VODH adopts Red Flag, hears from neighbors

Dering Harbor Town Hall

The Village of Dering Harbor Board of Trustees took steps at its October meeting to prevent the possibility of its records being stolen or misappropriated, got an update on MS4 and heard residents’ concerns about trees, hedges, noise pollution and street names.


Board members signed on unanimously to a Red Flag policy on identity theft, the result of an act of Congress requiring municipalities to have identity theft prevention programs in effect by this month. The New York State Conference of Mayors and Municipal Officials has determined that the village is “low-risk” and subject to less stringent procedures, given its size and the fact that there have been no previous incidents of identity theft. The resolution the board adopted calls for establishing a protocol for protecting its records, notifying appropriate authorities in the event of data theft, advising the community, and working with East End Computers to ensure the security of data in the village computer.


It was noted that village paper records are locked in a fireproof vault, the network data is protect by a firewall and password system, and the village’s tax assessor protects residents’ personal data with double firewalls. The fact that the village does not accept credit cards is further protection against identity theft. 


Mayor Tim Hogue reported that two or three areas in the village have been targeted for dry well installation as part of the village’s participation in the stormwater runoff abatement program (MS4) and adoption of its regulations, which was authorized by the board at its previous meeting in September. The village will join in a Regional Watershed Management Plan with the town of Shelter Island and the Village of Greenport.


RESIDENTS SPEAK UP


Nicholas Herman was one of four residents at Saturday’s meeting and he spoke to the board about three concerns. He learned, he said, that there is a policy in place when LIPA’s contractors are on the Island trimming or cutting down trees that pose a threat to electrical wires. It involves notification to the Shelter Island Highway Department and review in some cases by Friends of Trees. He suggested that the village might send a letter to the town in “affirmation of this as a protocol” and that residents should be so advised. Mr. Hogue noted that it would also be appropriate to involve the village’s highway staff, Richie Surozenski. 


Mr. Hogue said he had spoken recently to the LIPA crew working in the village and was pleased with their cooperation; he said he would check, however, that the above procedure was still in effect.


Resident Ken Walker noted that the problem would be eliminated if the wires were cabled underground and that some funding had made this possible in Southampton.


Mr. Herman’s second concern was the “public nuisance” caused by landscaping contractors operating heavy equipment on weekends and in the evening hours. He asked if the village could legislate that work could only be conducted from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Saturday and not on Sundays and holidays, and questioned whether mufflers or some other device would help to lower the decibel levels. It was pointed out that the property owners were often not present when work was being done. 


“We’ll take a look at it … see what we can do,” the mayor said. One suggestion was to send a letter to all village homeowners asking for their voluntary cooperation in restricting hours of operation.


Mr. Herman also asked if the village could encourage property owners to think more creatively about putting in hedges other then privets — copper beech hedges, for example. Deer are a factor here, Mr. Hogue said, but agreed that privet hedges in abundance can be “kind of boring.” Make topiaries out of them, Mr. Herman suggested.


RENAME SHORE ROAD?


Another resident, not present at the meeting, has requested that the board consider a change in name for Shore Road, often confused by deliverymen for the Island’s other Shore Road along Crescent Beach. Deliveries aside, Mr. Hogue said that he has had visitors walking onto his property with their luggage, looking for Sunset Beach, an experience shared by resident Marian Brownlie. She said this happens frequently at her Shore Road home. Following the meeting, she mentioned one group who insisted they were in the right place because their GPS couldn’t be wrong and another person who accepted that he couldn’t check in but wondered when cocktails would be served. Ms. Brownlie was not, however, in favor of changing the name — next summer she may just print up cards with directions to Sunset Beach, she said.


Mayor Hogue said he would discuss with village attorney Joe Prokop what the legal steps and procedures might be in changing the name. It was pointed out that the problem only affects a few houses; other properties have access to both Shore and Locust Point Roads and could use either as an address.


OTHER BUSINESS


The mayor announced that the state DEC has issued a permit for the replacement of the Julia Dodd Culvert. Plans have been drawn up for a wooden bridge that will not only be safer, he said, but also environmentally sound. Federal funding through the Department of Transportation is anticipated but may not be available until 2010.


Bids will be requested for repairing the roof of Village Hall and painting the exterior of the building. The latter may be delayed until the end of the fiscal year, Mr. Hogue said.