September 2026 Newsletter

villageofgreenport.gov

Happy New School Year!

School is back in session. Please slow down in school zones, stay alert, and watch for children crossing the street and getting on and off school buses. Be prepared to stop for a stopped school bus, and when the red lights are flashing, STOP! Wishing all our students, teachers, and staff a fun and successful school year!

Raising the Ice Rink

Congrats to the Raise the Rink Committee for a successful kickoff fundraiser event last month in Mitchell Park. Donations are still being accepted here.

Third Street Basketball Court Mural Open Call Deadline Extended

A large scale mural against the fence on a windscreen at the Third Street basketball court is being planned. Interested artists can apply here. The deadline has been extended through September 30th. The original mural by John Mims that was against the fence towards the back will be reinstalled on the driveway side of the park. New backboards were installed, and other improvements are ongoing. Thank you for your support as we make improvements to the court!

Historic District Expansion Grant Update

Preservation Studios is in the narrative preparation phase of the 2026 Historic District Expansion Project. Through a grant, they are completing the official State and National Register nomination work. Their specific tasks include mapping out areas to the north, south, east, and west of the current boundary, documenting exterior architectural details, and defining the historic "Period of Significance" to help qualify roughly 190 additional properties for residential and commercial tax credits and preservation grants. Their nomination draft will be completed by November 25 and shared with the Historic Preservation Commission and Village for review. The State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) will work with Preservation Studios to further refine the nomination and determine whether it is sufficiently complete and merits advancement to the next stage of the nomination process. We are on track for property owners and Village Board consideration in late winter or early spring of 2027.

Buses Replace LIRR Trains

• As of Tuesday, September 8th, buses replace trains between Ronkokoma and Greenport from 7am to 6:30pm Monday through Thursday and from 7am to 3pm on Fridays. This planned service change is in effect through Tuesday, November 6th.
• This weekend and next, Saturdays and Sundays, September 12-13 and 19-20, buses will also replace trains between Central Islip and Greenport.

Fire Alarm Sirens to Commemorate September 11th

• Fire Department sirens will go off the morning of Friday, September 11th in honor of the 25th anniversary of September 11th at the following times: 8:46am, 9:03am, 9:37am, 9:59am, 10:07am, and 10:28am.

Deer Management Program Permit Lottery Open

• Apply for the bow hunting permit lottery for the 2026-2027 deer management season at Village Hall by September 25th. Find more information and the application here.

Brush Pickup and Leafblower Reminder

• New brush pickup guidelines requiring paper bags are now in effect. See the full schedule and guidelines here. Remember that gas powered leaf blowers are banned in the village and fines will be levied on property owners.

Email Our State Senator for a Village Lodging Tax

• Earlier this year, the Village of Greenport asked its New York State representatives to support New York State legislation authorizing the Village to enact a local lodging tax, similar to authority already granted to more than 50 towns and villages across the state. A lodging tax would allow overnight visitors staying in hotels and other covered accommodations to contribute toward the costs of Village infrastructure and services that support tourism, rather than placing those costs solely on local property taxpayers. The State legislation would not itself impose a tax; it would simply give the Village the authority to consider one locally, including its rate, scope and use of revenues. Assemblyman Tommy John Schiavoni has introduced legislation in the State Assembly, and the Village is seeking corresponding legislation and support from State Senator Anthony Palumbo, who to date has refused to support the Village on this important matter. The Village is asking residents who support giving Greenport this local authority to contact Senator Palumbo and urge him to support and sponsor the necessary Senate legislation. A brief sample message residents may use or personalize appears below and here.

PROPOSED EMAIL (send to palumbo@nysenate.gov):

Dear Senator Palumbo,

As a Greenport resident, I am writing to ask you to support and sponsor Senate legislation giving the Village of Greenport the authority to consider a local lodging tax, as has been authorized for many other New York communities. Please give Greenport residents the same opportunity to decide this issue locally. Thank you for your consideration.

Your full name

Your street address

Greenport, NY 11944

Friday, September 11 | 9/11 Remembrance Ceremony 11am • Third Street Firehouse Grounds

Sunday, September 13 | Rites of Spring Music Festival 3-7pm • Mitchell Park

Monday, September 14 | Dances in the Park (Gene Casey rescheduled) 6-8pm • Mitchell Park

Thursday, September 17 | Office Hours with Assemblyman Tommy Schiavoni 12-2pm • Little Red School House

Friday, September 18 | Poppy Johnson: Introspective Opening 5-7pm • Floyd Memorial Library

Monday, September 21 | Dances in the Park (NOIZ rescheduled) 6-8pm • Mitchell Park

Friday-Sunday, September 25-27 | Maritime Land & Sea Gala and Festival 10-5pm Saturday & Sunday • Downtown

Sunday, September 27 | Concert at the Caboose 2pm • Railroad Museum

Tai Chi in Mitchell Park | Saturdays 9-10am (Free!)

Farmers Market in Mitchell Park | Saturdays 9am-1pm

Camera Obscura | Saturday & Sunday 10am-12pm, and by appointment

Carousel | Open Saturday, Sunday & Greenport School Holidays 11-5pm (Credit Cards Only)

Mini Train | Open Saturday & Sunday 11am-3pm (Credit Cards Only)

Concert at the Caboose | Sunday, October 11, 2pm • Railroad Museum

Impact Photography Show Opening | Saturday, October 24 • North Fork Arts Center

Halloween Parade & Mini Train Spooktacular | Friday & Saturday, October 30 & 31 • Downtown & Mini Train

• The Carousel and Mini Railroad committees are looking for new members, especially parents of younger children.

• The Communication Committee is seeking members with graphic design, social media, and writing experience.

• The Camera Obscura and Dances in the Park have ongoing volunteer opportunities. Dances in the Park is also seeking committee members.

For more information and to apply to any of the above, email info@villageofgreenport.gov. For any committees, please include a paragraph or two about yourself, why you’re interested in serving on the committee, and any particular experience or knowledge you feel might be helpful. If you're interested in a committee, you can also apply here.

Southold Town committees are always open to Greenport residents, and Greenporters are encouraged to apply. It's important to have our voices and perspectives represented on town-wide issues. Find descriptions and meeting schedules for committees here. If interested, attend a committee meeting and contact the Town Clerk's office for more information and to put your application on file for when there are openings.

Southold Town Passes Public Safety Resolution

New Meat Market Opens Downtown

Community Rallies to Revive Ice Rink

Spotlight on Faith Welch

Board of Trustees

Water Security & Conservation

The Village of Greenport Board of Trustees welcomed representatives from the Suffolk County Water Authority (SCWA) to discuss critical issues concerning our local drinking water supply, environmental challenges, and future infrastructure planning.

• Local Environmental Threats: Rising sea levels and aggressive seasonal pumping threaten local wells with both lateral and vertical saltwater intrusion. Due to these environmental issues, of Greenport's 13 historically owned wells, only 8 remain functional today. Additionally, approximately 25 East End wells require specialized treatment for pesticides and herbicides used in local farming.

• Summer Demands and the "Irrigation Strain": Water demand spikes significantly from May to August driven overwhelmingly by residential irrigation and lawn watering systems. These seasonal surges drop system pressure, creating potential safety risks when trying to meet critical infrastructure needs, such as supplying fire hydrants and medical facilities. In response, the SCWA implements odd/even watering schedules and requests that residents refrain from lawn irrigation between 10am and 4pm.

• Looking to the Future: The SCWA is actively investing in robust ground and elevated water storage tanks and advancing an eastward pipeline expansion designed to bring clean water to Southold, allowing over-taxed, shallow coastal wells to be taken offline so the aquifer can naturally replenish.

Thanks to Trustee Robins

The Mayor, Board of Trustees and community thanked Julia Robins, who stepped down from her position as Trustee on September 1st, for her extensive service to the Village.

The Maritime Festival

• To be held Friday, September 25 through Sunday, September 27. 
• The Land and Sea gala will be held Friday evening in Mitchell Park.
• Festival activities will take place in Mitchell Park and along Main and Front Streets. Expect partial street closures on Main and Front Streets. 
• 15% of the proceeds from the Gala and the weekend will go to the East End Seaport Museum.
• More information and a full schedule can be found online.

Fire Department

• Good news for the Village, there have been 138 fewer calls this month (this year) than there were this month, last year.  
• On September 11th, in recognition of the 25th Anniversary, sirens will sound to commemorate the significant events of that day.

Deer Management

15 permits for deer hunting season, October 1, 2026-Jan 31, 2027, will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. Applications are available at Village Hall and submissions are being accepted until September 25, 2026.

Voter Registration

Voter registration forms are available at Village Hall. There is no special or separate registration necessary to vote in the Village elections. New York state voters may also register online.

Dances in the Park

Dances in the Park will be extended into September (Monday Sept 14, 2026 6-8pm and Monday Sept 21, 2026 from 6-8pm) to accommodate band performances that were cancelled this summer due to rain.

Revenue from Paid Parking

Original revenue expectations for paid parking ($165,000) have already been exceeded. As of September 8, $236,000 has been collected, which is approximately $71,000 more than originally collected. This revenue reduces the amount that would otherwise need to be raised through property taxes. The $236,000 collected to date represents approximately 16% of total property tax revenue and is equivalent to approximately $195 per residence in potential property tax increases avoided.

Minutes & Video

Meeting minute transcripts and videos of the Board of Trustees special meeting, work session and regular session are or will be posted on the Village website.

Planning Board & Zoning Board of Appeals

There is no business to report from the Zoning Board of Appeals and Planning Board meetings other than specific property applications. Agendas and meeting minute transcripts for Planning can be found here and for Zoning can be found here when they are posted. You will find recorded videos of these meetings on the Village website as well.

Upcoming Meetings (Third Street Firehouse)

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Village of Greenport, New York.

All Rights Reserved.

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