the first of which was an appropriation of $1,500 to support  the  poor,
forever engraving the Town's willingness to help those in need; and

  WHEREAS,  The construction of a railroad brought an influx of people
to Babylon in 1842, when it reached Deer Park, and again in  1867,  when
it came directly into Babylon Village, and the arrival of the automobile
after  the  turn  of  the  20th  Century  caused  a major impact on Town
government; and

  WHEREAS, The taxpayers in 1917, voted 667 to 462 on  proposition  18
to  erect  a Town House or, as it would later come to be called, a "Town
Hall" which would be located in the Village of Babylon; and

  WHEREAS, On November 6, 1918, the first meeting for the  Town  Board
took  place  in  the new Town Hall, which became the center for the town
business until the  increase  in  staff  required  the  need  of  a  new
structure; and

  WHEREAS,  Today,  under  the brilliant leadership of Supervisor Rich
Schaffer, the Town of Babylon stays true to its mission of being a  home
for  work,  community, and play, and a prosperous and welcoming town for
its residents; and

  WHEREAS, Remaining fruitful over the ebb  and  flow  of  decades  of
growth  and  change,  the  Town  of  Babylon continues its commitment to
enhancing the quality of life  of  its  citizens,  ensuring  a  positive
business,  institutional  and  educational  climate,  and  providing all
essential services; now, therefore, be it

  RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its  deliberations  to
commemorate  the  150th  Anniversary of the Town of Babylon, recognizing
the significance of the role it continues to play in  the  life  of  the
community of the State of New York; and be it further

  RESOLVED,  That  a  copy  of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to Rich Schaffer, Supervisor, Town of Babylon.