The Sands Point Board of Trustees received a clean audit, presented its upcoming $16.7M budget, and approved a series of resolutions Tuesday night, while also addressing resident concerns about transparency and proposed municipal fees.
The meeting opened with a presentation from the village’s external auditors, R.S. Abrams & Co., who praised Sands Point’s financial condition and internal oversight.
The auditors reported no material weaknesses or significant deficiencies and issued an “unmodified opinion,” the highest level of assurance.
Village Mayor Peter Forman welcomed the report, telling auditors, “We appreciate you keeping our feet to the fire and letting us know when we’re doing good, or great or bad, and thankfully it’s mostly good.”
Later in the meeting, Forman read from a written statement prepared by the village’s accountant, which described Sands Point as “at the very top” among Long Island municipalities in management, operational efficiency and financial performance.
The statement highlighted consistent operating surpluses and the village’s high bond rating from Moody’s Investors Service of Aa1, the second highest investment grade tier.
“And I can tell you that I am depending on getting that raised even more,” Forman said.
The board opened and closed a public hearing on the tentative budget for the fiscal year ending May 31, 2027, without public comment.
The tentative budget totals $16,672,739, and the village remains within New York State’s property tax cap with a 1.26% increase. The 2026 actual tax levy was $11,290,715; the allowable levy for 2027 is approximately $11.86 million.
During a public hearing on updates to village code chapter 82 governing fees and deposits, resident Michele Nudelman questioned whether the proposals had been made available to the public in advance.
“I understand this is a public hearing,” Nudelman said, “but if they’re not published in advance, what are we discussing?”
She also questioned the legality of a $25,000 zoning-related fee, arguing it may not comply with New York law, which requires such charges to reflect actual administrative costs.
The concerns she referenced relate to the village’s existing fee structure, which requires applicants to cover the village’s actual costs for engineering, legal, inspection and other review expenses, often through deposits that are later reconciled.
Under current law, applicants must pay all administrative costs associated with their project, and if initial deposits are insufficient, they must make up the difference before approvals are finalized. Any excess funds may be returned.
“There’s case law saying that the fees have to be related to the cost of review,” Nudelman said. “I am worried, as a citizen of this village, that you are incurring liabilities… that are not necessarily legal.”
Forman acknowledged the concerns and said the board would consider them further outside the meeting.
“It’s the first I’m hearing of it, and I appreciate that,” Forman said. “We’re very open-minded to all different commentary… we’ll take that offline and give it some thought.”
Following the hearings, trustees voted to adopt the slate of local laws discussed, including the updates to fees and deposits.
The board then moved ahead with several resolutions, including authorizing a fireworks display at the Village Club of Sands Point for Labor Day on Aug. 30, accepting a bid for pool furniture, and approving the purchase of maintenance and utility equipment for upgrades to The Grille at discounted prices. Trustees also approved the purchase of a new police patrol vehicle.
In infrastructure updates, Forman discussed the failure of a 120-foot cellular monopole and the rapid installation of a temporary replacement to maintain service. The village is now evaluating insurance coverage and long-term replacement options.
Forman also highlighted improvements in water quality, noting PFOS levels have dropped from detectable to undetectable following installation of a granulated activated carbon filtration system.
The board also confirmed an upcoming village election scheduled for June 16.
