Village of Dering Harbor
Board of Trustees
Minutes
April 11th, 2026, 9:00 AM
● The meeting was called to order 9:02am
● Attendance- Sam Ashner (Deputy Mayor), Karen Kelsey, Eric Deutsch, Tom Kusner; absent- Ari Benacerraf; Wayne Bruyn (Village attorney), Vicki Shields (Village clerk), Leigh Chapman (stenographer), Susan Dempsey (Shelter Island Reporter), Bridgford Hunt
● A motion to accept the minutes from the March 14th, 2026 meeting was moved by Karen and seconded by Eric. All Board members present voted in favor.
● A resolution authorize payment of the outstanding bills abstract was moved by Karen and seconded by Eric. All Board members present voted in favor.
● New Business
a. A motion to open the Public Hearing to hear any and all persons either for or against the Annual Estimated and Tentative Budget for FY 2026/27 moved by Eric and seconded by Karen. All Board members present voted in favor.
There were no public comments.
Sam pointed out that the changes since Capital Expense placeholders put in for Village Hall, as well as a number for the Fire Protection Services for next FY.
A motion to keep the public hearing open and adjourn until Friday, April 17th at 10am was moved by Karen and seconded by Eric. All Board members present voted in favor.
b. A motion to open the Public Hearing on a Local Law authorizing a Property Tax Levy in excess of the limit established in General Municipal Law §3-c for Fiscal Year 2026 was moved by Karen and seconded by Eric. All Board members present voted in favor.
Wayne explained that this is recommended by the State Comptroller’s Office. All municipalities do this as a tool in case the tax cap is pierced. Though there is no plan to do so in FY 2026-27
A motion to close the public hearing was moved by Karen and seconded by Eric. All Board members present voted in favor.
A motion to adopt the following Local Law was moved by Tom and seconded by Karen. All Board members present voted in favor.
WHEREAS, Board of Trustees of the Village of Dering Harbor have proposed a local law authorizing a Property Tax Levy in excess of the limit established in General Municipal Law §3-c for Fiscal Year 2026; and
WHEREAS, a public hearing was held on April 11, 2026; and
WHEREAS, the adoption of said local law is considered to be a Type II action under 6 NYCRR §617.5, SEQRA and will not have a significant adverse impact upon the environment;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that Local Law No. 1 of 2026 is hereby adopted as follows:
LOCAL LAW NO. 1 OF 2026
A LOCAL LAW authorizing a Property Tax Levy in excess of the limit established in General Municipal Law §3-c for Fiscal Year 2026.”
BE IT ENACTED by the Board of Trustees of the Village of Dering Harbor as follows:
Section 1. Title, Intent and Purpose.
1.1. Title. The title of this local law shall be the “Tax Levy Limit Override 2026.”
1.2. Legislative Authority. This local law is adopted pursuant to New York State General Municipal Law (GML), §3-c(5) that expressly authorizes a local government’s governing body to override the property tax cap for the coming fiscal year by the adoption of a local law approved by a vote of 60% of said governing body
1.3. Purpose. It is the intent of this article to allow the Village of Dering Harbor to adopt a budget for the fiscal year commencing June 1, 2026 and ending on May 31, 2027 that requires a real property tax levy in excess of the tax levy limit as defined by General Municipal Law §3-c.
Section 2. Tax Levy Limit Override. The Board of Trustees of the Village of Dering Harbor is hereby authorized to adopt a budget for the fiscal year commencing June
1, 2026 that requires a real property tax levy in excess of the amount otherwise prescribed in the GML, §3-c.
Section 3. Repeal. If the Board of Trustees of the Village of Dering Harbor adopts a budget for the fiscal year commencing on June 1, 2026 that does not require a real property tax levy in excess of the amount otherwise prescribed in General Municipal Law §3-c (to wit, if the authorization contained in Section 2 of this Local Law is not utilized), the override authority under this local law may be repealed by resolution of the Board of Trustees (to wit, without a public hearing and without any further local law).
Section 4. Authority. The proposed local law is enacted pursuant to General Municipal Law §3-c(5) and Municipal Home Rule Law §§10(1)(i), 10(1)(ii)(a), 10(1)(ii)(a)(12), and 10(1)(ii)(e)(3).
Section 5. Severability. If any section or subsection, paragraph, clause, phrase, or provision of this law shall be adjudged invalid or held unconstitutional by any court of competent jurisdiction, any judgment made thereby shall not affect the validity of this law as a whole, or any part thereof other than the part or provision so adjudged to be invalid or unconstitutional.
Section 6. Effective Date. This local law shall take effect upon filing with the Secretary of State pursuant to Municipal Home Rule Law.
AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Village Clerk is hereby authorized and directed to publish the following Notice of Adoption:
NOTICE OF ADOPTION
PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that after a public hearing was held on April 11, 2026, the Board of Trustees of the Village of Dering Harbor at their meeting of April 11, 2026 adopted LOCAL LAW NO. 1 OF 2026 as follows: “Local Law authorizing a Property Tax Levy in excess of the limit established in General Municipal Law §3-c for Fiscal Year 2026.”
A copy of the adopted law is on file in the Village Hall, Monday, Wednesday or Friday, from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., or by appointment, and on the Village’s website.
BY ORDER OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES
VILLAGE OF DERING HARBOR, NEW YORK
c. A motion for a resolution to Schedule a Public Hearing on a Local Law amending §230-47 of the Zoning Law to replace the existing requirements to obtain a certificate of occupancy and require an updated certificate of occupancy upon change of ownership was moved by Karen and seconded by Eric. All Board members present voted in favor.
d. A motion for a resolution to Schedule a Public Hearing on a Local Law to require removal of underground fuel oil storage tanks upon transfer of property was moved by Tom and seconded by Karen. All Board members present voted in favor.
e. A motion for the appointment of the following election inspectors was moved by Karen and seconded by Tom. All Board members present voted in favor.
2026 Election Inspectors
Angela Corbett and Barbara Brigham
2026 Alternate Election Inspectors
Shirley Ferrer and Jane Ritzler
f. Special Event Off-street Parking request- 4 South Street (Dempster), April 26th, 2-8pm. Bridgford, a neighbor, said he is in favor of the event as well. George Birman and Philip Gubert, also neighbors, submitted a letter via email on April 8th, which all of the Trustees received and discussed. Karen stated for the record that she thinks Kim’s request is reasonable, George and Phil’s request is reasonable, and she’s happy there is a solution that works for everyone. Bridgford added that he does not want the desire to protect growing grass impede his access to his nearby property. The BOT agreed that they didn’t think that would happen. A motion to approve the request was made by Eric, Tom
● Old Business
a. A motion for the following resolution to transfer funds was moved by Karen and seconded by Eric. All Board members present voted in favor.
RESOLVED, that the Board of Trustees hereby appropriates $34,000.00 from undesignated fund balance surplus from the FY 2024-25 to the NYCLASS Repair Reserve Fund.
b. Fire Contract renewal. Karen gave an update. Hopefully the Village will receive it after the Board of Fire Commissioners meet in April. Vikci mentioned that she had still not received an invoice for 2025. She or Karen said they would reach out to Amber regarding that.
● There was no new Legal/Litigation to discuss.
● A motion to go into Executive Session to discuss Litigation/Personnel at 9:23am was moved by Karen and seconded by Tom. All Board members present voted in favor.
● A motion to adjourn Executive Session at 9:56 was made by Karen and seconded by Eric. All Board members present voted in favor.
● A motion to adjourn to Planning Board meeting at 9:57am was moved by Tom and seconded by Eric. All Board members present voted in favor.
● The Trustees meeting was called back to order at 10:20am
● Date for next Trustees meeting –Friday, April 17th , 2026 at 10:00AM to continue the Public Hearing to hear any and all persons either for or against the Annual Estimated and Tentative Budget for FY 2026/27.
● Date for next regular Trustees meeting –Saturday, May 9th , 2026 at 9:00AM
● A motion to adjourn 10:21am was moved by Tom and seconded by Karen. All Board members present voted in favor.