POENB Minutes for Thursday, April 4, 2024

The meeting was held in person at the Eaton’s Neck Firehouse and also on Zoom

7:05 pm to 8:30 pm. The Pledge of Allegiance was recited followed by a roll call of officers.

Officer Roll Call

• Tom Kehoe – President
• Ryan Schaefer-Walker – Vice President and Treasurer
• Yvonne Lambertson – Assistant Vice President (Technology, Web & Communications) (via Zoom)
• Steve Neuf – Assistant Vice President (Engineering and Special Projects)
• Anthony Fusaro – Assistant Vice President 
• Sally Neal – Recording Secretary
• Nancy Regan – Corresponding Secretary (Absent)

Attendance 

There were 15 members physically in attendance, not including six officers. Four people also dialed in via Zoom.

Reading of the Minutes

Tom Kehoe’s motion to accept last month’s minutes as posted on POENB Website was accepted

Correspondence – Tom Kehoe (for Nancy Regan) 

• Eaton’s Neck Fire Department (ENFD) Letter 

Tom summarized a letter signed by ENFD’s John Pokorny, Chief of the Department, Michael Pinto, 1st Assistant Chief and Robert Ryan, 2nd Assistant Chief.  

Since 1956, the ENFD has responded to fires and health emergencies.  During weather-related catastrophes, the ENFD has also opened the firehouse to provide shelter, electricity, heating/cooling and hot meals.  Just last night (April 3, 2024), ENFD volunteers and the department’s high-water truck were standing-by to assist residents who could have been “stranded” on Asharoken Avenue.  

That said, the ENFD needs additional persons who are willing to serve.  Recently, five new persons signed on and will be providing EMT services.  However, more volunteers are urgently needed, especially firefighters. 

Tom Kehoe urged all residents to consider serving.   Additional information on a potential volunteer’s responsibilities (e.g., how they teach, train, and serve together) was included in last month’s Changing Tides (CT) and is also posted on the ENFD website (www.eatonsneckfd.org).  Please also feel free to reach out directly to ENFD leadership if you’d like to know more about this critical organization and its activities.   

• PSEG and Reliable Electrical Power

As discussed in last month’s CT, PSEG has nearly completed burying the electrical lines from Bevin Road to North Creek Road and executing additional changes to vastly improve the reliability of electrical power to EN residents.  This effort was, in large part, spearheaded by John Ballow (POENB’s representative) along with representatives from seven other associations (the Eaton’s Neck Community Working Group or ENCWG).  For more than 50 years, EN residents routinely had experienced power outages lasting an hour to four days.  In 2022, EN experienced 22 power outages.  This number of outages (vis a vis other communities on LI) represented a “five sigma event.”  It had gone on for too long and was unacceptable.  

Tom Kehoe noted that “without the efforts of the ENCWG, last night’s (April 3rd) rain would have shut the power down for hours (plural) but fortunately no one experienced so much as a flicker.”  

Beach Report – Tom Kehoe, Sally Neal, Anthony Fusaro, Yvonne Lambertson, Steve Neuf

• Beach Maintenance 

Per its by-laws, POENB has a two-fold mission: (1) protect and preserve two beaches – at Price’s Bend (PB) and Valley Grove (VG) and (2) protect and advance the common welfare and mutual interests of all residents with civic and corporate officials. 

The primary revenue source to accomplish these two goals are membership dues.  The lion’s share of these dues, approximately 80 – 85%, are spent on protecting and preserving the beaches and making them a place where members can relax, enjoy water activities, and engage with their neighbors. 

Typical beach expenses include (1) seasonal clean ups, (2) sand/beach grooming, (3) landscaping, and (4) maintenance of security equipment, fencing, the swimming area, watercraft racks, the bulkhead at VG, and grills, benches, play sets, and benches. 

Given social changes, POENB is relying less on volunteers and hiring more third-party contractors to conduct beach maintenance and improvement tasks.   

• Landscaping 

The Board contacted several local companies about their interest in bidding for the landscaping contract for the two beach properties.  In 2024, Ted McCarthy will provide landscaping services.  Ted has many commercial customers in the area, including the Asharoken Village Hall. Ted and his crew will be conducting a variety of cleaning up activities (e.g., at PB removing the blue hanging slide, old telephone poles, unsightly dirt pile, dilapidated benches, and non-functional grills as well as trimming invasive seagrass).  The work should be completed by the first week in May.  

The Board also thanks Steve D’Amato (a long tenured resident) and his Ecological Landscape Company for the many years of landscaping service his firm provided.  

• Beach Grooming 

Beach grooming/raking (e.g., removing debris and seaweed) will be conducted on a biweekly basis.  The Board has renewed the contract with the current vendor.   The cost of services this year will be nearly identical to what it was last year.  

• Dumpster – The Board will try to move the dumpster to a more discrete location – so that it’s not the first thing a member sees upon entering the PB parking lot. 

• Abandoned / Unclaimed Watercraft – The Board has communicated multiple times using several mediums (e.g., blast and direct emails, notices in the CT, Facebook postings, and POENB website) about the need for members to remove their watercraft from the racks.  Per the watercraft rules (as posted on the Eaton’s Neck.org website) the deadline for watercraft removal in odd years was November 1.  In mid-February 2024, the Board physically transferred watercraft that had not been moved by members (by November 1, 2023) to an area near the shed in the PB parking lot.  

However, there are still watercraft (kayaks, paddle boards and sunfish) at both PB and VG that appear to be abandoned.  The Board is considering two options if the boats are not claimed by April 30, 2024 (1) throw them into the dumpster or (2) sell them and retain any profits from the sale.  

• “Light” Beach Tidy and Social and Community Service Event – Although the landscaper will perform the “bulk” of the cleanup work at both PB and VG, POENB will sponsor a “light” beach tidy event at both VG and PB.  

These two events will have a three-fold purpose

1. Conduct a final sweep, refresh and spruce up of the beaches (e.g., pick up trash, perform some light raking) in advance of the late spring/summer season
2. Serve as an opportunity to welcome new neighbors and deepen existing friendships – coffee and breakfast foods will be served 
3. Enable local school and civic groups (Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, athletic teams) to engage in a community service project.   To receive credit for participating in the “light beach tidy” please send the standard paperwork / form(s) to info@eatonsneck.org  and a Board representative will sign the form and return it via email.  

For PB, this event is tentatively scheduled for Saturday, May 11 at 10 am.  For VG, the tentative date is pending.  Please consult the POENB website for further updates and details (www.eatonsneck.org).   

• VG – stairs

As discussed during prior meetings, the VG stairs have become rickety and dangerous.  As a temporary measure, Tom Bishop, VG Beach Committee Chair, repaired the most broken parts.   

Concurrent to the temporary repairs made by Tom Bishop, Joe Cartolano and Phil Cuiffo Sr. have been working on a longer-term solution.  Joe and Phil obtained three bids for three different solutions from three different vendors.  

1. Option 1 Eric Van Dormolen (vendor), a marine engineer, recommended replacing the existing stairs with Grade 3, Ground Contact, pressure treated (PT) lumber.  It appears that prior contractors may have used “Grade 2” PT that was not as durable – hence the need to repair the stairs every 3 to 5 years.   

PT lumber is usually made of pine or spruce that has been infused with chemical preservatives to protect the wood from rot and insects and then exposed to pressure as well.  The chemicals and pressure extend the useful life of PT lumber.  PT lumber has three grades – Grade 1, Grade 2 (a lower grade than Grade 1), and Grade 3 (the highest grade which is also called Premium or Select by different manufacturers).  Builders often use Grade 1 or 2 when constructing decks or stairs.  

A better grade of PT lumber is one that (1) has been infused longer and more deeply with the chemical treating solution, (2) has been coated with a water sealer, (3) has been gently kiln-dried after treatment (KDAT),(4) is Ground Contact rated – which means the wood can be inserted into the ground and get wet for long periods of time without rotting or deteriorating, and (5) is straighter and has fewer knots and defects.   

2. Option 2 Precision Masonry (Huntington) recommends using stone to replace the existing stairs.  This effort would involve installing sono tubes filled with cement but may not be realistic since it would be extremely expensive (e.g., 6 figures).  

3. Option 3 The Geo Group (Commack) recommends using Trex, a composite material made of recycled plastic and wood.  Trex is more resistant to the elements, less susceptible to pests and mold and is easier to care for (no sanding, staining or sealing) than wood.  

The Board will review the three proposals and provide a recommendation for a key member vote.  

Steve Neuf is also investigating the possibility of receiving funds from the TOH to pay for a portion of the repairs since TOH’s work in 2022/2023 to improve the drainage on Carlisle did not stop the rain water from Carlisle being directly pushed over the stairs during heavy storms.

Social Committee – Yvonne Lambertson and Ryan Schaefer-Walker

• Easter Egg Hunt

Yvonne Lambertson, Ryan Schaefer-Walker and Jeanmarie Mansfield did a fantastic job executing the annual Easter Egg Hunt that was held on Saturday, March 30th at PB.  More than 2,000 plastic eggs (filled with treats) were “hidden” in various locations.  The Easter Bunny, thanks to the generosity of John Pokorny’s family, also made a special appearance.  Approximately 150 people attended the event. 

• Partí Gras 

Parti Gras, POENB’s largest social event, will take place at PB on May 26th at 3 pm.  The cost of admission will include BBQ, ice cream, and soft drinks.  There will also be face painting for kids.  Adults are welcome to BYOB.  

• July / August Grill and Chill and Movie Nights

The Board plans to sponsor 2 or 3 (in total) Friday Night Grill and Chill events at PB during July and August.  Exact dates will be confirmed later.  As was done in prior years, the grills will be lit around 6:30 pm and members are invited to bring their own drinks, cook their own food and enjoy the company of friends and neighbors.  However, this year, after dinner, at ~8:45 pm, there will be a movie night.  Michael Cohen, a recent resident of EN, has offered POENB the use of his equipment. 

Membership – Gene Caputo

As of April 4, 2024, 200 EN (out of 419) homeowners have chosen to become POENB members. The number of members is greater than it was at this time in 2023.  At the May meeting, Gene will provide additional statistics on the membership including the (1) number of regular vs. senior members, (2) number of new vs prior year members, and (3) number of members who pay online vs by paper check. 

Treasurer’s Report – Ryan Schaefer-Walker

The Treasurer’s Report (see details on page 2(Include the Income Statement for the period January 1, 2024 to April 4, 2024 and a partial Balance Sheet as of April 4, 2024.

Revenues, given strong membership numbers, are slightly higher at this point in time.  Expenses are also higher in 2024 because several 2023 bills were paid in 2024. 

As of April 4th, POENB had roughly $65K in all of its bank accounts. 

Other Financial and Administrative Topics – Sally Neal and Anthony Fusaro

As discussed in the March minutes, the Board is reviewing POENB’s finances and exploring ways to ensure the Association is on firm financial footing in the short and long term.   As part of this review, the Board is obtaining a valuation of the two beach properties.

Details of the results of this research will be presented to members at a future meeting. 

Bevin Seawall – John Ballow 

John Ballow updated members on the status of “permanently fixing” EN’s #1 public safety hazard (aka the Bevin Seawall).   As discussed in prior minutes, there are three options:

1. Wait for a catastrophe to occur – is defined as Seawall is breached and EN residents living at or above Bevin are unable to exit by land.  This is the most likely option from a timing perspective. VOA, TOH or SC all do NOT have a written emergency evacuation plan. FEMA will not do “pre-assessment” unless 10K or more citizens are impacted.   
2. Support VOA’s efforts to “go it alone” – is an operational and financial long shot since it might cost $30 million and 10 years to execute.  
3. Pressure the Army Corp of Engineers (ACOE) to fix the wall – is at a standstill since both the local and DC offices of ACOE have stated that “five public access points” to the VOA beaches (e.g., every 0.5 miles from the 2.4 miles of road from the Soundview Boat Ramp to Bevin Rd) is a non-negotiable, prerequisite for their involvement. 

John and others are working with SC Legislator Bontempi, US Rep. LaLota and US Sen. Schumer’s office to request ACOE’s engagement.

Keith McLaughlin provided drone footage of the Seawall taken on the morning of April 4th (post recent storm).  In person attendees could see the extent of erosion – pieces of steel fully detached from the wall and rocks pushed across Asharoken Ave. 

Next Meeting

Next month’s meeting is scheduled for Thursday, May 2, 2024 at 7:00 pm.