Port Jefferson Village Hall. Photo by Heidi Sutton 2023
By Peter Sloniewsky
At its Jan. 29 meeting, the board of trustees of the Incorporated Village of Port Jefferson voted unanimously to appoint Kevin Cooper as code enforcement supervisor and Anthony Flammia as assistant supervisor.
Cooper is a state-certified code enforcement official and building inspector. A resident of Baiting Hollow, he attended Dowling College and Empire State College before spending more than three decades as an officer for the New York City Police Department and New York City Transit Police. In those roles, Cooper was primarily focused on the New York City subway system. After his retirement from the NYPD in 2020, he became the director of ordinance enforcement and animal control for the Town of East Hampton.
Flammia is a former officer of the New York City and Centre Island police departments across a 40-year career and possesses a master’s degree in professional studies in homeland security from Penn State University alongside an undergraduate degree in criminal justice and human services from Empire State College. Since 2023, he’s worked as an armed security operative for Arrow Security on Renaissance Technologies’ East Setauket campus.
In a recent public meeting of the Port Jefferson Civic Association, Cooper presented his plans for Port Jefferson code enforcement. These plans include increased accessibility through an online complaint form, promoting visibility in part through expanded service hours, and broader changes to the division’s mission statement and policy lines between code enforcement and police. Cooper also displayed openness to expanded hiring and clarified his perception of the role of code enforcement as “about education and compliance, not about writing tickets.”
“I want to help in making the village an enjoyable place to live in and visit,” Cooper said. “I pride myself on being responsive and if I cannot address a concern a resident might make me aware of, I will guide them to the agency or department that will help solve the problem or issue.”
In a statement to TBR News Media, Port Jefferson village Trustee Xena Ugrinsky detailed the context of this selection process as well as faith in Cooper to improve the village’s code enforcement.
“This has been an 18-month effort of the current administration when [Mayor Lauren Sheprow] was elected. It was focused on modernizing and improving the village’s approach to code enforcement,” Ugrinsky told TBR. “[With Cooper and Flammia] the village is now well-positioned to implement a professional and purpose-built code enforcement unit. Both individuals bring deep experience in law and code enforcement and are working closely with Suffolk County Police to ensure clear coordination and a distinct delineation of responsibilities between the two bodies.”
Ugrinsky also detailed concerns related to private firearm ownership among code enforcement personnel and outdated village regulation on code enforcement.
Sheprow also emphasized the importance of the new hirings in a statement to TBR.
“The training and educational aspects of this professional and cultural shift are significant, and we are grateful to Supervisor Cooper for taking this on,” Sheprow wrote.
“He has the knowledge and awareness to help shape priorities, and the more time he spends working in the village, the more he will understand where the best opportunities for education and improvement exist.”
For more information visit the Port Jefferson village website (www.portjeff.com).
Destruction to Phase 1 work to the East Beach Bluff face as of March 2025. Photo from the Port Jefferson Village website.
By Lynn Hallarman
A community informational forum about Phase 2 of the East Beach Bluff stabilization project was held by village officials at the Port Jefferson Village Center on March 27.
Audience in attendance at the forum held at the Village Center.Photo by Lynn Hallarman
The forum aimed to update residents on the current status and finances of the upper wall project, summarize the next steps and review the work of Port Jefferson’s Citizens Commission on Erosion.
Mayor Lauren Sheprow presided over the meeting. The board of trustees, village attorney David Moran, village treasurer Stephen Gaffga and clerk Sylvia Pirillo were present.
Project summary
Phases 1 and 2 of the East Beach Bluff stabilization aim to halt bluff erosion and prevent the Village of Port Jefferson-owned country club from collapsing down the slope.
Phase 1 was completed in August of 2023, with the construction of a 358-foot wall of steel and cement at the base of a steep bluff, about 100-feet-tall, facing north toward the Long Island Sound. Terracing and plantings installed along the western portion of the bluff were destroyed in a series of storms shortly after the project’s completion.
Phase 2 involves installing a steel barrier driven into the bluff’s crest, just a few feet seaward of the country club. This upper wall is intended to stabilize the area landward of the bluff and reduce the risk of structural failure.
As part of Phase 2’s preconstruction, GEI Consultants of Huntington Station—the engineers for Phases 1 and 2—will be engaged to update the land survey, analyze drainage options, reevaluate wall design for cost efficiency and monitor construction. Village officials will then prepare requests for proposal documents to solicit bids for the upper wall’s construction.
Concerns of the Citizens Commission on Erosion
David Knauf, chair of the Citizens Commission on Erosion, speaks at the forum. Photo by Lynn Hallarman
David Knauf, chair of the Citizens Commission on Erosion, presented the benefits and concerns of various approaches to stabilizing the country club at the bluff’s edge.
The CCE serves as a volunteer advisory group to the village on erosion-related issues.Members are not required to have specialized expertise.
Among the advantages, Knauf noted that a portion of Phase 2 costs will be covered by a Federal Emergency Management Agency grant, reducing the financial burden on local taxpayers.However, the committee expressed concerns about the reliability of FEMA funding.
“If they are withdrawn, that is going to put us in a heap of trouble fiscally,” he said.
Key concerns include the unknown long-term costs of the overall project beyond the Phase 2 wall installation. These include a drainage plan, repairs to damage sustained during Phase 1 and ongoing maintenance expenses.
“All of us on the committee are taxpayers, and we’re concerned about getting value for money spent,” Knauf said. “The bluff wall project is not something that you just do and you’re finished. It’s going to have responsibilities and obligations for the village in perpetuity.”
Knauf outlined alternative approaches to building the upper wall, including:
●Rebuilding the clubhouse inland in conjunction with bluff restoration and drainage improvements.
●Implementing a partial wall and drainage plan, followed by the eventual relocation of the clubhouse.
“It is the opinion of the committee that detailed plans for the whole project — including Phase 1 repairs, drainage and Phase 2 — are completed so an accurate assessment of final costs can be presented to the village taxpayers,” Knauf later told TBR News Media in an email.
Comments from GEI
Following Knauf’s presentation, GEI licensed professional engineer Adon Austinexplained the steps necessary before construction can begin on the upper wall.
The project is designed as a “two-part system [lower and upper wall] working in combination to control bluff erosion,” Austin said.
“Once we have the design reconfigured and a drainage plan, all of this will go to the New York State arm of the Federal Emergency Management Agency for review,” he added. “FEMA will then revise the cost estimates, the scope and the grant, to align with what the current scope of the project would be.”GEI will then issue a final design along with construction documents.
GEI has recommended that the village evaluate the current risk to the building’s foundation in response to written questions from the Citizens Commission on Erosion.
Laura Schwanof, senior ecologist and landscape architect for GEI, commented on possible contributing factors to the current erosion of the bluff face:
“ We were only allowed [by the state Department of Environmental Conservation] to put terraces up six rows — nothing more.” Schwanof said. “ We were prevented from doing any structural work on the western end beyond the golf course. As far as failure of the system, we worked within the confines of the regulatory agency requirements.”
Treasurer outlines project costs
Village treasurer Stephen Gaffga presented an overview of the financial history related to the East Beach Bluff stabilization project.To date, the total amount spent so far for Phases 1 and 2 is approximately $6.02 million.
Phase 1 was funded through borrowed money as part of a $10 million bond resolution passed by the board of trustees in 2021. The resolution was approved by a permissive referendum, meaning it did not move to a public vote. Of the $10 million, “$5.2 million was spent on Phase 1,” Gaffga said.
According to a fall 2024 audit by CPA firm, PKF O’Connor Davies — previously reported by TBR News Media — Phase 1 exceeded its original budget by approximately $800,000. This overage was not discussed during the forum.
“The overage on Phase 1 was paid for in past years with taxpayer funds out of the general fund balance,” Gaffga wrote in an email..
Gaffga estimated the combined costs to individual taxpayers for Phases 1 and 2 at approximately $77 per year over a 15-year period. However, he noted this estimate may need to be revised once actual costs for the wall construction and other related projects are known.
”We don’t know what the costs are going be until we actually go out to bid on the construction of the project, and we’re not there yet,” Gaffga said.
Additional expenses — including a drainage project, repairs to the bluff face and ongoing maintenance costs to the bluff — were not addressed at the forum.
Community questions focus on costs, property use
Most audience questions centered on the project’s cost to taxpayers, technical aspects of the stabilization effort and how the property is used by residents. The golf membership currently includes“3 percent of village residents,” according to Moran.
Moran responded to a question about holding a public referendum on whether to proceed with construction of the upper wall or rebuild the facility inland.
“During that permissive referendum vote back in 2021, no petition was received [from the public within 30 days] as required for a public vote. Bond counsel to the village advised that there’s only one way to call for another vote— the trustees would have to rescind that initial bond resolution. This would mean the loss of FEMA money.”
Village resident Myrna Gordon said in a statement to TBR News Media:
“Residents who own the facility should be the ones that determine through a referendum how best to resolve its use, function and future — of both the building and bluff that is so greatly compromised.”
The meeting closed with comments from members of the board of trustees:
“Phase 2 is a way to ensure that we protect the bluff so that we buy time. To decide how to deal with the building.Maybe we retrieve the building; maybe it gets moved — who knows?” trustee Xena Ugrinsky said.
“ If you have strong feelings about this issue, I highly encourage you to email the board,” trustee Kyle Hill said.
The Citizens Commission on Erosion can be reached at: erosioncommission@portjeff.com.
The Village of Port Jefferson has entered into a new partnership with Lessing’s Hospitality Group to provide exclusive food, beverage, and catering operations at the Port Jefferson Country Club, according to a press release. The Village Board of Trustees voted unanimously on March 17th to approve the license agreement (an assignment of the existing lease), marking a significant step forward in enhancing hospitality services for residents, members, and visitors alike.
Known for delivering personalized service and high-caliber events, Lessing’s will provide custom menus, full-service event support, and tailored food and beverage experiences at the Port Jefferson Country Club. They will begin operating “The Turn,” with food and beverage service officially launching on opening day of golf at PJCC, Saturday, March 29, 2025. Effective immediately, Lessing’s will assume responsibility for all catering operations at the Country Club, including member events, weddings, social, and corporate functions.
“We are so proud to welcome Lessing’s Hospitality Group to Port Jefferson Country Club,” said Mayor Lauren Sheprow. “With their longstanding reputation for excellence in golf course food and beverage management, catering, and member events, we are confident this partnership will bring a new standard of service to Port Jefferson Country Club and elevate the overall guest experience for our community.”
Established in 1908, the Port Jefferson Country Club is a distinguished fixture on Long Island’s North Shore. The golf course was designed by renowned architect Alfred H. Tull and spans 145 acres as a 6,800-yard, par-72 championship course. The 170+ acre Country Club was acquired from the estate of the late Norman K. Winston by the Inc. Village of Port Jefferson for $2.9 million in 1978 via a resident referendum. Today, the Port Jefferson Country Club remains one of the premier golf and event destinations in the region, offering an 18-hole membership-accessible championship course with sweeping views of the Long Island Sound.
Michael Lessing, CEO of Lessing’s Hospitality Group, added, “It is an honor to partner with the Village of Port Jefferson and oversee hospitality at such a distinguished venue. We look forward to serving the community with exceptional dining experiences and memorable events, both at The Turn and throughout the Country Club.”
Lessing’s Hospitality Group brings over 135 years of hospitality management experience and operates at over 100 locations, including 10 golf and country clubs. Their portfolio features renowned venues such as The Heritage Club at Bethpage State Park and Stonebridge Golf Links & Country Club.
From left, Steven Gallagher, Port Jefferson Superintendent of Public Works; Stephen Gaffga, Port Jefferson Treasurer; Mayor Lauren Sheprow; Sylvia Pirillo, Port Jefferson Clerk; SCWA Director of Construction/Maintenance Brendan Warner; SCWA Chairman Charlie Lefkowitz; and Jarrot Haffner, Port Jefferson DPW. Photo courtesy the SCWA
The Suffolk County Water Authority (SCWA) and the Village of Port Jefferson marked the completion of three major water infrastructure projects with a ceremonial check presentation on Nov. 25. SCWA provided $473,000 to the village for road restoration, enabling curb-to-curb paving of affected roads at no cost to residents.
The upgrades, part of SCWA’s effort to modernize its system and enhance service reliability, included replacing outdated water mains, addressing failing water connections and improving fire protection. The projects aim to ensure more dependable water delivery and better infrastructure for the community.
“Modernizing our water infrastructure is essential, allowing us to deliver water our customers can trust and service they can rely on,” said SCWA Chairman Charlie Lefkowitz. “This collaboration with the Village of Port Jefferson exemplifies how municipalities and utilities can work together to maximize benefits for the community.”
The completed work included replacing 3,500 feet of water mains on Old Post Road with durable ductile iron pipes, enhancing water distribution and fire protection. On East Broadway, 14 aging service connections were replaced to address recurring leaks caused by challenging ground conditions. Additionally, 475 feet of undersized cast iron water mains were replaced on Nicholas Street, improving water pressure and reliability.
With these upgrades complete, the village can now begin road restoration, fully repaving affected streets. By overseeing the road restoration, the village reduced costs and ensured the roads meet community standards.
“The Village of Port Jefferson places great value on its partnership with the Suffolk County Water Authority,” said Port Jefferson Mayor Lauren Sheprow. “We now have upgraded water infrastructure and the village can fully and efficiently restore the roads for our residents. This collaboration demonstrates true teamwork in serving the public and we are grateful.”
Residents welcomed the improvements. “I live near Old Post Road and I drive it all the time,” said Peter Duran, a local resident. “It’s been a little bumpy but I knew it was just a matter of time before they paved this road. I think the village is doing a good job.”
About the Suffolk County Water Authority
The Suffolk County Water Authority is an independent public-benefit corporation operating under New York State law. Serving approximately 1.2 million Suffolk County residents, SCWA operates on a not-for-profit basis without taxing power.
Lauren Sheprow, mayor-elect of the Village of Port Jefferson. File photo by Raymond Janis
At an emergency meeting of the Port Jefferson Village Board of Trustees on Oct. 30 the board voted unanimously to suspend the carrying of firearms by any and all Village employees, in furtherance of their duties and responsibilities as employees of the Village of Port Jefferson, including, but not limited to Code Enforcement Bureau personnel.
“This is something we as a board have been discussing since my first meeting as mayor, as one of many departmental deep dives,” said village Mayor Lauren Sheprow. “We have been working with a consultant on this particular issue among others and the board agreed that this was in the best interests for the health, safety and welfare of Village employees, residents and the public.”
The mayor explained at the meeting that the incident that perpetuated this emergency meeting was that a firearm was left in a public restroom in Village Hall, fortunately without incident. This resulted, she said, in this immediate action.
TBR is following this story closely. More information about this development will be covered in our Nov. 7 editions.
View the meeting on the village’s YouTube channel. The next meeting of the Board of Trustees is a work session on Wednesday, Nov. 6 at 5 p.m.
County legislator and geologist, Steve Englebright, explains bluff erosion at Port Jeff civic meeting. Photo by Lynn Hallarman
By Lynn Hallarman
Whenever Steve Englebright, 5th District county legislator (D-Setauket) and geologist, is asked about the East Beach bluff stabilization project, chances are he will start by explaining the big picture of bluff erosion on the North Shore of Long Island.
“We [Port Jefferson] are at the doorstep of the greatest amount of erosion of the entirety of the North Shore,” he said to a rapt audience of about 40 people at the Port Jefferson Civic Association meeting Oct. 14.
Englebright spent 40 minutes in an educational deep dive about the shoreline’s composition and history, focusing on how erosion along the 50 miles of the North Shore impacts the village-owned sliver of bluff at the East Beach.
The meeting represents another moment in the ongoing debate among residents and village officials about the project strategies and costs. Mayor Lauren Sheprow, trustee Xena Ugrinsky and several members of the Port Jefferson Citizens Commission on Erosion were present.
Using a whiteboard and marker, Englebright diagrammed how thousands of years of erosion have shaped and reshaped the shoreline. The audience gasped as he recounted the 1904 Broken Ground Slide, in which almost a mile of land just east of Northport let loose and fell into the Long Island Sound in one day.
“The reason I want you to get the big picture is that this is a very unstable shoreline. The basic premise of stabilizing it for a given property [the country club] is mission impossible. Because any given little property is part of a larger dynamic,” he said.
Englebright explained that erosion of the North Shore is accelerating because of our overheating oceans, producing more powerful and frequent tropical storms, further destabilizing the area. “[Bluffs] are not cemented together, so it doesn’t take much to disturb them — like a hurricane. They come apart easily,” he said.
“The county club was unwisely [decades ago] placed too close to the bluff edge,” he said. In the long term, more than just tennis courts will be in harm’s way.”
“What does this all mean?”
“We have to ask some serious questions when we get involved in spending millions of dollars,” he said.
Weighing the pros and cons
Englebright shifted the conversation from a big picture discussion about coastal erosion to a conversation about the project’s immediate and long-term goals.
“I think we’ve already spent something like $5 million in a community of 8,500 people. Do the math: It’s already a significant investment, much of which has already been at least partially compromised in just a couple of seasons,” he said.
He added: “It’s really a cost-benefit analysis that has to be made.”
Cost update
Village treasurer, Stephen Gaffga, told TBR News Media in a follow-up phone interview that the costs for Phase 1 of the East Beach Bluff Stabilization project — which included the construction of a large rigid wall already installed at the base and bluff face plantings — have reached $5.3 million.
Additional costs of $640,000 related to engineering designs and administration bring the total cost to $6 million for Phase 1.
According to the treasurer, the village is currently negotiating with the company that installed the Phase 1 bluff face plantings to determine coverage of the costs for the work destroyed during last winter’s storms.
Phase 2, the upper wall project — which includes installing a rigid wall with a steel plate at the crest of the bluff — will be partially funded by federal taxpayer dollars as a $3.75 million FEMA grant. Village officials announced final federal approval for this grant money last month. Local taxpayer dollars will fund the remaining Phase 2 expenses.
According to the treasurer, village officials will better understand the total costs of Phase 2 once the village bids for the work of constructing the upper wall.
Village trustees approved a $10 million bond resolution in 2021 to fund the project (phases 1 and 2) overall. To date, $5.2 million of the $10 million approved has been borrowed.
Additional potential costs to date include a possible drainage project at the bluff’s crest, and additional expenses related to repairing recent storm damage to the bluff face.
Sheprow told TBR that the village is exploring possible additional grant funding to supplement identified additional costs.
Relocating Port Jeff Country Club
“The bad news is that there’s no single solution,” Englebright said. “The good news is that you [the village] own 178 acres due to the wise investment by the mayor’s father, former mayor Harold Sheprow, made in [1978].”
“That gives you the ability to relocate the building,” he added, referring to Port Jefferson Country Club.
Englebright suggested that project options be costed out over time and compared before more is done. He would like to see more than engineering expertise weigh into decisions about the project. “Engineers will always tell you they can build anything,” he said.
He envisions a retreat scenario as done in phases or possibly all at once. “But those decisions have to be costed out,” he said.
Englebright ended his lecture by commending the current mayor. “I can tell you this, I have met with the mayor and she is doing her homework,” he said.
The next civic association meeting will be held Nov. 11 at 6.30 p.m. at the Port Jefferson Free Library.
Capital projects fund review of East Beach bluff stabilization shows an estimated $800,000 budget overspend. Photo by Lynn Hallarman
By Lynn Hallarman
The final report reviewing the capital projects fund was presented to the public by CPA firm, PKF O’Connor Davies of Hauppauge, at the Village of Port Jefferson Board of Trustees Sept. 25 meeting, ending a year of uncertainty over the financial condition of the fund.
The most significant conclusion was an estimated $1.27 million in overspending on capital projects done without an identified funding source. The largest overage was the East Beach bluff stabilization project of about $800,000.
Why the review was done
One year ago, concerns were raised by then newly-appointed village treasurer, Stephen Gaffga, about the bookkeeping practices that track the village’s capital projects fund. This prompted village officials to hire PKF O’Connor Davies to give a full historical accounting of the fund’s financial recordkeeping. The review spanned from May 2016 to May 2023.
“I noticed shortly after starting my position as treasurer in September of 2023 that our capital projects fund looked like every expense account had a negative balance, which immediately raised red flags for me,” Gaffga said in an interview with TBR News Media.
Gaffga noted that best practices recommended by the Office of the New York State Comptroller were not being followed, making it difficult to track how money was being spent on individual projects.
Ideally a capital project fund ledger should give a granular view of how money flows though different projects and meticulously accounts for funding and payments related to each project, according to the OSC.
The village additionally enlisted Charlene Kagel, CPA — former commissioner of finance for the Town of Brookhaven and ex-Southampton village administrator — as an expert municipal finance consultant to assist the village as it corrects bookkeeping practices to comply with state guidelines.
Reports findings
According to PKF O’Connor Davies, the purpose of the capital projects fund review was to identify which projects have been funded, which have been overspent and what grant funds for specific projects have not yet been reimbursed to the village.
The report provided a clearer picture of the capital fund financial state, especially addressing the overall negative balance observed a year ago. PKF detailed 26 projects as having a deficit fund balance.
Reviewers also noted that “recordkeeping varied by project” — or in other words, the bookkeeping lacked a consistent approach across the ledgers.
Overall, the review revealed an $8.1 million total deficit as of May 31, 2023. “Most of this deficit, an estimated $5 million, is due to grants expected but not yet received by the village,” Gaffga said.
The estimated $1.27 million shortfall comes from spending on a few large projects, most of which, $800,000, is attributed to the bluff stabilization project.
Gaffga explained that the additional spending on the bluff project occurred incrementally over several years starting in 2017, with board members approving these expenses without first identifying a funding source.
Recommendations
Recommendations to the village boil down to one improvement: Follow bookkeeping guidance outlined by the OSC.
The report also identifies the absence of a long-term capital projects fund plan for the village.
Kagel told TBR that an excellent capital plan should include a list of proposed projects by department heads and for municipalities to assign each project a “priority ranking” year by year.
“The board ranks what projects are most important and then figures out how they are going to pay for it,” she said.
Gaffga added, “There will need to be an identified funding source to correct that $1.27 million deficit in the capital fund.”
Gaffga pointed out, however, that this amount is an unaudited estimation. The village has hired a new accounting firm, R.S. Abrams & Co. of Islandia, to finalize the numbers cited in the report before village officials will move forward with a financial plan to reimburse the capital projects fund, as required by municipal law.
“Bottom line, it’s just bad bookkeeping. The village didn’t follow the recommended practice and accounting procedures that are set forth by the state and this is what happens when you don’t,” Kagel said.
Moving forward
The treasurer for a municipality is the custodian of all capital funds, responsible for tracking the finances of each project and developing financial reports for the board and the public.
“At the same time, the board is ultimately responsible for the oversight of the village financials,” Kagel said. “It’s pretty clear that municipalities aren’t supposed to overspend their budget, according to general municipal law in New York State.”
“Stephen [Gaffga] has implemented an OSC best practice, tracking each project financial detail to be sent to the board monthly, so the board can say, ‘Hey, how come we’re in the red on this project?’” she said.
“I’m glad we are now through the most difficult part of the capital projects fund review process and we now know exactly where the village stands,” Mayor Lauren Sheprow said in an email statement to TBR News Media.
“Now the village can proceed to develop a truly transparent capital project plan with guidance from our new Budget and Finance Committee and our incredible treasurer, Stephen Gaffga,” she added.
The full report can be viewed on the Village of Port Jefferson website at www.portjeff.com, and the next Board of Trustees meeting will be held on Oct. 9, as a work session.
Andrew Thomas argues his case to remain on the zoning board of appeals. Photo courtesy PJ Village website
By Lynn Hallarman
Andrew Thomas, architectural designer and village resident, made his case to remain as a member of the Village of Port Jefferson Zoning Board of Appeals at the Board of Trustees meeting July 31.
Having served on the ZBA since 2014 and the Architectural Review Committee since 2020, Thomas highlighted his experience in a detailed statement. Thomas is the husband of former village trustee Rebecca Kassay, now Democratic candidate for the state Assembly District 4.
Despite his efforts, trustees voted 3-1 in a resolution to “fill the vacant position under which Thomas was serving in a holdover capacity.” He was replaced with real estate agent and ZBA alternate member, Alexia Poulos. Trustee Kyle Hill cast the dissenting vote, while trustee Stan Loucks was absent.
Addressing prior concerns about possible conflict of interest from his dual roles on the ZBA and ARC, Thomas offered several solutions to the board including withdrawing from the ARC or recusing himself from certain matters. He stated that legal counsel from the New York Conference of Mayors indicated no conflict exists.
Zoning procedures
Zoning is the process by which a municipality is divided into separate districts or zones. The goal is to avoid incompatible land uses, like a car wash being built in a residential area. If an applicant, such as the builder of a car wash, is dissatisfied with the zoning regulations, a petition can be lodged with the ZBA for a variance. The ZBA then decides whether to grant or deny this request.
Holdover status
According to the July 1 organizational minutes of the Board of Trustees, Thomas, along with another ZBA member and three members of the Planning Board are currently in “holdover” status, with terms that have expired as far back as 2022.
Additionally, a total of 17 volunteer members across several different committees and advisory councils have also been identified in the minutes as serving in holdover status due to expired terms.
Holdover status occurs when a volunteer member continues to serve after their official term has expired, ensuring that the board, committee or council remains functional. Volunteers in holdover status can be reappointed or replaced by a governing body such as the Board of Trustees according to New York State Public Officers Law.
When a ZBA member is in holdover status, the Board of Trustees can replace that member without a formal public hearing. This is an exception to New York State law, which mandates a public hearing when a member is being removed “for cause,” such as meeting absences or ethics violations.
Thomas underscored the importance of the ZBA’s independence from political influence and called for the reappointment of all holdover members to restore proper procedure. He concluded by requesting continued service, stressing the importance of “experience, continuity and public trust” in the board’s functions.
“I understand how directly and even emotionally land use decisions can affect individual citizens. It is one of our most direct and meaningful interactions with government and it requires great care and respect,” Thomas said in his statement.
Mayor Lauren Sheprow in an email to TBR stated that “we have recently discovered a comprehensive and consistent lack of timely and accurate recordkeeping of our land use board members by prior administrations over the years, resulting in term start and end dates that are not verifiable.”
She added, “We are diligently working to bring all boards, committees and councils into compliance with NYS Village Law if they are not.”
The Board of Trustees will hold a work session Aug. 14. The next trustees board meeting open for public comment will be held Aug. 28.
Screenshot from the June 12 trustee meeting via the Inc. Village of Port Jefferson’s YouTube channel.
By Katherine Kelton
The Village of Port Jefferson Board of Trustees held a work session June 12 to discuss new plans ranging from parking to funding. Mayor Lauren Sheprow spearheaded the meeting as each trustee brought their issues to the table.
Parking was one of the major plans discussed throughout the meeting as throughout much of the village parking for residents and nonresidents has not been cohesive. Trustee Drew Biondo said, “The parking committee is ongoing with their work.” Beach parking lots will become resident only and discussions for other lots are largely yet to be decided.
The parking updates will go into effect by the opening of beaches on June 22. The swimming area ropes were due to be installed June 19. The beaches remain open to all — only the parking is restrictive.
The village firework show on July 3 will be viewable from the East and West beaches. Sheprow announced that the show will have two new additions — a food truck and a DJ. To ensure safety and lawfulness, trustee Bob Juliano attended a firework committee in regards to the event. He shared once again that the event is open to nonresidents, though parking is strictly for residents only.
Sheprow also touched on difficulties the village has been having in attracting businesses. She believes there is a misconception about the village not having enough foot traffic.
“The village is packed every weekend and many nights of the week,” she said, adding she is hoping to bring in more businesses.
Juliano also shared that the repairs at Rocket Ship Park are complete, to which the board discussed the possibility of repairing the sidewalks in the area.
Another major discussion of the meeting was the recession of the East Beach bluff on top of which the Port Jefferson Country Club is located — an issue the village has been facing for years.
Deputy Mayor Rebecca Kassay admitted the recession is inevitable and that no amount of funding can reverse it. In the meeting, Kassay suggested making a “strategic retreat” from the bluff. Although the group did not decide what the retreat would look like, the board agreed a comprehensive plan would become necessary further down the line. However, the village will continue to fund the protection of the club for the time being as a new plan is developed.
The Board of Trustees also addressed the Long Island Seaport and Eco Center’s Whaleboat 1776 Project, which received a grant allowing construction to be completed on the historic boat in 2025.
• MTA includes Port Jefferson Branch improvements in 20-year capital needs assessment.
• Inclusion doesn’t guarantee pursuit, decisions hinge on future funding and other factors.
• Local officials push for project, emphasizing economic benefits and improved transit.
The decades-old proposal to electrify the Port Jefferson Branch of the Long Island Rail Road passed a significant hurdle last week, though uncertainty remains long-term.
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which owns and operates LIRR, included capacity improvements for the Port Jeff Branch within its 2025-2044 20-Year Needs Assessment blueprint published last week.
The document outlines MTA’s long-term vision for the region’s transit, describing some of the needed improvements for the local line, including electrification, double tracking, stations, a storage yard and associated infrastructure.
The report states some of the project’s objectives, such as increased travel speed and frequency while providing a one-seat ride to Penn Station and Grand Central Madison. It further acknowledges the need to reduce strain upon the Ronkonkoma Branch by North Shore riders driving inland.
In a Sept. 29 letter addressed to Gov. Kathy Hochul (D), over two dozen state, county and local public officials called for Port Jeff Branch modernization within the 20-year plan. Dave Steckel, an MTA media liaison, said the agency had complied with the core request of the letter.
“Regarding the letter on Port Jefferson Branch electrification, the MTA has satisfied the request laid out in that letter by including Port Jefferson Branch electrification in the 20-year needs assessment,” Steckel said.
But, he added, “Inclusion in this analysis does not mean that the MTA will be pursuing a project. Decisions about which of these projects, if any, will be included in subsequent MTA capital programs, will be made in the context of those future programs, including the amount of funding available to rebuild and improve the existing MTA system, which will need to be prioritized before any expansion projects can be considered.”
The report finds potential operational constraints for the electrification project, highlighting the need for additional capital improvements, space for a new terminal rail yard and planning studies. The plan suggests the Lawrence Aviation Superfund site in Port Jefferson Station as a potential site for the rail yard.
The 20-year plan also added some possible drawbacks for prioritizing the Port Jeff Branch. Electrification of the line rated average in cost-effectiveness “mainly due to the high cost and relatively low ridership.”
Continuing the fight
In separate statements to TBR News Media, public officials representing North Shore communities continued to call for the MTA to prioritize the project.
New York State Sen. Anthony Palumbo (R-New Suffolk) emphasized the centrality of the Lawrence Aviation property in regional planning for the North Shore and beyond.
“Electrification of the Port Jefferson line and the establishment of the Lawrence Aviation site as a regional rail hub is a critically important component of our efforts to enhance mass transit service to North Shore residents,” he said. “Improving access and reliability to our mass transit system will increase ridership, alleviate traffic congestion and be an economic boost to the local economy.”
Village of Port Jefferson Mayor Lauren Sheprow expanded on the existing pressures upon Port Jeff Branch commuters to Manhattan, particularly in the context of the burden of transit by rail.
“For years, residents of Port Jeff and the surrounding communities have demonstrated by their actions how they feel about the Port Jefferson Branch — we drive to Ronkonkoma when seeking direct travel, a shorter commute, more frequent service options and less transfers,” she said. “Electrification and modernization of the Port Jefferson Branch will increase connectivity between stations. It will reduce travel time and transfers, and provide more frequent scheduling options, including express options.”
State Sen. Mario Mattera (R-St. James) emphasized the vast support for this effort among officials and community stakeholders, noting “everybody involved wants this.” He said generating the necessary public awareness and appealing to Hochul remain critical.
“We need to make sure that we convince the governor that this is important for Long Islanders,” he said, advocating for a grassroots, mobilized effort to bolster public support. “Strength with numbers wins,” he added.
Town of Brookhaven Supervisor Ed Romaine (R) suggested electrification would help counteract some of the downward trends throughout the region, namely the loss of youth.
“Thousands of Brookhaven residents use the LIRR to commute to work every day, and thousands more ride the train for other reasons,” the town supervisor said. “Electrification would provide faster, more efficient service and attract people to live in the communities with close access to the railroad,” adding, “The economic upside would be felt throughout the town as more people choose to live here, and our young people decide to stay because of the improved LIRR service and easier access in and out of New York City.”
Though placement onto the 20-year plan could be considered a win, much work remains ahead. Larry Penner, a transit advocate and former director of Federal Transit Administration Region 2, called upon the various governmental bodies across the North Shore to begin laying down seed funds to signal their interest.
“Why don’t all these elected officials put up some money to at least keep the project alive?” he said. “Why are they waiting for the MTA to move the project forward?” He added, “Talk is cheap, but actions speak louder.”
