Update from the Mayor

Dear Fellow Community Members and Residents,

I thought this would be a good time to share with you some of the things your Village, the Board and its workforce are doing during this very challenging time.

Before that, I want to extend my most sincere warm wishes to all your families who are struggling emotionally but hopefully not physically. I am unaware of any Village resident or employee who has any physical symptoms or is in any danger. I also want to say thank you to our Village staff. They are fantastic and a great source of pride, including some not part of Village employment like Dale and her crew next door at the Post Office.

Just like during Sandy, we are, have been and will rise above this as a community. We had some very dark days and nights back then but we came back stronger than ever. This will lessen and then pass at some point. Until then - everyone must practice the safe social patterns you know about. There is NO reason anyone has to get sick if we all do our part.

The streets are almost entirely empty here at the moment and we have Chief George and his small crew monitoring to make sure we have a handle on who is here. We intend to keep it that way for the near term until we see what direction we get from the County and State.

For quite some time now there have been regular and routine meetings between myself, the fire department, the police and EMS as well as more island wide and regional partners like the FIA and others. This group, known as “the island wide task force” has all of our best interests at its core. Any updates are shared with us quite rapidly. At this moment, there is nothing critical to report on that front and I like that news. You should too. If that changes, I will let you know.

Our office hours are now such that staff is working remotely but the daily work of the Village continues. This includes budget review, critical repairs, web-based meetings and community liaison with the State and County etc.

In regards to the budget, it is my firm belief that we need a zero percent “hold the line” budget this year, and I am in talks with our board, the Village Administrator and Counsel to see what temporary hardship relief we can give our taxpayers. More on that to come. I just wanted you to know that I know you are concerned and suffering. Your whole Board knows that as well.

Ongoing construction is another important and complex topic to resolve and we are doing that right now by going through the open permits. Input from the Building Inspector as per the latest NY regulations is critical though we have some unique circumstances on this barrier island. Finalization of that policy and permit review will happen imminently. We want a policy that’s safe, effective and works as much as practical for all. We will finalize those issues and any new rules in connection with the latest County and State requirements. What things constitute critical or emergency work can be slightly different on a barrier island. At the end of the day, we are not letting profit come before safety. We can thread that needle and be compliant with both the letter and spirit of the law. Any contractors who are still working at the moment are diligently enforcing existing rules. No new permits are being issued.

Here are some numbers to know about. These are facts and figures that I think matter:

1. There are 150 families right now in OB. Police have confirmed. There are approximately 250 in our protection district which includes other towns.

2. The Police meet and greet every boat. This is only temporary but helps us have clear understanding of the volume, which thus far is OK according to my meetings with Ian and George. Our street patrols (and my constant walking of the old brown dog) tell us that nearly everyone is staying inside and home.

3. The Village Office is closed but accessible by phone and all staff working from home. The building inspector and village administrator are here when necessary. They are also on the phone with me every day.

4. l am in touch with the county, town, and emergency agencies by conference call every day. As you might understand, there is a natural trickle-down effect from Governor Cuomo and County Executive Bellone. They both understand where and how we fit in.

5. I’m out and about constantly. I’m walking every street at least once a day with my old brown dog. Even though there are additional people here, I am very happy to say I don’t see anyone outside who seems out of place. I do see some families out for a short walk and then they go back home.

We had temporarily closed the bay-front playground but allowed it to be opened as there are so few young children here, we see right outside my office door that any families are adhering to very strict and healthy behavior. We will keep a close eye on that as well. This seemed to be the logical thing to do at the moment.

I am proud to be helping lead the Village team just like during Sandy. And as I said, we are here to help and get this Village and your wonderful lives here back to normal.

Until we get more clarity in the coming days, it is still our belief, my belief, that people should stay where they are and let us make sure that when the time comes, we can welcome you all home with open arms.

Mayor Jim