Despite the optimism that reigned at its inaugural meeting, the United Civic Associations of North Oyster Bay experienced some growing pains on Wednesday, April 21 when numerous civic leaders, some of whom were attending for the first time, criticized the organization's issue selection procedure and quibbled over whether the umbrella group should become a political force.

The meeting, held at the East Norwich Motor Inn, provided overwhelming evidence that true rancor has developed between many of the North Shore communities and the Town of Oyster Bay.

A vocal majority complained that the town board has failed to be responsive to residents' fears about the overdevelopment of their communities, and that its members appear only to curtail commercialization in their own hometowns.

Many also accused the three councilmen who do live on the North Shore - Leonard Symons of Plainview, Christine Preston of Syosset and Anthony Altimari of Bayville - of either being closed-minded or too reticent during town hearings.

Several civic leaders suggested that the United Civic must demand an end to the at-large voting system, which does not guarantee direct representation of every community.

"We have the right to have districts in our town and have representation on the board," said one audience member. "It doesn't matter what issue we [present to the town]...They should be defending our case, and that has not happened."

Steering committee board members Joe Lorintz, Paul Innunziato and Gary Gropper argued that the super-civic should not be advertised as an outright town opponent, but a powerful force of 15,000 North Oyster Bay residents who will battle the town if it fails to side with the community on critical issues.

"We don't want to be seen as an organization that was formed purely to stick its fingers in the face of the board. We at least want to attempt to communicate with the town on a level that can be perceived as cooperative. Certainly, we hope we have the strength to evoke change."

But others thought that was not powerful enough. Bonnie Eisler, president of Hunting Hill Civic Association, has witnessed application after application be approved by the town board for the construction of senior housing and large office buildings in the once-bucolic haven of Woodbury.

"We're under siege there. Whenever we go to town hall, we're confronted by [the board members'] burly, arrogant behavior," said Eisler.

"When an issue comes up in Massapequa, Farmingdale, anywhere in the south part of Oyster Bay - it can be a small item of Sunrise Highway - they greet [the community] with open arms and scrutinize every single detail," said another civic leader.

Eisler, who said Woodbury residents have been "met with resistance," later announced that she would run for town councilwoman in this year's local elections.

Because of rampant development, many civic leaders at the meeting also believe the umbrella civic should force the town to develop a master plan, an idea that town board members, especially Symons and Supervisor John Venditto, had floated around for a while, but which never materialized.

Originally, the founders of the super-civic figured that an Issues Review Committee and the executive board would examine communities' complaints on a case-by-case basis. One leader, however, who advocated the development of a master plan, said that that would be "doing it piecemeal."

Other civic leaders didn't approve of the Issue Review Committee altogether, worrying that the five-member group may not be able to identify legitimate problems. Some advocated a majority audience vote.

Lorintz said that a better trust must be fostered between the current board members/founders and the civic representatives, of which there were about 35 Wednesday evening.

Gropper said that the executive board was open to changing some of its proposed format and mechanisms to appease the majority; however, one rule that will never change is that each civic association gets only one vote when an issue goes to the floor. That way, larger civic associations cannot bully the smaller ones.

Among the local civic associations represented for the first time were West Birchwood, Hunter's Run and Woodbury Greens Homeowners Association.

The United Civic is looking for four volunteers to serve along with Chairman Matthew Meng on the Issues Review Committee.

Meetings for the United Civic will take place, from now on, on the second Thursday of every month, either at the East Norwich Inn or the Milleridge Inn in Jericho. The board will meet in executive session from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. and there will be a general meeting for the public from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m.