The Village of Oyster Bay Cove is deliberating about changing the length of office for their elected officials. On Jan. 19, they held a public hearing to let residents express their views on having four year terms.

One of the first speakers was Ira Smith who asked the board about the proposed laws.

The Jan. 19 hearing was to listen to views on a four year term and on Feb. 16, residents will be able to comment on having bi-annual elections: every other year and not each year.

Mayor Michael Peragine said the board would only act after having a public hearing on the laws. "We are committed to getting the public involved in anything we do."

Mr. Smith said, "That's why I voted for you in the last election."

When the residents finished speaking, the board explained its motives.

The mayor said Trustee Tom Fitzsimmons brought up the resolution and Trustee Richard Appell seconded it. Mr. Appell said for him the issue was effectiveness. He said there was not enough time for trustees to be effective when their two years in office boiled down to 72 hours of service. He said they proposed two meetings a month but some board members were against that.

Trustee Fitzsimmons said for him the issue was fiscal. He said, "I don't have deep pockets. I work for every dollar I have." He said elections cost the district tens of thousands of dollars each year and that he felt fiscal responsibility was part of his job.

Resident Rosemary Bourne said, using the figures they provided, "It would cost just $7 a person for democracy with a small d."

Trustee Peter Schiff said he was not sure of the merits of a four year term but he did know, "All the time it takes for elections and the pain and suffering to go through it, which is not fun." He did however favor term limits.

Another issue he brought up was that to create elections every two years it would call for one trustee to serve for five years. He suggested they serve for three years instead. (The mayor said that was state law.) He wanted the decisions to be put to the voters during the next election.

Trustee George O'Neill said the House of Representatives serves for two years. "We have conducted business in the past with two year terms and I don't see it as a great hardship."

Mayor Michael Peragine reminded the listeners that former trustee David Clark spoke in favor of the four year term.

Resident Bill Mills commented on an earlier point that Oyster Bay Cove had lower taxes because they were run by bankers while Laurel Hollow was run by lawyers. Now he said the village was being run by businessmen which made the difference.

As the meeting ended, Mr. Smith spoke again. He said the last time he saw this many residents was when they were voting for mayor in the last election.

He reminded the board and residents that at that time the question was the creation of the Pulling Estate subdivision. "That was the core of your platform," he said to the mayor, "that the people had a right to be heard. The same with the issue of two years or four years. They want to be heard."

Mr. Smith said they should hold a referendum.

Full coverage, with photographs, will be in the Feb. 4 issue of the Oyster Bay Enterprise Pilot. I was already committed to finishing several other stories and felt it would be better not to rush this story through. You have the essence here as well as the invitation to attend the next hearing, which may be the most important message - that the board is still listening.

¬ DFK