At issue is the possibility that, for the first time, some Greenport homeowners would have to pay to be connected to the municipal sewer system when, until now, hookup fees have applied only at properties that are outside the village and so not in its tax base.
Trustee Michael Osinski is a proponent of a change in the rate structure but said he doesn't like the wording of the current proposal. He was aiming at large-scale multiple-unit projects in the village, he said, adding that a developer proposing 30 or even 100 units in a single project shouldn't be able to get free hookups. As drafted, the current proposal, he complained, might hit homeowners in smaller multifamily units with a connection fee. The draft also fails to clearly define what constitutes a multifamily structure.
The proposal, as aired at a public hearing before the board Monday, would require buildings with multiple dwellings to have meters installed for each unit rather than permitting meters to be shared or allowing just a few meters for an entire complex.
With no grandfather clause to exempt existing dwellings, sewer rates could triple, rising to as much as $36,000 per year in multiple dwellings, Jim Baumann of Oyster Point condos said. When those condos were built in the 1990s, the village asked for seven to eight meters, and builders complied. To require a meter for each of the 34 units would be costly in terms of both rates and installation of the new meters, he said.
"My homeowners are absolutely enraged over this," Mr. Baumann said, urging the board to move carefully on the proposal to avoid litigation. He offered to work with board members to revise the proposal, saying that litigation isn't his choice because, as a village taxpayer, he would be bearing the cost of the village's defense.
The village is already in litigation over metering, according to village attorney Joseph Prokop, who drafted the proposed changes. "This is at best a work in progress," he explained. "The intent is to have equal and fair billing."
Mayor David Nyce echoed that sentiment and promised no action would be taken for several months to give part-time village residents the chance to weigh in on the legislation.
"This thing is totally flawed," former utilities chief Bill Swiskey said. He said the draft contained incorrect information about current rates and also failed to include a grandfathering clause to protect residents in existing structures.
KEEP IT LOCAL
A hearing on a proposal to allow the board to appoint non-village residents to the Planning Board, Zoning Board of Appeals and various committees drew fire Monday. Despite difficulty finding volunteers to accept these posts, residents said they feared nonresidents wouldn't bring a local sensitivity to their decisions.
"This is our village," former mayor Steve Clarke said. Having local people make policy for Greenport is "what makes the village work," he said. Allowing those without a direct stake to serve on such boards would be "poor policy," he said.
The board voted to advertise various openings and ask village residents to submit résumés.
CREDIT DUE
Greenport electric customers will see a credit on their next bills for what was a significant overpayment they had to make in December. The problem arose because the village was hit with an $80,000 bill for its Purchase Power Adjustment and, while it successfully fought to have that fee eliminated, it had to pay the bill during the protest process. Now that Greenport has won its case and the $80,000 is being credited to the village, residents will see the money they were assessed in December returned. For every 3.9-cent increase attributed to PPA charges in December, customers will see a five-cent credit on their next bill, Mr. Nyce said.
CODE ENFORCEMENT
Over objections from trustees Chris Kempner and Michael Osinski, the board voted to ask members of the zoning advisory committee to work with village administrator David Abatelli and building inspector Eileen Wingate to develop policy for handling code enforcement issues.
Compliance with snow and brush removal rules and parking regulations are top concerns. Three board members endorsed the plan to let the zoning advisory committee look at the issues and then make a recommendation to the Village Board. Ms. Kempner, meanwhile, asked how much members of the zoning advisory committee would know about those issues; and Mr. Osinski said it might be faster to have the Village Board interact with Mr. Abatelli and Ms. Wingate.
TRAIL MOVES FORWARD
Jeremy Samuelson of the Group for the East End got the board's agreement that it would continue to support a proposed bay-to-Sound trail system that would run from the Mitchell Park Marina to Long Island Sound.
The plan, which requires cooperation among the village, town and county, had been stalled. In order for the town to retain a $71,000 grant from the New York State Department of Transportation, the village had to re-endorse the project and agree to allow the town to spend up to $1,000 on materials.
Before any actual work begins, public hearings will be scheduled, and Greenport, as the largest stakeholder in the project, would get lead agency status for the purpose of conducting an environmental review.
thanks, Peconic landing
Peconic Landing contributed $10,000 toward the $26,604 cost of building new fencing at the Little League field on Moore's Lane, and is leading an effort to garner more contributions to cover the cost of the project.
SORRY, BUT NO
The board rejected a request from the Southold High School Class of 1990 to hold its 20th reunion in Mitchell Park in July because the event would have an entrance fee, include alcoholic beverages and tie up the park for hours, all of which violate policies the village has established for the park.
HONORED
Members of the holiday alliance group, led by Leueen Miller, received certificates of appreciation from the board. The group coordinated activities and decorating of the village for the holiday season.
MEETING CHANGE
The next Village Board work session will be Tuesday, Feb. 16, at 6 p.m. rather than the previous day, which is President's Day.
jlane@timesreview.com