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 and Communications) 
• Steve Neuf – Assistant Vice President (Engineering and Special Projects)
• Sally Neal – Recording Secretary
• Nancy Regan – Corresponding Secretary (via Zoom)
• Anthony Fusaro – Assistant Vice President (Absent)

Attendance 

There were 14 members physically in attendance, not including five officers. Ten people also dialed in via Zoom.

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

Membership – Gene Caputo

As of May 2, 2024, 215 EN (out of 419 or 51%) homeowners have chosen to become POENB members. The total number of members is similar to the prior two years at this point in time.  Of the 215 members, 120 (56%) were seniors and 95 (44%) were standard members. 83% of the 120 seniors paid their dues manually (via paper check) while 45% of the 95 standard members paid online. To date, the majority of members took advantage of the “early bird” pricing. 

Treasurer’s Report – Ryan Schaefer-Walker

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

Revenues for the period were $53.8K of which $47.9K was from membership dues, $3.1K from watercraft fees and the remainder from a combination of Changing Tides revenue, social fees, and beach rentals.  Expenses were approximately $13.1 K. The majority of expenses were for items incurred in 2023 and paid in 2024. 

As of May 1st, POENB had roughly $65K in all of its bank accounts. 

Social Committee – Yvonne Lambertson, Ryan Schaefer-Walker and Heather Kennedy Brown

• Light Beach Clean Up, Meet Your Neighbors and Community Service Event  – Although the landscaper has performed the bulk of the clean-up work at both PB and VG, POENB will sponsor a “light” beach tidy event at both VG and PB on Saturday, May 11th at 10 am.  Coffee and breakfast foods will be served.

 Please consult the POENB website for further details (www.eatonsneck.org).   

This event has a three-fold purpose

1. Conduct a final refresh of the beaches (e.g., pick up trash, repair watercraft racks, install new swim lines, etc.) in advance of the summer season
2. Serve as an opportunity to welcome new neighbors and deepen existing friendships 
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.  

• Parti Gras 

Parti Gras, POENB’s largest social event, will take place at PB on Sunday, May 26th at 3 pm.  The cost of admission, if tickets are purchased before May 20th, are $25 for adults and $10 for children and will include hamburgers and hot dogs, ice cream, and soft drinks.  Post May 20th, the price is $35/adult and $15/child. There will also be face painting for kids and some sand castle making activities.  Adults are welcome to BYOB.  

Volunteers are needed for this event – to both prepare for the event (on Friday and Saturday) and conduct a light clean up (after the event on Sunday).  All person’s volunteering are given FREE tickets!  Please send an email to info@eatonsneck.org if you are interested.  

• Community Garage Sale 

POENB will sponsor its annual garage sale on Sunday, June 9th. Please see additional details on the POENB website 

Correspondence –  Tom Kehoe and Nancy Regan

• Eaton’s Neck Fire Department (ENFD) Letter – Tom Kehoe

Tom Kehoe reminded members that the ENFD urgently needs additional volunteer firefighters and EMTs.   

Information on a volunteer’s responsibilities (and benefits) are posted on the ENFD website (www.eatonsneckfd.org).  Please also reach out directly to ENFD leadership if you’d like more details.   

• POENB Beach Survey – Nancy Regan

Nancy stated that residents should have received an eight (8) question autonomous survey in their mailboxes two or three weeks ago to gauge interest in improving the amenities at both beaches.  If you have not completed the survey, please do so that responses are representative (in terms of numbers and perspectives).  While the results are still being tabulated, many respondents would like Mobi-Mats to provide easier access to the beach.  Complete survey results will be provided at the June meeting.

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

• Landscaping -Sally Neal

Ted McCarthy has completed a spring cleaning at both PB and VG.  At PB, for example, Ted’s landscaping team removed the blue hanging slide, old telephone poles, unsightly dirt pile, dilapidated benches, old cesspool tank/fire pit, and non-functional grills. They also trimmed the hedges and “picked clean” the kayak racks.  That said, the racks closest to Worchester Drive still need some additional attention.  At VG, the clean-up revealed the need to potentially replace the kayak racks. 

• DOG waste – large and growing! 

PLEASE CURB YOUR DOGS and PICK UP THEIR WASTE!  Selected individuals (seen in person and on the security cameras) are allowing their dogs to “mark their territories” and “leave their brown calling cards” on the FRESHLY groomed beach – WITHOUT bothering to clean up after them.  

This practice is unsanitary and extremely inconsiderate.   Please be respectful of the membership property.    

The Board is considering installing “DOGIPOT DOG WASTE bags” at both beaches to make it easier for members to take home (and deposit in their own trash can) a souvenir of the fun times their dog had at PB and VG.

• Abandoned / Unclaimed Watercraft – As discussed previously, there are approximately 12 to 18 unclaimed watercraft, with and without stickers.  If abandoned at PB, most of these boats have been moved behind the shed.  The Board’s legal counsel has suggested that the best way to permanently remove the craft is for the Board to “donate” the unclaimed craft so that no financial benefit accrues to POENB from the disposal.  

• VG – stairs

As discussed during prior meetings, the VG stairs are rickety. While Tom Bishop made a temporary repair, a permanent solution is needed. 

Although a separate issue, the TOH rain drainage system on Carlisle may be further compromising the stairs.  Members have noticed that the “drain cap blows off” during periods of heavy rainfall and the resulting “open hole” is dangerous for both adults and children.  There has also been additional erosion at VG. 

The following actions are in process to respond to these complex, expensive and long-term issues related to the VG stairs:

• Steve Neuf is communicating with the TOH about the drainage cap and the need to repair it.  He will also investigate the possibility of the TOH paying for some of the repairs given that the rainwater run-off (designed by the TOH) contributes to the deterioration of the stairs. 
• Joe Cartolano and Phil Cuiffo Sr. are obtaining three bids for three different solutions from three different vendors to repair the stairs 

1. Option 1 Eric Vandermolen (vendor), a marine engineer, recommended replacing the existing stairs with Grade 3, Ground Contact, pressure treated (PT), kiln-dried after treatment (KDAT) lumber.  
2. Option 2 Precision Masonry (Huntington) recommends potentially moving the existing location of the stairs and then installing stairs made of stone.  
3. Option 3 The Geo Group  (Commack) recommends using Trex, a composite material made of recycled plastic and wood.  

• Tom Kehoe and Steve Neuf, representing the Board, along with Phil and Joe, will vet the three proposals and provide a recommendation for a key member vote.  

Public Safety – John Ballow, Tom Kehoe, Ellen DaSilva, Phil Cuiffo, Sr. and Bob Dennis

• PSEG and Reliable Electrical Power – John Ballow

PSEG has completed burying the electrical lines from Bevin Road to North Creek Road and making additional changes. These upgrades have vastly improved the reliability of electrical power to EN residents.  

While temporary patches have been made to EN Road, permanent paving should occur in Q2. 

• Bevin Seawall – John Ballow 

As discussed in prior minutes, there are three options:

1. Wait for a catastrophe to occur – meaning the 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. 
2. Support VOA’s efforts to “go it alone” – which is an operational and financial long shot since it might cost $30 million and 10 years to execute.  
3. Exert political pressure on the Army Corp of Engineers (ACOE) to fix the wall 

An all-hands meeting is scheduled for May 10th to try to agree on a path forward.  Attendees include representatives from the Eaton’s Neck Community Working Group (ENCWG), the TOH, the VOA, the ACOE, and the offices of SC Legislator Bontempi, NYS Assemblyman Brown, NYS Senator Mattera, US Rep. LaLota, and US Sen. Schumer. 

• US Coast Guard Station – John Ballow, Tom Kehoe and Ellen DaSilva

A member asked if the USGC couldn’t be used as leverage with politicians to expedite the Seawall solution.  This question resulted in the following discussion:

• The USCG, the smallest service branch, performs both civilian and military duties and has reported to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) (vs. the Secretary of Defense) since 2003.
• The USCG station at EN is the oldest in NYS, the 4th oldest in the US and serves western Suffolk County
• The EN facility is “state of the art,” is deemed to be “self-sufficient” in terms of food, power and water – if the station were cut-off from land access.  However, the USCG would probably evacuate prior to land access being cut off.
• It is assumed that the USCG will remain neutral in any “political debate” regarding the Bevin Seawall. 
• Since becoming part of DHS, the majority of USCG resources have been deployed to the Caribbean to fight trafficking and smuggling.  As a result, resources assigned to the EN station have been decreased.  
• Aggravating the slimmed down USCG staff at EN are recruitment challenges that are being experienced in all branches of the US armed forces
• The EN station has ~ 14 personnel assigned to the base (plus reservists).  On-base accommodations are only for married members.   
• The EN facility is staffed from 7 am to 3 pm 7 days a week.  Outside of those times, calls are directed to New Haven, CT where the USCG can deploy high speed boats to LI, as needed. 

Selected members discussed (1) the implications regarding the possibility of permanently closing down the EN station and (2) whether POENB and other groups should inquire as to the status of a possible closure (perhaps asking John Pokorny to inquire in his role as EN Fire Chief). 

• Community Watch Group – Phil Cuiffo, Sr. 

Next week, Phil and members of the Community Watch Group are meeting at the SCPD 2nd precinct to communicate safety and security issues in EN, especially as the summer beach season begins.  A key concern is the lack of details provided about the TOH’s use of more “high tech” solutions to monitor access and usage of Hobart Beach and the possible negative spillover implications for PB (from these changes).

• Roads – Bob Dennis 

Bob expressed his concern about a number of road issues both within POENB boundaries as well as in the VOA, Village of Northport, and other parts of the TOH.   Bob is looking for volunteers to work with him on a public safety sub-committee that will focus on road repairs/paving, better road signs, and other road improvements (bike lanes).  If you are interested in working with Bob, please send an email to info@eatonseck.org and the Board will connect you with Bob.  

Next Meeting

Next month’s meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, June 5, 2024 at 7:00 pm.