[0:00] September 9th work session meeting of
the young incorporated village of Port
[0:04] Jefferson's board of trustees
uh 5:04 p.m. Clerk Pillo, can you
[0:11] confirm the presence of a quorum?
>> Thank you. Mayor Shepro,
[0:15] » present. Thank you. Deputy Mayor Juliano
>> here.
[0:18] » Thank you. Trusty Dit
>> here.
[0:20] » Thank you. Trusty Franco,
>> present.
[0:22] » Thank you. Trusty Snen,
>> present.
[0:24] » Thank you. With that, mayor, we have a
quorum. We have attorney Moran and
[0:28] treasurer Gaffkco with us as well.
>> Okay, let's all stand, please, for the
[0:31] pledge of allegiance.
[0:36] » Pledge allegiance to the flag of the
United States of America and to the
[0:40] republic for which it stands, one nation
under God, indivisible, with liberty and
[0:47] justice for all.
[0:55] So our first item on the agenda is to go
into executive session.
[1:00] Do we have a motion?
>> Motion.
[1:04] » Second.
>> All in favor?
[1:06] » I
>> I
[1:07] » I
>> I. And the purpose is uh to discuss
[1:10] proposed pending or current litigation
pursuant to section 105 chapter 47
[1:15] article 7D of the public officer's law
and to discuss matters leading to the
[1:20] appointment or employment of a
particular person or corporation
[1:23] pursuant to section 105 chapter 47
article 7 of the public officer's law.
[1:30] Does that mean we're skipping the this
presentation or will that the one that
[1:34] appears before exec session or that be
moved?
[1:37] » There's a new agenda. The exec session
and the presentation
[1:41] were flipped. But so I think one of the
reasons we're going into executive
[1:45] session is to do something that maybe
doesn't need to be done in executive
[1:48] session. Um we're interviewing ethics
council tonight, right?
[1:54] » How many candidates do we have?
We have um I believe five mayor
[2:01] » five candidates.
>> Yes.
[2:03] » Um who are here to be interviewed
>> uh in different time time positions of
[2:10] time?
>> Yes.
[2:11] » They've been staggered. Yes.
>> Staggered. So um if any does anyone have
[2:17] objections to doing these interviews in
public?
[2:23] » I'm fine with that. Nope.
Okay. Do we have something to go into
[2:28] executive session for first?
>> Well, we do, mayor. We have two uh brief
[2:32] items.
>> Okay. Let's do that first. Okay.
[2:35] » And we'll maintain the resolution to go
into executive session. Then we'll come
[2:39] back and do our interviews.
>> Okay. We do I just want to say that we
[2:44] do have a gentleman that needed to be
interviewed at 5:00.
[2:48] » Let's go. Oh,
>> that's going first.
[2:51] » 5:00. It's
>> after
[2:53] » 507. Yeah,
>> let's let's do them first.
[2:56] » Okay,
>> Sylvia, um do you have copies of the
[2:59] resumes, hard copies,
>> or should I just pull it up on my phone?
[3:03] » Um want me to call go get them?
>> Okay.
[3:06] » I have one of each.
[3:12] » You didn't print it out. You got them,
right?
[3:14] » I have them and I have them printed at
home. I didn't bring the printed copies,
[3:17] so I didn't know if Sylvia had them
printed. I just I'm a paper person, but
[3:22] I can bring it up on my phone for now.
That's fine. I'm going to have to do the
[3:26] same.
>> Do you have the
[3:30] questionnaire, Sylvia? So, we're coming
out of executive session right now,
[3:34] right? So, do we have a motion to come
out of executive session?
[3:39] » Motion to come out of exe.
>> Second.
[3:41] » All in favor?
>> I
[3:43] » I
>> Okay, we're out of executive session at
[3:47] Yep.
>> 508. That was the quickest executive
[3:49] session we've ever had.
>> You're welcome.
[3:58] Oops.
>> Hello, sir.
[3:59] » Good afternoon. Thank you for
accommodating my schedule.
[4:02] » Thank you for accommodating our
schedule,
[4:04] » please.
>> Um
[4:08] All right. So,
uh
[4:14] we just have a set of questions. Do you
want to first introduce yourself and um
[4:18] let us know what what brought you here
today and why you're interested in this
[4:21] position? Well, my name is Kevin
Foreman. I've been a practicing attorney
[4:25] for probably more years than I care to
say, at least 38 at this point. Um,
[4:31] I'm here because one of my secretaries
is a resident and mentioned position,
[4:36] brought it to my attention. I currently
do work for Smithtown, Icelip
[4:41] defense on the defense side, or excuse
me, and um, village prosecutor for head
[4:47] of harbor and nisquad.
My practice right now um is primarily
[4:54] commercial litigation. I still do a lot
of defense, municipal defense work. On
[4:59] the rare occasion, plaintiffs work. My
experience has been malpractice, medical
[5:04] malpractice defense, dental defense. I
work for the DAS. I did work for the
[5:08] Dasis of Rockville Center
um in-house counsel for AIG.
[5:16] And like I said after this much time I
have too many things to tell you and in
[5:21] terms of my what my experience is.
>> So so based on your review of um our
[5:28] chapter 41 yes ma'am
>> ethics code how do you understand the
[5:32] role of legal counsel to the board of
ethics including the distinction between
[5:36] advising the board and exercising
authority reserved to the board itself?
[5:42] Well, as with any council, my position
is to advise. You know, whether a c
[5:47] client, whether it's municipal or not,
chooses to follow my advice. That is,
[5:51] you know, dependent upon the client and
in this case, the board. Um, I think
[5:56] quite honestly, when it comes down to
ethics, there's right and there's wrong.
[5:59] And right and wrong doesn't necessarily
mean what's best for me or you. It's
[6:03] what's right or it's wrong. Um, I like
to think of myself as somebody I don't
[6:09] and I don't mean this with any
disrespect. I don't need at this point
[6:12] in my career to do it. I'd like to be
able to give something back. Um, I've
[6:17] seen bad and I can point out a bad
attorney when I see him in court. Um, I
[6:22] know what's right. I know what's wrong.
And I will tell you if it doesn't pass
[6:26] the smell test or give that appearance
of impropriy, I'm going to bring it to
[6:30] your attention. The one thing you don't
have to worry about me, and none of my
[6:33] clients have ever complained, is I will
be forthright and honest. You may not
[6:38] like what I have to say, but I'm going
to tell you what I believe is right. And
[6:44] I will not give advice unless I'm sure
on it. You can never be 100% sure
[6:48] because there's always going to be that
malcontent or there's always going to be
[6:52] something and someone who's going to
say, "I don't care what Kev said. I
[6:56] don't care how much research he put into
something." He's he's missed the boat on
[7:01] this one. But I will tell you that
before I give an opinion, it will be
[7:04] what I believe within a reasonable
degree of certainty.
[7:16] You all can chime in on these questions
if you like.
[7:21] » I'll say the RFQ specifically requires
can confidential and independent legal
[7:26] advice.
What does independence mean to you in
[7:30] this representation? Particularly if
your legal advice differs from the
[7:35] position of the mayors, a trustee,
um a v the village attorney or another
[7:40] village official.
>> Independent to me means I don't ask
[7:44] anybody what they want to have done. If
I'm given a question or an issue that
[7:50] comes up, I'm going to deal with it. The
chips are going to fall where they may.
[7:53] I can give you an example. There is a
municipality I've done work for and I'm
[7:57] doing work for. There is a trustee on
that particular in that particular
[8:01] municipality.
Um, from what I understand, the person
[8:05] is quite a malcontent.
I was confronted by their attorney on a
[8:12] violation that was issued to them. And
because, you know, they're on the board
[8:17] and he's the attorney. Well, Kev, I was
kind of looking for a conditional
[8:21] discharge. And quite honestly, I said,
"You can look all you want." I said,
[8:25] "But you know better than I do. This
particular trustee gets a deal different
[8:29] than what everybody else gets. It'll cut
through the village like a hot knife
[8:32] through butter, and you're going to lose
all sorts of credibility with the rest
[8:36] of their residents." I hope that answers
your question. I don't I marched to my
[8:42] own drum. If anybody wants a yes, man,
I'll tell you right now, I'm not that
[8:46] person.
[8:52] So, let me ask you a question without
going into detail. Have you ever
[8:56] represented anybody on this on this
board?
[8:58] » No. Thank you.
>> No, I can say no. I did disclose that my
[9:02] son, I believe, covered the um village
prosecutor for Dave on on occasion sack
[9:08] forman.
>> Oh, yeah.
[9:09] » And you know that.
>> Yeah. Okay. But I I would be a hypocrite
[9:14] if I didn't disclose that when I sent in
the resume. I felt it was important.
[9:18] Look, I'm not a choir boy. Don't get me
wrong, but you know, if that's the way
[9:23] that's the position, I have no problem
telling you. The answer to your question
[9:28] is no. But my son was here. He's no
longer doing it. He's got two kids and
[9:32] it the time constraints just didn't work
for him anymore.
[9:35] » But your son didn't represent anybody
here.
[9:37] » No, absolutely not. No.
>> Kevin, nice to meet you.
[9:41] » Pleasure.
Kev, I think I think what the board is
[9:45] really looking for is someone to call
balls and strikes, right? If it's a
[9:49] strike, it's a strike. If it's a ball,
it's a ball. Uh I think that's what you
[9:52] know, and take what we have in the eth
code, ethics code. If there's a
[9:55] violation that comes uh to the
committee, and they have some questions
[10:00] to present to you. Really, what we're
looking for is balls and strikes. That's
[10:03] it.
>> Oh, that I think I can do that. I I
[10:06] don't want I don't think I can do it. I
will do that. And I I don't h I'm not
[10:10] beholden to anyone. I will tell you
right now, I am the most a-olitical
[10:14] person you'll ever meet. I I don't rub
elbows. I'm not really, you know, a
[10:21] member. I shouldn't say that. I am
Republican. I'll tell you that right
[10:23] now. But I don't go to fundraisers. I'm
not one of these dropping, you know,
[10:28] donations or anything else. I have
gotten the work that I got from
[10:32] Smithtown by virtue of my the quality of
my work. I they reached out to me, you
[10:38] know, and I will tell you this, I'm old
school. You usually need a rabbi to get
[10:42] that kind of work. Anybody who knows
that they're getting municipal work.
[10:46] They know somebody. I just it was my
reputation. When the the prior office I
[10:51] was with, we handled the work for
Smithtown. Um I was the senior guy at
[10:55] the time is going back more years than I
care to say, but it came to me when I
[11:00] left. I left without reaching out to it.
What's yours is yours. What's mine is
[11:04] mine. But I'll say probably eight to
year eight years later or so after I was
[11:10] gone, I ran into someone and asked me if
I was interested and I was like I'll
[11:16] leave my exact language, you know, to
the side, but absolutely.
[11:23] » Mr. Foreman, thank you.
>> Kevin, please. I look for my father.
[11:25] Whenever I hear Mr. Foreman, I still
look for my father.
[11:28] » Um, you mentioned that your secretary
notified you of the position. Does she
[11:32] in fact have any um relations with any
members of the board or
[11:36] » Not that I'm aware of. I did ask. Okay.
>> I did ask
[11:39] » um she just mentioned to me I think she
you have a Facebook page.
[11:44] » I'm you can take this anyway. I have no
social presence. So she had brought that
[11:49] to my attention. That's how I found out
about it.
[11:51] » Okay.
[12:00] And actually this particular secretary
does my real estate so it's not this not
[12:06] be up in her wheelhouse.
>> Is she a resident or are you a resident?
[12:10] » I believe she's resident of Port Jeff,
>> right? I from what I understand I have
[12:14] never driven by her house but you would
know it if you passed it.
[12:17] » Okay.
>> It's somewhat decorative.
[12:22] » That just is just sparking curiosity in
everyone now. Look at me. Everybody's on
[12:26] the edge.
>> Now we want to know, but we're not going
[12:28] to ask. We will maintain her privacy.
>> I'll text her. Ask if it's okay. I'll
[12:33] come back and tell you.
>> So, ethics matters can involve sensitive
[12:36] allegations and significant reputational
interests. How would you advise the
[12:40] board to protect confidentiality,
attorney client privilege, and due
[12:44] process while complying with applicable
New York law?
[12:50] Well, don't disclose anything until you
speak to me, you know, and and then we
[12:54] would look at it and um certainly limit
the access to it. If it's a board issue,
[12:59] then of course the board members would
be um have access to it. But you
[13:04] certainly want to limit who can see it
until there's an ultimate determination.
[13:08] Today, people want to shoot first and
then, oh, I'm sorry, I shot the wrong
[13:12] person. You know, that it becomes a real
issue. That's true. You need to, you
[13:15] know, get your ducks in a row
>> and Okay. I can only tell you from some
[13:20] of the employment law that I've done,
document, document, document, and then
[13:24] if you have enough, then you can drop
your hammer.
[13:26] » But until that point, you're only buying
yourself a lawsuit.
[13:32] » Have you had the opportunity to review
our ethics ethics code
[13:35] » briefly? But I will tell you when I
looked at it, when I first sent over the
[13:39] resume, um, to me it was standard. I I
you know, again, not a choir boy, but
[13:46] it's pretty standard stuff. You know, I
don't I've never understood the
[13:51] difficulty between doing right and
wrong. If it doesn't pass the test, you
[13:55] know, come on.
>> I you know, that's like my grandson
[13:58] looking at me and saying, you know, yes,
you smile, give me a kiss, I'll let you
[14:02] get it away with it. Not here, but at
home, it's a different story.
[14:06] » Thank you.
[14:23] All right, I'll read the next one. Uh,
assume an ethics complaint is filed
[14:27] involving village official with whom you
have or your firm has had prior
[14:31] professional personal relationship,
which I don't think you've have. Um,
[14:35] what steps would you take before
advising the board on that matter? first
[14:38] as I bring it to your attention and more
than likely step aside,
[14:42] you know, because again, as an attorney,
and I know it's, you know, in the book
[14:47] and but I honestly believe it
wholeheartedly, the appearance of
[14:50] impropriety. But once you, an old
expression, you lay down with dogs, you
[14:54] come up with fleas. I'm not, you know,
I've worked too hard to be where I am at
[14:59] this point in my career to screw it up
because, you know, something silly like
[15:04] that. I've I've I was actually called by
another attorney, needs me to cover
[15:09] something. And I was very flattered and
I said, "Well, let me ask you a
[15:12] question." The first question I asked,
"Who is it? What is it? And let me ask
[15:16] who the arbitrator is." And she goes,
"Why?" I said, "Because you know, I've
[15:19] done this a long time and I've pissed
off some people. So, if I've pissed off
[15:24] this particular arbitrator, you
certainly don't want me covering it for
[15:27] you because I'll become more of a
problem than the benefit."
[15:31] So I mean it's it it's never and I say
this it sounds no it's not the money
[15:37] it's my reputation and at close to 40
years you know if Dave talks to my son
[15:44] everybody my son will tell you exactly
what I told him how he better act out in
[15:48] court.
[15:56] Is there anything about our chapter 41
code that um or about our uh village the
[16:02] village ethics process council's role or
the structure of the engagement that you
[16:07] believe warrants particular attention?
>> No. And honestly I have not looked at it
[16:11] that close to make a comment on that. I
could sit here and you know come up with
[16:14] some boilerplate answer but I haven't
looked at it that close to make a
[16:18] comment as to whether or not there are
procedural changes or anything else that
[16:22] should be done. And if I go in with a
preconceived notion, I don't think it'll
[16:26] serve anybody.
>> And there's a process already set up. Um
[16:30] it's it's been established the ethics
code that we have right now. We have a
[16:33] working group uh that are are appointed.
So and really it's more of advise and
[16:40] consent like they're going to ask you
your advice on on a particular issue
[16:44] whether it stands up under our ethics
code. So I mean and I agree with you. I
[16:47] think not not having delved into it
completely gives you like a a free hand
[16:52] to walk in there and say
>> well there I can tell you with um some
[16:56] of the municipal codes um on the on the
liability aspect of it there are certain
[17:01] what they call the shifting statutes
where and again village I'm sure has it
[17:05] and I know Dave shaking it his head he
knows what I'm talking about you know
[17:09] where your you know your resident or the
budding land owner is somewhat
[17:14] responsible but it doesn't necessarily
mean they're liable they may have to fix
[17:17] a sidewalk. They may have to clean it,
but it doesn't impose the liability. And
[17:21] when I brought that up to one of the
municipalities, it was a political
[17:25] issue. We don't like to, you know,
charge our, you know, residents and
[17:30] whoever would change that would be a
persona nonrada. I I get that.
[17:39] » What's your level of a availability? Um,
I'm assuming that you would be available
[17:44] for the formal uh meetings, but for
questions, for concerns that may come up
[17:49] during the regular course of business,
would you be available to take a phone
[17:52] call and email?
>> I that's why, you know, the beauty of my
[17:56] my my house and I'm sorry, my girls, you
know, they're my girls and my age and
[18:00] older, right? They're my girls. Um, they
have access to everything. Um, my email
[18:07] basically when I was sitting downstairs,
I was responding to clients now. So, in
[18:12] terms of availability, 247. I had a
client call me two weeks ago, a young
[18:18] gentleman, sle proprietor, got his own
business going on, but he's he knows
[18:22] he's about to get stuck. So, he called
me up in a panic and he's a very
[18:26] apologetic. Kev, I'm sorry. It's Sunday.
It's Sunday. Okay, Grant. I don't care
[18:30] what's the, you know, what's the
problem. So, I'm available. Um, in terms
[18:35] of scheduling it, like I said, today I
have Nissqu, next week I have Head of
[18:40] the Harbor. I don't know what your
schedule is. I I didn't look. I'm not
[18:45] going to be presumptuous to say, "Okay,
let me set my whole schedule to it." Um,
[18:49] but what you know, I I I dictate my
calendar.
[18:52] » So, if there's something that's needed,
I said, "Okay, Denise, put this to the
[18:56] side." You know, I'm put me out. I'm
going to be over the village.
[18:59] » Okay. Kev, I just have a question. Do Do
you live in the village?
[19:02] » No.
>> Okay.
[19:02] » No. there. My running joke with, you
know, this aquag and head of the harbor,
[19:08] they won't let me in. I'm in a different
tax bracket.
[19:18] » But your practice with them is as
village council.
[19:21] » Um, no, village prosecutor. There was a
couple years back um again there the the
[19:28] it was head of the harbor the the town
attorney well I should say the village
[19:31] attorney um was Anthony Tutill I don't
know if Anthony done has done work up
[19:36] here but um somewhere along the line we
had a case together and I impressed
[19:40] Anthony and he referred um work to
>> good for you it's not an easy thing to
[19:46] do
>> I I was flat I mean like I said I'm
[19:48] doing it a long time I get a
>> one of the best
[19:50] » I get a phone call from the gentleman
I'm like and he's ke I loved your
[19:53] papers. I loved your papers. He says,
"You really ripped it." And I'm like,
[19:56] "Thanks, Anthony. I I didn't know how to
respond." Nobody No one has ever said,
[20:02] you know, a nice job. But he was
impressed. And um he sent the case to us
[20:06] or to the office because of me. And and
we handled um that was a special counsel
[20:11] arrangement. Uh and and I I always say
this, I don't try to stick my finger in
[20:16] anybody else's pie. If Anony's work,
it's Anony's work. There are other
[20:20] attorneys that you know I get work from.
I make it clear from the beginning
[20:24] that's theirs. Before you come to me,
you get the okay from my contact or our
[20:31] mutual friend. It's just again the way I
am.
[20:35] » Okay.
[20:41] » Anyone else? Any other questions?
>> Fee structure.
[20:46] » Fee structure. All right. Well, you want
me to tell you what my normal hourly
[20:49] rate is for my commercial clients or
what I do for municipalities?
[20:53] » Yes.
>> Yes.
[20:55] » So, my normal hourly rate for commercial
clients is 750 an hour. All right. I I
[21:00] know that is not going to float with any
municipality. I generally do depending
[21:04] upon what it is. I can tell you what I
you know do for uh Nissag and Edit
[21:08] Harbor. I am per presently $400 per
court appearance
[21:13] and then my outside rate it currently I
think 300 it it'll probably be going up
[21:19] to 350 at the end next year.
[21:27] Interestingly enough Oldfield was was
paying their village prosecutor 375 an
[21:32] hour outside court for time. I happened
to look it up and they thought my 350
[21:39] was too high.
[21:54] » Anybody else?
>> Good.
[21:57] » Well, thank you so much for have a good
day, Kev.
[22:01] » Thank you for coming. Thank you for
coming early. Number
[22:06] two is downstairs. I don't know if he's
off.
[22:11] » The second interview is here.
>> Uhhuh.
[22:14] » Take care. Thank you again. Thank you.
>> Yeah, I think so.
[22:18] » Just keep going.
>> Yeah.
[22:19] » Yeah. Okay.
>> Okay. Why don't we do that?
[22:21] » Yes, Kevin. Please send them up.
>> Can I
[22:24] » Do you have those documents?
>> Yeah.
[22:29] » More papers.
>> We need I'm all over it. I'll put it
[22:32] back on. Two microphones. That's a lot
for you.
[22:35] » I thought you had a whole stack.
>> Oh, look at that.
[22:38] » It was five candidates. Five people have
to hold the microphone.
[22:52] » Uh, Fallon
[23:03] I forgot.
>> I like this stuff.
[23:05] » Come on up.
>> Hello.
[23:08] » Hello.
[23:14] » Wow.
[23:20] » We're just waiting for the clerk to come
back.
[23:22] » Of course. Um, may I hand out a copy of
my resume, please?
[23:27] So I brought here.
[23:38] » It's like your MC Jagger. You have to
put
[23:40] » I have I have that right now.
>> Is there enough or I I have one extra
[23:47] fine.
>> There's five of us. So that's perfect.
[23:49] Not fallen.
>> That's not Fallen, though.
[23:55] Oh, you guys aren't kidding.
>> Ben, how do you pronounce your last
[23:58] name?
>> My last name, uh, it's a bullet.
[24:00] » I had it right.
>> Yes, it's a it's actually soft egg. But
[24:05] in
>> my You are right.
[24:08] » So, it's actually pronounced a bullet.
It's Turkish, but in growing up here, if
[24:14] uh assimilated to a bullet.
>> Got it.
[24:20] » Yeah.
>> All right. That's the first one we got.
[24:28] » Feels so special. I got a special
microphone.
[24:32] » All right. While we're waiting for the
clerk, what how'd you find out about
[24:35] this?
>> Actually, uh, I found out through
[24:39] Facebook. There was a Facebook ad and I
thought it was a joke at first and then
[24:43] when I clicked through, um, I it
actually led to the Port Jefferson
[24:48] website and, uh, it was a real deal. So
I I sent an email and uh next thing you
[24:53] know I'm here. So something I always
wanted to do and uh I thank you all for
[24:58] having me tonight actually.
>> So thank you for coming.
[25:02] » Of course.
[25:06] » So just by way of introductions on Mayor
Shepro.
[25:09] » Yes.
>> This is Deputy Mayor Trustee Bob
[25:11] Giuliano.
>> Yes.
[25:13] » Trustee Snen.
>> Trusty Franco. Trusty Dit. This is
[25:17] village attorney David Moran. This is
our uh treasurer, Stephen Gaffka.
[25:21] » It's a pleasure to meet you.
>> He often has that uh confused look on
[25:24] his face when he's
>> so don't be surprised by
[25:27] » I'm just curious why you you didn't put
your law school in your education.
[25:30] » Well, uh very good question. It it's
because uh the way I became an attorney
[25:35] was under the clerkship practice. So, uh
clerkship, uh there are multiple ways to
[25:41] become admitted to the bar under this
route. Uh it's also known as the Lincoln
[25:46] way of doing things. uh you go to one
year of law school. I went to New
[25:49] England School of Law and then you
practice under a a an attorney for three
[25:55] and a half years and then you become
eligible to to take the bar exam. So in
[25:59] this in my instance uh I practice under
my father. The deal we had is he'll
[26:04] employ me minimum wage for for three and
a half years and I'll learn the lay of
[26:08] the land and then I could take the bar
exam. uh being a lawyer, you don't
[26:12] really have a business to give someone,
but you have a practice and a skill you
[26:16] could give to somebody. So, that's
basically the deal we had, and it kind
[26:21] of set me free. A right after I passed
the bar, I hit the ground running and uh
[26:25] started my own practice,
[26:32] » of course.
[26:37] Well, um she'll be back momentarily, so
we might as well continue.
[26:44] » What What do you feel you bring to um
the village of Port Jefferson for this
[26:49] particular position? You read the ethics
code chapter 41.
[26:53] » Yes. Yes. Uh I even have a copy of it
right here. So been uh reading that all
[26:57] day.
>> So uh the
[27:01] I I actually prepared a small statement
if if I may read that. Um uh the most I
[27:06] I bring both sides of what this role
needs. That's legal judgment and local
[27:12] roots. Uh professionally I've been
practicing for 12 years advertising my
[27:16] practice as criminal defense and traffic
tickets. Unofficially for 10 years I've
[27:22] been doing immigration and transaction
law. And that has been solely for
[27:28] returning clients. So for the past 10
years, clients have been coming back and
[27:33] keeping me afloat because they trust me.
And that has built a foundation in how
[27:41] to handle sensitive information. You
know, when clients come and confide in
[27:45] you in their certain situations, you
have to be able to tell them what's
[27:49] going to work and what's not going to
work and what's going to really not work
[27:53] and put them in in in trouble. you know,
whether it's putting them out of status
[27:58] in in their immigration sense or going
to be even worse off like, you know, put
[28:02] them in some sort of deportation
proceeding or you don't want to give bad
[28:06] information cuz the consequences are
more than just, you know, you're going
[28:10] to go to jail, you're going to sep ruin
your family, you're going to leave the
[28:14] country. So, um, that's something that
I' I've been doing for for 10 years. Um,
[28:21] in terms of legal judgment, I' i've been
a lawyer. In terms of local roots, I've
[28:25] grown up on Long Island. I I I've went
to Stonybrook, completed my
[28:30] undergraduate. Uh, I met my wife there,
and I've uh went back to finish my
[28:36] master's degree just a couple years ago
in uh public policy administration,
[28:40] basically local government. And um I
don't know if you guys are familiar with
[28:45] uh the late Lee Lee Coppelman. He was a
huge proponent of land use and he set up
[28:50] a lot of what we see here today. I was
one of his understudies. So I got a very
[28:54] good understanding of how how local
government works. This here today is my
[29:01] first step into local government after
I've you know settled my life down, had
[29:06] my children, paid off my loans, and now
I put myself here wanting to get into
[29:12] into local government. I live in the
neighborhood. I live in Eastatalkit and
[29:17] um
it's it's really uh I think this
[29:21] position fits the nature of what I'm
looking for on on a practical level as
[29:25] well. Um there are a lot of district
attorney positions you could take, a lot
[29:29] of, you know, judgeships you could apply
for. This one being a contract position,
[29:34] I think fits in line with what I'm
looking for. being able to balance my my
[29:39] home responsibilities, my professional
responsibilities and my responsibilities
[29:43] to here. So, um that's why I think it it
would be a good fit to be honest.
[29:49] » How how do you understand the role of
legal counsel to the board of ethics
[29:54] » in terms of
>> in terms of what the role is for
[29:58] » advising and counseling ethics board
members and the board to do what they
[30:05] need to do. So my understanding is it's
to be an independent mind. Give your
[30:10] opinion and where the
where the ethics lead might differ from
[30:17] what the reality is and it's to
highlight that difference when when
[30:22] you're when somebody comes to you or you
have to issue an opinion. So, uh, my my
[30:28] goal is to be forthright and tell them
what I believe and what the ethics code
[30:34] states should be. So, what I believe and
what I think is not always what is real
[30:41] and in front of me. However much I will
it, the what is true is what is there.
[30:46] So, my my job is to make sure that the
board un understands that position. So,
[30:53] it's it's a position of trust. And it's
a position that when you look back
[30:58] that's that's what was you know we hold
these truths to be self-evident. Well my
[31:03] goal is to help show that is true.
Um I hope that answered your question.
[31:09] » It does.
>> Yeah.
[31:14] » So let me ask the same question I asked
and I'll ask all all the candidates. Um
[31:19] have you ever represented anybody on the
board here?
[31:21] » No.
>> Okay.
[31:23] And not knowing the members of the
ethics board, as far as you know, you've
[31:28] never represented anybody from
>> to the best of my knowledge, I have not
[31:31] um I haven't appeared here in in this
forum. Um I I've explicitly tried to
[31:36] avoid that. So when I do get into it, I
am, you know, I can affirmatively say
[31:41] that. Okay. Thank you.
Can you guys see?
[31:51] So
what experience do you have? Um whether
[31:57] it so you you didn't you don't have
college experience or coursework that
[32:01] you took ethics classes in college. What
experience do you have um
[32:08] that would apply to this position?
So in in terms of uh coursework uh in
[32:15] the master's program, ethics is
something that's overarching between
[32:19] them when you're trying to evaluate
policy. So uh one of the key courses and
[32:25] we're talking five years ago um the
intergovernmental relations and policy
[32:29] delivery has loads of ethics because you
have to be sensitive to people's
[32:33] positions to understand and form and
advise on policy what will work in
[32:38] another local like whether it's another
village or or another jurisdiction. So
[32:44] not all policy works in in any other
place. Um in terms of uh in in in terms
[32:52] of
other coursework
[32:57] the
[33:03] when you are in training to be a lawyer
meaning in law school the the core
[33:08] » classes you have to take one of them is
ethics in your first 1L year they hammer
[33:13] home ethics and there is a ethics
component to becoming an attorney. the
[33:17] the model rule of ethics exam you have
to pass. Yes, that was 12 13 years ago
[33:23] but it is a standard that is applied
before becoming admitted to practice
[33:27] law. So um there was some academic
training there you know
[33:37] so ethics matters uh can involve
sensitive allegations and significant
[33:42] reputational interests. How would you
advise the board to protect
[33:47] confidentiality, attorney client
privilege, and due process while
[33:51] complying with applicable New York laws?
[33:56] » So, to to comply with rules of ethics,
um the the first the first thing that
[34:01] you
the first place you look is the the
[34:05] general municipal law that outlines the
the ethics in terms of New York State.
[34:10] Then you come back down to the local
level, the village code of ethics that
[34:15] outlines what you can and can't do
broadly speaking. Uh I'm sorry, broadly
[34:20] speaking. And then uh there's the common
law ethics, which all three of those
[34:24] together, they form the the the
three-step test to outline which way you
[34:29] should be heading in. And of course
there's always standards but the the
[34:32] standard I believe the the village uses
I think in section
[34:38] section one is clear and reasonable for
ethics. So if what is being told is not
[34:45] justified in a clear and reasonable
manner then you really don't have much
[34:50] to to go on. You know you could state
that that conduct is not ethical.
[34:55] you know, uh, being a lawyer, that's,
you know, there's all different types of
[34:58] standards and, uh, clear and reasonable,
um, is something that we work with all
[35:02] the time. You know,
[35:06] » if you're advising the ethics board, um,
and they sort of
[35:14] get off the path, how would you re them
back in?
[35:20] So, uh, first my first step would be to
informally talk to them. You know, tell
[35:25] them what I believe that there's maybe
some something that's not right there.
[35:29] It doesn't feel right. And then if that
continues or there is no change or
[35:34] there's a complaint that's filed about
it, then you have to actually take the
[35:37] steps of seeing all right, what is this
ethics violation? You know, uh, where
[35:43] does which section does this violate?
Because something doesn't sit right.
[35:46] It's it's within your w within inside
you in terms of standards. You can feel
[35:51] when ethics are involved and that that
are not right. So um
[35:59] the second step would would be to to
issue some formal warning or tell the
[36:03] board about you know the conduct that's
going on there and then it the the the
[36:09] village has to take action whether
that's starting from me or whether
[36:13] that's starting from the actual ethics
board. That's something that would be
[36:16] decided, you know, between them.
[36:22] » And I'm gonna say uh the same thing like
Bob, I'm gonna say the same thing to
[36:26] each candidate.
>> Sure.
[36:27] » What this board is looking for, and I'm
going to say it again, is someone to
[36:30] call balls and strikes, right?
>> Yeah. Of course.
[36:32] » Strike is a strike, a ball is a ball.
All the gray, let's just get rid of it
[36:36] and comply with our ethics code. I mean,
that's all this board is really looking
[36:41] for.
>> Of course,
[36:42] » someone to be straightforward. If the
committee um has an has a question, you
[36:47] know, and they're right, tell them
they're right. If they're wrong, explain
[36:52] to them why they aren't. Maybe explain
both ways. That's what the board's
[36:56] looking for.
>> So, life is rarely that clear. I mean,
[37:00] uh we're mired in things that are just
on the line.
[37:04] » So, uh if you want to see a certain
position a certain way, that's how that
[37:10] is viewed. But there are metrics and and
and standards to help guide you in that.
[37:17] So what I would reference is the the
three-step test that was in the advisory
[37:24] opinion from last year. Um there was a
whole controversy with the school and a
[37:27] statement. Um I think it's advisory
opinion 101. They outlined there. went
[37:32] through some headache to set up a
three-step test that references uh
[37:36] general municipal law section 18 and
then this code of ethics here uh for the
[37:42] village and then common law code of
ethics. If it fits into those then it's
[37:47] it's it's by by uh by law ethical
but um again my own opinion doesn't
[37:54] always align with what those ethics are.
But it I would make sure to outline both
[37:59] of those and give my own recommendation
based on that.
[38:06] Yeah. Um but on on a personal level just
like you know that that is my like
[38:10] official position but like it is
difficult to call balls and strikes. Um
[38:15] sometimes they're clear but oftent times
they're not. So if you have to shoot by
[38:19] the hip, you call it as you believe it
to be. And you most of the time you aim
[38:25] to get it right and you do. Will you get
it perfect? No. And I don't think that
[38:30] you should think that you're going to be
perfect because you will make mistakes
[38:34] and that's okay. Um, you know, you have
to always be improving. That would be my
[38:38] goal at least.
Do you or your firm have um have any
[38:44] current or prior professional,
financial, political, personal, or other
[38:48] relationships involving the village of
Port Jefferson, its elected officials,
[38:52] employees, board of ethics members,
candidates for village office or
[38:57] political organizations that could
create an actual conflict or the
[39:03] appearance of one?
>> Not to my knowledge. I've never been
[39:06] involved with the with the
>> if if that came up, how would you handle
[39:10] it? If that became an issue, how would
you how would you handle it?
[39:13] » Uh on a practical level, uh whatever
issue was in front of me, I would recuse
[39:19] myself. Um and state the reason why and
let the board members understand why
[39:24] that is. Um assuming that that happens.
On a more general level, if that was the
[39:29] case where I can't go on, then I would
have to withdraw my position and and
[39:33] state to the board of trustees and the
other board of ethics why that is. I
[39:39] don't see that that is to be the case.
However, it can always happen. You know,
[39:43] I can't predict the future.
[39:58] Let's assume an ethics complaint is
filed involving a village official with
[40:03] whom you or your firm has had a prior
professional or personal relationship.
[40:07] You already answered that question.
>> I would I would tell every I would tell
[40:12] the board. I would tell you the mayor
and
[40:16] » but let's say it comes up um with a a
village official with whom you don't
[40:22] have a professional relationship what
would your process be there
[40:26] » so if I don't have a professional
relationship with them then the
[40:33] uh just to just to clarify uh what is my
basis of recusing myself or the conflict
[40:38] if I've never had a relationship with
them
[40:41] » um I I wouldn't feel inclined to to
recuse myself if I don't have a
[40:45] relationship with them. Then I would
move forward with my duties in trying to
[40:49] sort out the ethical issues, the
quandries that are there and try to
[40:54] break them down to the board until they
understand, you know, why it's an
[40:58] ethical violation and uh what needs to
change to make it in compliance.
[41:04] » Okay.
[41:09] » So, it seems like you've done your
research. I know you have the you know
[41:13] yeah it's you seem to be pretty
knowledgeable. Um, so is there anything
[41:16] about the village's ethics process,
council's role, or the structure of the
[41:22] engagement that you believe warrants
particular in attention? Like anything
[41:27] jump out at you?
>> I mean, small things, nothing major. Uh,
[41:32] overall the the code of ethics is
written very well. If our federal
[41:36] government followed this, we wouldn't be
in the mess that we're in today. Mhm.
[41:40] » And I I firmly believe that because it
covers a lot of the basis of you know
[41:44] conflict. So uh can it cover everything?
No. But uh the you know I I do think
[41:51] there should be a section added for the
the changing in technology. I think
[41:56] there should be some sort of addendum
added to include artificial
[42:00] intelligence. Um I think that's
something that I have a lot of
[42:04] experience with. um been involved with
artificial intelligence and they just
[42:09] working with it for about 7 years now
since its very inception. So I
[42:14] understand how that's going to cause
issues and I think I could bring that to
[42:19] the board. You know
>> in what way is AI becoming a ethical
[42:24] » because it's becoming harder and harder
to tell what's real.
[42:28] you you look at something online, is it
you used to be shown a photo and you
[42:33] could take that at face value? You don't
know that that's real or not,
[42:38] » you know, or people will come to you
with a complaint that is based not in
[42:42] reality, but something that they saw
online. So, it's it's a second degree
[42:46] removed and parsing that out and
deescalating that is super important.
[42:50] Um, and a lot of people, you know, they
just say it's a computer when it's it's
[42:57] much more than just a computer, you
know. Uh, so it's gonna something that's
[43:00] going to impact us all. And being
prepared for that, I think is helpful,
[43:05] you know, or at least being aware of it,
cognizant of it.
[43:13] » And do you have anyone in your firm that
does the work with you for you or is it
[43:18] is it
>> No. Um I'm I'm a solo practitioner. I I
[43:22] work with my father u from time to time.
Uh he's a practicing attorney for uh 40
[43:28] wow uh 42 years now. Um and uh he does a
lot of immigration work. So uh we work
[43:36] on a lot of things together and he's my
reference when whenever I get stuck or
[43:40] or something of that like um and he's
probably one of the most ethical people
[43:43] I know. So he's one of my confidants. So
I trust his judgment greatly.
[43:52] What would be the fee structure
>> in terms of of uh
[43:55] » that you would charge the village right?
>> Oh um honestly I did not have uh
[44:00] anything I I was hoping the the village
had an idea already
[44:04] » and that's something that's to be
negotiated. I'm I'm not you know this
[44:09] isn't something that I I'm I'm going to
retire on. I'm I'm well aware of that.
[44:13] And um my my my goal like I said from
the outset is to to get involved with
[44:18] the village and this is my way to do it.
So honestly I don't know.
[44:23] » You would do it for free.
>> Great.
[44:25] » I mean in so like everyone here there is
some extent that you have to put in uh
[44:31] some sort of equity which is not
measurable. So nobody ever feels like
[44:35] they earned what they were paid. They
were you know earned a lot more. So that
[44:41] uh you know that's a shared feeling. So
whether I'll do it for free, it feels
[44:45] like you're for free even though you're
getting paid because you're doing more.
[44:48] You're putting actual effort into it and
that's something you know you feel.
[44:53] » I was kidding.
>> Oh well, you know somewhat I thought it
[44:58] was a great idea.
>> No good.
[45:01] » You get what you pay for. You get what
you pay for. Yeah.
[45:04] » What is your availability? Um other than
attending uh the ethics board meetings
[45:10] during the day, questions, concerns, um
responding to emails, what would be your
[45:15] day-to-day availability?
>> So, uh my my busiest hour is between 9
[45:19] and 12. Um that's when I do my court
appearances, whether it's in in Nassau
[45:23] district or Suffach District. Um, but
I'm still available in those time frames
[45:28] as well, too, because the the moments
which you're engaged are only, you know,
[45:32] 10 minutes at a time or 15 minutes at a
time. So, if something urgent is is
[45:35] necessary, I'm I'm available. Um, I I
live nearby, so I always frequent uh the
[45:42] village, I am available
you usually in the toward the evenings,
[45:47] I'm I'm a lot more available. um during
the day is is the private practice, but
[45:52] that's where you get a lot of your life
things done as well, too. So,
[45:56] » um I make sure to have make time for
everything.
[45:59] » Thank you.
>> Of course.
[46:06] » Anything else you want to add to uh
>> I have a question for the village.
[46:10] » Okay.
I been following the issue with the sign
[46:16] on the steam room and that's what
actually got me to this scene
[46:20] » and um I I I had a moment to to talk to
you during a farmers market. You were uh
[46:26] I I it was I don't know if it was last
fall but
[46:29] » the DRI
>> I probably all I know is uh when we
[46:33] discussed
that's what actually was the tipping
[46:37] point for Okay. Um, it's, you know, that
conversation just is put a little spark
[46:44] in me to to actually get the courage to
be here today.
[46:47] » What did I tell you?
>> I mean, that you were actually doing
[46:49] something about it.
>> Oh, okay.
[46:50] » And like it it wasn't lost on you.
>> Mhm.
[46:53] » Because like you go down the road and
you see a blatant violation of town
[46:58] code. Like it doesn't matter the content
of the sign.
[47:02] At least uh you you guys were aware of
it. And like that to me made me feel a
[47:09] lot better because it it it appears that
nobody was doing anything.
[47:14] » But that wasn't true. And and that
resolved a lot of my frustration.
[47:19] » So and that's what got me to here today
because like you know that means you do
[47:24] see things you do want change. So then I
want to be part of that.
[47:28] » We won that case, right?
>> I don't think so.
[47:32] » No.
>> Depends on which case you're talking
[47:34] about.
>> Yeah. Oh well. Uh, all the last I read,
[47:36] » the first one before I got here was a a
loss of trial and an appeal filed in the
[47:41] village. The second one was a plea.
>> Understood. Um, I thought there was some
[47:46] sort of first amendment type of thing
there.
[47:48] » That was the that was before uh the
current attorney and I were on the
[47:53] board. Yeah.
>> And uh but our strategy was a little
[47:56] different and the uh defendant took a
plea.
[48:00] » Fair enough. just, you know, it's it's
good to know that it it is, you know,
[48:05] other people aside from me see these
things and they feel them, but they
[48:10] don't say anything and it it adds up,
you know.
[48:14] » So, but but I I do thank you guys, you
know. I thank you guys very much.
[48:18] » Thank you so much.
>> Of course.
[48:20] » Thank you for your time.
>> I'm glad the conversation had an impact.
[48:22] » And I'll take that. Thank you.
>> All right.
[48:32] Thanks again.
>> Thank you, Ben.
[48:35] » Bye.
>> Bye.
[48:40] » Do we know if another candidate is here?
>> Downstairs.
[48:45] » Check downstairs.
[48:50] » Yeah, we need more. We all need more.
>> Send the whole pile. We'll take three
[48:54] each.
Here
[49:00] you go.
[49:07] » Hello.
>> Hi.
[49:16] Take a pass. Take a bunch.
>> I don't need them. I'm doing my own
[49:19] notes.
>> Oh, okay.
[49:21] » But thank you. I have them for
reference.
[49:38] Hello. Good evening.
>> Good evening.
[49:40] » Um, just we'll start with an
introduction of who you're sitting in
[49:43] front of today. I'm the mayor Shepro.
Uh, this is uh deputy mayor and trustee
[49:47] Bob Giuliano, trustee Kathy Anne Snen,
trustee Matthew Franco, and trustee
[49:52] Randy Dit. We have our village attorney,
David Moran. Our village clerk, Sylvia
[49:57] Pillo, and treasurer, Steven Gaffka. The
trustees will be asking you questions
[50:02] tonight. Sure. So, do you want to
introduce yourself and let us know why
[50:05] you're here tonight and what what
brought you here?
[50:07] » So, my name is Tim Fallon.
>> Oh, sorry. Closer. Okay. I'm Tim Fallon.
[50:13] Um, I've been attorney for about 15
years. I'm Port Jeff Village resident.
[50:18] Um, here to interview for the position
of councel to the board of ethics. Um, I
[50:23] think it's something that, you know,
would allow me to have an opportunity to
[50:26] kind of give back to the community that
I would serve in a uh a way that would
[50:31] allow my talents to help the village
and, you know, I'd look forward for the
[50:34] opportunity to do that.
>> Okay. Um can you just briefly describe
[50:41] uh the experience which mo most directly
qualifies you to serve as legal counsel
[50:46] to the board of ethics in Port Jefferson
particularly your experience with
[50:51] municipal ethics New York municipal law
conflicts of interest or ethics
[50:55] investigations?
>> Sure. So I don't have any direct
[50:58] professional experience in those areas.
Um however I would uh you know my
[51:04] experience in dealing with different
phases of litigation, research of legal
[51:09] issues, um applying you know factual
problems to you know various
[51:14] regulations, case law, um researching
different legal problems. All of those
[51:19] things come up in my practice
continually. Um you know my primary I'm
[51:23] primarily a litigator. Um, majority of
my practice is in matrimonial and family
[51:28] law, but I do also represent clients in,
you know, numerous types of civil
[51:32] matters, including contracts disputes,
contract disputes, commercial
[51:35] litigation, real estate litigation. Um
so you know the it comes down to being
[51:41] able to uh identify what the legal
question is in any type of legal
[51:46] situation, identifying uh you know the
appropriate uh applicable
[51:52] uh statutes or case law that are
relevant to the problem and offering
[51:56] your advice and interpretation of those
as it applies to the situation. I think
[51:59] those, you know, are applicable across
many areas of the law. And frankly, I
[52:03] think that a diverse experience, you
know, gives a broader context of my
[52:06] ability to offer uh advice in in in that
role to the board uh as it relates to
[52:12] real life problems. So, you know, in my
everyday practice, I'm constantly doing
[52:16] that, identifying issues, researching
how those issues and facts are have been
[52:21] applied to the law, which statutes are
applicable to that, and then, uh,
[52:26] incorporating that into, you know,
written documents, briefs, memorandums,
[52:30] that kind of stuff. Um, I'm a great
researcher. Um, during my time at
[52:35] Hopster Law School, I was a senior
research editor. So that's really my
[52:38] forte is diving into um getting that
information from various sources, coming
[52:43] up with uh creative solutions to complex
problems and and you know sort of
[52:48] synthesizing that into something that
everybody can digest and and uh be
[52:53] guided by in a in this kind of format.
[52:59] » How did you find out about the position?
>> Facebook.
[53:02] » Oh, okay. Wow.
>> Three for three.
[53:05] » Yeah.
>> Yeah.
[53:05] » It's amazing. Um and can you just
describe uh what you understand to be
[53:11] your role as legal counsel to the board
of eth ethics?
[53:15] » Sure. So uh from what I understand
basically uh as counsel to the board of
[53:20] ethics, I'd be there to guide and offer
a legal perspective to the problems that
[53:23] are being faced by the board. somebody
files a complaint related to an ethical
[53:27] issue having to do with an officer,
trustee or or other uh village
[53:31] personnel. Um obviously the board meets
and considers that type of that
[53:35] complaint. Uh I would assume then the
council's job would be to identify the
[53:40] applicable um uh code of ethics section
uh relevant case law, municipal law that
[53:46] relates to the issue uh that's been
presented to the board and offer an
[53:49] opinion as to how the facts of of the
complaint have been interpreted, you
[53:54] know, uh as they relate to the code, as
they relate to other prior cases that
[53:58] have interpreted that to address the
problem, to help the board come to an
[54:02] opinion that then can be presented. um
you know and again giving them the legal
[54:08] context uh to deal with that problem
basically.
[54:12] » Mhm. Okay. Thank you.
[54:18] » As a resident of Port Jefferson, do you
have any relationship business personal
[54:22] or otherwise with any members of the
board, any employees um in the village?
[54:27] Uh you or your um anyone you work with
in your practice?
[54:30] » I do not believe so. No.
>> Okay. Thank you.
[54:34] So, let me just add, you live around the
block from me, but I don't think we've
[54:39] had any interaction other than maybe
waiting when I
[54:42] for disclosing.
>> Yes, in the interest of full disclosure,
[54:45] I think that is accurate. And I I I know
the law firm that that you work for. I I
[54:50] having grown up in Westbury and my
parents and grandparents having grown up
[54:54] in Westbury, I'm very familiar with um
you know the Simonettes and you know but
[55:00] there is no prior
representation at all of that. So I just
[55:05] wanted to wanted to get that out. So
>> just one follow-up question to that. How
[55:09] is uh Bob as a neighbor?
>> Everybody would like that.
[55:13] » Well, he always waves. Uh I always see
him walking his dog. So uh on that level
[55:18] 100%.
>> And I always have my bag with me so I
[55:21] always clean up after.
>> That's true.
[55:22] » That is important.
>> The man. Yeah.
[55:25] » He disclosed that. You did not.
>> Well,
[55:29] » yes.
>> So what's your understanding of our
[55:32] ethics code? Chapter 41.
>> Sure. So I believe that there's a number
[55:35] of primary areas of the ethics code
specifically um designed to prevent any
[55:40] ethical conflicts from occurring you
know with any sort of village personnel
[55:44] members of the board of trustees. I
think there's a number of primary areas
[55:47] that it covers. Obviously there's you
know financial conflicts uh people who
[55:51] may have a financial or ownership
interest in some issue of business
[55:56] that's before uh before the the village
board obviously not participating in
[56:00] that type of decision. There's nepotism
rules. There's disclosure rules. There's
[56:05] all sorts of things which are designed
to uh make sure obviously that there's
[56:09] transparency with all the decisions that
are made by the village that all the
[56:13] officers and personnel of the village
are not you know uh engaging in any sort
[56:17] of self-deing you know where they may be
steering things towards something in
[56:21] which they have a financial interest to
make sure that uh trustees are not
[56:25] voting on any issues in which may affect
uh them financially or business-wise. Um
[56:32] and obviously making sure that people
who are given jobs and positions are
[56:36] qualified and it's not based simply on
you know who they know or who they're
[56:40] related to or anything like that. Uh so
I think primarily the purpose of the
[56:44] code is prevent personal conflicts of
interest, financial conflicts of
[56:47] interest to ensure transparency. Um so
that you know the village can be
[56:51] confident that the decisions that are
being made by their elected
[56:54] representatives are not being done for
personal gain or uh to you know help
[57:00] people that they know. but are being
done, you know, from a disinterested
[57:04] point of view.
[57:16] » Who do you believe is your client when
serving as the ethics attorney?
[57:21] » So, I think ultimately the direct client
would be the board of ethics, but the
[57:25] board of ethics really reports to the
village of Port Jefferson. So I think
[57:29] there's you know uh being the council to
the board of ethics they would be the
[57:33] immediate client whose advice you are
being uh asked to give um to you know
[57:40] sort of uh guide and advise them on the
legal questions that are being presented
[57:45] as it relates to ethics complaints or
investigations that they're undertaking.
[57:48] But at the end of the day the the higher
purpose obviously is to ensure that you
[57:52] know the village government is operating
in an ethical manner for the benefit of
[57:56] the residents. So, I think that's kind
of a two-part uh question.
[58:01] » Thank you.
[58:04] » So, ethics matters can involve sensitive
allegations obviously. Um, so how would
[58:09] you advise the board to protect
confidentiality, attorney client
[58:14] privilege, and due process while
complying with applicable New York law?
[58:18] » Sure. So uh specifically in my practice
I deal with an extremely high level of
[58:22] confidential information. The most
sensitive types of information that
[58:26] people have not only their personal
financial documents, tax returns, bank
[58:30] records, but also uh information that is
extremely personal to themselves, mental
[58:36] health, their children, medical records,
all those sorts of things uh come
[58:41] through uh my door in terms of my
practice areas. So, I'm extremely uh
[58:46] used to making sure that that
information is treated sensitively um
[58:50] and obviously not being disclosed to
places where it shouldn't be disclosed.
[58:54] So, it's something I'm highly aware of
and highly sensitive to. So, we have to
[58:57] be very careful about how that
information is exchanged. Make sure that
[59:00] proper security protocols are followed.
Uh make sure it's not left lying around
[59:04] in places that other people there could
be unintended um you know dissemination
[59:10] of information. Uh often information
that I come into possession of is sealed
[59:14] by court order that I have to adhere to.
Um and you know I can't share it with
[59:18] anybody. Some there are documents that
you know my clients are not allowed to
[59:21] view that I'm entrusted with. So uh you
know that's something that I'm very
[59:25] accustomed to dealing with and and take
very seriously.
[59:28] » Okay. Thank you.
[59:37] Have you ever has your firm done any
work for the village of Port Jefferson
[59:40] or any of the Is this your question, M?
>> Yeah. But
[59:43] » yeah, um that I don't know if you asked
You didn't ask it yet, right? No.
[59:47] » Uh anyone in the village of Port
Jefferson, on this board, on the board
[59:51] of ethics, or any of our statutory
boards?
[59:53] » No.
[1:00:02] All right, I'll take the next one.
Having reviewed the RFQ in chapter 41,
[1:00:07] is there anything about the village
ethics process, council's role, or the
[1:00:11] structure of the engagement that you
believe warrants particular attention or
[1:00:16] additional attention or changes?
>> So, I mean, I note that there only
[1:00:20] appears to be one ethics opinion that's
currently published on the village
[1:00:23] website. Not sure if that's because
there only has been one or uh whether
[1:00:27] there are others that may not be
publicly available that I absolutely
[1:00:30] don't know the answer to the question. I
would hope that you know in in dealing
[1:00:35] with this process um it could be very
transparent and that you know those the
[1:00:40] work of the ethics board is not
necessarily done in secret and that it's
[1:00:44] something that everybody's aware of uh
the the process the procedures when the
[1:00:48] meetings are uh who's who's on the board
what's being discussed. I think you know
[1:00:52] residents have a right to the extent
that you know there's not confidential
[1:00:55] information that there's also a balance
on that in terms of protecting sensitive
[1:00:58] information but I think the village has
residents need to be aware of the work
[1:01:02] the board is doing and the output of the
board and that you know there are
[1:01:06] situations that are be actively dealt
with so that they know that they're
[1:01:10] there and they're doing something and
they're you know serving in a watchdog
[1:01:13] role to make sure that the functioning
of the village government is according
[1:01:16] to uh you know the appropriate ethical
guidelines that that that have been
[1:01:20] adopted. So certainly I think that the
communication and um level of engagement
[1:01:26] that we can have with the community is
something that you know should be strive
[1:01:30] for.
[1:01:35] » I'll take the last one. Um what level of
availability and responsiveness uh can
[1:01:41] the village expect? Um and can you
briefly uh summarize your proposed uh
[1:01:46] fee schedule for this?
>> Sure. So, um, I'm pretty available.
[1:01:50] Obviously, I have a full-time job Monday
to Friday, but, you know, I always have
[1:01:55] my phone with me. Can usually take calls
most of the unless I'm on the record
[1:01:58] somewhere. Um, you know, so, but other
than that, I have availability to do,
[1:02:04] you know, evenings, meetings as needed.
If I have enough advanced notice, I can
[1:02:07] make myself available most times. Um, so
I think I certainly have the
[1:02:12] availability and I'm very accessible. I
have to be accessible to dozens of
[1:02:15] clients on a daily basis. So, I like to
get back to people. I try to return
[1:02:20] every single phone call that I get at
that day. Um, you know, emailing to
[1:02:25] people constantly. If I'm doing one
thing, I'm sending an email to another.
[1:02:28] So, I'm always multitasking all the
time. Um, so I I try and pride myself on
[1:02:33] that. Um, you know, in terms of fee
schedule, I you know, whatever's in line
[1:02:38] with existing practice historically
that, you know, has been paid to uh
[1:02:42] prior attorneys in this position is is
fine. I'm not looking for anything
[1:02:46] different than that.
>> Is this through your firm or
[1:02:50] » This would be me personally.
>> Okay.
[1:02:58] And do you uh so you have your own
private shingle and uh in malpractice
[1:03:03] insurance those kind?
>> I I do not as of this moment right now.
[1:03:07] So, you know, proprietorship if that
needs to be established, I can do that.
[1:03:10] » Okay. Do you have or do you need
approval from your partners or your firm
[1:03:16] to bill outside of the firm?
>> I do not need approval for that. No.
[1:03:27] » Do you have any questions for us or
anything else you would like to add?
[1:03:30] » I don't think so. No. I appreciate
everybody's time. It was nice to uh have
[1:03:34] the opportunity to speak to everybody
and I wish everyone luck in making the
[1:03:38] best decision possible.
>> Thanks for coming. Nice to meet you.
[1:03:42] » Thank you.
[1:04:14] busy.
>> Is this something I should
[1:04:18] » Oh, yes. Yes. Yeah.
>> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
[1:04:22] Yeah. No, that's what you're talking
about. Yeah. Yeah. I saw that.
[1:04:29] » How are you?
>> Good evening.
[1:04:31] » Does it Does it work?
You too.
[1:04:36] » We're waiting for
>> We're waiting for
[1:04:38] » Bob back.
>> Oh,
[1:04:39] » he just took a break.
>> Okay.
[1:05:05] Yes.
[1:05:20] » Hi.
>> I'm Mayor Lauren Shepro.
[1:05:24] » Hello.
>> This is Trusty Dit.
[1:05:26] » Hello.
>> This is uh village attorney David Moran.
[1:05:30] This is our clerk, Sylvia Pillo, our
treasurer, Steven Gaffa, trustee Matthew
[1:05:35] Franco, trustee Kathy Anne Snaden, and
Deputy Mayor Bob Juliano.
[1:05:42] » Does it work?
>> It does still work.
[1:05:45] » Okay,
>> so why don't you tell us uh who you are,
[1:05:49] why you're here, what what enticed you
to how did you find out about the
[1:05:52] position, and uh what enticed you to
apply for it?
[1:05:54] » I watched the village meetings and I I
saw that Mr. 11th all was not
[1:05:59] reappointed and so that's when I sent a
resume in to to all of you before there
[1:06:03] was any kind of RFQ. Um so myself my
name is Richard Harris. Um think a lot
[1:06:08] of you know me. I previously worked in
the village. I've been the deputy
[1:06:12] village attorney, the director of
building and planning and the village
[1:06:15] prosecutor. I was there until um just
after the new administration took over.
[1:06:19] Um,
as many of you know, um, I've based my
[1:06:24] career, my reputation on being of the
highest ethical caliber. I've never
[1:06:28] bowed to any political pressures. Um,
I'm not beholden to anybody. I don't
[1:06:32] make political donations. Um, so I've
been the most above board in everything
[1:06:36] I do. Um that's what's allowed me to
hold positions in um the town attorney's
[1:06:42] office as a prosecutor, as an organized
crime prosecutor, as an ethics
[1:06:46] prosecutor, um a deputy village attorney
building department, and also
[1:06:51] temporarily running code enforcement and
public safety for the town of
[1:06:55] Southampton. So when I saw this this job
was open, I saw it as an opportunity to
[1:07:01] come back here to help out my village.
um
[1:07:05] I'd like to be back here and be able to
do what I can for it like I did before.
[1:07:08] Um in fact, I didn't even know if it was
paid or unpaid. Actually, I still don't
[1:07:11] even know that. Um so that's that's why
I applied for it. Um and then I saw I
[1:07:17] watched the village meetings obviously.
I saw the last village meeting and um
[1:07:22] there was I think um was um Mayor Shepro
you had discussed about um about me. you
[1:07:30] were concerned about my having a
relationship with Kathy Anne Snen and um
[1:07:35] it's true I do I obviously I worked here
before I worked with Kathy Anne for
[1:07:40] almost three and a half years um we
usually with regard to building code
[1:07:45] enforcement employment matters you name
it we did it and I found her to be a
[1:07:50] very good person to work with extremely
ethical extremely hardworking caring
[1:07:54] about the village so um afterwards in
the here and now did I support her in
[1:07:59] her bid to rejoin the village, the
village board. I did. It's absolutely
[1:08:04] true. She's the kind of person that I'm
proud to have as a colleague, as a
[1:08:06] friend. So, I'm not hiding that in any
way. Um then I saw the um conversation
[1:08:12] that took place about previous ethics
council, Mr. Leventhal, who who I also
[1:08:17] know. He's a he's a very good attorney.
Um, and there were some arguments made
[1:08:21] that he had previously represented you
in a personal capacity before coming on
[1:08:26] here to work for the village and write
the ethics code and serve as ethics
[1:08:29] council. And I if that's inappropriate
or a violation that that's not for me to
[1:08:36] say, but at least in my work having
worked in ethics and government for a
[1:08:40] long time, it could give an appearance
of impropriety. And in the world of
[1:08:45] forward- facing government ethics,
that's sometimes just as important. Um,
[1:08:50] with with that in mind and having seen
that beating, I rethought about my
[1:08:55] application here and I realized as as
you brought up the other very good point
[1:08:59] was that yes, I do have a relationship
with Kathy Snen and my being appointed
[1:09:04] to this position could end up w with the
same the same appearance that I may be
[1:09:10] biased one way or another. And I'm not
that way. I'm not biased. I'm always as
[1:09:15] straight up as I can be. But I
understand that there could be
[1:09:19] appearance, especially with that point
being made. Um, with that in mind, and I
[1:09:23] spoke with Kathanne about this, I'm I'm
I hope I'm not wasting time, but I'm
[1:09:28] going to withdraw my application because
I don't think that my being appointed
[1:09:34] would would serve the best interest of
the village because we're supposed to be
[1:09:36] open and transparent and not have any
question, especially in the ethics
[1:09:40] world. And that's got to be higher than
anything else. And I want the ethics
[1:09:43] board to work. It's a good thing. And
what Mr. Leventhal wrote, he does a good
[1:09:47] job on these things. So, as much as I
like to be here in this job, I don't
[1:09:52] think it's going to be the best for us
given the conversation that happened.
[1:09:55] So, I thank everybody for your time. You
can go home early if you want. Wouldn't
[1:10:00] that be great?
>> But I'm I'm not going to go forward.
[1:10:02] Thank Thank you for
>> listening to me.
[1:10:04] » Thank you. Any other positions where I
could be
[1:10:08] » not say compromised? I'm surely willing
to help out the village as I am.
[1:10:13] » Well, thank you. I I think that's very
commendable of you. So, I appreciate
[1:10:16] what you everything you just said. So,
thank you.
[1:10:21] » He's not the guy.
>> His wife maybe not him. Rich, thank you.
[1:10:26] Appreciate it. Appreciate everything you
had to say.
[1:10:28] » All right.
[1:10:36] » Just leave it on.
>> Yeah, no worries, man. I thought you
[1:10:38] said turn off.
[1:10:44] » Yes.
[1:10:50] » Right.
[1:10:53] » I feel like I'm at home. I do what my
wife says and I still get yelled at
[1:10:57] about it. So, I'm just saying.
>> Who's your wife? Jeff or Steve?
[1:11:02] » Right now?
>> Feel like I got a room full of them.
[1:11:09] Hello everybody.
>> How you doing?
[1:11:10] » Hello.
>> Please have a seat.
[1:11:12] » It's your seat and your microphone.
>> Thank you very much.
[1:11:17] » Nice to meet everyone.
>> You as well.
[1:11:19] » My name is Steven Piani and uh happy to
uh address the board.
[1:11:25] » Yeah. Thank you for submitting your
interest in this position. Um I'm Mayor
[1:11:29] Shepro. This is uh deputy mayor uh
Juliano, trustee Snen, trustee Franco
[1:11:36] and trustee dit. This is village
attorney David Moran and our clerk and
[1:11:40] treasurer Sylvia Pllo and Steven Gaffa
respectively. So thank you uh for
[1:11:45] submitting your application of interest.
Um
[1:11:49] say your name again. Spell
>> uh Stephen
[1:11:52] » Pambiani.
>> Did we receive that?
[1:11:55] » Yeah.
>> resume.
[1:11:59] I do have uh resume here if you would
like.
[1:12:01] » Oh, please.
>> That would be great.
[1:12:04] » Thank you.
[1:12:15] » Thank you, sir.
>> You're welcome.
[1:12:17] » Can you um share how you found out about
the position?
[1:12:21] » Um I saw a Facebook post. I kind of just
stumbled upon it.
[1:12:25] » Three for three. But
>> everybody everybody it's yeah the common
[1:12:31] theme it's the thing theme.
>> I guess we have a pretty good digital
[1:12:35] social team.
>> My son was taking a nap uh I think about
[1:12:41] 7 o'clock at night on uh
>> on the 5th and uh
[1:12:46] » I recognized you.
>> Yeah. I used to work with Dave at uh
[1:12:50] Brook Haven.
>> He was an intern.
[1:12:51] » Yeah.
>> Oh wow.
[1:12:52] which when you walked in I said he looks
familiar.
[1:12:58] » That's funny.
>> Hi.
[1:13:00] » How are you?
>> Good to see you again.
[1:13:02] » So you saw it on Facebook and it
interests you because
[1:13:07] » uh I've served as uh ethics board
council to two ethics boards uh city of
[1:13:11] Long Beach. I'm presently uh council to
village of Marin as well uh the ethics
[1:13:16] board and also the board of trustees. So
uh it's just I think up my alley.
[1:13:27] Can you describe then what your role um
as council to the ethics board like how
[1:13:32] you see your role?
>> Um sure. So it was a little bit
[1:13:36] different. I'll say in each municipality
Long Beach was more um I kind of
[1:13:42] directed the meetings. Uh we reviewed
the annual disclosure forms. Um if there
[1:13:47] was a request for an advisory opinion um
I would I would write that and then um
[1:13:52] the board would adopt if they agreed if
there was any changes they uh felt
[1:13:56] necessary to be made I would go back
change that until you know there's a
[1:13:59] final version um that could be issued um
so that's how it worked at least in Long
[1:14:04] Beach and then uh village of marinac is
um very similar kind of you know the
[1:14:10] same things um that board operates uh
with a number of attorneys so they pull
[1:14:15] pull me in for more um certain questions
they have. I think they have a pretty
[1:14:20] good handle on the ethics code generally
themselves. So, uh I'm only pulled in
[1:14:24] when there's only certain matters that
are needed.
[1:14:28] » Do most of the boards that you work
with, this is off the sheet because you
[1:14:32] just inspired this question, are they
are they of council or what what typical
[1:14:39] roles do people who are on the boards
that you serve, ethics boards? Um
[1:14:44] » so so the members themselves that are
attorneys uh they they maintain private
[1:14:49] practices most of them and then they
just volunteer for the ethics board uh
[1:14:52] ultimately. So they all all different
walks of life. Yeah. You know from real
[1:14:56] estate to you know commercial litigation
all different all different uh walks of
[1:15:00] life.
[1:15:04] » So you've read our code.
>> I have taken a look. Yes. Um, how do you
[1:15:10] understand the role of council to our
board of ethics,
[1:15:14] including the distinction between
advisory to the board and exercising
[1:15:18] authority reserved to the board?
>> Um, I believe there is a penalty
[1:15:24] provision. So, you know, in the event
that, you know, there's some sort of
[1:15:27] violation, you know, that could that
could be instituted. However, uh just in
[1:15:31] a more advisory capacity, um you know,
I'm I'm I would be there for support as
[1:15:37] well. Um kind of like how I described in
the in the other municipalities, very
[1:15:41] similar. Um you know, just noticed other
little nuances. Some municipalities have
[1:15:46] like a nepatism provision, some don't.
So, uh you know, some some unique uh
[1:15:51] things in your in your code versus other
places as well.
[1:16:01] So, let me ask a question that we've
asked all the other candidates. Have you
[1:16:05] ever represented anybody on this board
or as far as you know, and you might not
[1:16:09] know the members of of the of the um
ethics board, but any represent anybody
[1:16:14] from
>> uh No. So, I mainly uh practice in
[1:16:18] Nassau County and Westchester County. I
don't really practice uh in Suffach
[1:16:22] County at all. Not since law school days
at uh at Brook Haven. That was about it.
[1:16:34] What's your approach to maintaining
confidentiality?
[1:16:38] » Um it's obviously very serious. So um
you know I have uh I have mechanisms in
[1:16:44] place just to make sure that um you know
everything goes to who it's supposed to
[1:16:49] and um you know a lot of times in the in
the electronic age it's you know it
[1:16:54] could be easy to accidentally you know
CC someone or or send to an email
[1:16:59] address but so it's just a matter of
double triple checking things things
[1:17:03] like that and um and you know luckily
I'm able to I'm really a solo
[1:17:07] practitioner um so it's uh It's pretty
easy for me. You know, I do everything
[1:17:13] kind of soup to nuts myself. So, it's
not like uh you know, I have to worry
[1:17:16] about staff or anything like that.
Anything getting out in that regard, I'm
[1:17:19] able to keep uh things close to the
chest.
[1:17:25] » How often does the Long Beach um ethics
board meet? Do they meet regularly or is
[1:17:30] it if there's something?
>> They were a monthly basis. Um same with
[1:17:33] Village of Marin was monthly basis. Um
there's a lot of rescheduling around
[1:17:38] holidays, things like that. And and
really the the disclosure form time of
[1:17:43] year is like the the biggest I would say
ask of the boards. So that is the
[1:17:48] busiest time of year around when the uh
forms need to be submitted and then
[1:17:53] after for review. Um so it was loosely a
monthly meeting and then rescheduling as
[1:18:01] needed. you know, if there's really
nothing on an agenda, you know, a lot of
[1:18:05] times there's an adjournment. So,
>> so the boards you're currently advising
[1:18:10] or have advised in the past, they've
been primarily attorneys and some shape,
[1:18:14] way, or form. Correct.
>> Uh, so I'd say the current ethics board
[1:18:19] of the village of a Marinct, that's the
case. not necessarily um you know the
[1:18:24] the city council of Long Beach uh you
know had an attorney on there but um
[1:18:29] outside of that not not many attorneys
involved just really the ethics board
[1:18:33] like the board of trustees of Marinette
there's no attorneys.
[1:18:35] » No no but on the ethics board there they
there were primarily attorneys that you
[1:18:39] that you worked with.
>> Correct. Correct. Presently. Yeah.
[1:18:42] » Um our current um ethics board are are
not uh attorneys. Mhm.
[1:18:48] » How would you um feel that you would be
able to manage that situation?
[1:18:53] » Um yeah. So in
>> there were
[1:18:56] » Yeah.
>> Yeah. The uh so for Long Beach, for
[1:19:00] example,
>> there were but they're not now as the
[1:19:02] mayor so eloquently uh expressed. Thank
you. Let's let's be, you know,
[1:19:06] transparent.
>> Understood.
[1:19:08] » Mayor loves to be transparent.
>> If maybe she'll tell you why they're no
[1:19:12] longer there, but that that could be for
another time. But please continue on. I
[1:19:16] have
>> just got sneden just to give you the
[1:19:18] headset. I have experience with boards
before uh with council that often zoning
[1:19:25] boards things like that often think you
know they are the council to the board
[1:19:29] themselves versus you know they don't
understand the defined role um so that
[1:19:33] often comes up so it's a matter of
navigating that but um you know you just
[1:19:39] give your advice and and you know I'm
always confident in my advice and my
[1:19:44] research and my findings and things like
that um and then it's just a matter of
[1:19:49] uh managing personalities, things like
that, almost softer skill type of
[1:19:53] things. So, um that's at least how I've
navigated it. I've ran into it, you
[1:19:58] know, here and there. Um and I think I
have a good handle on it.
[1:20:02] » So, have you had an opportunity to
review our ethics code?
[1:20:06] » Uh yes.
>> And was there anything structurally that
[1:20:08] you would change based on all your
experience?
[1:20:11] » Uh I would say it looked pretty strong
just at least, uh going through it.
[1:20:16] um you know I didn't notice anything
that really stood out to me to be
[1:20:20] completely out of the or ordinary
anything like that. I think it's a
[1:20:23] strong code actually.
>> So going back to the previous question
[1:20:27] then um you know since we since this
board would be different from the other
[1:20:32] ones where we don't have currently have
any attorneys on the board. Um,
[1:20:37] how would you, you know, and how would
you
[1:20:42] push them into saying, "All right, you
you got to make these decisions and and
[1:20:46] not rely on on counsel."
>> Right. Right.
[1:20:50] » How would you advise them?
>> Obviously, you know, you advise on the
[1:20:52] law. Uh but ultimately, you know,
there's degrees of discretion that that
[1:20:57] the board has to exercise and uh it's
just a matter of uh you know, making
[1:21:01] sure they're confident in their
decisions and they're just fully
[1:21:04] informed, you know, as to the law. Um
and you could, you know, very well help
[1:21:09] navigate things. Like I said, I've
drafted, you know, draft advisory
[1:21:12] opinions and there's some uh back and
forth that could be, you know, taking
[1:21:16] place in that regard. So, uh just making
sure members have a, you know, a say at
[1:21:19] the table as to, you know, how they'd
like things to read. so long as it
[1:21:22] doesn't, you know, interfere with uh the
actual uh legal findings ultimately.
[1:21:31] » And can you um obviously you said you do
a lot of work in Nassau County. So what
[1:21:35] would be your level of availability?
>> Um so I I work a 9 to5 uh for the
[1:21:41] village of Marin currently and then just
like you know some matters here and
[1:21:45] there. I'm in Nassau County. Um it's a
little bit irregular. Um, so for the
[1:21:50] most part I'm tied up 9 to5, but
otherwise I'm widely available.
[1:21:54] » Okay.
>> I didn't if you answered this question I
[1:21:56] apologize. Do you live in the village or
you you don't live in the village?
[1:21:59] » No, I live in uh Seafford in Nassau
County.
[1:22:01] » Thank you. Sorry.
>> And what would your fee schedule be? Fee
[1:22:06] fee structure.
>> Uh, typically I I bill 400 an hour. Um,
[1:22:11] I I wasn't sure, you know, whether um an
hourly retainer is something, you know,
[1:22:15] the board was seeking. you know, happy
to have uh discussions, but typically my
[1:22:19] hourly rate is 400.
[1:22:26] » What do you feel is the most uh the
frequency of ethics meetings? How do you
[1:22:31] how would you ethics board meetings? How
would you guide that or how would you
[1:22:36] propose that that work? How does it work
in your current situations?
[1:22:40] » Um, so I'll backtrack to Long Beach.
Like I said, it was really a matter of I
[1:22:45] was really um kind of guiding the board
through meetings. Like I said, it ramped
[1:22:50] up a lot during annual disclosure time
of year uh and just um advisory opinions
[1:22:56] that would pop up here and there that
were needed and and ethics complaints um
[1:23:01] that needed opinions ultimately. Um so
that was like I said about a monthly but
[1:23:06] I would say a little bit less just uh
just depending on the schedule. Um and
[1:23:11] then uh for the village I I would say
it's they meet more consistently I would
[1:23:17] say. Um I think there are honestly more
complaints that do come in. Um
[1:23:25] but it's uh the meetings aren't too
long. I would say they're they're about,
[1:23:30] you know, 45 minutes in length, that
type of thing. Um you know, it's not the
[1:23:34] longest meetings. So, um but yeah, that
there's uh you know, no shortage of uh
[1:23:41] complaints that come in at least with
that board.
[1:23:43] » And what do you what is what do your
clients do with their um with their
[1:23:48] ethics um the results of their
investigations or their deliberations?
[1:23:54] » Uh it really ranges. Sometimes um for
the most part, I think most things are
[1:24:01] worked out well. Like for example,
there's like a a waiver provision for uh
[1:24:06] nepotism. A lot of those come in like if
someone is related to someone else,
[1:24:11] there's a lot of uh waiverss that are
issued ultimately um for, you know, if
[1:24:15] they think it's like a real uh
non-conlict situation. Uh but other
[1:24:20] times there's there's other things where
you know I've seen it get to at least
[1:24:24] not under my tenure but it gets to like
uh an actual litigation stage where it's
[1:24:28] uh you know they come to a finding and
say that there was an ethics violation
[1:24:32] and then ultimately there's like an
article 78 lawsuit that stems from that.
[1:24:36] Uh I luckily haven't you know none of my
findings or anything like that have ever
[1:24:40] been challenged in court thankfully. Um
but you know that sometimes is a result
[1:24:46] uh as to uh a board's findings just
depending on it's a very case by case
[1:24:50] basis ultimately. So
[1:24:58] » and you would be the person you would be
representing the board the it's not
[1:25:03] you're not a firm it's you you
personally that would
[1:25:05] » Yes. Correct. Yeah.
>> You're a sole practitioner.
[1:25:08] » Exactly.
>> That's the word I was looking for.
[1:25:12] and no. Um, does does your firm have any
sort of political work with political
[1:25:16] organizations that could create a a
perception or an actual conflict of
[1:25:21] interest and
in your experience?
[1:25:25] » No, honestly, my my practice at this
point is mainly um matters that I uh
[1:25:30] represented the city of Long Beach on.
Um I had left Long Beach in September of
[1:25:36] 25 uh to join the village of Marin but
there was uh some litigation matters
[1:25:41] that um you know I was very involved
with. I had tried cases etc. Uh and so
[1:25:47] for appeals and things like that uh they
kept me uh on retainer just to see those
[1:25:52] through. So, uh, no, nothing, uh,
political, nothing like that otherwise.
[1:26:02] » So, you're full-time with the village as
village attorney?
[1:26:06] » Yeah. Monday to Friday, 9 to5. Correct.
>> And let me let me clarify. Do you you
[1:26:10] also represent the board of ethics,
>> right? Board of trustees, board of
[1:26:15] ethics,
>> all the boards.
[1:26:17] » Um, there is separate land use council.
Uh there's been when the land use
[1:26:23] council's conflicted out, I'll sit for
the zoning board or planning board
[1:26:26] depending. Uh but that's that only comes
up here and there.
[1:26:29] » That's more than 9 to5.
>> Yeah.
[1:26:32] » Yeah. I had a a trustee meeting to uh
till 10:45 last night. So
[1:26:37] » Oh, and they done that.
>> All right.
[1:26:42] Anyone else have questions?
>> No. Everything else was covered. How was
[1:26:45] your intern supervisor when you were
>> It's a conflicting
[1:26:50] » always about him.
>> Did he periodically buy you guys lunch
[1:26:54] or
>> he was good?
[1:26:58] » Good, huh? He was good.
>> I don't know. I didn't lunch.
[1:27:01] » I was going to say I don't know if the
board's expecting that now, but
[1:27:03] » I mean, he hasn't even replaced Sylvia
as Altoids.
[1:27:10] » Very nice meeting all of you. It's great
to see You have any questions for us or
[1:27:13] anything before you leave?
>> I don't believe so. When should I expect
[1:27:16] to hear back? I guess
>> I would looking to make a
[1:27:21] » within the next month.
>> Yeah.
[1:27:22] » Yeah. Okay.
>> I mean, we we meet twice monthly.
[1:27:26] » Okay.
>> And our next ethics
[1:27:29] » board meeting is scheduled in November.
>> Okay.
[1:27:32] » So,
>> All right.
[1:27:33] » But yeah, we'd like to sooner rather
than later.
[1:27:35] » Okay. That's the goal.
>> Okay. Great.
[1:27:37] » Thank you for your time. All right. Nice
meeting all of you. Nice meeting you.
[1:27:40] Nice meeting you.
[1:27:49] So, we all learned Dave does buy lunch.
>> Not for me.
[1:27:54] » Yeah.
>> Not all about you. What about all of us?
[1:27:57] » Any of us?
[1:28:02] » Okay. Next candidate.
>> Next and final.
[1:28:06] » Yes.
[1:28:09] I didn't realize that would have been
that would have been sex if Right.
[1:28:13] » Do you need another paper?
>> No, I just crossed
[1:28:19] just
[1:28:29] » Thank you.
>> Thank you.
[1:28:33] » Thank you.
>> Thank you.
[1:28:42] We'll wait for Trusty Franco to come
back.
[1:29:00] » It's because of the lunch.
>> What was it? What? What was the launch?
[1:29:06] Do you remember?
>> It was proximity because we had district
[1:29:08] court and patchog.
[1:29:12] » Good ones there.
>> Yeah, we'll go with that.
[1:29:39] All right, Mr. Rouse, thank you for
coming in tonight. I'm I'll go through
[1:29:43] the introductions. on Mayor Shepro, uh,
Trustee and Deputy Mayor Bob Giuliano,
[1:29:48] Trustee Kathy Anne Snaden, Trustee
Matthew Franco, Trustee Randy Dit,
[1:29:55] » our treasurer and clerk respectively,
Steven Gaffa and Sylvia Pillo, and
[1:30:00] village attorney David Moran.
>> Nice to meet you.
[1:30:02] » Thank you for coming in.
>> Thank you for coming. Would you pass me?
[1:30:05] Thank you.
>> Um, can you uh tell us what interested
[1:30:09] you about this position and how you
found out about it? So, um, as you, um,
[1:30:15] may recall from the letter I sent off to
the village,
[1:30:18] I am very interested in transparency in
government at every level.
[1:30:24] » Microphone.
>> Microphone. Sorry.
[1:30:26] » I'm very interested in transparency,
governmental transparency at every
[1:30:30] level. Um I actually happened to be at
the meeting um the I guess it would be
[1:30:37] the reorganizational meeting where
appointments were being made and I was
[1:30:42] actually here when um the prior ethics
council uh I guess was rejected. Um so I
[1:30:51] was curious to see how that would play
out. Given my experience, it's something
[1:30:56] I would naturally be interested in and
I'm a little bit of a junkie. So, I read
[1:31:01] the the agendas and stuff and I saw that
uh there was a candidate being
[1:31:05] presented. Um and uh
>> you just hold up to your
[1:31:09] » I'm sorry.
>> Do you need me to start over?
[1:31:12] » No.
>> Okay. Um and I saw that there was one
[1:31:15] candidate being presented and I thought
that um it would be a good idea that if
[1:31:19] I introduced myself to the board and
encouraged the board to um open the
[1:31:23] process up to as many candidates as
possible. I'm so happy that you did
[1:31:27] that. Um
a board of ethics is very different than
[1:31:33] most any other board uh that a village
can have and for that matter most
[1:31:37] municipalities.
It needs to be independent.
[1:31:43] It cannot
show any sense of subjectivity,
[1:31:48] partisanship or favoritism.
I understand that we live in a political
[1:31:54] world. I've served in political
positions, elected positions for many,
[1:31:58] many, many years. But of all the
positions I've had, all the places I've
[1:32:03] been, other than Supreme Court,
an ethics board needs to be really above
[1:32:10] reproach.
Cannot ever, ever, ever be weaponized.
[1:32:16] The board of ethics is not in place to
punish people. Board of ethics is really
[1:32:22] I think in place to serve as an adviser,
as a guard rail and as an educator. A
[1:32:32] board of ethics when properly
constituted and properly running will
[1:32:38] avoid hopefully the need for any kind of
advanced litigation, disciplinary action
[1:32:44] or otherwise.
Board of ethics should be out ahead of
[1:32:49] most problems.
I cannot tell you that I'm aware of what
[1:32:53] level of education
uh the the uh board has uh offered to
[1:32:58] its employees and and the village
employees and officers and for that
[1:33:02] matter outside contractors. I don't know
what level it is, but I can assure you
[1:33:05] that if I'm involved in the board of
ethics, that would be not my number one
[1:33:09] priority. Um, preventive medicine goes a
long way when we get involved in
[1:33:15] sensitive situations that often come
before boards of ethics. We deal with
[1:33:20] people's reputations. We deal with
people's famil family's reputations.
[1:33:24] Um, our goal is to ensure that we do no
harm in in in this kind of a capacity.
[1:33:35] So, can you describe what you feel like
your role as legal counsel to the board
[1:33:39] of ethics would be?
>> Advisory,
[1:33:43] » obviously wearing a different hat. Um,
I understand there may have been another
[1:33:49] attorney on the board at one point, but
um, if you would compare it to a jury
[1:33:57] trial.
So when I was presiding over trials and
[1:34:01] family in Supreme Court, supreme we had
juries. I would have a a jury panel of
[1:34:07] six people and maybe two alternates.
I'm the judge. I'm the jury's advisor.
[1:34:15] In fact, typical jury instructions say
you're not to listen to anything about
[1:34:20] the law but anyone but the judge. You,
however, find the facts for yourselves.
[1:34:27] Now, I would often times have on a jury
a lawyer,
[1:34:32] and it was always a coin coin toss about
how that would go. But there are special
[1:34:36] instructions that you offer an attorney
on a jury. Let's go to a board of
[1:34:42] ethics.
Myself as the judge in the advisory
[1:34:46] role, however, not the person or not a
person in the pool of people making
[1:34:51] decisions as to facts and what
directions they want to go in. So it
[1:34:55] would be as an adviser, as a legal
adviser, wearing a clearly different hat
[1:35:00] than uh the the members of the board,
not to tell them what to do,
[1:35:06] » not to take over a meeting, not to steer
them in any particular direction other
[1:35:11] than the legally appropriate direction.
the council to the board of ethics or
[1:35:18] any board for that matter is only
wearing a legal advisory hat and cannot
[1:35:23] be promoting any other agendas.
[1:35:27] » That's the role of council to the board
of ethics.
[1:35:30] » Thank you.
>> I just have a question. When your
[1:35:34] initial statement um you said something
about the board being weaponized or
[1:35:39] should not be weaponized you I'm
paraphrasing.
[1:35:41] » Yes. Uh, do you think the board of
ethics that we currently have is
[1:35:45] weaponized?
>> I have no idea. I would have no way to
[1:35:48] know that.
>> I was just I just thought that was an
[1:35:49] odd statement. Like I was trying to
figure out why how you would start that
[1:35:52] off as it should not be weaponized.
>> The entirety of the statement dealt with
[1:35:57] boards generally. A board of ethics. I
didn't say the village of Port. That's
[1:36:01] why I said
>> a board of ethics can never be
[1:36:04] » can never be weaponized. And if you'll
take that beginning of the statement and
[1:36:07] circle around to the end of what I said,
I talked about people's reputations.
[1:36:13] » I talked about famil family's
reputations. The responsibilities of a
[1:36:17] board of ethics,
among other things, is to promote
[1:36:20] integrity.
And to me, the weaponization of a board
[1:36:26] of any kind, but most particularly a
board of ethics
[1:36:30] would be so harmful could be so harmful
to people in the community as to destroy
[1:36:36] the confidence that the community in
general would have not just in the board
[1:36:39] of ethics but in government. So to be
clear, the statement that I made and any
[1:36:45] statement I've made so far has been
specific to Portf Village in only one
[1:36:49] respect and that is to the level of
education that the board of ethics has
[1:36:54] promoted. Other than that, these are
meant to be general statements as to my
[1:36:58] feelings about boards of ethics in
general and the role of council.
[1:37:02] » Thank you.
[1:37:07] So the RFQ that we published
specifically requires confidential and
[1:37:13] independent legal advice. What does
independence mean to you in this
[1:37:18] representation? Particularly if your
legal advice differs from the position
[1:37:23] of
the general pop or a board like of
[1:37:29] trustees like like this one.
I'm not sure I'm understanding
[1:37:35] your question.
>> I agree. I don't understand it either.
[1:37:40] » Okay. Um well, I'll repeat my question
to John maybe.
[1:37:44] » Um so it it requires confidential and
independent legal advice.
[1:37:48] » Correct. Um, you you may be aware of
different opinions that a trustee on
[1:37:56] this board has or a feeling how do or a
feeling that staff member has or how do
[1:38:02] you how do you separate the independence
from what any kind of um uh professional
[1:38:10] or personal pressures you might be
feeling from the ether
[1:38:16] » just as I would and had to do every day
as a judge in Suffach County for 10
[1:38:22] years. My role is my role. I honor the
seat that I'm sitting in and I honor the
[1:38:28] responsibilities
and rights that come with that seat and
[1:38:32] that seat alone. So, I may be involved
in a qu an ethical question that I am
[1:38:38] advising the board about and it may
involve one of you and I may develop a
[1:38:43] personal relationship with you over
time. I may like you a lot. I may
[1:38:51] see you around town, have cups of
coffee,
[1:38:55] but I can't take that into consideration
when I'm counseling the board of ethics.
[1:39:00] For me, it's not a hard choice. I'm
trained in it.
[1:39:12] Have you ever I have to ask this
question of all the candidates. Have you
[1:39:15] ever represented anybody on this board
or anybody on the board of ethics? If
[1:39:20] you know who the members of the board of
ethics are?
[1:39:23] » Not to my knowledge.
[1:39:28] » Do you have any I mean obviously you
live in the village.
[1:39:31] » I do.
>> Uh do you have any relationships with
[1:39:33] anybody on this board? Uh currently
>> on the board. When you say
[1:39:39] relationships, I know who you all are.
>> Yeah. Yeah, but I mean
[1:39:42] » I've known I've known Lauren Shepro's
family uh since seventh grade when I
[1:39:46] went to then infant Jesus school with
her brother Dennis who now I think lives
[1:39:51] out in Portland. Um so I'm aware of the
Shepro family.
[1:39:55] » Okay.
>> But I have no personal relationship with
[1:39:59] our mayor per se, but of course I do
know her family.
[1:40:02] » Of course. Okay.
[1:40:09] what was uh your requested fee structure
if you were to be chosen as the council
[1:40:14] to the board of ethics. So my
understanding is that there was and this
[1:40:18] is just based upon the reorg meeting
that there is an hourly uh rate that you
[1:40:22] were paying um what would be my
predecessor and I don't even know what
[1:40:26] that rate is but what
>> your predecessor's rate trust me you
[1:40:29] want your predecessor's predecessors
>> okay well just say that
[1:40:34] » well this is
this is not a money maker for me I am
[1:40:40] not here because I need the job I'm here
because I want the job because I live
[1:40:47] here. I grew up here. I love the village
of Port Jeff and I think we need strong
[1:40:53] leadership at every single level in this
room and in the room that I'm proposing
[1:40:58] that I become council to. So, as far as
an hourly rate goes, I will tell you
[1:41:03] that I get $550 an hour in private
practice. But I will also tell you that
[1:41:08] acting in of councsil capacity to the
town of Brook Haven a few years ago, I
[1:41:12] was being paid $300 an hour. So, I think
the going rate these days for municipal
[1:41:18] work is $250 to $300 an hour. It's not a
huge negotiating point for me.
[1:41:25] » So, being a village resident, I'm sure
you're familiar with the code and
[1:41:29] obviously you're here for that uh
position. So, um for the ethics
[1:41:33] obviously the ethics the ethics code.
So, um, have you noticed anything in
[1:41:40] particular that you feel like would need
it would need some attention or some
[1:41:44] updates or anything that you know drew
your attention in reviewing it if you
[1:41:49] have?
>> So, having made six copies of it, I'm
[1:41:52] happy to hand them all out to you.
>> Well, then then I'm assuming you've done
[1:41:55] your research.
>> I've really actually did. But, um, no,
[1:41:59] I've I've taken a look at it.
Generally, I think that it's a bit of a
[1:42:05] shotgun approach.
>> Generally, I think it was modeled after
[1:42:10] larger state models. Um, from what I
see, I think that it can be tailored
[1:42:15] down
>> um
[1:42:19] to the specific needs of this village. I
think it was I think it's a huge step
[1:42:24] forward even having it and having a
board. It's it's wonderful. But I think
[1:42:30] like any any organic
kind of a thing, this is growing. Okay.
[1:42:36] And um
I love the fact that you're putting such
[1:42:39] attention on it that you'll be receptive
to anything that your board comes
[1:42:43] forward to you with in terms of maybe
changing the code. But my my look at it,
[1:42:48] and I'm not going to sit here and tell
you that I studied it like I would for
[1:42:51] the bar exam,
>> but um I see I see something where I'm
[1:42:55] looking at language that I think is used
generally and I think we could take a
[1:42:59] closer look at it and tailor it more to
this village.
[1:43:02] » Okay. Thank you.
[1:43:27] Everything's answered.
[1:43:37] » Do you have anything else that you would
like to add or anything? any questions
[1:43:42] for us or
>> No, I don't think I have anything to
[1:43:45] add, but I would like to re-emphasize
how pleased I am that you all considered
[1:43:51] my letter
um seriously. I obviously um have a
[1:43:57] vested interest in the place in which I
live. Um, I guess what I could add is
[1:44:02] that um,
my first job,
[1:44:07] other than pumping a little gas up so
for 250 an hour in Portf Station, my
[1:44:11] first real job was Ron Carlson gave me a
job at the Department of Recreation.
[1:44:16] » And I went from there in the summers and
seasonally throughout college and law
[1:44:20] school. I also worked at the highway
department with a guy named Henry
[1:44:23] Sulowski, if you remember that.
>> Um, ultimately became a superintendent
[1:44:28] of highways. Why do I tell you that? Not
because that's the kind of experience
[1:44:31] you need for this job, but to give you
my sense of deep commitment to this
[1:44:35] village, my how important it is to me.
It's done so much to formulate who I am,
[1:44:41] who I became as a professional, and I
would like to be able to give that back
[1:44:45] to the community. But I am again so
happy that you all opened up this
[1:44:51] process. I think that's how every level
of government should work and most
[1:44:55] importantly in the board that I'm asking
you to consider me to become counsel to.
[1:45:01] » Thank you.
>> Thank you so much.
[1:45:03] » Wonderful meeting.
>> Same here. Thank you.
[1:45:05] » Have a good day.
>> Appreciate your very nice to meet you,
[1:45:07] brother. Thank you.
[1:45:20] » Okay. Um, so
do we have a motion to go into executive
[1:45:25] session?
[1:45:30] » Motion second
>> discussion.
[1:45:33] » If there's nothing that we have to vote
on, maybe we wait till the end of the
[1:45:36] meeting since all of these wonderful
people have been sitting here for so
[1:45:39] long.
>> Well, I know
[1:45:40] » wonderful people.
>> There's a present. I just I was going to
[1:45:45] say the same thing. I know we were
waiting on a presentation.
[1:45:47] » Uh, okay. Well, we have two we have a
lot of wonderful people waiting to speak
[1:45:51] with us.
>> Well, that's what I mean. They're all
[1:45:53] sitting here waiting and I would rather
not go into executive session until
[1:45:56] after.
>> Is it is it one
[1:45:59] » So, we have Miss Bell is here. Um, so we
have um Miss Bell here. I also want to
[1:46:06] let the board know that it's possible
that there are two resolutions that come
[1:46:10] out of executive session
>> which we can come out of and back up
[1:46:14] here and vote, but we don't have to make
everyone wait.
[1:46:20] I mean, I at least would
like to hear the presentation. I just
[1:46:25] don't I don't want to make
>> I don't want to make anybody wait.
[1:46:28] » Yeah. I mean, I feel
>> it's been a constant complaint that I
[1:46:30] receive from the residents that we make
them wait.
[1:46:33] » How I feel.
>> No, it's not about that. It's just
[1:46:36] about, you know, being efficient with
our time and people's time in the
[1:46:39] audience. So,
>> exactly.
[1:46:41] » Um,
>> that's my point.
[1:46:43] » Quick sidebar.
>> Sure.
[1:46:47] All right. So, we have uh Beachwood
here. Is Beachwood executive session
[1:46:52] material?
>> No.
[1:46:53] » Oh, okay. Let's go.
>> All right. Then I would draw my motion.
[1:46:57] » Okay. With Sean.
>> Thanks, Bob.
[1:46:59] » Sure.
>> All right. Miss Bell, come on up.
[1:47:06] » Sorry to make you wait.
>> Silly village business. May she
[1:47:14] » pleasure to be here and I don't mind
waiting.
[1:47:16] » Nice to see you again.
>> Thank you.
[1:47:17] » That microphone is not as sensitive was
we'd like it to be. So you have to hold
[1:47:21] it close to your
>> Oh, thank you.
[1:47:23] » speaking apparatus.
>> Okay.
[1:47:26] » Good evening. Thank you for having me
today. Um we last met in May. Um and
[1:47:32] since then um I focused on the things
that we discussed which was a size of a
[1:47:39] potential educational sign um to be put
by Barnum and Broadway representing
[1:47:44] Arnet AM church
uh working along with uh Chris Ryan
[1:47:49] Portf historian and Barbara Russell um
Brook Haven Town historian. I have
[1:47:54] spoken to them before this meeting in
depth. um they would have been here
[1:47:58] tonight if they could have been but um
we have put together the wording um for
[1:48:04] the sign. I did provide a copy um for
everyone along with the um size of it. I
[1:48:12] » and I just wanted to see what we I feel
very happy with um taking feedback from
[1:48:19] all the different people that I've been
working with. Um, one of the important
[1:48:22] things was outlining what AM stands for,
but not to assume that everybody just
[1:48:28] known that. And we came up with a nice
subtitle. Um, Arnet AM Church, the heart
[1:48:33] of a community, remembering the Arnet
African Methodist Episcopal Church. Um,
[1:48:38] two maps on um, the left hand side,
which and a timeline. Um, there was so
[1:48:44] much information. So going through it to
see what could be reflective and
[1:48:50] educational where people could say,
"Wow, you know, I didn't know that." And
[1:48:54] just walk away feeling just a broader
sense of Port Jefferson was very
[1:48:59] important um to me. And
interviewing a Mr. Julius Sty on the
[1:49:05] bottom leftand corner there. He was
actually a member of the congregation
[1:49:10] who was involved in the fundraising and
delivered meals on his bicycle. Um, and
[1:49:15] he sat with me for hours and just really
gave his time and I could feel his love
[1:49:20] and appreciation and even more of a
sense what this place was like cuz he
[1:49:24] was able to visually walk me through it
as if I was there and I feel like he
[1:49:28] gives that to this project um by having
a quote from him.
[1:49:34] Um I after reading it over um I did one
two three four fifth paragraph down um
[1:49:43] there's a mention of harvest home
suppers. I wanted to get feedback if you
[1:49:48] felt the definition of what that is
should be also um included. Um some
[1:49:52] people after reading um it said like
Chris Ryan said what is a harvest home
[1:49:57] supper? So, and so that's something that
I highlighted that I could add. And I
[1:50:02] did see in the next paragraph down that
arnet was misspelled. I highlighted that
[1:50:06] that would be fixed also for the um
final um copy.
[1:50:12] And the um big concern was with
gratitude. I felt like the more this
[1:50:17] project was going on, even being here at
this moment, it's just a full circle of
[1:50:23] how Arnette, although they had a
congregation before they had a building,
[1:50:27] it took the whole community in Port
Jefferson that really took a part in
[1:50:31] making that building happen. And I felt
that same sense as I was working on this
[1:50:36] project because it took so many people's
and even now everybody's time here. So
[1:50:41] having just a logo just made me feel
like maybe it was not as much reflective
[1:50:46] as naming like community, but then it
became very long and this is not even
[1:50:51] everybody um that's listed here. So
that's a little bit of a um
[1:50:58] I I I did say well what how could we
solve that? And one suggestion was with
[1:51:02] a QR code, but then with coming up with
solutions, there's another problem
[1:51:07] because there's no website that can
connect to the QR code. And so some
[1:51:11] suggestions were maybe to add a QR code
later in time.
[1:51:15] » I actually tried the QR code to see
no there's a lot of more information,
[1:51:22] but um that was something that we're
coming that I'm coming. I don't want to
[1:51:29] if this was approved I wouldn't want to
delay it but I also feel like there's so
[1:51:33] much yeah
>> that I um that so many more people I
[1:51:37] know I don't know how to really handle
it with gratitude that's something that
[1:51:40] I would like to hear what um you thought
to but there were so many people that
[1:51:44] were a part of this and even everyone
here that it's I don't know it makes me
[1:51:50] feel like that reflecting that community
involvement is important
[1:51:54] » definitely
[1:52:01] I mean, I I appreciate the work that you
put in on, you know, I love history and,
[1:52:06] you know, I've grew up here, so um yeah,
I really appreciated reading all the,
[1:52:10] you know, about the Yeah. So, thank you.
>> Thank you so much. Thank you.
[1:52:13] » And I think it's important because I
don't think a lot of people realize
[1:52:16] » No, definitely not.
>> So, this is important to bring
[1:52:21] » to the public much.
>> I think this is great. Thank you. Uh
[1:52:26] » I appreciate you coming in and bringing
it to our attention.
[1:52:28] » Well, thank you very much.
>> Um the one thing that I would maybe
[1:52:31] suggest um just for the full design uh
purpose of the sign is to maybe run it
[1:52:36] by the architectural review committee.
Okay.
[1:52:38] » Um and see if they have any comments or
suggestions on um you know the overall
[1:52:44] design of the actual sign. Not
necessarily the content because you are
[1:52:47] the expert in the content. Um but maybe
just to um add an extra layer of of uh
[1:52:54] oversight on design.
>> Okay.
[1:52:55] » Of the actual sign.
>> I think that's very good idea. Thank
[1:52:59] you.
>> You're welcome.
[1:53:06] » So remind us again where the um
identified location of the sign would
[1:53:11] be.
>> It's right near um Drown Meadow Cottage.
[1:53:15] actually um right that parking lot is
where Arnette stood and I think that on
[1:53:21] Chris Ryan and Barbara Russell felt that
right near um right in that vicinity I
[1:53:26] have like the coordinates but there is a
sign there now I think next to it
[1:53:32] perhaps
>> like to the north side of the parking
[1:53:35] lot
>> um is that towards the water towards the
[1:53:39] northeast corner of the parking lot
>> yes
[1:53:41] » okay
>> and um what's the process process for
[1:53:45] getting the sign made.
>> Um the design company said if we had
[1:53:51] approval today, they would need about
five weeks um to have um the sign made.
[1:53:57] Speaking with um
>> it was um Barbara Russell that was able
[1:54:02] to um through the Raml Foundation um
cover the cost that assigned. So I
[1:54:09] appreciate that. Excellent.
>> You know, and so this is very exciting.
[1:54:15] I feel like this is
>> Is there a special date that works for
[1:54:17] the dedication c because I would imagine
you'd want to do a dedication sort of
[1:54:22] » I was we were speaking about that in
November. We were thinking is um I know
[1:54:27] there's another event um a race um
Barbara said there's a race maybe and
[1:54:33] it's also um in um indigenous month.
Maybe around that time would be good
[1:54:38] because there would already be people in
the area. I like that. Maybe this is the
[1:54:43] second event of that day. Okay.
>> Because it goes tight, especially with
[1:54:47] 250th. I feel like this would be a
really nice time. November.
[1:54:52] » Is it a concrete um
>> footing
[1:54:56] » footing?
>> Um I think reading from the design like
[1:55:01] that they're able to install
>> in installation. Yes. Yes. I um they I
[1:55:05] did speak with design company today
before the meeting and I asked them what
[1:55:08] would work for them as far as when could
they have this done and they said five
[1:55:13] weeks. So I said was November doable.
They sounded that was doable.
[1:55:17] » Maybe there's a project plan or just
nothing too extravagant but just a
[1:55:21] project plan of this is what it this is
what happens. This is how it gets
[1:55:25] installed. We have several of these
installed around the village.
[1:55:28] » Yes.
>> Already and they're they are in concrete
[1:55:32] footing. Okay, great.
>> And they are immovable basically, but
[1:55:36] » just so just so we know and our public
works knows and parks knows.
[1:55:39] » Oh yes, I will get a detailed email from
them. Okay. tomorrow and um but I mean
[1:55:46] I'm excited to be at this point and just
I mean reading about just everything and
[1:55:52] I saw how much this meant when the money
was being collected and people worked
[1:55:58] really hard to have a building
established and you feel that
[1:56:01] perseverance and just to have you know
remember it it feels feels really good.
[1:56:07] » Kudos to you. No, to everybody. To
everybody
[1:56:11] » getting the support of the town, getting
the support.
[1:56:13] » Absolutely. Yes.
>> Uh the assembly woman,
[1:56:16] » everybody
legislator
[1:56:19] » because when I first brought it up, I
couldn't do it without tears.
[1:56:23] » And now I'm feel like it's just I I
still feel emotional, but I'm able to
[1:56:28] deliver, you know, more than that. When
I first met um you know Rebecca Cassay
[1:56:33] and Steve Angelbrite it was with tears
that I was saying that a lot of people I
[1:56:38] read there when they passed away said
their funeral was at our net. They don't
[1:56:43] have a headstone. They're nowhere to be
there's nothing to even touch nothing
[1:56:46] you know to remember them and it was
very emotional for me. So
[1:56:52] feels good.
>> Great.
[1:56:54] » Great. Is there any information we can
give her uh to make contact with the
[1:56:58] architectural review committee? email or
something. So, just make it easier for
[1:57:01] you while you
>> Thank you.
[1:57:02] » Yes, I can get that to you.
>> Okay. Appreciate that.
[1:57:06] » Silia, you can connect the two of us and
I would be happy to set that up for
[1:57:09] » just so make it easy for you.
>> Thank you so much. Thank you.
[1:57:14] » Very excited.
>> It's exciting news.
[1:57:17] » And and just love Port Jeff. Love
history. So, I'll I see everybody at all
[1:57:21] the events. Thank you. Thank you very
much.
[1:57:23] » Thank you very much.
[1:57:32] Okay. Now, um we'll invite the Beachwood
representatives up.
[1:57:43] » Bring gifts.
[1:57:47] » Thank you for your patience.
[1:57:52] » Thank you.
>> Oh, look who's here. Hello, legislator.
[1:57:57] » Thank you.
>> You just missed us.
[1:58:02] » Literally.
>> Keep your calendar open in November.
[1:58:09] » Would you like to say anything while
you're here?
[1:58:12] » Yeah. Come on up.
>> Thank you.
[1:58:16] » No, come on up. It's all right.
>> You made the trip.
[1:58:21] This is
>> We have a speaker for you. Like a
[1:58:24] microphone.
This is a a part of the community's
[1:58:29] heritage that is too often forgotten.
Um that uh you're taking the time to
[1:58:34] remember it this evening. Um we're very
grateful to you. Uh I've seen the
[1:58:42] African-American
community in Great Neck almost
[1:58:45] disappear.
When I was a kid, I lived in Queens.
[1:58:49] used to drive out. There was a
significant uh community there.
[1:58:55] Uh now it's nothing but uh
auto dealerships
[1:59:01] and office buildings.
They're gone.
[1:59:08] You're not going to let that happen
here. Uh this sign uh this historic
[1:59:13] marker is going to memorialize
uh many of the men and women who helped
[1:59:18] build this community, helped build the
ships that were here,
[1:59:22] who toiled and labored and contributed
and that you're remembering that is
[1:59:28] heartening.
So thank you. I just I'm so honored uh
[1:59:34] to uh to live amongst you and uh very
grateful that you gave me a chance to
[1:59:40] say a few words. Thank you very much.
>> Thank you for your contributions and
[1:59:43] your advocacy.
>> Have a good day.
[1:59:49] » Night.
[1:59:53] » All right. Take two.
>> Take two.
[1:59:58] » No problem. Thank you. Um Mayor
Trustees, I appreciate this opportunity
[2:00:03] to speak to you. My name is Richard
Rosenberg. I'm the attorney for the
[2:00:06] Beachwood organization and I'm here to
discuss I want to make sure I get the
[2:00:12] name right because you guys spent a lot
of time.
[2:00:14] » Yes, we did.
>> Harbor Cove at Mary Haven.
[2:00:18] Um, just to refresh, in November of last
year, the board of trustees had approved
[2:00:24] a resoning from PO to RM zone that would
allow us to build a 76 unit uh,
[2:00:31] condominium development. We went before
the board of um, zoning appeals in
[2:00:36] January and received all the necessary
variances.
[2:00:40] Since that time, we've been in the site
plan with the planning board. And I
[2:00:44] believe right now, based on my last
conversation,
[2:00:48] all of the issues are are resolved but
for the sidewalks. And the sidewalks
[2:00:53] took on a little bit of a life of its
own. And with your permission, I just
[2:00:58] want to give you a bit of a recap if I
could. on page one of before you you
[2:01:04] will see um to the right hand side
there's an H. Now, just just briefly,
[2:01:12] the zoning the uh covenants and the
approval documents said that the
[2:01:17] applicant shall at it sole cost and
expense install a sidewalk along Myrtle
[2:01:22] Avenue from High Street across the
subject property to ultimately connect
[2:01:28] to the sidewalk with the school and with
any permission from adjacent owners to
[2:01:32] be obtained at no cost to applicant.
Once built, the sidewall would be
[2:01:36] dedicated to and maintained by the
village. So if you look at age, that is
[2:01:42] basically going around from the school
parking lot down Hill and it attaches
[2:01:48] into an existing um an existing road,
not a roadway, exist existing path
[2:01:54] around 3T wide. It has not been
maintained. So what we're suggesting is
[2:01:59] refurbishing that and giving a little
boundary and redoing the 3-ft all the
[2:02:05] way around to go to the school up front.
Going back to the left is I which is
[2:02:13] this was the sidewalk from Beltare
to the parking lot of the school
[2:02:20] and initially we had to reach out to the
owner of that property which is
[2:02:24] Fairfield and we had to have a pretty
much a long discussion with them. Their
[2:02:29] concern was there's a sidewalk across
the street. Um why can't you use that?
[2:02:35] Um I told him it's not my discretion.
It's within the village right of way. Um
[2:02:40] so ultimately we intend to do a 4 foot
wide
[2:02:45] um sidewalk going from Beltare to the
school parking lot and up to the village
[2:02:52] whether we do typically that could be a
twoft strip of grass that will be
[2:02:57] maintained by the village. So the
question is whether you want that or
[2:03:01] whether it's just the curb and a 4ft.
Now what we would do is every 200 feet
[2:03:07] we would do a five-foot turnaround to
comply with the ADA requirements and
[2:03:11] what have you. So I believe we resolved
those.
[2:03:17] Right at the front of the development
you will see number J which is the wall
[2:03:23] uh excuse me the path that's going to go
from our development to Beltare Road.
[2:03:30] Now, just as an aside, uh the board was
very concerned about the intersection of
[2:03:36] Myrtle and Beltier. We agreed to certain
um do certain things to improve it. We
[2:03:42] then spoke with the planning uh board
chair who is a traffic consultant and
[2:03:47] we've improved it more with traffic
lights with uh we're basically going to
[2:03:51] rebuild that entire traffic light at our
sole cost and expense. And we're also
[2:03:56] going to have a walkway that's going to
go across belt with signals.
[2:04:03] The issue that we have is along myrtle
and Myrtle is number D. And if I could
[2:04:09] just ask you to go to number three in
the presentation bottom right hand
[2:04:14] corner.
[2:04:17] I went before the planning board and at
the beginning we had estimated the trees
[2:04:22] and to do the sidewalk from High Street
all the way up to our entrance way.
[2:04:28] Right now based upon uh field surveys
there's 80 trees that would need to be
[2:04:33] removed. Now
[2:04:38] it really breaks into about 1,00 to,100
square ft of property that's alongside
[2:04:45] the Mary Haven Beachwood property and
then there's another 500 ft below Inwood
[2:04:51] from Myrtle going down Myrtle to High
Street down there. So, what we proposed
[2:04:57] is we drew in a 4ft wide sidewalk going
from the front entrance to Inred Road
[2:05:04] and we had a twoft curb
to excuse me a twoft strip. Now, again,
[2:05:09] it's maintenance to the village. Uh, if
the village likes and I just go to 4ft,
[2:05:14] I can save eight trees out of the box
because I'm not going as far in. But
[2:05:19] we're prepared to do the sidewalk um
there um in accordance with applicable
[2:05:24] rules and regulations.
And that leads me to the last part which
[2:05:29] is the hold up of my site plan.
Um this is from Inwood Road down to High
[2:05:34] Street. Now, at the very corner of High
Street to your left hand side, you
[2:05:39] really can't see it, but that is pretty
much the front yard of that house, which
[2:05:44] has existing hedges and is over the
right of way of the village.
[2:05:49] Then we have the property of Canyon
Creek and we've been um dealing with
[2:05:53] Canyon Creek for the better part of 3
four years at this point and they were
[2:05:57] very concerned because that is the
steepest area along Myrtle and to put in
[2:06:04] that sidewalk would not only require a
retaining wall substantial but also the
[2:06:11] removal of 30 trees. So, in prior
discussions with various people of the
[2:06:16] of the uh board, um
if we could go to number two now, uh
[2:06:23] excuse me, number four, my apologies.
What that shows is the entire sidewalk
[2:06:29] along Myrtle going around Spraggy Hill
and then along the Beachwood property up
[2:06:36] until Inwood Road. And at Inwood Road,
the width of the roadway there is 33 to
[2:06:43] 34 feet. Now, north of Inwood Road, it's
29 feet. So, those those are kind of
[2:06:49] important numbers. So, what we suggest
is going now, I promise this is the last
[2:06:55] one, um to number two.
And what we propose is I can save 30
[2:07:04] plus trees if I restripe that area from
High Street to Inwood Road. Now there
[2:07:12] are three um three drawings on the right
hand side. The first shows a 33 ft width
[2:07:18] with a 12T northbound and southbound
then 4 and 1/2t shoulder on each side.
[2:07:25] Um, if I reduce the traffic lane to 11
ft, which is the minimum required, I can
[2:07:32] increase the so shoulder on both sides
by 5.5 ft. I asked my traffic engineer,
[2:07:38] could I cheat from the other side and
move it over? And they said that really
[2:07:43] best engineering practices is the middle
of the road should be where the crown
[2:07:47] is. So you go from there to there. So
while there's no requirement of a
[2:07:53] shoulder, he had proposed 4 and 1/2 or 5
1/2 ft. And what we would do then is
[2:08:01] restripe the restripe that area. And I
would have 4 1/2 ft up and one of the
[2:08:07] one of the issues that the uh board had
concerns about is safety of the people
[2:08:11] as did we. And it really comes down to a
balancing act. Now I spoke with the
[2:08:17] engineers and there are delineated
posts. You've seen them on the Parkway.
[2:08:21] You've seen them at the bridge where you
go in and it's kind of like a uh it's
[2:08:27] kind of a plastic PVC up and it has um
it has uh lights in it. It doesn't have
[2:08:35] lights in it. It's what whatever you
want. It's a bit of a maintenance issue
[2:08:39] and the village would be doing the
maintenance. So, the question is what do
[2:08:43] you want and what could you use at this
point? What I tried to do after speaking
[2:08:49] with the village attorney was to come up
with something that gives you the
[2:08:53] sidewalk that we promised that saves
trees. Um, and really what I'm proposing
[2:08:59] is a 4 and 1/2 or 5 1/2 ft shoulder as
opposed to a sidewalk. And I would just
[2:09:05] point out that presently
there's nothing. And I did speak with
[2:09:12] Canyon Creek to get their spin on
things. I explained to them that if the
[2:09:16] village wanted, I could go into the
right of way and I can take property
[2:09:21] that is the villages basically do it
there, but I would require a heck of a
[2:09:26] retaining wall and um again trees. So I
believe I can almost split the amount of
[2:09:34] trees in half that we originally
proposed by doing this. Now this is a
[2:09:39] condition of the approval that was given
by this board. We presented it to the
[2:09:45] planning board and basically said, "Let
me get started. We're going to solve
[2:09:49] this. Let me get started and um we'll
make this subject too. We could tie it
[2:09:55] to certificates of occupancy. We could
tie it to a bond. We could tie it to
[2:09:59] whatever you want that allows me to
proceed." And the board wanted an
[2:10:05] indication of how the trustees felt
about this. And I just want to point in
[2:10:10] we spoke to the planning director and
the DPW commissioner asked them to come
[2:10:14] out to the site and walk with us and
they basically told us we follow the
[2:10:18] edict of the board of trustees. So until
you have a direction from them there's
[2:10:24] nothing for us to do. So I'm hung up at
site plan. I've tried resolving this for
[2:10:31] quite a while. I was working with
Trustee Hill previously and then there
[2:10:36] was the question of
um could there be a mixture of
[2:10:43] some sidewalk some funds funds in L so
the village could do whatever they
[2:10:48] wanted and council advised that no
sidewalks is what we want address that
[2:10:54] so that's where I am right now I once
again I believe I'm resolved as far as
[2:11:00] all other issues on my site plan but for
this
[2:11:04] um I've seen um some writings from the
civic association we've tried to include
[2:11:11] that with the two foot which they wanted
but it becomes a maintenance issue so
[2:11:15] I'm just looking for direction there
my wish list is if you like the if you
[2:11:23] like the uh green part the two-foot I
can gladly do it on Beltare Road in the
[2:11:28] front of my property but when we go down
south on Myrtle, that 2 ft becomes
[2:11:34] pretty important as far as saving more
trees and as well as the retaining wall.
[2:11:39] Um,
how many feet of sidewalk are we talking
[2:11:43] about from Inwood to High Street?
>> Approximately 480.
[2:11:47] » About 480. And And how many feet of um
retaining wall are we talking about
[2:11:52] » on that side? It would be 480.
>> Another So you're you're going retaining
[2:11:55] wall from Inwood all the way down to
High Street. I have to because the slope
[2:11:59] is so so high at the at the roadway.
>> Okay. I'm going to have to go take a
[2:12:04] look at that again. All right.
>> Well, the retaining wall would there's a
[2:12:08] there's a uh residential property about
halfway
[2:12:12] down.
>> You're right.
[2:12:13] » Where it wouldn't require a retaining
wall per se, and I'm not saying that for
[2:12:16] any reason um prejudice or no prejudice.
But what what about I'm sorry. Are you
[2:12:22] done with your questions?
>> Please go. We're on the same group.
[2:12:25] » Okay. Um, what about curbing?
>> Mark on the calendar.
[2:12:30] » Um, for the the 480.
>> For the 480, curbing, we weren't going
[2:12:37] to do curbing. I can do curbing.
>> Um, the issue is that from the end of
[2:12:43] the pavement, there is curbing and
drainage in place already. I can do
[2:12:48] additional curbing but the idea was to
give as big a shoulder as possible and
[2:12:53] leave that alone for drainage purposes.
>> There is curbing there. I don't I can't
[2:12:57] » There is curbing.
>> Visualize it.
[2:12:59] » Um yes, there is curbing there.
>> Okay.
[2:13:01] » All the way all the way up.
>> Yes.
[2:13:03] » Where where we talked about curbing?
>> The question was from inward to um high
[2:13:09] street.
>> There's an existing curb there, right?
[2:13:12] curb in front of the property owner's
property, but
[2:13:15] » uh does it goes all the way up to
Inwood?
[2:13:18] » It goes all the way up to
>> and then out out of Inwood all the way
[2:13:20] further east.
>> That's right. Okay.
[2:13:22] » So, what we're what I'm proposing is the
sidewalk inwood up.
[2:13:26] » Um I've been I spoke with Kenya Creek.
They have an entrance with some boulders
[2:13:31] and what have you. I told them you're on
the village right of way. We'll figure
[2:13:35] it out.
>> Um
[2:13:37] » so just just to get a clarification.
Sure. From Inwood to High Street. Um,
[2:13:41] you're saying there's going to be a two
there potentially, right now, currently
[2:13:44] in the plan, there's a two- foot strip
of, uh,
[2:13:47] » if I did the sidewalk, there's a 4 foot
sidewalk and a two-ft strip.
[2:13:51] » Okay.
>> And if I do that, um, as I said, I'm
[2:13:55] affecting 30 trees. And I understand
it's safety, but I understand also
[2:14:00] » a two-ft strip
>> and went curb 4T across. How would that
[2:14:06] affect the trees?
>> Probably 28. There's really not. Do we
[2:14:09] save 28 or
>> what's No, I would lose 28.
[2:14:11] » Lose 28. Okay.
>> It's because of the slope is so high.
[2:14:15] » Understood.
>> Highest point of the retaining wall.
[2:14:19] » The retaining wall is figured at 3 ft
north of Inwood. And then between Inwood
[2:14:26] and Myrtle, north of the house that's
currently at the corner, it would be
[2:14:32] diverse going anywhere between 3 to 5t.
>> Okay. So, you're talking inward to high
[2:14:36] street.
>> Yes.
[2:14:37] » Okay.
All right.
[2:14:39] » So, those plastic ballards you're talk
or those PVC ballards you're talking
[2:14:43] about, is that is that am I correct?
>> I'm suggesting whatever you whatever you
[2:14:47] like. Um, it was suggested and I
>> Dickens Dickens lighting all over again.
[2:14:52] » Yeah. Yeah. And the other part is if the
cement the traffic engineer says would
[2:14:57] be a safety problem and I what I'm
trying to help I'm going to make worse
[2:15:03] with the cars.
>> Right. So, it's really the balancing
[2:15:06] that, you know, when we did the zoning.
Um,
[2:15:10] I committed to a sidewalk subject, too.
Um, I'm happy to do it, but I saw the
[2:15:17] danger in it and I saw Canyon Creek was
upset and after three years of dealing
[2:15:25] of working with them and keeping them
revised. I'm not saying bear the edict.
[2:15:30] I'm just saying I was trying to find the
middle ground. What does your traffic
[2:15:34] engineer say about um the the 4 foot
white line? the 4 foot. I'm sorry. The
[2:15:42] four foot
>> line from instead of it,
[2:15:44] » oh, four and a half to five and a half,
what what he says is
[2:15:48] » you have a shoulder. It's defined. It's
defined more than now. It's certainly a
[2:15:53] better situation, but when I went to him
and I said, I want more. Let's move it
[2:15:59] over. He said again, where the crown of
the roadway, that's against engineering
[2:16:05] principles. From where I stand, I've
walked it and it's pretty level up
[2:16:10] there. But I have to advise you what the
engineer told us.
[2:16:16] But what I'm trying to figure out is
number one,
[2:16:20] I'd like to finish the issue. Number
two,
[2:16:25] if this board wants uh to take a look at
things because I believe it's within
[2:16:31] their jurisdiction. This is an offsite
improvement, sidewalks to be maintained
[2:16:36] by the village. So, I think it's before
the village trustees, but I'm locked in
[2:16:41] with the planning board who want some
type of resolution. And I've asked them
[2:16:46] previously, close my hearing, make it a
condition, and we'll get everything you
[2:16:51] need. But as of right now, um, they were
hesitant to do so without further
[2:16:57] advice.
And as I mentioned, I did try planning
[2:17:01] DPW.
Um, this was out of their bandwidth.
[2:17:06] They weren't prepared to to go on the
line for that. I
[2:17:09] » I think Rich, what would be for me what
would be helpful, I don't know about the
[2:17:12] rest of the board, is if maybe if your
traffic engineer wanted to do a a field
[2:17:16] trip,
>> okay,
[2:17:17] » to Inwood to Myrtle. And let's take
let's actually get eyes on it to see
[2:17:21] » Oh, he's been there.
>> No, no, for us.
[2:17:23] » Oh, okay.
>> Yeah. I mean, I've I've been there, too.
[2:17:25] I I've walked up that hill a million
times. I just want to see, you know, if
[2:17:29] you have the plans already designed for
the retaining wall, seeing exactly what
[2:17:32] we're talking about.
>> The retaining wall is mostly 2, three
[2:17:35] feet and it gets bigger there.
>> You said something about a safety issue.
[2:17:38] So, I'm just kind of
>> Well, the safety issue would be if I did
[2:17:43] the sidewalk. It's defined by the curb,
but I'm wiping out the slope and the
[2:17:48] trees. So,
>> you're supporting that with retaining
[2:17:51] walls.
>> I'm supporting that with retaining
[2:17:52] walls, but the trees are going to come
down. There's no no doubt about it. And
[2:17:56] the other part that I am a little um
apprehensive of, but you never know, is
[2:18:01] I don't know where the roots are coming.
All I could do is go out and have the
[2:18:07] engineer tell me what trees do you
think? Give me give give me give me the
[2:18:11] realistic number of trees. And there's a
chance there could be some uh some long
[2:18:17] roots that could affect another tree. So
it when I say safety, I think it's
[2:18:22] better than there, but it's not it's a
shoulder. It's not a walkway.
[2:18:28] » And I think the added concern with
taking down the trees is the
[2:18:31] destabilization then of that
>> but drainage. Yeah.
[2:18:34] » And drainage. Um you take the root
system out and now you've destabilized.
[2:18:39] Even with a retaining wall, you don't
really know until you know,
[2:18:42] » right?
>> And it could cause a problem. And you
[2:18:45] know, when we're doing it, once we have
direction, depending on the retaining
[2:18:49] wall, um my client Mike Dub has a very
big um background in landscape. He's
[2:18:57] going to try to save whatever tree we
can, you know, but at this point, it's
[2:19:03] hard to identify it until you're
actually in the field and you see what
[2:19:06] where the roots are. In your estimation
from Inwood to High Street, if you
[2:19:12] proceeded with the sidewalk, it would
be, you think, a minimum of 40 trees?
[2:19:16] » A minimum of 30 trees would be taken
down there.
[2:19:19] » 30 trees would be taken down now from
that.
[2:19:21] » Yes.
>> Okay.
[2:19:22] » Those numbers are
[2:19:26] » the number I'm sorry, that's that's the
numbers in red.
[2:19:28] » Yeah. Just in in um number three and
number four.
[2:19:34] I have it I have it bigger, but you have
a black dot with a circle around. Those
[2:19:38] are the trees.
>> We can see them. We can see them.
[2:19:40] » Thank you.
>> Okay.
[2:19:41] » So,
the the
[2:19:45] Let's talk about what the aesthetic is.
From sidewalk to no sidewalk and from
[2:19:51] sidewalk to white line. What's the
What's the I mean, Beachwood is all
[2:19:57] about aesthetics. So,
>> right. What we'll do is we're obviously
[2:20:02] it's we don't know what it's going to
look like. So, we're gonna obviously
[2:20:06] have a replanting plan to put in because
it's impossible to see how these trees
[2:20:13] come down, what it's going to look like.
So, we would do that.
[2:20:16] » The sidewalk all the way around is
similar to the sidewalk elsewhere in the
[2:20:21] village. and elsewhere in the village
and I have pictures. There are certain
[2:20:26] areas that have the twoft, but it it's
um it's not really maintained. Um, and
[2:20:35] there are all there are sidewalks that
are 4 foot that are just the curve,
[2:20:39] which is ideally
gets me to do some of the sidewalk, save
[2:20:44] 40 trees because by getting rid of the
two feet, I'm saving I'm saving um trees
[2:20:52] going from inward up to my entrance.
So there I might have 40 43 trees and
[2:21:00] now um I'm taking down 39 or something
like that. So it's it's a lot that you
[2:21:07] know the question is
what's a tree? If it's a sapling I'm
[2:21:12] counting it as a tree because it's a
tree. So you know
[2:21:16] » planning board has definitions of
significance, right?
[2:21:19] » Yeah. Yeah.
>> So is a sapling a significant tree?
[2:21:22] » Um depends how big it is. Of course,
>> everything is there, but typically it's
[2:21:29] typically it's, you know, over over a
foot wide and
[2:21:32] » it's not a weed.
>> Right. Right. Um, but the, as I said,
[2:21:36] the issue that I have and I I don't know
how to get out of is
[2:21:41] who has jurisdiction over this issue.
I'm gonna do whatever the trustees are
[2:21:47] I'm directed to. But I'm playing patty
cake right now because I've gone before
[2:21:52] the board a trustee the board of
planning board and we've had two
[2:21:57] hearings. They didn't want to close it
and they want some input on this on
[2:22:02] this. I know I'm going to satisfy it. I
just don't know.
[2:22:06] » You're looking for direction and and
closure, right?
[2:22:09] » I'm looking for direction and closure.
But if I can if the board if this board
[2:22:13] wants to take a look at it, I have no
issues if we could just make that
[2:22:17] subject too.
>> Okay. So the issue as I see it is and I
[2:22:21] I did some research. I spoke to the
special uh council lane use council. Um
[2:22:28] I believe your statement is correct, Mr.
Rosenberg that um the only issue hanging
[2:22:33] up a some type of conditional approval
or conditioned approval is this sidewalk
[2:22:38] which is I believe to be the complete
and utter jurisdiction of the board of
[2:22:42] trustees as it is our covenant. Um what
I am hearing is a commitment on your end
[2:22:48] to do whatever this board would like you
to do whether it's a sidewalk whether
[2:22:53] it's saving trees whether
>> absolutely we
[2:22:55] » or whether there's an alternative middle
ground. We've we've studied it and tried
[2:22:59] to come up with the alternative, but I'm
open.
[2:23:01] » And I and I we had a meeting with Trusty
Snen and and the mayor and I I I I
[2:23:07] thought Trusty Sn had a great idea with
the bumping it out with the ballasters.
[2:23:11] You're telling me I can understand the
safety issue of concrete on the roadway.
[2:23:15] » Um
>> but from my position, you're done with
[2:23:19] the planning board. I believe
>> not according to the planning board
[2:23:23] » and that and that's why you're looking
for that direction tonight. And what I'm
[2:23:25] hearing from the trustees is they would
like a little more time to digest to
[2:23:29] come up what whatever we're going to
direct this board's going to direct you
[2:23:33] to do. And under that theory,
I would suggest that the direction be to
[2:23:38] the planning board is conditionally
approve whatever. Again, if the board
[2:23:45] says paint the sidewalk pink because
that's our covenant. The planning board
[2:23:49] doesn't get the way in on a pink
sidewalk, it's the co it's the
[2:23:51] jurisdiction of this board. So, I
understand the predicament you're in.
[2:23:55] It's also a predicament we're in because
we would like your project to move
[2:23:58] forward as well as I'm sure with
everybody and specifically um I I I
[2:24:04] think I see a member of the walkability
group here. Um the sidewalks are
[2:24:08] paramount.
>> Um and I believe that's the direction I
[2:24:11] gave you. It seems like you've honored
that commitment. Um,
[2:24:17] I also agree with Trusty Franco. If he
needs more time and wants to go look at
[2:24:20] it, we should give you that time, but it
also shouldn't hold up your application
[2:24:22] since we have complete jurisdiction. Um,
I guess what I'm concluding is
[2:24:28] I will attempt again to speak to council
to the um special counsel to the to the
[2:24:34] planning board and advise him that I
would suggest they close their hearing
[2:24:40] with whatever conditions they would like
to put on you as a reference to the
[2:24:44] sidewalk if my client is in amendable to
that.
[2:24:47] » That's what I would like to see. I don't
want us holding up the conditional. Um,
[2:24:54] there's no reason to. I think there's
been a lot of good faith effort on
[2:24:57] Beachwood's part to make sure this gets
done. They wouldn't have done all of
[2:25:00] this work if they're going to stop at
some point. And if it's just us needing
[2:25:04] time to go look at the site, which you
know, that's absolutely fine in my mind.
[2:25:09] Um, I would advise that that
recommendation would work.
[2:25:13] » And at the end of the day, without that
CO, you're not occupying.
[2:25:16] » Exactly.
>> So, this condition has to get met,
[2:25:19] » right? But take it one step further with
the planning board. Um
[2:25:24] once it leaves our jurisdiction, it goes
back into their jurisdiction that it's
[2:25:29] designed and constructed the right way.
>> Yes.
[2:25:32] » Yeah.
>> It would either be planning board or
[2:25:33] building department, but we would we
would fully engineer it and I would
[2:25:37] assume based upon what we've done
throughout it'll be sent out to your
[2:25:41] consulting engineer to make sure it's
right.
[2:25:43] » And that's that that to me is the
reassurance that we need.
[2:25:46] » We totally 100% that's why we
>> And then I have one more one more thing.
[2:25:53] So, uh, and I'm just throwing it out
there because I can and I thought about
[2:25:59] it and I'm thinking about the aesthetic.
Trees are one thing. Inside the ropes is
[2:26:03] one thing. Outside the ropes is the
other aesthetic. So what Myrtle Avenue
[2:26:08] will end up looking like after this
project is done in terms of how the how
[2:26:13] the how the white line is drawn. Uh
where it starts, where it stops, how
[2:26:18] it's designed, what are the
communication mechanisms inside that
[2:26:23] white line if there is one, if it's a
bike lane or a walking lane or some sort
[2:26:28] of you know um
>> the engineer said the best I could do
[2:26:32] was a shoulder on that southernly part.
Thereafter, I'm in the sidewalk. So,
[2:26:37] it's only an issue for that bottom 400
ft. And what I would request is when you
[2:26:42] do go out for the field, if you would
take a look at the road looking up from
[2:26:47] High Street because it's generally
straight, which is good. And when you go
[2:26:52] to the bend, I'm doing the sidewalk
there, so nobody's going to it's not
[2:26:57] going to be surprise. I could see
straight up to
[2:27:01] Canyon Creek. Would it be helpful to the
aesthetic to mill and pave
[2:27:06] » to
>> mill and pave and re rest re restripe
[2:27:09] that whole road?
>> If you want, we'll do it.
[2:27:11] » Okay.
>> Not a problem. I also I also asked him
[2:27:15] about rumble strips and things like
that. And he said, "Well, it's a
[2:27:18] question of maintenance and you guys are
going to be doing the snow and what have
[2:27:22] you, but I think you I'm open. I just
want to I just want to get there and as
[2:27:28] far as the aesthetics is concerned,
we'll work with you." And then obviously
[2:27:32] if there were bare spots, we're going to
fill them in.
[2:27:36] » I just uh I have one more question and
and and it it could be my mistake. Um
[2:27:42] when and I know you read the covenant. I
thought the sidewalk on Scraggy went
[2:27:47] past the school.
>> I Well, I know that the black top stops
[2:27:54] right where your pen is right now.
>> Yeah. Yeah. But I'm just saying I
[2:27:56] thought the the sidewalk
>> the school has a sidewalk there.
[2:27:59] » No, it has a sidewalk. Yeah. And it was
going to carry past the school.
[2:28:02] » We were supposed to connect into
>> That's what I'm trying to find out.
[2:28:05] » We were supposed to connect into the
path and what we're going to do is
[2:28:08] refurbish the whole thing.
>> This this
[2:28:11] No, that I that I'm aware of.
>> I'm just saying I I thought when we had
[2:28:15] that original covenant that we were
tying it to this sidewalk and then
[2:28:18] taking it past the school.
>> I can I that wasn't the original
[2:28:22] understanding.
>> Okay. That's why I was
[2:28:24] » collection. Okay. No, I just wanted to
figure that out. All right. Thank you.
[2:28:29] I thank you for your time.
>> One more question. Is there a way to
[2:28:32] resurface if we were to do a walking
path or a shoulder to make a different
[2:28:37] surface on that walking path to more
than delineate with a white line that
[2:28:42] could show drivers that's, you know,
it's not a place to drive.
[2:28:46] » Um whether it be a stamped concrete or
concrete so it looks like a sidewalk. I
[2:28:51] don't know if that's doable. What I'd
like to do is bring in my traffic
[2:28:55] engineer because I think these are all
good ideas and he has
[2:28:59] » he tells me no and I I want I want him
to tell me yes.
[2:29:03] » Yeah.
>> Um apologize you
[2:29:07] » attorney Mar.
>> You have to speak to the attorney.
[2:29:12] » I think if I'm hearing the board
correctly, you would like the
[2:29:15] application to proceed at the planning
board. We'll maintain jurisdiction of
[2:29:19] what and how and the and and the soup to
nuts on what the sidewalk's going to be
[2:29:24] based on your clear commitment as
trustee Snen suggested and I mean the
[2:29:30] planning board is an autonomous board
but I will speak to their council and
[2:29:34] tell them we wish to retain this
jurisdiction and them having no open
[2:29:38] issues at planning I would think that
they would be able to close it with a
[2:29:43] condition but I will have those
discussions. appreciate that.
[2:29:46] » I'll put this on the record that, you
know, the the board of trustees in the
[2:29:50] past has accommodated a request to
decouple,
[2:29:55] » per se, a um covenant with a a CEO,
>> right?
[2:30:00] » And we're still 18 months into the lack
of starting of that project, right?
[2:30:05] » Completely different project.
>> Understood.
[2:30:07] » But I just want to put that in your in
your in your mind so that you're
[2:30:12] thinking about it and
>> we have been.
[2:30:14] » Okay.
[2:30:17] Um, thank you. I appreciate it. Hope I
didn't take too much of your time.
[2:30:21] » Could we put a time limit on it for the
board of trustees to go to the site if
[2:30:25] necessary? Maybe add it to the next work
session to come to a decision
[2:30:30] » so it doesn't just linger on our part.
>> You guys tell me what I'm excited. I'm
[2:30:34] good. So you guys, if that's what you
want to do, feel free.
[2:30:38] » I'd like to see I'd like to see the
site.
[2:30:40] » Is that enough time is what I'm saying.
Is that enough time for you? one month.
[2:30:44] Do it at the next work session.
>> That's fine.
[2:30:46] » Well, tomorrow's the day. Tomorrow is
the planning board meeting,
[2:30:49] » right?
>> But the idea was to get it subject two
[2:30:51] and
>> subject two and then tomorrow. Yeah.
[2:30:54] » We can decide.
>> And then what we'll do is I'll bring my
[2:30:57] engineer out to walk with you.
>> Sure.
[2:30:59] » Thanks.
>> Every there you go.
[2:31:00] » Looking for every idea.
>> Trusty, if I may, if I'm hearing you
[2:31:03] correctly,
>> sometimes in this municipal process, you
[2:31:08] get your conditional approval and then
you do a thousand other things and lose
[2:31:11] sight of the condition. Could you get
the start? Um I I think what Trusty
[2:31:17] Stain is saying is we're going to keep
you, Mr. Rosenberg, on a tight leash. We
[2:31:21] make our decisions.
>> That's fine.
[2:31:23] » So,
>> well, I'm I'm keeping ourselves on a
[2:31:25] tight leash.
>> We go to the site, look at it, and at
[2:31:30] some point we have to say, okay, we want
sidewalk, we want walkway, we want
[2:31:33] retaining wall trees, no whatever it
might be, we have to come back, I think
[2:31:37] at a work session, discuss what we see,
what we've discussed, and make a
[2:31:41] decision. Right.
and finalize it. I don't want to hold
[2:31:45] you guys up anymore.
>> I would love to work on my conditions,
[2:31:49] pay the fees, get going, and tie it up
to cos,
[2:31:52] » right?
>> We're not going anywhere. We really want
[2:31:54] to solve it, and I think
>> I think we came up with a couple of
[2:31:58] decent alternatives, but
>> as I said, you guys just direct us.
[2:32:02] » Thank you.
>> Thank you very much. Appreciate it. Have
[2:32:04] a good day. Thank you. Thank you, Rich.
[2:32:27] Okay. Do we have a motion to go into
executive session? I've been waiting for
[2:32:30] this all night. Take three.
>> I will make a motion
[2:32:34] » and then we'll come back and do reports
and resolutions.
[2:32:39] We have votes to go apparently.
[2:32:44] » It is what it is. It's half a dozen of
one and six of the other.
[2:32:48] » Well,
[2:32:51] » I vote no.
>> I don't think we had a second.
[2:32:54] » Do we have a second?
>> I'm sorry. We have have a motion. We
[2:32:58] have Trusty Dit's motion on the floor.
Is there a second?
[2:33:01] » I'll second. There's discussion.
>> There we go. Well, you beat me to it.
[2:33:06] » All right. I I'd rather finish the
agenda and then go into exec at the end
[2:33:11] for the reasons stated earlier.
>> I mean I I mean I know I made the
[2:33:15] motion, but I
had advocated for that a few meetings
[2:33:20] ago. So
>> the clerk said we're going to be voting
[2:33:24] executive session. So I I like I said,
six of one for me, half a dozen of the
[2:33:29] other. And um I'd like to get I' I'd
actually like to get the executive
[2:33:36] session over with so we can then go
right through all the resolutions and
[2:33:41] reports.
[2:33:45] » I I'd like to just keep going and let's
finish up what we have and then we'll go
[2:33:48] into executive session and come back.
>> So we keep the technology folks late, we
[2:33:54] keep our attorney late, we'd keep our
treasurer late, we keep everybody late.
[2:33:57] It doesn't have to be late. the same
time.
[2:34:00] » No, we don't
>> we wouldn't have we wouldn't have
[2:34:03] technology necessarily. If we
>> we're going to have to come back.
[2:34:07] » If we go if we go to exact session, get
all of our resolutions intact and come
[2:34:13] up and vote go and work through them
all, then everybody leaves at the same
[2:34:17] time.
>> No, I think our time is I don't I don't
[2:34:20] think that that's going to change. I
think it's just Yeah, the time is the
[2:34:25] time. We're just changing the
>> I'm looking out for the people, the
[2:34:29] public. That's all. I'm looking out for
the public. I don't think they should
[2:34:32] have to sit through an hour of nothing
>> where Let them see what they want to
[2:34:36] see. And if they want to then sit
through our executive session, they can,
[2:34:40] but I don't think we should force them
to in order for them to see the meat of
[2:34:43] our agenda.
>> What would be the estimate of how long
[2:34:46] it would be exec for? Any idea?
[2:34:51] » That's the million-dollar question at
the meeting, Bob. Yeah,
[2:34:54] » it depends on the discipline of the
folks talking discussion. So,
[2:34:59] » attorney Moran doesn't have any
additional topics.
[2:35:02] » I have two.
In my opinion, it it could be 15
[2:35:07] minutes.
[2:35:12] » So, then but again, it makes sense just
to do it at the end if it's 15 minutes
[2:35:16] no matter what the time is.
>> But we're going to have you anticipate
[2:35:19] that we'll have resolutions when we come
out of exec. two of them
[2:35:24] » potentially.
>> Well, yes.
[2:35:27] » Trusty Senate might anticipate. Yes.
[2:35:33] » Well, there's a motion. Can we vote?
[2:35:38] » Just waiting for rain to come back.
[2:36:21] Okay. So, we had a motion by trustee Dit
at 7:37 to enter into executive session.
[2:36:26] Seconded by Trustee Giuliano.
[2:36:33] All in favor? Roll call. Vote. Vote,
please.
[2:36:39] Trusty Dit.
[2:36:43] » Oh, no.
I'm gonna say I'm gonna say no. I think
[2:36:47] we should just proceed with the meeting
at this point.
[2:36:50] » Trusty Jano.
>> I
[2:36:53] » trusty Snen.
>> No.
[2:36:57] » Trusty Franco.
>> No.
[2:37:01] » That motion fails.
[2:37:11] Okay. So, clerk Pillo, do you want to go
through your monthly report? Thank you,
[2:37:15] Mayor. Um,
of importance are were excuse me, um,
[2:37:22] the first and foremost a very productive
meeting with representatives of civil
[2:37:28] service between myself and the deputy
mayor. I'm I'm sorry between myself and
[2:37:33] the deputy clerk and
it was very important in terms of the
[2:37:40] ongoing proper classification of our
employees, classifications of our
[2:37:46] employees which is an arduous but very
important task and secondarily because
[2:37:52] once the work ends here at our meetings
and we have hirings
[2:37:59] of seasonals the work begins for my
deputy clerk. So, a lot of that is very
[2:38:06] time inensive. I spoke with
representatives of civil service while
[2:38:11] we had them as a captive audience and
asked what we could do to make that
[2:38:16] process a lot less time inensive and
laborious. And so, we have a process for
[2:38:22] that in place. So, for that, I'm very
thankful and that was very helpful. The
[2:38:27] ongoing work with categorization and
classification continues. So, thank you
[2:38:33] to our representatives at civil service
for that meeting. We have some upcoming
[2:38:38] events. Dragon boat festival on the
19th, the village cup regata on the 20th
[2:38:43] and the hill climb on the 26th. The next
project that
[2:38:48] we are continue to work on is records
management. In fact, today additional
[2:38:54] containers were delivered to the town of
Brook Haven record storage facility and
[2:39:00] we have already others in place for the
next time that we go and we also have a
[2:39:08] large number of records ready for
shredding. So, we are working on a
[2:39:14] multi-prong process there. So, we're
very happy about being able to do that.
[2:39:19] There's boxes going out of here like
it's incredible to behold.
[2:39:26] » It's what a difference
it this project is making to the to the
[2:39:34] operation of Village Hall and the
aesthetic of Village Hall.
[2:39:37] » Thank you. So, and we're not done yet.
So,
[2:39:40] » thank you for putting all that effort
into it.
[2:39:42] » You're welcome. Thank you, mayor.
We await the results of Kelly Riley's
[2:39:49] notary training class, which takes quite
a bit of time, as much as possibly six
[2:39:54] weeks for unknown reasons. Terresa
Scoggin, our IT consultant, and I will
[2:40:00] attend a presentation regarding AI and
the business leaders guide to AI, which
[2:40:06] should be quite interesting. That's on
the 29th of this month from 8:30 to
[2:40:10] 10:00 and that is at Tech Works
Consulting in Ronanka with whom we have
[2:40:16] a business relationship.
And with that, there are eight
[2:40:21] resolutions to be voted on this evening
unless anyone has questions on my
[2:40:25] report.
[2:40:32] I'm just waiting for Trusty Franco.
[2:40:40] Do I have? No. Okay.
>> Okay. Very good. Resolution number 19926
[2:40:46] is a resolution approving the attached
proposal submitted by Lisa M. Rickmers
[2:40:50] on behalf of H2M architects and
engineers for the provision of
[2:40:53] professional planning consulting
services on an asneeded basis to support
[2:40:57] the building and planning departments
with the associated cost to be paid by
[2:41:01] the respective applicant via the
establishment of an escrow account. May
[2:41:05] I have a motion?
[2:41:11] » Motion.
[2:41:14] » Do we have a second?
>> Second.
[2:41:16] » All in favor?
>> I
[2:41:17] » I.
>> Motion carries. I think any opposed?
[2:41:21] » I No.
>> I
[2:41:23] » I
>> Okay. Resolution number 29926 is a
[2:41:29] resolution adopting the attached Suffach
County 2026 hazard mitigation plan
[2:41:33] resolution.
May I have a motion?
[2:41:36] » Motion.
>> Second.
[2:41:39] » All in favor? I
>> I
[2:41:42] » resolution number 39926 resolution
ratifying the hiring of Andrew Martin as
[2:41:47] a part-time seasonal recreation aid at
the Port Jefferson Country Club and an
[2:41:51] hourly wage rate of $17 per hour
effective August 27th, 2026. We have a
[2:41:56] motion.
>> Motion
[2:41:58] » second
>> discussion.
[2:42:01] Um I like to table these um hiring uh
resolutions. Uh I tried to meet with the
[2:42:09] uh treasurer and there was a conflict um
where uh the mayor put us into a quorum.
[2:42:16] So um and we never had an opportunity to
sit down with the treasurer and go over
[2:42:20] some budgetary concerns. So um I'd like
to table this um until we have an
[2:42:26] opportunity to sit down with the
treasurer and go over uh some concerns
[2:42:29] that we have with the budget.
[2:42:34] » Make your motion.
>> Is there a motion to table? Well, the
[2:42:38] discussion
>> Andrew is working there already because
[2:42:41] Jake needed him.
>> I wanted $17 an hour minimum wage.
[2:42:45] » Is it in the budget, Stephen?
>> That's what I was going to ask.
[2:42:50] » Sir,
>> it's ratification.
[2:42:52] » There's seasonal workers in part-time
labor for the country club and pro shop.
[2:42:56] Yes.
>> Are they currently working, Stephen?
[2:43:00] to my knowledge that I this is a
ratification resolution, so I'm assuming
[2:43:05] that that's because the person is
already working.
[2:43:07] » All right.
>> I was just curious about um have we ever
[2:43:12] had a recreation aid at the country
before?
[2:43:15] » All of the people who work outside
that's a classification called they're
[2:43:20] called recreation a civil service. Okay.
I wasn't sure. I just
[2:43:23] » Those are the civil service titles. Back
to our civil service conversation. Yeah.
[2:43:30] Andrew is a finance major at Stonyie
Brook University. His first day was
[2:43:35] earlier this week. I can only assume
that Jake needed his assistance outside
[2:43:42] because of all the college kids and
other staff that that go back to their
[2:43:46] regular lives at the end of August. So,
um
[2:43:53] » $17 an hour. I mean just good, right?
Yeah. Yeah, we can.
[2:44:00] » That's it.
>> Vote on it.
[2:44:03] » All in favor?
>> I
[2:44:05] » I I
>> No.
[2:44:09] » Motion carries.
[2:44:14] » Resolution number 49926, resolution
hiring Amelio Romero as a seasonal labor
[2:44:19] in the parks department and an hourly
wage rate of $18 per hour. effective
[2:44:24] September 10th, 2026. May I have a
motion?
[2:44:27] » Motion.
>> Second discussion. Um, when you say
[2:44:30] seasonal, what would this position, how
what would that take us to?
[2:44:36] » Seasonal for
>> Seasonal is the number of hours that a
[2:44:38] person could work over the course of uh
the year. Correct, Stephen?
[2:44:46] » There's a limit to the number of hours.
I think it's 1,535
[2:44:50] or something like that.
>> That is that is accurate. uh to the
[2:44:54] terms of of giving any types of benefits
or or qualifying for part-time. But uh
[2:44:59] also this this is in the budget. It was
budgeted for two part-time seasonal
[2:45:03] parks laborers for uh $8,000 a piece.
>> Okay.
[2:45:08] » Total budgets for each of them.
>> Okay. Thank you. All in favor?
[2:45:13] » I I
>> no
[2:45:16] » opposed. Oh,
>> yep.
[2:45:18] » Sorry.
[2:45:22] Resolution number 59926.
Resolution hiring Felix Ramone Dialian
[2:45:28] as a full-time laborer in the highway
department. An annual salary of $45,3942
[2:45:34] effective September 16th, 2026. All the
provisions of the collective bargaining
[2:45:39] agreement currently in force between the
village of Port Jefferson and the CSEA
[2:45:43] local 1000 apply to this hiring as does
the standard 26 week civil service
[2:45:48] probationary period. May I have a
motion? motion.
[2:45:51] » Second discussion.
>> I have the same objection. I, you know,
[2:45:55] we had an opportunity. We wanted to have
an opportunity to sit down with the
[2:45:57] treasurer and go over budgets. The mayor
refused to leave this meeting putting us
[2:46:03] into a situation for the quorum that we
actually had to get a corrective letter
[2:46:07] from attorney Moran. Um, so, uh, my
position is still the same. Until I have
[2:46:12] an opportunity to sit down with the
treasurer and go over DPW's budget and
[2:46:17] our overall spending and hiring, um, I
don't feel comfortable voting on this. I
[2:46:22] think my opinion is we should table this
until we are able to have that meeting
[2:46:27] and go over uh, where we are currently
with the budget.
[2:46:31] » So,
>> on this one, I agree. I I too did not
[2:46:34] have the ability to uh, have that
meeting. um the mayor did not allow us
[2:46:40] that information and didn't allow us to
have the meeting with the treasurer. So,
[2:46:44] that's a big number um relatively
speaking. And uh on top of that, this is
[2:46:49] a full-time labor. So, that now includes
um a a um benefits package right for
[2:46:56] this employee. Do you have that amount
offhand what that would what the
[2:47:01] benefits package on top of the 45,000
would be? I I don't have that number in
[2:47:06] front of me for what this particular
would cost at the hiring date. I do know
[2:47:10] this is I believe my this is the
replacement for the previous
[2:47:13] resignation. I was going to ask that
question.
[2:47:15] » I was just going to ask that question.
>> So this is the full the full amount is
[2:47:19] in the budget. Obviously the they're not
being paid the full 459 for the rest of
[2:47:24] the year because that's a year salary.
So you just go from you know you're
[2:47:27] losing three months off of that. So it
will cost less than that for the rest of
[2:47:30] the year through May 31st. and it's the
health insurance uh everything is
[2:47:35] already in the budget.
>> Again, my uh my objection is not that
[2:47:40] the potential of this gentleman to hire
him is that the opportunity was not
[2:47:43] afforded us to go over the budget to go
over DPW's budget, see what they're do,
[2:47:48] see what's going on, where we are in the
calendar in the fiscal year right now.
[2:47:52] So, until um we have an opportunity to
do that, uh I would be a no on this or
[2:47:57] table it until we have that opportunity
and let's bring this back up.
[2:48:03] Thank you. Motion.
>> Motion to table.
[2:48:06] » Second.
>> Roll call in the motion.
[2:48:12] » Trusty Dit.
>> Motion to table. Is that what you're
[2:48:16] saying? Uh, no.
>> Trusty Guliano.
[2:48:20] » No.
>> Trusty Snen.
[2:48:23] » Yes.
>> Trusty Franco.
[2:48:26] » Yes.
>> Mayor Shepro, how do you vote?
[2:48:29] » No.
[2:48:33] The motion to table fails.
[2:48:38] » Do we go back to an already a motioned
resolution?
[2:48:41] » Yes.
>> All in favor table. Do we do a roll call
[2:48:44] vote on this too? Just
>> Okay.
[2:48:46] » Yeah.
>> Trusty Dit.
[2:48:50] » Yes.
>> Trusty Giuliano.
[2:48:52] » I.
>> Trusty Snan.
[2:48:55] » No.
>> Trusty Franco.
[2:48:57] » No. Mayor, how do you vote?
>> Yes.
[2:49:00] » Thank you. That motion passes.
[2:49:06] » Resolution number 6926. Resolution
accepting the resignation of senior
[2:49:10] office assistant Michelle Keenan
effective September 9th, 2026. May I
[2:49:15] have a motion?
>> Motion.
[2:49:18] » Second. Discussion.
>> Discussion.
[2:49:19] » I would like to add with regret.
>> With regret. Absolutely.
[2:49:22] » And I've worked with Michelle for many
years. Um, she's been a great employee.
[2:49:27] She will sorely be missed. I want to
thank her publicly for all of her hard
[2:49:31] work and dedication. Um, and we will
definitely miss her here.
[2:49:35] » I echo that. I I hired Michelle uh she
was originally my my assistant um as the
[2:49:41] clerk um administrator and then she
moved over to the DPW. So, I echo
[2:49:47] everything that you said. She'll be
deeply missed and with regret.
[2:49:51] » I agree. and I taught her daughter when
she was in first grade.
[2:49:56] » They infiltrate everything.
>> I know. We really do.
[2:49:58] » Listen, I I I wish her the best of
everything in her new position. Uh it's
[2:50:03] it's it's a it's an increase in her her
annual wage and giving her greater
[2:50:09] opportunity. So, I wish her the best of
luck and congratulations.
[2:50:14] All in favor?
>> I I
[2:50:16] » I.
Resolution number 79926,
[2:50:21] resolution approving the event
application submitted by Danielle
[2:50:24] Lovevet on behalf of the Port Jefferson
Soccer Booster Club for the use of the
[2:50:28] parking lot behind Village Hall and
access to the village outdoor water
[2:50:33] facilities from 1:00 p.m. through 4:00
p.m. on September 26th, 2026
[2:50:39] 2026, excuse me, for community car wash
fundraiser and approving a waiver of the
[2:50:44] requisite $50 application fee. We have a
motion.
[2:50:48] Motion
>> second.
[2:50:51] » All in favor?
>> I
[2:50:53] » I
>> resolution number 89926
[2:50:56] resolution approving the purchase of a
Pomemeroy historical marker for Strong
[2:51:00] Homestead Park to be funded by a grant
received from the Pomeroy Foundation and
[2:51:05] authorizing Treasurer Gaffa to perform
attached budget amendment number 137 as
[2:51:10] follows. Increase revenue line item A
3089 state aid other by $2,100
[2:51:17] and increase expense line item A 7110.2
parks equipment by $2,100. May I have a
[2:51:24] motion?
>> Motion.
[2:51:25] » Second.
>> All in favor?
[2:51:27] » I
>> I
[2:51:29] » Okay,
[2:51:33] mayor and board. concludes my report.
[2:51:55] I touched your hand.
So, there are there are a few um
[2:52:02] volunteer appointments for discussion
that um I'd like to bring to everyone's
[2:52:08] attention. It's sort of attached to the
clerk's report, but not as her report. I
[2:52:13] asked her to put these in here because
we have some folks who have uh raised
[2:52:17] their hand to volunteer and I wanted to
see if um you know there were any uh if
[2:52:25] there was any feedback or um
questions about some of the people and
[2:52:31] their backgrounds as they have submitted
them through the um
[2:52:39] make a difference portal.
[2:52:47] So Matt Tyler is uh put in his interest
for
[2:52:53] taking on the alternate position on the
planning board understanding that there
[2:52:56] are seven members on the planning board
now. So the opportunity for him to weigh
[2:53:00] in as a true um with at a seat with a
seat at the table is understood. Um, but
[2:53:06] I think he's interested in in serving
his uh
[2:53:13] he was actually recommended by Allison
Le Point who was um special attorney and
[2:53:19] director of building and planning for a
while working with the planning board.
[2:53:22] So he's a ci he's a civil um engineer
[2:53:28] and uh this is I believe he's pretty
pretty well qualified for um serving in
[2:53:35] this role as even just a a a novice and
but he also
[2:53:43] works in this capacity from the other
side of the table. And then we have John
[2:53:48] Wagner from um
uh for the CCMAC who is a financial
[2:53:56] um
and and um cor does corporate tax
[2:54:01] returns and closings. Um he would bring
a financial aspect to the CCMAC that we
[2:54:08] don't exactly have right now. So that
would be a great um addition. He's a
[2:54:13] village resident and he also is u an
avid golfer, very competitive.
[2:54:22] And then for the board of ethics, we
have an expression of interest from uh
[2:54:27] Brianna Russell, who has over 18 years
of experience with the NYPD.
[2:54:33] Extensive inspir experience in law
enforcement investigations and
[2:54:36] leadership. has served 10 years in
supervisory roles and more than a decade
[2:54:40] conducting investigations, including
three years with the NYPD Internal
[2:54:44] Affairs Bureau and two years of
experience overseeing confidential
[2:54:47] investigations.
She's got a master of science and urban
[2:54:50] policy and leadership from Hunter
College and recognized for her
[2:54:53] leadership, discretion, and commitment
to integrity and uh participated in the
[2:54:58] NYPD IAB steering committee. So, I
wanted to put those out for this work
[2:55:04] session because I wanted to give the
board an opportunity to if they were
[2:55:08] interested in speaking with these folks
to see how they how they felt about
[2:55:12] them.
>> I think was there one more also? Is
[2:55:14] there we had the resume from Bruce.
>> Oh, Bruce. Yes. Sorry. For the budget
[2:55:18] and finance uh committee. He's not on
this for
[2:55:22] » I don't know why, but thank you Randy
for bringing that up. Um
[2:55:26] where is that resume? There he is. Okay.
Yeah. So, um, Bruce sat in. Actually, he
[2:55:32] put his interest in a couple of months
ago and he finally had an opportunity to
[2:55:36] sit in on the last, uh, meeting. I think
Trusty Franco, you were there. You had
[2:55:40] an opportunity to meet him. Um, and, um,
he's extremely interested in serving on
[2:55:48] on budget and finance to step in for the
position that was made um, available
[2:55:54] with the resignation of Ununis Marado.
So, um, and then also we have, uh, on
[2:56:01] the agenda, uh, reappointment of, uh,
Jim Burke to the CCMAC as the non
[2:56:09] member resident who brings his, um,
municipal
[2:56:14] um, and, um, his municipal law
experience to bear on that um, council.
[2:56:23] and it's it's been significantly helpful
over the past three years since he's
[2:56:27] been doing it. So,
[2:56:37] any thoughts about that?
[2:56:53] Um, I'll ask any thoughts about that?
The answers are either yes, no, or hey,
[2:56:58] let's talk about our thoughts.
>> I don't
[2:57:00] » No thoughts.
>> No thoughts.
[2:57:04] » I'm I'm not familiar with anybody. I I
do know Bruce just cuz he uh is my
[2:57:09] neighbor and I've spoken to him. I've
never discussed this with him.
[2:57:13] » I saw this and said, "Oh, wait. I know
that guy." Um, and just having met him
[2:57:19] briefly, I think he's would be a good
candidate.
[2:57:22] » Okay.
>> Trusty Dick, can I just ask He lives
[2:57:24] near you, right?
>> Yeah.
[2:57:26] » He's not a travel buddy.
>> No,
[2:57:28] » I just wanted to make sure.
>> No, met him.
[2:57:30] » Confirm that.
>> Met him just briefly.
[2:57:32] » It's a It's a It's a metric that we have
to look into to make sure that
[2:57:36] » we don't have travel buddies.
>> Just briefly. Just briefly.
[2:57:39] » Golf buddies.
>> Golf buddies different. Travel buddies.
[2:57:46] All right. Um, just want to give a
couple of updates, keep my report
[2:57:52] extremely brief, and I'll chime in if
there's a need be as everyone else gives
[2:57:57] their reports. I just wanted to share
some good news um unofficially because
[2:58:02] these two granting um agencies will be
announcing these things on their own in
[2:58:08] due time. But we did receive
notification um in actually at the
[2:58:15] actual meeting of the uh Suffach County
um water planning
[2:58:21] um uh commission and we were awarded two
$200,000 for the cleanout of the uh west
[2:58:31] side of Mil Creek from west of Barnum.
So that was really great to hear. It's a
[2:58:37] matching grant. Great. All of our all of
our matching dollars will be in kind
[2:58:42] services engineering. Some of the some
of the engineering that's already been
[2:58:46] done through the uh the flood mitigation
study and plan. It's the the FEMA grant
[2:58:52] that we concluded with LKMA
and also the Department of State grant
[2:58:58] that was concluded to an extent um on
the climate resil resiliency and plan by
[2:59:06] um Campanian Schwarting.
So, and then the second piece of news is
[2:59:11] that the Long Island Sound Partnership
has agreed um and awarded a contract to
[2:59:18] LKMA um for water reuse and uh study and
plan for water reuse off of Old
[2:59:28] Homestead Road into the that would that
goes into that Oakwood Road recharge
[2:59:34] basin. So, the redirect redirection of
that water from Old Homestead Road
[2:59:41] possibly onto the golf course and how
that water would be treated and utilized
[2:59:47] going forward. It's a study and a plan
and um it's about an 11-month project
[2:59:56] and um I called uh Assemblywoman Cass
pretty much immediately to thank her for
[3:00:03] that
brainstorm the vision. Stan LS also had
[3:00:08] that brainstorm and vision and now with
the assistance of the Long Island Sound
[3:00:13] Partnership
um Crant and Cornell cooperative we will
[3:00:17] be able to take a look at that and see
if it's actually feasible. So it's um
[3:00:23] about $85,000
of just engineering and planning. So I
[3:00:28] thought that was good news to share.
>> Good. Excellent. And then I just also
[3:00:32] want to announce and we've all we've tal
we talked about this as a board last
[3:00:37] meeting that um that George Wallace of
the Frigot Steam Room has dedicated
[3:00:43] donated the eagle from the memorial that
was residing there at the corner of the
[3:00:49] Frigot um for 24 years since 2002.
and he agreed to donate it to the
[3:00:58] village and with help from
people sitting at this table and also
[3:01:05] public works. Uh we were able to really
um not build the memorial yet, but
[3:01:12] actually um coordinate and collaborate
with um another organization that holds
[3:01:18] their annual Harbor Front their annual
911 memorial on um September 11th from
[3:01:25] 6:00 to 8 in Harbor Front Park. So, um
we we joined up with them and the public
[3:01:33] works team actually built a portable
um device that
[3:01:42] will be the um platform for a temporary
uh
[3:01:49] monument um that can be moved into
different areas. So we'll move we'll
[3:01:55] have this particular
um on this day on on de on September
[3:02:01] 11th we will have the monument down by
the pergola and the pier um not on a
[3:02:07] permanent basis obviously but on a
temporary basis so um we can actually
[3:02:13] acknowledge the dedication the the
donation and dedicate it and we've
[3:02:19] invited the entire community to come and
join us.
[3:02:23] So, please invite all your friends,
neighbors, relatives, anyone that you
[3:02:28] know that has had some sort of
experience or is a survivor or knows
[3:02:34] someone who um you know did not make it
uh on 911. So, and we'll if you all want
[3:02:42] to say a few words at that ceremony,
you'd certainly be welcome to do so.
[3:02:46] Obviously, you're all invited. I think
the the the sons and daughters of um of
[3:02:52] Italy
have invited all the elected officials
[3:02:57] in our region. So if if they're coming,
they're coming as a result of that
[3:03:02] invitation that's been out for a very
long time. So it's on a lot of people's
[3:03:06] calendars. I also invited folks from the
fire department to attend.
[3:03:11] And um again, anyone else
especially who've been who's been
[3:03:16] impacted in the village of Port
Jefferson with um with this and dealing
[3:03:20] with it for the past 25 years. So if
there's any questions about that, I'd be
[3:03:25] happy.
>> Mayor, just a quick question. That was
[3:03:27] Mr. Wallace that uh donated that.
>> Correct.
[3:03:29] » I just want to say thank you. That was
really a very thoughtful and considerate
[3:03:32] thing for him to do.
>> Agree.
[3:03:34] » It's really nice.
>> Agree.
[3:03:37] Okay. So that's my report. Um, who wants
to start?
[3:03:44] » I guess I am. Um, all right. I was uh
able to attend the uh PTSD event that
[3:03:51] took place on the harbor. Um, again, uh
I'm going to use my uh my co word
[3:03:57] amazing event. Um this year they had
like a big tailwind and they were able
[3:04:02] to they got to um where the ferry cuts
through the the um the inlet. Thank you,
[3:04:09] ma'am. Um, so quick that we had to run
out supplies. So, it was fun, you know,
[3:04:14] and I met them last year and we had just
such nice conversations and, you know,
[3:04:18] when you listen to the stories and you
hear the um, you know, this pain, you
[3:04:23] just it's it's it's a wonderful event.
So, I'd like to put a motion forward um
[3:04:28] if you guys would be so kind um to
recognize Alex Roman and Frank Lombardi
[3:04:36] uh for their outstanding efforts to
raise awareness of uh PTSD among
[3:04:40] veterans and their dedication to our our
veterans and community. Uh and maybe we
[3:04:47] can present the certificate of
recognition at uh the board meeting if
[3:04:50] uh everybody's in agreement with that.
Totally. They've done such hard work.
[3:04:54] So, uh, I have a motion to, uh, to let's
put a signific a village certificate of
[3:05:00] recognition for those two gentlemen.
>> I'll second
[3:05:04] vote.
>> All in favor?
[3:05:05] » I I
>> Thank you so much. That
[3:05:09] » was an easy one.
>> Yeah.
[3:05:10] » Um, I the parking committee uh hasn't
met. Um, but I did uh reach out to the
[3:05:17] committee and that we have a meeting
date on the 21st of uh September. I'd
[3:05:22] like to uh as I start just just discuss
a little bit about parking. Uh thank Mr.
[3:05:27] Luciano for coming in at our last work
session and discussing his alternative
[3:05:32] plan to parking fee schedule though it
was going to put you know a 560 to
[3:05:37] $800,000 hole in the budget. You know we
we have to think outside the box
[3:05:41] sometimes.
>> Exactly. He thought outside the box.
[3:05:43] » Yeah. There's and that's and it's not a
negative thing. It's we we as a board
[3:05:47] and a community need to continue to keep
thinking outside the box. Well, I think
[3:05:50] it's something to explore in the future,
too. I mean, not maybe not necessarily
[3:05:54] for this budget, but
>> no doubt. So, we're um I did email the
[3:05:58] board. Uh Mr. Luciano sent me a um
>> I got it over here some someplace. Um
[3:06:07] they met and they put together um
basically like a mission statement for
[3:06:13] the uh parking committee. So, I
submitted it to the board so everybody
[3:06:16] can review that.
>> Oh, without context. What was that? So
[3:06:19] you you submitted it but but it didn't
have you just sent a co a copy. What was
[3:06:24] what was your thought about it?
>> So what happened was I I had reached out
[3:06:28] to say uh when's the next meeting and
they he said that they met with the bid
[3:06:32] and they decided that they're going to
continue with the parking committee and
[3:06:38] um he said this is um he sent this over.
>> I was reviewing it and I said let me
[3:06:43] send it to the board so if anybody has
any questions about it they can look
[3:06:46] into it. And uh other than that, it was
just a generic uh structure on how they
[3:06:52] want to run the parking committee.
>> What did you think about it?
[3:06:55] » I didn't give it. I only received it
earlier today. Did not have an
[3:06:58] opportunity to give it a wholesome look,
but I will and I'll have I'll send uh
[3:07:02] information on it. Did you get the
chance to review it, Mayor?
[3:07:04] » Yeah, sure.
>> What do you think?
[3:07:06] » I think it's
>> Can I ask a question?
[3:07:08] » Great.
>> Who did this come from?
[3:07:11] » James Luciano.
>> I remember James Luciano. I also
[3:07:13] remember him being at the last meeting
and I forget which board member
[3:07:16] questioning whether or not he was even
on the board.
[3:07:18] » Yeah, that's a it's a fair question.
>> Want to make sure that comes from the
[3:07:22] board and not James Luc.
>> He did give us a letter of resignation.
[3:07:25] So, we accepted his resignation. Um, but
I think part of why I sent it out to the
[3:07:30] board is
the way that it seems like it's
[3:07:34] structured and again I just took a quick
look at it is that they make all the
[3:07:37] decisions themselves on what they want
to do and like kind of not including the
[3:07:41] board and who's going to be added to
that committee and who's not. So I want
[3:07:45] to really take a wholesome look at it
and then once we get a look at it we can
[3:07:48] make a decision. But yes, from what I
understand James is back on the
[3:07:52] committee and he is I from what I
understand I could be wrong. I don't
[3:07:56] want to might be the president or
chairperson of the committee. So again,
[3:08:00] um I don't you know I let me get let me
look into it a little further before we
[3:08:04] get uh we get any further into the weeds
on this one. So just to get back to um
[3:08:08] parking um I I was able to uh look into
some of the data. We've had some really
[3:08:14] nice success this year. Um in 2025 for
June, July, and August we had 70,849
[3:08:22] meter transactions. this uh I hope I'm
saying that correctly, Stephen. Tell me
[3:08:26] if correct me if I'm wrong. Uh but this
year we've had 80,000 15. That's an
[3:08:31] increase of 9,000 uh 116 transactions,
which is really nice. An interesting
[3:08:37] statistic is that um in September,
we've already had an additional 2,300
[3:08:44] transactions at the meter. We're we're
well on pace to pass last year's uh
[3:08:50] transactions and visits to the
community. I think um the $2 an hour
[3:08:54] we've we might have hit a sweet spot
there where we uh where you know it's
[3:08:59] not affecting the budget significantly
and I don't think it's affecting the
[3:09:02] community. So, um I think we've made
some uh some progress. I think
[3:09:06] hopefully, knock on wood, uh we keep
having some success and I think we might
[3:09:10] have hit a sweet spot on that. Um also,
Stephen, you were kind enough to send me
[3:09:14] that sign, the the version of the sign.
You emailed it to me um on the 21st.
[3:09:18] I'll I'll bring it up. I'll present it
to the uh the parking committee if you
[3:09:23] haven't not forwarded the template
already. And um we also uh Trusty Snen
[3:09:29] and I met with the uh president of the
bid uh Mr. GTO to discuss Upper Port
[3:09:34] Jefferson and and projects that are
going on up there and parking situations
[3:09:38] that are going to arise. So, you know,
I'd like to bring that to the uh parking
[3:09:42] committee to see what their ideas are
and, you know, start at least get a jump
[3:09:46] on uh Upper Port Jefferson to kind of
figure out where we are with parking.
[3:09:50] So, that's uh that's the parking.
>> Um
[3:09:54] » while we're on the subject of parking,
can I just add something?
[3:09:56] » You may. Since we're talking about
parking, um I've just heard from a few
[3:10:00] um business owners that they're
concerned about the winter because in
[3:10:05] the past metered parking has been
suspended and the current plan is for
[3:10:12] the meters to stay turned on. So I don't
know if
[3:10:15] » I would love to be able to turn them
off. Um with the numbers like these in
[3:10:19] the on season, I think like Trusty
Franco said, we hit a sweet spot with
[3:10:23] that number for now. But one of the
things I really wanted to address with
[3:10:28] uh our treasurer Gaffka at this meeting
that I was stopped from having was to go
[3:10:33] over those numbers looking ahead and see
if there is any room wherever that we
[3:10:37] could find some some wiggle space to
consider that.
[3:10:40] » I would like to consider to meet with
the treasur
[3:10:44] » and again you know we have to say
because I mean the the original plan was
[3:10:48] to um
>> bring it to a$150 which was going to put
[3:10:52] a $300,000 hole in our budget. So that's
something that as Trusty Sniden said, we
[3:10:57] kind of wanted to figure out where we
are
[3:11:00] » and see where we can go forward with
that. But again, thank you so much.
[3:11:03] It'll be something that we discuss with
Stephen when we have our meeting.
[3:11:06] » Yeah, I think that's important.
>> I think when we get a couple more months
[3:11:10] under our belt to see if this trend
continues, then we can make a better
[3:11:14] decision.
>> And I think data, listen, this data lets
[3:11:17] us get to a delta, right? So when we
when we have that, you know, we'll be
[3:11:21] able to, you know, be able to figure out
where we are. or Steven most will be
[3:11:25] able to figure out where we are
budgetarily and if we make some
[3:11:28] adjustments again how does that affect
us budgetarily but we have to be careful
[3:11:32] not to put you know a massive hole in
our budget this year and next year so
[3:11:36] again we let's speak to Stephen when we
have an opportunity uh next week and I
[3:11:42] apologize the week after and we'll um
we'll see where we are
[3:11:46] » trusty Franco if I may um in your
conversations with the parking committee
[3:11:50] and for the board as a whole we have to
fix the signage. We We are losing a ton
[3:11:56] of revenue
um from people correctly pointing out
[3:12:02] that we're we're not adequately adver
advertising the where and how parking is
[3:12:09] paid for. There's still signs out there
that say a different price.
[3:12:15] » I can't answer why. I just know that I I
see the complaints that come in.
[3:12:19] » No. Why are the signs still incorrect? I
I again I if I could just finish my sent
[3:12:24] sentence and then the board could
deliberate. Um I see the parking ticket
[3:12:29] disputes and the primary dispute is
always I didn't know there was no sign.
[3:12:36] I didn't know that sign was meant for
me, you know.
[3:12:40] » Okay,
>> there's still people trying to put in
[3:12:43] numbers of parking spots because the
numbers are still on the street um
[3:12:47] instead of their license plate. So
there's there's a lot that we could do
[3:12:52] inhouse also to help generate and
continue the upswing in revenue based on
[3:12:58] um people paying for parking.
>> Dave, thank you so much. Anything that
[3:13:02] you're seeing, Dave, if you could just
shoot me a quick email um things you
[3:13:07] want me to bring up and discuss with
them as far as that, that'd be
[3:13:09] fantastic. I appreciate it.
>> My question is why do we need the
[3:13:11] parking committee to create a sign? In
the past, when the board of trustees
[3:13:16] would vote on a parking rate, a time
period, meters on, meters off, that
[3:13:21] would directly go the next day to DPW
who would then make whatever necessary
[3:13:26] changes on the signs and then they'd go
up.
[3:13:28] » I bring it up for two reasons. One, I
also said for the board's iteration and
[3:13:32] the parking committee. So, the parking
committee, I'm sure, are also hearing
[3:13:35] from their constituents or their their
customers.
[3:13:39] » Hey, I I wanted to pay for parking.
Where do I pay for parking sites? They
[3:13:42] might have some suggestions. Maybe you
can go through it with them as as as I
[3:13:46] know I think I heard at one of these
meetings some type of
[3:13:50] » um you know either validation of parking
or at least an expression of you know
[3:13:55] work in conjunction with the business
owners to make sure that people know
[3:13:59] they have to park. It'll save them money
in the long run and continue to promote
[3:14:02] the the the business district along with
and I agree with you trusty state and
[3:14:06] because that's why I was kind of twofold
the discussion should be had with them
[3:14:10] because they do offer valuable
suggestions to this board from the
[3:14:14] committee because we've heard some um
but again it's an it's not the first
[3:14:19] time I've said this at meetings like
this where the signage is an issue. Um
[3:14:23] so I think we need to attack it on all
fronts.
[3:14:25] » Uh Dave Attorney you are correct. We've
discussed this at meetings and I think
[3:14:29] the problem was it was the fluctuation
in what the dollar amounts we were going
[3:14:34] to use. It was going to be $150. It was
going to be $2. It was going to be $3
[3:14:38] the same. So, you're right, Stephen. Um,
where are we? Oh, you lost your
[3:14:41] microphone.
Where are we with the signs at the
[3:14:46] current rate of $2
from 12 to 12?
[3:14:50] » So, none of the parking meter signs, the
blue ones that are out there, have the
[3:14:55] rate on them. they have the QR code and
then when they get brought to Honk or if
[3:14:59] they go to a meter uh they see it on the
meter itself or through Honk.
[3:15:04] » So Dave, what are the complaints if the
sign doesn't have an incorrect rate?
[3:15:08] They don't know that they have to feed
the meter. What's what's the over I mean
[3:15:12] I'm sure you get lots of different ones,
but
[3:15:14] » there's literally hundreds um ranging
ranging and I do have pictures of some
[3:15:21] that I've reviewed that the the the
dollar amount was incorrect. the timing
[3:15:25] was incorrect, the season was incorrect.
>> Well, that's Yeah, if I can just jump
[3:15:28] in. That's what I'm what I'm referring
to. If the season's correct, if the days
[3:15:32] are incorrect, um, and the amounts are
incorrect, to me, that's a quick fix. We
[3:15:37] have a sign making machine, make the new
signs, change them out. If there's
[3:15:42] additional signs that need to happen
that, you know, that the parking
[3:15:45] committee wants to see that helps give
them direction or how to pay or
[3:15:49] whatever. But if there's a sign out
there that says it's $3 an hour when
[3:15:52] it's really two, can't we just do a make
a sign and put it up? That's what we
[3:15:56] used to do in the past. I
>> put based on what you're seeing. Um
[3:16:00] what's the modification we need to make
to the sign that Stephen just No, I
[3:16:05] know.
>> And that's the modification. I I I don't
[3:16:07] live in a village. I I don't I don't
hear what goes on. I I only see what's
[3:16:11] on paper. And consistently the complaint
is inadequate signing about h how, when,
[3:16:17] and where people should pay for parking.
Res identifying residential lots from
[3:16:21] non-residential lots. It's across the
board a I don't want to call it a
[3:16:26] failure, but an inconsistency in
adequate signage, period. I mean, I
[3:16:30] don't know how else to say it.
>> I know. I got you. It's more than just
[3:16:33] $3 versus $2.
>> So, this is actually a good a a good um
[3:16:38] » something to address with with the
parking committee because, as you said,
[3:16:41] Yeah. No, you're right on target with I
got it. Um, so I'll bring that up to
[3:16:45] them. If you could just shoot me uh
whatever little suggestions you have,
[3:16:48] uh, that would be fantastic. Thank you.
I know some people too that have had
[3:16:52] some confusion on um oh gosh now I can't
even think of what this the side street
[3:16:58] where um Castaways is because it's
marked 2-hour parking and I think people
[3:17:03] see the 2-hour parking and think that
it's a free 2hour parking spot and don't
[3:17:09] realize that
>> Mil Creek is
[3:17:13] » free two hours
>> because then So if they park longer than
[3:17:17] 2 hours
>> so to tack on to that. Oh, so I guess
[3:17:20] they they could No, because there
there's a a pay pay sign there. So
[3:17:25] there's a pay sign right in the middle
of the street. I'm pretty sure
[3:17:30] » used to be
>> and we It's definitely gone. Okay. Cuz I
[3:17:34] remember
>> there used to be one by the brewery
[3:17:37] between that was to my knowledge was all
taken down.
[3:17:40] » All right.
>> I know it's muscle memory.
[3:17:43] » Yeah. But the lasted
>> going back probably maybe a year now
[3:17:47] from the parking committee they decided
that milk they were going to
[3:17:52] » keep Mil Creek as a road. So that would
be as you would on any street no to
[3:17:59] promote turnover. Right.
>> Okay. Thank you.
[3:18:02] » Okay. Any more parking?
>> Did you want to add something?
[3:18:06] » I could just I could answer one of the
qu to attorney Moran's point. There are
[3:18:10] the new signs are made out of like a uh
it's like a cora material and they used
[3:18:16] some of the really old signs that are
made out of hard like hard plastic and
[3:18:20] metal to use as a base to apply the the
new signs on top of it
[3:18:26] » yeah with Velcro. Some people go around
and
[3:18:29] » rip them off
>> and they rip it off and then if we don't
[3:18:32] catch it in time then it become that
becomes the issue. So once we get
[3:18:35] notified, parks gets notified, they go
right out and try and put a new sign on
[3:18:40] um as soon as possible. Or if they
can't, they don't have an additional
[3:18:43] sign, they'll just take that old one
off.
[3:18:44] » And we order those out. We don't we
don't make those ourselves
[3:18:48] » because there's too many. We ordered 90
to 120 at a clip depending on what it
[3:18:52] is. And that's that's too
>> it's a lot cheaper than metal signs for
[3:18:56] them to make. And the the ink at the
sign making machine is quite expensive.
[3:19:00] So that would blow through quite a bit
and hurt their budget. Maybe we don't
[3:19:04] use Velcro. Maybe we can
>> I defer to I defer to the parks and
[3:19:09] highway department.
>> I'm going to I'll bring that up also uh
[3:19:12] at the at the meeting on the 21st um to
kind of see if we can problem solve out
[3:19:16] what would be a better way to secure the
that signage so we don't have that
[3:19:20] problem. All right. Any more parking?
Okay. Let's move on to the school
[3:19:25] district. Um the school district working
group had had the summer off. We're
[3:19:29] going to get started um uh this uh in
two weeks. Um but I I'd like to address
[3:19:35] the um uh and I think it was a travesty
by section 11 what they did to the uh
[3:19:42] football players and the stu these
student athletes at the school. I think
[3:19:45] that was terrible. Um
and I do like I would like to say I know
[3:19:50] mayor you sent an individual letter to
section 11.
[3:19:54] You
>> I had a communication with the section
[3:19:56] 11 the head of section 11. Yeah. I'd
like to thank Trusty Dit and uh Juliano
[3:20:00] and Snen for joining the letter that we
submitted to section 11 in support of
[3:20:05] the school district. Um mayor, you also
said you received a communication that
[3:20:09] you were going to forward to us. Uh I
don't know if it was an oversight. We
[3:20:12] never received that. So if you have an
opportunity, that would be great. Um and
[3:20:16] then welcome back to all of the uh Oh, I
apologize. The school district is
[3:20:20] currently appealing that decision.
>> Yeah. uh they lost the appeal and now
[3:20:24] they are um in the process of
researching uh different avenues to uh
[3:20:31] address the issue with section 11. Um
moving on uh want to welcome back all
[3:20:37] the the uh kids and students back to
school. Um, I I was able to take a
[3:20:42] facilities tour with uh Trustee Dit and
they've done uh so much stuff at the
[3:20:48] school um repairs to buildings, air
conditioning units. Um too much to list,
[3:20:54] but they've done a nice job getting the
school ready for this upcoming school
[3:20:58] year. So, uh kudos to um all the
employees at the school district and the
[3:21:03] board and the superintendent
administration. They've done a nice job.
[3:21:06] Um, I'd like to uh recognize I hope I
pronounce her name correctly, Siana Sar.
[3:21:14] She uh had this wonderful art project
that became part of the school calendar.
[3:21:18] It was really very very neat. I was at
the board meeting last night. It was
[3:21:22] just it was sweet to see. And uh also
I'd like to acknowledge um Julia Gomez.
[3:21:28] Uh she is now the board of uh education
uh student rep. Uh wonderful resume. Uh
[3:21:34] it was just really nice to see her take
her oath of office. It was uh fun.
[3:21:38] Yesterday I did speak to uh uh division
chief uh Mson about the snow plow
[3:21:45] painting. Um we had a discussion uh with
the school uh yesterday um at the board
[3:21:51] meeting and uh Greg and I have come to a
conclusion that we're going to bring
[3:21:55] about three plows over to the uh high
school. They're going to Greg's going to
[3:21:58] get them prepped and we're going to
provide the paint to the uh to the
[3:22:02] school district and then they're going
to have them uh paint them all up, get
[3:22:05] them all ready. It's going to be a nice
thing. Um we both came up with actually
[3:22:09] I think we kind of said it together how
we want to have like a naming contest of
[3:22:13] each of the plows by the elementary
school. So, we're gonna we're going to
[3:22:17] start something like that and then in
the end we'd like to if it would be okay
[3:22:20] with the board to put the plows in front
of village hall while when they're all
[3:22:24] finished and painted so you know
residents and uh the students can come
[3:22:28] by
>> 100%.
[3:22:29] » Yeah, I think it's going to be a really
nice idea.
[3:22:32] » Um so
>> somewhere
[3:22:34] » yeah we'll find a spot for them. We'll
find we'll find a spot for them. So uh
[3:22:39] and that's it for the school district uh
working group. I have been um attending
[3:22:48] um uh the golf course department head
meetings and I was at the CCMAC
[3:22:54] meeting. Uh so I just want to run
through some things that I uh that were
[3:22:58] discussed. Uh one of the suggestions
from the uh CCMAC
[3:23:04] was to hire an aronomist for the golf
course. And um so I did a little
[3:23:09] research on it. We currently have an
aronomist
[3:23:13] that works with the uh uh the head of
grounds. And so my concern was when I
[3:23:22] spoke to uh this gentleman, his name is
Steven McDonald, that nobody from the
[3:23:26] CCMAC, the board of governors, or even
the division chief contacted him to
[3:23:32] discuss um the conditions on the course.
So the the problem is they're making a
[3:23:38] recommendation to hire a USGAA
certified aronomist
[3:23:44] without all of doing all the all the the
the work. You know, we have someone in
[3:23:48] place. Now this gentleman that we
currently have, mayor, when you were at
[3:23:54] Shinik um for the golf course, I don't
know if you were monitoring holes, he
[3:23:59] was there working at Shinik. This this
gentleman is experienced. So I think um
[3:24:05] before they make a recommendation to
this body to spend $3 to $6,000,
[3:24:11] they should, you know, reach out to the
current aronomist we have, find out
[3:24:15] what's going on because I've received
his report. And um the big concern at
[3:24:20] the golf course, um from what I'm
understanding is from the meetings is
[3:24:24] crab grass and this the green speed. And
you know what I think some of the people
[3:24:31] are are not taking into consideration is
that we've had 30 to 40% more rain. So I
[3:24:38] did a a drive around with uh Pat
Sullivan and Greg Mson and you can see
[3:24:44] that the it's spongy, the course is wet
and that promotes crab grass. That's
[3:24:49] just how it is. Um but they're working
hard to get the situation resolved. Um
[3:24:55] but I do think a recommendation um uh
that and I did speak to Greg about it
[3:25:00] that he should reach out to Mr. McDonald
before we start recommending another
[3:25:03] expenditure. We already have one on a
contract with one that maybe that would
[3:25:07] might be a better a better uh plan of
action. And the same with the CCMAC if
[3:25:12] they're going to make a recommendation
they should speak to the current
[3:25:14] aronomist that we have on staff. Um so
>> do we have an aronomist on staff or do
[3:25:20] we have a contract with them?
>> We have well potatoes potatoes. We have
[3:25:23] a We have an aronomist that we can
>> No word no words words matter.
[3:25:26] » Yeah. No.
>> So we have an we have an aronomist that
[3:25:30] is under contract.
>> Where's his scope?
[3:25:33] » Do we have a do we have a contract with
Steve McDonald? Not that I'm not crit
[3:25:38] not a criticism. Just
>> mayor I I
[3:25:40] » I want to know what his agree what our
agreement is with him. if there's an
[3:25:44] agreement with him, what is what is the
scope and what how who is he reporting
[3:25:48] to and who how is the CCMAC or anyone uh
getting that information? I haven't seen
[3:25:55] it.
>> Well, I I they could probably do what I
[3:25:58] did. You ask the head groundskeeper and
say, "Do we have an aronomist?" And he
[3:26:02] goes, "Yeah." And then he goes I said,
"Hold on,
[3:26:05] » but I'd love to see that scope work.
>> I'm going to tell you how it works."
[3:26:08] Then you say, "Oh, what's his name?"
>> And do you have contact information? And
[3:26:13] then you you text him and then what he
does is he calls you back and then you
[3:26:18] get that information.
>> In what capacity?
[3:26:22] » In what capacity did you do that? I
>> I in what capacity as a trustee of the
[3:26:27] village?
>> That's op that's daily operating thing.
[3:26:30] That's a daily operating.
>> Yeah. So
[3:26:32] » but but I'm I am curious. I I'm I think
brilliant, right? you're interested in
[3:26:38] your in your engaged, but I'm wondering
where's the scope of work that the
[3:26:44] aronomist has. And I'm not asking you to
explain that. I don't I'm not sure that
[3:26:48] I even know. I I'd like to know what his
scope of work is if we're paying him and
[3:26:53] and how often does he does he come in
and what where are his reports and who
[3:26:58] do they go to and just you know, we
don't have to talk about it right now,
[3:27:02] but I I will follow up with that.
>> Things to follow up on, right?
[3:27:06] » Yeah. I I think there's definitely that
before a recommendation is made, they
[3:27:10] should ask Pat, you know, cuz he's the
head of the grounds, you know, do we
[3:27:15] have an aronomist and where are the and
where are the reports? What's their
[3:27:18] recommendations?
>> Can you produce them before you say
[3:27:21] charge? Let's let's hire another one for
$6,000. That's that's it.
[3:27:24] » We're not hiring. It would be
>> Can I ask a complaint because I don't
[3:27:27] know and I because I'm sure at some
point I'm going to have to look at this
[3:27:30] agreement.
>> Yeah. Um, I have to assume if it made it
[3:27:34] to the CC, whatever it is in the board
of governors that, um, there was
[3:27:41] complaints that the golf course made to
somebody, who was responsible for making
[3:27:45] the complaint to get it to the board of
governors or the board of commissioners
[3:27:50] and
who at the golf course knew about it?
[3:27:54] » That's a and and who's responsible for
engaging the person who's responsible
[3:27:58] for fixing it? There's a lot to unravel
there.
[3:28:02] » There there's I'm going to say this
after having a couple of these meetings
[3:28:05] with the staff. There's a lot of hands
in the sauce,
[3:28:09] » right? There and and they they're they
could use
[3:28:13] less hands in the sauce. All right,
that's so I'll leave it at that. You got
[3:28:17] you got the board of governors, you have
the CCMAC, you have you know there's
[3:28:21] there's external influences from
village.
[3:28:25] » I agree with you. I'm just trying to
understand the process because you would
[3:28:28] think that comp if there's conditions of
the grass being made to the golf course
[3:28:33] » that there should be a record of it
there should be an engagement there
[3:28:38] should be a report on the engagement of
what services were provided and I'm
[3:28:42] still I'm doing some of this to delay
I'm doing some of this to delay so
[3:28:47] Stephen could say oh we paid him last
month
[3:28:51] » I can move on to something else we dance
so much That leads to Is there an RFP
[3:28:56] and did we go through a while?
>> Why do we not as the board of trustees
[3:29:00] get uh regular reports from the CCMAC
and the board of governors?
[3:29:05] » Just stands
>> again. Hold on. Mayor, if I may, I think
[3:29:10] the better question
might be
[3:29:13] » whoever's engaging
>> the aronomist should be producing the
[3:29:18] report of the work that's being done.
>> No, not that report. I'm just saying
[3:29:24] there's two entities running the golf
course, making decisions, engaging
[3:29:30] aronomists, telling employees what's
wrong with the course. I've heard none
[3:29:34] of that. I don't know if the board has
heard any of that. I don't spend every
[3:29:37] day at the golf course. I don't have
these discussions, but as a committee or
[3:29:40] the CCMAC as a committee and the board
of governors as a board, shouldn't we be
[3:29:44] getting regular reports from the golf
course
[3:29:49] about all of this stuff, good and bad,
and what's going on? I have no idea
[3:29:54] what's going on over there.
>> I'm currently going to do the best I
[3:29:56] can. So, um, Stephen, do you need more
time because I have other stuff to talk
[3:29:59] about.
>> Yes. Just say yes. You need more time.
[3:30:03] All I can what I can answer right now is
that the village uh procured uh Steve
[3:30:08] McDonald's company which is called Turf
Grass Disease Solutions and paid him
[3:30:12] $8,100 in February.
>> Turf Grass Disease Solutions.
[3:30:18] » Yes. And
>> did is that a sole source provider?
[3:30:22] » Uh I have to pull the package. I don't I
but I can pull up right at this moment.
[3:30:28] » Was it then there was a resolution?
>> I don't believe so. I believe it was I
[3:30:33] believe there were more than one quote
possibly was received but again I don't
[3:30:37] know I have to do more research I have
to go and look at the actual packet
[3:30:40] » when you figure when you get it together
we'll take
[3:30:42] » what's the name of the company
>> turf grass
[3:30:46] one word disease solutions
>> so it's a contractor
[3:30:52] » it was a contractor
>> selling chemicals
[3:30:57] » that was not my understanding when it
was procured
[3:31:01] from The my understanding was he was an
aronomist.
[3:31:05] » He that's exactly
>> certified to come in and was was to be
[3:31:09] on call
>> of the grounds
[3:31:11] » and I if my memory serves me to give a
couple quarter or quarterly reports on
[3:31:16] the conditions of the course to assist
in the maintenance staff to help address
[3:31:21] those problems.
>> So those reports exist somewhere.
[3:31:24] » I don't know.
>> Well, don't ask the CCMAC or the board
[3:31:29] of governors because they've never asked
for them. So, I'm going to move on. Um,
[3:31:33] also at the work session with the um,
department heads, we discussed the
[3:31:37] driving range, and you know, Jake
brought up an ex and Larry actually
[3:31:41] brought up an interesting point. They
said potentially we're losing 15 to
[3:31:45] 20,000 worth of golf balls on the west
side of the driving range into the
[3:31:53] um, landfill area because the uh, the
netting is so low. So, um um Division
[3:32:02] Chief Mson is going to potentially look
into um at least figuring out if we can
[3:32:08] repair the west side to prevent the lost
balls into the um waste area there. So,
[3:32:14] that was something they're going to look
at. Um we also discussed or they
[3:32:19] discussed and I added to it um a
potential of a new scoreboard. Uh the
[3:32:23] school district working group uh had an
idea about potentially uh having a sign
[3:32:28] developed that said home of the royals
with all the championships on it. We had
[3:32:31] discussed this last year. Uh Jake had an
excellent idea that when we when they uh
[3:32:38] modernize and and uh replace this
current sign that would be a spot that
[3:32:42] they could do it. So that was uh uh
suggested. So hopefully that comes to um
[3:32:48] uh come to fruition. Um they were also
would like to um increase Luke and I'm
[3:32:54] going to butcher this name Mavane Mane
his role um but they're restricted I
[3:33:00] guess because of his title. So maybe
something to that we can look at um
[3:33:04] about uh Luke and giving him an expanded
role uh for junior programs and things
[3:33:09] like that they were talking about. Um,
again, I I you know, I did the tour and
[3:33:14] and looked at the green speeds and the
crab grass, and I know that uh uh Pat
[3:33:19] and uh Division Chief Mson discussed uh
removing some trees and trimming some
[3:33:24] trees down to get a little bit of more
sun on the greens um uh to help dry them
[3:33:29] out a little bit. So, uh they're working
on that. And then we also scheduled to
[3:33:35] meet with the treasurer because they'd
like to get the early bird started soon.
[3:33:40] So, we they kind of want to meet with
Stephen. So, Stephen accepted an
[3:33:43] invitation to next Tuesday's meeting.
Um, and they'll discuss early bird um uh
[3:33:51] fees to see if we can get that started
because um I'm confused who's going to
[3:33:56] discuss it.
>> Steven is going to be there with uh Jake
[3:34:00] uh division chief monson. You know that
that the department
[3:34:03] » I didn't know if you CCMC. Okay.
>> So, no, it's not the CCM that he's going
[3:34:07] to start with the department heads on
that Tuesday meeting. Mhm.
[3:34:10] » So, um and so Steven was kind enough to
say that he would come to that and um so
[3:34:16] hopefully they get that started because
they are down um members at the golf
[3:34:21] course and um they would like to get
this out so that we could potentially,
[3:34:27] you know, maybe offset some of the
financial losses that we've had um by
[3:34:32] membership drop offs.
Um,
[3:34:36] and then, uh, Larry, who does a lot of
the scheduling at the course, would like
[3:34:41] all of the, um, participants at the golf
course, you know, the men's league, the
[3:34:47] the the ladies league, um, uh, the the
rec center to get their scheduled
[3:34:53] activities and and dates to him sooner,
sometime maybe in January, so he it just
[3:34:59] make them easier to schedule, which made
sense. Um, if we could get that done,
[3:35:02] he's going to he's going to work on
that. He's actually putting a proposal
[3:35:05] together uh to submit to uh division
chief Mson uh so that we can kind of
[3:35:10] figure out a process to move that along.
Um
[3:35:15] let me see what else. Sorry.
[3:35:20] And I think Hold on.
I'm going to say and that's Oh, and
[3:35:26] that's my report.
>> That might Yeah. Take it away.
[3:35:33] I'm ready.
Building and planning uh has a meeting
[3:35:38] um tomorrow night. They have a bunch of
projects um on the schedule for
[3:35:43] approval. Um I read on the agenda that
GEI will be making a presentation at
[3:35:50] that meeting about the bluff
stabilization project. Um so that is a
[3:35:54] public meeting. I think it's important
that the public be notified and aware
[3:35:59] that that's taking place. Um, it's my
understanding that someone from the CCE
[3:36:03] will be in attendance and I have a
question as to whether or when GI will
[3:36:08] be presenting um that same report to the
board of trustees.
[3:36:15] » I guess it depends on what the planning
board comes back with, right? So, they
[3:36:20] will be presenting something, but the
goal was to have them present to the
[3:36:26] planning board first and respond to some
of the questions that the planning board
[3:36:30] came up with um after the first
presentation that they made.
[3:36:33] » Okay.
>> So, I'm really interested in hearing the
[3:36:36] planning board's review. They review
plans all the time. So,
[3:36:40] » that to me is a check and balance that
was never uh conducted before for this
[3:36:44] project on on the bluff. So, I think
it's a a great asset that we have at our
[3:36:51] disposal and they asked some really good
questions back in March or April and so
[3:36:58] um GEI is coming back with responses to
those and some responses to some of the
[3:37:02] other issues that have been brought up
by our um by our just volunteers and
[3:37:08] also our CCE and um the CCMAC has a
representative who's very very attentive
[3:37:14] and interested in the project, Eli Zam.
IC and um also our engineer. So I mean I
[3:37:23] don't think we can get enough eyes on
this project because it's that
[3:37:26] important.
>> Okay, great.
[3:37:27] » Can I interject something, Stephen? What
is that? Uh do we have a a a cost
[3:37:31] estimate on that presentation
>> on what presentation?
[3:37:35] » The GEI presentation.
>> Do we Stephen?
[3:37:39] » Why would why would Steve
>> Well, I'm just saying do we know what do
[3:37:42] we know what that's going to cost us
approximately? I have not seen anything.
[3:37:45] » They're not charging us for it.
>> Oh, it's free.
[3:37:48] » Oh, great.
>> It's included included
[3:37:50] » the scope of services that they have
been
[3:37:53] » so just just to add I'm sorry I was
talking to Sylvia so I missed some of
[3:37:58] that. Um, I understand that it's it's
it's important to have the planning
[3:38:03] board um there, but would it not be best
to have that presentation done here at
[3:38:10] our board meeting with the planning
board here with the community here? So,
[3:38:14] they make that presentation and we start
to involve the community and let them
[3:38:17] know uh what's going on with this
project. So, that and if we have
[3:38:22] questions at the planning board, we
can't ask any questions. We can't even
[3:38:24] be there. But here we can and it would
be nice to have GEI do a presentation in
[3:38:30] front of us where if we have a question
we can ask.
[3:38:34] » That's I love that idea. Let's do it.
>> Bob,
[3:38:38] » let's do it.
>> Hold on. I I
[3:38:40] » Let's do it.
>> Right here, sister.
[3:38:42] » It's planned. Matthew,
>> when?
[3:38:44] » Matthew,
>> we have We don't have a date right now,
[3:38:47] but it is planned.
>> Dave, is there a reason why the
[3:38:51] » board of trustees can't go to the
planning board meeting?
[3:38:53] » Who said you can't?
Okay.
[3:38:56] » No one.
>> Thank you.
[3:38:57] » Can we can go and ask questions?
>> No.
[3:39:01] » Well, that's up to the board. That's up
to the chair.
[3:39:04] » Again, what you can't do is deliberate.
>> A violation of a meeting meetings law
[3:39:08] would be if you're in a quorum for the
purposes of conducting business.
[3:39:11] » Okay.
>> The the presentation itself and
[3:39:14] questions about the presentation,
>> I don't think I have an issue with
[3:39:19] directing them is I have an issue with
or telling them they're wrong. I have an
[3:39:22] issue with or things meant for this
room. I I would have an issue with
[3:39:26] um but I I don't think I have an issue
if the board of trustees attended and I
[3:39:30] think we've done it before where the
board of trustees have attended
[3:39:33] presentations and listened along with
the public.
[3:39:36] » I I remember at least one.
>> Yeah.
[3:39:38] » Okay. Because I was planning on going.
So I just wanted to make sure that it
[3:39:41] was okay for me to be there.
>> I'm going to and I'm going to sit right
[3:39:44] next to Bob.
>> Okay.
[3:39:46] » So that is tomorrow. Starts at six
o'clock in this room. um for that. I
[3:39:50] don't know when on the agenda the
presentation is, but that will be
[3:39:53] happening tomorrow.
>> There's two public hearings first.
[3:39:56] » Yes. And their regular business. So um
the new beautifification committee we
[3:40:01] met.
>> Did you want to say something?
[3:40:05] » Yeah, I do. And I want to say tactfully.
Um, there might be another thing on the
[3:40:09] planning board agenda tomorrow that
maybe this board I would not like in the
[3:40:13] room at that time because it was in the
room tonight and I don't want to be a
[3:40:18] appearance that we're trying to put
influence on an autonomous board for
[3:40:22] everyone's benefit and that would be the
Beachwood project.
[3:40:25] » So you can watch it on YouTube.
>> Everyone's having
[3:40:28] » I don't know what time that's on. I
don't know when but when it happened I I
[3:40:31] I don't want there to be you you
understand as we as we did 100 ethics
[3:40:36] interviews and everyone talked about the
appearance of impropriety that board is
[3:40:39] meant to be autonomous
>> and with five trustees in the room they
[3:40:43] might think it's less autonomous than it
should be even though we know that's not
[3:40:47] the reason
>> I'll give you the lay the rundown of the
[3:40:50] agenda.
>> Good like
[3:40:52] » I think it's actually
>> it's near the beginning. Yeah, I think
[3:40:57] they're at the uh
>> what's near the beginning of the
[3:40:59] presentation
>> the bluff presentation. There's two two
[3:41:03] I believe public hearings if I remember
reading it.
[3:41:06] » Two public hearings and then general
business.
[3:41:08] » Yeah.
>> Of which uh Beachwood is not a part of
[3:41:11] that.
Um and then
[3:41:15] » I think Beachwood would be at the end as
part of a decision calendar
[3:41:18] » because it's a longer it's part of the
resolutions.
[3:41:20] » They have a lot of
>> I think projects on for approval
[3:41:23] tomorrow. I would only ask as as your
council if the pre if that presentation
[3:41:26] happens first please don't scadaddle
>> I'm sorry site plan development is the
[3:41:33] second item on public hearings
>> beachwood
[3:41:39] » they're closing that public hearing I'm
sorry my mistake
[3:41:42] » so you can watch on YouTube and when
they get around to that point then show
[3:41:45] up
>> or we could yeah public
[3:41:49] don't talk business but meet somewhere
else
[3:41:51] » that's very good point David thank Thank
you.
[3:41:54] » Thanks, David. Um, beautifification
committee, we just met for the first
[3:41:57] time. We went, um, discussed some
lowhanging fruit. Uh, quickly, areas
[3:42:03] around some of the Portf welcome signs.
Um, some small pocket gardens that need
[3:42:07] attention. There's there's a a regular
complaint that we've seen on Facebook.
[3:42:12] Um, additionally, some of the committee
members brought it to my attention and
[3:42:16] residents have brought it to my
attention as well as store owners about
[3:42:19] the weeds in a lot of the garden beds
and the excess amount of garbage that is
[3:42:25] in around on top of um all of the uh big
bellies throughout the village. So, I
[3:42:32] don't know if the regular schedule of
DPW is is not keeping up with the amount
[3:42:37] of people that are leaving garbage. Um,
but it's been a regular complaint in
[3:42:43] lots of different facets of the village.
So, I don't know um how that can be
[3:42:47] addressed, but I think it needs to be
addressed
[3:42:49] » with a seasonal part-timer.
>> Maybe that's it. If he's on
[3:42:54] » um but we we don't know that. So,
>> that's why we hired him.
[3:42:59] » Great. So, that shouldn't be a problem
anymore.
[3:43:02] » Well,
>> weeds and garbage.
[3:43:04] » With more visitors and more transactions
comes more garbage. So maybe we need to
[3:43:09] look at getting more big bellies, other
garbage cans, maybe picking up more
[3:43:13] often, but having garbage spilling out.
And then this morning when I took my
[3:43:17] daughter to school, I had seen pizza
boxes on one of the the the machines or
[3:43:21] uh Big Bellies. And then when I came
back, they were in the street. So it's
[3:43:26] it it's unsightly. It's dirty. I don't
know. I think it should be addressed.
[3:43:31] And I mentioned to all of the people
that complained to me that I would bring
[3:43:33] it to the board to see how we could
address that.
[3:43:35] » I'll bring it up to DPW. Great. Thank
you. Um the ARC, we already talked about
[3:43:41] the memorial. Randy and I had
volunteered to um have a committee with
[3:43:45] that and with that committee we really
hope to have uh members of the
[3:43:48] architectural review committee um
>> parks and wreck the conservancy possibly
[3:43:53] for fundraising um a part of the
fundraising. So that's on an ongoing um
[3:43:59] process. Uh speaking of the conservancy,
the hill climb is coming up on September
[3:44:03] 26. Everyone is invited. It's a great
event. Um, super fun. And I wanted to
[3:44:08] also say thank you Sylvia as well as
Mary and Teresa for updating that
[3:44:12] committee list. Um, I know that took a
lot of time and and energy, but I think
[3:44:16] it's a great thing that we now have for
the village and everybody can refer to
[3:44:18] that and everybody's kind of on the same
page and organized. So, I know it took
[3:44:22] you a lot of time. So, I thank you for
all your hard work on that. Much
[3:44:25] appreciated.
>> Oh, and Rita. Okay. Thank you.
[3:44:28] » Thank you.
>> That's it. Concludes my report.
[3:44:32] » Okay. Next is me. Uh, use your hand.
>> I I'm I'm okay. Not a lot. I'm going to
[3:44:39] try to keep this brief. Um DPW report
had some staffing challenges throughout
[3:44:45] August. Um you know, people were on
vacation. Um but they were able to
[3:44:51] stagger
the uh the people the the working. One
[3:44:56] employee was out on medical leave. So
between that and vacations and
[3:45:00] everything, they were able to to stagger
some of the work. So they got a lot of
[3:45:03] the work done. Um, you know, special
thanks to them for the oyster jamboree
[3:45:07] and for the u block party we we talked
about at the last meeting, but they u
[3:45:12] you know, they really rose to the
occasion and they they did a great um a
[3:45:17] great job at the oyster jamboree. Um
storm response, they had um a couple of
[3:45:22] different storms throughout the month of
August. um significant rainfall um
[3:45:28] throughout the month and localized uh
street flooding, you know, in some of
[3:45:33] the areas in the areas that always
flood. Um but there were no major flood
[3:45:37] flooding impacts um you know during the
during those events. Staff remain
[3:45:43] vigilant throughout each and every storm
and work diligently to minimize
[3:45:46] disruptions to residents and to
businesses and motorists as well. um as
[3:45:52] far as the parks report and cleanup and
maintenance and I will make a note to
[3:45:58] speak to DPW about the um the big
bellies. Um
[3:46:04] but you know, parks barn goes through
the village center, Joe Erlandfield, uh
[3:46:08] village hall, rocket ship park, um beach
street, centennial park, east and west
[3:46:13] beach. These are all their on their
daily um maintenance and and cleanups.
[3:46:19] Um, Bakers Alley, Texico Park, Roosevelt
Park, village restrooms at Rocket Park,
[3:46:25] uh, they open and clean them daily. Uh,
the basketball and tennis courts, they
[3:46:29] blow off whatever debris might be on on
those courts. Um, repair, there was a
[3:46:35] repair that to the main water line on at
Harborf Front Park that uh that parks
[3:46:41] was uh was involved in. Um, they used a
bucket truck to chalk village center
[3:46:46] windows to chalk. I'm sorry, not chalk.
Uh, village center windows to stop uh,
[3:46:51] you know, stop leaks going into the
village center.
[3:46:55] Um, they met with park equipment
companies at Rocket Chip Park about the
[3:47:01] flooring issues and possible new splash
uh, splash pad uh, at Rocket Ship Park.
[3:47:07] Um, that was recommended by the Parks
and Recreation um, committee
[3:47:12] couple of meetings a couple of months
ago.
[3:47:15] Um, couple of other, again, parks also
work very well with the Oyster Fest. Um,
[3:47:22] and you know, kudos to them and thanks
for them. Um, also don't forget there
[3:47:26] was movie nights that they're that they
were and village concerts and Friday
[3:47:29] night East Beach Rocks concert. So,
they've been busy. You know, this is
[3:47:34] their their busy one of their busy
seasons. I mean, DPW is always busy.
[3:47:37] Come wintertime, we got the snow and we
got leaves and so they're always busy.
[3:47:42] But um you know this is one of the uh
one of the times between uh vacations
[3:47:47] going on and a couple of people being
out sick that uh you know they really
[3:47:51] rose to the occasion. Everybody did a
did a great job. Um so that's one of the
[3:47:57] reports. Uh I I I don't know if people
saw this.
[3:48:00] » Can I add something or encourage you to
add something?
[3:48:03] » Yes. uh about the um this the company
that's on state contract for some of the
[3:48:09] re repairs to Rocket Ship Park and to
Harborf Park and looking at
[3:48:13] » you know the um the surface in the
Rocket Ship Park.
[3:48:16] » Rocket Ship Park surface
>> turtle
[3:48:18] » turtle park
>> as well as the yeah this um the
[3:48:22] » yeah the turtle what what are we going
to call that? Oh, you talking about
[3:48:25] that?
>> That's what I'm now. I mean, no, but I
[3:48:28] mean, I don't have
>> I don't have that information. It's more
[3:48:32] of request for where we're at as far as
those projects.
[3:48:35] » I know I know Greg met with somebody
>> yesterday, I think it was. Okay. So, um
[3:48:40] » she's a resident.
>> Oh, yes. Well, we have had a
[3:48:44] conversation, right? Yeah. So, that's
good. So met with her and walk through
[3:48:48] the different
>> park as well as basketball tennis courts
[3:48:54] » and the um the turtle splash spray
be able to check things as we go and
[3:49:03] also the the the um the misting station
they they talked about at the park and
[3:49:08] the shades
>> and the Yes. And the sail shades. Well,
[3:49:10] that was all in my report. More
requesting information and seeing where
[3:49:14] we are with quotes from her sometime
>> shortly. He likes it. I think it was
[3:49:18] just yesterday that he met with us.
>> Okay, perfect. So that I can bring that
[3:49:21] back to parks and wreck for the next
meeting. And I also heard that the uh
[3:49:25] the rocking horse spring to re to
replace it or repair it was like
[3:49:29] $10,000. So I don't think that's
happening. Nobody thinks
[3:49:32] » I think we're going to It's not I was
just floored that it was
[3:49:36] » I thought the recommendation was to
remove that not and not to replace that.
[3:49:40] » No, because that's an astronomical
amount in my opinion for what that is.
[3:49:43] Yeah.
>> Okay. Sorry. Yeah.
[3:49:45] » Um I don't know if people saw there was
an article in News Day today about um
[3:49:50] the lip of the capacity issues and
they're calling for repowering of some
[3:49:54] of the older plants. Um so you know
naturally you know
[3:49:58] springs up and says so hey we have an
older plant here and we could use
[3:50:02] repowering. Um so the you know the
article just goes on about you know how
[3:50:08] there is lack of power and one of the
interesting things at the very end of
[3:50:13] the article I thought they were said
that there are 500 megawatt deficiency
[3:50:19] » um throughout the island. So they they
they briefly the article briefly touches
[3:50:24] upon that they that they're looking at
um
[3:50:26] » is that Mark Harrington?
>> Yes. At the Port Jefferson plant. But um
[3:50:32] I I think it's time to take a you know
maybe the board can take a some sort of
[3:50:37] a aggressive stand to completely
you know you know to replace you know
[3:50:44] the power station. I know I know Randy
you're you're on the uh on that
[3:50:48] committee. Um you know just something
that we could do with the new combined
[3:50:52] power base loading power you know would
greatly help the the tax base. Um, and
[3:50:59] if we get it re repowered, yes, we can
go back to the state and say we need to
[3:51:06] raise the assessment and like I said, it
it helps with the tax base. So,
[3:51:09] » yes,
>> um, I I you know, love to work with you
[3:51:13] on it. Maybe we can maybe there's
something that we can bring back to the
[3:51:16] board and you know,
>> that would be great. I would I would
[3:51:18] like to do that, too. I was also um
thinking of getting in touch with
[3:51:22] Rebecca Cassay just to see what she
could do statewise, you know, as far as
[3:51:28] um even just doing an assessment of the
plant maybe statewide. I I don't know. I
[3:51:33] mean, there's just some things I was
thinking about. Um so, I don't know.
[3:51:36] Maybe we can brainstorm together.
>> Sure.
[3:51:38] » Yeah. So, it was an article that like
said it was it was an electronic
[3:51:42] » Franco has something to say.
>> It was an electronic article. So, I
[3:51:45] don't know if it's going to be in the
paper tomorrow or or what, but I can
[3:51:48] » He's going to be challenged.
>> Thank you.
[3:51:50] » We'll we'll we'll work it out together.
>> All right. So, so the mayor and I um
[3:51:54] attended the um
>> and I love all your ideas, Bob, but we
[3:51:58] attended uh the uh budget and finance
meeting and we had a presentation by uh
[3:52:03] Tom Burolof,
>> the power the power plant working group
[3:52:06] and the budget and finance committee
meetings were combined.
[3:52:09] » Thank you, mayor. We're going to do this
together. So um
[3:52:13] » and Trusty Dwick couldn't be there, so
Trusty Franco jumped in.
[3:52:16] » So um
there is a a transmission line coming
[3:52:20] down from upstate and it's called
Propel.
[3:52:23] » Yep.
>> Uh we have two lines right now. I think
[3:52:26] it's 49 and 50 um that are that are
feeding down here. But this line is
[3:52:31] going to bring uh power from upstate New
York down here. Um so what and I'm
[3:52:38] mayor, correct me if I'm wrong on any of
this. Um
[3:52:41] » I don't know if I can
>> I was going to say I saw I saw it
[3:52:45] previously and it's a lot of
information. I believe the year was like
[3:52:48] 2030, right?
>> So So we have a five I think we have a
[3:52:51] they gave us
>> potentially
[3:52:53] » potentially a five-year window where we
they need the plant
[3:52:58] and there's a lot this is complex like
and it's very detailed. Um so after that
[3:53:05] five-year period mayor correct me if I'm
wrong prepare
[3:53:10] nothing but love for you, mayor. See,
Lauren, you and I are going to be
[3:53:13] buddies in the end. Um, so when Propel
gets here in 5 years, that's the I think
[3:53:19] that's the projected plan.
>> The
[3:53:22] potential for the power plant to be
needed is reduced.
[3:53:28] » Even Lipa,
>> even Lipa, yeah,
[3:53:31] » mayor's right about that
>> because Propel is separate from Lipa.
[3:53:33] » Well, the article almost makes Lipa
>> Does Mark right about that? article
[3:53:37] talks about that and it says that okay
but the 500 again with the 500 megawatt
[3:53:42] deficiency
>> but they it's transmission
[3:53:46] so and and what was talked about
>> bringing it here is fine but it's got to
[3:53:49] be
>> well but but what was talked about is
[3:53:52] and I don't I I'm only paraphrasing the
numbers let's say electricity down here
[3:53:56] is $125
I don't know kilowatt whatever it is
[3:54:00] it's like $40 or $50 a kilowatt if it's
pushed if it comes from upstate New York
[3:54:04] down here
>> megawatt megawatt Thank you, Stephen.
[3:54:08] Megawatt. So, um, and the problem with
our plant is we're not tied into
[3:54:14] Connecticut. Um, so we there's a lot of
concerns and what the pres presenter
[3:54:21] wanted to uh present to the power plant
working group and the budget committee
[3:54:25] was um
start preparing
[3:54:30] for something that might be
theoretically inevitable. Right. So we
[3:54:33] and and it was it was and and I have to
say the budget and finance committee
[3:54:37] asked some hard questions about you know
what do you know what are we preparing
[3:54:41] for like what what kind of what are we
looking at and um
[3:54:47] so that's where we are uh as far as that
presentation. So, but there are some
[3:54:53] concerning
um elements
[3:54:57] or factors that make it look like the
plant mayor, correct me if I'm wrong,
[3:55:00] does might not be viable
in the long term.
[3:55:06] » Well, if you're talking with Tom, I
mean, Tom Peteroff is an expert. He
[3:55:10] worked very closely with the village and
keeping Kathan, you know, at bay. So,
[3:55:16] » I mean, he
>> he's very knowledgeable on that. Uh,
[3:55:19] » one of the recommendations is to start
reaching out to and meeting with some of
[3:55:23] the leadership at National Grid,
National Grid Ventures
[3:55:27] » and um and potentially Lipa, but
National Grid Odin's that plant and it's
[3:55:34] up to them to decide how they want to if
if Lipa, you know,
[3:55:41] becomes obsolete like LIPA is a monopoly
right now. Their monopoly is going away.
[3:55:45] » Yeah.
>> Because of Propel.
[3:55:47] » Yep. So um so we have some
deep thinking to do in strategic
[3:55:53] thinking. We need, it was also advised
that we bring in an actual consultant
[3:55:58] like the London um what do you call it
of economics those those people that
[3:56:03] came in and actually did the report for
for the village back in 2015 or
[3:56:08] something like that like to and they're
still around to reinvest in in some uh
[3:56:14] true consultation about what our options
>> almost like lobbying for us and kind of
[3:56:18] giving us a a playbook on what we should
do. And um so and and Lauren's right,
[3:56:25] you know. Um
>> what
[3:56:28] » can you say that again?
>> Lauren is right.
[3:56:31] » Next is mayor's right.
>> Mayor is right. Mayor Lauren is right.
[3:56:37] » Um but I'm not right. I mean it's what
we learned at the meeting. You know,
[3:56:40] » you know, your presentation was correct
and and it's it's you know, it's
[3:56:45] this this London um how would what would
you call it, Lauren? They are
[3:56:50] » there they are. They're a lob they're a
lobbying consulting group with expertise
[3:56:54] in
>> power and Tom said that he would uh
[3:56:59] » jolof. Yeah.
>> So he said that he would you know work
[3:57:02] with us on this which is you know that's
that's a home run for for the for us.
[3:57:07] » Yeah. So with Bruce coming to the
finance committee if the board approves
[3:57:11] Tom would consult.
>> That'd be great.
[3:57:14] » Yeah.
>> That's that's where that's
[3:57:16] » so thanks for bringing that up Bob. That
was
[3:57:19] » Yeah. So it's an interesting art. So, if
you can, I found it online. I don't know
[3:57:22] if it'll be in the paper tomorrow, but I
have copies, so I can distribute copies
[3:57:26] of it as well to everyone.
Um, and the last thing I want to bring
[3:57:30] up is we had talked at the last meeting
about the um the board of governors and
[3:57:35] the edits that I had to the board of
governor's um um
[3:57:41] » bylaws. Thank you. Um, and most of them,
most of my edits were added into the um,
[3:57:50] bylaws that were approved on June 26, I
think the date was. Uh, you know, a
[3:57:56] couple of things. Um,
the idea was the same. They just changed
[3:58:00] the wording around, which I had no
problem with. Um and you know the one
[3:58:06] couple of glaring things I had suggested
that they emit
[3:58:12] article
three. So they did that but then they in
[3:58:16] the current bylaws it goes from article
two to article 4. So they don't have an
[3:58:20] article three. I don't know if it's a
that's a big deal or not but I
[3:58:24] » think we can make one up.
[3:58:28] And um the only
other things that
[3:58:34] were not or one other thing that was not
included in my edit or my suggestion was
[3:58:39] that the president and vice president be
um
[3:58:44] residents and that was not put into the
uh to the bylaws. Everything else was it
[3:58:51] does say in the by in the current bylaws
that were approved that the majority of
[3:58:55] the um of the board of governors have to
be village residents. Um
[3:59:01] so I just wanted to get back to the
board on that. You know we we had talked
[3:59:04] about it and um you know
and the oh I had a question for actually
[3:59:11] for Dave. I had suggested that they put
in some sort of a uh indemnification. I
[3:59:15] don't would that be
>> indemn who would they indemnify
[3:59:19] » um themselves um the the board of
governors now
[3:59:24] would that be necessary I don't
>> I'm not sure how that would work so the
[3:59:28] board of governifies itself from what
could you ordemnify yourself you
[3:59:34] demotential liability where the
liability where is their liability
[3:59:39] » make decision
>> if they make a if they make a decision
[3:59:41] at
>> it's advisory it is for
[3:59:43] » okay that's Yeah. So,
>> yeah, that was my that was my other
[3:59:49] suggestion that that they and they did
not put that in, but they figured that
[3:59:52] would be illegal. So, since they're
advisory, then we wouldn't need a
[3:59:58] indemnification. I I would also think
that if they're as acting in a capacity
[4:00:03] by direction of this board or the mayor
that they have qualified indemnity or
[4:00:09] some type of immunity as long as they're
acting in their professional capacity or
[4:00:14] their volunteer capacity on behalf of
the village.
[4:00:18] » And the other thing that
>> I said a great thing and I didn't turn
[4:00:22] my mic.
>> We heard you Dave. That's all that
[4:00:26] matters. M
>> um they they talk about and you know la
[4:00:30] last part they talk dissolution if the
if it's you know dissolved that the
[4:00:35] remaining authority and assets would be
turned over to the village which it
[4:00:40] should be but I don't know what assets
the board of governors would have. So I
[4:00:44] » it seems abs
irrelevant obsolete
[4:00:49] » and therefore not necessary.
>> There's no assets within that
[4:00:53] organization.
We don't know that they could be taking
[4:00:56] money for a to buy coffee for their
meetings. I don't know.
[4:01:01] » It's in there for a reason.
>> Can't hurt.
[4:01:05] » Can't hurt.
>> Okay.
[4:01:06] » Mhm.
>> No one gets to walk away. Kitty
[4:01:09] » comes back to us.
>> So membership fees for that.
[4:01:12] » Do you think we should address the
residents as the president and and vice
[4:01:16] president? I mean that was one of my
edits that I one of my suggestion that I
[4:01:20] had said that um you know
>> so um how does the board feel about that
[4:01:28] » that it should be a a resident should be
the president and the vice president of
[4:01:31] the board of governors
>> I don't know if it's necessar necessaril
[4:01:35] necessary for the vice president but I
would say for the president only because
[4:01:42] they have a um seat right on for the CCM
MAC which is a village
[4:01:49] » advisory. So that would be where I would
see
[4:01:55] » uh
>> well the idea of the vice president was
[4:01:57] should the president step down then the
vice president would take over. So
[4:02:00] » that's what I was just going to say.
>> Okay. Sorry.
[4:02:02] » So yeah I believe it would have to be
both.
[4:02:04] » Okay.
>> Yeah.
[4:02:06] » Is that in the bylaws that the vice
president takes the president's role?
[4:02:09] » Actually it does that is not in the
bylaws. No. No,
[4:02:13] » I that that was my thinking when I when
I put it in, but I
[4:02:16] » I thought I cuz I read through it and I
thought I saw that if um there was any
[4:02:21] sort of a vacated seat, whether it was
the president or the vice president or
[4:02:25] secretary or I mean whatever that I
think the board would then just vote to
[4:02:31] reappoint somebody. I don't know if
necessarily
[4:02:36] » one takes position of the other. I don't
I mean I I read it I wasn't reading
[4:02:41] » I read it a long time ago. Does it give
the um duties of the officers in the
[4:02:47] bylaws? Mhm.
>> So then it would probably say, "Oh,
[4:02:50] duties of the treasur."
>> Yeah.
[4:02:51] » Would it say vice president's duties,
[4:02:57] » duties of the vice president? Uh in the
absence of the president, preside over
[4:03:02] the meetings, assume all duties of the
uh assume all duties of the president in
[4:03:06] the event that the president is unable
to serve.
[4:03:08] » All right. Well, there you go.
>> Yeah.
[4:03:11] » Yes, it does.
>> So, do we want to vote on that?
[4:03:16] Well, I know it comes down to
do we have the authority to do Well, not
[4:03:21] the authority. Thank you.
>> All right. So, let's vote on it.
[4:03:24] » I still think you're taking some um
some of the what the membership wants
[4:03:34] away from the membership for reasons
that you don't understand. like it that
[4:03:40] maybe the membership wants that decision
for reasons you don't understand.
[4:03:45] So why not ask the members what the
members want? Not the members of the
[4:03:51] board of governors but the members of
the golf course. See what they want.
[4:03:56] It's it is a local organization that
makes their referrals through the CCMAC
[4:04:05] which is a majority of u village
residents. Not even a majority, it's
[4:04:10] like a super super duper majority of
village residents. So um by code and the
[4:04:18] board of governors is not
the board of governor's makeup is not in
[4:04:23] the code of the village of Port
Jefferson. So I will still argue and I
[4:04:27] am arguing with our attorney right now
that there is no legislative equivalency
[4:04:32] to dictate that by the board of
trustees.
[4:04:36] » So how do you suggest we hear from the
membership as to what they want to see
[4:04:40] in the bylaws?
>> Talk to them.
[4:04:43] » I did everyone that I've spoken to
honestly said that the board of
[4:04:47] governors should be dissolved.
That was a good dozen
[4:04:52] members of the club for various reasons.
So, I didn't even get to the ins and
[4:04:58] outs of the bylaws.
>> Wow.
[4:05:00] » Yeah. I thought it was
>> I thought it was
[4:05:04] » I talked to 200 members who are very
happy with the board of governors. So,
[4:05:08] » so that's what we need. How do we How do
we talk to 200?
[4:05:12] » Come to the Come to the um annual
gathering
[4:05:16] » and see what they say. I I would think
very scientific think the cleanest
[4:05:20] solution
>> the cleanest solution is to modify the
[4:05:25] bylaws that that it's a I don't that I
don't think the uh the members and by
[4:05:31] the way I know quite a few members
myself uh I don't think anybody's going
[4:05:35] to be upset if a resident is the
president and the vice president at the
[4:05:38] golf course. So I think what we should
just do is modify it. Um uh that's why
[4:05:44] we made the modification to have a
majority of residents on the board.
[4:05:48] There was that was the theme, you know,
community involvement, community
[4:05:52] running, you know, or making
suggestions. Um so I think the cleanest
[4:05:57] way of doing it is and I have spoken to
quite a few uh members at the golf
[4:06:02] course staff and um I think this might
be a way to an easy solution um and a
[4:06:09] clean solution just to move this
progress forward. We've been talking
[4:06:12] about bylaws in the board of governors
since before I ran for election. So this
[4:06:16] would be a nice put a bow on it. We're
done with it. We don't have to discuss
[4:06:20] it anymore.
>> March 2026.
[4:06:22] » That that that's
>> so the way that the president of the
[4:06:25] board of governors
>> was appointed was through an election
[4:06:30] » with no bylaws.
>> But it was an election of that person.
[4:06:34] » Again, we've discussed this mayor. Um
and we did it backwards. you know, they
[4:06:39] there should have been bylaws in place
approved by this board, then an election
[4:06:42] held and but and they set the terms for
their own elections. They they've been
[4:06:46] in office longer than we have. So again,
I would say the cleanest way of doing
[4:06:51] this is to just it's it's nice to have
residence on it.
[4:06:56] » I disagree, but
>> the bylaws the bylaws say that they
[4:06:58] can't
>> I think they can only serve two
[4:07:01] consecutive terms.
>> Understood.
[4:07:04] » And the terms are three years. I I think
but I think it should be residents
[4:07:08] controlling the golf course and the
board of governor's recommendations to
[4:07:12] this board and non-residents can be on
the board. It's not like they can't be
[4:07:15] there. I just think that those two
positions should be held by residents.
[4:07:18] » I think you're taking the authority away
from the people who are paying them
[4:07:22] money to pay to play golf there and to
be a member there
[4:07:25] » to make recommendations.
>> I think you're taking the authority away
[4:07:28] from the people who are actual members.
>> So if that's what you want to do.
[4:07:33] » Yes. And and if you think you have a
majority here, then there's no reason to
[4:07:38] discuss a further
>> further. The board of governors doesn't
[4:07:41] appear on this list. Speaking I was
looking for terms when you mentioned
[4:07:45] that, but it's not
>> because they're elected.
[4:07:47] » They're elected.
>> All of the members are elected.
[4:07:50] » By the membership,
>> that's great. How it's done is again
[4:07:54] part of
>> they're nominated. It's in it's in the
[4:07:57] board of
>> Shouldn't that be added to this list?
[4:07:59] Just so we know who the members are.
Silia, also the school district working
[4:08:03] group is not on here either.
>> Do you need me to get you that
[4:08:07] information?
>> Yes. And I would appreciate the schedule
[4:08:09] too that I had asked for.
>> You got it. No problem. I'll take care
[4:08:11] of that for you.
>> Thank you.
[4:08:12] » I was starting to look um and you may
know without looking. Um I remember
[4:08:17] there was an issue with having a junior
member on the board of governors. Was
[4:08:21] that put in the this last iteration of
the bylaw?
[4:08:25] » No, that was taken out. It was taken
out. Okay.
[4:08:28] » All right. So, uh motion to um Can I
please
[4:08:33] » turn around? Have we ever been able to
stop you?
[4:08:35] » I I think I I think the document's
incomplete in that if if the it should a
[4:08:42] document that this board's voting on as
long as I'm your counsel should not go
[4:08:46] from two to four without a three.
>> So
[4:08:50] » at a minimum I think if that's if that
well the last thing we heard I I didn't
[4:08:54] know that that decision had been made
that yes, we do have the authority to
[4:08:57] vote on the bylaw. Now that I know that,
I would like to take a deeper dive into
[4:09:01] what's there and maybe make some further
suggestions like during like the mayor
[4:09:05] said, have the discussions with
membership if you have a suggestion on
[4:09:08] how we can do that and maybe we have a
public hearing or or a public
[4:09:14] » not necessarily a public hearing, but
you could certainly invite whomever you
[4:09:18] want to give
>> we notify it and give us information and
[4:09:21] we
>> I think one time when we were looking
[4:09:22] for information from members, we put out
some type of survey
[4:09:26] » to the members. I don't there's um
there's a
[4:09:28] » number of ways to skin that guy.
>> There's an annual meeting of the women's
[4:09:35] » Harbor Hills Tuesday tournament group
HHTG
[4:09:38] in October.
>> Say that one, Dave.
[4:09:40] » That would that would be a Mac.
>> No, no, he's not he's not allowed to say
[4:09:45] that. He's not allowed to say that. Um
that would be a good place to go and and
[4:09:50] uh just canvas the the the membership.
And there's that's pretty much 5050. I
[4:09:55] would prefer maybe to call here is so we
all kind of hear the same.
[4:10:00] » I think you go where they are.
>> I disagree.
[4:10:02] » You go you go to where they are. And if
you want to do a survey with them, well,
[4:10:05] you're not going to get a real
>> I disagree. Just
[4:10:08] » you're not going to get people to show
up. Look,
[4:10:10] » they can write, "Well, they didn't know
they were here to talk about the board
[4:10:13] of governors and we have some
>> anyway
[4:10:16] um
>> if we promote it and say we are working
[4:10:20] on this document and we would love to
hear from the members and promote it at
[4:10:24] the country club and
>> that way we can all hear it real time."
[4:10:29] I mean, it's one thing to hear it or to
say on the street or at a soccer club,
[4:10:34] you know, fundraiser when I'm talking to
members and hearing their opinion. I I
[4:10:39] think we all should hear it from them
directly versus, "Hey, Lauren, I spoke
[4:10:42] to so and so and this is their opinion."
And you're like, "Well, no, I spoke to
[4:10:45] » You could put it in writing. You could
put a survey like Dave said, you know,
[4:10:48] and and ask them if they
>> I'm open to suggestions,
[4:10:51] » but are we are we asking to hear from
members that are also residents? I mean,
[4:10:56] we're because I mean, that's where it
could get a little
[4:11:00] » convoluted there. If you have
non-residents are going to say, "Oh, we
[4:11:04] don't care if the president is good."
Again, I I think um the cleanest way and
[4:11:09] I understand Dave, there's a three
missing.
[4:11:11] » Yeah,
>> I got it.
[4:11:12] » Article three.
>> I I still think that we should make the
[4:11:15] make the correction and make this
>> residents as the president and the vice
[4:11:20] president and we'll make the correction
to three as we go along. But let's at
[4:11:24] least fix that one component of it
before, you know, let's we've been
[4:11:28] talking about the board of governors.
People have been coming here complaining
[4:11:31] about the non-residents on the board of
governors for 2 years plus when they
[4:11:37] wanted to eliminate junior members. All
this has been going on for two years. We
[4:11:41] finally have an opportunity now. Thank
you, Attorney Moran, for uh clarifying
[4:11:46] that we can vote this. Let's vote. Let's
make this one correction. We can fix
[4:11:51] everything else along the way. Let's
make
[4:11:53] » My issue is My issue with your
statement, Trusty Franco, is that it's
[4:11:57] not your document to correct. that your
document to approve. So
[4:12:02] if either you approve the the if you're
going to vote either you approve the
[4:12:06] document before you or you don't.
>> So we can't make a correction to that
[4:12:10] document.
>> You could suggest corrections and
[4:12:12] hopefully they take them to account when
you adopt them. But I it's you're not
[4:12:16] the promagator or the author of that
document. I didn't write it. We didn't
[4:12:20] have obviously this board didn't have
any say in it. We don't
[4:12:23] » Well, no, we did have say in it. We all
looked at that document. Bob, we we
[4:12:29] Trusty Hill, myself and Bob all made
corrections to the document and
[4:12:34] » and I respected that process and that's
the product of those meetings. Um I it's
[4:12:40] not the way I would do it. Either either
we accept the document that that
[4:12:43] document is before you. That's the
document that you either vote on or not.
[4:12:47] And as your counsel I say that docu that
document is incomplete,
[4:12:51] » right?
>> That's my advice. Whatever you guys do
[4:12:54] with that advice, I understand because
I've been here too and I heard the
[4:12:57] iterations and I I worked I worked with
Stan way before her on on on some
[4:13:02] bylaws, you know, three or four years
ago.
[4:13:05] » Um, but that's that's my advice. I mean,
>> and this this whole debate between, you
[4:13:11] know, who's more important, residents,
non-residents,
[4:13:14] um, is is like, uh, a tale as old as
time. Because you go back to articles
[4:13:22] from 1979,
80, 81, 82, 83, and all the way to 2000.
[4:13:30] The debate doesn't change. It's who's
the non-residents say we make this golf
[4:13:37] course run because our fees are so much
higher than yours. How dare you raise
[4:13:42] our fees by 40%. They need to go back. I
just read an article about John Steiner
[4:13:48] saying the res the non-resident rates
are too high. You need to decrease them
[4:13:53] and John who works there now, right? You
know John Steiner, right?
[4:13:57] » Or no.
>> Yes.
[4:13:59] » Okay. So, yeah. So, it just and he was a
resident and he was a trustee at the
[4:14:04] time. So
we can continue to argue and I like I
[4:14:09] think the board of governors
without prejudice or without concern or
[4:14:14] I think they are doing the right thing
and care about the golf course and the
[4:14:21] way the golf course conditions are um
maintained.
[4:14:24] » I mean
>> and I just I'm just like
[4:14:27] » just hearing what I'm hearing here and
they're elected by the they elect each
[4:14:32] other. Isn't there remedy? If they don't
like something, it's to run for the
[4:14:39] board the following year. Like,
>> yeah,
[4:14:41] » I don't know.
>> Every year that the president is
[4:14:44] reelected or not, is up for re-election.
>> So, mayor,
[4:14:48] » now there are three seats open and
they're all non-residents.
[4:14:51] » And if the board wants to codify it,
codify it.
[4:14:55] » But,
>> and if you don't want to codify it,
[4:14:57] which I wouldn't recommend.
>> I wouldn't. Yeah. Not Not with that.
[4:15:00] » You know, it's easy. You know, you're
either in or you're out. Well, are are
[4:15:03] you saying if we um
if we vote to codify these bylaws with
[4:15:10] the uh uh amendment to it that the
president and non and vice president
[4:15:16] have to be residents
that could we could do that today?
[4:15:20] » No, he's saying
>> when I meant cottify it, I mean put it
[4:15:22] in a code.
>> I meant codify it.
[4:15:25] » I don't Well, that's what that's my
point. This this is uh this is a
[4:15:30] subsection as a creation of something
that's in the code already. So there's
[4:15:35] like three levels of
hierarchy chain of command all
[4:15:42] » do you want to speak?
>> You want
[4:15:43] » after you're done I'm just I'm just
raise my hand because I want to be next.
[4:15:46] » Um
so in my in my opinion yes you guys have
[4:15:51] a saying you have the right
>> to
[4:15:55] participate in the bylaw process.
Um,
[4:15:59] but it's
from what I'm hearing is if there if
[4:16:04] they govern themselves,
let them govern themselves. And if the
[4:16:09] residents who I I don't know the
numbers, if there's more residents than
[4:16:12] non-residents,
>> and if the residents
[4:16:15] » Oh, you mean general membership?
>> General membership.
[4:16:17] » There's a little Is it just like 49 51?
>> It's pretty close.
[4:16:20] » Yeah.
>> So, why wouldn't they get equal
[4:16:22] representation on a board that
participates? I mean, that's just my
[4:16:26] opinion. It sounds like the Mount Sinai
school district problem with Porchev
[4:16:30] school districts school district Mounts
broke away for poor chef because they
[4:16:34] wouldn't allow them any
>> I'm gonna I'm going to say like
[4:16:38] » but I again I I and then I'll step out
of the debate. I just just want to try
[4:16:42] and understand the issues.
>> Um
[4:16:45] but from your from your council
that document is not complete and I
[4:16:50] wouldn't recommend voting on it.
And I I was just going to say that if
[4:16:57] something needs to be addressed, it's
the code about it's chapter 25 in the
[4:17:02] code which is so
so um it's like there's nothing in it.
[4:17:09] It's just this is what this is what you
have responsibility for the CCMAC has a
[4:17:14] responsibility for for advising on
finance on culture and social and um the
[4:17:21] the uh grounds and care care of the
grounds. So, if we really wanted to get
[4:17:26] into something and make some
improvements over what the roles and
[4:17:32] responsibilities are of the advisory
council, I'm probably going to get my
[4:17:38] head handed to me for saying this, but
we should probably look at that code and
[4:17:42] say, let's build it. Let's build some
bylaws around what the CCMAC does if
[4:17:47] that's if there's a legislative
need for that. unless it just serves the
[4:17:55] appropriate purpose as is.
[4:17:59] I always thought the CCMAC code was like
directionless.
[4:18:04] So, um, again, I I don't mean to be
redundant and I know it's getting late.
[4:18:10] I believe that we should modify that
document that the president and the
[4:18:16] non-resident are
um
[4:18:20] » I apologize the president and vice
president are residents and any other
[4:18:25] modifications that we need to make to
that document going forward we'll make
[4:18:28] but at least let's get that one section
cleaned up because I talked to quite a
[4:18:33] few golfers and staff and the the way
the board of governors is constructed
[4:18:39] right now um it's they're they're
difficult to work with is is an
[4:18:45] understatement. So I would like to um
correct that right now. It was something
[4:18:51] that we put in place months ago. It
should not have been taken out in the
[4:18:55] first place. Let's make that correction.
Put it in so at least that section is
[4:18:58] corrected. So let's can we have a vote
on that?
[4:19:02] » But what attorney Moran said is we can't
make the corrections. You can make a
[4:19:05] suggestion back that this is not
sufficient and can you change and
[4:19:09] reumber and add in resident versus
>> are we allowed to modify that that kind
[4:19:14] that that agreement
>> again in my opinion it's not possible
[4:19:18] Mike
>> in my in my opinion
[4:19:22] » you didn't promate that document you
didn't draft it so I
[4:19:26] » we did correct it Dave
>> again you you
[4:19:29] » well we made suggested
>> you didn't correct it my understanding
[4:19:31] is you made you made potential changes
is they adopted some, they didn't adopt
[4:19:35] others. To me, that's the process in a
document that you didn't formulate or
[4:19:40] promulgate. Now, again, if they don't
bend to your will, which is you want
[4:19:46] this to say member members, vice
president, and vice president, you have
[4:19:50] the right not to adopt the bylaws.
>> But so,
[4:19:53] » but then what but what ramifications?
>> But there's no board.
[4:19:57] » That doesn't make any that doesn't
>> I appre I I I to me they govern
[4:20:02] themselves. They're they're advisory to
an advisory board.
[4:20:06] » Dave, I just want to ask you a question.
It's a simple question. If we vote today
[4:20:10] to say that the president and vice
president have to be residents into that
[4:20:14] document, yes or no, does it go into
that document?
[4:20:18] » It depends on whether or not
>> Hold on, Kathy. Let Dave answer the
[4:20:21] question.
>> From what I'm hearing in this
[4:20:24] discussion, they also have to vote to
adopt the bylaws. So, I can't answer the
[4:20:28] question.
>> Well, they'll only adopt they're going
[4:20:30] to adopt the bylaws that we approve.
>> No. I I believe it's the other way
[4:20:34] around.
>> You're going to adopt the bylaws that
[4:20:36] they approve.
>> There are no bylaws. We send back our
[4:20:38] recommendations, including what you just
said, and then they either give them
[4:20:42] back to us with those corrections or
they don't. And if they do, great. We
[4:20:46] vote on them and they're done. If they
give them back to us and say, "No, we're
[4:20:49] not going to put that in." We say, "We
don't vote on them." And then we decide
[4:20:51] what to do with the board of governors
without bylaws.
[4:20:53] » All right. These were already adopted
June 26th
[4:20:57] » by the board of governors.
>> But they have to be approved by you.
[4:21:00] » But they're not approved. And if you're
if you're not inclined to approve them,
[4:21:02] and I'm telling you as your counsel, you
shouldn't approve them because they're
[4:21:05] not
>> numbered.
[4:21:06] » Complete. Yeah,
>> they're not complete.
[4:21:08] » Or at least a page should be in there
that says number three intentionally
[4:21:11] omitted some something. So in when when
none of us are here, all a sudden page
[4:21:15] article three slides in,
>> right?
[4:21:17] » That says everyone could be a non-member
to exist. Um non-resident.
[4:21:23] Um,
>> okay. We have to,
[4:21:24] » but that's the procedure I I would
suggest is the right one
[4:21:28] if I'm understanding how it all works.
[4:21:33] » Motion to go into exact session.
>> No, I think
[4:21:36] » Randy gets to go.
>> We'll wait after exact.
[4:21:40] » Motion to eliminate Ry's report.
>> I don't know.
[4:21:43] » Yes. Yes. Yes. Please, please.
>> Please.
[4:21:46] » Well, thank you, Randy.
>> Thankfully, most of the things, well,
[4:21:50] two things. Yeah, we were already
covered. So power plant working group
[4:21:54] obviously meeting was changed to combine
with budget and finance. I couldn't go.
[4:21:58] I had air conditioning issues. Uh
historical society's meeting Tuesday.
[4:22:02] I'm very excited to go because that will
be my first meeting with them. Uh we met
[4:22:06] parks and wreck. So, the beginning of
our meeting, we um invited Janice Eaton
[4:22:12] to come because she uh if you remember,
she had sent an email, I think a while
[4:22:18] ago, back in April um for Skull Racks at
uh
[4:22:23] » Harbor Front Park. So, we invited her or
I actually happened to see her at a
[4:22:29] school board meeting and um
>> Centennial
[4:22:31] » Centennial. Thank you. Well, it's kind
it was a little bit up for discussion
[4:22:36] where the location. Okay,
>> we talked about that when she came.
[4:22:40] » Okay.
>> Um,
[4:22:42] so she came to the meeting and we just
had conversations cuz a lot of us
[4:22:46] weren't even familiar with what the
skull bolt was. They're they're very
[4:22:49] large, bigger than kayaks. They're like
30 feet, I think. Oh, no. I'm sorry.
[4:22:54] » They're crew. They're crew, right? Like
>> Yes. Yes. Um, so anyway, so our next
[4:22:59] step, you know, we had lots of
questions. Um she had said that there
[4:23:03] were people that were blessing to build
but obviously that would be an insurance
[4:23:09] issue for the village especially because
of the length of these boats. So um I
[4:23:15] didn't know if that was something that
we could look into. Um but the next step
[4:23:22] was we asked to just get some quotes
for the skull uh for the racks.
[4:23:28] uh we disc oh so then the next part is
we already discussed there's a lot of
[4:23:33] confusion still with where we stand with
the basketball courts the misting
[4:23:36] station at uh at Rockship Park the
resurfacing of Rocket Ship Park the
[4:23:43] splash pad um at Turtle Park obviously
that area is a disaster it's like mud
[4:23:50] central um and yeah so we're still kind
of waiting for quotes but obviously I
[4:23:57] think that may be handled. Uh and then
still waiting for garden shed estimates
[4:24:04] um for the uh community garden on Beach
Street.
[4:24:09] » So hopefully we're we had asked for
those by the October meeting. So
[4:24:12] hopefully uh at the next meeting I'll
have that.
[4:24:16] » And locks were were um planted. I think
the beautifification committee actually
[4:24:21] um donated some or were going to donate
some pollinator plants um to the
[4:24:26] community garden. Uh we had a discussion
too kind of along the line with the
[4:24:31] skull boats because we talked about what
happens when kayaks and um paddle boards
[4:24:39] are abandoned are left on the racks cuz
we also talked about I'll circle back
[4:24:43] how to um kind of run the skull racks.
It would be I'm assuming we if we went
[4:24:51] ahead with that project it would be
similar to how we have um paddle boards
[4:24:56] and kayaks on the racks at the beaches.
Um we have them at Crystal Brook, right?
[4:25:02] Crystal Brook. Yeah. So, we talked about
that, but then it also led to us talking
[4:25:07] about the abandonment of uh paddle
boards and kayaks. And there's
[4:25:13] apparently a lot like 20 to 30 abandoned
kayaks and paddle boards that are I
[4:25:18] guess in a shed somewhere. No one's
really sure where exactly they are. So
[4:25:22] that was a concern because these are
massive boats. I mean I don't I don't
[4:25:28] estimate that we'll have as many
um of these boats
[4:25:34] as as we do kayaks and and paddle
boards. And I would imagine they're
[4:25:37] pretty costly. So I don't think that
they would be something that would be
[4:25:40] abandoned, but it just, you know,
sparked a conversation. So we also
[4:25:45] talked about what what is the village
doing with the abandoned kayaks and
[4:25:50] paddle board.
>> Oh, that's the question that keeps on
[4:25:53] coming back over year over year. But I I
thought they were I thought we actually
[4:25:57] had a final disposition on those.
>> Um, but that's a Dave Melio's question.
[4:26:02] » Okay. Yeah. I mean, we're like, can we
can we have like a little
[4:26:06] » Thought they had talked about doing
auction. They talked about an auction
[4:26:10] last year. I thought we had an auction
on them last year.
[4:26:12] » I thought I thought I think we might
have.
[4:26:14] » You remember, Sylvia? Did they do an au?
I
[4:26:17] » don't think they formally did an
auction. Did they?
[4:26:20] » No. No. And that was because I I was not
aware that the number was that high.
[4:26:26] » I don't I mean, this is also a little
bit of people are like, "Oh, yeah. I
[4:26:31] think there's about 20 to 30." I don't
know if we know for sure. So, I think we
[4:26:35] would need to do some further
investigation to find out where they are
[4:26:39] and how many there are.
>> Yeah. I mean, parks can tell.
[4:26:43] » I'll see if we can get a definite number
of how many
[4:26:48] » how many and where and location
>> and where they might legal question
[4:26:52] would be if they were on our racks and
abandoned, do we have contact number of
[4:26:57] the owner before we auction off
someone's property? I believe that was
[4:27:02] worked
>> over and over again.
[4:27:03] » Marissa's very
>> I was just going to say we we made we
[4:27:06] made a very concerted effort. You said
the exact same thing last time.
[4:27:11] » Consistency. Um
>> isn't I'm sorry to jump in, but isn't
[4:27:14] there wording in the agreement? There
is. Yeah. That if this then
[4:27:18] » Yes. Then you surrender. You basically
surrender your property to the village.
[4:27:21] » There is. But we wanted to exhaust every
option. And then I know that Marissa
[4:27:25] made a very concerted effort and at that
time there were several people that did
[4:27:31] pick up their kayaks. So if that's
>> I know somebody that
[4:27:36] admitted that they got multiple phone
calls and still didn't go. So they were
[4:27:41] like, "Nope, you could do what you want
with it. It's my fault." So So I do have
[4:27:46] confirmation that that is accurate.
>> All right. I I'll ask DPW,
[4:27:50] give me accountant, where are they?
>> Yes, exactly. At the very least, if we
[4:27:53] can't identify, we should publicize
somewhere. Apparently, Facebook's a good
[4:27:58] idea. So,
>> yeah. Yeah.
[4:27:59] » Um,
>> it seems to be very popular.
[4:28:01] » We should publicize somewhere that if
you have abandoned or left a blah blah
[4:28:07] blah blah for a period of time, the
village will be just even even if the
[4:28:10] agreement says that we should still do
some level of diligence.
[4:28:13] » The equivalent of a public notice.
>> Yeah.
[4:28:17] » All right. So, moving on. We um
discussed the uh 911 memorial. Uh mo a
[4:28:22] lot of us actually attended uh we we met
at um Harborf Park to just survey the
[4:28:29] property just to see like locations. Uh
but then at our parks and wreck meeting
[4:28:33] we just talked about uh the formulation
of this committee uh potential
[4:28:37] fundraising plans and you know partner
trying to partner with the conservancy.
[4:28:41] So we talked about golf outing, maybe a
steak dinner, poker night. Uh so we were
[4:28:46] just having just conversations about
that. Um and then the last two things
[4:28:52] were um it was mentioned that uh we may
be trying to bring recreation volleyball
[4:28:58] back. Uh I know it was there for a long
time cuz I played when I was in like my
[4:29:04] 20s. Um and then during CO it actually
uh went away and then the place in Mount
[4:29:12] Sai opened up a beach volleyball place
and that kind of I think took a lot of
[4:29:17] people away from it. But now I think
there's an interest to maybe bring
[4:29:21] recreation volleyball back to Spring
Street, which I would appreciate. It's
[4:29:26] very expensive at the beach volleyball
play. So,
[4:29:29] » uh, and then we also discussed um the
softball netting
[4:29:34] um at the the softball field. Um, I
guess the outer netting is pulled taut,
[4:29:43] but the netting that is I guess the foul
ball netting is not. It's like swoops.
[4:29:50] » Yeah. And so I
>> play softball also. And um it's not
[4:29:56] really serving its purpose. I mean it's
serving its purpose because the foul
[4:30:00] balls are not going into the you know
>> into the creek swamp as we call it.
[4:30:06] They are not, but they are not bouncing
off the netting. They're getting stuck
[4:30:11] » in the netting because it's not taught.
Right.
[4:30:15] » So, that was something we talked about.
And I believe that netting is also um
[4:30:20] seasonal. So, I think it's supposed to
be coming down.
[4:30:24] » Right. And I think it's it's supposed to
be on some sort of a pulley system. So,
[4:30:28] I'm not sure
>> I'm not sure why,
[4:30:32] » you know, there's a little bit. Yeah.
So, I don't know if that's something.
[4:30:36] Sorry. I don't know if I'm feel like I'm
pawning some things off on you, but
[4:30:40] » I'm not sure if that's something we can
address also and just find out the plan
[4:30:45] for the netting in the winter when cuz I
mean that would be terrible.
[4:30:48] » Do you have any concerns if Randy goes
right to parks for these things?
[4:30:52] » Okay. Yeah.
>> No,
[4:30:54] » you can copy him or whatever.
>> All right.
[4:30:57] » Go directly to to Greg at I don't have a
problem with that at all. Do you want me
[4:31:02] to ask about do you want me to handle
then the netting at the softball field
[4:31:06] and then also
just ask about the kayaks too? Okay.
[4:31:10] » So I'll I'll ask about those two things.
Perfect.
[4:31:13] » And that is the end of my report.
[4:31:19] » Treasure Gaffka
forgot about you.
[4:31:23] » Anything?
You don't have a mic.
[4:31:29] » I'm just going to be quick.
Um, I'm working with the grants
[4:31:33] administrator to try and get reimbursed
for management costs for the hazard
[4:31:37] mitigation flood study and also all of
the August storm uh FEMA uh all of the
[4:31:44] projects. So everything from grant costs
to our engineering costs to try and get
[4:31:48] reimbursed. Uh so the I was informed by
our intern uh Alexandra Weldon that her
[4:31:55] last day will be September 24th.
>> Okay. So, a little ear, you know, she's
[4:31:59] a little earlier than anticipated, but
uh she's been a great asset uh so far to
[4:32:04] the department, and I, you know, just
want to say thank you for for her work.
[4:32:08] Uh we're getting close to the finish
line with the audit. We're waiting on
[4:32:11] the capital asset valuation update and
New York State Retirement still hasn't
[4:32:15] given hasn't produced the Gazsby 68,
which is needed for our OPED report. So
[4:32:21] once we have that, we'll have a final
report, but our auditors are prepared to
[4:32:24] begin working on the AFR upload to New
York State now without it. And if we
[4:32:29] need to amend it, we'll do that, which
is in process anyway.
[4:32:34] Um,
Flushing Bank, uh, we passed this
[4:32:38] resolution a few months ago, but
Flushing Bank is being transitioned to
[4:32:42] Ocean First Bank. So, uh, staff, we're
all going through training on the new
[4:32:46] banking portal. Uh, one of the
unfortunate things that we learned and
[4:32:49] we've been trying to work diligently to
uh, avoid it is that we're we will not
[4:32:54] have our flushing history. Uh, once they
transition over, we we're not going to
[4:32:58] have access to being able to go in and
get check images and certain things.
[4:33:03] » Uh, it's
>> What does the clerk have to say about
[4:33:06] that? The records officer
>> we have we have gone through and
[4:33:12] downloaded. I'm working with I'm trying
to work with Flushing and I've put in a
[4:33:16] request for them to to give us Aren't
they required?
[4:33:19] » We have We have physical copies of the
bank statements. We have physical I have
[4:33:24] downloaded as many statements as are
available. So, we do have
[4:33:28] » DIC aware.
>> We do have This is just part of the It's
[4:33:32] just what happens.
>> Call the Treasury Department.
[4:33:36] » Drop a dime.
>> I don't believe that's an acceptable
[4:33:38] response.
>> No. that you're not going to have your
[4:33:42] history if you need it.
>> Yeah.
[4:33:43] » Yeah.
>> I mean, they has to I mean, the this
[4:33:47] local municipal corporation has a
retention policy.
[4:33:52] » They must be governed by some retention
policies even during transition.
[4:33:56] » Yes, I have I have already reached out
to some of the higherups at Flushing
[4:34:00] Bank and and with Ocean First and I've
already made a complaint and I'm trying
[4:34:03] to get workarounds in case there's just
nothing we can do about it. Um problem
[4:34:10] is ocean first.
>> If you get to the point where you
[4:34:11] believe there's nothing you can do, we
need to elevate it.
[4:34:15] » Understood.
>> Like tomorrow.
[4:34:18] » Yeah. And we can't we're not the only
village that uses flushing. So
[4:34:21] » No. No. And and I was not the only one
to complain about this. So um but our
[4:34:27] staff has been trying to be careful and
we've gone through and downloaded our
[4:34:31] statements, downloaded as much
information as humanly possible.
[4:34:35] » Yeah.
>> Just to be safe. So to make sure we have
[4:34:39] access to it just to be safe. Um you
know a lot of times with software
[4:34:44] transitions you lose stuff. We lost
stuff when we transitioned from KVS to
[4:34:47] to Edmonds. It was not clean. It wasn't
smooth.
[4:34:50] » But that you weren't here when that
happened.
[4:34:52] » I was not here. No.
>> So but now we're here. The government is
[4:34:56] here to help.
>> Yes. Mayor.
[4:35:01] » So I'm working I'm just I'm actively
working on it. I just want to I thought
[4:35:03] it was important enough to bring it to
the attention. I I had I had this
[4:35:07] conversation today, so it's I didn't
even have a chance to really, you know,
[4:35:10] get too far into it.
>> When's the transition complete?
[4:35:13] » September 18th.
>> That's a week away.
[4:35:16] » Yeah, I know.
>> Come on. No,
[4:35:17] » this is they gave us that amount of
time. They got an alert that said you're
[4:35:20] everything's changing.
>> Stephen,
[4:35:23] send it to
>> Dave. I will re we'll convene about this
[4:35:27] tomorrow. Um,
deputy treasur is going to Nikon. I
[4:35:32] don't I don't know if anybody else from
the board is going. So Michelle will be
[4:35:36] going to the Nikon and and she found out
today and I just want to I thought it
[4:35:39] was important to recognize she's going
to be receiving her certification for
[4:35:43] CMF CM.
>> So I thought that you know she went
[4:35:48] through all of the she had enough
credits
[4:35:50] » CFM
>> CFML CFM.
[4:35:54] » That's awesome. Yeah.
>> Yes. So, uh, something to be proud about
[4:35:58] and, you know, hopefully I won't be too
far behind since I didn't even realize
[4:36:02] that it existed prior to coming here.
[4:36:08] » That's a where we were issue, not a
>> where I am issue.
[4:36:13] Um
and uh just an update updated the leings
[4:36:17] report and we received 27,700 or we will
be receiving $27,746
[4:36:24] for August. Um so from June to August we
were up to 94,474
[4:36:30] in revenue
and unless there's questions I'll stop
[4:36:34] there.
>> What did we get from Liberty? What do we
[4:36:36] what's our what are our numbers from
Liberty Clipper? I
[4:36:39] » I haven't gotten a report for August
yet.
[4:36:46] Okay.
>> We had gotten 6,000 uh a little over
[4:36:50] 6,000 for when they were here in June,
but they were not here all of July. So,
[4:36:56] now I'll get the number for August and
update the board as soon as possible.
[4:37:01] » Okay.
[4:37:05] Attorney Moran, do you have anything?
Okay.
[4:37:10] Do we have a motion to go into executive
session?
[4:37:12] » Before we do that, do we our next
meeting are we changing the date?
[4:37:17] » Oh,
>> uh I I checked. I'm unavailable.
[4:37:20] » Okay.
>> So, no, because we will not have a
[4:37:24] quorum.
[4:37:29] » Second for exec.
>> So, so at this time we have a motion to
[4:37:34] enter into executive session at 9:42
p.m. Motion. I motion
[4:37:40] » second.
>> Move.
[4:37:41] » All in favor?
>> I
[4:37:42] » I
[4:37:58] » It's 10:04.
>> 10:04. Okay. Uh, all in favor?
[4:38:03] » I I
>> Okay. Um, Trusty Snen has left the room.
[4:38:08] So, there's four of us left. And we have
two two resolutions, Sylvia, out of
[4:38:14] executive session.
>> Yes, Mayor. There are two. They are
[4:38:18] resolution numbers 10 and 11,
respectively. Resolution number 109926
[4:38:26] is a resolution authorizing Mayor Shepro
to sign the order on consent and waiver
[4:38:30] of formal hearing per docket number
ENF2600759E
[4:38:37] on behalf of the village of Port
Jefferson and authorizing the payment of
[4:38:40] the corresponding $425 penalty to the
Suffach County Department of Health. May
[4:38:45] I have a motion?
>> Motion.
[4:38:46] » Second.
>> Second.
[4:38:47] » All in favor?
>> I. Resolution number 11 99926 resolution
[4:38:52] approving the below amendment to the
existing department heads and
[4:38:56] non-represented employees employment
policy which reads as follows. Employees
[4:39:00] who are called into work outside of
their regular work hours will receive a
[4:39:05] minimum of three hours of compensatory
time or an amount equal to the number of
[4:39:10] hours that they worked whichever is
greater. Earned compensatory time may
[4:39:14] not be used until an employee has worked
for 6 months on a full-time basis. May I
[4:39:19] have a motion?
>> Motion.
[4:39:20] » Second.
>> Thank you.
[4:39:21] » All in favor?
>> I
[4:39:23] » I
>> Good job. Motion carries.
[4:39:29] » Do we have a motion to
adjurnn?
[4:39:32] » Motion.
>> Second
[4:39:35] » at 10:05 p.m.
>> All in favor?
[4:39:37] » I
>> I motion carries. Good night.
[4:39:40] » Good night, everyone.