By:  Progress for Westhampton Beach

The evenings meeting was a combined Trustee Meeting and Work Session owing to the March 5th snow storm.  It was a full agenda.

Highlights on the Board’s agenda were:

• Hiring a grant writer for an amount not to exceed $7,500.00. This is an important addition as the Board of Trustees endeavors to take advantage of available grants from county, state and federal governments.  It could prove to be a worthwhile investment. Nothing ventured nothing gained.

• Authorizing publication of a Request For Proposals (RFP) to provide for concession at the village marina for Canoe / Kayak / Paddle Board Rentals.  If successful, this could generate modest revenue for the village and more importantly make one of the village’s most valuable assets, its waterfront, more accessible to its residents.

• The Board of Trustees, by a vote of 3-1, awarded the concession for the Rogers Beach snack bar to JR WATER CORP.  There was one suggestion that the bidding in the future be restricted to businesses already established in the village.  It is doubtful such a corporate residency requirement would be legal.  If the village wants the beach concession profits to benefit residents only it would probably have to manage the food service itself and then restrict employment to residents only.¹⁾a government run food concession brings to mind the school cafeteria,  uggh.  Then the village would be on the food service liability hook, with a privately operated concession there is no village liability.  The concession gets bid every year, earnest local entrepreneurs will have the chance to get their game on and then all residents win.

• Sean Johnson was appointed as the Beach Manager for the 2015 beach season.  Mr. Johnson’s was in attendance and was warmly received.

• Thomas Abbatiello is returning as the head lifeguard and together with Mr. Johnson we can expect to have another fine season at Rogers and Lashley beaches.

• The Board of Trustees has authorized the Mayor to reserve excess sewage capacity from Suffolk County at the treatment facility located at the Gabreski Airport.  This is an important, albeit non-binding, statement of interest on the part of the Board of Trustees.  Many in the community thought this had been an opportunity lost.  Lets hope it gets proper consideration this time, it is worthy of serious evaluation.  As with most things, the devil will be in the details.