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Village and town reps to resolve mooring field issue

MARTIN BURKE PHOTO Morning light over Dering Harbor.

Dering Harbor Village Trustee Patrick Parcells told the Town Board at its Tuesday work session that remarks about the mooring field in Dering Harbor by former mayor Tim Hogue the previous week were “badly misrepresented.”

Mr. Hogue told the Town Board the week before that a long-term agreement existed between the village and town giving to Dering Harbor control of moorings within 500 feet of the shoreline.

But, he said about two years ago, the buoys in the water marking that line were taken out and not put back at the start of the following season as they had been in the past.

At Mr. Hogue’s request, Supervisor Gary Gerth sent a letter to the Village Board last week requesting that it delay a vote that was slated for June 8 on issues relating to the mooring field; reinstall the buoys marking the 500-foot area; and agree to create a subcommittee of village and town representatives to discuss the issues.

Mr. Parcells said that a statement made by the former mayor that there was no communication between village and town officials was incorrect, citing a discussion between Trustee Clora Kelly and a town Bay Constable that had rendered information that the village actions were inconsistent with town code and no action could be taken until the differences were resolved.

James Eklund, a member of the Water Management Advisory Council (WMAC), was at Tuesday’s meeting and said there never had been a written agreement in terms of establishing the mooring field. Instead there was a verbal agreement between the village and WMAC.

The village didn’t act unilaterally in not taking action on the buoys, Mr. Parcells said.
The Town Board and Mr. Parcells agreed there would be a meeting with representatives of both entities to resolve the issue of the mooring field. Mr. Parcells said the Village Board wants to work with town officials to establish better communication.

Both sides agreed it’s important that a record of agreements needs to be codified to establish a clear history of how and why certain policies are in place.