Incumbents Jeremy Flint and Raymond Graham were reelected as trustees for the Village of Poquott, filling the two open seats. Flint had 61 votes and Graham had 60.
Having just completed their first two-year terms in the village, both candidates decided to run again, happy to work for the village they love.
Jeremy Flint
Flint moved to Poquott from his native Fort Lauderdale, Florida, in 2021 in an interesting reversal of recent trends. “When I first moved up, people asked me why. I told them ‘to get away from all the New Yorkers because so many move in the other direction,’” he said.
He and his wife toured houses during COVID-19, when suburban homes were getting bought quickly as people emigrated from the city. When he and his wife toured their current home, they “immediately fell in love.” “It felt like home,” Flint said, and they put an offer in that very evening.
Flint owns his own business working in insurance, construction and consulting.
Galvanized to run after noticing how homes in his village were being utilized as rental properties, Flint ran for trustee in 2023, won and was appointed deputy mayor. Now, there are stipulations preventing residents or property owners from renting out their homes for short intervals. The village enforces a 30-day-stay minimum for rentals.
Additionally, Flint is eager to continue working on improving the safety of Poquott roads, expanding community events, advancing village technology to “improve interaction with residents” and refreshing the 10-year master plan.
He said his focus as trustee is respecting the balance of his unique community. “It is a combination of the inevitable moving into the future and working on the village and the upkeep,” he said
Graham is also entering his second term. He works in the Kings Park Central School District as a middle school librarian.
A Kings Park native, he moved to Poquott in 2019 and quickly became involved in the community volunteering, putting on fundraisers and embracing the community he called a “little slice of paradise.”
It felt like a natural transition, then, when he ran for trustee in 2023 after the previous trustee moved. Like Flint, Graham is concerned about safety.
“I want my roads to be safe,” he said. “I want my neighbors to be safe living here so I have been focusing my time on that aspect.”
Indeed, the village has experimented with movable speed bumps as part of a PILOT program, which allowed the village to both gauge resident reaction and test where they would be more efficient.
Graham also said he is eager to continue fostering community unity through events like the annual summer barbeque. He is also floating the idea for a 5k run through the village as, he said, the local running community is growing. The scenic views and hilly roads provide a good combination of pleasurable views and a tough workout.
Poquott beaches and infrastructures suffered damage in last year’s storm; Graham is eager to continue working with the Federal Emergency Management Agency “to try and restore the beautification of our village.”
One beach particularly suffered from the 100-year storm, Walnut Beach. “At high tide you can’t even walk down the beach in that area because of the erosion,” Graham said.
For more information visit the village website: www.villageofpoquott.com.
Graham and Flint’s term will be three years as the village transitions to four year terms for trustees.
On July 1, residents within the Smithtown Special Library District will vote on a $16.5 million bond referendum, which would allow the partially opened Smithtown library to finance the restoration of the destroyed lower floor.
After a 100-year storm delivered a deluge of water collected over about a 12-hour period to the library, which sits at a lower grade, the library now needs $16.5 million to return to its full operating capacity.
Library officials have submitted records of the damage to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, but the timeline of when the funding will be reimbursed is uncertain. While they hope FEMA will cover most of the damage, they need the funding to proceed with repairs before they can submit the request.
The project would increase the tax rate by $5.722 per $1,000 of a homeowner’s assessed residence value. Residences assessed at $6,000 may pay around $391 in library taxes and will pay an additional $34.33 per year for the next 15 years.
Smithtown Library Business Manager Jennifer Piano works with the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services to coordinate with FEMA. “It has to go through levels of approval,” she said.
In May, the Library secured $314,304 from FEMA, but the timeline of when they would possess that money was unclear. Staff knew their application was approved but did not know when they would receive the money until the moment they got the check. The money was reimbursement for immediate disaster remediation efforts, like removing debris and pumping water out of the building.
Library officials have been charged with analyzing the damage and measuring the costs for repairs. Each step is scrupulously checked by FEMA. “They make us work hard to make sure all the information is correct,” said Smithtown Library Director Rob Lusak. The process is lengthy but ensures the proper management of funds.
The capital improvement project would restore the offices, community rooms and collection area and enhance flood preventative measures, move the collection of rare and antique books to the first floor and add a government services department.
John Tanzi, of the architectural firm John Tanzi Architects, will design the lower floor with the additions and the space on the main level in the Long Island room for the Richard Handley Collection of Long Island Americana. The increased height of the retaining wall is pivotal in preventing future flooding, Tanzi said, as it would allow the water to flow toward the front of the building naturally, following the natural grade counters of the land. “It would just push its way out naturally,” he said.
In addition, the drainage wells will be expanded in both diameter and height to 12 by 12 feet, allowing for a holding capacity of 240,000 gallons; however, these drainage wells cannot handle the volume of water that flowed to the library last summer, he said. The sump pumps, which were clogged with debris on the day of the storm, are a “miniscule” factor in abating flooding, he added, although they help in preventing overflow in the stairwells.
The $16.5 million the library is asking for is a “worst-case scenario,” said Tanzi, and prepares for the possibility that the library will not receive any more financial help from FEMA.
“Once the green light has been given, then John can go ahead with repairs,” Lusak said of the vote on July 1.
There will be separate, public bids for contractors for electrical, plumbing, heating, ventilation and air conditioning and construction, which will use around half of the $16.5 million.
For more information visit the library website:www.smithlib.org.
Election primary at the Town of Smithtown. Photo by Sabrina Artusa
By Sabrina Artusa
Smithtown Supervisor Ed Wehrheim (R) secures the Republican seat for town supervisor, winning the Republican primary alongside Lynne Nowick (R) and Thomas J. McCarthy (R) for the town board seats.
Wehrheim, who has held the position since 2018, was challenged by current Suffolk County Legislator Rob Trotta (R) for the GOP candidacy for town supervisor. Wehrheim won 3,728 votes while Trotta had 3,059.
Former director of the Smithtown Parks, Buildings & Grounds Department, Wehrheim campaigned on restoring Smithtown parks, revitalizing the downtown areas and maintaining the town’s fiscal health. According to Nowick, 70% of Smithtown parks have already been improved.
An exuberant crowd of residents and Republican officials gathered at Napper Tandy’s Tuesday night as Wehrheim spoke, the live vote results projected on the screen behind him.
Wehrheim said he endured a “very rough campaign,” with the last weeks having been “very negative from my opponent.” He commended his team for their dedication to his campaign.
Salvatore Formica won the primary for Suffolk County legislator representing the 13th district and will run for that seat in November. He beat Frank Black by around 15%.
Having worked as chief for the Commack Fire Department and as a detective for NYPD, Formica is “excited to get back to work to keep Suffolk County safe” by supporting the police and fire departments. He went on discussing the increased demand on fire districts and the plethora of stressors, including mental health, that weigh on law enforcement.
Nowick currently holds a seat on the Smithtown council and was previously a Suffolk County legislator and a tax receiver. She said, “I want to make sure we are very rigorous in getting the downtowns revitalized” and “maintain what we are doing now with parks, beaches, golf courses, concerts and athletics.”
McCarthy said he campaigned “on the facts, the work, the job and doing the best for Smithtown.”
Nowick and McCarthy each won by around 29% of votes, beating challengers Robert Semprini and Joann Tiereny-Varello.
The winners will be included in the Nov. 4 general election.
From left to right: Tatiana Garrison, Elizabeth Smith, Delilah Rosenthal-Vincenti, Isabella Bustamante and Mia Judex. Photo courtesy Angeline Judex
WhatsApp Image 2025
By Sabrina Artusa
In Sarasota, Florida on June 14, the Friends of the Port Jefferson Rowing Club’s skulls skated over the water, surpassing rowers from across the nation to secure a spot among the country’s best.
The U16 Women’s Coxed Quadruple Skulls team took home first in the B finals, making them ninth nationwide, while the U17 Boys Doubles won first in the D finals.
For the quad, the 2,000-meter race was a steady battle, steeped in strategy. Tatiana Garrison (15), Elizabeth Smith (13), Delilah Rosenthal-Vincenti (14), Mia Judex (12) and coxswain Isabella Bustamante (14) practiced twice a day in the weeks between winning the New York State Scholastic Rowing Championships in Saratoga Springs on May 14 and the US Rowing Youth National Championships a month later. Watching their steady progress in the race and their final sprint that took them over the finish line almost six seconds before the Maritime Rowing Club, Assistant Coach Hannah Smith could not contain her pride.
Smith knew the athletes overcame many challenges to get to Nationals, including Elizabeth Smith’s bout with the flu, windy conditions and a faulty boat rack that caused damage to the boats only weeks before Nationals. “When I saw them going to the finish line way ahead it brought me to tears because it was so exciting to watch,” she said. “I am not a crier.”
Despite it all, the athletes got up before school for their 5 a.m. practices and showed up at the water after school to practice once more, pushing their muscles – and grip strength – to the maximum.
Once they arrived at Nationals, they knew they belonged there. Tough interval sessions of 90 seconds at race pace, 10 seconds of rest or five minutes at race pace, repeated, set the team up for success. Smith helped the girls practice “a lot of fast, technical” rowing the month before leaving for Florida.
Judex, Rosenthal-Vincenti and Bustamante are novices – new within the year – but took to the oars well. The assistant coach said the team’s “strength is really in their bond together” and sets them apart from the competition. “They are all really good friends, they support each other and they push each other too.”
“We were all excited and nervous at the same time while training on Long Island,” Judex said. “But, when we got there, we felt honored to be competing among the best in the country.”
“I felt prepared,” Elizabeth Smith said. “I knew we had practiced a lot after we qualified at States and I knew our boat had improved.”
The team started slower, preparing for the progressive performance they had planned. “We continued to get faster throughout the race while the other boats got slower,” Elizabeth Smith said.
They continued getting faster, ensuring that any challengers, including Pittsford Crew, the team’s rival in the state championship, didn’t get the chance to pass. With 1,000 meters to go, the team was ahead, but mostly even with the Maritime Rowing Club. Then, they entered the sprint.
In the last two minutes, the Port Jefferson Rowing Club made “a statement,” as the announcer said, as their boat pierced through the water, each stroke expanding the distance between them and Maritime Rowing Club.
“We knew that so much was at stake to place in the top 10 in the USA,” Judex said. “A combination of adrenaline and sheer determination and desire for that ninth place pushed us over the finish line.”
The U17 Doubles, manned by Antonio Bustamante (15) and Tommy Hyams (15) secured 25th in the nation.
“Tommy and I were intense with our prep and showed our hearts and progress in this race,” Bustamante said. “We came from behind to take a massive lead and then dug deep to sprint across the finish line. We finished strong and this shows just how much we’ve grown this season.”
“They ended with a huge lead,” Smith said. Indeed, the pair came out around 35 seconds ahead of the second-place finisher.
The Friends of Port Jefferson Rowing Club is a nonprofit organization for athletes of nearly all ages.
In the Village of Port Jefferson, Mayor Lauren Sheprow retains her seat for a second term, defeating challenger Kathianne Snaden by 82 votes. Sheprow had 903 votes while Snaden had 821.
Trustee Robert Juliano was also reelected for a second term with 1196 votes while newcomer Mathew Franco took the seat of Stan Louks with 911 votes. Julie Vitrano had 624 votes.
John F. Reilly will serve as Village Justice. Unlike the mayors and trustees, the Justice has a term of four years.
Sheprow wrote in a Facebook post from her campaigning account, “There is so much more work to be done, and I am ready to stay the course.”
Addressing Snaden, she wrote, “Thank you for your continued enthusiasm in this Village and for your support of the school district.”
For the past two years, the Village Board of Trustees have been confronted with issues pertaining to the Port Jefferson Country Club, the persistent erosion of East Meadow Beach Bluff, parking, and flooding. Further, the decreasing revenue from LIPA continues to diminish the tax base of both the village and school district, which has experienced decreased enrollment over the past decade. Franco will now join the board in tackling these issues for the village.
Franco, the freshman candidate, said, “I congratulate Mayor Sheprow for winning reelection. Now we have to get to work for the people of Port Jefferson.”
Running a grassroots, “policy-based” campaign, Franco said walking door-to-to–door was a “fun, amazing experience to reengage the community”, though he criticized the “acrimony” of the race. Among his chief concerns as trustee is the East Meadow Beach bluff and quality of life issues like noise pollution.
Coming off of the intense months leading up to the election, Juliano is excited to continue as trustee, particularly in working to revitalize uptown and addressing bluff erosion and flooding.
“It was a long haul,” he said, “but I feel truly honored and humbled to be reelected. There are still things that need to be done.”
He added that although campaigning “got a little heated”, he knows the board will work collaboratively towards their common goal of improving the village. “That is why everyone does this,” he said. “To make Port Jefferson better.”
In 2023, Sheprow won as a write-in candidate. This year, she had a spot on the ticket and won by 7% of votes. In 2023, she won by 9%.
For the trustee race, there were 767 undervotes, meaning voters did not vote for two candidates, but either one or zero. There were 25 undervotes for the mayoral race. There were 73 absentee votes and one early voter submission.
Left to right: Kathianne Snaden, Lauren Sheprow, Mathew Franco, Robert Juliano and Julie Vitrano. Photo by Sabrina Artusa
By Sabrina Artusa
In anticipation of the June 17 vote, five candidates assembled at the Port Jefferson Village Center for a meet-the-candidates night, where they spoke on pressing village concerns and their leadership priorities.The mayoral seat and two trustee seats are open, as Mayor Lauren Sheprow and trustee Robert Juliano’s two-year terms are at an end and each are up for reelection.
The event, sponsored by the Port Jefferson Chamber of Commerce and the Civic Association of Port Jefferson, allowed each candidate to answer previously submitted questions from residents, with topics ranging from the East Beach Bluff Stabilization Project to transparency and communication.
Incomers Matthew Franco and Julie Vitrano are also vying for a trustee seat left vacant with the exit of Stan Louks. Franco has 10 years of experience in construction, is an occupational therapist and has worked with disabled children. “Most importantly, I want to bring honestly and integrity and decency back into village government,” he said
Vitrano is a real estate agent and mother of three sons. With her 20-years experience in the real estate industry, Vitrano said she is knowledgeable about code compliance and mindful of commercial development. ”Yes, I am a real-estate agent but that doesn’t mean I want to overbuild”, she said.
Juliano is finishing his first term, during which he was deputy mayor, commissioner of the Department of Public Works and liaison for the Parks and Recreation Advisory Counsel, Conservation Advisory Council and the Citizens Committeeof Erosion. He was previously a clerk for the Village of Westbury and an administrator for the Village of Port Jefferson.
Former deputy mayor and two-term trustee, Kathianne Snaden is challenging Sheprow for mayor. In 2023, Sheprow defeated Snaden for the role, but Snaden said she is running to continue the service and to “bring back the heart and soul of the community.”
“At the end of this meeting,” Snaden said. “I think you will see that I am not only prepared to become mayor, but am already doing the work.”
As her term came to a close, Sheprow reviewed her policies and actions from the past two years and reiterated her position on issues such as the East Beach Bluff, the country club, flooding and transparency. She is the daughter of former Mayor Harold Sheprow and has raised her three children in the area. “Port Jefferson is on a better path because we have done the hard work together,” she said. “I am running for reelection because there is more to do.”
Development and schools
Candidates emphasize collaboration with the school district, which is facing declining enrollment and the loss of LIPA’s tax contributions. With many of the candidates having children that attended the district, they acknowledged its tremendous
To promote economic growth, Snaden spoke of several programs, such as an incentive initiative that would encourage residents to shop in the village through monthly events, a punch card, or a village-specific app that serves as a guide for residents and tourists while also promoting businesses.
Sheprow, who created the Economic Opportunity Task Force, said shop-front vacancies aren’t as big an issue as the larger vacancies like the Gap building and McDonalds might suggest, with the real number being around 9%. The task force works with the Business Improvement District to determine what shops would be appropriate.
In 2013, the village created a comprehensive plan intended to guide village development for the following two decades. However, Sheprow said it may need an upgrade: an idea reiterated by Juliano, who said uptown development was one of the three major concerns in the village.
“We can make all the plans we want but we have to make sure to put them into place,” he said, promising to work with Planning Commissioner Andrew Freeling to get uptown “to what we want.” A plan could help guide developers and provide a framework for unity in the village, balancing both respect for the village’s history and intentional progress.
“We have to make sure they bring in businesses that are going to attract people to the community and revitalize some of Port Jefferson,” Franco said
“I can only name five rental offices or spaces that are vacant,” said Vitrano. She added that more festivals and events throughout the year would help “bring the society back to the village”.
Bluff and country club
Of the candidates, Franco was alone in speaking definitively against proceeding with the bluff project. He argued the town was simply buying time against the inevitable environmental deterioration of the area. “The real problem is that we are never going to beat Mother Nature…I don’t think we should spend millions of dollars of hard-earned taxpayer money to buy time,” he said, noting the continuing maintenance the wall would require.
Juliano, the liaison for the Citizens Committee on Erosion, said they are meeting with engineers every two weeks and waiting for their proposed plan for the final stage of the bluff project.“We don’t know what the other part of the project will look like,” he said. After those results come in, they will make an educated decision. Sheprow confirmed: they do not know what the following steps will constitute.
Vitrano, on the other hand, said she does not believe Phase I should have been approved without a “clear plan from the engineers.” Since it began, she said, the project has been entrenched with “questionable spending” and called for a public referendum before Phase II is considered. She stated needing to look at reports before making a decision on future bluff projects.
Snaden argued the public was not involved enough throughout the process and that the current board is not truly exploring all options. The additional fiscal stress from losing LIPA’s contributions to the tax base concerns Snaden, so she said embarking on the expensive bluff project may not be in the village’s best interest.
Juliano said they don’t even know how much the next phase will cost, and the loss of long-term revenue from the country club should be taken into account when weighing the monetary pros and cons.
Juliano said she is not committed to the bluff project and does not “have a plan ready yet” as she continues reviewing documents and plans with the engineering firm GEI. “We are challenging the engineering firm on every level,” she said, adding that she welcomes her constituents asking “the tough questions.”
With Lessing’s Hospitality Group entering a new contract to lease the Port Jefferson Country Club, Franco protested the lack of stipulations requiring a restaurant; he listed the contract as one of the village’s three major issues. “There is no pressure to operate a restaurant…and we will be choked by that contract for a very long time,” he said.
Snaden said the club “must become a self-sustaining community asset.” Lessing’s contract is doing just that, according to Sheprow, who said the previous contract was an “exhaustive liability” and Lessing’s, who operates restaurants at parks like Sunken Meadow State Park, is “committed to doing something really good.”
Transparency
Sheprow said she initially wanted to run after not being included in a vote on a $10 million bond during a time Snaden was on the board. Snaden responded that several public sessions were held before the vote took place. However, Sheprow criticized the lack of conversation and openness of the town hall at that time. “There was a lack of fiscal management [and] a lack of town hall,” Sheprow said.
Snaden and Franco said Sheprow has not made vital bluff reports accessible to the Citizen’s Commission on Erosion, delaying the completion of their interim report. Franco said the reason for the delay is because the report advised for moving the building back. Jiuliano acknowledged a delay in providing some reports, but said they were going to hear the report the next day and will post it online thereafter.
Increasing the accessibility of village hall is a point of pride for Sheprow, Snaden and Juliano, who host sit-downs once a month where residents can speak about their concerns or ask questions.
Snaden addressed an accusation that she unethically accepted money from the village taxpayers for photographs she took of the Dickens Festival; however, she said she recused herself from the vote that resulted in a village payment to her and it was included on the auditor’s report. “Everything was done in public,” she said.
The upcoming election is preceded by fierce campaigning and fiery online and public discourse that was alluded to several times during the event. Before introducing himself, Franco condemned the “slanderous nonsense” and accused Vitrano of causing his family embarrassment.
Vitrano, in her closing statement, made similar claims, saying members of the village were attempting to coerce her to not run. She said, “I’ve been told what to say, what not to say, who I should associate with and even who not to be friends with.”
“This is not how our community works,” she said. “This is not how democracy should operate. This is nonsense and it needs to stop, no matter who wins this election.”
Snaden promised to revamp the public safety department if elected. “Currently we don’t have a public safety department,” Snaden said. “Our former code enforcement that prioritizes public safety and the safety of our community now focuses on parking tickets and building code violations. I want to bring an all new public safety department to our village.”She said she would also promote collaboration with the Suffolk County Police Department. Vetrano agreed a bigger police presence is necessary.
Juliano told the audience that, by law, the code enforcement cannot pull vehicles over. Sheprow said that enforcing the ordinances is an essential part of ensuring the code and that the village recently hired 11 new officers. “There are plenty of ordinances to enforce in our village code so they have their hands full,” she said.
The election is on June 17 at the Port Jefferson Village Center from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Emma S. Clark Memorial Library in Setauket. Photo by Elyse Sutton
By Sabrina Artusa
The Emma Clark library in Setauket closed on May 1 to pursue remedial work after staff discovered a mold outbreak on the HVAC system.
Identified by its damp, musty smell, the cladosporium led to the library’s closure. The mold could affect the respiratory system, leading to itchy eyes, coughing or sneezing; although, the risks are higher for those with pre-existing conditions like asthma. It is known as a household mold as it is prevalent in bathrooms and basements–anywhere damp with little ventilation.
Now, after transferring services and programs to other locations, the building is again open to the public in its entirety.
The library hired Lux Restoration Services LLC to address the issue. They replaced materials infected by the mold, including flex ducts, vents, insulation and ceiling tiles. Some furniture needed to be cleaned.
During the hiatus, the library had to creatively adapt some programs and services. “The staff did an amazing job in pivoting so that we were still able to offer services and programs during this time,” said Library Director Ted Gutmann, “including running circulation services out of our historic room in the Library and children’s programs being held in the library’s main community room.”
Since the mold primarily impacted the children’s room, the library was able to open with limited services on May 19.
There was no permanent damage to the building. Currently, library staff are “working with the insurance company to determine the potential cause of the issue,” according to Gutmann. They have instituted testing procedures to prevent future growths, including duct cleaning and inspections.
“We’re thrilled to have everything back to normal in our beloved building,” Gutmann said.
TBR News Media invited Kathianne Snaden, Lauren Sheprow’s opponent for the mayoral race, to participate in the interview as well, but she declined. Coverage of her position, as well as the three candidates competing for two trustee positions, can be found in the article, “Tense atmosphere dominates meet-the-candidates night”.
What surprised you about the position during these last two years?
Village of Port Jefferson Mayor Lauren Sheprow speaks with TBR ahead of the June 17 election. Photo by Sabrina Artusa
Everything. I knew a lot about governance from working with Stony Brook’s faculty and staff and administration for sixteen years, both in the hospital and on the main campus. So, that gave me some bearing. I think what surprised me really was the level of vitriol that continued for two years. It never stopped and that was sad. I thought the opposition would sort of weigh in, get involved and help out with their community, but I didn’t get that reaction, so I don’t focus on it. It isn’t something that I think about. But to say what surprised me, that surprised me. The number of hours it takes to do this job surprised me. But, and I’m not gonna say it surprised me, but I did not have an understanding of the extent of the complexities that exist in this small three square mile piece of land.
What are your financial plans for the village?
I established early on a budget finance committee through code. It was legislated. There was never a budget and finance committee in the code. So now it’s chapter seven in the code, and it is a seven member board committee. It’s a committee–it’s advisory by nature. And so, I also have a very gifted and intelligent trustee who is our finance commissioner. I don’t know if ever in the history of Port Jefferson there has been a finance commissioner who’s been a trustee, but this is a person that I know knows more about finance and budgets than I do. So my goal is to keep the budget balanced, obviously. My focus is to keep the taxpayer levy as even as possible without raising taxes to a great extent. And to be able to do that, we are really focusing on grants and grant administration, which is a whole job in and of itself. We’ve been very successful with our new grant administrator, Lisa Mato. And, she’s been very successful in getting grant money reimbursed to the village that has been long standing. So, financial goals: get the capital fund back to where it has been, get it back to balanced, and then start building a capital reserve so that if we have big expenditures that we need to make, we have the funding to do it.
How are you planning to move forward in mitigating flooding?
Oh, great question. I’m very excited about this. The former administration got a FEMA grant for flood reduction studies. We got the grant. The thing you have to do when you get a grant is you have to get an executed contract so that you get reimbursed. If you do have to put your own money out, which we do, we wanna make sure we have an executed contract. It takes a long time. It can take up to eighteen months to get that executed contract back. So we got the executed contract back for that grant. We did an RFP. We hired an engineering firm who we contracted with and we had our kickoff meeting last week with L.K. McLean Associates. So the goal of this flood reduction study is to come up with a plan on how to mitigate flooding in the downtown area. But the scope of the work, they did it. They’re doing a topographical study with the drone footage that extends from the Northeast corner of Harborfront Park, which is where it meets the yacht club, all the way southwest to Brook Road where it meets Old Post Road, and all points in between, including the school district property, the fire district property, the apartments on Main Street, and all that road. They’re mapping our stormwater, sewers, and stormwater catch basins. Anyway, I could go on forever about this, but I’m very excited. We’re meeting with the school district and the fire district on Wednesday to introduce them because they are major stakeholders in this study.
What is the most pressing issue facing the village right now?
I would say it’s the hazard issues related to climate. Flooding is the most pressing issue. And also the impact to the East Beach Bluff and our old Homestead Recharge Basin. That August storm caused so much damage. We’re getting funding to mitigate the damage. We’re cleaning out storm drains, about up to 50 storm drains. The cost will be reimbursed by FEMA. It could be up to $100,000 to clean out 50 store drains. We’re asking the residents to help us pick the right ones that are most problematic. After that storm, we fixed every single roof in the village. Every single roof was leaking in the village, and we fixed all the village-owned roofs. We didn’t get refunded for all of that work, but for some of that. Fixing our maintenance issues is the most important thing for the village that the village government can do for its residents right now.
What are your thoughts on the Port Jeff Country Club?
So if you talk to real estate agents, the three things they use to sell Port Jefferson are the country club, the beaches and the school district. Those are the three most important things, and it has an impact on the value of the homes, on the quality of life, and on the future of how people spend their days in the village
I think the country club is a major asset. It was purchased for $2,300,000. It’s probably worth, you know, $100,000,000 right now or $75,000,000. But it makes a lot of people very, very, very happy. Right now, we have our work cut out for us because we have a blank slate on the north side of Fairway Drive. We’re bringing in a master planner to give us an impression of what they think can happen on that north side and and throughout the whole to give us an assessment of the country club. This is an experienced country club master planner and at no cost, except for maybe travel expenses, they’re coming in. They’re going to present to us what their impressions are. So that’s going to give us a way to shape our thinking about what’s possible there and what we should do. In terms of the bluff and the and the building, that building is being utilized to its full extent by Lessing’s Hospitality Group.
That restaurant is closed now, right?
We’re working with Lessings to get that restaurant open a few days a week. That could service the community as well as the members.
They’re not operating an á la carte restaurant business. So both vendors who were here prior did not make that restaurant work. Their focus was really on different things. I don’t wanna talk for them, but then Lessing’s came in. They were honest; they said, we’re not gonna be able to provide an a la carte restaurant’s business right away; we have to get our feet under us. We have to get this business up and running.
The contract with Lessing’s is a 9% profit share. So they make money, the village makes money.. And the other reason why the country club is an asset to this village is because the partner who pays the rent in that building offsets the tax levy by 2%. So as their revenue grows, the village revenue grows.
I mean, they’re putting on activities every single week, quite a few. Once they hit their stride and they’re really cooking and we see our revenue numbers going up, I’d like to use that revenue and put it right back into the cost of what it costs to fix that bluff so that it offsets tax payer. We anticipate that the numbers will grow. And, after talking to our treasurer about this, this is maybe two or three years down the road, but eventually, I’d like to pay that debt off that we had to take to pay for the project through the income that we make–the revenue that we draw from Lessing’s. That’s the draw.
And they are changing the aesthetic of the place. No offense to anyone’s decorative eye, but they’re bringing back a coastal feel on the inside of that facility. They’re removing and eliminating as much marble on the flooring and everything, and they’re bringing in a wood floor from the moment you step out to the deck area. So it’s in progress. They’re still addressing the things, the aesthetic. They’re addressing the kitchen. They’re putting in a new kitchen, they’re really investing in the business, which says to me, they wanna make it work.
I’ve spoken with David Lessing, and he has said, I think we can make the restaurant work. We just need time.
Why do you feel the East Beach Bluff stabilization project is the right move, and how do you reconcile that with the residents who feel that the project and the country club are a waste of village money?
I took an oath of office which said that my job is to protect and preserve village property. Stabilization of that property is important because it impacts the areas not only where the country club exists, but the areas to the west and to the east of it as well. So if we get FEMA funding to offset 75% of the cost of phase two, whatever phase two ends up being as our engineers are drawing up a valued engineering project plan for phase two, it’s not gonna look like the original phase two and we’re looking forward to seeing what that looks like. If we have up to $3.5 million dollars to offset the cost and offset the taxpayer’s responsibility, to help stabilize that property, it’s a valued property. It is one of the most valuable pieces of property in Port Jefferson and Lessing’s knows it. If they thought it was not valuable, they wouldn’t have rushed in and said, we want this. We wanna make this work. This is a property we have wanted for twenty five years. They wanted this catering facility and this whole building operation when Lombardi’s came in. They had hoped to to be considered for it. So they came to us, and they said, we’re interested in this.
There are a lot of variables to the planning process right now. We’re looking at drainage, which wasn’t looked at in the first place. There’s stormwater coming off the building. We need to redirect that stormwater. We need to capture that stormwater and push it elsewhere. They they did that on the East Side. We’re looking at the drainage now, and our engineers are figuring out a drainage plan. If we need to come up with a pump system to bring it back to the golf course and use it as an irrigation resource, perfect. Use it for irrigation. Or, we can use it when we’re at drought levels, which we’ve experienced before. We’re looking to be sustainable and not just a Band-Aid on a heart attack.
They did look at the utilities or consider or factor them into their planning, the underground utility, infrastructure, and they didn’t look at the stability of the building. So, we’re looking at the stability of the building.
One of the things that I did was establish a Citizen’s Commission on Erosion. I invited as many volunteers who wanted to sit at a round table and talk about the issues that we’re facing and discuss and try to make decisions about along the way. That’s how we got resident input. This erosion commission is no joke. They are looking at everything, and they are asking the right questions, which give us cause to ask the right questions of the engineers.
We hired an engineering firm, which we didn’t have before, to review the engineering designs, question the engineers of record and to also look at other options and how we can do this better. So we hired Hayduk Engineering. Stephen Hayduck Jr. as our principal engineer, and Peter Scully is our environmental consultant. So we’re looking at it in a very disciplined way. We’re not just saying, oh, that plan looks good; let’s go with it. We are evaluating it very, very carefully with input from the community.
The other thing we’re doing, just to add on to that, is we’ve asked our public works department to be the eyes and ears of the monitoring so that we don’t have to have engineers come out. If there’s a heavy storm, the DPW goes out, records, takes photos of what happened and what they’re seeing on the bluff face. So we’re using our own employees who are very capable. It’s not technical. They’re just taking pictures, and they’re recording what the difference might be if they still see something here or there.
Is there an area for improvement within village hall operations?
We’ve done a lot of work on, on reporting structure and organizational charts and where people sit and everything. And there’s always room for improvement for that. We have a limited budget, so we have limited resources of who we can hire and how we do so. We have to make sure we use our resources wisely and so that people are working together. One of the things that I brought back was a department head meeting. So every two weeks, we have department head meetings where our department heads speak to one another, including our public works, park public works, country club. So we are really working together in those terms.
These department head meetings help us understand where our treasurer comes in. He’s sitting right there. If they need to buy something or need to invest in something, they have that conversation in real time. We have these work session reports that we ask every department head to create, and we post those online during our work session meeting as part of the agenda. And it’s open and free for everybody to read. Every single department has a work session report so residents can see how their money is being spent.
Heather Banoub and Carl Mills. Photo by Sabrina Artusa
By Sabrina Artusa
Carl Mills, Stony Brook University associate vice president of government relations, and Heather Banoub, assistant vice president of community relations at the university, were joined by Assemblywoman Rebecca Kassay (D, Port Jefferson) to speak on budget priorities, which include adding housing options to the campus.
Assemblywoman Rebecca Kassay. Photo by Sabrina Artusa
Besides pushing legislation to grow their advanced specialty care facilities throughout the county, Mills said Kassay is helping the university with legislation to allow the university to contract nearby fire districts for access to equipment. Currently, the university has its own fire services but still works closely with surrounding departments.
“It will be a cross benefit not only for the university but the taxpayer if we can contract for surplus equipment that fire districts have,” said Mills.
The university is also planning a housing project that can provide up to 1,900 beds so Simon Scholars, medical residents and junior faculty can have on-campus housing options. The project is not meant to allow the university to admit more incoming students, but to “allow young professionals” a space on campus.
Some residents were concerned that traffic will not be able to sustain growth and neighboring communities will suffer. “I know you guys want to grow, that is your job, but I live there and traffic still sits in front of my house,” one resident said. Mills said a traffic study is being conducted.
Legislation is needed to execute this project, which Mills said is not unusual for this “long-term project.” The university will form a housing and development corporation, which would lease the property, submit a request for proposal and solicit bids.
“We don’t have the funding as it stands to do this on our own,” Mills said. “We have financial challenges in that we don’t know what is happening on the federal level.”
The project would require the relocation of the track behind LaValle Stadium and off Route 25A.
In August 2024, many students were pushed off campus or into cramped accommodations after two dormitories were flooded. “As the flagship university, we just can’t be in that position,” Mills said.
Funding projects
In her first budget cycle as a state assemblymember, Kassay reported on several budgetary items, such as securing $1 million for SBU’s cancer research center, $1 million for clean water research and $330,000 for a nursing training program at the Long Island State Veterans Home.
She also helped eliminate the Metropolitan Transportation Authority payroll mobility tax from municipalities. The tax impacts employers, so the elimination offers relief to the Town of Brookhaven and other suburban municipalities. Small businesses are still affected by the tax, but to a diminished degree.
Kassay said she is excited to support a bigger, better bottle bill, which will extend the array of items that can get recycled and increase the deposit return to 10 cents.
She also said she is working to diminish needless plastic waste by requiring restaurants to give the option of plastic utensils for a takeout order rather than instantly including them.
The legislation would mean that “restaurants, when doing a takeout order cannot give you those items unless you consent to taking those items. So they can ask you, and you can say yes, or you can ask them… and that is absolutely legal,” Kassay said. “They just can’t force them.”
“For us facing enormous waste problems here, this isn’t going to solve it entirely but it is sure going to help in as far as reducing waste.” The legislation has failed in Suffolk in the past, but Kassay is optimistic that the move would be a win-win for businesses and consumers alike.
A picture of the property Tsunis proposed to be annexed. The upper gray portion indicates the Incorporated Village of Port Jefferson. File photo.
By Sabrina Artusa
The property owned by Northwind Group will remain under Brookhaven jurisdiction. The Village of Port Jefferson Board of Trustees and the Brookhaven Town Board voted against the annexation proposed by the developer.
Developer Jim Tsunis and his son Demetrius petitioned for Brookhaven to annex the property to the Village of Port Jefferson, which would enable him to develop a 48-unit apartment complex. After Brookhaven rejected the zoning change that would authorize the project, Tsunis initiated the annexation request.
In March, Tsunis, his son and his attorney addressed both the Town of Brookhaven and the Village of Port Jefferson in a joint hearing, where he and his attorney Michael Towey argued that the annexation would prevent the village from being impacted by any future development decisions the town would make. His 5.6-acre property off Baylis Avenue and Sheep Pasture Road is only accessible through the village.
The elder Tsunis addressed the board one final time on May 28 at a trustee meeting, prior to their vote. He urged the board to vote in support of the annexation.
Brookhaven voted against the petition on May 22. The resolution findings state that the property and village lack “requisite unity of purpose and facilities to constitute a community.” This conclusion rests on the feedback from civic groups, concerns from the Terryville Fire Department and the disunity annexation would create for children who would live in the Village of Port Jefferson but attend Comsewogue School District.
Further, the analysis states that “constructing additional residential dwelling units immediately adjacent to an active rail yard, where trains idle even when they are not moving, is not in the overall public interest.” The Baylis property sits next to the Lawrence Aviation site, where a new rail yard is set to be built, pending the MTA’s completion of purchase.
“A vote against this annexation will burden the residents of the Sheep Pasture Road with the future of industrial buildings, trucks and traffic,” Tsunis said. “Don’t yield to the political pressure of the town of Brookhaven.”
Other residents reiterated opposing arguments, warning the board that a yes vote would set a “dangerous precedent” of “municipality-shopping” when a proposal is rejected. Kathleen McLane, a member of the Port Jefferson Civic Association, said Tsunis is “presenting a false choice” in implying the land will be used for industrial purposes if the annexation does not take place.
Tsunis has said that his motivation for the annexation is unrelated to Brookhaven’s rejection and solely for the best interest of the village where he resides.
At the public hearing in March, Tsunis received over 50 letters of support. Supporters had mentioned that additional housing will help revitalize the community.
