POENB Minutes Friday, January 6, 2023

The meeting was held by Zoom; 7:30 pm to 8:20 pm

Meeting Agenda 

1. Pledge of Allegiance, Officer Roll Call, Attendance
2. Motion to Accept Prior Month’s Minutes published in 12/22 Changing Tides
3. Correspondence 
4. Proposed 2023 POENB Budget Presentation and Analysis
5. Membership Survey
6. Social Update
7. Committee Reports (Drainage, Beach, Tides)
8. All Other Business (AOB)

Pledge of Allegiance and Officer Roll Call, Attendance

The Pledge of allegiance was recited followed by the roll call of officers: 

Frank Pasquale – President; Ryan Schaefer-Walker – Vice President; Steve Neuf – Assistant VP (Engineering and Special Work Projects); Yvonne Lambertson – Assistant VP (Technology, Web, Communications); Anthony Fusaro – Treasurer; Sally Neal – Recording Secretary

There were 12 members in attendance not including the six board members

Motion to Accept the Prior Month’s Minutes

Frank Pasquale’s motion to accept the prior month’s minutes was accepted. 

Correspondence 

• Watercraft stored at Price’s Bend and Valley Grove -Ryan Schaefer-Walker, Vice President, reminded members that it is not necessary to remove watercraft stored on the racks at the two beach facilities at the end of the 2022 season (~end of September) because 2023, an odd based year, is not a re-assignment year.  However, all second watercraft spots stored on the racks need to be removed.

• Boat moorings at Price’s Bend – Ryan Schaefer-Walker, Vice President, reminded members that POENB does not manage the moorings in Northport Bay/Long Island Sound. Residents should reach out to the Town of Huntington or Maritime regarding mooring information/questions. 

• Funding for Asharoken Environmental Studies – John Ballow stated that the Village of Asharoken obtained $50,000 to study beach erosion issues/the sea wall near Bevin Road.  Additionally, Asharoken has obtained $1,000,000 (from a fund made possible by Senator Chuck Schumer) to execute “next steps” as outlined in a prior Army Corps of Engineers study.  While John does not know the specific scope of these next steps, he will reach out to the Asharoken Village Clerk to obtain more details and then update the POENB Board and members at a future meeting.

Presentation of the Proposed 2023 Budget & Analysis

Treasurer Anthony Fusaro went over the proposed balanced budget for 2023, which has been re printed on page 2 of this issue with a side by side comparison versus 2022. 

As noted in the December 2022 issue of the Changing Tides, in 2022, POENB generated a net surplus of approximately $18,000.   This surplus was primarily driven by three factors: 

1. An historic increase in the number of members; we had 252 members in 2022;
2. Thoughtful and professional expenditure negotiations with vendors, primarily for beach maintenance and improvements, and 
3. A large number of volunteers who consistently devoted their time and efforts to execute selected beach maintenance and improvement activities as well as social events.  

The 2023 budgeted income is approximately $3,000 less than the 2022 actual income.  Membership fees account for approximately 79% of total budgeted income.  In 2023, the Board expects that membership will continue to remain high but erred on the side of conservatism in 2023. 

The 2023 budgeted expenses are expected to be approximately $13,000 more than 2022 actual.  This increase is primarily driven by:

1. Estimated increases in vendor expenses for beach maintenance and improvement expenses given the inflationary economy 

2. The creation of a formal Emergency Fund ((e.g., contingency fund to finance unforeseen/emergency beach expenses). 

3. Additional beach improvements and security as directed by members.  

POENB is able to accommodate these cost of living and prudent contingency expenses given that the Valley Grove Note (~$12,000) for the Bulkhead Project was fully paid in 2022. 

With respect to the Savings Fund, the Board plans to routinely budget and fund this expense line item on an annual basis so that if and when emergency repairs are needed to the beach properties, resources are immediately available (e.g., no need to adjust and approve the existing budget to pay for emergencies). 

A vote on this budget by members will occur at the next meeting on February 3, 2023. 

Budget follow-up Discussion

Frank P chimed in to comment that this is proposed. We haven’t spoken to all our vendors. It is Frank’s hope to stick close to last year. Last year we had a great year where most expenses stayed flat. But we’re factoring in some possible increases. 

A member asked whether there was anything in the budget for replacing the split rail fence. Frank indicated that a survey would be sent out to get a pulse of the community as to what its needs and wants are and suggested everyone complete it. Were this board to tackle the split rail Frank felt that it would best be done in stages. First phase, collect all usable wood and repurpose it by trying to get the posts solidly in then use the best of the wood to get at least a good top rail running the length of the property.  Then new stock could be brought in to complete it. The job could be done over a few years in stages. 

Fence is always a hot button topic along with better security over. Frank opined that he feels cameras are a better defense than a fence.  A member chimed in to suggest maybe replacing the fence was a waste of time and perhaps the community should consider removal and having the hedges be the barrier. Another member asked about the circle at Worcester where non-members access the property. Frank agreed it’s an issue but beyond putting up a big fence there that nobody wants, better signage may be the only solution. 

Membership survey

Discussion of the fence dovetailed into Frank revealing that the Board had just sent out a membership survey to members. One of the survey’s key priorities it to give members a chance to offer suggestions on what projects they’d like to see completed as well as provide feedback on satisfaction with services provided, social events and communicate their interest in volunteering and/or becoming more involved in POENB 

President Frank Pasquale urged all members to complete the survey as soon as possible.  Remarkably, approximately 55 surveys had been received as of 8 pm the day the survey was sent out (January 6, 2023).  Frank is committed to transparency and will try to provide an “early read out” on the results of the survey at the February meeting. 

Social Update

We didn’t have a social report but Frank indicated the goal was to get out a social calendar in February so that folks could plan ahead. There are a lot of questions about Social in the survey and the Board looks forward to hearing the opinion of members. 

Committee Reports

Drainage Report 

Ryan Cote reported that he called Nima Hamzeh the week before Christmas. Nima is the secretary of Highway Superintendent Andre Sorrentino. The goal of the call was to get an update from the Town of Huntington as to what they’re doing, if anything. Ryan reminded attendees that we had sent about six people in the Town’s Highway, Engineering and Supervisors’ Departments detailed letters in the fall. Thus far we have no updates.  

Ryan provided some background– after Laser Industries (the Town’s preferred vendor) did the drainage work in 2022, there were several heavy rainstorms in summer and fall of 2022 that resulted in flooding that was just as bad if not worse than before work had commenced. With the POENB and residents questioning the design of the project and whether it could handle the capacity of storm water we now receive, the TOH hired an engineering firm (H2M architects and Engineers of Melville) to conduct a study to determine the root cause of the problems and propose possible solutions.  This latest study was commissioned in September 2022 and was expected in approximately six weeks. As of Ryan Cote’s call to the TOH in late December, the study had not yet materialized.  

On the December call, Nima told Ryan that he had no new updates on the status of the study.  Ryan also asked Nima Hamzeh if the TOH was investigating the possibility of a federal infrastructure grant to defray the cost of any projects the engineering firm might recommend.  Mr. Hamzeh seemed to indicate that he was unaware of the town requesting any federal grant money in this instance.  A brief discussion ensued that during this time of Federal infrastructure monies being made available, it was felt the Town certainly needs to be going after this money. Ryan concluded his conversion with Nima, with the request that the Highway Department keep the POENB Board in the loop” once the study is in. 

Ryan followed up the call-in later December with a meeting with Assemblyman Keith Brown in early January. Mr. Brown was part of the original contingent of Town Employees and engineers who came out to do a walk through after our flooding in September. Ryan provided Mr. Brown with a thorough update on all our issues and trouble spots, including all relevant photos and video from our flooding – plus photos from the December 23^rd high tides. 

It was a good meeting. Ryan noted that we’ve had no response from the Town as yet. The Town has a tendency to disappear. The two-fold meeting with Brown was 1) to see if he could assist us in circling the wagons on the highway department and the supervisor’s office and the engineering study group to try to get updates on what they intend to do and when they might be doing it.  2) the second issue discussed was the possibility of POENB obtaining some DEC permits which would allow us (or the TOH to assist us) in repairing and restoring our beaches after these terrible weather events which cause major and expensive damage 

Mr. Brown suggested he would attempt to convene a meeting of some of the key players in the Town to see if he could assist us in moving the ball. He suggested we begin reaching out to some of the other recent elected officials in the area (names mentioned were Congressman Nick LaLota, NYS Senator Mario Mattera and Legislator Stephanie Bontempi were names mentioned). He noted that they would be good people to try to bring up to speed to see if they can help us with regard to securing federal funding. He noted that with regard to obtaining federal funds if your representatives are not on the ball, you don’t get it. 

Follow-up drainage discussion.

Frank reminded meeting attendees that the last thing that Mr. Sorrentino indicated was that he wanted to do when he left in September was to scope the storm water pipe from the top of Valley grove to the outfall pipe but that hasn’t yet occurred. 

Ryan Cote indicated he will continue this effort by reaching out to John McCarron, Ed Smyth’s Deputy supervisor. He also thanked Assemblyman Brown for his time, noting Mr. Brown was keyed in and focused on this issue and will definitely be an ally and advocate for the POENB as we move forward.  

Christine Ballow reiterated the need for us \introduce ourselves to our new just- elected officials because after redistricting they don’t know what our specific problems are. 

Beach

Frank stated his opinion that Prices Bend may have gotten some sand back after the December Storms. Ryan noted that he had dragged a bunch of heavy dinghies out of the parking lot after the December storm and folks need to go down

Frank concluded by noting that there will be two beach cleanups this year, a Prices Bend cleanup and a valley grove cleanup—if a member you can’t make it one weekend they can make the other. Sweat equity will allow us to rebuild our beaches at less expense. 

He further noted that volunteerism doesn’t stop at those two weekends. If you have special skills, let us know. We have plenty of projects you can help with. If you’re available on a Tuesday afternoon and you want to fix a stair or paint a building, we’ll find something for you to do. 

Changing Tides

Ryan Cote indicated the goal will be to put out our usual 9 Tides issues in 2023. Frank indicated that he’d certainly write the majority of the President’s messages but that he’d like his board to write a few of the messages as well. It’s something new and a departure but it will give all the board members an opportunity to discuss issues they’re working on. 

All Other Business

The next meeting will be held on Friday, February 3, 2023 at 7:30 pm.  The meeting will be held in person and via zoom. 

The meeting adjourned at approximately 8:20 pm.