Members' 25-Year Reminiscences

Stephen M. Jones, AICP

CEO, Suffolk County Water Authority
Commissioner of Planning and Development, Town of Islip, New York (1978-83)
Vice-President, New York Institute of Technology (1983-1993)
Planning Director, Suffolk County, New York (1993-2000)

My most vivid recollection as a young town planner was attending national conventions in the 1970s. Not only were they fun, but eye-opening and informative as well. Our staff in the Town of Islip, on Long Island, was a tight-knit group of 8-10 professionals who worked hard together and partied together as well. We were financially supported by a "701" grant and were fully engaged in a complete overhaul of everything we could get our hands on in the local government. We were encouraged and supported by an enlightened Supervisor and Town Board, who saw that "good planning made good politics." The leader of our group, Michael A. LoGrande, AICP, (also a charter member, former ASPO and AIP member) eventually went on to elected office, serving a number of terms as Town Supervisor and ending up as Suffolk County Executive.

The value of a national planning group is still what it was then: Sharing of information and a collaborative understanding of what's working, what's on the cutting edge, and what's destined for the scrap heap. We always returned, invigorated, from the national conventions, armed with a realization of what was possible, what the chains and franchises could be forced to do when pushed to the limit, and what new ideas were out there and ripe for experimentation.

The Town of Islip was, for over three decades, the leading example of enlightened planning on Long Island, becoming nationally known in planning circles for innovative sign control ordinances and a pioneering X-rated zoning code which was upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court.

As information and technology become more voluminous, time shrinks and people's expectations become more sharply focused. Now, more than ever, professional planners need to convince anyone who will listen that INTELLIGENT FORETHOUGHT still counts for something, is still a valuable commodity, and can still be the key to improving everyone's quality of life.

Keep up the good work!