A project to rebuild Asharoken Village Hall has been rebooted after Hurricane Sandy flood damage left the building unusable.
"This is a major priority of ours now," said Mayor Greg Letica at a Village Board meeting Monday. "We can't have a building where, when village residents need their government the absolute most, it's in danger of getting flooded."
Fundraising on the project began years ago but was put on the back burner in 2008 when the financial crisis began. The new building is being designed by Asharoken Resident and Project Committee Chairperson John Ross. Ross said site plans for the roughly 2800 square foot building are not yet finalized and he is considering a customized modular structure as as an alternative. The village is no longer considering plans from Neil Hoffman of Hoffman Grayson Architects.
The village is currently awaiting a permit from the DEC and subsequent approval by the Department of Health. Ross met with the DEC recently to restake the tidal wetland boundary, which he said will allow the village to put the new building in a preferred location and save most of the parking lot.
"I'm just about finished with the final site plan plus the septic system so simultaneously we'll be ready to go in for final DEC approvals...and Health Department approvals," he said.
Ross hopes to have the permit within two months, adding that the DEC has been accomodating to muncipalities in light of post-Sandy circumstances.
Various funding sources are under consideration to pay for the project, including continued fundraising efforts, loans, and the sale of the 2.2 acre Asharoken nature preserve parcel.
Mayor Letica said selling the nature preserve, a piece of land between the National Grid plant and village homes, could conceivably fund a solution to Bevin Road, the new village hall, and more. The suggestion met with some reservation from residents.
"Through my years on the planning board I was led to believe that the village received that land from the power company and that there are covenants on it that restrict the village from doing anything but leaving it in it's natural state...so I don't know if you can sell it," said one resident. "Also, if we have to enter into any agreement with the Army Corps they typically want every half mile to have access to the beach."
The village clerk and police offices have been temporarily moved out of the current 1,900 square foot village hall building and into two trailers in the parking lot.
"Realistically, moving into two trailors is an upgrade for our staff and that really puts into perspective the facilities that we had," said Mayor Letica.
Aren't you proposing to build it in the same general location as the current Village Hall? How stupid is that?
A new Village Hall? Selling the nature preserve? I want the puddle at Bevin fixed. We=here are your priorities mayor letica? Puddle, puddle, puddle. You promised.
So if that's the case, how can building a new Vill hall be the "Major Priority". For who? So who gets teh direct benefit of a new Village hall? The Mayor? The Board of Trustees, and the employees, most of which don't even live here and they are paid for being at Village hall. So this is a "Major Priority" that most of us don't even use and and the benefit of this "Major Prioity" is primarily for the people that don't live here (the Village employees). Don't you dare spend a nickle of my money on this.
Also, does anyone else find it ironic that the bird watching, nature loving, mayor, wants to sell the nature preserve so it can be destroyed?
But, I have a better idea. Skip the DEC, skip selling the nature preserve, skip building anything. Tear down what's left of the building and make that a nature preserve. Turn the area over to the Suffolk PD. They have to ride through anyway to get to the Neck. The tax payers save money, people won't be worried about driving exactly 30 m.p.h. and we get another nature preserve. Everyone wins!
As a nation, we are facing great debt. As a small waterfront village, we are facing severe threat of extinction. Without a strong seawall, without a reinforced beach, without serious work done to duck island, this Village is a gulp away from massive destruction. And, where are our resources and energies being expended?? On a Village Hall! People please, come to your senses. A fancy , high maintenance VH is last thing our budget can handle. Take all the egos away, and replace them with common sense. And don't resort to intimidation factors, it's unkind and can be scary for residents.....
I thought that you ran your campaign on smaller less intrusive government. Less spending , "sleepy little beach community ". I voted for you , for that . How much is the insurance company going to pay the town for the storm damage ? That is what should be spent to REPAIR the existing building . Do we get to vote on this or did we already ? My Vote ,if i we are given the opportunity , will be NO
The expense for the bldg. our current board is proposing now, will far exceed any expenses that the past admin was criticized for...ie lies about the past attorney's salary. Politics = hypocrisy.
And it just makes you wonder, is there any plan at all? For anything? or is it all just flying by the seat of our pants? Sure seems that way.