Port Jefferson trustees approve mayor’s appointments, table Country Club liaison and opt not to reappoint ethics counsel

Port Jefferson — The Village of Port Jefferson Board of Trustees on July 8 approved most of Mayor Shepro’s recommended departmental liaisons and commissioners but agreed to delay (table) the Country Club Management Advisory Council (CCMAC) liaison while trustees seek additional review.

Mayor Shepro opened the annual organizational meeting at 6:02 p.m. and read a slate of appointments that included Trustee Bob Giuliano as deputy mayor and commissioner of public works and the mayor retaining the commissioner of finance and public safety roles. Trustee Matt Franco initially moved to adjourn the organization meeting until July 22 so a full board could consider assignments together; after debate he withdrew the motion and the board agreed to consider appointments line‑by‑line.

The exchange turned pointed during discussion of the CCMAC liaison. Mayor Shepro said he had received a report that a trustee had sought a special discounted country‑club rate through an employee and described that as a personnel‑and‑ethical concern in evaluating a liaison recommendation. The mayor told the board, "It's the mayor's appointment, and I'm not appointing you to the CCMAC," and trustees agreed to skip that single appointment pending further research and a future vote.

The board voted to approve the remainder of the mayor’s recommended appointments. The motion to adopt the listed mayoral recommendations (excluding the CCMAC liaison) carried on a voice vote, and trustees then moved through and approved a package of officer and liaison appointments, including deputy clerk Mary Pelton, village legal and labor counsel, and a slate of committee chairs and members.

Trustees separately debated reappointing the village’s ethics counsel, Stephen Leventhal. Several trustees said some members of the ethics board had complained that Leventhal “runs” the committee and leaves little room for the volunteer members to deliberate. Trustee Matt Franco said he would “vote to not reappoint Mr. Leventhal,” and after further discussion the board decided not to reappoint him and to handle ethics counsel on an as‑needed basis pending review of alternatives and the village code’s requirements.

The board also approved routine governance resolutions, including adoption of an executive‑session policy under Public Officers Law §105, continued adherence to the village procurement policy as required by General Municipal Law (procurement rules), designation of official depositories (NyClass, Dime Bank, M&T Bank, Flushing Bank and OceanFirst Bank), and authorization for officials to attend state and regional training events.

During the meeting trustees discussed budget and legal costs: village staff reported an increase in the attorney‑fee line that required a budget amendment for the year (staff cited roughly $94,000 in additional attorney spending across labor, village, ethics and prosecution counsel). Trustees asked for more detail on which firms and functions accounted for those increases.

Trustees also reviewed volunteer board and committee appointments (architectural review, conservation advisory council, parks and recreation, planning board and zoning board of appeals) and approved those reappointments and new members. The organizational meeting adjourned at 7:17 p.m., with the board reentering the work session.

In reports after the organizational items, trustees praised the DPW, code and fire department for their work over the July 4 weekend, discussed Tree Committee work on an Urban and Community Forestry grant and announced Conservancy events and the upcoming Oyster Jamboree. Finance staff reported that the village sold 427 souvenir cups at the Village Day block party and recorded $8,518 in revenue (excluding sales tax and fees); trustees said the village will sell cups again at the Oyster Jamboree and continue event planning.

The board set the next organizational meeting for July 7, 2027, and left the CCMAC liaison appointment for a future meeting once trustees and counsel reconcile the procedural and ethical questions raised at this session.