John A. Zaccaro, Jr.

Dear Friends and Neighbors:

I am writing to inform you that I am running for re-election as Trustee in the Village of Saltaire and would like your vote on May 23, 2003.

As Trustee for the past two years, and recently appointed Deputy Mayor, I have been assigned to oversee Public Works, Legal Affairs & Contracts, Justice Court, and Code Revisions.  I have worked to guarantee Saltaire;s long-term financial viability and to prevent another substantial tax increase in the near future.  To reach these goals, I have focused on fiscal responsibility, controlling spending, and prioritizing and financing alternatives for capital projects.

Public Works

When I joined the Board two years ago, I found that Saltaire was burdened with the cost of several major capital improvement projects such as a beach renourishment project, the rebuilding of both the ferry terminal in Bay Shore and the Saltaire dock, the upgrading of our water system, the overhauling of the boardwalks, and the upgrading of our emergency notification system.  As Trustee in charge of Public Works, I have focused on these projects and their financial impact on Saltaire in the short and long term.

I have fought for the beach renourishment project, which is awaiting the issuance of permits from the Fire Island National Seashore (FINS), and I support the project provided the recent tax increase will finance the project for the length of the benefit I do not support the previous beach financing structure approved by previous boards whereby the term of the bond financing exceeds the benefit of the project by 10 years.

As a member of the Dock Committee, I was intimately involved in the final dock design submitted to the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC).  We have received $500,000 in federal grants that will significantly reduce our bond issue.

We have not yet commenced rebuilding our ferry terminal in Bay Shore, and I am investigating a cost saving alternative of refacing the bulkhead with types of hardwood instead of steel, which would save close to $400,000 from our original estimate.

Tax Savings & Fiscal Management

In the past two years I have proposed and fought for cost-saving measures and revenue changes, which would have saved Saltaire taxpayers over $320,000, which represents an 8% savings of our $2 million annual budget. To date, the Board has implemented some of my ideas, which have realized savings of $97,000.

I have done financial analyses of Saltaire's five revenue streams, i.e., ferry service, parking lot, recreation program, marina, and taxes, to determine precisely what our income is now and in the future.

• I proposed opting out of our ferry and freight contracts—which will net the Village an additional $62,000 in income and provide better service.
  
  
• I suggested using our parking lot for winter boat storage and negotiated the parking lot contract to permit such use, which should net the Village $10,000.
  
  
• I analyzed and determined that the Recreation program was not generating income of $40,000 per year, but was actually losing $52,672 28 ($131.68 per Saltaire taxpayer) per year. The Board agreed with my analysis and as a result we increased fees, especially for non-Saltaire residents, raising an additional $18,000.
  
  
• I instituted closing the garbage incinerator during the winter to reduce the annual renovation and repair cost of $38,326.53 and to extend the life of the equipment, which cannot be replaced.
  
  
• I am working on replacing our current boardwalks, one of our largest expenditures, with a stronger and more durable hardwood, which should impart huge savings over the life of our boardwalks. Samples are currently on the aprons of Marine and Neptune walks in a test for aesthetics and durability.
  
  
• I analyzed the Village budget looking at our expenditures for cost savings opportunities. I proposed and the Board hired an electrical engineer to determine both our fire risk and if we could reduce our annual $23,936.88 electric cost on the Firehouse and Wells.
  
  
• I worked with the Administrator in analyzing our Bayfront swim area to see if we could reduce the annual costs of $5,300
  
  
• I researched the Village's ability to recoup its annual $9,000 ambulance supplies cost through other communities without jeopardizing our relationship with Suffolk County.
  
  
• With the help of the Fire Department it was determined that more than half of Saltaire's ambulance callse are from outside of Saltaite and that the Fire Department should not bear that burden.
  
  
• I proposed leasing equipment, such as a copier, instead of purchasint and maintaining said equipment in a beach environment.
  
  

Legal Affairs & Contracts

I negotiated, modified and pushed for the resolution of the Fire Department and village carting service contracts, both of which had been unsigned by the Village for almost a year Most recently, I fought to revise the Fire Island Ferry and Bay Shore parking lot contracts, which will improve ferry service and parking for Saltaire residents. At long last, there will be later boats and direct service from Bay Shore to Saltaire on weekends and better coordination between the LIRR and Fire Island Ferry schedules. More parking spaces are also available to residents starting this season. Working with Mayor Bcrger, we were able to qualify Islip as a metropolitan city, making Islip eligible for U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) grants. This cooperation with Islip ultimately resulted in Saltaire receiving a $5,000 ADA compliance Grant.

Code Revisions

After months of debate I effectuated a compromise on zoning changes to comply with FEMA guidelines that will allow residents to build a second floor while preserving and protecting Saltaire's unique character. I am one of Saltaire's representatives of the Fire Island Negotiated Rule Making Advisory Committee for off-road driving regulations (NegReg). Former Trustee Anna Hannon Gill and I, with the help of Kevin Gillespie and Sadat Beqaj, were instrumental in creating a framework that will ultimately reduce vehicular traffic not only in Saltaire, but also on all of Fire Island.

I have worked successfully in response to requests from residents to revise our local code in the areas of fire safety, noise, dangerous animals, zoning, telecommunications, variance issues, driving regulations, and private docks. AH of these modifications, I believe, have resolved potentially divisive issues in our community and will guarantee Saltaire's unique charm.

Other Areas

I have pushed for greater notification from Suffolk County Vector Control prior to the spraying of larvicide in Clam Pond, the purchase of "Mosquito Magnet" bug machines to safely reduce the mosquito population. I also have been at the forefront of notification of the potential hazards of our well water and the potential hazards to immunocompromised individuals and children under the age of two.

Having grown up in Saltaire, I am blessed with great memories and many lifelong friends. These experiences have afforded me an understanding and appreciation of Saltaire's uniqueness and charm. My wife, Anne, and I bought our home in Saltaire in 1997 because we hoped then, as we do now, to provide our children with the same opportunities my sisters and I had. In the past two years I have been dedicated to making that hope a reality.

I believe that in the past two years I have earned your trust and support. If re-elected, I promise to continue to strive to make Saltaire the best it can be for those of us who enjoy it today, with an ever-watchful concern for those who will enjoy it in the future.

Sincerely,

John A. Zaccaro, Jr.

P.S.    If you are not registered yet to vote in the Village election on May 23rd, you can do so in person at the Village office on May 11th and May 13th.