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Village of Port Jefferson

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Sal Filosa and Jenny Bloom cut the ribbon for the new Teen Center at 205 Main Street on March 14. Photo by Heidi Sutton/TBR News Media

By Heidi Sutton

It’s been 10 years in the making but it was all worth it when the doors to the new Port Jefferson Free Library Teen Center swung open after a ribbon cutting event on March 14. A large crowd, including Port Jefferson Mayor Lauren Sheprow, New York State Assemblywoman Rebecca Kassay, and Town of Brookhaven Councilmember Jonathan Kornreich, attended the celebration which continued into the evening and at an Open House on March 15. 

According to a press release, the library purchased the 1812 Bayles house at 205 East Main Street 10 years ago with plans of turning the former “Scented Cottage” store into a Teen Center which had been operating out of a rental space across the street from the library.

New York State Assemblywoman Rebecca Kassay and Brookhaven Town Councilmember Jonathan Kornreich present certificates to staff of the Port Jefferson Free Library. Photo by Heidi Sutton/TBR News Media

A designated “Safe Space,” the new Teen Center features “multiple small rooms offering teens the ability to browse the library’s book, video and game collections, get homework and college application help, play board and video games, access craft supplies or participate in the busy schedule of program offerings,” according to the release. The Center, which is geared for teens in grades 6-12, also features a 3-D printer, homework stations and laptop computers. 

Working with BBS Architecture and Belfor Property Restoration, the library preserved much of the building’s charm, including 5 fireplaces, a beehive oven, the front “Dutch Door,” and the original pine floors. A covered front porch was added after Kate Von der Heyden of the Port Jefferson Historical Society shared historic photos which showed a previously existing Greek Revival-style porch. Amendments include a wheelchair lift and wider doorways.

“The reputation of this institution transcends the boundaries of the village. This is a draw for kids not just in this community but all the surrounding communities. I want to thank you for putting this together and for doing it in such a sensitive way that it maintains the streetscape and the look and feel of the village; it is such a great enhancement,” said Councilmember Kornreich.

“I am so grateful to this library board, to the leadership here and to the community for having the foresight to obtain this historic building, maintain it and renovate so that it can continue to be part of the beating heart of our library system and be a safe, wonderful and fun place for the teens,” said Assemblywoman Kassay.

“… So proud to walk through these doors for the first time and see what’s inside. I want to use it! There’s a nook and cranny for everything. I’m so glad that my nieces and my nephews and their friends will be able to use it as they come through middle school into the high school … It’s an incredible facility and what a great resource for them,” said Mayor Sheprow, who went on to thank Head of Teen Services Sal Filosa and Library Director Jenny Bloom for bringing the Teen Center to fruition.

“Growing from our one-room rental space to multiple rooms with a covered porch offers a variety of spaces for teens to relax, do homework, play games, or create art. We hope they consider the Teen Center to be their new ‘home away from home,” said Filosa.

“The restoration of the Bayles House and development of the new Teen Center has been the dream of a decade of Board Trustees, Staff, and community members, and the Library is very proud to welcome the community to the grand opening, and for teens for generations to come,” added Bloom.

The Teen Center is open Monday through Thursday from noon to 8 p.m., Friday from noon to 5 p.m., Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, call 631-509-5707.

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A picture of the property to be annexed, screen shotted from the Town of Brookhaven’s online map application. The upper gray portion indicates the Incorporated Village of Port Jefferson. Photo courtesy the Town of Brookhaven website

By Sabrina Artusa

The Incorporated Village of Port Jefferson Board of Trustees and the Town of Brookhaven Council met for a joint public hearing for the prospective annexation of the Port Jefferson Station property on March 6.

James Tsunis, owner of the 5.6-acre parcel next to Baylis Avenue in Port Jefferson Station, initiated the historic hearing between the entities when he requested that five plots of land be annexed to Port Jefferson village. The last time the two entities met for a joint hearing was in 1978. 

Area in question is highlighted during the meeting on March 6. Photo by Sabrina Artusa

Tsunis and his company, Northwind Group, intend to develop the area into a 48-unit multifamily townhouse complex, which would be impossible under Brookhaven’s current industrial zoning. If the land is annexed, it will be in the purview of the Port Jefferson village planning board, and Tsunis would apply for a rezoning application with the village instead of the town. In this 3.5-hour meeting, Tsunis, as the petitioner, was to prove to both boards that there is a clear public benefit from annexation. 

Previously, Brookhaven council members gave feedback indicating that if Tsunis were to submit a rezoning application, it would be rejected. 

Tsunis, a 50-year Port Jefferson resident, said “None of the residents of the Village of Port Jefferson want industrial [development] on the property. So what do we do? We annex it into the village because that is who is affected by the use of this property.”

In conjunction with his Brook Meadows plan, Tsunis would contribute $500,000 to the village, assist in rebuilding the William Tooker House, the oldest structure in the village, build a community garden and build a sidewalk from the property to Sheep Pasture Road. 

Baylis Avenue and Sheep Pasture Road

Brookhaven Town Board Meeting on March 6. Photo by Sabrina Artusa

Tsunis’ attorney Michael Towey argued that the singular access road to the property from Sheep Pasture Road, which serves as the border between the town and the village, is problematic. “This section is completely geographically isolated from the town. It is only accessible through the village,” Towey said. 

Since Sheep Pasture Road is the only entry point, Towey argued that the village residents will be affected by whatever is built on the parcel. “We believe the village and its residents [have] reason to be concerned not in the sense of any imminent threat, but in the sense that they presently lack control over how this territory or how these properties will be utilized in the future,” he said. 

Supervisor Dan Panico (R) said that any property adjacent to an incorporated village would be implicated by that argument. Indeed, in order to reach Scenic View Court, a residential area neighboring Baylis Avenue, one must pass through the village from the east, though the road can be accessed without entering the village from the west. The Port Jefferson Marina, owned by the Town of Brookhaven, requires passing through the village.

Services

If the annexation is approved by both boards, the children who reside on the property would attend the Comsewogue School District, despite living in the village. The properties are currently serviced by the Terryville Fire District and will remain so even if the property is annexed. “An annexation of the property would place a division in unity of purpose of the public services providing emergency and educational services,” Town of Brookhaven Planning Director Don Hohn said. 

Area in question is highlighted during the meeting on March 6. Photo by Sabrina Artusa

Towey argued that the village already assumes responsibility for the road, and including the road in Brookhaven’s district was not efficient, although this could not be proven. Brookhaven paved the road in 2023. 

Town of Brookhaven Superintendent of Highways Dan Losquadro (R) issued a letter of support of the annexation, writing “this will alleviate the duplication of services by more than one municipality on the same roadway.” 

Some speakers reiterated the revitalization of Port Jefferson village as a benefit of the Brooks Meadows plan. Of the 24 speakers that addressed the board, 18 were in support of the development. 

Jim Steiner hopes Brooks Meadows would breathe new life into the village: “[Revitalization] has been a slow process and to have a townhouse type place within walking distance will help lift up the neighborhood.” 

Industrial vs. Multifamily

Hohn noted the increased traffic associated with multifamily zoning, stating that the daily trips would be lower if the area remains zoned industrial. “If the maximum building size allowed on a L1 industrial lot were to be developed, this would generate 214 total daily trips. The maximum building size on a multifamily lot, were it to be developed, would be 372 daily trips.” This assertion was corroborated by the Town of Brookhaven Highway Department, though the letter added that the traffic wouldn’t create “significant traffic impacts.”  The maximum building height would be 50 feet in light industrial zoning and 35 feet in multifamily zoning in Brookhaven. 

Alexander and Jim Tsunis listening to the public testimonies at the Brookhaven Town Hall in Farmingville. Photo by Sabrina Artusa

Many residents expressed displeasure over the aspect of letting the property remain industrial. Port Jefferson resident Gary Zamek said, “The Village of Port Jefferson does not need more industrial land on Sheep Pasture Road…I know Port Jefferson is trying to revitalize our uptown area. It just seems obvious to me that more residents as opposed to trucks would help create that.”

Businesses such as health clubs, offices, warehouses and veterinary hospitals would all be permitted in an area zoned industrial, as noted in Chapter 85 in Brookhaven’s town zone.

Further, some speakers supported the annexation as it would supply additional housing. Town of Brookhaven Councilman Jonathan Kornreich (D, Stony Brook) said, “On the application, it indicated there would be four affordable units…This will not be affordable housing by any means. Four of them will be.”

“As a trustee, I want to see owned real estate,” Port Jefferson village Trustee Xena Ugrinsky said. 

The Brook Meadows site proposal was analyzed by the Suffolk County Department of Economic Planning and Development in 2023 before it was removed for consideration by Tsunis.  The plan was analyzed and disapproved by the Suffolk County Department of Economic Planning and Development in 2023, citing incongruence with adjacent industrial zoning, additional traffic and that a change of zone is simply unnecessary and prohibitive to prospective light industrial zoning developments. The walkability score from the property was listed as 56 partly due to its distance to the Port Jefferson Train Station and downtown, an estimated 10-minute walk. Tsunis then withdrew his application.

“If it was to be developed industrially, it would likely, in my opinion, be developed into something more demure when it comes to light industrial like a self-storage, which is typically a generator of almost zero,” Panico said.

The prospect of a rail yard being built by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority at the Lawrence Aviation site is another consideration of the Brookhaven town council. Tsunis included a 100-foot buffer from the tracks in his plan, but Panico argued that this location would not be in the public’s best interest. 

The town and the village have to vote on the annexation within 90 days of the hearing. If the town and village don’t vote in agreement, then one entity could appeal the other’s decision, according to Town of Brookhaven Attorney James Burke. 

The public comment period closes on March 14 at midnight for online submissions and at 4:30 p.m. for physical submissions by mail.

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Optical Outfitters is now located at 158 East Main Street in Port Jefferson. Photo courtesy of Danielle Paulus
Optical Outfitters is now located at 158 East Main Street in Port Jefferson. Photo courtesy of Danielle Paulus

When Village Eye Care/Optical Outfitters on Barnum Avenue in Port Jefferson closed its doors for good last July after Dr. Alfred Cossari announced his retirement, it opened up an exciting new chapter for his daughter, Danielle Cossari Paulus, who had worked alongside her father as co-founder for three decades.

The businesswoman recently re-opened an Optical Outfitters boutique in the Village at 158 East Main Street, Suite 2, in the former Reruns clothing store. The front entrance is on Arden Place across from the Port Jefferson Free Library.

The new shop still offers affordable quality prescription eyewear for children and adults with an added focus on specialty collections only found in boutique optical shops like those in New York City along with quality sunglass brands such as Maui Jim polarized sunglasses, Ray Ban, and Oliver Peoples.

“Customers are looking for these products for their eyewear more now and are tired of seeing what they can get online or in every other optical shop,” said Paulus.

Known locally for her fashion and design sense, she has also added a gift section in the store offering scarves, hats, handbags, jewelry, candles and kitchenware. Some products are created by local artisans or made by women supported by small companies that want to help women all over the world who suffer from terrible circumstances. 

Local artists are also welcome to have their artisan products displayed there.

“People are missing more and more the one-to-one, mom and pop, independent care as group practice clinical offices have wiped them out so quickly,” said Paulus. “I’m calling it no more Big Business Baloney, which I mentioned in a casual conversation with friends but it really hit a nerve with a large group of people and has continued to ever since whenever brought up.”  

Paulus is committed to remaining an independent with one-to-one appointments with the owner/optician to give uniquely customized service to provide well-crafted individualized eyeglasses for good vision, safety and style. 

Her mission is simple — to continue doing what her patients have appreciated now as a concierge optical outfitter that does not plan on ever having to shift her focus on the numbers or seeing x number of people a day.

“Personalized quality service is becoming extinct and that’s what makes Optical Outfitters and its relationships with its patients so special,” said Paulus.

“When my father asked me 30 years ago to join him to open an optical shop I had no idea it would be the best decision I’ve ever made — to live near family/community where my kids go to the school I went to and learning how to provide care from a father with the highest values with all heart is really something,” she added.  

“Quality craftsmanship, like opticianry, does not have to die in our little corner of the world and helping people while doing it should be the way.” 

Join Paulus for her grand re-opening event on Saturday, March 22 from 4 to 7 p.m. to view the spring collection or drop in anytime to say hello. 

Upcoming events include Mother’s and Father’s Day Wishlist gatherings with a jewelry making demonstration and sunglass fittings to be announced on the shop’s website, opticaloutfitters.com. Operating hours are Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and extended concierge appointment hours are available by calling 631-928-6401.

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Port Jefferson Village Hall. File photo by Heidi Sutton

By Dylan Friedman

The Village of Port Jefferson Board of Trustees held its monthly meeting Feb. 26. The meeting addressed a range of topics, including the ongoing bluff erosion issue, the financial status of the Port Jefferson Country Club and updates from the new Code Enforcement Department.

The meeting began with a moment of silence to remember long-time resident Don Pollock, who was often referred to as the “fifth trustee” for his frequent attendance and participation at board meetings. 

Public safety was a key focus, with the Suffolk County Police Department providing an update on crime statistics in the village. Officer Robert Dekenipp reported that overall criminal incidents were slightly up compared to last year’s period, with a notable increase in harassment cases. 

The code enforcement supervisors, Anthony Flammia and Kevin Cooper, then took to the podium to outline their activities over the past month. They highlighted meetings with local stakeholders, including the business community and residents, and enforcement actions taken, such as issuing violations for vacant storefronts without proper window displays.

Cooper emphasized the department’s focus on transparency, including the launch of an online complaint system for residents.

Additionally, a resident raised concerns about the village’s approach to the bluff erosion issue. Citing the recommendations of the bluff erosion committee,  he urged the board to seriously consider a retreat plan, arguing that the current restoration efforts are ultimately doomed to fail. 

“Mother Nature will eventually prevail,” he stated.

The resident also questioned the financial status of the Port Jefferson Country Club, saying that the facility is currently $700,000 in debt. “Who’s watching the ship?” he asked, criticizing the lack of transparency and calling for new elections for the club’s Board of Governors.

In response, Treasurer Stephen Gaffga acknowledged the need for greater financial oversight and transparency, noting that the board is working to correct past bookkeeping errors and improve budgeting practices. 

“We are asking [department heads] to work collaboratively with the treasurer and the goal is to maintain a flat budget while still building a contingency fund,” Trustee Kyle Hill explained.

Later in the meeting, the board also addressed several action items, including approving a busking program, extending a website and social media management services contract and authorizing various budget amendments to correct past accounting issues.

Notably, the board scheduled a public hearing for March 26 to consider overriding the 2% tax cap. Gaffga explained that this is a procedural step, and the board’s goal is to maintain a flat budget without the need to pierce the tax cap.

In closing, the board appointed a local business owner, to the Public Safety Advisory Council, recognizing the value of her perspective in addressing community concerns.

The next Village of Port Jefferson Board of Trustees meeting will be held March 12 in the courtroom on the second floor of Village Hall.

For more information visit www.portjeff.com.

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By Dylan Friedman

A proposed 48-unit apartment complex in Port Jefferson Station, Brook Meadows, has sparked a potential boundary restructuring between Brookhaven Town and Port Jefferson Village. Developer Northwind Group wants to annex the project site on Baylis Avenue to Port Jefferson Village. 

This unusual move comes after Northwind’s initial attempt to secure a zoning change from Brookhaven Town for the 5.6-acre parcel at 16 Baylis Ave. failed amid community and official opposition.

Baylis Avenue, a dead-end street with only 6 properties, presents a unique situation. While physically located within the Town of Brookhaven, its sole access point is via Sheep Pasture Road, which lies within Port Jefferson Village.

If both the town and village consent to the annexation, Brook Meadows would be assessed by Port Jefferson’s land-use boards instead of those of Brookhaven’s.

However, Ira Costell, president of the Port Jefferson Station-Terryville Civic Association, said in a recent Newsday article that he thinks the annexation “has the feel of a backdoor move to circumvent both the town and the residents of Port Jefferson Station” to bypass town zoning laws. 

“If this was a constant process and policy now, we are eating away at the margins of what’s been long-term, long-established as the governmental jurisdiction. It still remains part of our school district. Everybody around that parcel will be Port Jeff Station residents. I mean, what’s the logic behind this,” Costell said.  

There is a public hearing, scheduled for March 6 at Brookhaven Town Hall in Farmingville, is poised to be pivotal in determining the fate of the Brook Meadows development and its implications for municipal boundary adjustments. 

Ultimately, the fate of the annexation and the Brook Meadows project will hinge on a joint decision by Brookhaven Town and Port Jefferson Village.

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Port Jefferson Village Hall. Photo by Heidi Sutton 2023

By Peter Sloniewsky

In the new year, the Port Jefferson Country Club’s governorship has remained an issue among the trustees and the public. 

Prior to the Board of Trustees meeting on Jan. 29, Mayor Lauren Sheprow wrote to the membership of the country club that she was planning to introduce a resolution that would solicit a Request for Expression of Interest  to create a 10-year strategic plan for the club at a cost of no more than $50,000. An EOI is a competitive process used to get information from potential consultants about interest in a project and does not require any actual investment. 

Tom Natola. Photo courtesy of portjeffcc.com

This plan would include both capital and operations planning for the course and the campus and comes after a number of controversies stalled last year’s planning efforts. Debates over junior membership, initiation fees and other components of the membership package stretched across the month of December before being cut short by a surprise announcement by General Manager Tom Natola that rates, playing and access policies would not change between 2024 and 2025. 

At the Jan. 29 meeting, the trustees both debated Sheprow’s proposal and engaged with one another about resolving the current controversy of junior membership rates. After a recommendation from the town attorney, Sheprow removed the $50,000 number. 

Trustee Robert Juliano questioned why the club’s Board of Governors  or Country Club Management Advisory Council were not just asked to develop such a strategic plan. The town attorney stopped this discussion, stating that it was a non-public matter of “job performance.”  Sheprow later told TBR News Media that she “first requested that [Natola] develop a strategic plan in October of 2023” before coming “to the conclusion that professional assistance may be needed.” 

Trustee Kyle Hill also moved to push this job to the BOG and CCMAC and showed a reluctance to spend money on such a plan whether that was the intention of the resolution or not. He also argued that the membership of the club had not been adequately consulted, and that there was a risk for “reputational damage” to the board of trustees as a result. Regardless, the EOI was passed 3-2 among the trustees, with trustee Stan Louks (who previously served as liaison to the country club) and Hill opposed. 

CCMAC Chair Lisa Perry told TBR News Media that CCMAC had not met to discuss the proposal of a consultant-driven strategic plan, but that Sheprow had mentioned her intention to take this approach. Sheprow also defended this approach to TBR News Media: “With the complexities of all the moving parts surrounding the property … I consider it my direct responsibility, for the best interests of all our residents/taxpayers, to take lead on this, and soliciting expressions of interest was the first step to help educate the Board of Governors and the CCMAC on what services are available.”

However, later public comment showed some discontent with this strategy. Resident Matt Franco called to disband the BOG and implement bylaws. Looking ahead, he also argued that the $50,000 for a strategic plan would have to come from a rainy-day fund, and that the goal of a general manager at the club should be to take lead on designing that 10-year plan. 

The trustees also unanimously certified a set of rules for the club for 2025 identical to the 2024 rules (as Natola’s announcement had promised) with the change of moving juniors start times from 2 p.m. to 10 a.m. 

Just two days later, in a surprise to the club’s members, Sheprow announced the resignation of Natola. Rather than immediately seeking a replacement, she wrote that a combination of the BOG, CCMAC and the return of   Louks as liaison to the club would lead its governance. Sheprow told TBR News Media that it is “a best practice for any country club to have a general manager” but stated faith in Louks to assist in managing the club for the time being. Perry also asserted to TBR News Media that, while the CCMAC had not yet met, she had faith in the club’s other management along with Louks to keep things running smoothly. 

In hindsight, Sheprow told TBR News Media “a bylaws document for the BOG is essential to define the makeup and roles and responsibilities of the BOG,” but also that this was “another long outstanding deliverable anticipated from the GM.” She also reflected that the BOG had done well in 2023 (when it was re-formed) but that, once controversies arose, “it became evident that a resident majority is important.” Alternatively, Perry claimed that she would “personally be in favor of the BOG having an equal number of residents to nonresidents,” but noted that it does currently have a resident majority. 

The Port Jefferson Board of Trustees will meet again on Feb. 26.

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A scene from the 6th annual Port Jefferson Ice Festival. Photo by Julianne Mosher
A scene from the 6th annual Port Jefferson Ice Festival. Photo by Julianne Mosher
A scene from the 6th annual Port Jefferson Ice Festival. Photo by Julianne Mosher
A scene from the 6th annual Port Jefferson Ice Festival. Photo by Julianne Mosher
A scene from the 6th annual Port Jefferson Ice Festival. Photo by Julianne Mosher
A scene from the 6th annual Port Jefferson Ice Festival. Photo by Julianne Mosher
A scene from the 6th annual Port Jefferson Ice Festival. Photo by Julianne Mosher
A scene from the 6th annual Port Jefferson Ice Festival. Photo by Julianne Mosher
A scene from the 6th annual Port Jefferson Ice Festival. Photo by Julianne Mosher

By Julianne Mosher

For its sixth consecutive year, the Port Jefferson Ice Festival brought in thousands of guests to the village after stormy weather caused a rain date activation.

Originally scheduled for Jan. 18 and 19, the festival was postponed to Saturday, Jan. 25 and Sunday, Jan. 26 where weather was sunny, but chilly — a perfect combination for the more than two dozen ice sculptures to thrive.

For more than half a decade, the annual Port Jefferson Ince Festival, hosted by the Port Jefferson Business Improvement District, has brought in Rich Daly, owner of Ice Memories Inc. in Mastic Beach.

Daly, who is an award-winning ice sculptor with over 200 competition titles, including a Guinness World Record for carrying 60 sculptures in under three hours, took to the tennis courts to show several live carvings including Olaf the snowman from “Frozen” where people of all ages watched the master carver in awe.

Throughout the village, pre-made ice sculptures from Daly’s shop decorated the sidewalks outside of local businesses. In addition to the sculptures, visitors enjoyed live ice carving demonstrations, ice corn hole, marshmallow roasting, hot chocolate stands, ice mini golf, skating demos, tractor rides, karaoke, interactive games and live dance and music performances.

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Global Language Reads ribbon cutting. Photo courtesy of PJCC
Global Language Reads ribbon cutting. Photo courtesy of Councilmember Kornreich’s office

It was a great turnout for the ribbon cutting of new Port Jefferson Village business Global Language Reads at 402 Main Street on Jan. 15. 

Hosted by the Greater Chamber of Commerce, the event was attended by Port Jefferson Mayor Lauren Sheprow, New York State Assemblywoman Rebecca Kassay, Brookhaven Councilmember Jonathan Kornreich, former New York State Senator Ken LaValle, Port Jefferson Village Trustees Kyle Hill and Robert Juliano, PJCC President Stuart Vincent, Third Vice President Douglas Quattrock, family and friends who came out to congratulate owner Caterina Lemos-Cunha and wish her the best of luck in her new venture.  

“I’m excited to welcome Global Language Reads to our community. This new bookstore offers a unique collection of books in multiple languages, providing an opportunity for locals and visitors to explore stories from around the world,” said Councilmember Kornreich. 

“Global Language Reads is a wonderful addition to our town, celebrating diversity and encouraging cultural exchange. I can’t wait to see this new business thrive and contribute to the cultural fabric of Port Jefferson. Be sure to take advantage of the variety of exciting activities they host! From movie and game nights, to engaging book clubs, to the science society and debate club for young adults, there’s something for everyone,” he added.

For more information, visit www.glrbooks.com.

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Port Jefferson Village Hall. Photo by Heidi Sutton 2023

By Peter SLoniewsky

Guidelines surrounding membership rates and a junior golfers program at the Port Jefferson Country Club is a recent topic of contention. 

Because the country club is owned by the Village of Port Jefferson, the rates it charges to members require approval by the Port Jefferson Board of Trustees after they have been discussed by the club’s Board of Governors and approved by the club’s general manager and Country Club Management Advisory Council. 

December 4 meeting

This year, the club introduced a membership rate proposal to the entire Board of Trustees at their Dec. 4 work session. This proposal contained two major differences: it gradually eliminated the junior members program for children 12-18 and proposed a new initiation fee. The website also states that members must be 19-29 on Apr. 1 to play golf. Junior members are not permitted as guests.

At the meeting, the club’s general manager, Tom Natola, advocated for removing the junior membership option on the basis that many members with junior memberships had parents who were members. Natola said that it made more sense to sell family memberships and eliminating the junior program would incentivize this. 

He also said that there was a liability concern for juniors on the courses. At this meeting, both Mayor Lauren Sheprow and trustee Xena Ugrinsky discussed eliminating the junior program straightaway due to liability although they did not directly advocate for it. 

Both at the meeting and afterward, parents provided significant blowback. Port Jefferson parent Nicole Connolly, whose son and daughter are both junior golfers, said there has been a pattern of policymaking that has eroded the program over the past several years. According to Connolly, negotiations two years ago included significant parent resistance against a CCMAC proposal to disproportionately increase junior membership rates. 

CCMAC Chair Lisa Perry told TBR News Media that “the country club has always supported junior golfers and their families.”

She added that the Port Jefferson High School golf teams play for free at the club. 

As a result of these controversies, the Board of Trustees requested that Natola prepare another proposal for their Dec. 18 public meeting. 

Questions of CCMAC involvement

Complicating this, the process that led to the Dec. 4 proposal is unclear.  Sheprow said, “[the Board of Governors] made recommendations to the country club manager, who reviewed the recommendations with the Country Club Management Advisory Council, also volunteers, after which the country club manager developed the recommendations he deemed appropriate.” 

Perry said “The CCMAC reviewed the rates that were proposed by their general manager and agreed to recommend the rates to the board of trustees for their Dec. 18 meeting.’

CCMAC’s involvement in the process is enforced by Chapter 25 of the Village of Port Jefferson code. If it was not included in the process prior to the Dec. 4 rejection, the sourcing of that proposal is unclear. 

CCMAC voted on a proposal on Dec. 17 that was then presented to the trustees at their Dec. 18 meeting. At this meeting, Sheprow expressed some regret for a lack of consideration of families and junior members throughout the processes that led to the Dec. 4 proposal, although she encouraged stakeholders to get involved earlier in the process. She also attributed a lack of communication to an effort to balance the budget, despite the requirement in the village code of CCMAC input. 

The Dec. 18 proposal was largely similar to the Dec. 4 proposal but would further restrict juniors to times after 2 p.m. and increase the juniors’ fees by $1,000 — an increase that trustee Kyle Hill described as “insanity.” 

The trustees voted to table the matter of junior membership and new limitations that it would place on junior members’ play times. 

Resolution

This debate was cut short on Dec. 24 with a surprise announcement from Natola that “junior rates and playing and access policies will stay the same in 2025 as they were in 2024” and  “there will be no further discussion at the Board of Trustees level related to the Junior Membership package.” 

While this announcement was a win for the juniors, it brings back some questions about power in this process. 

Natola requires approval from the CCMAC and the Board of Trustees to approve rates. His declaration in this memo that there would be no further discussion is not supported by the club’s governing rules. 

Trustee Stan Loucks, who served as a liaison between the trustees and the club for eight years, told TBR News Media that he had no insights as to why the message was sent. He added that “[Natola’s decision] should most likely go back to the trustees for approval.

Whether a vote will be called is unclear, although Hill told TBR News Media that “it’s inappropriate for any village employee to say that a discussion among trustees is over” and “any Board of Trustee member can bring it up for discussion at a meeting.” He also noted that the Christmas Eve send date had stood in the way of discussion throughout the holiday season.

Future plans

For the future, Loucks emphasized a more stringent relationship between the club and the trustees and said he would support the appointment of a liaison to the club to guide the process in the future. 

Additionally, in an email to TBR News Media, Sheprow wrote that “it is imperative that rate structure considerations support a long-term strategic plan” and work on such a plan would begin “immediately” while reinforcing the roles of the Board of Governors, CCMAC and the trustees alongside concerns about the club’s budgeting. 

The resolution of this situation is still unclear. The specifics of the junior membership plan are still unspecified and the trustees have not yet considered it. The Board of Trustees will meet next for a public meeting on Jan. 29.

For more information go to the Port Jefferson Country Club website: www.portjeffcc.com.

 

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The Long Island. Photo courtesy of Fred Hall

By Sabrina Artusa

The Bridgeport and Port Jefferson Steamboat Company have added a new vessel to its fleet: the Long Island.

The 300-foot long,  53-foot wide ferry completed its first voyage to Bridgeport on Dec. 27. The boat features new amenities such as an updated interior and tier 4 engines, the highest standard for diesel engines. It can carry 1,000 passengers and up to 124 cars.

The Bridgeport and Port Jefferson Steamboat Company Vice President and General Manager Fred Hall was the second passenger on the first voyage of the Long Island. “It was a wonderful trip; it was great to see people oohing and aahing at the decor that they hadn’t seen before.”

Unlike the smaller Park City, the Grand Republic or PT Barnum, the Long Island has seating along the window, a counter with phone charging stations, two-seat and four-seat tables and a separate cabin for pets.

The speed is the same as the other boats, but the engine is of a higher standard and releases less carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxide, hydrocarbon and particulate matter emissions.

The addition of a fourth boat to the fleet allows Hall and the company to pursue ventures besides the simple transit to and from Bridgeport.

Hall said that years ago the company used to plan excursions to other locations, such as Playland Park in Rye, an overnight trip to Albany or a trip down the Connecticut River. With an extra boat, this now may be possible.

A fourth boat also alleviates the burden of demand. the company can only schedule three boats, but having a fourth reduces the inconvenience of delays in the case one of the others needs repairs or is out of commission.

Further, Hall is exploring the possibility of using the fourth boat as a shuttle. In other words, if there is a surplus of vehicles waiting to board, and the scheduled vessel is at capacity, the fourth can serve as a shuttle to transport the remaining cars.

“This is the huge benefit,” Hall said. “Everyone asks me when is your peak season. I’ve always said when the public schools aren’t in session.” He had meant summers, but has since realized that weekends are just as busy.

“Our goal is to provide three-vessel service every weekend of the year. It is not going to happen 100% of the time. If you have four boats you have a better chance of providing three-boat service on the weekends consistently,” Hall said.

Come down to the Port Jefferson Harbor and check out the new addition of the Long Island.

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