Board to vote Jan. 13 on marina plan

The vote by the Waterfront Management Commission suggesting a fixed wave fence to temper wave velocity at the marina was tabled for a vote until Jan.13.

Two of the trustees, Michael Young and Nathan Rohrmeier, were not in attendance.

“On Monday, Jan. 13, we’ll have a special meeting to hear from the public and then we’ll vote,” said mayor Maureen Veitch, who added that the three design option matrix solutions from VHB Engineers are currently on the village website. The next step after the vote is an environmental review.

“We can’t do that without a plan in place,” she said. “From there, I can assure you, there will be changes. Every time you meet with the DEC, there are things they want and don’t want.”

Veitch went over the three possible solutions: a floating wave attenuator at $1.8 million, a rock breakwater at $4.13 million, and the fixed wave screen at $500,000.

Veitch added that the commission’s decision involved design, cost, size, maintenance, safety, permit length of time, social impacts, and how well each does its job. Veitch said one of the key factors was cost.

The grant’s option has to be signed on by March.

The wave screen decision wasn’t unanimous, she pointed out of the 3-2 vote, with former trustee Mike Ferrigno, Charlie Flagg and Ted Kamoutsis voting yes, and Kieran Murphy and Neil Koenig voting no. Advisors Eric Everett and Carl Persak were also not in favor of the design.

As for the VHB online survey, “76 people signed online, 50 people showed up at the VHB public meeting, some from Brookhaven hamlet.” There were stats of full-time and part-time residents, the amount of times people use the ferry. People were happy with the ferry schedule, she said. Boat slips numbered 164, with 147 rented to village residents; the rest include necessary vessels such as emergency services.

“I’d like VHB to have the final copy of the survey available to the public next week,” she said.

Other items:

Deputy mayor Steve Mackin thanked everyone who made the Santa run a success and gave kudos to Grucci for the spectacular village lighting.

Golf payments tallied in at $785,592; there’s a total of 278 members with 400 paid.

Of the 147 boat slips, 23 boaters have paid so far.

During public comment, Marc Rausch asked about the material on the fixed wave screen.

Waterfront Management Commission co-chair Mike Ferrigno, who was in the audience, said it was vinyl behind wood sheathing. “But materials could change,” he said.