March 14, 2025

Dear Neighbors:

Since 2016 many new families have moved to Asharoken, and to correct several mistruths that have been circulating in the Village, I thought it was appropriate to give you a short recap of the history the Army Corps of Engineers plan to put 600,000 cubic yards of sand on the Long Island Sound shoreline between the power plant and the western end of the seawall: the Asharoken Storm Damage Reduction Plan, or ASDRP.

Approximately twenty years ago, Mayor Bill Kelly signed an agreement with the ACOE to start a feasibility study to place sand on the LI Sound beach. Before the end of his term, the ACOE ran out of money before completing the study, and everything halted. There was no progress on the study during the rest of his term or throughout the four years of the mayor who served before me.

After superstorm Sandy in 2012, the year I was first elected, Congress authorized money to complete the feasibility study. In 2016, the ACOE came to the Village with a plan to place 600,000 cubic yards of sand on the beach. The Village was required to pay approximately 11% of the estimated $10-20,000,000 cost. Additionally, federal requirements mandated public access to the beach wherever the sand was placed. The ACOE insisted that the Village provide parking on Asharoken Avenue and access strips from the road to the beach every half mile. Additionally, private property owners were responsible for liability insurance to cover anyone injured on their property open for public use. Any Village law enacted to regulate beaches would apply equally to Village residents. Therefore, if the beach was closed from 8 PM to 8 AM, to keep the public from partying on your property all night, you, as the property owner, were not allowed to use the beach during that time either.

Needless to say, the residents of Asharoken were very upset with these conditions. Asharoken worked diligently to negotiate an alternative public access plan suitable to the ACOE. One offer was to create a public beach between the power plant inlet and the start of the Village nature preserve in place of public access everywhere else. The public beach would have been constructed in partnership with the Town of Huntington and would have included extensive parking, lifeguards, bathrooms, and possibly a snack bar. The ACOE rejected this proposal and several others.

The Board then surveyed all of the Village residents to see if they were in favor of proceeding with the project, and approximately 85% said that they were against it. The Board informed the ACOE that, based on the desire of an overwhelming number of Village residents, it would not accept the beach restoration offer. The ACOE then stopped any more work on the feasibility study, and to date, it has never been completed.

I would again like to thank the residents of Asharoken for their participation and input as the Village worked through this very complicated proposal. It was a very challenging time for Asharoken. But when the time came, the residents spoke, nearly unanimously, that they did not want the ACOE plan.

A complete archive of all Village activities related to this effort is maintained on our website:

• ASDRP Archive

I have a few other quick notes:

• Remember that if you see something that does not look right in the Village, please call the police for assistance. Our officers cannot be everywhere at once. The number of the Asharoken PD is 631-261-7400.
• There are still a few seats left for the Asharoken Centennial/Save the Fireworks party on March 29.
• The Village Board will hold a work session on Tuesday, March 18th at 4pm to review and finalize the proposed 2025-26 budget. As of today, the proposed budget has a modest 1.77% tax increase, and the tax levy is below the NYS 2% tax cap for the 13th consecutive year since I took office. There will be a public hearing on the budget at the next BOT meeting on April 1st. A budget packet will available on the website and emailed to you before the public hearing, and I look forward to your comments and suggestions.
• Soles for Souls is collecting lightly-worn shoes for people in need. The collection box is in the lobby of Village Hall.
• Alex Janow is collecting magazines for the veterans at the VA Hospital in Northport. A collection box is in the lobby of Village Hall.
• It's time to start looking for the osprey. They usually return mid-March.

I hope everyone has a nice weekend and a happy St. Patrick's Day celebration. Wear something green and have a Guinness! May the luck of the Irish be with you!
Mayor Dr. Gregory Letica

March 6, 2025

Dear Neighbors:

In my ongoing effort to keep you informed of the events in the Village, here is my Mayor's Report from the March 4th Board meeting:

• Mayor's Report: March 4, 2025

Have a great day,
Mayor Dr. Gregory Letica

February 28, 2025

Dear Neighbors:

During the week, the Village added forty five-ton stones to the seawall to bolster the weakest section. Thanks to the Village's new Deputy Highway Superintendent Ray D'antoni for excelling in overseeing the project. I would also like to thank NYS Assemblyman Keith Brown for securing a grant for the Village to pay for this critical project. And thanks to former Resident Rob Bergold and LaMay Construction for an outstanding job delivering and installing the rocks.

In addition, the Village is making significant strides with the NYS DOT to change the use of Senator Schumer's $1,000,000 earmark from repair funds to full reconstruction funds.

On February 27th the Board of Assessment review met. Two assessment changes were granted and the rest were denied for lack of proper supporting documentation. I would like to thank Village Assessor Rick Leonard for the excellent work he has done to improve the Village's assessments.

Carole Casamassima, Chairperson of the Save the Fireworks Committee, reports that the Centennial dinner/dance on Saturday, March 29th is filling up quickly. Please RSVP now to reserve your spots before the event closes out. It will be a great night celebrating the Village's 100th birthday. I am looking forward to seeing you there.

I thank the Bradley family for donating a bench in Barry's memory. Barry was a decades-long Village resident who loved the Village and served as our sanitation man and harbormaster. He greeted everyone with a big smile and enjoyed life to the fullest. The bench looks out over Northport Bay, where Barry spent countless hours on the water. His memory will go on for years thanks to this wonderful addition to Village Hall. I encourage you to stop by Village Hall, take a seat on the bench, and reflect on the amazing community we live in and the difference Barry made in all of our lives.

This week, the first red-winged blackbirds and grackles returned to the Village for the year. These are the earliest spring migrants and a sure sign of spring. Interestingly, a pair of ravens seem to have taken a fancy to one of the osprey nests on Asharoken Avenue. I am curious to see what happens when the osprey return in about three weeks and try to move back in.

Best wishes,
Mayor Dr. Gregory Letica