HomeMy WebLinkAboutTB-08/16/2005
ELIZABETH NEVILLE
Town Hall, 53095 Main Road
TOWN CLERK
PO Box 1179
Southold, NY 11971
REGISTRAR OF VITAL STATISTICS Fax (631) 765-6145
MARRIAGE OFFICER Telephone: (631) 765-1800
RECORDS MANAGEMENT OFFICER southoldtown.northfork.net
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION OFFICER
OFFICE OF THE TOWN CLERK
TOWN OF SOUTHOLD
SOUTHOLD TOWN BOARD
REGULAR MEETING
August 16, 2005
4:30 PM
A Regular Meeting of the Southold Town Board was held Tuesday, August 16, 2005 at the
Meeting Hall, Southold, NY. Supervisor Horton opened the meeting at 4:30 PM with the Pledge
of Allegiance to the Flag.
Attendee Name Organization Title Status Arrived
William P. Edwards Town of Southold Councilman Present
Daniel C. Ross Town of Southold Councilman Present
Thomas H. Wickham Town of Southold Councilman Present
John M. Romanelli Town of Southold Councilman Absent
Louisa P. Evans Town of Southold Justice Present
Joshua Y. Horton Town of Southold Supervisor Present
Elizabeth A. Neville Town of Southold Town Clerk Present
Patricia A. Finnegan Town of Southold Town Attorney Present
Statements
OPENING STATEMENTS
SUPERVISOR HORTON: Before we get started, I have a brief presentation I would like to
make and I would like to ask Town Clerk Betty Neville to step forward with me. Betty Neville
has been our Town Clerk for quite some time and over the past two to three years Betty made a
major effort to revolutionize the Town Clerk’s office and how we collect data, maintain that data
and make it available to the public as well as dealing with many of our (inaudible) and recently
the Town Board on a number of cases has recognized Betty, she has brought in numerous grants
that have enabled us to invest in new technical equipment to help better achieve these goals for
archiving information. But recently Betty has been acknowledged by a larger organization,
much larger than the Town of Southold itself and I would like to read the letter and take the
opportunity, Betty, to congratulate you. ‘Dear Mr. Horton, Elizabeth A. Neville, the Town Clerk
of the Town of Southold, New York, has earned the designation of Certified Municipal Clerk,
which is awarded by the International Institute of Municipal Clerks, Incorporated. IIMC grants
CMC designation only to those municipal clerks who meet the demanding education
requirements and who have a record of significant contributions to the local government, their
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August 16, 2005
Town of Southold Board Meeting
community and state. The International Institute of Municipal Clerks, founded in 1947, has
10,300 members throughout the United States, Canada and 15 other countries. The mission of
this global, non-profit corporation is to enhance the education opportunities and professional
development of its diverse membership. In light of the speed and drastic nature of change these
days, life-long learning is not only desirable, it is necessary for all in local government to keep
pace in growing demands and changing needs of the citizens that we serve. Your city can take
immense pride in Elizabeth’s educational accomplishments and achievement of this milestone.
On behalf of the IIMC Board of Directors, I am honored to endorse the conferring of CMC to
Elizabeth A. Neville, your Town Clerk. We share your pride in this achievement and we
applaud your support in the goal Elizabeth plays in your city.’ Betty, congratulations.
TOWN CLERK NEVILLE: I would just like to take this opportunity to thank the Supervisor
and the Town Board for the opportunity to be able to accomplish what I have with Records
Management in the Town of Southold, in order to better serve all of the people in the Town.
SUPERVISOR HORTON: We have a number of policy reports and public notices and
communications available for the public review at the Town Clerk’s Office, which is open 8:00
AM through 4:00 PM, Monday through Friday. In addition, we have a number of series of
portions of the public meeting that are dedicated to, for public input. Prior to voting on any of
the resolutions, we will offer the floor to the public to address resolutions that are on the printed
agenda. In addition, we have a public hearing on this evening, I believe this evening’s public
hearing pertains to Historic, Landmark Preservation Code and at the, prior to the conclusion of
the meeting this evening, we will also open the floor for the public to address the Town Board on
town related matters. With that being said, we ask that when you do address the Town Board,
you do so from one of the two microphones located at the front of the room and state your name
and place of residence into the microphone so that we can incorporate that as part of our public
record. In moving forward, I would ask for an approval of the audit. At this point, I open the
floor, would anybody care to address the Board on resolutions that we have on this evening’s
agenda? That would be resolutions 491 through 509. Yes, Mrs. Egan.
JOAN EGAN: Good evening Mr. Horton, Mr. Edwards, Mr. Ross, Mrs. Evans, Mr. Wickham,
Mrs. Neville and the lady who doesn’t answer the telephone, Mrs. Finnegan. And all my friends
here. On the front page of course, you do have, you did review Justice Court, you only do that
for the money, right? Not for what is happening to our town. Shame, shame. Now the public
notices there, these were all reviewed at your meeting about liquor authority and licenses
applications?
SUPERVISOR HORTON: Those are public notices that are sent to the Board, either via courtesy
or law or policy and those notices generally also appear in the newspaper.
MS. EGAN: Good. Now, item 2005-493, you have another letter of resignation from a public
safety dispatcher and I think most of these changes at the police department and other places is
because of the terrible union contract that you gave them and you know that as well as I do.
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August 16, 2005
Town of Southold Board Meeting
SUPERVISOR HORTON: Actually, in regard to that, it is a point that was made this morning,
not that there is a terrible contract in place but the fact that Suffolk County has a much more
competitive salary for public safety dispatchers, so the issue of addressing that salary to make
sure we are more competitive with the county, so we can have a higher retention rate, is before
the Board and with the union now.
MS. EGAN: I also noticed that many town employees are taking, union people, are taking their
time off, their vacation days, their sick days and all of that, so because again, of the terrible union
contract that you gave them…
SUPERVISOR HORTON: Mrs. Egan, are there resolutions that you would like to address?
MS. EGAN: ….those negotiations while no benefits, right, okay. Now, item 2005-495. Now
certainly I would love to see a lot of money go to the Juvenile Aid Bureau and unfortunately I
think the budget is rather, rather short in regard to the police department because the money’s
that should have been there unfortunately had to go to the marine division when they did not take
care of their boat properly. And of course, now we are in a crunch in regard to what you enacted
out there at the Cross Sound Ferry and it was thought that you would get monies back from the
Homeland Security and I don’t think you will. I would hope that you will, if not, then you of
course, the Town again…
SUPERVISOR HORTON: Mrs. Egan, are there other resolutions?
MS. EGAN: ….yeah, yes, yes, yes. Don’t rush me. Now, oh, yes. Item 2005-499, again,
changes at the Human Resource Center and you keep pushing and telling me that they are doing
a good job up there and they are not. There has to be something wrong when personnel gets
changed so very, very many times. Now, item 2005-503. That is the seminar. Now, most
unfortunately, I have had and other people have had, I believe I sent you a letter in regard to Ms.
Barbara Rudder. I have never, ever been treated as rudely….
SUPERVISOR HORTON: Mrs. Egan…
MS. EGAN: …she should not be sent out unless she gets a wakeup call to mind her manners or
else she will disgrace the Town of Southold when she goes up there.
SUPERVISOR HORTON: Mind you, this Town probably would not function without Barbara
Rudder. She is an outstanding employee of this Township. Are there other resolutions you
would like to address?
MS. EGAN: Well, well….I am not saying that she doesn’t do her…
SUPERVISOR HORTON: Mrs. Egan, are there other resolutions that you would like to address?
MS. EGAN: …but she is a public servant and she should respect anybody who calls there and
she doesn’t. I called again today and she was rude…
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August 16, 2005
Town of Southold Board Meeting
SUPERVISOR HORTON: Mrs. Egan, are there other resolutions?
MS. EGAN: Yes, there are.
SUPERVISOR HORTON: Please address them.
MS. EGAN: You don’t like to hear the truth, do you, Mr. Horton?
SUPERVISOR HORTON: I know that they have locked the door on several occasions because
you have come in to harass them.
MS. EGAN: Now we have this 2005-507, now again, all of $2,600,000 for the Animal Shelter,
which is ridiculous, god only knows when it will ever be done and nothing for the homeless.
Now, there was another one here, I think it was in regard to Mrs. Finnegan.
SUPERVISOR HORTON: Well, why you are looking, I will turn the floor, ask if anybody else
has resolutions they would like to address.
MS. EGAN: No, no. I will continue. I believe Mrs. Finnegan is going to some seminar or
something and I don’t think that that’s necessary. Let her stay home and do her job and answer
the telephone.
SUPERVISOR HORTON: Mrs. Egan, please. Please refrain from berating our employees.
Would anyone else care to address the Board on resolutions? Yes, Ms. Norden.
MELANIE NORDEN: Melanie Norden, Greenport. This is resolution 2005-508. I was just
curious about the wording of the resolution. Is the petition for annexation submitted by KACE or
by the Village of Greenport?
SUPERVISOR HORTON: The annexation petition is submitted by KACE because if it was
submitted by the Village of Greenport, we wouldn’t, I don’t think, correct me if I am wrong, Pat,
I don’t think we would be legally obligated to have a public hearing on it, since it was, the
petition was submitted by the property owner, or the corporation that owns the property, the
Town Board is legally required to hold a public hearing on the matter and I think if the Town
Board does not hold a public hearing, then more or less by default the property is considered
annexed to the Village.
MS. NORDEN: Okay. And under what conditions can a property owner submit such a request?
I mean, can the property be any size or….?
SUPERVISOR HORTON: No, I don’t think it deals with size, I think it is specific to it being
adjacent to a neighboring municipality. In this instance, their petition states that that property is
surrounded on three sides by Village property. The property actually is sort of wedged-shaped
and does….
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August 16, 2005
Town of Southold Board Meeting
MS. NORDEN: Right.
SUPERVISOR HORTON: It is not close to the heart of the Village by any stretch of the
imagination but it does sort of wedge into Moore’s woods.
MS. NORDEN: So that property has to be contiguous, essentially.
TOWN ATTORNEY FINNEGAN: That’s particular to their petition. Whether it has to be
contiguous, I mean, I think another person could attempt to file a petition but I don’t you know…
MS. NORDEN: So anybody actually could, a land owner could regardless of whether the
property…
SUPERVISOR HORTON: I am not sure if we would be legally bound to hear it, if they weren’t
contiguous with the Village but if they are contiguous with the Village, I believe we are required
to at least conduct a hearing.
MS. NORDEN: Right and I also understand that the Village has also appealed for lead agency
status.
SUPERVISOR HORTON: That is correct.
MS. NORDEN: So how is this ultimately, will it be resolved?
SUPERVISOR HORTON: Well, what we expect, our resolution states that we feel we should be,
the Town should be lead agency.
MS. NORDEN: I concur.
SUPERVISOR HORTON: We are also, I will note that….
MS. NORDEN: It is rare that that happens, right?
SUPERVISOR HORTON: Actually, not as rare as you think. In the event that the municipalities
do not agree or can’t reach a conclusion jointly, then the Commissioner of the Department of
Environmental Conservation of New York State makes that determination and the Board is
actually realized that both municipalities are going to remain locked in their position of wanting
to be lead agency, so we are open to the DEC’s ruling on that.
MS. NORDEN: Great. Thank you very much.
SUPERVISOR HORTON: Thank you. Would anybody else care to address the Board on
specific resolutions? (No response) Okay, then we will proceed, commencing with resolution
491. Councilman Edwards, please.
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August 16, 2005
Town of Southold Board Meeting
I. REPORTS
Subject Details
1. Southold Town's Program for the Disabled July 2005
2. Southold Town Trustees Monthly Report July 2005
3. North Fork Animal Welfare League, Financial 2nd Quarter ended 6/30/05 & 6/30/04
Statement
4. Southold Town Justice Court, Bruer July 2005
II. PUBLIC NOTICES
Subject Details
1. Notification of Alteration Permit to NYS Liquor Gerard Hayden (currently Coeur de Vigne
Authority Restaurant) 57335 Main Road, Southold.
2. Notification of Liquor License Renewal with Pepi's Restaurant
NYS Liquor Authority
3. Notification of New Liquor License Application Elements of Nature, Michael Miller, President
with NYS Liquor Authority 56125 Main Road, Southold
III. COMMUNICATIONS
IV. FOR DISCUSSION
Subject Details
1. Comprehensive Plan for Southold Town 2005 -
Draft
2. Proposed Resolutions Re East Marion/Orient 9:30 a.m. - Jamie Richter, Engineer and Neb
Causeway Project Brashich, Transportation Commission
3. TDR Halo Zones
4. DOT/Overflow Parking At Orient Point per Councilman Edwards
5. Proposed Local Law Boats & Recreational Storage and Parking of Boats & Recreational
Vehicles Vehicles
6. Cablevision Complaint per Assistant Town Attorney Corcoran
7. Request for Retaining $5000 Park & Playground Subdivision of Bertha Pawluczyk
Fee
V. RESOLUTIONS
2005-491
CATEGORY: Road Dedications
DEPARTMENT: Town Attorney
Accept the Road Dedication of Summit Estates In East Marion
WHEREAS
, Gusmar Realty Corporation has made application to the Town Board of the Town
of Southold to dedicate certain roads in East Marion, New York, to be known as SUMMIT
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August 16, 2005
Town of Southold Board Meeting
LANE, MARINA LANE, and GUS DRIVE, and also RECHARGE BASIN and DRAINAGE
EASEMENT, as shown and designated on the subdivision maps entitled Map of Summit Estates,
Section One, filed in the Office of the Clerk of the County of Suffolk on November 4, 1993 as
Map No. 9426, Map of Summit Estates, Section Two, filed in the Office of the Clerk of the
County of Suffolk on May 21, 2002 as Map No. 10768, and Map of Summit Estates, Section
Three, filed in the Office of the Clerk of the County of Suffolk on May 21, 2002 as Map No.
10769, together with the release executed by the owner thereof; and
WHEREAS
, the Southold Town Superintendent of Highways has inspected the said highways,
recharge basin and drainage easement and has advised the Town Board that said proposed
highways and land complies in all respects with the specifications for the dedication of highways
and drainage in the Town of Southold; now therefore, be it
RESOLVED
, that in accordance with Section 171 of the Highway Law of the State of New
consent be, and the same hereby is, given to the Superintendent of Highways to make
York,
an order laying out the aforesaid highways, to consist of lands described in said application
as shown on certain maps attached to said application
; and be it
RESOLVEDthe Town Clerk be, and she hereby is, authorized and
FURTHER , that
directed to forthwith cause the dedication, release and deed to be recorded in the Office of
the Clerk of the County of Suffolk, New York.
Vote Record - Resolution 2005-491
?
Yes/Aye No/Nay Abstain Absent
? ? ? ?
William P. Edwards Initiator
?
Adopted
????????
?? Daniel C. Ross Voter
Adopted as Amended
??????????
Defeated Thomas H. Wickham Voter
??
Tabled
????????
John M. Romanelli Voter
??
Withdrawn
????????
Louisa P. Evans Seconder
????????
Joshua Y. Horton Voter
2005-492
CATEGORY: Surplus Equipment
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August 16, 2005
Town of Southold Board Meeting
DEPARTMENT: Data Processing
Declare Equipment to be Surplus Equipment, Authorize and Direct Town Clerk to Advertise Same for
Sale
RESOLVEDdeclares the following
that the Town Board of the Town of Southold hereby
equipment to be surplus equipment:
Computer Asset No.: = 2464 Class: = 044
ComputerAsset No.: = 2452 Class: = 044
ComputerAsset No.: = 2449 Class: = 044
ComputerAsset No.: = 2453 Class: = 044
ComputerAsset No.: = 2451 Class: = 044
ComputerAsset No.: = 2458 Class: = 044
ComputerAsset No.: = 2459 Class: = 044
ComputerAsset No.: = 2455 Class: = 044
ComputerAsset No.: = 2454 Class: = 044
ComputerAsset No.: = 2463 Class: = 044
ComputerAsset No.: = 2461 Class: = 044
ComputerAsset No.: = 2457 Class: = 044
ComputerAsset No.: = 2460 Class: = 044
ComputerAsset No.: = 2466 Class: = 044
ComputerAsset No.: = 2462 Class: = 044
ComputerAsset No.: = 2467 Class: = 044
ComputerAsset No.: = 2456 Class: = 044
ComputerAsset No.: = 2465 Class: = 044
ComputerAsset No.: = 2311 Class: = 044
ComputerAsset No.: = 2338 Class: = 044
ComputerAsset No.: = 2385 Class: = 044
ComputerAsset No.: = 2384 Class: = 044
ComputerAsset No.: = 2387 Class: = 044
ComputerAsset No.: = 2386 Class: = 044
ComputerAsset No.: = 2383 Class: = 044
ComputerAsset No.: = 2382 Class: = 044
ComputerAsset No.: = 2337 Class: = 044
ComputerAsset No.: = 2341 Class: = 044
ComputerAsset No.: = 2339 Class: = 044
ComputerAsset No.: = 2340 Class: = 044
ComputerAsset No.: = 2487 Class: = 044
ComputerAsset No.: = 2532 Class: = 044
ComputerAsset No.: = 2501 Class: = 044
ComputerAsset No.: = 2535 Class: = 044
ComputerAsset No.: = 2281 Class: = 044
ComputerAsset No.: = 2282 Class: = 044
Printer Asset No.: = 1651 Class: = 046
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August 16, 2005
Town of Southold Board Meeting
Printer Asset No.: = 1651 Class: = 046
Printer Asset No.: = 1614 Class: = 046
Printer Asset No.: = 1708 Class: = 046
Printer Asset No.: = 2504 Class: = 046
Scanner Asset No.: = 2091 Class: = 040
RESOLVED
Be it further that the Town Board authorizes and directs the Town Clerk to
advertise for the sale of same.
Vote Record - Resolution 2005-492
?
Yes/Aye No/Nay Abstain Absent
? ? ? ?
William P. Edwards Seconder
?
Adopted
????????
?? Daniel C. Ross Initiator
Adopted as Amended
??????????
Defeated Thomas H. Wickham Voter
??
Tabled
????????
John M. Romanelli Voter
??
Withdrawn
????????
Louisa P. Evans Voter
????????
Joshua Y. Horton Voter
2005-493
CATEGORY: Employment
DEPARTMENT: Police Dept
Accept the Letter of Resignation of Robert J. Harney From His Position As a Public Safety Dispatcher for
the Southold Town Police Department
RESOLVEDhereby accepts the letter of
that the Town Board of the Town of Southold
resignation of Robert J. Harney
from his position as a Public Safety Dispatcher for the
Southold Town Police Department, effective Wednesday, August 31, 2005.
SUPERVISOR HORTON: We wish Mr. Harney and his family well.
Vote Record - Resolution 2005-493
?
Yes/Aye No/Nay Abstain Absent
? ? ? ?
William P. Edwards Voter
?
Adopted
????????
Daniel C. Ross Voter
??
Adopted as Amended
??
Defeated ????????
Thomas H. Wickham Seconder
??
Tabled
????????
John M. Romanelli Voter
??
Withdrawn
????????
Louisa P. Evans Initiator
????????
Joshua Y. Horton Voter
2005-494
Page 9
August 16, 2005
Town of Southold Board Meeting
CATEGORY: Contracts, Lease & Agreements
DEPARTMENT: Recreation
Authorize and Direct
Supervisor Joshua Y. Horton to Execute Agreements with Individuals for the Fall 2005 Recreation
Programs
RESOLVEDauthorizes and directs
that the Town Board of the Town of Southold
Supervisor Joshua Y. Horton to execute an agreement with the following
individuals for the fall 2005 recreation programs, all in accordance with the
approval of the Town Attorney.
Funding for the instructors listed below has been
budgeted for in the recreation department's 2005 instructor line A7020.4.500.420.
Martine Abitbol (French Cooking)................................................... $25/hour
Antoinette Beck-Witt (drawing class).............................................. $25/hour
Sara Bloom (memoir writing)........................................................... $25/hour
Thomas Boucher (guitar)................................................................. $30/hour
Eugenia Cherouski (folk dancing)................................................... $25/hour
Custer Institute (stargazing)............................................................. $45/person
Shirley Darling (tennis)................................................................… $30/class
Jules DeVito (Hula Dance).............................................................. $25/hour
Martha Eagle (Aerobics).................................................................. $30/hour
East End Insurance Services (Defensive Driving)............................ $30/person
Susan Fitzgerald (sewing class)..................................................... $25/hour
Mike Furst (beginner computer)....................................................... $25/hour
Dan Gebbia (dog obedience).......................................................… $55/dog
Carol Giordano (Baton)................................................................... $25/class
Dave Haurus (golf lessons)........................................................... $50/person
Hidden Lake Farms (Horseback Riding)......................................... $230/person
Rosemary Martilotta (hatha yoga)………………………………… $55/class
Susan Merrie (frame drumming)..................................................... $25/hour
Jim Mikelbank (youth basketball)………………………………… $25/hour
Mark Parson (golf lessons)........................................................... $50/person
Theresa Pressler (youth programs)................................................ $25/hour
Riverside Gymnastics (youth gymnastics)..................................... $60/person
Laurie Short (aerobics classes)......................................................... $25/hour
Steve Smith (weight training)........................................................... $25/hour
Touch Dancing Studios (ballroom)................................................... $48/person
US Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 18-8 (GPS).............................. $35/person
Garance Werthmuller (Monoprinting).............................................. $25/hour
Page 10
August 16, 2005
Town of Southold Board Meeting
Vote Record - Resolution 2005-494
?
Yes/Aye No/Nay Abstain Absent
? ? ? ?
William P. Edwards Voter
?
Adopted
????????
Daniel C. Ross Voter
??
Adopted as Amended
??
Defeated ????????
Thomas H. Wickham Initiator
??
Tabled
????????
John M. Romanelli Voter
??
Withdrawn
????????
Louisa P. Evans Seconder
????????
Joshua Y. Horton Voter
2005-495
CATEGORY: Budget Modification
DEPARTMENT: Police Dept
Modify 2005 Juvenile Aide Bureau Budget
RESOLVED modifies the GF-WT
that the Town Board of the Town of Southold hereby
Juvenile Aide Bureau 2005 budget, as follows:
TO:
A.3157.1.100.300 JAB, P.S., F-T Employees
Vacation Earnings $83,614.82
A.3157.1.100.400 JAB, P.S., F-T Employees
Sick Earnings $87,103.48
FROM:
A.3120.1.100.300 Police, P.S., F-T Employees
Vacation Earnings $45,000.00
A.3120.1.100.400 Police, P.S., F-T Employees
Sick Earnings $65,000.00
A.3120.1.600.500 Police, P.S., Misc.
Retirement Reserve $60,718.30
SUPERVISOR HORTON: Just as a point of clarification, this pertains to the retirement of
Detective Dzenkowski and those monies were budgeted in the vacation, sick and retirement
funds of the Police Department.
Page 11
August 16, 2005
Town of Southold Board Meeting
Vote Record - Resolution 2005-495
?
Yes/Aye No/Nay Abstain Absent
? ? ? ?
William P. Edwards Initiator
?
Adopted
????????
?? Daniel C. Ross Voter
Adopted as Amended
??????????
Defeated Thomas H. Wickham Voter
??
Tabled
????????
John M. Romanelli Voter
??
Withdrawn
????????
Louisa P. Evans Seconder
????????
Joshua Y. Horton Voter
2005-496
CATEGORY: Legislation
DEPARTMENT: Supervisor
Memorial Resolution Requesting Suffolk County Executive to Approve Suffolk County Legislature
Resolution No. 1647 of 2005
WHEREAS
, Suffolk County Legislators Michael Caracciolo and Jay Schneiderman sponsored a
law entitled "A Charter Law to Provide for Fair and Equitable Distribution of Public Safety Sales
and Compensating Use Tax Revenues" (Resolution No. 1647 of 2005); and
WHEREAS
, numerous public hearings were held before the Budget and Finance Committee of
the Suffolk County Legislature with testimony provided by numerous East End Town
Supervisors and Village Mayors; and
WHEREAS
, the Suffolk County Legislature, at its meeting held on August 9, 2005, adopted the
above-referenced legislation, which will now provide for the fair and equitable distribution of
public safety sales and compensating use tax revenues to those Towns and Villages not utilizing
the services of the Suffolk County Police Department, namely, all of the East End Towns and
Villages; and
RESOLVED
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT that the Town Board of the Town of Southold hereby
requests that the Suffolk County Executive approve the above-cited legislation
; and be it
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August 16, 2005
Town of Southold Board Meeting
RESOLVEDdirected to forward a copy of this Resolution
FURTHER that the Town Clerk is
to Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy and the members of the Suffolk County
Legislature.
Vote Record - Resolution 2005-496
?
Yes/Aye No/Nay Abstain Absent
? ? ? ?
William P. Edwards Voter
?
Adopted
????????
?? Daniel C. Ross Initiator
Adopted as Amended
??????????
Defeated Thomas H. Wickham Seconder
??
Tabled
????????
John M. Romanelli Voter
??
Withdrawn
????????
Louisa P. Evans Voter
????????
Joshua Y. Horton Voter
2005-497
CATEGORY: Budget Modification
DEPARTMENT: Town Clerk
Authorize the Modification of the 2005 General Fund, Whole Town Budget for Code Book and Updates
RESOLVEDmodifies the General Fund,
that the Town Board of the Town of Southold hereby
Whole Town_2005 budget as follows:
To:
A.1010.4.100.125 Town Board C.E.
Code Updates & Law Books $15,000.00
From:
A.9901.9.000.300 Transfers to Other Funds
Transfers to Risk Retention Fund $15,000.00
Vote Record - Resolution 2005-497
?
Yes/Aye No/Nay Abstain Absent
? ? ? ?
William P. Edwards Voter
?
Adopted
????????
?? Daniel C. Ross Voter
Adopted as Amended
??????????
Defeated Thomas H. Wickham Seconder
??
Tabled
????????
John M. Romanelli Voter
??
Withdrawn
????????
Louisa P. Evans Initiator
????????
Joshua Y. Horton Voter
Page 13
August 16, 2005
Town of Southold Board Meeting
2005-498
CATEGORY: Road Dedications
DEPARTMENT: Town Attorney
Accept the Road Dedication of Rockcove Estates
WHEREAS
, East of Eden, LLC has made application to the Town Board of the Town of
Southold to dedicate certain roads in Greenport, New York, to be known as SOUND DRIVE,
INLET POND ROAD, ROCKCOVE LANE, CAIOLA COURT and also RECHARGE BASIN,
as shown and designated on the subdivision maps entitled Map of Rockcove Estates, filed in the
Office of the Clerk of the County of Suffolk on June 11, 2001, as Map No. 10637, together with
the release executed by the owner thereof; and
WHEREAS
, the Southold Town Superintendent of Highways has inspected the said highways
and recharge basin and has advised the Town Board that said proposed highways and land
complies in all respects with the specifications for the dedication of highways and drainage in the
Town of Southold; now therefore, be it
RESOLVED
that in accordance with Section 171 of the Highway Law of the State of New
consent be, and the same hereby is, given to the Superintendent of Highways to make
York,
an order laying out the aforesaid highways, to consist of lands described in said application
as shown on certain maps attached to said application
; and be it FURTHER
RESOLVEDauthorized and directed to forthwith
that the Town Clerk be, and she hereby is,
cause the dedication, release and deed to be recorded in the Office of the Clerk of the
County of Suffolk, New York.
Page 14
August 16, 2005
Town of Southold Board Meeting
Vote Record - Resolution 2005-498
?
Yes/Aye No/Nay Abstain Absent
? ? ? ?
William P. Edwards Voter
?
Adopted
????????
Daniel C. Ross Voter
??
Adopted as Amended
??
Defeated ????????
Thomas H. Wickham Initiator
??
Tabled
????????
John M. Romanelli Voter
??
Withdrawn
????????
Louisa P. Evans Seconder
????????
Joshua Y. Horton Voter
2005-499
CATEGORY: Retirement/Resignation
DEPARTMENT: Accounting
Accept the Resignation of Peggylee Dzenkowski From the Position of Full-Time Temporary Cook
RESOLVEDaccepts the resignation of
that the Town Board of the Town of Southold hereby
Peggylee Dzenkowski from the position of full-time temporary Cook
at the Human Resource
Center effective August 26, 2005.
Vote Record - Resolution 2005-499
?
Yes/Aye No/Nay Abstain Absent
? ? ? ?
William P. Edwards Initiator
?
Adopted
????????
?? Daniel C. Ross Seconder
Adopted as Amended
??????????
Defeated Thomas H. Wickham Voter
??
Tabled
????????
John M. Romanelli Voter
??
Withdrawn
????????
Louisa P. Evans Voter
????????
Joshua Y. Horton Voter
2005-500
CATEGORY: Employment
DEPARTMENT: Accounting
Amend Colin Volinski Pay Rate
RESOLVEDamends resolution 2005-
that the Town Board of the Town of Southold hereby
476, adopted at the August 2, 2005 regular Town Board meeting to read as follows
:
RESOLVED that the Town Board of the Town of Southold hereby appoints Colin Volinski to
the position of Student Intern I in the Southold Town Clerk Records Management office, at a rate
$10.49 per hour
of $10.54 , effective August 3, 2005
Page 15
August 16, 2005
Town of Southold Board Meeting
Vote Record - Resolution 2005-500
?
Yes/Aye No/Nay Abstain Absent
? ? ? ?
William P. Edwards Seconder
?
Adopted
????????
?? Daniel C. Ross Initiator
Adopted as Amended
??????????
Defeated Thomas H. Wickham Voter
??
Tabled
????????
John M. Romanelli Voter
??
Withdrawn
????????
Louisa P. Evans Voter
????????
Joshua Y. Horton Voter
2005-501
CATEGORY: Employment
DEPARTMENT: Public Works
Appoint Jeffery Standish to the Position of Deputy Director of Public Works
RESOLVEDappoints Jeffery Standish
that the Town Board of the Town of Southold hereby
to the position of Deputy Director of Public Works
, effective August 17, 2005, at a salary of
$6,180.00 per annum.
Vote Record - Resolution 2005-501
?
Yes/Aye No/Nay Abstain Absent
? ? ? ?
William P. Edwards Voter
?
Adopted
????????
Daniel C. Ross Voter
??
Adopted as Amended
??????????
Defeated Thomas H. Wickham Seconder
??
Tabled
????????
John M. Romanelli Voter
??
Withdrawn
????????
Louisa P. Evans Initiator
????????
Joshua Y. Horton Voter
2005-502
CATEGORY: Attend Seminar
DEPARTMENT: Town Attorney
Authorize Town Attorney to Attend the Joint Fall Meeting of the Municipal and Environmental Law
Sections of the New York State Bar Association In Bolton Landing, NY, September 23-25, 2005
Page 16
August 16, 2005
Town of Southold Board Meeting
RESOLVEDgrants permission toTown
that the Town Board of the Town of Southold hereby
Attorney Patricia A. Finnegan to attend the Joint Fall Meeting of the Municipal and
Environmental Law sections of the New York State Bar Association
in Bolton Landing, NY,
September 23-25, 2005. All expenses for registration, travel and lodging to be a legal charge to
the 2005 Town Attorney budget (meetings and seminars).
Vote Record - Resolution 2005-502
?
Yes/Aye No/Nay Abstain Absent
? ? ? ?
William P. Edwards Seconder
?
Adopted
????????
?? Daniel C. Ross Voter
Adopted as Amended
??????????
Defeated Thomas H. Wickham Initiator
??
Tabled
????????
John M. Romanelli Voter
??
Withdrawn
????????
Louisa P. Evans Voter
????????
Joshua Y. Horton Voter
2005-503
CATEGORY: Attend Seminar
DEPARTMENT: Accounting
Grant Permission to Barbara Rudder and Janice Foglia to Attend a Mandatory Meeting In to Hauppauge
on August 24, 2005
RESOLVEDgrants permission to Barbara
that the Town Board Town of Southold hereby
Rudder and Janice Foglia to attend a mandatory meeting in to Hauppauge at the Suffolk
County Department of Civil Service office on August 24, 2005
. All expenses to be charged to
the Accounting Departments seminar line.
Vote Record - Resolution 2005-503
?
Yes/Aye No/Nay Abstain Absent
? ? ? ?
William P. Edwards Initiator
?
Adopted
????????
Daniel C. Ross Voter
??
Adopted as Amended
??
Defeated ????????
Thomas H. Wickham Voter
??
Tabled
????????
John M. Romanelli Voter
??
Withdrawn
????????
Louisa P. Evans Seconder
????????
Joshua Y. Horton Voter
2005-504
CATEGORY: Legislation
Page 17
August 16, 2005
Town of Southold Board Meeting
DEPARTMENT: Town Attorney
Determine that the Proposed Local Law Entitled “A Local Law In Relation to Amendments to the
Preservation of Historic Landmarks Law” is Classified As a Type II Action
RESOLVEDdetermines that the
that the Town Board of the Town of Southold hereby
proposed Local Law entitled “A Local Law in Relation to Amendments to the Preservation
of Historic Landmarks Law” is classified as a Type II action
pursuant to SEQRA rules and
regulations, and is not subject to further review under SEQRA.
Vote Record - Resolution 2005-504
?
Yes/Aye No/Nay Abstain Absent
? ? ? ?
William P. Edwards Seconder
?
Adopted
????????
Daniel C. Ross Initiator
??
Adopted as Amended
??????????
Defeated Thomas H. Wickham Voter
??
Tabled
????????
John M. Romanelli Voter
??
Withdrawn
????????
Louisa P. Evans Voter
????????
Joshua Y. Horton Voter
2005-505
CATEGORY: Contracts, Lease & Agreements
DEPARTMENT: Community Development
Authorize and Direct Supervisor Joshua Y. Horton to Execute an Agreement Between the Town of
Southold and the NYS Department of State In Connection with the Implementation of the Town of
Southold’s Local Water Revitalization Program
RESOLVEDauthorizes and directs
that the Town Board of the Town of Southold hereby
Supervisor Joshua Y. Horton to execute an Agreement between the Town of Southold and
the NYS Department of State
in connection with the Implementation of the Town of
Southold’s Local Water Revitalization Program in the amount of $150,000.00 all in accordance
with the approval of the Town Attorney.
Vote Record - Resolution 2005-505
?
Yes/Aye No/Nay Abstain Absent
? ? ? ?
William P. Edwards Voter
?
Adopted
????????
Daniel C. Ross Seconder
??
Adopted as Amended
??
Defeated ????????
Thomas H. Wickham Voter
??
Tabled
????????
John M. Romanelli Voter
??
Withdrawn
????????
Louisa P. Evans Initiator
????????
Joshua Y. Horton Voter
Page 18
August 16, 2005
Town of Southold Board Meeting
2005-506
CATEGORY: Bond
DEPARTMENT: Town Attorney
Rescind Resolution #2005-471, Adopted At the August 2, 2005 Regular Town Board Meeting.
RESOLUTION OF THE TOWN OF SOUTHOLD, NEW YORK, ADOPTED
AUGUST 16, 2005, REPEALING, RESCINDING AND REVOKING THE
SERIAL BOND RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CONSTRUCTION OF
A NEW TOWN ANIMAL SHELTER, IN SAID TOWN AT THE ESTIMATED
MAXIMUM COST OF $2,600,000, ADOPTED BY THE TOWN BOARD OF
SAID TOWN ON AUGUST 2, 2005.
THE TOWN BOARD OF THE TOWN OF SOUTHOLD, IN THE COUNTY OF
SUFFOLK, NEW YORK, HEREBY RESOLVES (by the favorable vote of not less than two-
thirds of all the members of said Town Board) AS FOLLOWS:
herein called the
The Town of Southold, in the County of Suffolk, New York (
“Town”), hereby repeals, rescinds and revokes the serial bond resolution entitled:
“BOND RESOLUTION OF THE TOWN OF SOUTHOLD, NEW YORK,
ADOPTED AUGUST 2, 2005, AUTHORIZING THE CONSTRUCTION
OF A NEW TOWN ANIMAL SHELTER, IN SAID TOWN, STATING
THE ESTIMATED MAXIMUM COST THEREOF IS $2,600,000,
APPROPRIATING SAID AMOUNT THEREFOR, AND AUTHORIZING
THE ISSUANCE OF $2,600,000 SERIAL BONDS OF SAID TOWN TO
FINANCE SAID APPROPRIATION.”
This resolution shall take place immediately.
Page 19
August 16, 2005
Town of Southold Board Meeting
Vote Record - Resolution 2005-506
?
Yes/Aye No/Nay Abstain Absent
? ? ? ?
William P. Edwards Voter
?
Adopted
????????
Daniel C. Ross Voter
??
Adopted as Amended
??
Defeated ????????
Thomas H. Wickham Initiator
??
Tabled
????????
John M. Romanelli Voter
??
Withdrawn
????????
Louisa P. Evans Seconder
????????
Joshua Y. Horton Voter
2005-507
CATEGORY: Bond
DEPARTMENT: Town Attorney
Approve Bond Resolution Appropriating $2,600,000 for the Construction of a New Town Animal Shelter
and Authorize the Issuance on Serial Bonds to Finance Said Appropriation
BOND RESOLUTION OF THE TOWN OF SOUTHOLD, NEW YORK,
ADOPTED AUGUST 16, 2005, AUTHORIZING THE CONSTRUCTION OF
A NEW TOWN ANIMAL SHELTER, IN SAID TOWN, STATING THE
ESTIMATED MAXIMUM COST THEREOF IS $2,600,000,
APPROPRIATING SAID AMOUNT THEREFOR AND AUTHORIZING THE
ISSUANCE OF $2,600,000 SERIAL BONDS OF SAID TOWN TO FINANCE
SAID APPROPRIATION
THE TOWN BOARD OF THE TOWN OF SOUTHOLD, IN THE COUNTY OF
SUFFOLK, NEW YORK, HEREBY RESOLVES (by the favorable vote of not less than two-
thirds of all the members of said Town Board) AS FOLLOWS:
The Town of Southold, in the County of Suffolk, New York (herein called the
is hereby authorized to construct a new Town animal shelter on the site of the
“Town”),
existing animal shelter located at 269 Peconic Lane, in the Town, including demolition of
the existing animal shelter, purchase of the original furnishings, equipment, machinery and
apparatus required for the purpose for which said new shelter is to be used and grading
and improving the site. The estimated maximum cost of said specific object or purpose,
including preliminary costs and costs incidental thereto and to the financing thereof, is
$2,600,000 and the said amount is hereby appropriated therefor. The plan of financing
includes the issuance of not to exceed $2,600,000 serial bonds of the Town to finance said
appropriation and the levy and collection of taxes upon all the taxable real property in the
Page 20
August 16, 2005
Town of Southold Board Meeting
Town to pay the principal of said bonds and the interest thereon as the same shall become
due and payable.
Serial bonds of the Town in the principal amount of not to exceed $2,600,000
are hereby authorized to be issued pursuant to the provisions of the Local Finance Law,
constituting Chapter 33-a of the Consolidated Laws of the State of New York (herein called
the “Law”), to finance said appropriation.
The following additional matters are hereby determined and declared:
(a) Said new shelter will be of Class “B” construction as defined by Section
11.00 a. 11.(b) of the Law and the period of probable usefulness applicable thereto for which
said bonds are authorized to be issued, within the limitations of said Section 11.00 a. 11(b) of the
Law, is fifteen (15) years.
(b) The proceeds of the bonds herein authorized, and any bond anticipation
notes issued in anticipation of said bonds, may be applied to reimburse the Town for
expenditures made after the effective date of this resolution for the purpose for which said bonds
are authorized. The foregoing statement of intent with respect to reimbursement is made in
conformity with Treasury Regulation Section 1.150-2 of the United States Treasury Department.
(c) The Town Board of the Town, acting in the role of Lead Agency pursuant
to the provisions of the New York State Environmental Quality Review Act, constituting Article
8 of the Environmental Conservation Law, and 6 N.Y.C.R.R., Regulations Part 617 (“SEQRA”)
has heretofore determined that the project described herein is an Unlisted Action pursuant to
SEQRA. The Town Board has reviewed a Full Environmental Assessment Form and has
determined that the project will not result in any significant adverse environmental impact and a
negative declaration has been adopted.
(d) The proposed maturity of the bonds authorized by this resolution will
exceed five (5) years.
Each of the bonds authorized by this resolution, and any bond anticipation notes
issued in anticipation of the sale of said bonds, shall contain the recital of validity as prescribed
by Section 52.00 of the Law and said bonds, and any notes issued in anticipation of said bonds,
shall be general obligations of the Town, payable as to both principal and interest by general tax
upon all the taxable real property within the Town without limitation of rate or amount. The
Page 21
August 16, 2005
Town of Southold Board Meeting
faith and credit of the Town are hereby irrevocably pledged to the punctual payment of the
principal of and interest on said bonds, and any notes issued in anticipation of the sale of said
bonds, and provision shall be made annually in the budget of the Town by appropriation for (a)
the amortization and redemption of the bonds and any notes in anticipation thereof to mature in
such year and (b) the payment of interest to be due and payable in such year.
Subject to the provisions of this resolution and of the Law and pursuant to the
provisions of Section 21.00 relative to the authorization of bonds with substantially level or
declining annual debt service, Section 30.00 relative to the authorization of the issuance of bond
anticipation notes and Section 50.00 and Sections 56.00 to 60.00 of the Law, the powers and
duties of the Town Board relative to authorizing bond anticipation notes and prescribing the
terms, form and contents and as to the sale and issuance of the bonds herein authorized, and of
any bond anticipation notes issued in anticipation of said bonds, and the renewals of said bond
anticipation notes, are hereby delegated to the Supervisor, the chief fiscal officer of the Town.
The validity of the bonds authorized by this resolution, and of any notes issued in
anticipation of the sale of said bonds, may be contested only if:
such obligations are authorized for an object or purpose for which the Town is not
authorized to expend money, or
the provisions of law which should be complied with at the date of the publication
of such resolution, or a summary thereof, are not substantially complied with,
and an action, suit or proceeding contesting such validity is commenced within twenty days after the date
of such publication, or
(c) such obligations are authorized in violation of the provisions of the
constitution.
This bond resolution is subject to a permissive referendum and the Town Clerk is
hereby authorized and directed, within ten (10) days after the adoption of this resolution, to cause
to be published, in full, in the “THE TRAVELER WATCHMAN,” a newspaper published in
Southold, New York and hereby designated the official newspaper for such publication and
posted on the sign board of the Town maintained pursuant to the Town Law, a Notice in
substantially the following form:
Page 22
August 16, 2005
Town of Southold Board Meeting
TOWN OF SOUTHOLD, NEW YORK
PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that on August 16, 2005, the Town Board of the Town
of Southold, in the County of Suffolk, New York, adopted a bond resolution entitled:
“BOND RESOLUTION OF THE TOWN OF SOUTHOLD, NEW YORK,
ADOPTED AUGUST 16, 2005, AUTHORIZING THE CONSTRUCTION OF
A NEW TOWN ANIMAL SHELTER, IN SAID TOWN, STATING THE
ESTIMATED MAXIMUM COST THEREOF IS $2,600,000,
APPROPRIATING SAID AMOUNT THEREFOR AND AUTHORIZING THE
ISSUANCE OF $2,600,000 SERIAL BONDS OF SAID TOWN TO FINANCE
SAID APPROPRIATION”
an abstract of which bond resolution concisely stating the purpose and effect thereof, being as follows:
FIRST: AUTHORIZING the Town of Southold (“Town”) to construct a new
Town animal shelter on the site of the existing animal shelter located at 269 Peconic Lane, in
Town, including demolition of the existing shelter, purchase of the original furnishings
equipment, machinery and apparatus required and grading and improving the site; STATING the
estimated maximum cost thereof, including preliminary costs and costs incidental thereto and the
financing thereof, is $2,600,000; APPROPRIATING said amount therefor and STATING the
plan of financing includes the issuance of not to exceed $2,600,000 serial bonds of the Town to
finance said appropriation and the levy and collection of taxes on all the taxable real property in
the Town to pay the principal of said bonds and the interest thereon as the same shall become
due and payable;
SECOND: AUTHORIZING the issuance of not to exceed $2,600,000 serial
bonds of the Town pursuant to the Local Finance Law of the State of New York (the “Law”) to
finance said appropriation;
THIRD: DETERMINING and STATING the period of probable usefulness
applicable to said shelter, the purpose for which said serial bonds are authorized to be issued, is
fifteen (15) years; the proceeds of said bonds and any bond anticipation notes issued in
anticipation thereof may be applied to reimburse the Town for expenditures made after the
effective date of this bond resolution for the purpose for which said bonds are authorized; the
Town Board of the Town has heretofore determined that the project is an Unlisted action
Page 23
August 16, 2005
Town of Southold Board Meeting
pursuant to SEQRA; and the proposed maturity of said $2,600,000 serial bonds will exceed five
(5) years;
FOURTH: DETERMINING that said bonds and any bond anticipation notes
issued in anticipation of said bonds and the renewals of said bond anticipation notes shall be
general obligations of the Town; and PLEDGING to their payment the faith and credit of the
Town;
FIFTH: DELEGATING to the Supervisor the powers and duties as to the
issuance of said bonds and any bond anticipation notes issued in anticipation of said bonds, or
the renewals thereof; and
SIXTH: DETERMINING that the bond resolution is subject to a permissive
referendum.
DATED: August 16, 2005
Elizabeth A. Neville
Town Clerk
Page 24
August 16, 2005
Town of Southold Board Meeting
Section 8. The Town Clerk is hereby authorized and directed to cause said bond
resolution to be published, in summary, in substantially the form set forth in Exhibit “A”
attached hereto and made a part hereof, after said bond resolution shall take effect, in the
newspaper referred to in Section 7 hereof, and hereby designated the official newspaper for said
publication, together with a Notice in substantially the form as provided by Section 81.00 of the
Local Finance Law, constituting Chapter 33-a of the Consolidated Laws of the State of New
York.
* * *
Page 25
August 16, 2005
Town of Southold Board Meeting
EXHIBIT “A”
BOND RESOLUTION OF THE TOWN OF SOUTHOLD, NEW YORK,
ADOPTED AUGUST 16, 2005 AUTHORIZING THE CONSTRUCTION
OF A NEW TOWN ANIMAL SHELTER, IN SAID TOWN, STATING
THE ESTIMATED MAXIMUM COST THEREOF IS $2,600,000,
APPROPRIATING SAID AMOUNT THEREFOR, AND AUTHORIZING
THE ISSUANCE OF $2,600,000 SERIAL BONDS OF SAID TOWN TO
FINANCE SAID APPROPRIATION.
Object or purpose: to construct a new Town animal shelter on the site
of the existing animal shelter located at 269 Peconic
Lane, in the Town of Southold, including
demolition of the existing shelter, purchase of the
original furnishings equipment, machinery and
apparatus required and grading and improving the
site
Amount of obligations
to be issued: $2,600,000
Period of probable
usefulness: fifteen (15) years
A complete copy of the bond resolution summarized above shall be available for public
inspection during normal business hours at the office of the Town Clerk, at the Town Hall,
53095 Main Street, Southold, New York.
Dated: August 16, 2005
Southold, New York
SUPERVISOR HORTON: This is a bond issuance, bond resolution. I request a roll call vote.
Town Clerk, please call the roll.
Page 26
August 16, 2005
Town of Southold Board Meeting
Vote Record - Resolution 2005-507
?
Yes/Aye No/Nay Abstain Absent
? ? ? ?
William P. Edwards Initiator
?
Adopted
????????
Daniel C. Ross Voter
??
Adopted as Amended
??
Defeated ????????
Thomas H. Wickham Seconder
??
Tabled
????????
John M. Romanelli Voter
??
Withdrawn
????????
Louisa P. Evans Voter
????????
Joshua Y. Horton Voter
2005-508
CATEGORY: Seqra
DEPARTMENT: Town Attorney
Determine that the Town of Southold Serve As Lead Agency for the SEQRA Review of the Petition for
Annexation Submitted by KACE LI, LLC
WHEREAS
, the Town Board of the Town of Southold has received a Petition for Annexation
(the “Petition”) submitted by KACE LI, LLC; and
WHEREAS
, the Board of Trustees of the Village of Greenport has proposed that it serve as lead
agency for the environmental review of the Petition pursuant to SEQRA;
BE IT HEREBY RESOLVED,
that the Town Board of the Town of Southold preliminarily
classifies the Petition as an Unlisted Action; and be it further
RESOLVEDthe Town of
, that the Town Board of the Town of Southold proposes that
Southold serve as lead agency for the SEQRA review of the Petition, and hereby directs
that the Town Clerk mail a copy of this proposal to the Village of Greenport and all other
interested agencies; and be it further
RESOLVED
, that, in the event the Village of Greenport and the Town of Southold are unable to
agree upon the lead agency determination with respect to the Petition, that the Town of Southold
shall submit the issue to the Commissioner of the Department of Environmental
Conservation for resolution pursuant to §617.6(b)(5) of the SEQRA Rules and Regulations.
Page 27
August 16, 2005
Town of Southold Board Meeting
Vote Record - Resolution 2005-508
?
Yes/Aye No/Nay Abstain Absent
? ? ? ?
William P. Edwards Seconder
?
Adopted
????????
?? Daniel C. Ross Initiator
Adopted as Amended
??
Defeated ????????
Thomas H. Wickham Voter
??
Tabled
????????
John M. Romanelli Voter
??
Withdrawn
????????
Louisa P. Evans Voter
????????
Joshua Y. Horton Voter
2005-509
CATEGORY: Bid Acceptance
DEPARTMENT: Town Attorney
Accept Proposal of Island Structures Engineering, PC and Authorize and Direct the Supervisor to Sign
Agreement
RESOLVEDaccepts the Proposal of
, that the Town Board of the Town of Southold hereby
Island Structures Engineering, P.C. in the amount of $50,000
for engineering services to
complete Phase “1-A” of the Orient Causeway Scenic Byways Project; and be it further
RESOLVED,authorizes and directs
that the Town Board of the Town of Southold hereby
Supervisor Joshua Y. Horton to sign an Agreement between the Town of Southold and
Island Structures Engineering, P.C. in the amount of $50,000
for engineering services to
complete Phase “1-A” of the Orient Causeway Scenic Byways Project, subject to the approval of
the Town Attorney.
SUPERVISOR HORTON: This initiative is borne out of a grant that the Town Board or the
Town of Southold was awarded that would fund a feasibility study of burying or under-
grounding the overhead wires that span the length of the Orient Causeway. This is phase I of
that feasibility study that we are currently funding.
Vote Record - Resolution 2005-509
?
Yes/Aye No/Nay Abstain Absent
? ? ? ?
William P. Edwards Voter
?
Adopted
????????
Daniel C. Ross Voter
??
Adopted as Amended
??
Defeated ????????
Thomas H. Wickham Seconder
??
Tabled
????????
John M. Romanelli Voter
??
Withdrawn
????????
Louisa P. Evans Initiator
????????
Joshua Y. Horton Voter
Page 28
August 16, 2005
Town of Southold Board Meeting
2005-510
CATEGORY: Enact Local Law
DEPARTMENT: Town Attorney
Enact Local Law Entitled “A Local Law In Relation to Amendments to the Preservation of Historic
Landmarks Law”
WHEREAS,
there has been presented to the Town Board of the Town of Southold, Suffolk
“
County, New York, on the 2nd day of August , 2005 a Local Law entitled A Local Law in
relation to Amendments to the Preservation of Historic Landmarks Law”; and
WHEREAS
the Town Board of the Town of Southold held a public hearing on the aforesaid
Local Law at which time all interested persons were given an opportunity to be heard, now
therefor be it
RESOLVEDenacts the Local Law
that the Town Board of the Town of Southold hereby
entitled, “A Local Law in relation to Amendments to the Preservation of Historic
Landmarks Law” which reads as follows:
LOCAL LAW NO. _13_ 2005
A Local Law in relation to Amendments to the Preservation of Historic Landmarks
Law
.
BE IT ENACTED
by the Town Board of the Town of Southold as follows:
I. Purpose.
In order to provide for greater community representation on the
Historic Preservation Commission, and to foster the development of appropriate
committees and the division of labor, it is necessary to empower the Town Board of the
Town of Southold to enlarge the membership of the Commission from five (5) to seven
(7) members.
II. Code Amendment
.
§ 56-4. Powers and Duties of the Historic Preservation Commission.
A. There is hereby created a commission to be known as the Town of Southold Historic
Preservation Commission. The Historic Preservation Commission shall consist of no fewer than
Page 29
August 16, 2005
Town of Southold Board Meeting
five (5) members and no greater than seven (7) members, to be appointed by the Town Board, to
the extent available in the community, as follows:
1. At least one member shall be an architect experienced in working with historic
buildings;
2. At least one member shall have demonstrated significant interest in and
commitment to the field of historic preservation; and
3. All members shall have a known interest in historic preservation and architectural
development within the Town of Southold.
II. Severability.
If any clause, sentence, paragraph, section, or part of this Local Law shall be adjudged by
any court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, the judgment shall not affect the
validity of this law as a whole or any part thereof other than the part so decided to be
unconstitutional or invalid.
III. Effective Date.
This Local Law shall be effective immediately upon its filing in the Office of the
Secretary of State.
SUPERVISOR HORTON: This is a local law and so I will call for a roll call vote. Town Clerk,
please call the roll. Jim and I see Mrs. Murphy from the Landmark Preservation Commission
both here. Thank you for bringing this to our attention and for helping us deal with this matter.
MR. GRATHWOHL: You are very welcome and we thank you again for your support.
SUPERVISOR HORTON: Indeed.
Vote Record - Resolution 2005-510
?
Yes/Aye No/Nay Abstain Absent
? ? ? ?
William P. Edwards Voter
?
Adopted
????????
?? Daniel C. Ross Seconder
Adopted as Amended
??????????
Defeated Thomas H. Wickham Initiator
??
Tabled
????????
John M. Romanelli Voter
??
Withdrawn
????????
Louisa P. Evans Voter
????????
Joshua Y. Horton Voter
Page 30
August 16, 2005
Town of Southold Board Meeting
2005-511
CATEGORY: Employment
DEPARTMENT: Town Clerk
Authorize and Direct the Town Clerk to Advertise for Members of the Historic Preservation Commission.
RESOLVEDauthorizes and directs the
that the Town Board of the Town of Southold hereby
Town Clerk to advertise for members of the Historic Preservation Commission.
Vote Record - Resolution 2005-511
?
Yes/Aye No/Nay Abstain Absent
? ? ? ?
William P. Edwards Voter
?
Adopted
????????
Daniel C. Ross Seconder
??
Adopted as Amended
??
Defeated ????????
Thomas H. Wickham Initiator
??
Tabled
????????
John M. Romanelli Voter
??
Withdrawn
????????
Louisa P. Evans Voter
????????
Joshua Y. Horton Voter
Public Hearings
Public Hearing #1
S5:00 P.M.,A16, 2005, STH, ATPP
ET UGUST OUTHOLD OWN ALLS THE IME AND LACE FOR A UBLIC
H“A LLIRAPH
EARING ON OCAL AW N ELATION TO MENDMENTS TO THE RESERVATION OF ISTORIC
LL”
ANDMARKS AW
HEARING ON “A LOCAL LAW IN RELATION TO AMENDMENTS TO THE
PRESERVATION OF HISTORIC LANDMARKS LAW”
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN
COUNCILMAN WICKHAM: there has been presented to the
Town Board of the Town of Southold, Suffolk County, New York, on the 2nd day of August ,
“A Local Law in relation to Amendments to the Preservation of
2005 a Local Law entitled
Historic Landmarks Law”
, and
NOTICE IS HEREBY FURTHER GIVEN
that the Town Board of the Town of
hold a public hearing on the aforesaid Local Law at the Southold
Southold will
Town Hall, 53095 Main Road, Southold, New York, on August 16, 2005 at 5:00 p.m.
at which time all interested persons will be given an opportunity to be heard.
“A Local Law in relation to Amendments to the
The proposed Local Law entitled,
Preservation of Historic Landmarks Law”
reads as follows:
LOCAL LAW NO. _______ 2005
A Local Law in relation to Amendments to the Preservation of Historic Landmarks Law.
BE IT ENACTED
by the Town Board of the Town of Southold as follows:
I. Purpose.
In order to provide for greater community representation on the
Historic Preservation Commission, and to foster the development of appropriate
committees and the division of labor, it is necessary to empower the Town Board of the
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Town of Southold Board Meeting
Town of Southold to enlarge the membership of the Commission from five (5) to seven
(7) members.
II. Code Amendment
.
§ 56-4. Powers and Duties of the Historic Preservation Commission.
A. There is hereby created a commission to be known as the Town of Southold Historic
Preservation Commission. The Historic Preservation Commission shall consist of no fewer than
five (5) members and no greater than seven (7) members, to be appointed by the Town Board, to
the extent available in the community, as follows:
1. At least one member shall be an architect experienced in working with historic
buildings;
2. At least one member shall have demonstrated significant interest in and
commitment to the field of historic preservation; and
3. All members shall have a known interest in historic preservation and architectural
development within the Town of Southold.
III. Severability.
If any clause, sentence, paragraph, section, or part of this Local Law shall be adjudged by
any court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, the judgment shall not affect the
validity of this law as a whole or any part thereof other than the part so decided to be
unconstitutional or invalid.
IV. Effective Date.
This Local Law shall be effective immediately upon its filing in the Office of the
Secretary of State.
COUNCILMAN WICKHAM: This local law has been noticed in the newspaper, it has
appeared on the Town Clerk’s bulletin board outside and I have, I don’t believe I have
any other communications about this.
SUPERVISOR HORTON: Okay. Thank you, Councilman Wickham. Would anybody
care to address the Board on this public hearing?
JIM GRATHWOHL: Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. I am Jim Grathwohl,
Chairman of the Landmarks Preservation Commission and I believe we have explained to
you why we need it. I appreciate your concern and understanding in granting us the
additional persons to help us do much more than previous commissions I think have
done. So if there are any other questions or comments, I would be glad to answer them.
Other than that, I again thank you very much for your support.
SUPERVISOR HORTON: Thank you. Would anybody else care to address this public
hearing? (No response) One thing that I would add outside of the public hearing is that
we should probably authorize advertising for those two members this evening. That is
assuming that we pass this. If there is nothing further on this public hearing, this hearing
is declared closed. And we will move back to our resolutions.
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Town of Southold Board Meeting
Vote Record - Public Hearing #1
?
Yes/Aye No/Nay Abstain Absent
? ? ? ?
William P. Edwards Voter
????????
Daniel C. Ross Seconder
?
Adjourned
????????
Thomas H. Wickham Voter
??
Closed
????????
John M. Romanelli Voter
????????
Louisa P. Evans Initiator
????????
Joshua Y. Horton Voter
TOWN BOARD APPOINTMENTS
Subject Details
9:00 A.M. - North Fork Environmental Council re: IV-1
9:30 A.M Jamie Richter, Engineer & Neb RE: IV2 Proposed Resolutions Re East
Brashich, Transportation Commission Marion/Orient Causeway Project
EXECUTIVE SESSION
Closing Statements
SUPERVISOR HORTON: That brings us to the end of our resolutions. Now the floor is open
to the public to address the Town Board on town related matters.
FREDDIE WACHSBERGER: Thank you. Freddie Wachsberger, Southold Citizens for Safe
Roads. At the work session today it seemed clear, I mean, I might be the only person who has all
of the corporate memory about all of the suits and all of that stuff about Cross Sound Ferry as
well as several spider infested boxes of documents in my shed and so to save you the trouble of
going through your spider infested boxes of documents, I’ve made up a kind of (inaudible)
history, as well as attached some of the relevant documents, so I would like to give these to you,
Betty. If you could copy them and give one to each member of the Board…
TOWN CLERK NEVILLE: I certainly will.
MS. WACHSBERGER: …and the legal staff.
SUPERVISOR HORTON: Actually, that is what I was going to request is that you, part of the
Board’s discussion today was compiling the entire case history because there is, there are a lot
of, there are, as you know, a number of components to this and different actions that were taken
or not taken or defeated or supported by various courts and we are assembling that information
now, so thank you.
MS. WACHSBERGER: One of the results, of course, of the obfuscations and sort of avoidances
and dancing and so forth that happened the past 20 years, I mean the history is actually shocking
once I started writing it down; what has happened in 20 years. I think it is important to single
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out a couple of really underlying issues of significance. And talking about getting some studies
made. That is of course, the purpose of the, of SEQRA, the State Environmental Review Act.
And there are thresholds under which site plans have to be designated. Type I, which means that
it has probably or possibly a negative impact on the environment and when they talk about
environment, they include all of the components of it. I know a lot you aren’t familiar with
SEQRA, again, I have endless SEQRA documents and publications and I would be happy to
share them with anybody. There are thresholds, which include not only affects on site but the
affects of traffic on the community, the effects of air quality and innumerable different things.
What is truly shocking is that this, the Cross Sound Ferry, which is now running, on its longest
day it is running 46 vehicle ferry trips and carrying 1.3 million riders, has never undergone
environmental review. Never. The Town has never made a positive declaration on this
Connecticut companies undertaking. The last opportunity to do that was after the passenger
ferry was brought in in 1995 and that was when Supervisor Wickham went to court to get an
injunction against the ferry because they had not filed and had approved a site plan to
accommodate the parking that was attendant on that passenger ferry. And they were asked to
come in with an integrated site plan, which means that under SEQRA you are not supposed to
come in piecemeal. Now there is this parking lot, now there is this parking lot. You are
supposed to deal with the whole entity and the impact of the whole entity, so it is not supposed to
be segmented. They did, just very simply, they did come in finally with a comprehensive site
plan and it was declared a Type I and they did prepare a draft environmental impact statement
and you went to a scoping session and at that point, they withdrew the application. And they
came back a year later with only a parking lot, having eliminated the Fabus Trust, the residential
parcel from this plan, they came in, came back and although all of the criteria, all the thresholds
still counted and they are amazing thresholds, the parking is, the number of cars on site is well
over the threshold for a Type I declaration. The position in a critical environmental area is a
threshold for a Type I declaration. There are numerous others. Despite that, the Planning Board
held a series of meetings and at the end of that, they declared that it was not Type I, that they did
not need to do an environmental review. Since they did that, the year since they did that, the
ferry traffic has doubled. They have brought in double the amount of boats that they were
running at that time. This is a shocking history and if you talk to anybody in town governments
anywhere else and say that this operation is going on without an environmental review, people
can’t believe it, it is unheard of. So, this I think, is one of the most important things to be
looking for. Now, when you have the opportunity because Cross Sound is operating at the
moment, without a site plan, and in reference to the parking issue on the road, Cross Sound
should be required to take reservations for its parking as it does in the New London site. And if
they do that, they will have to come in with a site plan which delineates the parking spaces. The
site plan that was approved by the Planning Board was approved for the first time, it is the first
site plan as far as I know in the history of Southold Town that was approved without delineating
the parking spaces. Once they delineate the parking spaces, anybody will be able to count them
and know that they are well beyond the threshold for SEQRA review. It seems to me that an
obvious course, since they are without a site plan and they never complied with the original one
and they never complied with the one that was approved in 2000 or whenever it was; that they
should be asked to come in with a site plan delineating the parking spaces so that they can take
reservations for their parking. And the other thing that I wanted to mention is this myth of the
ICC. From the very beginning and in fact, it is in your history. Frank Murphy was quoted when
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the county and the state bought them, basically funded the new facility that they built in 1984
and it was brought before the ZBA and it is in the minutes of the ZBA hearing, that they said that
this was not meant to be an increase, it was meant to be, it was not meant to be for increase it
was meant to be for an improvement of the operation and, where was I going with this?
SUPERVISOR HORTON: You were referring to the ICC.
MS. WACHSBERGER: The ICC, right. Which is mythical. I mean, from the very beginning
they said we can’t regulate the number of trips or the hours of traffic or the hours of travel, it is
the ICC that regulates that. Well, as we now know, the ICC was eliminated several years ago. I
don’t know how long ago, the late 80’s I think, and it is not clear even where that authority exists
today. But always, that has been a myth. The ICC was just handed down and handed down until
it became kind of mythologized in local mind. The Town always had the right to limit, I mean,
now they are operating starting at 7:00 in the morning. I mean, what does that do to people who
live on the Main Road? They are operating until 9:45 at night. The boats are now carrying 130
cars, so they come off in a stream of 130 cars. They are running at the same time in both
directions, crossing. So, of course the Town has the right to do that and always did. So it seems
to me that the two things that are essential for the Town to address now and you have the
opportunity now, they don’t have a site plan now and this is a Connecticut company and we live
here and Connecticut is driving itself crazy with this commercialization with casino and theme
parks and god knows what, which is sending lots of money into Connecticut’s coffers and we are
getting nothing out of this, we have an entirely different philosophy here, we want to keep a
rural, quiet, peaceful way of life and we are being killed by Connecticut and by this company,
this Connecticut company and there is an opportunity now, they have not complied with their site
plan, their site plan has expired, you have every right as a town and I think a responsibility to the
people of this town to legally pursue the site plan, a SEQRA and a limitation of the hours of
travel and the number of vehicles that come through. Thanks.
SUPERVISOR HORTON: Freddie, to, you were at this morning’s work session and you recall
that toward the end of the work session we recessed, actually went into executive session and my
question was why are we, what is the basis for entering into an executive session on this matter?
And the discussion, the basis for the executive session discussion is precisely what you were
addressing here this evening, the Town Board under legal counsel with our legal team, is
reviewing, I shouldn’t say reviewing, it was laid out on the table for us what the various legal
actions, steps, that the town can take and from a strategic point of view, what are the best, most
effective steps to take in that process. The Town Attorney’s office is also going to convene with
the Planning Board again in executive session to discuss legal strategy. So to that end, what was
being discussed today is precisely what you raised here and which is also why the Town
Attorney’s have been instructed to dust off the files and put a logical and effective strategy in
place to address exactly what you are saying. Would anybody else care to address the Town
Board? Yes, Ms. Tole.
CATHY TOLE: Good evening. My name is Cathy Tole and I live in Greenport. You know, I, I
don’t know, I dealt in preparation for a lot of different things throughout my several careers and I
find it hard to believe that on such a huge issue as this, that has been brought to you and brought
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to you and brought to you, that we are talking about dusting off files and we are talking about
taking care of stuff that past. Not being ready when that site plan expired.
SUPERVISOR HORTON: The Town Attorney’s office is ready to deal, the question is now a
simple one. You can deal civilly or you can deal criminally. What is going to be the most
effective and simply put, I think it doesn’t hurt to have one meeting with the Planning Board to
go through those two different options.
MS. TOLE: I agree. What I am stating is that that should have happened well before the site
plan expired in that you knew what you were going to do when it happened, instead of, when did
the site plan expire? Two weeks ago….
SUPERVISOR HORTON: Two weeks ago?
MS. TOLE: Three weeks ago? February somebody said?
SUPERVISOR HORTON: No, well, the Planning Board granted a six month extension.
MS. TOLE: Granted it. So they knew in February it was expired and they let it go until August
or July and in that ensuing five months there was not preparation for this is just another example
of poor planning.
SUPERVISOR HORTON: Well, perhaps. And it is a fair criticism.
MS. TOLE: It seems a shame that action is not taken at the time when action is called for but is
being planned at the time that action is called for and that is not really why I am standing here
tonight, that is just in support of Freddie’s position that was laid out so beautifully. I want to
speak about another matter that has to do with Cross Sound Ferry. Two weeks ago, I spoke
before this Board, at that time I was among several people who presented the Supervisor and the
Board with a tremendous amount of information. I feel confident in every way that the
Supervisor and probably the Board totally disregarded every piece of information that was given
to them. I also believe that the Supervisor took the most extreme measures that he could take in
a democracy, the suspension of its laws and did so without obtaining the smallest measure of
justification under either the letter or the intent of the law. And I also believe that it was after the
fact that justification was sought. So two weeks later I am standing here to try to get
information, to backtrack a little, what I am talking about is the imposition of the state of
emergency, no, three consecutive states of emergency spanning 15 days out at Cross Sound
ferry. So, two weeks later I am standing here to try to get information, rather than give
information. Of course, I recognize that it is very unusual that something like that would happen
in open public forum like this but I will try because it is important. We should know in intimate
detail why the Supervisor suspended the law, we should have known then, we should be told
now and I have a series of questions that I would like to have answers to. It should help me to
better understand why such an extreme action was taken. First, I would like to know who
initially contacted the Town of Southold regarding the MARSEC II alert?
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SUPERVISOR HORTON: The office of Homeland Security, New York State.
MS. TOLE: And who in Southold was contacted?
SUPERVISOR HORTON: Captain Flatley.
MS. TOLE: Okay. So the Supervisor got the first call. It wasn’t that you got a call from the
state. Because that was suggested last meeting, John had said ‘I don’t know what I would have
done if I got a call from the governor’s office’….
SUPERVISOR HORTON: No, we were contacted by the State.
MS. TOLE: So..
SUPERVISOR HORTON: Which is the office of Homeland Security.
MS. TOLE: Lieutenant Flatley got a call…
SUPERVISOR HORTON: Captain Flatley, yeah.
MS. TOLE: Captain Flatley, excuse me, yes. Captain Flatley got a call from who in the state?
SUPERVISOR HORTON: The office of Homeland Security.
MS. TOLE: Okay. So it is the New York State Office of Homeland Security. What was he told
in that?
SUPERVISOR HORTON: He was told that National Guard units were dispatched to the Cross
Sound ferry terminal and that they would be there to provide heightened security and to conduct
checks on commercial vehicles and random checks on passenger vehicles with, in cooperation
with the Town police department.
MS. TOLE: And who requested that they be assigned there?
SUPERVISOR HORTON: There was not a request. The Governor dispatched them throughout
the state. And the extension….
MS. TOLE: So you are saying that it was not that Suffolk County no way requested them?
SUPERVISOR HORTON: To the best of my knowledge, no. And I know for a fact that the
Town did not request them.
MS. TOLE: I am confident that the Town did not request them, but you do not know who
requested them?
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SUPERVISOR HORTON: I have been, it has been made very clear to me that this dispatching of
the National Guard units was not a request, that they were dispatched at the urging, well not the
urging, at the directive of the Governor throughout the state.
MS. TOLE: Mmmhmm. When you received this call from Captain Flatley, how did you proceed
at that point? When was the call received? I am sorry.
SUPERVISOR HORTON: It was received on a Tuesday, I don’t know the exact date.
th
MS. TOLE: 26 of the month.
SUPERVISOR HORTON: It is quite possible, towards the end of the month.
th
MS. TOLE: The 29 of the month was a Friday, when you invoked the state of emergency.
th
SUPERVISOR HORTON: Then it would have been the 26, yeah.
th
MS. TOLE: Okay. So Captain Flatley received the call on the 26 and you were told that the
troops would be there….
SUPERVISOR HORTON: In the next couple of days, yeah.
MS. TOLE: In the next couple of days. When did they arrive?
SUPERVISOR HORTON: They arrived the next day.
th
MS. TOLE: On the 27?
SUPERVISOR HORTON: I believe so, yeah.
MS. TOLE: Who did you convey this information to, that you received?
SUPERVISOR HORTON: I am sorry? Who did I convey…?
MS. TOLE: Did you call the members of the Town Board?
SUPERVISOR HORTON: Yes, I did.
MS. TOLE: You called each member of the Town Board?
SUPERVISOR HORTON: I made them all aware that yes, the Governor dispatched National
Guard units to the Cross Sound ferry terminal.
MS. TOLE: Oh, okay. At least one person on this Board and I am sorry he is not here today,
seemed to believe that that call came from the Governor? That was just a misunderstanding in
communication?
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SUPERVISOR HORTON: Well, I think it was probably and we and I am sorry that he is not
here but I think you and myself and the Board know Councilman Romanelli and I, what I saw at
the last Town Board meeting was an exchange where I think Councilman Romanelli said if the
call came from the Governor’s office and so on and so forth, I think that was a heat of the
moment comment.
MS. TOLE: Okay. So you were told that there were going to be some National Guard members
at the Cross Sound ferry and that is it?
SUPERVISOR HORTON: Yeah. I think that I have answered your question.
MS. TOLE: Based on what? Were you told at that time that it was based on MARSEC II alert?
SUPERVISOR HORTON: We were told that it was based on the orange level that the state
invoked and that the, in support of the MARSEC level II.
th
MS. TOLE: The MARSEC II was not declared until the 29, correct?
SUPERVISOR HORTON: No, MARSEC II…
th
MS. TOLE: Or was that, no that was the 7. MARSEC II alert, which called specifically for
th
heightened security at the ferries went into effect on July 7, after the bombings in London.
SUPERVISOR HORTON: That is correct.
thth
MS. TOLE: Between July 7 and July 27, were you aware of it?
SUPERVISOR HORTON: Of the MARSEC II? Yes, I was.
MS. TOLE: What did you do about it?
SUPERVISOR HORTON: We were informed by the Coast Guard that it was in place and that
the Coast Guard was overseeing and calling for heightened security at the ferry terminals.
Which is why about two weeks later, maybe a little bit more…
MS. TOLE: Closer to three.
SUPERVISOR HORTON: ….closer to three weeks later…
MS. TOLE: Over three weeks.
SUPERVISOR HORTON: Alright.
MS. TOLE: Okay, sorry.
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SUPERVISOR HORTON: My point is this, Ms. Tole, being that I knew the MARSEC level had
been increased to II, elevated to II on, in earlier July shortly after the London bombings, the
dispatch of National Guard units several weeks later made my quite concerned because if it was,
the MARSEC level II being raised, with the level being raised from I to II, the, and it is standard
fare for the National Guard to come with that, that would have been one thing but being that two
to three weeks later the Governor saw fit to dispatch them made me increasingly concerned and
the fact that the police department was being asked to work with the National Guard to conduct
the checks on commercial vehicles was sort of a bright spot on my radar so to speak. And when
I saw that those checks were being done in the midst of hundreds of cars and hundreds of
vehicles I was, I personally and I understand that you disagree with this; I was uncomfortable
with that arrangement. And as soon as that level was dropped, I disbanded the operation, which
was on this past Friday.
thth
MS. TOLE: Can you explain to me, between July 7 and July 29, what made you believe that
you were at that threshold of a reasonable apprehension of immediate danger and I stress the
immediate danger part of this?
SUPERVISOR HORTON: Sure. My….
thth
MS. TOLE: What was the change between the 7 and the 29 that made an immediate danger?
Not….
SUPERVISOR HORTON: That is a reasonable question. The fact that my police department,
our police department was being asked on site to work with the National Guard, who was
dispatched, which seemed to me out of thin air, to the Cross Sound ferry terminal, was being
asked to conduct checks on commercial vehicles because and there was obviously some level of
concern about that. So, I grew increasingly uncomfortable and perhaps I was…
MS. TOLE: Then did you seek more information? Ask why they…
SUPERVISOR HORTON: Yes, I did.
MS. TOLE: …were being dispatched later, three weeks later, close to three weeks?
SUPERVISOR HORTON: As soon as they were dispatched….
MS. TOLE: No, no, did you find out why? Because I know why they came three weeks later.
Did you know why they came three weeks later?
SUPERVISOR HORTON: No, that wasn’t made clear to me. I have heard several different….
MS. TOLE: It is in the Governor’s statement that it….
SUPERVISOR HORTON: Right….
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MS. TOLE: ….required an activation.
SUPERVISOR HORTON: I have heard several different theories as to why, based on certain
levels of intelligence that the Governor had, so you know, I was provided with a number of
different things.
MS. TOLE: Could you repeat that, please?
SUPERVISOR HORTON: I said I have been given several different theories as to why, I am
aware of the press release you are talking about. So I responded. I grew increasingly concerned
that they were being asked to conduct security checks in the midst of hundreds of people. That
decision that I made, you know, I understand where you are coming from and not agreeing with
that . I did speak with the Captain of the port, I did speak with several of the….
MS. TOLE: You hadn’t spoken to him by the time we were here two weeks ago and we were
five days into an emergency…
SUPERVISOR HORTON: No, that is correct. At that point, I was corresponding with the
National Guard.
MS. TOLE: …because I asked you that.
SUPERVISOR HORTON: That is correct. That is correct.
MS. TOLE: But you hadn’t spoken to anybody apparently with at a very high rank in the
National Guard.
SUPERVISOR HORTON: That is correct. Well, we have been speaking with the zone Chief of
Homeland Security.
MS. TOLE: Is the zone Chief also responsible for Port Jefferson?
SUPERVISOR HORTON: Yes, it would fall within that.
MS. TOLE: Did you ask how things were being handled in Port Jefferson?
SUPERVISOR HORTON: Yeah, and I was told it was a conundrum.
MS. TOLE: Now did you ask….
SUPERVISOR HORTON: I was told that in Port Jefferson they were very concerned with how it
was being conducted, if you had the room.
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Town of Southold Board Meeting
MS. TOLE: The officer whose area of responsibility includes our area underneath the Captain of
the Port of New York is housed where?
SUPERVISOR HORTON: It is not under the Port of New York. It is Captain of the Port Group
Long Island Sound.
MS. TOLE: Long Island Sound.
SUPERVISOR HORTON: New Haven.
MS. TOLE: The Officer of response, it is the area of, oh, I don’t have the notes for that. Area of
responsibility, the geographic area that includes here. Their offices are located for the US Coast
Guard is located where?
SUPERVISOR HORTON: New Haven, Connecticut.
MS. TOLE: New Haven?
SUPERVISOR HORTON: Yes.
MS. TOLE: So they are in Connecticut and there was in New Haven or New London or
anywhere else, where there police roadblocks offsite?
SUPERVISOR HORTON: I don’t know the answer to that.
MS. TOLE: So you never bothered to find out if your actions were in any way supported in a
sense of reasonable assessment of this situation by anybody else’s….
SUPERVISOR HORTON: I know that….
MS. TOLE: ….actions?
SUPERVISOR HORTON: I know that the National Guard and the Coast Guard were both very
supportive of the action that I took because they felt it was a tremendous enhancement to the
situation that was taking place out there.
MS. TOLE: So if you had stopped everybody and searched them, the military probably would
have thought that was an enhancement also. Wouldn’t you agree?
SUPERVISOR HORTON: I don’t know the answer to that.
MS. TOLE: So the more and the more and the more….
SUPERVISOR HORTON: No, I don’t necessarily agree.
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Town of Southold Board Meeting
MS. TOLE: No? You don’t think they would think that was an enhancement also?
SUPERVISOR HORTON: I don’t know what they would think.
MS. TOLE: Well. Alright. As of two weeks ago, you hadn’t reviewed the MARSEC II national
security alert or the orange alert….
SUPERVISOR HORTON: That is not so.
MS. TOLE: Did you read it in the ensuing…
SUPERVISOR HORTON: I had reviewed it prior to you being up here and I just simply don’t
have it in front of me and I didn’t then.
MS. TOLE: Well, you stated that you hadn’t reviewed it at that point.
SUPERVISOR HORTON: If I stated that, it was an incorrect statement on my behalf.
MS. TOLE: Okay. Was there information contained in either of those official communications
that indicated any immediate threat?
SUPERVISOR HORTON: No.
MS. TOLE: I assume that it is that immediate threat clause that you are hanging your hat on?
SUPERVISOR HORTON: I wasn’t hanging my hat on anything. I took an action because I felt
it was the right thing to do because I thought that conducting those checks in that parking lot
where there were hundreds of pedestrians, people walking from their cars to the ticket office and
to the ferry was purely unsafe. That is, that is….
MS. TOLE: Was this opinion….
SUPERVISOR HORTON: That is why I took it and that….
MS. TOLE: Okay. Why you set up that tactical plan.
SUPERVISOR HORTON: If that is to be challenged, so be it. I accept that. If you or other
folks in this room or the community feel it was inappropriate, I understand that and I accept that.
I simply tried to make a better situation from a security perspective than what was in place there
because I was truly concerned about how that was being carried out at that time. It was really
that simple. I was truly concerned for the safety of people who were there, going parking and
moving from their cars to the ticket station and back and then on to the ferry and then I was
concerned for the people who were conducting those checks. And that is it, Cathy.
MS. TOLE: Then let me ask…
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SUPERVISOR HORTON: Yeah.
MS. TOLE: You were so concerned that you took these actions and you suspended the laws of
the Town and then you restricted the suspension of those laws to the parking and to the zoning,
was this tactical plan of yours something that the people in the police department concurred
with?
SUPERVISOR HORTON: There was quite a bit of discussion about a number of different
scenarios that could have been played out.
MS. TOLE: Did it do anything to address the likelihood of somebody carrying, engaging in
conduct, the two conducts that are most commonly used by terrorists; one being the backpack
th
bomb, which is exactly what happened July 7 that started all of this and number two, the car
bomb.
SUPERVISOR HORTON: We addressed those items as best we could with the limited resources
and limited training in those fields that we could. Which, again, I stress, made the situation that
much more difficult to deal with.
MS. TOLE: Two weeks ago you told us that a one star General from the National Guard is
coming in by Black Hawk helicopter and landing out at….
SUPERVISOR HORTON: You know, I didn’t mention Black Hawk helicopter…
MS. TOLE: Yes, you did, Josh.
SUPERVISOR HORTON: No, excuse me, would you please let me finish my sentence? I didn’t
mention Black Hawk helicopter to give any pizzazz, I just simply was answering a question that
this gentleman was coming in. Whether he came in on moped or whether he came in an F-14 is
really inconsequential….
MS. TOLE: How did he arrive?
SUPERVISOR HORTON: He arrived in a structure with a thing that goes like this.
MS. TOLE: He arrived in a helicopter that day?
SUPERVISOR HORTON: It was black.
MS. TOLE: That day?
SUPERVISOR HORTON: It didn’t look like a hawk but he arrived, yes.
MS. TOLE: That day, I think it was Wednesday. The day after the Town Hall, the meeting?
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SUPERVISOR HORTON: He arrived, no…
MS. TOLE: He did not arrive on, did he arrive on the day he was supposed to arrive?
SUPERVISOR HORTON: No, he did not. He was supposed to arrive on Friday and if you
recall….
MS. TOLE: Oh, okay. And when did he arrive.
SUPERVISOR HORTON: And if you recall, that particular Friday was when that squall front
blew through and took down a few trees and a few wires and we were out of power for quite
some time. So he was actually grounded in Albany, I believe. He came out the subsequent
week.
MS. TOLE: The subsequent week.
SUPERVISOR HORTON: The next week.
MS. TOLE: So this was not really an immediate issue for him apparently, either?
SUPERVISOR HORTON: I believe it was but we were also having, I was also having constant,
not constant, in depth communications with the director’s office of Homeland Security.
MS. TOLE: Did the director’s office suggest, this is New York state?
SUPERVISOR HORTON: Yes.
MS. TOLE: Did they suggest that a state of emergency was what the governor had intended?
SUPERVISOR HORTON: They didn’t state what the governor had intended.
MS. TOLE: Oh, okay. Well, they stated to us that the governor had not called for nor intended a
state of emergency.
SUPERVISOR HORTON: No, the governor did not. And I don’t contend that he did.
MS. TOLE: Okay.
SUPERVISOR HORTON: I have said this before, the reason I took that action was because
given the situation as it was being carried out, I thought was unsafe and if they were doing it the
same way in Port Jefferson and they thought it was safe; then we have a difference of opinion. I
thought it was unsafe.
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MS. TOLE: You seem to have a difference of opinion with everybody, including the police
department that was operating it.
SUPERVISOR HORTON: Well, I think, I disagree with that.
MS. TOLE: Alright. Let me ask you this then. Would you say that the gentleman at the
checkpoint that was established out there were being disingenuous when they stated that you
authorized them to conduct, the Cross Sound ferry people, the traffic safety officers as well as
the police officers, to conduct the safety stops or whatever you want to call it?
SUPERVISOR HORTON: The traffic control officers were there to guide traffic, that is what
they were there to do and if the were guiding traffic in a way that and you mentioned that and
that was…
MS. TOLE: So all three of the people at each of the two times that I went through the
checkpoints…
SUPERVISOR HORTON: What we tried to do…
MS. TOLE: ….they all were not telling the truth….
SUPERVISOR HORTON: ….what we were…
MS. TOLE: ….when they said specifically that you authorized each one of them to do what they
were doing.
SUPERVISOR HORTON: Cathy, what we were seeking to accomplish there, with the
resources that we had, was directing people and advising them what lies ahead and if being asked
100 yards or 50 yards prior to getting to the ferry terminal ‘are you going to park or are you
going on the car ferry’
MS. TOLE: I am not talking about that, I am talking about civilians stopping me on a public
roadway and making inquiries. Something reserved to police officers.
SUPERVISOR HORTON: Exactly. And I believe that was addressed promptly.
MS. TOLE: so you did authorize it and corrected it?
SUPERVISOR HORTON: If they were asking that question, it was obviously an unclear, there
was a lack of communication on that matter.
MS. TOLE: Did you authorize them to stop people, question them and….
SUPERVISOR HORTON: I did not give a directive for anybody other than police officers…
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MS. TOLE: Everybody there misunderstood that. Okay.
SUPERVISOR HORTON: We were utilizing the traffic control officers to guide traffic.
MS. TOLE: During the state of emergency, where you available 24/7?
SUPERVISOR HORTON: Yes.
MS. TOLE: Oh, okay. So any Town Councilperson especially, would have had access to you?
SUPERVISOR HORTON: They always do, as does the police department.
MS. TOLE: Okay. So when your office was contacted on the day that the Black Hawk was
supposed to land and your office said to a Councilperson, ‘he is not coming in today, we don’t
know where he is and we cannot reach him’ that is not at your direction?
SUPERVISOR HORTON: That is definitely not at my direction and I would be hard pressed to
believe that is true.
MS. TOLE: Is there anybody who can verify that that was the response?
SUPERVISOR HORTON: Any one of you who have e-mailed me before…
MS. TOLE: I am not asking you.
SUPERVISOR HORTON: Anyone of you who have e-mailed me before at 10:00, 11:00 at night
and have gotten a response, I may not have been home but you have gotten a response. Any bit
of communication…
MS. TOLE: I am talking about my concern that information was filtered through you and only
you. That is my concern and like I say, there is nothing more serious in democracy than
suspending the laws of that democracy.
SUPERVISOR HORTON: Okay.
MS. TOLE: Is there anybody up on that dais that can confirm that that was the message that they
received?
COUNCILMAN WICKHAM: Well, I should say that I expressed interest in sitting in on a
meeting with this General, whoever he was, and so I called the supervisor’s office to inquire
where and when the meeting was and the person I spoke with in the office; it wasn’t the
supervisor, one of the women in the office, said she really didn’t know where the meeting was
and didn’t know…
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SUPERVISOR HORTON: Right, nor did I. Nor did I know the time. And I was on call for that
specific matter.
MS. TOLE: Let me ask something else. You know what? I’ll get off. I’ll get off with one more
comment. I find so much of this so utterly, I am sorry, Josh; so inconsistent with the good and
efficient operation of government and democracy. I have a ton of other questions but it is like
pulling damn teeth here. I would like to say one other thing…
SUPERVISOR HORTON: I am trying to answer you as best as possible.
MS. TOLE: …after, I had to leave the meeting last week and after I left somebody else came to
the podium, a person who I often differ with but whose opinion I respect as a reasonable base of
opinion, came up to this podium or that podium and apologized for speakers here. I want to
make it clear, I have made mistakes, I have come up here and apologized when I have been
wrong. No person comes up to this podium and need apologize for me.
SUPERVISOR HORTON: I agree.
MS. TOLE: What I said last week was accurate, 100 percent. If anything, it was restrained
under the situation and I will tell you know that I am absolutely am convinced that you acted
extra legally because you never had the basis upon which to declare that state of emergency.
And there are recourses for that but I am not sure what recourses should be sought. Because if
private people misuse property and misuse the environment, well, you sue them and you get
money from them. That is supposed to be the deterrent that prevents them from doing other
things. It is not to make a profit, it is for the deterrent value. You know, to go after the Town or
anybody else, as a citizen is taking money from other citizens but damn it, you guys leave
yourself open to all of this. And all of you that stepped back from this issue, did so. Bill, I
would like to ask you a question, if I may. “If Josh can continue to ban it, parking on Route 25
there, continue to ban it there in the name of national security until the DOT acts, he has my
blessing.” To me and many other people, that is a statement that makes us very uncomfortable.
That if he uses a ruse of national security, let me finish my thought and I will gladly allow you to
go on, that is justifiable in its end, do you still support that and is that your position as
supervisor? That if the declaration of the state of emergency solves the problem of parking, then
you would support it?
SUPERVISOR HORTON: He is not the supervisor, he is a Town Board member.
MS. TOLE: I didn’t say that, I said if you become supervisor.
COUNCILMAN EDWARDS: Well, I really am not…
MS. TOLE: Now and if you become supervisor.
COUNCILMAN EDWARDS: Well, that is a hypothetical question. I would like to respond to
your question.
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Town of Southold Board Meeting
MS. TOLE: Thank you.
COUNCILMAN EDWARDS: I made that comment somewhat flippantly because I wanted to
make the point that I considered the parking situation out there unsafe. I do not obviously,
seriously think that that is a legitimate position and I didn’t mean it. I spoke ironically because I
think there is an unsafe situation there and I would like to see the DOT address it. I don’t,
obviously Josh can’t…
MS. TOLE: But you are going…
COUNCILMAN EDWARDS: The supervisor can’t indefinitely do that nor did I, I didn’t mean,
as anybody saw my expression when I said it, mean that as a serious proposal.
MS. TOLE: Well, you wrote it down. I don’t know how flippant you write….
COUNCILMAN EDWARDS: I didn’t write it down.
MS. TOLE: You didn’t send that e-mail?
COUNCILMAN EDWARDS: I may have sent it as an e-mail but I meant it lightly. I am sorry,
you were quoting me, I thought it was something I said two weeks ago. It may have…
MS. TOLE: No. No.
COUNCILMAN EDWARDS: Well, in any case…
MS. TOLE: After the fact was…
COUNCILMAN EDWARDS: I considered the situation out there a dangerous situation with all
those cars parked. I don’t mean that legally I think the supervisor can do that, that is up to the
Town Attorney to determine. I am not a lawyer. As I guess I have just proven.
MS. TOLE: Most people aren’t, that is why we research the law before we act.
COUNCILMAN EDWARDS: And I am not…
MS. TOLE: I will accept that as an apology or not an apology but as a statement. But you know
what, this wasn’t a situation for flippancy and I don’t think the situation out at Orient Point is
even a situation for flippancy. I think it has been something plaguing people for a very long
time.
COUNCILMAN EDWARDS: I don’t consider it a situation for flippancy, I think my position
on this is very publicly known. And that is that I think it is a dangerous situation and I would
like to see the DOT deal with it.
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Town of Southold Board Meeting
MS. TOLE: Have you, as a Town Board member, you yourself, written letters to or requested
the assistance of DOT or other legislators throughout the state?
th
COUNCILMAN EDWARDS: As a Town Board member, on April 29, I voted as the whole
Town Board did, on a resolution to ask the DOT to ban parking as far west as Ryder Farm Road.
And that negotiation has been going on with the DOT. I had a concern because going back,
looking at the resolution, it didn’t specifically address the plight of emergency responders, which
I think is a critical part of it, so I am pursuing that still further. But I have participated to the
extent that the Town Board….
MS. TOLE: You voted in favor of sending a letter.
COUNCILMAN EDWARDS: That is correct. And I consider that a serious matter on the part of
the Town Board and I suspect my fellow Town…
MS. TOLE: Do you consider that a substantial action?
COUNCILMAN EDWARDS: I do consider it a substantial action, yes.
MS. TOLE: Speaks for itself. Thanks.
SUPERVISOR HORTON: Thank you. Would anybody else care to address the Town Board on
town related matters? Yes, Ms. Schroeder.
GWYNNE SCHROEDER: Hi, Gwynne Schroeder, North Fork Environmental Council. And
hearing Freddie Wachsberger talk about how she has been involved in this issue for 20 years,
people are tired and there are hundreds and hundreds of people that are really concerned about
the operations of Cross Sound ferry and really you need to know, you have to focus on what you
guys can change and what you have control of is the site down there. And that is what you have
to focus on is controlling the site and Freddie is right, you have the opportunity to do SEQRA
and you need to do that and you need to do a full environmental review. I, she must have some
hope because she is still here. She must have some hope that you guys are going to do what you
are supposed to do and protect us. And that really is what we are asking for you to do as a Town
Board and the Planning Board, to assert your full authority to get Cross Sound ferry to have a
site plan and comply with it. And finally do an evaluation of what their operations are doing to
this town. Thanks.
SUPERVISOR HORTON: Thank you. Would anybody else care to address the Board? Mr.
Gustavson.
TROY GUSTAVSON: Troy Gustavson, resident of Orient. My wife and I own a business in
Mattituck and I am just curious, what would be the, I guess I am addressing this to the Town
Attorney. What would be the implications if we didn’t have a site plan approved to operate our
business there? Would there be any repercussions?
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TOWN ATTORNEY FINNEGAN: Well…
SUPERVISOR HORTON: Since, since the Town Board pre, I would say May is when we
passed that legislation?
TOWN ATTORNEY FINNEGAN: Correct.
SUPERVISOR HORTON: Prior to May of 2005, the only recourse that the Town Board had or
the Town of Southold had for businesses operating without a site plan was to file an article 78.
Was to go after a business in New York State Supreme Court.
MR. GUSTAVSON: There was no fine structure at that point?
SUPERVISOR HORTON: No, there was, since that time, what we have done….there may have
been a….
TOWN ATTORNEY FINNEGAN: There is a fine for not having a site plan. There was not a
fine for operating out of compliance with an approved site plan.
SUPERVISOR HORTON: And I think in the bigger picture what needs to be looked at is, it is
great to have a fine, you know, $500, $1,000 whatever the legal limit the Town can set, just to set
a fine structure that you can drag a business into Justice Court into here on a Friday and slap
them on the hand and give them a $500 fine for operating out of compliance with their site plan.
The Town Board took the action late this spring, early summer, that, I think in all of our minds
and I would imagine you would agree was long overdue and that gives the Town Board the
authority to deal with businesses that are operating without a site plan or out of compliance with
their current site plan in a much more formal and prosecutorial fashion. That did not exist prior
to May or June 2005.
MR. GUSTAVSON: And that is basically, you say that is the direction you are heading in now
with Cross Sound?
SUPERVISOR HORTON: I thought, I tried to make that very clear and in regard to that matter
and I wouldn’t say there was poor planning on that although I think Ms. Tole’s criticisms were
fair, I understand where they are coming from, this is not something that the Town Board has
closed its eyes to over the course of time and putting together an action plan with the Planning
Board is by all means the logical and correct steps to take.
MR. GUSTAVSON: I do think you probably ought to take a look at the fine structure too, to a
company like Cross Sound that is on the gravy train of the casinos, $500 a day is chump change
and it is not going to make any difference to the….
SUPERVISOR HORTON: The fine structure…a valid point, which is a point of understanding
and your point is well made there, I don’t know what the legal ceiling is that the Town Board can
set but we are bound by and you may know…
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TOWN ATTORNEY FINNEGAN: We can go higher.
SUPERVISOR HORTON: We can go higher than $500?
MR. GUSTAVSON: Then go higher, then.
SUPERVISOR HORTON: I don’t know how high. Somebody, yeah, she is an attorney but she
is sitting up here as, advising the Town Board and I am sure that she can easily look that up,
which is attorney’s generally do when they have a question posed before them. So…
MR. GUSTAVSON: Well, you have got to get their attention and I think one way is going to the
legal limit and start fining them right away. Something else on the question of financial
implications and Josh, you and I have talked about this in the past. Over on Block Island, the
Town of New Shoreham collects a .50 per passenger fee for every passenger landing there and it
goes directly into the town coffers to offset the cost of having those people roam the landscape.
SUPERVISOR HORTON: Right.
MR. GUSTAVSON: And we just had a situation where you were assigning policemen out at the
Point and I am assuming significant expense to the Town of Southold, a lot of overtime and that
sort of thing and I am asking the Town Board to seriously take a look at that possibility. I think
it is a small part of it, it is certainly not the long term answer but if New Shoreham can get away
with it and by the way, it is with a ferry company that is operated by the same family, so they are
paying it, I am not sure gladly, but they are paying it over in Block Island and they can do it here,
too. And if we have 1.3 million cars a year coming through here…
SUPERVISOR HORTON: Troy, I think you will vividly recall, you will vividly recall a
conversation that you and I had and an action that I took as supervisor in August, I believe or
June of 2003 and that was, we made a specific request to the State of New York; right now,
Block Island is in Rhode Island and in Rhode Island the ferry company or the municipality has
been granted the authority by the Rhode Island State Legislature, it is the same in Massachusetts,
by the Massachusetts State Legislature to put in place a head tax. And that head tax is for you
know, rider ship, it can be done by car in those states or a landing fee, however that is structured.
And that is why they have it in place. Those municipalities have been granted that authority to.
When we put that request, when we put forward that formal request, the Assembly people and
the Senate people (inaudible) year after year after year, told us that would never go through the
New York State Senate because we think it is unconstitutional. We agree with that. We would, I
don’t think it is the answer to our traffic woes but it certainly would speak to the financial burden
placed on this community by the company. And if anybody can provide us some assistance in
achieving that, particularly that of a newspaper that has some endorsement ability in the political
process, we would welcome that because we think that is an important issue as well.
MR. GUSTAVSON: And conversely, I think you could do more than send a letter and throw
your hands up in frustration. I mean, if you want to pursue that, pursue it.
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SUPERVISOR HORTON: We have pursued it and without the support….
MR. GUSTAVSON: I don’t think you have.
SUPERVISOR HORTON: …and without the support of your state, it falls dead in the water.
MR. GUSTAVSON: Just sort of curious, how do the other council people feel about that?
COUNCILMAN WICKHAM: I would just like to say, the Supervisor commented this afternoon
about some discussions in executive session but during the open session, during the work session
this morning, I think there was a clear consensus of the Town Board that we are going to take
another look at this and we are going to look very carefully at ways to control capacity of the
Cross Sound ferry. For the first time, we have had that discussion, the first time in the last some
years since I have been on the Board as a town councilman, a serious discussion and I believe a
consensus of the Board to find legal ways to bring Cross Sound into compliance with the site
plan and to put some limits on their capacity. Similarly to look at parking and to find a way to
constrain parking. I think there is a consensus to do that. We are now looking at the legal ways
to achieve it.
SUPERVISOR HORTON: That is the best strategy, yeah.
COUNCILMAN WICKHAM: The best strategy.
MR. GUSTAVSON: The question off of the topic…
SUPERVISOR HORTON: Your question was to each of the Town Board members…
MR. GUSTAVSON: Well, yeah. I am sort of curious, would all of you support the idea of a
landing tax?
COUNCILMAN ROSS: Basically, we can’t get them to put up no parking signs, so I don’t think
the state is going to give us a head tax.
SUPERVISOR HORTON: But do you support it or not?
COUNCILMAN ROSS: Of course I do. And but there are different ways to apply pressure and
I don’t think we have gone the whole route and we probably should…
MR. GUSTAVSON: Let me say I don’t really say that I consider that a question of pressure, I
just think it is fairness. I mean, the implications of all those cars going through our town are
significant and they should be…
SUPERVISOR HORTON: And I think….
MR. GUSTAVSON: …bearing some of the financial responsibility.
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SUPERVISOR HORTON: I think the City of Bridgeport receives revenues from that ferry.
COUNCILMAN WICKHAM: An impact fee.
SUPERVISOR HORTON: Yeah.
MR. GUSTRAVSON: I don’t think .50 is going to, you know, cut back traffic. I think it is just
going to give us some money that should be coming to the town’s coffers.
SUPERVISOR HORTON: Absolutely agreed. Other Board members that you asked the
question?
COUNCILMAN EDWARDS: I would like to respond. Obviously, a head tax would at least
make us feel good and give us some money, which would be good but I want to deal with this in
a pragmatic way, which is I am less interested in bringing home scalps than in dealing with the
overall problem in whatever way is necessary to achieve it legally. A head tax would be nice
because it would bring some money to the town but it is, as you say yourself, Troy, it is not
going to solve the traffic problem or the parking problem and I am concerned most immediately
with the parking problem. But I will support a head tax.
JUSTICE EVANS: I would just concur with what Councilman Edwards said, is I would support
a head tax just because it would be nice to see the money coming to the town but it will do no
good to cut the traffic and the parking situation. I think we have to solve that in a different way.
MR. GUSTAVSON: A question that I should have really addressed during the discussion of the
Historic Landmark Preservation law but something that occurred to me and I am just curious.
My wife and I own a house that was built in 1840, we are on King Street in Orient. Is there
anything in the town law now that would prevent us from cutting up the front of the house and
putting in picture windows, covering it with vinyl siding and painting it purple?
SUPERVISOR HORTON: Is that your proposal?
MR. GUSTAVSON: No. That is my question. Is there anything in the town law that would
prevent us from doing that?
COUNCILMAN WICKHAM: To answer that question we need to know whether it is, your
house is registered with the state, federal or the Town of Southold as a registered historic
structure.
MR. GUSTAVSON: So if it is registered, you have some control?
COUNCILMAN WICKHAM: Yes.
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SUPERVISOR HORTON: Yeah. And we encourage you to join the Historic Preservation
program, so that we can honor your home as an historic home and have it on our list.
MR. GUSTAVSON: What occurs to me for those houses that are not registered and that are
historically significant is that increasing the membership of the commission from five to seven
doesn’t do any good if they don’t really have any teeth. You can have 700 members but if they
don’t have the ability to really enforce, which other towns have, Sag Harbor is one that I know
because I know somebody that is on that commission, and again I think the Town has been
negligent in not giving its Architectural Review Commission and its Historic Landmarks
Preservation Commission the enforcement powers.
SUPERVISOR HORTON: Thank you, Mr. Gustavson. Would anybody else care to address the
Town Board? Yes, Ms. Norden.
MELANIE NORDEN: Melanie Norden, Greenport. Like Ms. Tole, I actually would like some
specific answers to some questions. And this follows up on Troy’s questions earlier. I had the
feeling at the work session today that the concerns were really more being litigation wary than
they had to with coming up with innovative, strategic, prosecutorial options…
SUPERVISOR HORTON: No, that it….
MS. NORDEN: …and, well, let me just finish.
SUPERVISOR HORTON: …that was a mis…
MS. NORDEN: …well, that was my, I said it was my impression. When asked if the Planning
Board had actually approached the Town Attorney regarding the enforcement via the Code
Enforcer of the daily signs, there was a very vague answer. And so now I am going to ask, has
the Planning Board approached the Town Attorney and spoken with the Town Attorney about
essentially having the Code Enforcer go out to the Cross Sound ferry and begin to apply the daily
fines?
TOWN ATTORNEY FINNEGAN: Yes, they have.
MS. NORDEN: And what was the Town Attorney’s response to the Planning Board?
SUPERVISOR HORTON: The Planning Board….
TOWN ATTORNEY FINNEGAN: The question today was…
MS. NORDEN: Well, let me just hear this. I want to hear the response of the Town Attorney.
SUPERVISOR HORTON: But the Town Attorney is counsel to the Town Board…
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MS. NORDEN: Can I ask the Town Attorney, can I have your permission to ask the Town
Attorney that question?
SUPERVISOR HORTON: Well, let me just, let me answer the question and if it is not a
sufficient answer, then by all means, the Town Attorney can fill in the gaps. The Planning Board
has made the decision to, to request the Town Attorney and the Town Board to deal with the
non-compliance or lack of site plan issue on the ferry. They have made that request…
MS. NORDEN: Right.
SUPERVISOR HORTON: ….verbally to the Town Attorney’s office.
MS. NORDEN: Right. Well, I understand that. We clarified that. Now I am asking the Town
Attorney what the response was, of the Town Attorney to the Planning Board’s request?
TOWN ATTORNEY FINNEGAN: The question today was whether I had received
correspondence from the Planning Board, which is why I hesitated because I didn’t recall if I had
received correspondence or if it was verbal but yes, I have received that request from the
Planning Board, I have met with the Planning Board, I have spoken with the chair of the
Planning Board on several occasions and we are discussing, as I did with the Town Board today,
the best way to proceed.
MS. NORDEN: Alright. So can you tell me in part what are some of the ways to proceed? So,
in other words, if we don’t impose the daily $500 or whatever it is fine or we can actually raise
the ceiling of the fines and if we don’t send Ed Forrester out there every morning at 7:00, what
are our other options?
TOWN ATTORNEY FINNEGAN: Our other option is to go to Supreme Court and seek
injunctive relief.
MS. NORDEN: And what is the timetable for that?
TOWN ATTORNEY FINNEGAN: Well, if you look at some of the past ones, I mean, it is not a
quick solution. But by the same token, to go out and give them a violation and have them pay a
fine, does also not necessarily achieve the desired response.
MS. NORDEN: No, we are not talking about one fine though, we are talking about a daily fine,
day after day. $140,000 plus per year.
TOWN ATTORNEY FINNEGAN: True.
MS. NORDEN: Now, that might be chicken feed to the Cross Sound ferry but I think many of
us would feel that that action was something that would have some concrete teeth and might in
fact, draw the attention of the Cross Sound ferry in a way that the prosecutorial relief that you are
seeking via the courts might not, particularly if that period in the courts and that process takes six
months or a year or longer.
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SUPERVISOR HORTON: The concern….
MS. NORDEN: We don’t really want to see this process dragged on any further…
SUPERVISOR HORTON: The concern is this, Melanie….
MS. NORDEN: Okay.
SUPERVISOR HORTON: …and I think many of us on the Board feel, share your perspective
on that. The concern is this, and if I am speaking out of turn, please just shut me down, that if the
Town Board were to decide to go the criminal route and bring Cross Sound ferry into justice
court, you are talking about a, you know, fines and so on and so forth and what the Town Board
has and I think I have heard it here and from the Planning Board is that the Town Board really
feels injunctive relief, is crucial in this matter. Big picture wise. The concern is from a strategic
point of view, okay? If the Town Board is slapping Cross Sound ferry on the wrist on a daily
basis for being operating out of compliance or without their site plan, that the state supreme court
is going to look at this case and say ‘you are already dealing with it at the Town level, go away’
and that is a concern. That is the concern. So how that is addressed is crucial and to think that
the town is not proceeding in the proper way is just simply, you know, not point of fact. So, I
think I spelled out pretty clearly what the issues surrounding, that, those two matters are.
MS. NORDEN: Well, actually I don’t really understand what the benefits of injunctive relief
might in fact be, as compared to the benefits of the daily fining of the Cross Sound ferry. What,
I mean in other words, if there is this strategy to actually obtain injunctive relief, what does that
mean for the future of the Cross Sound ferry and for the Town?
TOWN ATTORNEY FINNEGAN: Well, the idea would be to get an order forcing them to
come in and comply with the site plan laws.
MS. NORDEN: Well, why can’t we do that right now without injunctive relief?
TOWN ATTORNEY FINNEGAN: Because you can go and give them fines, they will come in
and they will either plead guilty or have a trial and then at the end of the day they will get a $500
fine….
MS. NORDEN: But how about if we just ask them, since they are not in compliance, and if I
were, for example, if I were the average landowner, who did A, B, C, D and E and I will give
you an example, there is some guy in Greenport who is slapping vinyl siding on his house and it
is not within the code or the architectural review blah, blah, blah, blah, he now has a cease and
desist order. No more building, no more siding. Now we are in a position, I understand, that we
could actually do a cease and desist order on the Cross Sound ferry. So in other words, we don’t
have just the option…
SUPERVISOR HORTON: You don’t…
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MS. NORDEN: …of a $500 daily fine, we could close the joint down.
SUPERVISOR HORTON: No. That is where you are wrong.
MS. NORDEN: So everything in between is the kind of stuff, I am not saying that we do that
but I am asking you what is the sole gamut of the options that we have? Because the options are
not just to trot Ed Forrester out to give them a daily fine or to go to Supreme Court, we have the
power, we have the teeth, we have the zoning bylaws; they are flouting our bylaws, they are not
in any way in compliance with them. We do have the option, do we not, of actually shutting the
Cross Sound ferry down?
TOWN ATTORNEY FINNEGAN: We could revoke their certificate of occupancy and they
operate without a CO….
MS. NORDEN: Well then, why…
TOWN ATTORNEY FINNEGAN: …I mean, there is no…
MS. NORDEN: Well, we don’t really know that, though. I mean, In other words, have we
thought about going that route and if so, why was that an option that was not explored more
fully?
SUPERVISOR HORTON: I think that what as I stated earlier, is that the attorney’s office and a
couple of members of the Town Board will be meeting with the Planning Board and reviewing
all of the different strategies and obviously the Building Department will be an important part of
that conversation.
MS. NORDEN: But why are we meeting with the Planning Board when the Planning Board has
already made this decision and has already come to the Town Attorney asking the Town Board
and the Town Attorney to essentially follow the letter of the law, which is to begin the process of
fining the Cross Sound ferry? While you are going back to the Planning Board to ask them to
change a decision…
COUNCILMAN WICKHAM: May I respond to this?
SUPERVISOR HORTON: No and please don’t insinuate….
MS. NORDEN: No, I didn’t insinuate, I am asking.
SUPERVISOR HORTON: No.
COUNCILMAN WICKHAM: I would like to…
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MS. NORDEN: So why the Planning Board involvement when this seems clearly now, since
they have come to you the decision now clearly seems to be from the enforcement point of view,
yours to make. Not the Planning Board’s.
TOWN ATTORNEY FINNEGAN: The reason….to keep the Planning Board in the loop.
MS. NORDEN: Oh, alright, okay.
TOWN ATTORNEY FINNEGAN: It is not to go back and to say, ‘oh….
MS. NORDEN: Because the Town Board is the Board of record that now has the enforcement
capabilities.
SUPERVISOR HORTON: The question, the question is the goal. Do you want to achieve….
MS. NORDEN: I am asking you what you guys want to achieve.
SUPERVISOR HORTON: No, no…
COUNCILMAN WICKHAM: I would like to….
MS. NORDEN: I mean, that is really my final question.
SUPERVISOR HORTON: The point is the goal and that is, do you want to drag Cross Sound
ferry in to get a fine or do you want to drag or do you want to force Cross Sound ferry to be in
compliance with their site plan. That is the goal.
MS. NORDEN: I would like to do whatever is allowed for us under law to do and I am trying to
ask what the full gamut of our options are?
COUNCILMAN WICKHAM: I would like to respond to that. At something on the order of
10:00 this morning, we had a discussion along just these lines. It is impossible for us to know at
this time exactly what we are going to do. We agreed at that time we are going to empower our
Town Attorney to look into all of the alternatives. We are going to sit down with the Planning
Board because they control the site plan process. We are going to come up with a package of
proposals to deal with this finally, for the first time in a long time, in a definitive way that will
really help the Town of Southold. I don’t think we can answer all of these questions this
afternoon. I do think we have set in place a process that is going to come out with a good, solid
strategy for the Town of Southold to control its destiny as to that Orient ferry.
MS. NORDEN: But you can understand why after 20 years some people are a little skeptical
about whether Southold in fact is going to control its destiny or not.
SUPERVISOR HORTON: Very much can understand that.
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COUNCILMAN WICKHAM: I can understand that.
MS. NORDEN: Right. And I also want to know, do we have a timetable for this strategic
prosecutorial option exploration? I mean, is it going to be a two week, three week, four week?
How long do we think it is going to take us to make up our minds to take some action?
SUPERVISOR HORTON: Not long.
COUNCILMAN WICKHAM: My own opinion? Every Town Board meeting, I think we will
have some progress, we will have a discussion about it.
MS. NORDEN: Well, I just think we need to look at the fact that, this week alone for example,
after our state of emergency was lifted, there were cars still parked in the residential lots. We
have all of the license plates numbers. We know that a Cross Sound ferry again is not in
compliance, there is no longer a state of emergency. Cars are still in the residential lots. They
are all over the residential lots.
SUPERVISOR HORTON: There are five.
MS. NORDEN: We went out, we have the photographs.
SUPERVISOR HORTON: There are five there….
MS. NORDEN: Let’s not argue about the fact of it.
SUPERVISOR HORTON: Alright but I just want to make it clear. I am aware that they are
there.
MS. NORDEN: And why are they there?
SUPERVISOR HORTON: There were seven there yesterday and I believe there are five today.
MS. NORDEN: I don’t care if it is one or 100.
SUPERVISOR HORTON: Excuse me.
MS. NORDEN: Okay. Why?
SUPERVISOR HORTON: They are there because they were parked there prior to that being
lifted. So as soon as those people return, they will be removed.
MS. NORDEN: Josh, the cars are different. They were different one day from the next.
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SUPERVISOR HORTON: And our Code Enforcement officer has been out there everyday and
he has reported back to me that, that ferry attendants are making sure that people are turned away
from there and that that particular parcel of land is blocked off.
MS. NORDEN: So this will basically stop as soon as those people come back from Foxwood’s?
SUPERVISOR HORTON: Absolutely. Or wherever they are.
MS. NORDEN: Right. Or wherever they are. Okay. So I would like to suggest that we see if
we possible can come up with a timetable because we are losing very valuable time and I have
no doubt that cars will continue to be parked in the residential facility or the residential lots, long
into the future because we have, although many of us begged not to do it, we did set a precedent.
So because that is now happening, there is a sense of urgency that all of us feel and I don’t feel,
for one, comfortable knowing that we are going to make a decision that may, that we won’t take
action for many weeks until we explore all the options. And if we take the prosecutorial route, it
may take a year or so. In the meantime, what are we going to do about the Cross Sound ferry?
Are we just going to let them do what they continue and want to do until we finally take action
and then if we then take a prosecutorial action, as you say, it may be six months or a year or
longer. What do we, do we have no intermediate plan at all? I mean, is there nothing that we
can do in the interim before you take, before you fully develop your strategy?
SUPERVISOR HORTON: The Board is going to take whatever is legal, whatever is legally,
whatever action is legally allowed to take in the near, you know, in the very near future.
MS. NORDEN: I know. I am just asking when that near future might be?
SUPERVISOR HORTON: Well, I would have to say….
MS. NORDEN: I mean, I think, Josh, it is a very legitimate question.
SUPERVISOR HORTON: I know and I am trying to answer it, Melanie.
MS. NORDEN: Okay. Well then can we say, can we agree that a month from now, four weeks
from now, we have a definitive plan from the Town Board regarding the action we are going to
take? Does that seem reasonable?
SUPERVISOR HORTON: I think well before then.
MS. NORDEN: Alright. Should we say two weeks from now?
SUPERVISOR HORTON: No, Melanie. I think we will say, you asked for four weeks and I am
telling you that I think it will be well before then.
MS. NORDEN: Alright. Okay. But I would like a commitment. If at all possible, I would like
people to say, and this is a good will commitment, that we consider, the people that are here
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tonight, consider this to be a gravely serious and abiding issue in this town and so we are saying,
all things being equal, maybe one of you will break your ankle and you can’t come to a meeting,
but all things being equal, we are asking for a good faith, good will commitment that you
develop a strategy that you can lay out before us within four weeks. And I am saying, is that a
reasonable amount of time?
SUPERVISOR HORTON: I think that is entirely reasonable and I think that, as I said several
times prior to this, that it will be well within that time frame.
MS. NORDEN: And can we ask you then, if that would say be a four weeks from tonight’s
meeting, that we have a presentation four weeks from now as to what the actual integral parts of
that strategy are?
SUPERVISOR HORTON: I think that information will be available well within that time frame.
MS. NORDEN: But I would like it to be made public at a meeting so that we can have a chance
to understand it and discuss it.
SUPERVISOR HORTON: I am sure that that is entirely possible.
MS. NORDEN: Okay.
SUPERVISOR HORTON: Would anybody else….
NANCY SAWASTYNOWICZ: Good evening, Nancy Sawastynowicz, fourth generation
Southold Town. I said I lived in East Marion for 11 years, my family has been here for four
generations. I am just curious, since we can’t do anything with our police, are they still down
there checking cars and trucks?
SUPERVISOR HORTON: No.
MS. SAWASTYNOWICZ: Can we, at least, get them down there and get the speeders and the
people that pass on the right?
SUPERVISOR HORTON: They are writing….
MS. SAWASTYNOWICZ: We can make a lot of money, getting tickets from all these speeders,
going and coming from the ferry.
SUPERVISOR HORTON: The police department are writing a phenomenal amount of tickets
from East Marion east….
MS. SAWASTYNOWICZ: Because I am telling you, we could make millions of dollars just
getting the people that are speeding and then….
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SUPERVISOR HORTON: Unfortunately, the state takes so much of that, that at the end of the
day there is very little return on investment in that but we, you know, it is more the safety aspect
as opposed to the financial aspect but the police department is very active in writing tickets out
there and generally works within the school zone as a start point to….
MS. SAWASTYNOWICZ: Okay, well I would like to make a request without doing a report to
the police, to please put more police on. And as a mother of a son that turned 18 years old
yesterday, I am extremely concerned about the war and I read in today’s New York Times and I
have a copy for each one of you, that the war has become political and it just blows my mind….
SUPERVISOR HORTON: That is news.
MS. SAWASTYNOWICZ: ….but anyway, government has now said that private companies do
a better job on overseeing terrorists than government. So I am glad that we are not now checking
down there. And one more point I would like to make, yeah, well anyway, it is just between
politics and I just feel like if we can’t do anything about them parking there, at least give them
tickets for the speeding and here is a copy of the letter from the New York Times today.
SUPERVISOR HORTON: Okay. Thank you, Nancy. Would anybody else….yes, sir. You
were going to address the Board?
INAUDIBLE: My name is (inaudible) and I am a resident of Greenport and although I am
familiar with what everyone is talking about here and I very much sympathizing with it, I am
also sympathizing with you as a Board because in the legal aspect of legal aspect of many items,
there is only so much one can do. I would like to talk to the audience here to some degree….
SUPERVISOR HORTON: Actually, sir, if you would please direct your comments directly to
the Town Board?
UNIDENTIFIED: I almost cannot do that, I just would like to tell a lot of people to take action
into their own hands. This has happened in foreign countries, I know, citizens of Orient you
have farms, you have potato wagons, there is a lot of ways that you can put things in your own
hands that I suggest you start doing that.
SUPERVISOR HORTON: Thank you, sir. Would anyone else care to address the Town Board?
Yes, Ms. Tole. Go ahead, Benja.
BENJAMIN SCHWARTZ: Good evening, Benjamin Schwartz, Cutchogue. I didn’t question
about when the governor sent the National Guard down, was there any request, maybe he would
send some state police down to….
SUPERVISOR HORTON: I made that request.
MR. SCHWARTZ: And that was denied?
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SUPERVISOR HORTON: I didn’t make it to the governor’s office, I made it to the state police
barracks in Southampton town off Flanders. And we had modest, at best, modest support there.
MR. SCHWARTZ: Suffolk County didn’t want to help out?
SUPERVISOR HORTON: Well, I made the request because it is a state road, I made the request
for state police to provide some assistance. We had modest support.
MR. SCHWARTZ: What about Suffolk County?
SUPERVISOR HORTON: I didn’t request Suffolk County to come to Southold.
MR. SCHWARTZ: It didn’t seem like it was really a local problem to me, even though it’s a
problem in our town.
SUPERVISOR HORTON: Requested the state….
MR. SCHWARTZ: We are also in Suffolk County, in New York State. And this is a national
alert. And the other thing I am going to bring up and I know you are not going to hear about it,
Josh, but you know, when you stand up there and tell me you are available 24/7, well, I admire
you and I think you are great but nobody is that great. You know, nobody is available 24/7.
SUPERVISOR HORTON: Well, I am.
MR. SCHWARTZ: Uh huh. You don’t sleep? You know…
SUPERVISOR HORTON: I get awakened in the middle of the night and these days, no, I don’t
sleep.
MR. SCHWARTZ: Are you working, are you starting a new company? I know you just had a
baby, I am sure you …..
SUPERVISOR HORTON: I am not going to discuss my personal life with you, Mr. Schwartz.
MR. SCHWARTZ: Well, forget about your personal life, how about your professional life?
SUPERVISOR HORTON: I am not going to discuss my personal or professional life….
MR. SCHWARTZ: Well, it is interesting, there was an article in the Newsday but there has been
nothing in either of the local papers. In the article in Newsday, in which you are interviewed,
you said that you are working now 30 hours a week….
SUPERVISOR HORTON: No, I did not, Mr. Schwartz and I know….
MR. SCHWARTZ: Well, it….
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SUPERVISOR HORTON: ….it was an article written by A.J. Carter of Newsday and I made
the joke to him that I feel that I work in excess of 100 to 110 hours a week, so the way I figure,
even if I pull 30 hours a week to myself, I would still be working more than full-time. It was an
analysis, a comparison….
MR. SCHWARTZ: I didn’t know Newsday was a comedy, was a comic strip, I thought
Newsday was….
SUPERVISOR HORTON: Whatever, whatever. However you want to interpret it.
MR. SCHWARTZ: It was not written up as comedy.
SUPERVISOR HORTON: Well, I…
MR. SCHWARTZ: But in fact, last week you admitted to me that you are working for a new
company, that you were starting up a new company.
SUPERVISOR HORTON: I am not going to discuss my personal or professional life with you.
MR. SCHWARTZ: Alright, fine. Then I will just say, last week you admitted that you are
working for another company, in addition to working as Supervisor of Southold Town.
SUPERVISOR HORTON: I didn’t admit to anything….
MR. SCHWARTZ: And you may be able to do two things at once….
SUPERVISOR HORTON: Mr. Schwartz, I didn’t admit to anything and I am not going to sit
here and be….
MR SCHWARTZ: Okay. So you are not going to…
SUPERVISOR HORTON: …inquire about my personal life.
MR. SCHWARTZ: This is not your personal life. We are talking about….
SUPERVISOR HORTON: It is my personal life, what…
MR. SCHWARTZ: Are you working as Supervisor of Southold Town?
SUPERVISOR HORTON: Yes. I am committed.
MR. SCHWARTZ: Is that a full time job?
SUPERVISOR HORTON: As defined under the state law, it is not defined as a full time job.
Do I treat it as such? Yes.
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MR. SCHWARTZ: Okay but, legally your point is…
SUPERVISOR HORTON: Legally…
MR. SCHWARTZ: ….your position is that it is not a full time job and therefore you do not have
to work exclusively….
SUPERVISOR HORTON: Legally, it is a town of the second class.
MR. SCHWARTZ: Mmmmhmmm.
SUPERVISOR HORTON: And those classes are based on population. As a town of second
class, the Supervisor’s position is not specified as a full time or a part time position. I treat it as a
full time position. End of story.
MR. SCHWARTZ: Excuse me, I am not quite finished.
SUPERVISOR HORTON: I am not going to entertain anymore….
MR. SCHWARTZ: Well, I am have one last thing to say.
SUPERVISOR HORTON: Yes.
MR. SCHWARTZ: You know, sometime during the last year, I believe the other members of
this Town Board voted you a raise because it was said that you were working so hard and so
long…
SUPERVISOR HORTON: And whoever is Supervisor next year will benefit from it.
MR. SCHWARTZ: …and now it appears, although you won’t admit it, that you have reduced
your hours working for the Town…
SUPERVISOR HORTON: Mr. Schwartz…
MR. SCHWARTZ: ….therefore it would follow logically that you should receive a lower…
SUPERVISOR HORTON: Okay.
MR. SCHWARTZ: …thank you. If the taxpayers of Southold Town are willing to fund two
offices for you and pay you on the basis of being a full time supervisor and live with you as a
part time supervisor…
SUPERVISOR HORTON: Mr. Schwartz…
MR. SCHWARTZ: …then that is their business.
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SUPERVISOR HORTON: That is fine. I appreciate your comments.
MR. SCHWARTZ: Okay.
SUPERVISOR HORTON: Okay.
ANN HOPKINS: Just one brief comment. Ann Hopkins, president of the Orient Association. I
am heartened by what sounds like, finally, after all of these years, the Orient Association was
founded in 1984, largely over the issue of ferry traffic and I have been involved in it. I have my
own spider covered files also, that the Town is going to decide to act but I just want to say, on
behalf of the people that aren’t the type that come and speak at these meetings and one of them
was my friend who was sitting next to me and who lives at Orient by the Sea and just sort of
quietly said, it is just awful. That you will have the Town with you if you take hold and act,
please don’t be afraid, please don’t count on even the mythical ICC or the actual DOT to take
action, that I just think that you will have great support all over town if you just stick to your
guns and act.
SUPERVISOR HORTON: Thank you, Ann. Cathy.
MS. TOLE: Hi, this is still Cathy, still in Greenport. Pat had said something earlier that perked
me up and I just want to ask a question about it. If a business in town had its certificate of
occupancy revoked, let’s say a local retail place, had its certificate of occupancy revoked, would
the Town shutter the building?
SUPERVISOR HORTON: No.
MS. TOLE: The Town would allow it to continue to function without its certificate of
occupancy?
SUPERVISOR HORTON: The Town would have to go to New York State Supreme Court to get
an injunctive relief or to get a restraining order or to, you know, to get some legal document that
would allow the town to take that action.
MS. TOLE: Okay.
SUPERVISOR HORTON: Did I state that correctly?
TOWN ATTORNEY FINNEGAN: You are correct.
SUPERVISOR HORTON: Thank you. Yes, Ms. Norden.
MS. NORDEN: I just had one short, final question. When the Town chose not to act on the
zoning change application of Cross Sound ferry, was that a hearing that was tabled or was that
hearing closed?
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SUPERVISOR HORTON: It wasn’t a hearing.
MS. NORDEN: Oh.
SUPERVISOR HORTON: The Town rejected the application.
MS. NORDEN: I see.
SUPERVISOR HORTON: The Town said it would….
MS. NORDEN: It would not entertain the application at that time.
SUPERVISOR HORTON: Thank you. Yes, the Town would not entertain the application. Not
at that time. It said it would not entertain the application.
MS. NORDEN: So under the terms of entertaining or not entertaining an application, is it
possible to re-open or revisit that and then entertain at the same time, regardless of whether you
would approve or not approve of it, a full SEQRA review? In other words, can you re-open
that…
SUPERVISOR HORTON: To be honest with you, that is the one down side of not entertaining
that application, is that you didn’t have the whole picture open before you and I think I even,
Gwynne, I think you even mentioned that in one of your columns, that the one down side to not
entertaining that application is that it wasn’t open as a big picture issue by where you can
commence SEQRA, you know, environmental action….
MS. NORDEN: But could you have a quote-unquote change-of-heart? And suddenly re-open
the application?
SUPERVISOR HORTON: I don’t know. If it has been….
TOWN ATTORNEY FINNEGAN: I mean the Town Board could do it on their own motion….
MS. NORDEN: They could? Right. Because in fact you didn’t make a decision…
TOWN ATTORNEY FINNEGAN: Let me just finish…
SUPERVISOR HORTON: But the Town would commence that zone change on its own motion,
which I think would legally put us in a very difficult position because if we commence a change
of zone action on our own motion, only to vote it down, but you know, review various elements,
I think we would be legally in tough shape.
MS. NORDEN: Right. Well, you could just, I mean, I don’t know that your good faith would be
that thoroughly challenged. Alright. So it is much better not to reopen that. I was just curious
as to whether in fact, Tom had mentioned and I think we all feel very strongly and I think by the
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way, there is precedent all over the country for the notion of business planning and for town’s to
review for example, the business plans of Wal-Marts, of K-Marts, of growth related planning for
any large business within any municipality and so the notion of being able to look at, not just the
environmental impacts and the impacts under SEQRA but to be able to actually take a look at the
business planning and future growth plans of the Cross Sound ferry seems to me eminently
reasonable. Reasonable because the fact that Cross Sound ferry is not growing in a vacuum but
grows you know, at our expense. In other words, for Cross Sound ferry to operate, we have to
have an infrastructure, roads and police and security and safety and all sorts of other guarantees
that we as a municipality at our own expense, have to provide. So it seems reasonable that over
and beyond SEQRA that we could ask, just like any large corporation would ask from one of its
subsidiaries ‘what is your business plan, what are your plans for the future, how do you see your
growth evolving’ and so that we could get a sense in a picture of what that would be. I was just
thinking that if we had any other options under the law where we could immediately begin the
SEQRA process, that would be helpful. But, thanks a lot.
SUPERVISOR HORTON: Thank you. Are there other comments from the floor for the Town
Board on town related matters? (No response) Motion to adjourn? Thank you for coming out
tonight. This meeting is declared closed.
* * * * *
Elizabeth A. Neville
Southold Town Clerk
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