By Peter Sloniewsky
The Village of Port Jefferson Board of Trustees held its annual organizational meeting July 2, officially appointing new trustees alongside the announcement of commissioner appointments.
Two new trustees were officially instated on the board: Kyle Hill and Xena Ugrinsky. Both Hill and Uginsky defeated Port Jefferson resident Marie Parziale in June.
Hill, a Stony Brook University graduate, based his campaign largely on environmental issues and on the role of his relative youth in local politics. His background is in public policy, wherein he previously worked for U.S. Rep. Steve Israel (NY 2/3) in the Capitol. He is also a volunteer EMT in Port Jefferson. Hill was initially a Democratic candidate for the House seat in NY-1, but dropped out several months before the primary in June to run for the trustee position.
Ugrinsky, a Russian immigrant, previously worked in the software and technology fields before transitioning to management consulting roles for national utilities companies including Con Edison and National Grid. She previously sat on the village’s Budget and Finance Committee and based much of her campaign on the future of the Port Jefferson power plant as well as fiscal responsibility and transparency. In an interview, with regard to the power plant, Ugrinsky said that her “goal was to figure out a way that I could help the village be involved in the broader conversation,” claiming that she believes “we have a moment in time where we have the opportunity to be in the forefront of what is happening in energy.”
The two new trustees were elected following the departure of Deputy Mayor Rebecca Kassay to run for New York State Assembly District 4 and the end of trustee Drew Biondo’s term.
Kassay advanced from the Democratic Primary June 25 to challenge incumbent Assemblyman Ed Flood (R-Port Jefferson) in November.
Biondo, a communications professional, was appointed to replace Lauren Sheprow when she became mayor last year. In Biondo’s departing statement, he highlighted the importance of the newly-formed Ethics Committee, whose members were sworn in later in the meeting.
Additionally, Sheprow announced new commissioner appointments at the meeting. Trustee Robert Juliano, elected in June 2023, was reappointed as commissioner of Public Works and Parks. He was also appointed to the position of deputy mayor, replacing Kassay. Juliano, who was previously village clerk, has spent a long career in municipal government and worked in banking.
Sheprow said, “Bob has earnestly demonstrated his dedication and interest in good government, and he always has the best interests of the residents at heart,” describing him as “humble and kind” as well as “a great trustee.”
Newly-elected trustees Hill and Ugrinsky were appointed as commissioners. Sheprow noted that Ugrinsky’s experience in finance and data analytics, along with her focus on the Budget and Finance Committee and Power Plant Working Group, suited her for the role of commissioner of Finance. Hill will replace Sheprow as commissioner of Public Safety-Court/Code.
Lastly, trustee Stan Loucks was appointed as commissioner of Recreation anLoucks is in his fifth term as a trustee, and previously worked as an athletic director in the Plainview school district. Faulknor is a former trustee and has been harbor commissioner previously.
In addition to new appointments, the Board of Trustees received a report from police on instances of crime in the last year, including specific statistics regarding exact types of criminal activity.
The meeting concluded with a public question-and-answer session.
