Village of Head of the Harbor board meets under new mayor

By Sabrina Artusa

Michael Utevsky, a real estate attorney, held his first board meeting since being elected as Head of the Harbor mayor in March. 

His first course of action was to appoint new counsel, Perillo Hill, a Sayville firm that also represents two other municipalities and describes themselves as “seeing both sides of the aisle” when it comes to common township cases. While Lisa Davidson, the newly-elected deputy mayor, couldn’t attend due to sickness, the other recent electee and long-time member, trustee Judy Ogden was present. 

Drainage issues

Ogden spoke in detail of the drainage issues that have been wracking the town, especially amid the recent storms across Long Island. 

The drainage “handles the lighter storms with smaller volumes,” she said. “When it gets to 1 or 2 inches … we run into issues.” 

Utevsky and Ogden spoke of eventually getting all of the drains checked and cleaned — a process that would take at least two years. 

“People are trapped and can’t get out,” Ogden said, referring to areas like Harbor Road and Saneck Road, where drainage is labeled as “priority” areas. 

“There is never enough funding to take care of it at once,” she said. However, the board members suggested alternative options to afford drain maintenance — applying for grants, setting up a transaction balance account to organize a fund or reallocating money from unused funds as possible solutions. 

One resident noted where Hitherbrook Road meets Route 25A as a dangerous area prone to flooding that causes traffic problems. 

Another resident spoke up about the deteriorating buffer zones and reallocating money. The leaves, he said, provide natural structure to the buffers. Indeed, the buffers also slow down runoff, thus abating flooding from defective drains. 

Lack of awareness about the purpose of the buffers is causing residents to think the leaves are residue. “If they leave some of the natural covering, it may be able to regenerate,” he said.

“It will take time to get these things done,” Utevsky said. “But they are all good and important.”

Additionally, the meeting made note of recent efforts from the Head of the Harbor Tree Board with contributions from Avalon Nature Preserve to organize an event in celebration of native plants this Arbor Day, April 26.