Two seats open on Sea Cliff board and three running

There are three people running for two open board seats in this year’s Village of Sea Cliff election on March 21. Two incumbents from the Civic Progress Party, Dina Epstein and Jeffrey Vitale are facing off against Deborah McDermott from the Sea Cliff Open Government Party.

Ultimately, it will be up to voters to decide whom they wish to represent them on the new village government. We asked the candidates to share with us why they believe they are qualified and what plans they have if they win to assist voters before they cast their votes.

Q: What issues do you believe are most important in Sea Cliff?

Epstein: Most important is how to preserve the character and charm of our village given the outside pressures of development, increased traffic, societal, political and technological change.

Vitale: Sea Cliff residents are concerned about what they believe is a lack of transparency within village government. The construction going on at the Glen Cove Waterfront Project and how it’s going to impact our community is another. Many are concerned that the large structures will damage the beautiful view that Sea Cliff beach is known for, increase the amount of traffic that will infiltrate our area as well as the potential harm it will do to the surrounding environment. Many residents are also worried about property taxes. And many are unhappy about who much American Water is charging for their services.

McDermott: At the moment, it is transparency and open communications. Additionally, the water rate and surcharges, sewer projects, their costs and potential effects, development and our relationships with surrounding areas are issues that are at hand and have the potential to change the quality of life in Sea Cliff.

What have you accomplished as a trustee or if you are running for the first time, what do you hope to accomplish?

Epstein: I have worked cooperatively with the mayor and other trustees to pass resolutions, to make decisions and to conduct the business of the village. I also work with groups other than the Board of Trustees to get things done. I have contributed to accomplishing several things in the past two years. I’ve been fighting the Garvies Point development in Glen Cove, which will negatively impact Sea Cliff — we are continuing that fight with an appeal. I’ve been working to keep taxes flat, keep Sea Cliff's bond rating at AA+ and am working to continue to keep our fiscal stress at zero. I’ve also worked to keep a high level of services for residents without tax increases.

While I’ve been a trustee we’ve working to make infrastructure improvements to the village's historic buildings and to our roads without tax increases. We also passed a veterans' tax exemption and worked with the North Shore Coalition Against Substance Abuse. We are planning to expand the Flutterby Butterfly Garden this spring which we worked on initially with the Butterfly Committee. I believe it is important to work with the Environmental Conservation Commission to conserve butterflies and pollinators and am working on composting and recycling initiatives.

Vitale: Though I have only been a trustee for two months, I have used that time productively and focused on how to utilize my specific skill-set to benefit the village. I have participated in meetings with the North Shore Coalition Against Substance Abuse and volunteered to continue to help organize our community, local businesses, parents and residents to fight opioid abuse. I was also given the responsibility to be the liaison for the youth groups within our community. We are looking into having more sports/exercise related events that can help teach kids that staying healthy isn’t just important, but fun. I have also been sharing different grant opportunities that I think are very relevant to the village with members of the board to see if there are additional projects we can undertake without passing the financial burden on to the tax payer.

McDermott: I have a different background, experience and community ties from the other candidates. My expertise in communications would serve the community by helping to bring more openness to our government, supporting people’s need to be well informed and foster productive dialogue between the community and the board. I am offering my skills, experience, insight and perspective.

How will your professional experiences effect your work as a trustee?

Epstein: I have a lot of experience and an understanding about how to get things done because of my volunteer work with the village and with other community groups. I was the first woman to chair the village’s ZBA, served on the Zoning Board of Appeals for several years, have been the attorney/mentor to the mock trial team at Sea Cliff School and at North Shore Middle School.

My professional experience as an attorney has assisted me as a trustee. I understand the law and that compliance with the Village Code is paramount.  As for the issues that arise, which I have not dealt with professionally, I know how to do the research.  The analytical skills I have developed practicing law are helpful and I utilize my drafting skills when working on village laws, policies and other documents for the village.

Vitale: During the course of my professional career, I have had the benefit of working in many different fields. After college, I worked briefly in finance selling bonds and other fixed income products. From there I worked as a sales consultant, digital marketing and even as a companion for a patient in hospice care, which was one of the most life-changing experiences that I have ever had. However, as it pertains to the role of Sea Cliff Village Trustee, my current position is what makes me a perfect fit. I have been working with the Town of Oyster Bay since 2010. I’ve worked to secure grant funding for a variety of projects that the town regularly carried out. Since 2013, I have helped bring back over $35 million to the town through grant programs. I believe that my municipal experience will be of great benefit when performing the duties of trustee.

I also worked for many years at the Glen Head Boys and Girls Club where I enjoyed working with children of all ages. I believe this will be an asset when I begin working as a youth group liaison.

McDermott: I can bring my talent as the chair of the North Shore Board of Education’s Legislative Action Committee — which advocates for the school district on complex legislative issues that affect educational policy and funding — to the job of village trustee. We had a Legislation Night, which brought together all of our local representatives to share information about issues. I was able to help build the relationship between these government leaders and their constituents.

What are some of the challenges that you believe the village will face?

Epstein: Of course, we will face challenges in the coming years. Traffic congestion, keeping our streets safe, addressing the Long Island opioid epidemic, ensuring water quality and protecting our beach front are some of the issues we will face. 

I am already addressing the issues by investigating possible solutions by networking with other municipalities who have experience in these issues, and by listening to and collaborating with our residents. I attend conferences addressing issues such as water quality have joined larger organizations such as The North Shore Coalition Against Substance Abuse to work with the larger community to address problems that reach outside of the village.

Vitale: Transparency is a challenge. I am making sure that village information is easily obtainable from our website, including telephone numbers and email addresses, so the public can communicate with us and we can have a free and open dialogue about village issues. The Glen Cove Waterfront is another challenge. I am working on continuing the legal procedures to stop construction. Concurrently, we are working to be ready to respond to any issues that arise due to this project such as environmental hazards, changing in traffic patterns and the possible interruption of recreational water activities. One of the main points is to protect our waterways and I hope to work with environmental groups like the Hempstead Harbor Protection Committee to conduct regular water quality testing.