Recap for BOT Public Meeting 3.27.24

Highlights

 

  • The Village Recognizes PJFD’s Brave Firefighters
  • Public Hearing to Create Chapter 7 of Village Code to Codify Budget and Finance Committee
  • Parking Administration Department Restructured
  • Village Election 2024: BOT Passes New Voting Resolutions; Candidate Packets Now Available
  • Safer Pathways

 

Recognizing the Brave Firefighters of the Port Jeff Fire Department

Mayor Sheprow paid tribute to the brave firefighters of the PJFD, recognizing them for their quick thinking and rapid response to the February 22 structure fire, a dangerous blaze that was contained and extinguished in less than an hour. Representing the PJFD were Chief Soeren Lygum, first Assistant Chief Anthony Barton and third-assistant Chief Christian Neubert.  After thanking them for their “selfless volunteerism,” the Mayor recounted the department’s many other acts of heroism, observing: “It is truly incredible what you all do on a voluntary basis.”  Chief Lygum expressed his appreciation to the BOT for the acknowledgment and went on to say that the Fire Department has “a great working relationship” with the Mayor and that they are in constant communication with her when anything is going on in the Village.

 

Public Hearing to Create Chapter 7 of Village Code to Codify Budget and Finance Committee

The Mayor proposed a resolution that would codify the inaugural Budget and Finance Committee, by adding a new Local Law to create Chapter 7 of the Village Code, in order to ensure its legitimacy, longevity and continuity. She also requested an amendment to change the original recommendation of two-year fixed terms for members to staggered terms, instead. The change would be more in keeping with other Village committees and ensure that none of the appointees would be beholden to any one Board. The amended resolution passed unanimously. The new terms for the five-member committee, here forward, are: two members for one year, two members for two years, and one member for three years, after which all terms will be three years.

 

Parking Administration Department Restructured

As part of an ongoing effort to streamline Village government and create greater operational and cost-saving efficiencies, the BOT voted unanimously to discontinue the title of Municipal Parking

Administrator, a position currently held by Kevin Wood. This restructuring will save village taxpayers nearly $200,000 annually.  A discussion on how, going forward, the duties of this role will be absorbed into related Village departments and allocated to existing employees will take place on April 10th at the next BOT work session.  Attorney Moran assured residents that whatever plan the Board might enact would be presented to the residents in an open forum.

 

Village Election 2024: BOT Passes New Voting Resolutions; Candidate Packets Now Available

Clerk Pirillo introduced two election-related resolutions, for the Village General Election on June 18. The first was for the addition of two Village Voter Registration Days, June 6 and June 8; the second proposed waiving Village residency requirements for Election Inspectors. Village Law currently requires village residency for anyone hired as a public officer. In an effort to provide for more flexibility, should there not be enough village residents available to participate, the resolution would permit relaxing that condition to allow the hiring of inspectors who reside in Suffolk County. Both resolutions passed unanimously. The Clerk also announced that candidate packages for the June 18 election were now available on the Village Website and that, starting on March 28, they would also be ready to pick up at Village Hall.

 

Safer Pathways

During the Public Comments portion, several residents expressed concerns about the lack of walkability in certain neighborhoods and requested that the Board consider adding sidewalks and/or stop signs in particularly unsafe areas.  In response to their concerns, Trustee Kassay relayed that the Village had already invested in a walkability study, the results of which will be reviewed by both the Board and the Planning Department.  Depending on the findings, the Board would then look into grants and funding  to remediate some of the worst areas first and make them safer for residents.

 

To view the March 27, 2024 BOT Meeting in its entirety, visit:

https://www.youtube.com/IncVillageofPortJeffersonOfficial

 

The next Board of Trustees meeting will be a Work Session, on Wednesday, April 10, 2024, at 5pm in the second-floor courtroom in Village Hall. It will be live-streamed on the Village YouTube channel; the agenda can be found here.

Editor’s note: For more information, contact spirillo@portjeff.com.