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Candidates nominated for Dering Harbor Village Board

JO ANN KIRKLAND PHOTO | Dering Harbor Village Hall.
JO ANN KIRKLAND PHOTO | Dering Harbor Village Hall.

Village of Dering Harbor Mayor Tim Hogue announced at the Saturday, May 16 board meeting that four nominating petitions had been received for the two seats open on the 2015-16 Village Board of Trustees.

Two were submitted for incumbents Heather Brownlie and Richard Smith, who are seeking re-election; petitions were also received for village residents Bob Ferris and Alfredo Paredes.

Board elections for the two-year terms will be held at Village Hall on Tuesday, June 16 from 12 noon to 9 p.m. The Reporter will print biographical information about the candidates and their responses to questions about issues facing the village in a future issue.

Jim Goldman, one of eight residents attending the meeting, asked if the village would be sponsoring a “candidates’ night” before the election. Mr. Hogue explained again that this was not up to the village – or any municipality. Town board election debates, for example, were sponsored by the Shelter Island Association and the League of Women Voters.
Other Business
•  Dering Woods Lane LLC application: Mr. Hogue said there had been a “very frank discussion” with the two principals of the LLC at the April meeting regarding the board’s rejection of the building application submitted for the property at 1 Dering Woods Lane, previously owned by Adam Dunhill.

He reported that revised plans had since been submitted to the building inspector who had determined that they met building code. The plans have now been referred to the Architectural Review Board, which is scheduled to meet on Saturday, May 30 at 10 a.m. The date was chosen so that as many adjacent or affected residents as possible would be able to attend, the mayor said. Mr. Ferris, an ARB member, raised questions about the process of notifying neighbors and others; Mr. Hogue said notices were being sent out in accordance with village policy and procedures.

John Colby will chair the meeting in the absence of the chair, Heather Brownlie, and had already spent considerable time preparing for the meeting, the mayor said.

•  Water concerns: In response to a Suffolk County Department of Health requirement, the board will be looking at the costs of purchasing the village’s own generator. This is in spite of the fact that the village has never run out of water, the mayor said, and has had an agreement with the Shelter Island Fire Department to use its generator if necessary.

The board is also looking at the costs of installing a new water tank, with possible funding from the state’s Clean Water Art. Recent leaks in the upper portion of the old tank have been welded in recent weeks.

In the near future, the Shelter Island Highway Department will be installing a dry well at the top of Yoco Road and taking other steps to address flooding, the mayor reported.

One resident noted that there was “a wicked pothole” on Locust Point Road — the mayor said he and his car had  unfortunately encountered it. Highway Superintendent Rich Surozenski has been told about it, he said.

•  Baker’s property problems: The issue of parking and safety concerns about the size of the hedge on the side of the property continue to be on-going, Mr. Hogue said. A letter had been sent to Martha Baker in the fall, requesting that she submit a plan for taking care of the problems and the board had yet to receive a reply.

Since it did not appear that “voluntary cooperation” would be forthcoming, Mr. Hogue proposed that a legal “notice of violation” be sent with a response required within a specific time frame.

Bob Ruttenberg, who was in the audience, volunteered to talk with Ms. Baker in the meantime, in an effort to solicit her cooperation.

The next meeting of the board will be held on Saturday, June 20 at 9 a.m.