Catch basin project at Asharoken Ave./Bevin Rd.

The efforts to alleviate the chronic flooding problems at the intersection of Bevin Road and Asharoken Avenue has been completed on schedule, the end of March 2011. Long Island-based Laser Industries delivered precast concrete rings that were installed as part of the remedy. The project was funded, in part, by a New York State Assistance Contract through the Department of Environmental Conservation. Several Village volunteers and New York State elected officials assisted in securing the funding and seeing the project through.

(January 25, 2011 Press Release): Earlier this month, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New York District, completed rehabilitation work on the seawall responsible for safeguarding the primary access road into and out of Asharoken. Click here to view the full Army Corps press release.

Originally constructed in 1996, the seawall provides emergency erosion protection to a critical section of Asharoken Avenue by absorbing the wave action and securing the roadway. Without it, access to the mainland would be extremely difficult, particularly during storm events. The seawall sustained heavy damage during a March 2010 storm, prompting the Army Corps to get involved.

The current repair was based on work done on a 225-foot section of the seawall in 2007 that did extremely well during last the March 2010 storm. It included repairing/replacing the bowed section of the concrete tieback, repairing/replacing the damaged steel sheeting and placing armor stone weighing up to 7 tons in front of the seawall.

The Long Island Sound is a very dynamic environment, meaning the Corps' coastal engineers had to design a structure capable of absorbing large amounts of high wind and wave energy. The repair restores the seawall to pre-storm conditions as per the 1996 project, which was designed to handle a 22-year level event.

"I'm very pleased to see this project brought to completion, particularly in light of the recent winter storm activity," said Col. John R. Boulé, commander, New York District. "This was a difficult project that required a great deal of coordination but we've manged to deliver a top-notch solution that will provide cost-effective protection for the residents of Asharoken."

Asharoken Mayor Patricia Irving was pleased with the unhindered cooperation between the Village, the Army Corps, the contractor and property owners. "Many residents freely signed right-of-entry agreements on their private property, allowing the Army Corps and the Cutting Edge Group to complete the project expeditiously, with minimal interruption to traffic." Mayor Irving added, "When issues arose, the parties involved immediately worked together to resolve the matter. As a result, the project was completed a full month ahead of schedule."

"Having the seawall repaired quickly and effectively is critically important for Asharoken and the surrounding communities. I commend the Army Corps for finishing this project ahead of schedule. I look forward to continuing to partner with the Army Corps and Mayor Irving on solutions for beach replenishment and protection for Asharoken," said Rep. Steve Israel.

The project cost $2.2 million with 100% Federal funding and was completed by Cutting Edge Group from Lake George, N.Y. The seawall has performed extremely well in the face of recent storm events during construction and after completion.

Trustee Affrunti, Mayor Irving, Trustee Elefante, Trustee Tilleli On Board M-1.

Marine-1, Asharoken's New Police Boat.

Attorney Savin, Mayor Irving, Trustee Affrunti.

(December 21, 2010) With more than ten seasons of service to our village, our old police boat M-1 was in need of replacement. It took almost two years of searching and letter writing until we were able to secure a grant from the New York State Department of Parks Recreation and Historical Preservation for a new police boat.

With the guidance of our marine officers we carefully selected a vessel that will serve the village for many years to come. After we made our selection everyone got to work, measuring, taking pictures and comprising a list of all the items we would need to add to the boat. This cooperative effort by the police, mayor and trustees gave us a design and layout that made this boat exactly what we needed.

Finally on Monday December 21st Trustee Tilleli, Village Attorney Savin and I took a ride to meet with the NYS Dept of Parks people to take possession of our new boat.

On behalf of the Mayor and Trustees we are proud to introduce to all of you our new M-1 police boat. This summer look for a brand new, state of the art boat protecting the waters around Asharoken or stop down to Village Hall and see what we have accomplished.

I hope that everyone enjoys this holiday season and has a happy and prosperous New Year.

Image: Steve Trombetti

Repairs to the Asharoken Sea Wall commence as large rocks are delivered to the site.

(August 23, 2010) Press Release: Mayor Irving announced today that repairs to the Asharoken Sea Wall are now underway. Major portions of the sea wall were destroyed in the storm of March 13, 2010.

Mayor Irving said that the contractor began delivering tonnage last week. Tonnage are very large stones that are so named because of their excessive size and weight. Today the contractor had delivered a work trailer that will serve as a construction office for the project.

"The start of this project could not have come at a more opportune time. Earlier today, while the construction office was being delivered, the inclement weather caused a substantial washover and the contractor saw firsthand storm conditions at the sea wall. They now have a better understanding of what the residents of Asharoken and Eaton's Neck experience on a regular basis", Irving stated.

The United States Army Corps of Engineers awarded a $2.25 million contract last month to The Cutting Edge Group, a contractor from Lake George, NY. Cutting Edge was the same contractor that performed reinforcement work to the seawall in 2007. It was that portion of the wall that withheld the ravages of the March storm. However, portions of the wall, both east and west of the reinforced section were totally destroyed.

Construction crews are scheduled to be on site within the week. This puts the project ahead of schedule. Work was not expected to start until sometime in September, with a 120 day timeline for completion. Work was scheduled to be completed by February 1, 2011.

Mayor Irving said the lead person for the contractor told her he wanted to be home for Christmas. I told him, "Nothing would please me more. The sooner that they can complete this job, the sooner our community can get back to our normal routines. In the meantime, residents should expect intermittent delays and restricted traffic in that area while this work takes place".

It is expected that the Village Board will give the contractor permission to work around the clock in order to take advantage of good weather and periods of low tide.

(Editor's Note: see related story dated July 27, 2010 further below)

(July 27, 2010)  Congressman Steve Israel (D-Huntington) and Asharoken Mayor Patricia Irving today announced that the US Army Corps of Engineers has awarded a contract for the repair of the Asharoken Sea Wall. The Sea Wall was destroyed in the storm of March 13, 2010. Repair plans and funding has been fast tracked by the Army Corps of Engineers at the insistence of Congressman Israel.

The Army Corps awarded the $2,254,031 to Cutting Edge Group, an 8(a) small business concern. The plan calls for federally funded reconstruction of the damaged sea wall. This is the same contractor that in 2007, reinforced a section of the sea wall with heavy rock tonnage which withstood this latest storm. The new work calls for similar construction in those areas of the sea wall that failed.

Construction will begin as soon as the heavy rocks are delivered to the site. It is expected the last week of August or the first week of September. The project has a completion date of not later than February 2011. As of now, that date is expected to be met.

Mayor Irving stated that "Congressman Israel has stayed involved and the Army Corps continues to fast track this project. Everyone recognizes the importance of this project for the protection and safety of our community. I only wish a permanent solution to the erosion of Asharoken Beach moved as quickly as this project."

“This community depends on Asharoken Avenue every day, so it’s imperative that we fast track the repairs,” Israel said. “Mayor Irving and I have been working closely with the Army Corps to ensure the project gets the necessary federal funding and is expedited. I’m glad we can announce that the contract has been awarded, the first step keeping the timeline on target.”

The Army Corps of Engineers has been conducting a feasibility study for a permanent restoration of Asharoken beach. The feasibility study proposes 600,000 cubic yards of sand being deposited on Asharoken beach to protect it from significant erosion. The sea wall construction was intended as a temporary measure until a permanent plan could be developed to restore and protect the beach. The beach is the only protection Asharoken Avenue has against the ravages of Long Island Sound. The Army Corps and NYS Department of Environmental Conservation are currently discussing sand sources for this project.

“Sand on the beach is the only long term solution to protect the beach, our homes and Asharoken Avenue for the residents of both Asharoken and Eaton’s Neck,” Mayor Irving stated.

(March 22, 2010) Mayor Pat Irving announced today that the Village of Asharoken has won a lengthy court battle over health care benefits for retired employees, appointees and elected officials.

Shortly after taking office in July 2008, Mayor Irving began an investigation of persons enrolled in the NYS Empire Plan, the health insurance carrier for the Village. The Empire Plan is considered one of the premier health insurance policies in the country. Village records indicated that several persons and families were participating in the Village health care coverage that were not employees of the Village. These included the former Mayor William Kelly, former Clerk Dorothy Aiello, the spouse of former Trustee Pete Fauser and several appointees under the Kelly administration; some of whom were never employed by the Village or had a no-pay, no-duties appointment with a title. Some of the former appointees were never eligible to participate in the health plan even when they were active appointees of the Village. The health coverage was either paid for or subsidized by the Village.

In October 2008, Mayor Irving put forth a series of resolutions, passed by the Village Board that immediately terminated health care coverage for appointees, former elected officials and retirees that did not have a contractual right to health care in retirement. There were as many as eleven individuals or families that were improperly taking advantage of the benefits. Seven were terminated, but Kelly, Aiello, and Fauser brought suit against the Village asking the New York State Supreme Court to bar the Village from terminating their benefits.

Village Attorney Kenneth Savin, who defended the Village, said "The petitioners claimed they had vested rights to the coverage under New York State Civil Service Law. The Village's position was that Civil Service law only set forth minimum eligibility requirements for participation in the plan. Some of the participants in Asharoken's plan never met those minimum eligibility requirements. Once the minimum eligibility requirements are met, only the Village Board can permit the participation. In this case, no Village Board in Asharoken ever permitted such participation. The petitioners took it upon themselves to give themselves that benefit." The Village's position was well-supported by previous case law and the Court agreed. Supreme Court Justice Jeffrey Arlen Spinner last week issued a decision dismissing the suit against the Village.

Mayor Irving said the savings to the Village is substantial. "The Village has saved over $17,200 in the first year and the savings increases each year as the cost of health care increases. Not only was the Village paying for benefits for these individuals and their families, but it was also subsidizing Medicare coverage for retirees and former appointees and spouses over 65".

In a related matter, Kelly and Aiello sought the contents of a subpoena issued by the Suffolk County District Attorney's Office under the Freedom of Information Law (FOIL). The Village refused to disclose the contents of that subpoena, claiming an exemption to FOIL regarding pending investigations . The Court agreed with the Village and dismissed that action.

Dear Residents, Property Owners and Neighbors,

As you well know, Asharoken Village suffered substantial damage in the storm last weekend. There were several breaches of the sand dunes along Asharoken Avenue and the sea wall, just south of Bevin Road, failed in two places. One portion of the wall completely collapsed. The roadway and shoulders had become undermined and the road was impassable.

I declared a State of Emergency on Saturday evening which lasted until Thursday evening. This enabled the Village to take unusual actions in order to get the Village back in order as expeditiously as possible. All other Village regulations regarding construction and permit requirements have remained in effect.

The roadway and shoulder of Asharoken Avenue has been temporarily repaired. Asharoken Avenue is again open to two way traffic. Residents should keep in mind that the repairs to the roadway are only temporary in nature. The damages to the sea wall are extensive and it is likely that the temporary repair work will be affected by any adverse weather conditions at times of high tide. As a result, additional damage, road closures and delays should be anticipated. Traffic on Asharoken Avenue should continue to be limited to only essential travel. It may be several months before lasting repairs are completed.

One of the major impediments to travel on Asharoken Avenue during and after the storm was the amount of debris washed up onto the roadway. Police and Emergency Vehicles were easily able to drive over sand and beach grass, however, the numerous chairs, boats, tables and all other items that were left on the beaches had to be removed from the roadway. Effective immediately, no such items shall be permitted to be left on the beach at this time. The Village Board of Trustees will enact new rules for storage of items on the beach. Constructing anything over, under or on the dunes is already prohibited by our Village Code and NYS Department of Conservation Law. These laws will henceforth be strictly enforced.

We recognize there is extensive debris still left on the beach and beach lots. The Village is not permitted to enter private property in order to clear this debris. The Village can remove the items if they are placed at the normal location for trash pick-up. Beginning Monday, March 22, we will have a one-time-pickup of beach debris along the roadways. Beach lot owners should place such debris along Asharoken Avenue on the bay side (parking) of their lots. Please take notice that only debris from the beach should be placed for this pickup. Any non-beach debris items will be left and the property owner will be subject to a summons. Property owners may wish to secure all combustible wood items for their July 4th bonfires.

This short notice is due to the fact that the debris may wash off the beach and the Village’s ability to obtain reimbursement of this expense is limited. We encourage all residents and property owners to cooperate with one another in cleaning all beaches.

As you might expect, the Village has and will continue to incur unexpected costs in connection with this storm. Damages have not been this severe since the storm of 1992. Any federally funded project requires a portion of its cost to be paid by the Village. Although the Village Board held a hearing on the budget on March 1, the Village Board will have a working session on Monday March 22 and may present an amended proposed budget at our next regularly scheduled Board of Trustees meeting on Monday, April 5.

Thank you for your continued patience and cooperation.

Sincerely yours,

Pat Irving, Mayor