Newly installed Muttontown Mayor Julianne Beckerman opened her first official meeting on July 18, at the re-organizational meeting, saying, "I'm glad to see so many of you out to participate, just like in the election. Thank you for coming." Things were already different with the new mayor in place. There was hot coffee and cookies at the back of the room, the area where village administrator Bernard Shapiro had his office. His office and his job are gone, not to be replaced.

Mayor Beckerman had re-arranged the village offices, providing better working arrangements for the staff and finding a large office where the Village Court had been to accommodate a generous office for herself, as she stepped into her new position of full-time mayor. She appointed Steven Fine as trustee to replace Russell Corker who is moving out of Muttontown and has therefore resigned. She appointed Carl Juul-Nielsen as deputy mayor for a year. She confirmed village clerk/treasurer Vivien Van Wagner for a two year term at a salary of $60,000; Lisa Lolis as the assistant clerk at $40,000; she appointed Cathy Syrett as court clerk; Tracy Lynch as the administrative assistant to the building department; Bette Gilmartin as ZBA secretary and Raz Tafuro as highway commissioner for a salary of $50,000.

The site review engineer is Ray Cordes; Tony Tuscano is the deputy highway commissioner; Carl Juul-Nielsen is the police commissioner; Randy Bartholomew is the deputy police commissioner; Pat Mill is the fire commissioner; Matthew Gluck is the acting village justice; Dr. William Miller is the tree warden.

She announced that in the future, meetings will be held on the second Tuesday of the month at 8 p.m.

Ms. Beckerman then announced she was appointing Steven V. Leventhal as village attorney which opened a long discussion. Trustee William Floyd-Jones objected saying, "Humes & Wagner has represented the village since its formation in 1935."

Ms. Beckerman said she was not firing Humes & Wagner but appointing a new person as was her right. She said, "I make the appointments and you can agree or not."

Newly elected Trustee Kevin Spillane objected that it be done so quickly and added, "It's a major decision."

Ms. Beckerman set the record straight saying, "On June 20, 550 residents voted for a change and one was to get rid of the legal counsel - specifically for that reason. People were unhappy with how the village was being run and the village attorney's fees." She said, "The legal counsel has been less than stellar. He's been here 30 years. I want change and some in the audience want change." There was applause.

Mayor Beckerman said the former law firm charged $215 an hour and Mr. Leventhal would charge $175 per hour and $200 for litigation.

Mr. Leventhal took the floor and presented his credentials saying he has an office in Roslyn, and that his family members were CPAs and he was too before he went to law school. After law school he worked with the Legal Aid Society, did criminal defense work and had trial experience. In 1983 he opened his general law practice and in 1990 added municipal law. He was appointed to the Nassau County Board of Ethics and served for about a dozen years, half of them as chairman. He has been the special counsel for Rockville Centre, Lynbrook, Southhampton and Putnam Valley. He has been chairman of the Nassau County Bar Association and a member of their committee on professional ethics. His municipal and general practice office is in the Village of Roslyn. There was applause for Mr. Leventhal.

Mayor Beckerman asked if that answered questions and Brian Smith said, that speaking as an attorney, "it raises questions too."

David Sensi questioned that Mr. Leventhal was the sole practicioner in his office.

Mr. Leventhal answered him saying he worked with a network of attorneys whenever necessary.

Mr. Sensi commented that while Mr. Leventhal's rate of services was lower, there was a learning period where he would be spending time in getting up to speed on cases which could end up costing more, adding that ultimately he would "get his stride."

Ms. Beckerman said that during the election she hired several attorneys and one brought in Mr. Leventhal as a consultant. "I've seen his work and seen his bills and Humes & Wagner's bills on the same item."

Mr. Sensi said, "That sounds like good testimony. It seems like you made it clear." He added, "It's your job to make the appointment and theirs to turn it down." The vote was taken with Mr. Spillane and Mr. Floyd-Jones opposed; Mr. Bartholomew abstaining and four in favor to pass the motion. There was applause from the audience.

"I have a feeling the rest will go more smoothly," said Ms. Beckerman, as she appointed residents to the several village boards.

At the meeting Village Clerk/Treasurer Van Wagner said that the village had received $435,000 in parkland funds from Stone Hill which according to NYS law must be used for parks and recreation. The fund has existed for decades, said the mayor, and the present funding is a windfall. Mr. Sensi said to use the money. Trustee Spillane suggested it be used for horse trails or bike trails.

Trustee Pat Miller delivered her first report on the East Norwich Fire Department service. She said there were 22 incidents last month. Trustee Floyd-Jones asked for the details, since the village has a history of false alarms. Ms. Miller said there was a smoke detector call, several EMS calls, a gas leak and a carbon monoxide detector that went off.

In reporting the village fee payment, Ms. Van Wagner said that fees through the end of May are still coming in.

Trustee Jull-Nielsen asked, "If we feel the last three months attorney's fees are too much, is there recourse?"

Attorney Leventhal recommended that either the board as a whole or a designee see what portion is in question and open a dialog with Humes & Wagner. He said the court has a fee dispute arbitration process.

Trustee Jull-Nielsen said it seemed wise for someone to examine the bills for any discrepancies.

Ms. Beckerman made a motion to look at the bills.

"They are reviewed all the time," said Trustee Floyd-Jones. Ms. Beckerman said that any trustee may look at the bills and added, "I will look and seek outside sources to verify them." The motion passed with one abstention - Mr. Floyd-Jones.

Mayor Beckerman said she wanted to present Year End Compensation to village workers who, "worked above the call of duty."

Mr. Floyd-Jones said, "It looks, tastes and smells like something bogus."

Ms. Beckerman asked if the village had ever done it before.

"There were bonuses under Mayor Byam Stevens of $200 for working on a blizzard weekend," said the village clerk/treasurer.

"Can we do it?" asked Mr. Floyd-Jones.

Village Attorney Leventhal said, "There is a constitutional prohibition to give gifts but for services rendered there is no problem."

The mayor said, "Their services were extraordinary. Lisa Lolis worked at her hourly rate when she took over the clerk's job and worked alone in the office at the end of the year. She received no raise last year. She got no extra compensation and worked very hard."

"Can we legally compensate them?" asked Mr. Floyd-Jones. Brian Smith suggested it was "deferred compensation." Mr. Floyd-Jones said, "They were on the horns of a dilemma."

Attorney Leventhal suggested they vote and could approve the resolution subject to advice of counsel.

She read the list of payments - deferred payments: to Raz Tafuro, $10,000; to Rosanne Lydon, $840.75; to Lisa Lolis, $5,000. The motion passed with all ayes.

As the meeting ended, former trustee Bert Spitz announced that now, as a resident of East Norwich, he would be representing the East Norwich Civic Association at future Muttontown meetings on a regular basis.