Board marks New Year with swearing in of elected officials
Mary-Faith Westervelt took her oath of office Tuesday, after being re-elected to another term on the Shelter Island Justice Court bench. She was sworn in by her colleague, Judge Helen Rosenblum. Her husband Brian Westervelt was by her side.
A brief and warm swearing in ceremony for the two Shelter Island officials who were re-elected to their posts in November without opposition marked the opening of a new year for the Town Board.Justice Mary-Faith Westervelt and Tax Receiver Annmarie Seddio took their oaths of office, administered by Justice Helen Rosenblum. Ms. Rosenblum shares the Shelter Island Justice Court bench with Ms. Westervelt and told those assembled, Judge Westervelt is a hardworking and fair justice.
She had similar warm words for the work Ms. Seddio is doing as tax collector, and hugs for both.
Annmarie Seddio was sworn in to a full term at town tax assessor by Judge Helen Rosenblum.
Judge Westervelt is beginning her second four-year term. Ms. Seddio was appointed to the tax receiver’s post last year after Nancy Kotula resigned to fill a vacancy as clerk of the Justice Court.
Supervisor Jim Dougherty also read a proclamation he will be delivering Sunday to volunteers at the Shelter Island Public Library. The six volunteers named in the proclamation — Vivienne Gershon, Renate Paul, Gert Bourne, Marion Gleason, Marion Klupka, Phyllis Wallace and the late Cynthia Needham — were honored for their years of service in operating the used book sales at the library.
A brief reception followed before the Town Board got on with its reorganization work that typically marks the beginning of a new year.
At the top of the list was the reappointment of Councilwoman Chris Lewis as Deputy Supervisor.
Town Board members were all named as police commissioners while Police Chief Jim Read was appointed Emergency Management Coordinator.
Other appointees included:
• Ashleigh Sanwald as part-time court clerk to be paid at the rate of $17.69 per hour;
• Judy Meringer as confidential secretary to Mr. Dougherty;
• Debra Speeches as confidential secretary to Highway Superintendent and Public Works Commissioner Jay Card Jr.
Mr. Card, who was elected to the Highway post in 2013 was reappointed as Public Works Commissioner Tuesday while John Cronin was named to continue in his role as part-time town engineer.
Assessor Al Hammond was appointed as tax administrator and chairman of the Board of Assessors.
Jack Thilberg will continue for another year in his role as EMS director.
William Clark was appointed as town historian.
Kevin Springer will serve as part-time police officer at the rate of $27 per hour.
George Butts was reappointed as animal control officer.
Albert Labrozzi Jr. and Peter Vielbig were appointed as bay constables.
Henrietta Roberts continues in her role as senior citizens aide while Lois Charls was appointed part-time assistant Senior Citizens Center manager.
Veronica Siller was appointed clerk for the Senior Citizens Affairs Council.
The Town Board set a fee schedule for the fitness center, tennis courts and ballfields as follows:
• Single fitness room membership, $220
• Family fitness room membership, $340
• Single tennis court membership, $200
• Family tennis court membership, $310
• Single fitness room and tennis court membership, $300
• Family fitness room and tennis court membership, $430
• Full-time college student membership, $100
• Emergency services memberships, $170
The town’s three fire chiefs — Will Anderson, Greg Sulahian and Anthony Reiter were named as fire wardens, while Fred Ogar and Kenneth Capon were appointed fire inspectors.
Mr. Dougherty made the following Town Board committee appointments:
• Highway and Public Works, the supervisor and Councilman Peter Reich
• Water, Mr. Reich and Councilman Ed Brown
• Buildings and Grounds, Mr. Reich and Mr. Brown
• Recycling, Mr. Brown and Councilman Paul Shepherd
• Financial Advisory Committee, Mr. Dougherty, Mr. Brown and Jennifer Ditta of Cullen & Denowski
• Emergency Management Services, Ms. Lewis and Mr. Brown
He appointed the following Town Board members as liaisons to various committees:
• Senior Citizens, Ms. Lewis
• Conservation Advisory Committee, Councilman Shepherd
• Waterways Management Advisory Committee, Mr. Reich and Mr. Brown
• Water Advisory Council, Mr. Dougherty
• Planning Board, Mr. Shepherd
• Zoning Board of Appeals, Councilwoman Lewis
• Community Preservation Fund Advisory Board, Mr. Dougherty
• Transportation, Mr. Dougherty
• Recreation, Ms. Lewis and Mr. Dougherty
• Communities That Care, Ms. Lewis
• Community Center/Youth, Ms. Lewis and Mr. Dougherty
• Community Housing Board, Ms. Lewis
• MS4, Mr. Reich and Mr. Shepherd along with town attorney Laury Dowd, who was appointed as MS4 coordinator
• Taylor’s Island Committee, Mr. Brown
• Deer & Tick Committee, Mr. Dougherty and Mr. Brown
• Green Options Committee, Mr. Dougherty
Town Board meeting dates remain in line with what they have been in recent years.
Regular meetings at which votes can occur are slated for Friday afternoons at 4:30 p.m. on January 23; February 13, March 6 and 27, April 17, May 8 and 29, June 19, July 10 and 31, August 21, September 11, October 2 and 23, November 13 and December 4.
Work sessions at 1 p.m. Tuesdays were scheduled for January 13, 20 and 27; February 3, 10, 17 and 24; March 3, 17, 24 and 31; April 7, 14, 21 and 28; May 5, 12, 19 and 26; June 2, 9, 16, 23 and 30; July 7, 14, 21 and 28; August 4, 11, 18 and 25; September 1, 8, 15, 22, and 29; October 6, 13, 20 and 27; Wednesday, November 4, because November 3 is election day; November 10 and 17; and December 1, 8, and 15.
The Shelter Island Town website has a complete list of all appointees.
