Members of the Shelter Island Police Department and the extended Rando family were all smiles when a new police officer and sergeant were officially sworn in.
“We’re going to start the meeting with something that we feel very honored to do,” Supervisor Gerry Siller said at Friday’s Town Board meeting. “It doesn’t happen often, but it’s a very proud moment for us.”
Taylor Rando took her oath while standing alongside Shelter Island Police Chief James J. Read Jr. She’s been working with the SIPD since completing Suffolk County’s police training program. Officer Rando had previously served as a summer Traffic Control Officer (TCO).
“Over the years, I always noticed when you were working as a TCO, how seriously you took it and what a good job you did,” Siller said. “So we’re very proud to have you here with us.”
After that, Siller officially inducted Anthony Rando in his new rank as SIPD sergeant. Sgt. Rando is a three-time recipient of the department’s officer of the year award. He takes the place formerly held by retired Sgt. Terrence LeGrady.
“The Town Board interviewed three very qualified candidates for this job, and any one of them would have been a very good fit for the police department,” Siller said. “But the Town Board felt, Sgt. Rando that you’re the man.”
The Town Board members serve as Police Commissioners and are responsible for hiring officers in that capacity.
“As you can tell, we’re a close-knit group,” Chief Read said, indicating the department’s officers, staff, and family members assembled at Town Hall. Among them were members of the Rando clan — Taylor and Anthony are cousins. “We work hard every day to protect and serve the people of the community that haven’t trusted in us to do that job so.
From the support staff through the ranks of officers, he said, “it’s an honor for us to serve this community.”
“You have big shoes to fill,” Read said to the new officer and sergeant. “And we expect you to fill them.”
After the SIPD crowd dispersed for a celebration at the Center Firehouse, the Town Board moved on to other matters (see below). Prior to adjourning the long meeting, Supervisor Siller noted that the board was productive and credited Town Clerk Dorothy Ogar and her new deputy, Amber Wilson.
“I just want to take a moment to thank the Town Clerk and our new Deputy Town Clerk for getting everything in place for us, so we had a good meeting,” Siller said.
Purchase of Center lot from The Nature Conservancy
The Town Board board authorized the use of $365,000 in cell tower fund revenues to buy a 0.92-acre parcel at 69 North Ferry Road from The Nature Conservancy to construct workforce or affordable housing.
The project would employ I/A septic technology and create and maintain an open space easement for public access from North Ferry Road to the Town-owned Sachems Woods preserve.
During a public hearing on the matter, Siller said the Community Preservation Fund Advisory Board had passed on the offer, as the small property didn’t fit the criteria for preservation.
“We felt it was more important to use for housing,” Siller said. As a result, TNC agreed to the purchase, contingent upon the Town maintaining Sachems Woods access.
Marian Lindberg, a TNC attorney, spoke up to publicly thank Beth King, who donated the property to TNC.
“She had a special fondness for Mashomack, and she donated the land generously to The Nature Conservancy with the expectation that it would be sold to raise funds for Mashomack’s operation,” Lindberg said. “We’re very grateful to her and very pleased that the Town is interested in purchasing the land. We think it allows us to achieve mutual goals whereby we get to honor the donor’s intent and preserve the access to Sachems Woods, and the Town gets to pursue a really important priority.”
“I think it’s a real win-win,” Siller said.
No one else spoke at the public hearing.
Other business
The board also approved a new set of rules to govern opportunities for public input at Town Board meetings (follow this link to read them at the bottom of this post).
And it agreed to allow the Shelter Island Historical Society to use a Town-owned lot adjacent to the History Center for parking for events during 2022, including the weekly Havens Farmers Market, which runs from Memorial Day through Labor Day.
The board set a March 11 public hearing for Town Code amendments to clarify whether applicants must re-open the permit process when they alter approved designs for special or wetland permits. The code amendments say they don’t need to do so when making ‘de minimus’ changes but must when making changes that meaningfully affect the permit conditions. (Read the proposed amendments on the Town website.)
Also, on March 11, the board will hold the following public hearings (with rough time estimates):
- Dock application
- Seth and Bonnie Harris, 64 Bootlegger’s Alley, replace a 6-foot by 22-foot section of existing finger pier in Southhold Bay and install a 4-foot by 20-foot fixed section of dock with splashboard, 4:42 PM
- Mooring applications
- Ann Santarseri, 11 North Montclair Avenue, in West Neck Harbor at latitude 41.04905 degrees north and longitude 72.34745 degrees west, 4:40 PM
- Julian D. Staib, 15 Montclair Avenue, in West Neck Harbor at latitude 41.047658 degrees north and longitude 72.34794 degrees west, formerly occupied by the w2952 binder, 4:44 PM
Appointments
The board made the following appointments:
- Maria Magenti and Michael Shatken, Community Housing Fund Advisory Board through January 11, 2024
- Steve Sanders, Green Options Committee through May 10, 2024
- David Clark, safety training officer for the Highway Department for 2022
- Tom Hashagen, maintenance mechanic for 2022
- James J. Read Jr., emergency management coordinator for 2022
- Mary Ann McGinn, AAA driver for 2022
- Michael DeSanctis, provisional building inspector, 30 hours per week at $54,600 per year retroactive to February 9
- Kim Reilly, for 35 hours per week total as:
- Contractor License Review Board ($1,222.34)
- Office assistant to the building department ($23,274.50) and the zoning department ($23,274.50)
- Zoning Board of Appeals clerk ($7,940.33)
It also reduced Comprehensive Plan Advisory Committee membership from 12 to 10 and Recreation Committee members from 7 to 5, matching current rosters. It set seven members as the capacity for the Green Options Committee.
Budget transfers
$23,274.52 from the b3620.10 as $11,637.26 to b3620.133 and $11,637.265 to b8010.104
$135 from the a3510.431 veterinarian account to the a3510-484 police department office and
miscellaneous account
$254.35 from the police department a3510.498 account to the police department a3510.484 office of miscellaneous account
$22,006.22 from the a123.100 account as $8,688.31 to a1355.011 salary account, and $8688.31 to the a1355.102 salary account, and $5,000 to the a1355.0 consultant account to fund additional compensation for two elected assessors and one part-time consultant, doing the work of three assessors, following a resignation
Bill payments
- $7,500, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County, for annual shellfish reseeding program
- $551.55, Carr Business Systems, PO Box 936715, Atlanta GA for the yearly maintenance contract through January 23, 2023 for the second copier in SIPD headquarters
- $850, Edmunds GovTech Inc, 301 Tilton Road, Northfield NJ 08225 for software support maintenance through January 31, 2023
- $30,750, East End Computers LLC, management software and disaster recovery backup system
Claims
- 2021
- General claims No.2259 through 2296, $49,858.94
- Highway claims No. 286, $89.60
- West Neck Water Improvement District claim No. 49, $382.30 cents
- 2022
- General claims No. 66 through 184, $71.910.48
- Highway claims No. 9 through 17, $287.78
- West Neck Water Improvement District claims No. 1 through 3, $791.46
The board authorized the Town Clerk to post a publicize a permissive referendum notice about the Highway Department’s planned purchase of a new wheel loader, using the Highway Capital Reserve Fund with payments of $48,000 in each of four years 2022 through 2025.
The board also amended a resolution for Happy Groundhog Corner LLC cottages at 18 Manwaring Road. The company rescinded its application for a second wastewater rebate, removing a requirement that it agree to rent at least one unit at the HUD fair market rate.
The board granted the Taylor’s Island Foundation permission to apply the Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation for a $10,000 grant to provide virtual tours of the site.
Public hearings
The board held public hearings on several permit applications which the Waterways Management Advisory Council approved — no one appeared to speak in favor or against, and the board granted the permits as follows:
- Andrew Marks, 7 Lari Lane, for a mooring in Coecles Harbor at latitude 41.083586 degrees north and longitude 72.321942 degrees west
- Sarah Hand and Raul Vidal, 6 Cozy Lane, for a stake and pulley mooring at Bay Shore Drive at latitude 41.053913 degrees north and longitude 72.357176 degrees west, under the condition that the vessel remains floating at all times
- Erin Eisenberg, 10 Lari Lane, for a Coecles Harbor mooring at formerly occupied by Denahan C-3305 at latitude 41.082675 degrees north and longitude 72.321461 degrees west
- Richard Tarlow 2011 Trust, 25 Nostrand Parkway, to remove and replace (in-place) approximately 486 linear feet of existing timber bulkhead plus 19 feet of southerly timber return with vinyl bulkhead and return; backfill with about 100 cubic yards of clean sandy fill to be trucked in from an approved upland source, and temporarily disconnect/remove/replace (in-kind/in place) the intersecting portion of dock/ramp, as needed
- Highpoint Rock LLC, c/o John Borthwick, 71C Nostrand Parkway, to remove and dispose of 111 feet of
- existing bulkhead and construct 111 feet of new bulkhead in-kind, in-place
- John and Sandra Fifield, 3 Heritage Drive, Coecles Harbor mooring off Captain Bob’s Landing, 100 feet north northeast of the Smith (C-3172) mooring at latitude 41.088214 degrees north and longitude 72.322451 degrees west
- David Daly, 33 New York Avenue, West Neck Bay mooring off Cackle Hill, at latitude 41.065195
degrees north and longitude 72.364405 degrees west
The board recessed a public hearing on the application of Noah Topliff, 16 Jaspa Road, for a Coecles Harbor mooring at Captain Bob’s landing, pending WMAC approval.
The board held public hearings on numerous wetlands applications. Read our coverage in this post “Wetlands requests range from a 110-step bluff stairway to a shallow swimming pool.”
New rules for public input at Town meetings
These are the new rules for public input that the Town Board adopted after its public hearing on Friday. The Town Board noted that NYS Public Officers law (aka the Open Meetings Law) gives the right to attend and observe Town Board meetings and work sessions. But it doesn’t give them the right to speak, or otherwise participate except for during a public hearing.
However, the Town Board noted its belief “that such a right is fundamental and grounded in historical participation on the Island.” But, the board doesn’t feel that right should be “unfettered,” as evidenced by runaway commentary that lately has hijacked the board’s work sessions.
The rules were enacted, the board said, “to prevent verbal interruptions, shouting or other outbursts, and other behavior that interferes with the deliberative process” and “to ensure that the public has an opportunity to participate without fear and with clear expectations.”
- The Town Supervisor shall preside over Town Meetings and recognize Town Board members upon request.
- At Town Board Work Sessions, public comment shall be limited to the end of said Work Session, unless the Supervisor recognizes a specific member of the public prior thereto. A work session is the only opportunity for a quorum of the Board to gather for the purpose of discussion and deliberation on agenda items, so a focused approach is necessary, therefore public comment is provided for thereafter.
- At Town Board Meetings, public comment on agenda items shall be limited to the beginning of said Meeting, prior to adopting resolutions, and any general comments may be made at the end of said meeting.
- During a public hearing, public comment regarding the subject matter of said hearing is permitted and welcome.
- A member of the public may speak only upon recognition by the Town Supervisor.
- Any member of the public wishing to speak at a Town Meeting must sign in upon entering the Town Board Meeting Room and provide their name and topic they wish to be heard on, which information shall be used by the Supervisor to recognize speakers.
- If there is no sign-in sheet or you are appearing virtually, a member of the public may raise their hand until recognized by the Supervisor and then state their name, and if applicable group affiliation, and the subject they are addressing.
- If recognized, one may only speak for a total of three (3) minutes-said time may not be reserved, nor transferred to another member of the public.
- The administrative assistant to the Town Board, or designee, shall serve as the timekeeper and provide an expiration warning.
- Any comments made by the public must be directed to the Board and not made to anyone in the audience.
- During a Town Meeting, members of the public shall not speak to each other while in the Town Board Meeting Room, but may do so outside thereof.
- Town Meeting participants, including both town officials and members of the public, must observe proper decorum.
- Personal, impertinent, or slanderous attacks on any member of the public, or town officials is prohibited.
- The use of profane, vulgar, inflammatory, threatening, disparaging language or racial, ethnic, or sexual slurs, at any time, toward any person, is prohibited.
- Political speeches or calls for political action are prohibited.
- Banners, flyers, and signs are not permitted in the Meeting Room.
- Any person who fails to abide by the Rules of Conduct, or otherwise acts in a boisterous or inappropriate manner, shall be barred from any further participation in the Meeting.
- Any person who violates the Rules of Conduct and refuses to cease upon directives from the Supervisor shall be removed from the meeting room.
