September 29, 2023

The annual Village dinner dance, which had been put on hold for three years because of the Covid epidemic, is back. Carole Casamassima and her committee are working hard to make this year's event better than ever. If you have gone in years past, you know how wonderful this event is. If you have never been please consider going. It is a terrific way to catch up with old friends and meet new Village residents. Additionally, it is a great way to support the annual 4th of July fireworks. Formal invitations will be mailed soon. If you would like to help organize the party, make raffle prizes or have any questions please call Carole at 631-261-1895.

Another way to support the fireworks is to buy beautiful Asharoken logoed clothing, wine glasses and tote bags from AVT shirts. This fundraiser is run by my wife Linda. For more information you can contact her at AVTshirts@gmail.com.

PSEG has informed me that it is planning to start work on the underground electric wire from Bevin Road to North Creek Road in Eaton's Neck. There will be traffic delays so if you drive through this area, please leave yourself a little more time.

Yesterday, I met with Northport Mayor Donna Koch to review several intermunicipal agreements that the two Villages have. One allows Asharoken to purchase gasoline from Northport that saves the Village a lot of money. The other is for sharing municipal services including police dispatching, allowing Northport highway to help Asharoken with equipment they have and to have the Village judges help each other out if needed. The two Villages have a history of working together. I would like to thank Mayor Koch for agreeing to extend these agreements.

The bird of the week is the Brown Thrasher. This rather difficult bird to see in Asharoken is a member of the mimic thrush family that includes the much more common mockingbirds and catbirds. I saw one recently on Bevin Road. On Tuesday, Linda and I observed a pair of bald eagles flying over Bevin Road near the intersection of Asharoken Avenue. This time of year is prime migration season and as soon as the persistent northeast wind abates there should be a nice push of new birds through the Village.

Wishing you a nice weekend,
Mayor Dr. Gregory Letica

September 22, 2023

Dear Neighbors:

This is going to be a very busy weekend. The weather forecast is calling for a moderate nor'easter, and the Village of Northport will be holding their annual 10K race on Saturday and Cow Harbor Day on Sunday.

Because of road closures needed to hold the race, you will not be able to enter or leave the Village on Saturday morning from approximately 8am to 10:30am. Please plan accordingly.

Cow Harbor Day on Sunday is a great event to attend. It kicks off with a parade on Main Street at noon. Main Street then becomes a walking promenade with great food everywhere. There are rides for the kids at the foot of Main Street and many vendors in the park. Hopefully, the weather will permit the festivities to take place.

The nor'easter will likely result in washover at the seawall a couple of hours before and after high tide. High tide on Saturday is at 5:54am and 6:13pm, and on Sunday at 7:04am and 7:26pm. Most of midday should be good for travel. Please always use caution when driving in the seawall area. Beach lot owners are advised to remove any personal items from their lots as well. Thank you for consideration.

Last week I met with a group of people from PSEG. Starting at the end of October, PSEG is planning to install an underground electrical wire from Bevin Road to North Creek Road. This wire will be used as a bypass should trees take down the overhead wires in this area. PSEG will also be working on allowing Bevin Road to remain electrified should the power to Eaton's Neck need to be turned off. PSEG will also do some additional above ground wires. The project should take about a month and the road will be fully repaved in the Spring.

Last Saturday, Bill and Barbara Raisch and Linda and I distributed about 5,000 oysters into Duck Island Harbor. The oysters were purchased using a $750 donation from the Asharoken Garden Club. The baby spat oysters have been growing in cages on the Village's 5 MPH marine signs all summer. Last week, we took the oyster cages out of the signs and spread them into the harbor. This is the second year the Village has done this with the hope that oysters will be helpful in filtering the water and making the harbor cleaner. Thanks again to Bill for initiating this very important annual event.

Lastly, Linda and I would like to wish everyone observing Yom Kippur a meaningful holiday.

Have a great weekend!
Mayor Dr. Gregory Letica

September 15, 2023

Dear Neighbors:

Linda and I would like to wish everyone celebrating Rosh Hashanah a very happy holiday. Have a great weekend as well.

Best Regards,
Mayor Dr. Gregory Letica

September 13, 2023

Dear Neighbors:

I am pleased to report that the Village's own Matt Davies was honored as "Best Editorial Cartoonist in 2022" by the National Cartoonists Society. Matt's exceptional work can be seen daily in Newsday.

What makes this award even more special is that the plaque that is awarded was designed by Rube Goldberg. Rube, who lived in Asharoken for many years, was a noted inventor, cartoonist and sculptor. In 1953 Goldberg created a cover design for a historical pamphlet which featured an Indian. This design was later adopted by the Village for its logo that is on the police cars, stationery and a few other places. Additionally, he was known for coming up with crazy contraptions which led to the saying that something that was jerry-rigged was a "Rube Golberg."

Please remember that Village Code requires that if you walk your dog on the street or the beach you are required to clean up solid waste. It is courteous to your neighbors and good for the environment to clean up after man's best friend. Please also remember that your dog must be on a leash at all times. Thanks so much for your cooperation.

Wishing you a great day and a nice weekend,
Mayor Dr. Gregory Letica

September 8, 2023

Dear Neighbors:

Below you will find details about responding to a survey which will help Asharoken secure money from the NYS Environmental Bond Act to reconstruct the seawall area. There is a link to the online survey as well as suggested answers. Please take a few minutes to fill it out. Thanks so much for taking the time to do this.

In an effort to keep you informed of what has gone on in the Village in the last month, here is a copy of my Mayor's report from the September 5th Board of Trustees meeting:

• Mayor's Report: September 5, 2023

The Village will be doing a cutback of the marsh grass along the shoulder of Bevin road early next week.

A couple on interesting environmental things to report. I went for a swim yesterday and I could not believe how warm the water was. So, I grabbed thermometer from the house and discovered that the water was 83 degrees. I really can't remember a time when the water was that warm.

Additionally, the bird of the week is a Green Heron. For the last several days it has been hanging out in the wetlands by the Bevin Road sluice. I have attached a google photo of a Green Heron for your enjoyment.

Have a great weekend,
Mayor Dr. Gregory Letica

September 8, 2023

Dear residents,

Assemblyman Keith Brown is trying to obtain funds for the Asharoken Seawall through the NY State Environmental Bond Act. In order to improve Asharoken's chances of being awarded money, we are asking you to respond to a New York State online survey. Click here to view and complete the survey.

In an effort to make completing the survey as easy as possible, below are the recommended answers to all questions. It is very important that as many people as possible fill out and submit the survey. The more responses we submit, the better our chances are of securing funding.

Thank you for your help, it is very much appreciated,
Mayor Greg Letica

September 1, 2023

Dear Neighbors:

Linda and I would like to wish everyone a very happy Labor Day weekend. As always, the summer seems to have flown by in the blink of an eye. The good news is that we can look forward to September which is probably the best month of the year in Asharoken.

I would like to remind you that schools open next week. Please use extra caution on the roads as school kids will be waiting on the side of the street to be picked up. Also, please remember to never pass a stopped school bus on either side of the street.

I hope you had a chance to see the super blue moon rising over Crab Meadow just north of the stacks this week. It was an amazing sight. There was a nice picture of it in Newsday. I have a new puppy and when I took him out for his 2am walk the illumination of the moon was close to daylight, really cool.

Enjoy your long weekend!
Mayor Dr. Gregory Letica