If you are a concerned resident following the East Beach Bluff Phase II restoration project, you won't
want to miss this meeting!
📅 Monday, November 9, 2026
🕡 6:30 PM
📍 Port Jefferson Village Hall, 121 West Broadway
Why should residents pay attention? Because this is an opportunity to hear what GEI has to say, but also to see where our elected officials stand on a project that could cost taxpayers millions more.
Questions Residents Should Be Asking
1. Will the trustees honor their campaign promises?
Residents have heard commitments that not one additional dollar beyond the current bond would be spent without a public referendum. With Phase II potentially bringing additional costs, will the trustees stand by those promises? Watch and listen to see whether they address this commitment directly.
2. Will the bluff really be protected for 100 years?
GEI has discussed a design that "allows" for 100-year bluff protection. But what exactly does that mean?
Does it mean the entire bluff will be protected from erosion for 100 years, or does the claim refer primarily to the expected life of the steel sheet-pile wall?
Those are two very different things. Will any trustee ask GEI to explain precisely what the 100-year claim means, what assumptions it relies on, and what risks remain?
3. What are taxpayers getting for their money?
The Village has already committed substantial public funds to this project, including a $10 million bond for the bluff restoration. With Phase II potentially requiring millions more, residents deserve clear answers.
What is the projected total cost of the completed project, including Phase II?
What specific protection will the additional spending provide?
What are the consequences if erosion continues despite the proposed wall?
What maintenance, monitoring, or future repairs might taxpayers be responsible for?
How will the Village measure whether the project has actually succeeded?
4. Is More Spending on the Bluff Ahead?
Mayor Sheprow has spoken several times about the need to extend the lower wall, acknowledging that doing so would be expensive. After last week’s storm, the unprotected section sustained substantial damage.
That raises an obvious question: If the Village proceeds with Phase II, will the project finally be complete, or are we looking at additional millions of dollars in the future?
Watch the Trustees, Not Just the Presentation
This meeting is about more than an engineering update. It is an opportunity to see whether our elected officials are asking tough questions, challenging assumptions, and protecting the interests of taxpayers.
Will they demand clear answers about the project's cost, effectiveness, and long-term risks? Will they insist that residents have a say before additional money is committed?
The important question is not simply whether GEI can present a design. It's whether the proposed solution is worth the total cost and whether residents are getting the protection they have been promised.
If you care about the future of East Beach, the Village's finances, and accountability from our elected officials, consider attending this meeting or watching the Village's recording if one becomes available.
Your tax dollars are at stake. Pay attention.
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