January 9, 2026

Dear Neighbors: In response to concerns of several residents, the Village has drafted a proposed blighted properties law. This law is modeled after the Town of Huntington's ordinance and will give the Village authority to deal with severely neglected homes and properties in the Village.

• Proposed Local Law #2 for 2026:
  Blighted Property

A public hearing will be held at the next regular Board of Trustees meeting on February 3rd, 2026. I look forward to hearing your comments then or by email to mglennon@asharokenny.org.

In an ongoing effort to keep you informed of the events in the Village, here is my Mayor's Report from the January 6th Board meeting:

On December 11th, I met with three senior staff members from Governor Kathy Hochul's office to discuss New York State funding for seawall reconstruction. Previously, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, on behalf of the Governor, asked the Village to return to the State once design drawings and a cost estimate were complete. Both milestones were achieved in the first week of December. With these documents in hand, the Village was able to arrange the meeting with the state. The meeting was very productive, and I was encouraged by how receptive the staff were to the Village's request. I will share updates as more information becomes available.

The Village began a Change.org petition to request the help of Governor Cathy Hochul to provide funding for the reconstruction of the Asharoken seawall. To date, the response has been terrific with over 1,300 signatures. If you have not yet signed, please do so by clicking on either of these links:

• Save the Seawall Petition: Link 1
• Save the Seawall Petition: Link 2

On December 30th, Village Treasurer Emily Hays, Clerk Michelle Glennon and I met with two auditors from the New York State Comptroller's Office to review the draft report of their claims audit. The key takeaway was that the NYS Comptroller's office audited 232 vouchers totaling $877,625 and determined that all of the expenditures were found to be appropriate. The draft report had eight recommendations to improve the Board's auditing of claims and oversight of the disbursement process. The Village implemented these recommendations during the audit process and believes that it is now following the best practices of the NYS Comptroller's office. The Village will be writing an audit response letter to the State this month, and the final report will be released subsequent to that.

National Grid completed its triennial 45,000 cubic yards of sand placement on the Long Island Sound beach. The project went well and was impacted by only one mild nor'easter.

Yesterday, National Grid informed me that based on allegations made, the Army Corps of Engineers will conduct an investigation to determine whether the material placed on the beach met the requirements of the existing ACOE permit. National Grid is required to respond to the Army Corps within ten days with supporting data. I will share additional information as it becomes available.

Last week, a beautiful adult Bald Eagle was perched on the Osprey nest on Bevin Road.

Wishing you a great weekend!
Mayor Dr. Gregory Letica

December 31, 2025

Dear Neighbors,

Linda and I wish you and your family a very happy, prosperous, and healthy New Year.

As the Village celebrated its centennial in 2025, it was also a very active and productive year. Your Board of Trustees and residents accomplished a great deal. Following is not an exhaustive list, but a snapshot of the significant achievements that can be accomplished in a single year in a small village like ours:

2025: The Year in Review

• This month GEI Engineering delivered final plans for the reconstruction of the seawall. Plans for beach restoration seaward of the seawall are nearly complete. Both projects are 90% funded through a FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant secured by Deputy Mayor Pam Pierce.
• The Village budget remained below the New York State 2% tax cap, as has been true for all thirteen years of my tenure as Mayor.
• The Village entered into an intermunicipal agreement with Northport for police dispatch, public works equipment and labor, fire marshal services, and village justice services.
• Forty 5-ton stones were added to the seawall to reinforce its weakest section. Funding for this project was secured with the help of Assemblyman Keith Brown. These stones successfully withstood a severe October storm without noticeable damage.
• The Village obtained a ten-year permit from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation to allow road repairs on Asharoken Avenue near the beach lots and seawall to permit immediate repairs following storm damage.
• The Village and the Asharoken PBA negotiated a new five-year contract.
• I wrote multiple letters and met personally with Governor Hochul to request New York State funding for seawall reconstruction.
• The Village completed a Rapid Cyber Assessment conducted by the New York State Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Services.
• A memorial bench honoring former village resident and longtime village employee Barry Bradley was donated by his wife, Catherine, and daughter, Landrigan. The bench has been installed next to Village Hall facing Northport Bay.
• The Village hosted a multi-agency planning meeting to develop an evacuation strategy for Eaton's Neck in the event Asharoken Avenue is washed out.
• The annual Save the Fireworks dinner dance was held in March and raised $15,000 in support of the July 4th fireworks, thanks to the efforts of Carole Casamassima, Kerry Kruckel, Linda Letica, Tina Whyte, and Christine Cappy.
• Police Officer Pat Rogan resigned from the Asharoken Police Department to take a position in the Northport Police Department. In November, Officer Chris Amendolare was hired to fill the vacancy. Four new excellent part-time officers joined the APD in 2025.
• The New York State Comptroller's Office conducted an audit reviewing 232 vouchers totaling $877,625. All expenditures were found to be appropriate.
• Trustees Pam Pierce and Ian Jablonski were re-elected.
• The Asharoken Garden Club donated a tree to the Village Hall grounds in honor of its founder and former resident, Laura Safford Stewart.
• Village resident Dora Fields was named Northport High School Valedictorian and was a semifinalist in the Regeneron Science Competition.
• National Grid placed 45,000 cubic yards of sand along the Long Island Sound shoreline.
• The Village retained General Code to conduct a comprehensive review and update of the Village Code.
• Bill and Barbara Raisch added approximately 6,000 oysters to Duck Island Harbor to help improve water quality.
• Rita Rover once again demonstrated exceptional gardening skill by growing an award-winning chrysanthemum.
• It was a strong year for birdlife, with 118 species observed. Ospreys produced eleven chicks, though it was unfortunately a down year for piping plovers.
• Police Officer Brian O'Connor secured a $54,000 grant to replace the police car computers and license plate reader.

As we look ahead to the coming year, I want to thank my fellow Trustees, Village staff, police department, volunteers, and residents for their dedication, cooperation, and support. The progress we make as a community is the result of many dedicated people working together for our Village.

On behalf of the Board of Trustees and myself, thank you for your continued engagement and commitment to Asharoken. We wish you a safe, healthy, and prosperous New Year.

Mayor Dr. Gregory Letica

December 29, 2025

Dear Neighbors,

More than 750 people have already signed the Change.org petition urging Governor Hochul to provide funding to reconstruct the Asharoken seawall, which is an excellent start. If you have already signed, thank you for your support. If you have not, please do so as soon as possible, and encourage every member of your household to sign as well.

You can access the petition at either of these links:

• Save the Seawall Petition: Link 1
• Save the Seawall Petition: Link 2

Please note that after you sign, Change.org will ask for a contribution, but a donation is NOT required.

Our goal is to reach 2,000 signatures. Without demonstrating that seawall reconstruction is a critical priority for the residents of Asharoken and Eaton's Neck, it will be difficult to convey the urgency of this issue to Governor Hochul. The more signatures we collect, the stronger and more impactful our request will be.

Thank you for your continued support,
Mayor Dr. Gregory Letica

December 23, 2025

Dear Neighbors:

Linda and I wish everyone a very Merry Christmas!

I hope Santa makes all the wishes of every kid in our Village come true.

Warmest holiday greetings!
Mayor Dr. Gregory Letica

December 19, 2025

Dear Neighbors:

The Village of Asharoken has made significant progress toward reconstructing the seawall. Several weeks ago, GEI Engineering delivered the final reconstruction plans along with a cost estimate of $10.7 $12.0 million. This milestone enabled the Village to meet last week with Governor Kathy Hochul's office to request discretionary funding in the 2026 27 New York State budget. The meeting was productive, and we are now awaiting a response.

This is where your help is essential.

The Village has launched an online petition on the website change.org requesting the Governor's support. I respectfully ask you and every member of your household to sign the petition. Demonstrating strong public support will significantly strengthen our funding request.

Click here to access the petition:

• Save the Seawall Petition

Residents in Eaton s Neck are already adding their names as well. The goal is 2,000 signatures. By Asharoken and Eaton's Neck coming together as two communities with a shared need, we greatly improve our chances of success.

I thank you for your support. I look forward to seeing your name on the petition.

Wishing everyone a Happy Hanukkah, a Merry Christmas, and a wonderful 2026.

Sincerely,
Mayor Dr. Gregory Letica