Greenport Election Day: Residents Cast Ballots For 2 Trustees

GREENPORT, NY — It's Election Day in the Village of Greenport, with four candidates vying for two open Board of Trustee seats.

Voting takes place through 9 p.m. at the Third St. Firehouse, located at the intersection of Third and South Streets.

Incumbent Mayor George Hubbard is running unopposed.

Last week, business owner Rena Wilhelm organized a question-and-answer session at the Floyd Memorial Library. Here's what the candidates had to say.

Facing off for the two open trustee seats are incumbent Trustee Jack Martilotta, Peter Clarke, Devin McMahon, and Lily Dougherty-Johnson. Cindy Pease Roe, who had formerly announced that she would be throwing her hat into the proverbial ring, said last week on the Greenport Village 2019 Election Facebook page — created by local resident and business owner Rena Wilhelm as a place where the public could pose questions to candidates — that, "after much thought and soul searching," she had decided to withdraw her candidacy for trustee for the Village of Greenport.

The candidates each gave an opening statement, as follows:

Devin McMahon

"I've lived in Greenport Village for my entire life. I spent five years volunteering on the planning board. I have been volunteering in other capacities throughout my life for the village and I'm running because I want to continue to volunteer my time and work for the best interests of the village.

"I think I have the unique perspective as a lifelong member of the community who has seen the struggles that people my age are dealing with, in being able to stay within the community, whether it be housing, the job opportunities, the difficulties of being part of this community and being able to afford to stay here. I've seen the difficulties in the zoning code and the ways in which we can improve, and we can make it easier for people to open businesses here and can have a healthy, vibrant economy here, a year round economy here. It's very difficult for a lot of people to be able to afford to stay here. I know many people in this room I recognize that have been here for generations, families that have been here for a long time, you care about this community. I do feel that the other people running for seats share a lot of those values, and I feel pretty confident they we all have the best interests of the village in mind."

Lily Dougherty-Johnson

"I also grew up in Greenport. I've left several times but I always come back and I think I'm here to stay now. I always thought I would run for village government in some capacity. I didn't really think it was going to be now but I decided to. . . My motivation was really because I just love this place and I wanted to keep serving it. I worked for the village my first year out of college over the summer helping with grants for Mitchell Park and I volunteered on the Dances in the Park committee and the Friends of Mitchell Park community. I just want to stay involved, and I want the village to retain the character it had when I was growing up and even before that — but also welcome all the new change. Change happens regardless but I think we need to be planning for change and for the place we want to see in the next years and decades.

"I also think that village government can communicate more and in new ways. I'd like to see some of that. I can see from this and Facebook groups, there's so much energy in this village and engagement and if village government can harness some of that and actually use it for the good of the community, those are the things I'd like to see more of."

Peter Clarke

"I moved to Greenport in 1998. I was a part-time resident, one of the first, one of the more recent second home owner class that moved in under the Mayor Kapell administration. After a few years of living here part-time I realized this was the place I wanted to live in full-time. So I left most of the life as I knew it behind and I moved here in 2010 and opened a business and have been here for the past nine years as a full time resident."

Clarke thanked Wilhelm for organizing the event and creating the candidate forum Facebook page. "We were a little late to get to the table with engaging the community but we seem to have everyone's attention right now so, that's good. We've got another week in front of us to get issues out on the table and find out what's really important to people and make sure that we are voting with where our minds and hearts are. The legacy of prior administrations that I know has set us up for a very unique crossroads. I've only seen the village under the administrations of Mayor Kapell, Mayor Nyce and now Mayor Hubbard and I've seen a lot of change. I've seen a lot of good change and I've seen some change that has been difficult for many residents. So we are at a crossroads, we are trying to make good decisions for the future of Greenport. They are not easy decisions and they don't have easy answers. My goal is to engage the community and make sure that we take a road that includes everyone that's a constituent in the community."

Jack Martilotta (incumbent)

"For those of you that don't know me, I've been a Greenport resident for 12 years; I lived on the North Fork before that, and my parents now live in Cutchogue. I moved out here when I got out of the service. I met my wife, and this is where we want to live. I teach at Greenport High School, I've been there about 11, 12 years, I coach the football team there. If you guys live here have had kids that have gone through that school anytime the recent past, I've had them. I'm also National Guard, I used to be in the Army and I'm in the National Guard now in Newburgh. Why do I want to run? It's kind of in continuation of why I wanted to run the first time. Just briefly, when we first came on, like the other candidates have said, there were a lot of challenges. As a board we really tried to meet those challenges. The power plant didn't work — the power plant works. Some streets were in really bad shape, some certainly still need to be paved but we tried to go forward and pave those that needed to be done. We had some problems on Main Street, we made it wider and redid it. The Third St. Park near the firehouse needed some love and we made sure that it got it. We've been able to do things to try and fix up areas in the village and I'm kind of happy with what we've done and I'd like to continue to do so."

The four then answered questions posed on the Facebook page and by the crowd.

Community involvement

The first question centered on the best way to encourage and ensure more community involvement and stakeholder at village meetings, including village board, zoning board and planning board.

Dougherty-Johnson said she believed the village website could be a little bit more user friendly, and agendas posted always on time — "I think they usually are but I know sometimes they're not"—and she suggested the village could have its own Facebook page. While she said Trustee Mary Bess Phillips does a great job with the Let's Talk Village of Greenport Facebook page, she'd like to see an official village Facebook page, listing meeting times, posting agendas.

The idea, she said, "seems to be a good way to engage people," as is, she said, people being out in the community, "encouraging people to go to meetings informing them of what's going on and what's at stake — and how they can be heard, if they can't make meetings." Trustees have done so in the past, but, Dougherty-Johnson said, she believes everyone who writes a letter should get a response from trustees; she said she has written letters with no response. "Even if it's just a 'thank you' for your input. It doesn't have to be an answer, doesn't have to fix the problem, but acknowledging that you reached out, it should be a two way street."

On encouraging involvement, Clarke said outreach is the first thing that comes to mind, in many different forms, whether electronically, in person, or encouraging people to voice their opinions and their thoughts and concerns.

"One thing that I've seen an increase I think is very encouraging is an increase in civility in our public discourse, in trying to allow people to have opinions and feel safe in having those opinions," he said. "We are a very diverse community; we have many different backgrounds. Many of us come from very different places and as a result finding common ground to make it really safe and welcoming to contribute is a first step," he said.

Timing, Clarke added, is another; he said he would look into whether the meetings were held at the times most convenient for residents to attend so that all who want to participate can; he also said he'd encourage the continued use of taping and televising meetings so "people who can't attend can be engaged."

Perhaps the most important thing for him, Clarke said, is to have open forums where individuals feel comfortable talking and getting the issues on the table; he plans to have open office hours and a few hours a week when he will be available to meet with constituents face to face.

Martilotta said changes have been made to foster engagement: Mayor George Hubbard, he said, made the meeting time 7 p.m.; the board also began televising meetings. "Another thing we tried to do was to make it a friendly and professional environment so those who come to speak at village meetings can do so in a comfortable, relaxed atmosphere.

"One thing we've done, that I think we can do a better job of, is inviting people in who are experts on certain things to speak to us," Martilotta said. "That tends to drive attendance. If people see something they are interested in, they come."

McMahon said he believes "community involvement in incumbent on the community. The fact that you all came out here tonight, showed up and said, 'I'm part of this community and I want to hear what you have to say and I have something to say in return,' is really the core of community engagement."

Agendas are posted before meetings, McMahon said, and it is incumbent on individuals to read them and see what's coming up; many times residents attend meetings and say they haven't known about a project even though it is the third or fourth time it's being discussed.

One of his goals, McMahon said, is to get young people involved by reaching out to schools and encouraging participation in board meetings, showing students how board meetings work and how things are done on the local level.

"The benefits of that could be long-reaching," he said. He agreed with Clarke that making people feel welcome, and that they are heard, is important. "They want to be part of the conversation," he said.

School district's proposed capital plan

When asked about a proposed almost $30 million capital plan for the Greenport School District, Clarke said he had not read the entire proposal but would speak to the board of education.

"I know that it is daunting to the community," he said, adding that he is of two minds. "If you don't have a state of the art school you're not going to have state of the art kids. Our community deserves to have a school that's the same caliber as any on the East End. That said, it's a community that has a number of residents on fixed incomes" who would have difficulty helping to pay that large of a bond. Hopefully, he said, some items would be scaled back, others up, "so we have a safe facility that provides opportunities" that also limits requests to an amount as reasonable as possible for the community.

Martilotta said as an employee of Greenport School District there was much he could say. "We want what's best for the kids; I have three kids that go there. I'm sure they'll find the best path forward," with residents voting in the end on the final decision, he said.

McMahon said as a GHS grad, he knows the importance of a facility that's up to par. "The core of any healthy community is going to be youth and families." However, he added, the plan poses a "significant tax burden." In the end, he said, "Each person needs to look to themselves and decide." He said the plan is ambitious and hopes it can be pared down to ensure money is being spent in the most appropriate and cost effective way. "30 million is a tremendous tax number," he said. "Everyone should vote with their conscience."

Dougherty-Johnson said the bathrooms in the high school are "very sad" and need to be fixed. Before the vote, issues need to be vetted including who will do the work, how it will be done, and the scope of the plan. "I want something to pass," she said. "I think we should fix our building." But down the line, she said, consolidation should be discussed again. "The larger issue of how we educate our children out here is worth looking at."

Health insurance

Resident Bill Swiskey asked if the candidates would take the village's health insurance.
McMahon said he was comfortable with the health insurance he has now but if something changed, he would consider it. "I like the fact that it's offered because I don't want financial considerations to be the reason someone does or doesn't run." Trustees have to take time away from their primary jobs to serve, he said, and affording health care is for the "betterment of the community," he said.

Dougherty-Johnson said she has health insurance but she agrees with the idea of fair compensation and everyone being able to do the job of trustee without having to worry about the issue."I have health insurance I'm not particularly happy with," Clarke said. "I believe in this day and age we're talking about not at a village level but at a national level, all Americans in this great country deserve to have health insurance." However, he said he's not comfortable with it being raised as an election issue.

Martilotta said he hasn't taken the village health insurance and doesn't plan to.

Thoughts on board's performance, goals

Swiskey also asked about the most glaring shortcoming of the current board and what the candidates would do about it.

Martilotta said he does not see "glaring, utter failure" but said there are always things to improve upon, including communication and an improved website.

McMahon said he does not see any "glaring deficiency" with the board. While he does not always agree with every decision, he said, it does not mean they are not doing a good job, it just means disagreement. He believes in increased communication and in finding a creative way to get the issues out to the community before meetings so their voices can be heard.

Dougherty-Johnson said she'd like to focus on communication and long-range planning, and wishes the local government could be "more proactive instead of reactive." She'd also like to see the Local Waterfront Revitalization Plan wrapped up.

Clarke said he believes the board has done a good job on the meat and potato issues and works for the overall good of the community. I don't see any overall glaring issues." However, he'd like to see the adoption of recommendations for strategic and long range planning, with the board more proactive and faster in moving from ideas to implementation.
Resident Steve Weiss asked, with all the change coming to the village, what candidates would like to see happen.

Dougherty-Johnson said she'd like to see the waterfront stay accessible and commercial, not developed into condos so that residents would "lose street ends, from docks to housing." She'd like to see other year-round businesses, in addition to restaurants and hotels. She'd also like to see infrastructure improvements, including additional road repairs and the area behind the Third St. basketball court. And, she said, she'd like to see nature trails in Moores Woods. "I think people should use the resources we have in a community-minded way, not just, 'Let's sell everything to the highest bidder and let it get developed,'" she said.

Clarke said there is a lot of pressure on Greenport at the moment; specific experts should be engaged to augment the skills already onhand at Village Hall. With increased pressure and volume of work on the planning and zoning boards, he said, it's critical "to make sure we have all the resources we need so we are not viewed as a small hamlet the big boys can come into and take advantage of." That said, Clarke is a businessman and said he believes in thoughtful and proactive development. There are necessary code revisions to encourage development in the business area, he said.

Martilotta said much has been done in the past four years. "The sewer plant is the jewel of our entire village," he said. "It allows us to do something no one else on the North Fork can, to treat our own wastewater." He'd like to see the village's septic system extended to Stirling Harbor and beyond 9th Street to keep the waterways safe and clean.

McMahon said infrastructure, long range planning, and zoning changes were all critical. Any business now wanting to open on Main Street to Front is faced with waterfront commercial zoning and needs a conditional use variance. "Either change the zoning for the area, or don't — and don't allow it," he said. The issue, he said, needs to be publicly discussed.

(Lisa Finn)

Parking woes addressed

Wilhelm asked how the candidates would address ever-present parking issues in the village.

Clarke said a study was commissioned a few years back that was published, with "common sense" recommendations made for mitigation, traffic calming, and parking concerns. Only some suggestions, he said, have been implemented, including two-hour parking, 30-minute parking zones, and increased handicapped spots.

One idea he'd like to see implemented was using market forces to charge premium rates for premium parking, less for none-premium, and nothing for spots where people have to walk a quarter mile; he also recommended Muni Meters, an idea that has been previously been voted down.

Martilotta said, of Muni Meters, "The public did not seem to have an appetite for it." However, he pointed out, the board has made changes: The MTA lot now has limited parking on quite a few spots. "The hope is that instead of people going to Shelter Island and leaving their car there for the summer," those spots could be utilized, he said.
Traffic control officers have been hired to ticket those in violation of parking rules, Martilotta said.

He suggested the empty lot by 4th and 5th Streets, and the railroad racks, could be purchased and paved for parking.

However, he said, for the eight to 10 weeks each summer when the village is socked with heavy traffic, he hesitates to give away green space for residents who live there year-round.

"There is no simple silver bullet solution," McMahon said, adding that he believes seasonal metered parking on Front and Main makes sense, with parking passes for village residents.

The approach must be comprehensive, McMahon said, and ideas such as shuttle systems explored. Also, he suggested the village be at the forefront of reaching out to the MTA and Long Island Rail Road, asking for service, because the village has the ridership to support enhanced service.

Dougherty-Johnson said two hour parking was a good start, with seasonal meters a possibility; she also likes the idea of a shuttle from Moores Lane and ride sharing ideas such as the North Fork Trolley.

Short-term rental concerns

When asked about the new short-term rental code, Martilotta said it was just in the registration phase but would absolutely be enforced. "A law that is not enforced is a suggestion," he said.
McMahon said airbnb-type rentals are "essentially commercial ventures in residential areas. If you want to have hotels in residential areas, you have to change the zoning...I support your right to do whatever you want to do with your property until you infringe on your neighbors and become an undue burden to the community as a whole." He added that short-term rentals are unfair to B&Bs who follow village rules.

Dougherty-Johnson said she hopes to see the legislation enforced so that people can still rent year round and others can still do what they want with their property.

Clarke said he was very supportive of the legislation. "Will it need additional teeth to it? Will it cause things to calm down. I don't know; it will have to be monitored." Property rights also have to be balanced, Clarke added. He also said B&Bs have an unfair playing field, with only three rooms allowed to be rented, compared to Southold's five.

Looking ahead

Martilotta said he was proud of helping to spearhead the effort to digitalize village records and said all initiatives were embarked upon as a full board. He said improvements to the power plant, the work on Third St. near the firehouse, and the widening of Main St. were all important.

McMahon said his major goals included long-range planning, zoning and parking.
Dougherty-Johnson said her goals are long term planning, finishing the LWRP, and cleaning up Moores Woods, maybe through volunteer days.

Clarke said he'd like to expand the reach of the sewer system and focus on business development and jobs.

Other questions included what candidates considered the most divisive issues, how to make all in the village feel included, a comprehensive disaster plan and if the public should be compensated with some financial benefit from events organized by, and benefitting, the business community.

Wilhelm, who organized Monday night's question and answer session, discussed with Patch how the idea of the meeting was born. She said she'd asked, on the Let's Talk Village of Greenport Facebook page, whether a debate had been organized.

Wilhelm expressed interest in organizing one similar to another she'd planned four years ago at the Methodist Church, and, when no one else took the reigns, she decided to create the Facebook forum, a place where residents could be introduced to the candidates and pose some questions to "get some conversations started."

Wilhelm also reached out to staff at the library to plan a date and said thankfully, Monday was available.

"All candidates jumped onboard and I was so thankful as it is not easy to get everyone on the same schedule. Each candidate responded with an 'I'll be there!'" she said. "We have four great candidates for only two positions. The residents need to be educated on their views and intentions. Greenport has accomplished many improvements within the last term, but there is more work to be done. It's admirable that any public servant would offer their time and efforts to something that takes them away from their work, family and free time — so they should be heard."