Farm preservationist Sidney Mitchell dies
Sidney Mitchell's titles ran the gamut from assistant town attorney for the Town of Islip to Suffolk District Court judge. He is perhaps best known for his role as the first county commissioner for the Real Property Department. He died of congestive heart failure. He was 88. Credit: HANDOUT
Patchogue native Sidney Mitchell wore many hats while serving in the county of his birth. His titles ran the gamut from assistant town attorney for the Town of Islip to Suffolk District Court judge.
He is perhaps best known for his role as the first county commissioner for the Real Property Department, where he helped implement Suffolk County's farmland preservation program, a national model that has set aside thousands of acres.
Mitchell, who left Long Island in 1991 to retire in Sarasota, Fla., died Sunday of congestive heart failure. He was 88.
"He served our county in a variety of capacities," said state Sen. Kenneth LaValle (R-Port Jefferson), who recalled Mitchell as "a very bright, affable gentleman. He was easy to work with, always able to find ways to solve a problem rather than putting hurdles in the way."
Born in 1923 to Libby and Abraham Mitchell, who ran a dry cleaning business in Bay Shore, Sidney Mitchell grew up in Bay Shore and graduated from Bay Shore High School. He attended Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and New York University Law School.
He had enlisted in the Merchant Marine and, during World War II, performed supply runs to Murmansk in the Soviet Union. He later joined the Navy and served in the Pacific theater and occupied Japan.
Returning to civilian life, he finished law school and was a private attorney and small businessman before embarking on his career in public service in August 1973 as an Islip assistant town attorney.
In April 1975, then-County Executive John V.N. Klein tapped Mitchell to head the Real Property Department. "He and John Klein saw the disappearing farmland in the 1970s in Nassau and western Suffolk," said Joe Gergela III, executive director of the Long Island Farm Bureau, a non-profit group for farmers. Gergela said Mitchell helped devise the nation's first purchase of development rights program to preserve farmland, allowing for private ownership while the county gains non-agricultural development rights.
"The program has been the model for the United States," Gergela said.
Mitchell served as commissioner from 1975 to 1984, when he became a district court judge, retiring in 1991.
Mitchell is survived by his wife of 62 years, Audrey, of Sarasota; a daughter, Alison Mitchell, a former Newsday reporter, of Manhattan; a son, Andrew, of Riverhead; and a grandson, Gregory.
Funeral services were held Tuesday at Sarasota Veterans Cemetery.
'No one wants to pay more taxes than they need to' Nearly 20,000 Long Islanders work in town and city government. A Newsday investigation found a growing number of them are making more than $200,000 a year. NewsdayTV's Andrew Ehinger reports.
'No one wants to pay more taxes than they need to' Nearly 20,000 Long Islanders work in town and city government. A Newsday investigation found a growing number of them are making more than $200,000 a year. NewsdayTV's Andrew Ehinger reports.
