After completing a board evaluation of school superintendent Dr. John Gratto’s performance over the past year, the Sag Harbor School board approved a $25,000 salary increase for Dr. Gratto at the last Board of Education meeting on Monday, June 22.
As of July 1, Dr. Gratto’s salary will be raised from $185,000 to $210,000, excluding expenses and benefits, accounting for a nearly 13.5 percent increase. The board argues the raise was well deserved as Dr. Gratto saved the district nearly $1 million through cost cutting measures during the last budget cycle and his salary is less than the East End average for superintendents, but some members of the community contend Dr. Gratto’s raise is significant given the current economic climate and say the board should have been more forthcoming in sharing these figures with the public.
During an interview, board of education president Walter Wilcoxen elucidated some of the main reasons why the board gave Dr. Gratto a raise, many of which stemmed from a June evaluation of Dr. Gratto’s execution of his superintendent duties. In the beginning of June, each board member was given a form to judge Dr. Gratto on his relationship with the board, educational direction and leadership, personnel, financial management, facilities management, community relations, personal qualities and growth, and management functions.
Although, Wilcoxen said he couldn’t release specific details on Dr. Gratto’s evaluation, he noted that Dr. Gratto did extremely well in each category in the eyes of the board members, and that was one of the reasons why they felt he was deserving of a raise. Board member Mary Anne Miller added that the board was in full consensus to give Dr. Gratto a raise.
“Everyone said he did a fantastic job,” reported Wilcoxen. “[In every category] he was above average.”
One of the other main impetuses for the salary increase, said Wilcoxen, was to bring Dr. Gratto up to parity with superintendents in Suffolk County and on the East End. According to Wilcoxen the average salary for the county is around $219,000, while the Eastern Suffolk average is around $206,000 excluding other benefits and expenses, separate from medical insurance or district paid cell phones. If these other expenses and benefits were added to the Eastern Suffolk figure, Wilcoxen said the average superintendent salary would be closer to $220,000.
“We, [the board], knew that we started [Dr. Gratto] at below market salary … if you look at what people get paid out here and we wanted to correct that,” said Wilcoxen.
Several neighboring districts like East Hampton and Southampton, however, have significantly larger student bodies, but Wilcoxen argues that the superintendents at these schools have the help of an assistant superintendent.
The board, said Wilcoxen, looked at Dr. Gratto’s qualifications and his level of education, when considering his raise. Wilcoxen said Dr. Gratto brought a “higher level of accountability and efficiency to all aspects of the districts,” which factored into the board’s decision. One major way Dr. Gratto increased efficiency in the district, added Wilcoxen, was through implementing several cost cutting measures.
“He saved us significant amounts of money in a difficult budget cycle … The savings have more than paid for his salary,” noted Wilcoxen.
Walter Tice, a former member and president of the Sag Harbor board of education, said he worried about linking the idea of saving money in the district with raising the superintendent’s salary. Tice added that this could possibly lead to budget cutting measures coming at the cost of program and educational quality.
“His salary ought not to be proportional to how much he cuts the budget,” lamented Tice.
Tice’s daughter and former Parent Teacher Association President Chris Tice, who spoke in her capacity as a Sag Harbor parent, echoed her father’s remarks.
“The motivation should be to help the school district continue to improve and spend the taxpayer’s money wisely,” she said.
However, Dr. Gratto believes he was able to strike that balance and said his proposed cost cutting measures haven’t undercut school programming.
Regardless of the savings Dr. Gratto created in the district, Chris Tice was also perplexed by the size of Dr. Gratto’s raise given the state of the economy.
“As a parent and taxpayer, overall I am happy with Dr. Gratto. I think he was a good addition to the school … but I do think his increase should reflect the economic times and an increase of over 13 percent doesn’t seem rational. I am confused by it because Dr. Gratto and the board have been asking district employees to be conservative with their increases,” remarked Tice.
According to Eileen Kochanasz, president of the Teacher’s Association of Sag Harbor, when the school board began negotiating teacher’s contracts last year, the board often claimed the economic pressures on the district and the national economic climate didn’t make it sustainable for them to give the full percentage of a raise that the teachers were asking for.
“I don’t begrudge Dr. Gratto his appropriate salary … but TASH is troubled. We are not so troubled about that being the going rate for his salary, but for the board to cry economy and then offer a 13.5 percent raise,” stated Kochanasz. “The teachers are asking for the average [salary].”
Wilcoxen said Dr. Gratto’s raise and the teachers’ contracts are two separate issues, as the board must negotiate with a union to agree on a raise for teachers. He added that whereas Dr. Gratto was judged on his specific performance, teacher raises are agreed upon with the union for all teachers and not based on specific teacher’s performance. Of the current economy climate, Wilcoxen also divided the issues.
“We live in a system were there are many different levels of socio-economic conditions … I have to think about his position and what other people get in that position,” said Wilcoxen, adding that offering a competitive salary will help retain Dr. Gratto within the school district. “We do have to think about what we have to pay to get someone of quality.”
Members of the public, however, not only felt that Dr. Gratto’s raise was high given the economy, but felt the board could have been more forthcoming in releasing his salary increase figures and facilitating a dialogue about it at the June 22 meeting.
At the meeting, the resolution to amend Dr. Gratto’s contract, and thus give him a raise, was passed, but the exact salary increase wasn’t printed on the agenda and at the close of the meeting Walter Tice inquired about the legality of this. Dr. Gratto said he spoke with the school district attorney Tom Volz the day after the meeting, who said that the school wasn’t required by law to put these numbers on the agenda.
“In my experience, amendments to contracts, [for salary and/or other contract changes], are typically not published. I thought that is pretty standard,” recalled Dr. Gratto.
Even though the board was complying with the law, some audience members wished the figures were printed on the agenda to help begin a dialogue.
“Even after I raised the question [about publishing the salary increase on the agenda]. The board didn’t issue a public announcement saying, ‘We have given a raise and here are the reasons why.’ It seems to go against their promises of openness,” said Walter Tice.
“I was baffled that they choose not to share and disclose [the information]. It seemed to fly in the face of the board’s ongoing mission of transparency,” added Chris Tice.
Wilcoxen, however, contends that both the amendment to Dr. Gratto’s contract and his original contract are available to the public at the school clerk’s office. He said that he believed the next board meeting, to be held on Monday, July 13, offered a better opportunity to speak with the public about the issue, as the full board will be in attendance whereas on June 22 one board member was absent and Wilcoxen had to leave the meeting early.
Wilcoxen added that the salary increase would be discussed at next Monday’s board of education meeting.

During his first meeting as mayor of the Village of Sag Harbor on Monday, Brian Gilbride announced appointments to the various village boards, including the addition of former mayor Greg Ferraris to the planning board.

Gilbride named Bethany Deyermond, a member of the Sag Harbor Historical Society and wife of former mayor and trustee Ed Deyermond, to the village historic preservation and architectural review board in place of longtime board member Robert Tortora. Gilbride also tapped Gail Pickering to lead the village’s zoning board of appeals. Pickering replaces board chairman Michael Bromberg, who said this week he intends to fulfill the remainder of his one-year term on the board.

Gilbride, an incumbent trustee, was elected to lead the Sag Harbor Village Board of Trustees in June besting both Bromberg and local attorney and author Jim Henry in a contentious mayoral battle.

 Tim Culver, a land use and real estate attorney, received the most votes of any candidate in his bid for a seat on the board of trustees. Culver and incumbent trustee Ed Gregory were also sworn in on Monday, along with Robby Stein, who Gilbride appointed to serve the remainder of his one-year trustee term on the board. Stein placed third in the election behind Culver and Gregory, with Sag Harbor native and real estate agent Jane Holden finishing fourth.

Gilbride, who served as village deputy mayor under Ferraris, named Trustee Tiffany Scarlato as his new deputy mayor on Monday.

 Even so many changes, much will remain the same with Sag Harbor Village government, with Gilbride having appointed Fred W. Thiele, Jr. and Anthony Tohill as village council, Richard Warren as environmental planner and Paul Grosser as village engineer. However, with the appointment of Ferraris, Deyermond and Pickering to new posts in village government, Gilbride said he was pleased to see the new face of the village boards.

Ann Hansen, a 15-year veteran of the planning board, resigned last month leaving an opening for Ferraris who chose not to seek re-election in the last mayoral race.

“There is a lot of activity on that board now,” said Gilbride on Tuesday, noting the planning board has been contending with a number of large-scale development applications and will be facing the implementation of a new village code. “Greg wanted to stay involved and he has been instrumental in a lot of what has been going on in the village.”

“I have a great respect of the members of the planning board, and in Neil Slevin’s leadership as chairman,” said Ferraris on Tuesday. “Brian asked me and I feel it is a great opportunity to work with this board on the new code.”

Ferraris said he intends to bring the same “case-by-case” attitude to his position on the planning board as he did as mayor of Sag Harbor.

“I don’t have a predetermined agenda going into this, but I do think the new code will speak for itself and shape the way we deal with development in this village,” he said.

Gilbride’s appointment of Bethany Deyermond to the ARB means longtime member Tortora will no longer have a seat on the board, although Gilbride on Tuesday thanked Tortora for his service, saying it was time for that board to take a new direction under his administration.

“I personally thanked Bob for his service and I think he has done a good job,” Gilbride said. “I am just looking to move in a slightly different direction. I think Bethany can do that. She will work well with the board, she has experience as a member of the historical society and the Sag Harbor Ladies Village Improvement Society and she has done a great job restoring her own home.”

Tortora was disappointed at Gilbride’s choice, lamenting that he would not be a part of a board whose mission he treasures.

“I thought I was pretty darn good at it,” he said. “I really thought I did my best for the village and worked hard to make a difference.”

The local contractor, who said he has invested his professional life into ensuring Sag Harbor’s historic architecture is preserved, questioned why he was removed from the board and said he would still weigh his options. He hopes to stay involved with the cause he holds so close to his heart.

“It is my livelihood to preserve this village,” he said. “I moved here and invested in this place because it is so unique. My only recourse now is to ensure I can stay involved.”

Gilbride also replaced Bromberg as chairman of the zoning board with current board member Pickering, although Bromberg, unlike Tortora, will fulfill the remainder of his one-year term on the zoning board.

“I believe she is an independent thinker and has always done a great job for the village,” Gilbride said of the appointment. “I think Gail brings a level of expertise we need right now.”

“I think Gail will do a great job,” Bromberg said on Tuesday, who added he had no intention of stepping down from the board as of now.

Pickering, who was on the village planning board from 1990 to 1999, serving as chairman from 1995 to 1999, went on to serve on the East Hampton Town’s planning board from 2000 through 2006 before returning to Sag Harbor to serve on the zoning board of appeals.

“I knew Bulova was coming and I wanted input on the big projects,” said the licensed architect on Tuesday, referring to the now approved luxury condo project at the historic Bulova Watchcase Factory in the center of the village.

“I am honored to be appointed to the position,” she added. “I have enjoyed working with the current board and I appreciate all the comments input and expertise my fellow board members have to offer. The mayor has made his decision and I appreciate his confidence in me.”

Outside of the zoning board of appeals, the chairmanship of every other village board remains the same with Neil Slevin tapped to continue his position as head of the planning board, Cee Scott Brown appointed to lead the ARB and Bruce Tait appointed to helm the Harbor Committee.

 New school board president Elizabeth Kotz swore in new board members Lillian Tyree, Doug Degroot, and Ron White during the Bridgehampton School Board’s reorganization meeting on Monday July 6. Kotz, formerly the school board vice president, also swore into office the school’s superintendent Dr. Dianne Youngblood, the school’s district clerk Joyce Crews Manigo, and the school’s part-time treasurer Norine Monti.

The board’s re-organizational meeting lasted for nearly an hour with Kotz occasionally giving brief explanations about board procedures to the new members. Other than the board, the school’s lawyer Tom Volz, former board member Joe Conti, the newly sworn in treasurer and Degroot’s wife and son were in the audience to witness the swearing in and the re-organizational procedures.

Most of the re-organizational meeting was taken up with the hiring and establishment of salaries and contracts for various firms and employees for the up-coming academic school year. For example, the firm Guercio and Guercio were re-hired to be the school’s legal counsel, and Patricia Corso was appointed as part-time internal claims auditor.

For the most part all of the hiring was approved without much discussion, however board member Joe Berhalter did question the 25 percent increase in the legal counsel’s fee as well as the elimination of a cap on negotiation fees.

“In today’s environment I think 25 percent seems exorbitant,” Berhalter stressed. Volz asked that further discussion on the increase take place during executive session later that night to which Berhalter and the board agreed.

Other business during the meeting included the appointment of board members and others onto various committees. Again most committees were approved without much hesitation. However, Kotz asked that the appointment of board members to the district budget advisory committee be tabled until the fall thereby giving new board members a chance to get up to date on budgeting procedures. Kotz also thought that the committee might be organized in a slightly different fashion this coming year.

“Perhaps we could have all board members rotate on the committee,” suggested Kotz who noted that the budget is such an important part of the board’s business that it might serve the committee and the board better to have everyone involved or at least knowledgeable about the committee’s process.

There was also a delay in the appointment of Tyree to the audit committee since it is the school’s policy not to allow the spouse of an employee to serve in that capacity. Tyree is the wife of the school’s basketball coach Carl Johnson. Kotz recommended Tyree for that position because she thought her a good fit for the committee, and asked if the policy could be changed to allow Tyree to serve on it. The school’s lawyer Volz, foresaw no problems with changing the policy since it was not illegal to have Tyree serve once the policy changed.

Berhalter however questioned changing school policies to fit the board’s specific needs, and therefore held up the meeting to discuss the change. In the end the majority of board members suggested changing the policy to allow Tyree to serve.

The board also approved the 2009-2010 out of district tuition fees, which were set at $2,500 for the pre-K half-day program, $4,000 for the pre-K full day program, $11,500 for students K-8, and $15,000 for 9-12 grades. Special ed students would pay per Seneca Falls formula tuition of $62,541 for K-6 and $34,343 for 7-12 grades.

During the regular meeting that followed Dr. Youngblood updated the board on the business office’s progress on closing the district’s books by the end of the month, stating, “We’re looking really good for everything to be ship shape and ready to roll.” She also mentioned that all non-resident tuitions had been paid in full.

Most of the meeting was taken up with how much the school board should subsidize the PSAT course they will be offering to the community in late summer/early fall. The course is new, and the board wanted to encourage all in district students whether they attended Bridgehampton School or not to participate in the program. Yet Berhalter questioned the necessity of subsidizing all district students.

“Regular students are getting an excellent deal at the $130 cost for the program,” he said. “I would recommend that people who can pay, pay the full amount, and for students who can’t afford it we should definitely help them out.”

Berhalter was comparing the $130 price tag to the Princeton Review course’s $800 cost, but board member Nicki Hemby pointed out that the program wasn’t the same as the Princeton Review and it would be hard to compare the two programs. Also she felt it would be difficult to determine who needed assistance.

White however understood what Berhalter was saying when he pointed out without some sort of financial stake students might just drop out.

White suggested, “Why don’t we just talk to the students and explain what we’re doing for them.” Thereby having students understand their responsibility and the trust the board was putting onto them, he explained.

In the end the board decided to charge $50 for the program and offer the subsidy to all residents, but charge full price to out of district students.

Sag Harbor Whaling & Historical Museum board member and the museum’s director who talk about Friday’s Luau and Saturday’s Energy Fair at the museum. 

Bettina Stelle

So what can people except from this year’s Luau?

B.S: Well, we will have the pig roast and the Seafood Shop is catering it again. They have catered it for the last five years. We are going to have the same band we did last year, The Surf Dogs. Hopefully, though you never know, we are going to have some surprise guests and we are raffling off a surf board and a beach bike. The whole décor is going to be an islands theme. Marders is loaning us some palm trees and Hibiscus plants … Of course we are praying to the whale gods for good weather, but we do have a tent … This year, the oil show, [the exhibit “Oil: Whales, Wells . . . What Next?”], is still going to be up.

 Where did the inspiration for the first Luau come from?

B.S: The first Luau was really inspired by the surf show [“Island Kings, Whalers & Beach Boys” in 2005]. It was part of a whole package. [A while back] the museum was stagnant, so we started to do things like the “Pirate Day” which was a huge success. We wanted to switch up the shows and fundraisers to go further than the annual clam bake … When we first did the Luau we tried to make it an affordable event, but we also wanted it to be fun and not stuffy. We wanted to turn it into a celebration and have many different people make contact with the museum. The first year hundreds of people came and [the singer] Jimmy Buffett was the surprise guest. I think we had probably every East End surfer there … With the “Pirate Day,” the surf show and then the “Tattoo Show,” there was huge effort and momentum to make our events contemporary … There was a new group of people on the board … [and it started] when Linley Whelan was elected to the board. Linley was the first woman on the board . . . [Before] the museum was a place some tourists visited, but locals didn’t really feel they needed to go back to it.

 What makes the Luau such a lively local event?

BS: I think it is the mix of people. There are families, kids, teens, tourists and locals and surfers from Montauk to Westhampton come to the Luau . . . and the museum is a real destination. It is a beautiful building in a great location. The band plays Dick Dale themed surf music. Everyone kicks off there flip flops and dances. I think people come back to the Luau because they want to have fun.

 Why is the Whaling Museum an important local institution?

B.S: I think it’s important because Sag Harbor was a Whaling town and except for a few older houses, there isn’t a destination to keep this history alive . . . In some ways with the quick development that we have now, we are losing this history . . . and for locals, this is our history and we can’t let it deteriorate.

 The annual Luau will be held on Friday, July 10, at 6:30 pm at the Sag Harbor Whaling Museum, 200 Main Street. Admission is $100. For more information and to reserve tickets call 725-0770.

 Zach Studenroth

What should people expect from this year’s Energy Fair?

Z.S: This years fair is probably going to be a little bigger than last year, and the exhibits will be interactive. A couple of the solar companies are going to explain the specifics of how their equipment works. At least one of the outfits does energy audits and will talk to people specifically about their homes in terms of the feasibility of refitting their systems to alternative energy and other conservation measures to save on heating.

Obviously, we also want the fair to advertise the exhibit, and have people leave with not only a sense of how urgent alternative energy is right now but its historical context.

Two of our sponsors, Hampton Jitney and Modern Green Home, are helping us with a home tour. The Jitney is providing a coach and we are going to a home in Sagaponack. Modern Green Home renovated this old house, but also added a new wing onto it. The museum is going to be half price that day as a further incentive. The house tour has a fee, which is $20, and we are doing that at noon and at two o’clock. One of the designers will be on the bus with us.

We have a commitment from the town to bring one of the electric minis [which the town is leasing from Mini Cooper as part of a pilot program]. We tried to be somewhat creative in the kind of businesses represented in the fair. Even the Awning Company is one of the participating business members because awnings are an age old remedy for cutting down on sun penetration and air conditioning needs . . . We have several solar installers, like Green Logic, Solar Center and Go Solar. The Flanders Heating and Air Conditioning Company is going to be here. They are starting to install highly efficient systems.

Quite a number of non-profits who send a message in this area, like the Peconic Land Trust and the Riverhead Foundation, will be here. We wanted to broaden the theme to show that this could encompass non-profits who have a conservation mission. Other groups will be the Nature Conservancy, the Sierra Club, the Clean Cities, Renewable Energy on Long Island.

 Where did you get the idea to hold an energy fair?

Z.S: We just did it for the first time last year and it was part of the oil exhibit. When we had the idea for the oil exhibit, I started to do some reading about why whaling went out of business as quickly as it did [in the middle 1800s]. I found a number of scholars had done research [on the topic], and I found the business died quickly mostly due to the fact that the way in which whale’s oil was being harvested and rendered didn’t meet market demands. Beginning around 1850, it gets to the point where the whale oil supply isn’t sufficient . . . For one thing, a whale ship is out at sea for two to three years and they come back with only one boatload of oil. It is very time consuming and labor intensive, and the price of the commodity was reflected by its scarcity. So people began to look for alternative fuels because whale oil had become so expensive. Though whale oil had the reputation as being one of the best quality fuels. It was bright burning and tended to not be smoky or give off a smell . . . but what I find interesting is that the change didn’t happen over night. Years of research had gone into finding alternatives to take the place of whale oil.

When I think about the shift away from whale oil, I think about petroleum. Last year at the pump, gas was almost four dollars a gallon. We seem to be experiencing that same kind of moment in history. The costs of oil are becoming so prohibitive we are trying to find an alternative. That is what drives the decision. Although there are many aspects to this, I think everyone can agree that was drives the transformation of technology is the price of things. That’s why as we developed this exhibit, we also wanted to look at some of those new technologies.

This is a way to bridge the museum to the current world and perhaps help explain something that happened more than a hundred years ago.

 Is the museum planning any ways to go “green”?

Z.S: I have a graduate student starting as an intern next week. He is in his first year in preservation studies at Pratt Institute. He is going to help set-up the fair, but his project for the museum is to study the building and come up with some proposals on how to retrofit the house with more energy efficient heating and cooling systems and lighting. Right now the second floor is heated with an inefficient oil burning system, but the house gets no hot water. There is no installation. There are no storm windows.

At first we want to focus on the exterior and make the building weather tight, and the next step can be to consider climate control systems at least to an extent that will be comfortable for museum visitors, but will protect the collection.

 I asked Bettina this question, but I wanted to know your thoughts on this as well. Why do you think the Whaling museum is an important local institution?

Z.S: It is the only place where visitors can come to understand what the maritime history and culture is of this place. We provide school programming and tours and I think it is important for local children to know the history of their locality.

The Luau brings in a younger group for the most part and we hope people will come into the museum [at the event]. The same is true of the energy fair. We hope people will come in and discover the museum.

 The Sag Harbor Energy Fair will be held on Saturday, July 11, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is free. The Sag Harbor Whaling Museum is located at 200 Main Street. For more information call 725-0770.

As the Sag Harbor Express celebrates its 150th anniversary this week, it is arguably the longest running village publication. Since the late 18th century, though, the village has served as a hot bed for the printed press and despite the size of Sag Harbor, over 14 publications launched themselves on the streets of our village.
From the Frothingham’s Long Island Herald, first published in 1791, to the Harbor Pilot, which was introduced in 1922, the history of Sag Harbor’s newspapers illustrate both global and local histories, but also show a deeper shift in the purpose of the community newspaper.
Before the introduction of the radio, television and Internet, with its myriad news information sites, the village’s newspapers were equal parts literary magazine, international and national news source and local commerce bulletin board, serving as a catch basin of information for local residents.
“Sag Harbor’s earliest newspapers published little in the way of local news. Concentrating instead on a story, sermon, and both national and international events. It is likely that folks learned all the local gossip and goings on at the general store barber shop, or on the street corner,” wrote noted local historian Dorothy Zaykowski, in her book “Sag Harbor – The Story of an American Beauty.”
“Only by reading the shipping news and the classified advertisements could one identify the paper as being published in Sag Harbor without looking at the title of the sheet,” Zaykowski added.
On the front page of a December 6, 1792 edition of the village’s first newspaper, Frothingham’s Long Island Herald which is stored in the John Jermain Memorial Library’s archival room, a reader will find an essay penned by early American intellectual Thomas Paine and the old spelling of Sag Harbor and Long Island, written Sagg Harbour and Long Ifland. A March 22, 1792 edition features a poem titled “Colombian Mill,” a column on the history of war, and advertisements offering cash for “old rags and junk” and one ad placed by a Reverend Zachariah Green of Southold wanting to sell “a valuable Wench in her 19th year.”
With the first publication of Frothingham’s Long Island Herald, Sag Harbor’s place in the annals of newspapers was cemented because Forthinghams was the first newspaper on Long Island. In “Sag Harbor,” Zaykowski reported that subscriptions for the publication were gathered by a post rider traveling throughout the island.
Frothinghams folded after only seven years. Though several publications were launched in the years after the Long Island Herald, many of them fizzled after only a few years, and it wasn’t until The Corrector was first published in 1822 that Sag Harbor had a well-established community paper. According to Zaykowski, Henry Wentworth Hunt arrived to the village from Boston with his three sons, two of whom went on to helm Sag Harbor papers. The Corrector was published on a weekly basis until 1837, when it became a semi-weekly until Hunt passed away in 1859. After Hunt’s death, his son Alexander and Brinley Sleight took over, publishing the newspaper daily, though this business model proved unsuccessful and the paper reverted back to a weekly publication. The Corrector went on to become the Sag Harbor Corrector, and contrasting editions from the mid-1800s to the early 20th century show the shifts in the structure of the community newspaper.
On the front page of the February 7, 1851 issue, advertisements are boldly displayed on a left hand side bar and the rest of the page is dominated with obituary, community items and news pieces, yet there is a noticeable lack of illustrations. By 1918, in the final throes of World War I, The Corrector was a bonafide news bulletin with renderings of servicemen dotting the front page, along with foreign dispatches, news from Washington, D.C., and various sports stories.
The Sag Harbor Corrector was eventually purchased by Burton Corwin, owner of the Sag Harbor News, in 1919 and became the Sag Harbor News and Corrector. This amalgamated newspaper was subsequently purchased by the Gardner family, owners of the Sag Harbor Express, in the late 1920s to become the only Sag Harbor newspaper. Yet even before this media merger, the upstart village newspapers of the time displayed the shift away from international news to focus on the community. A July 5, 1922 issue of The Harbor Pilot, a short lived publication from 1922 through 1924, details an auto accident in the village, several holiday lawn parties taking place that weekend and the dedication of a new Masonic temple.
Much like today, the pages of the Express are filled with the stories of the village and surrounding East End community. Although several larger daily newspapers fold almost every month, journalism professor Karl Grossman believes the tried and true formula of the community newspaper will help it outlive a current shift in the media industry.
“Media has been undergoing great changes as we all know in recent years, [but the community weekly] is a vital source of connecting the community,” reported Grossman. “The community weekly newspapers all over the country are alive and well. They offer a nice collection of stories from news to features and people enjoy its classic format.”

After winning an uncontested election nearly two weeks ago, North Haven Village trustees Jim Smyth and Jeff Sander were sworn in during the monthly board meeting on Tuesday, July 7. The elections were relatively calm, but the village board faces a number of issues moving forward, including the adoption of a flood prevention law, handling of abandoned boats on Sunset Beach Road and noise complaints.
For the past few months, municipalities large and small have drafted new flood prevention laws in response to the updated flood maps produced by Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and North Haven Village is very close to adopting a law to correspond with the new maps. On Tuesday, board members were presented with a 60-page draft of the proposed legislation, prepared by the village attorney Anthony Tohill.
Georgia Welch, the village clerk, informed the board that a copy of the draft was sent to both FEMA and the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) for New York State. FEMA responded to the village in a letter and tacitly stated that the draft law includes all of the new requirements, reported Welch. Although, North Haven is still waiting for a response from the DEC, Welch said Tohill was certain the board could move forward and adopt the law at the next meeting on Tuesday, August 4. Welch noted that the law must be adopted before the end of September to continue North Haven resident’s eligibility for federal flood insurance.
In order to tackle a long-standing problem of local residents abandoning their boats and seafaring apparatuses on the beach near Sunset Beach Road, the village board passed a local law on Tuesday giving them the power to dispose of unpermitted boats or boats left on public beaches after the summer season ends. The law was first introduced last month and was swiftly adopted after a public hearing elicited no comment from community members. Now that the law has been passed, however, the board struggled with how to implement it.
“We have to set up a program to handle these boats … Who will take them off the beach, where will we put them … what about implementation?” asked trustee James Morrissey.
Although the board failed to voice a solution to Morrissey’s first couple of questions, they did agree to post a sign at the public beach alerting the public to the new law. Sander said the sign could stipulate that sea craft storage on the beach is allowed only in the summer and by permit only.
As the board seemed to settle one village issue, another undesirable situation was brought to their attention. Both this summer and last, residents of Maunakea Street have complained about a renter on their block. The Maunakea residents claim the renter regularly hosts several dozen guests and holds parties in the wee hours of the evening. Village building inspector Al Daniels acted as intermediary between the property owner, Joe DeSane, his renter, and an adjacent neighbor, Frank Pintauro, during a meeting held on Friday, June 19.
“DeSane took responsibility for his tenant … [but] I think Mr. Pintauro tried to communicate to the tenant that this year he wasn’t going to just go talk to him [if there was a problem]. This year he will call the police,” reported Daniels.
The next weekend on Saturday, June 27, Pintauro lived up to his word and phoned the police some time after midnight to file a formal noise complaint. Village mayor Laura Nolan reported that she had spoken with an officer out of Southampton Town Police as to what possible repercussions could be brought against the tenant. Nolan said that if three or more neighbors signed an affidavit of a noise summons, then with each noise complaint the tenant could be slapped with a fine as high as $1,000 per incident. The members of the board and Daniels agreed to speak with Tohill about finding a legal means to calming the situation.
“I think we have to do some research,” added Daniels.

By Benito Vila

 Tomorrow night the softball field in Mashashimuet Park will be lit on a Friday night for the first time in many years. The recent rains have washed away five nights of play, leading the Sag Harbor Mens’ Fastpitch Softball League to add an extra night of games to the schedule the next two weeks rather than a whole week of make-ups at the end of July.

The newly revised schedules can be collected at Conca D’Oro this afternoon. Should the rains ever stop, the league plans on completing all its regular season games July 28, opening its semi-final playoffs July 30 and its championship finals August 6.

Tonight’s schedule has league-leader and defending champion Sag Harbor Liquors hosting Pilinko Plumbing and Heating at 7 p.m., followed by Beyel Plumbing and Heating at Southampton Publick House at 8:45 p.m. Tomorrow, T&S Mott General Contracting takes on Beyel early with Decker’s Scrubs bumping up against Liquors late.

On Monday, the Scrubs meet Mott early with Liquors taking it to the Publick House late. On Tuesday the schedule has Pilinko playing a pair, hosting Beyel early and visting the Hysterical Society late. Next Wednesday, it’s Mott at Beyel and Decker at Liquors for the second time in the same week.

Standings and More

With rain canceling last Wednesday’s contests and doing the same to Tuesday’s, there were only four games played this week. Mott played two of the four, outlasting Pilinko 14-13 in eight innings last Thursday and sliding past Publick House 10-6 Monday.

Liquors humbled Hysterical late last Thursday in a one-sided affair and Decker did the same to Beyel on Monday. Those four outcomes leave Liquors in first at 9-1 with Mott second, at 8-2, and Decker third, at 7-3.

Those three teams have all but clinched playoff spots, with Pilinko, at 4-8, and the Publick House, at 3-7, closest behind, competing for the last berth. Beyel, at 2-6, and Hysterical, at 2-8, are still in the running with a whole lot of ground to make up.

Last night the Hysterical Society played two games, doubling up against Mott early and then Decker late.

Above: Whaler Tim Welch tossed a near perfect game in his first Mashashimuet Park start last Sunday. His new teammates outscored the Ospreys 8-0

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Pierson baseball MVP Casey Crowley was named to the Class C All-State fourth team, the announcement coming from the Suffolk County Baseball Coaches Association on Tuesday.

Primarily a pitcher and catcher for the Whalers this spring, Crowley helped the Whalers take the 2009 Suffolk County Class C baseball title. The team posted a 15-8 overall record before losses in the county and regional tournaments ended their season.

Crowley, a senior this past school year, is set to attend Florida State in the fall.

Little League News

 Pitching Ousts Stars

The 2009 Sag Harbor-Bridgehampton Little League 11-and-12-year old “all-star” baseball team was eliminated from the district tournament last Thursday in a 10-2 loss to Hampton Bays at Lions Field in Bridgehampton. Manager Tom LaGrassa praised his stars in their effort to overcome “a hard thrower. Down 10-0, they battled back for one in the fifth and another in the sixth. It was enough to keep the game going but not enough to get close. We had more runners on but that’s all we got in.”

Manager LaGrassa described his team, which lost to Riverhead in game one and outlasted Southampton in extra innings in game two, as “a good group of kids that really played hard and pulled themselves up when they got down. There’s a lot of talent and potential there that bodes well for Pierson baseball.”

The under-12 Little League programs now go on hiatus until the board elections in the fall and the winter clinics after Christmas. Those looking for organized games must hold out for the All-Pro Sports Academy baseball and softball camps in Mashashimuet Park the week of August 10 to 14.

That camp has a 9 a.m.-to-noon softball program for players ages 7 to 15. The baseball program has two sessions: one for players ages five and six from 9 a.m. to noon and one for players ages 7 to 15 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. More information on the camp is available at allprosportsacademy.com.

Senior Leaguers 2-2

Off to a quick 2-0 start, the 13-to-15-year old Little League “senior leaguers” were slowed a bit by a pair of one-run losses this week. On Thursday, East Hampton rallied for a 5-4 win, coming back from a 4-0 deficit. On Monday, Hampton Bays scored two in the bottom of the seventh to pull out a 2-1 win.

In Thursday’s loss, Sag Harbor starter Jake Weingartner saw all the runs come in following physical and mental errors in the field. In his first three innings on the mound, Weingartner allowed just one hit and one unearned run in striking out three and walking four. In the fourth, four hits and two errors erased the early Sag Harbor lead.

Providing scoreless and no-hit relief were Michael Heller and Forrest Loesch. Heller retired the Bonackers in order in the fifth with Loesch coming on to get the last two outs of the sixth with runners on first and second.

In Hampton Bays on Monday in the top of the sixth inning, Kyle Sturmann slid safely into home following an infield grounder by Lukas Wheeler, beating the Baymen first baseman’s throw and breaking a 0-0 tie.

Whaler pitcher Colman Vila threw six innings of one-hit ball striking out 10, before a lead-off single, a steal and a throwing error tied the game in the seventh. A walk and another single pushed Vila to the Little League pitch limit, reliever Jake Bennett being rudely greeted by a sharp single. With the bases-loaded, Bennett notched a strikeout before a walk brought in the go-ahead run.

The senior leaguers were set to host Hampton Bays yesterday before going there again on Monday. East Hampton comes to the park next Wednesday, the teams having split their first two games. The senior league games begin at 5:30 p.m.

 “I’ve always been a fan of the dri-ve-in,” admits Sag Harbor’s Debbie Skinner. “I grew up by the Whitestone Bridge in Queens — in the south Bronx there was the Whitestone Drive-In.”

“When I moved out here, we often went to the drive-in in Bridgehampton before the Commons were built,” adds Skinner. “When the children were small, we’d put them in pjs and pile them into the station wagon. We’d turn the car sideways so everyone could see. Sometimes we would bring a hibachi.”

Skinner is the director of Sag Harbor’s YARD (Youth Advocacy and Resource Development) program which provides recreational activities for teens. Skinner oversees the recreation program at Long Beach (offered Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays through Labor Day). In addition to supervising activities like beach volleyball, each summer, Skinner selects the film to be screened at Long Beach courtesy of Southampton Town, which hosts movies throughout town each summer. Skinner’s still mulling over which flick to pick for this year’s screening on August 3 at Long Beach.

“It has to be as entertaining to the parents as to the children,” opines Skinner. “It has to be rated G or PG and it really has to appeal to a lot of people on a lot of different levels. I was thinking of ‘Mall Cop’ for this year.”

Maybe it’s the economy, or maybe it’s just sheer nostalgia, but outdoor movies, it seems, have returned in a big way. It’s been years since locals could to go to the Bridgehampton Drive-In, located where King Kullen is now. But the theater is still recalled with great fondness.

“I always loved the dancing hot dogs and the ‘10 minutes to go’ scene… that was the best part,” says Skinner. “Plus those big clunky speakers you put on the window.”

Purists, brace yourself. Big clunky speakers are no more, having gone the way of the Edsel. An FM car radio is how it’s done now. The Southampton Chamber of Commerce is planning a “drive-in night” at the Elks Grounds on County Road 39 this month (“Madagascar Escape 2 Africa” is scheduled for July 23), and this one will allow viewers to watch from their cars — using the radio to hear the soundtrack. Viewers are also invited to bring blankets or beach chairs and watch from ground level in front of the cars.

This is the first time the Southampton Chamber has offered movie s — it’s a fundraiser for the organization — and for executive director Millie Fellingham, it was vital that people be able to watch from the car, just like in the old days. Zac Allentuck, a chamber member and founder of Hamptons Drive-In, a company that provides outdoor movies all over the East End, assured her it could be done.

“There’s nothing like it — you can’t beat it,” says Fellingham who grew up in Smithtown and remembers going to many a drive-in. “It was just fabulous. When I was in fourth grade, my parents took us to see ‘Psycho.’ They thought we’d sleep, but we were awake and peeking over the backseat. It’s stayed with me. I took a shower last night and I thought, ‘I didn’t lock the door!’”

One reason the outdoor movie may have made a comeback in recent years is the equipment. Portable inflatable screens come in all sizes and instead of temperamental movie projectors with bulbs that burn out and reels that need changing, it’s possible to project a film from DVD without losing quality.

For the second summer, Silas Marder is offering outdoor films on the hay wall at his gallery property on Snake Hollow Road, in Bridgehampton. Ironically, his outdoor theater is just on the other side of the railroad tracks from the old Bridgehampton drive-in. The occasional train passing by, he notes, adds to the ambiance. Guests bring picnics and blankets and make themselves comfortable on the grass or hay bales. To keep mosquitoes at bay, Marders mists an organic peppermint spray before screenings as a repellent — a little aroma therapy with the film.

“We do a 10 film series now,” says Marder. “In the last few years, we’ve done three or four a season. It’s always something we wanted in the overall program at Marder’s. The far side of the garden is where the films are screened and I designed it to show films — there’s a slope, a platform and a stage. When you’re there, you don’t feel anywhere near the rest of the world.”

“I wanted the gallery at Marder’s to be more than just artwork,” he adds. “I grew up down the road from Ashawagh Hall. It’s such a community center, I wanted this to be a place where people could go and have interaction and be engaged.”

While other venues lean toward family animated films for their series, Marder goes for older offerings at his theater — black and white favorites including cult classics, thriller pics, westerns or film school masterpieces. Marder recalls being influenced by films he studied in school in New York and London.

“That was really fantastic,” he says. “A lot of the ideas paralleled things I learned about garden design and bigger concepts at the time. We’ve done lots of Hitchcock and Orson Welles. I’m a huge enthusiast of Orson Welles.’

“We want to challenge people a little bit,” adds Marder. “Everyone’s been really present and into it. They show up early, bring a picnic and a beach chair or blanket, let the sun set over the hay wall and get comfortable.”

Showing old films also gives people an opportunity to relive the group experience of watching a classic generally seen these days in the privacy of a living room.

“There’s a sense of camaraderie, everyone applauded at the end when we showed ‘The Graduate’ last week.” he says. “There’s something about being outside with the moonlight, the garden — it’s this classic Hampton’s experience. People are looking for something real.”

“Last year, it rained in the middle of the Marx Brothers, but most everyone stayed,” says Marder. “That’s the biggest part of the experience. In a home or even an indoor theater, it’s such a controlled environment, you don’t get that spontaneity. This makes it something different.”

The Line-Up

Movies at Marder’s (120 Snake Hollow Road, Bridgehampton, 702-2306) offers John Ford’s “The Searchers” on July 10, Stanley Kubrick’s “Dr. Strangelove” on July 17, Michael Curtiz’s “The Adventures of Robin Hood” on July 24, Francois Truffaut’s “Jules and Jim” on July 31, Billy Wilder’s “Some Like it Hot” on August 7, Don Siegel’s “Invasion of the Body Snatchers” on August 14, William Friedkin’s “The French Connection” on August 21, Michael Curtiz’s “Casablanca” on August 28. Films are free and begin at dusk. Bring a beach chair and picnic.

Southampton Chamber of Commerce “Drive-In Movie” (Southampton Elks Ground, 605 County Road 39A, Southampton) will be “Madagascar Escape 2 Africa” on July 23 (raindate July 28). Gates open 7 p.m. Admission is $40 per carload for in-car viewing ($25 per carload for general parking — bring blanket or chair). Film starts at dark. Refreshments will be available for sale. Proceeds benefit the chamber’s Building Expansion Fund. Call 283-0402 for more information or reservations.

“Goonies” will be screened on July 14, 8 p.m. on the grounds of The Jewish Center of the Hamptons, 44 Woods Lane, East Hampton. Bring a blanket or beach chair. Popcorn will be served. Suggested donation is $7 ($5 child) and benefits Camp Karole. Call 324-9858 for details.

A series of three Family Movie Nights of ‘80s Classics will be offered at the Children’s Museum of the East End (376 Bridgehampton/Sag Harbor Turnpike, Bridgehampton) — “Big” on July 9 (raindate July 13), “Back to the Future” on July 30 (raindate August 6) and “Ghostbusters on August 13 (raindate August 18). CMEE’s amphitheater opens at 7:30 p.m. and movies begin at dark. Admission is $10 ($5 child). Beverages, snacks and popcorn will be available. The series is sponsored by the East Hampton Rotary Club. Call 537-8250 for details.

Southampton Town’s “Movies in The Park” are scheduled for Monday, July 20, 8:30 p.m. at the Westhampton Beach Great Lawn, Monday, August 3, 8:30 p.m. at Long Beach, Sag Harbor and Monday, August 17, 8 p.m. at East Quogue’s Village Green. Bring a blanket and bug spray. Call 728-8585 for details.

Above: A movie on the haywall at Marder’s

by Marianna Levine

Luis Murillo, a 16-year-old Pierson High School student, may be the youngest member of the Choral Society of the Hamptons, yet his voice already has the warmth and maturity of a more experienced singer. Murillo is eager to point out that he has come a long way vocally since arriving in Sag Harbor from his native Costa Rico just three years ago. There was a time, he smiles, when, “I was almost tone deaf. I couldn’t match pitch.”

When Murillo arrived with his mother Lydia in 2005, he could barely speak English, since then he has not only worked hard on developing his singing voice but also speaks an almost perfect English.

“I was in ESL classes in eighth and ninth grades, but then I tested out after two years.”

Murillo adds that it is fairly unusual to test out of ESL in two years, but he is clearly a hard working and determined young man. He explains that he has been interested in the stage and performance since childhood, but as a child in Costa Rica he failed the exam to go to the music school, La Sinfonica which almost stymied his career.

“From the second or third grade on I wanted to sing or play an instrument,” says Luis. “I’d look at a stage and emotionally it felt like home, but as a child I was quite hyper active, and I was always yelled at in my music prep classes. But it didn’t stop me from singing. I used to watch Bugs Bunny cartoons and copy the pieces of classical music the characters would sing.”

He explains that his school in Costa Rica just didn’t have any musical or creative enrichment programs like Pierson has here. You either were accepted at La Sinfonica or you’d have to be content with the curriculum at the regular school.

“The musical world is always very present here,” he says. ‘At school here they have talent shows, musicals, and chorus.”

Murillo explains that his singing career started when Pierson’s choral teacher caught him singing to himself in the school hallway. She proceeded to invite him to participate in the school’s chorus, and from then on several opportunities presented themselves to him, which eventual led him to receive The Playhouse’s Elizabeth Brockman Promise Award in 2008 as well as his current participation in the Choral Society of the Hamptons.

Murillo prefers to focus the conversation on all the teachers and people who have helped him rather than on his own hard work and achievement, but the truth is he has had to work hard at part time jobs to be able to afford the vocal classes he needs to further his career.

Murillo explains that his mother, who supports his love of music even if she doesn’t fully understand it, is currently sending three daughters to college in Costa Rica. He does add that his first vocal teacher Ute Rose, as well as Pierson’s current choral teacher Suzanne Nicoletti, Jane Ross, and The Playhouse’s Myra Banks have helped or are helping him to pay for private vocal classes. This summer he will be taking classes with opera singer Robert White at Juilliard.

Opera really is Murillo’s hobby and passion. It started with a DVD of ‘Phantom of the Opera,” but has since morphed into a serious admiration for Verdi. Murillo saves money all year to buy Met Opera tickets as well the Jitney fare into the city. He relates that Opera really appeals to him because, “I love moving while singing. I like to feel the music.”

In the meantime, singing for the Hamptons Choral Society has been an amazing experience according to Murillo.

“There’s nothing like being in a group and singing for an audience,” he says. “You really get to practice what you’re learning. I’ve learned to blend my voice with others. It’s been a great opportunity for me to perform.”

The Choral Society of the Hamptons performs Brahms’ German Requiem this Saturday, July 11 at 8 p.m. at the Old Whalers’ Church, 44 Union Street, Sag Harbor. Tickets are $30 and available by calling 725-2499. 

 Above: Luis Murillo