As seems to be tradition in Ocean Beach, the last village board meeting of the summer was among the most raucous this season, just as the administration laid out plans for a $3 million sidewalk and water system overhaul.

The board approved measures to pursue floating bonds for the 5-year project; $2 million for new sidewalks and $1 million for new pipes and fire hydrants, two years before the village pays off its 20-year loan for the water tower. Public response proved seditious discourse over government affairs worldwide does not stop at the village limits.

"I know this is hard to believe, but this isn't going to affect taxes," said Mayor James Mallott while laying out his largest public works project yet. He conceded it would require a $50 increase in annual water fees.

While some residents expressed support, others complained about the possibility of more tax and fee hikes, the memory still fresh from the 9-percent tax hike earlier this year. Others called for anarchy in the OB.

"The environment is quite attractive to do this type of work," said freshman trustee Matthew Blake, a Federal Reserve analyst, referring to the recent announcement decision at the Fed to lock in low interest rates for the next two years.

The first phase of the project is slated to kick off in mid-October, said Mallott, who aims to have nearly 100 sidewalk slabs redone on Ocean Breeze and Evergreen Walks between Midway and the bay by January, before it is too cold to pour cement.

Once the new water system is completed, the village can explore replacing its sewer system. Mallott said this project may not be taken up for another decade.

Another Day in Paradise

The sidewalk and pipe project is not the only infrastructure renovations on the village agenda. The board also hired an architect for $5,000 to provide renderings for Village Hall before the administration seeks to replace the windows, air conditioning and a leaky roof.

"We searched high and low for drawings of that building," said Mallott of the missing original blue prints for the bay front structure that adjoins the post office. "Hopefully [over] the next few years we'll see some changes."

The village justice court received a new air conditioning and heating system.

Also among less contentious items on the agenda, the board approved the hires of two recreation employees, three lifeguards and a dispatcher. A three-year contract was also extended for village clerk/treasurer Stephen Brautigam. The audience only balked when the village increased the hours for a clerk.

Officials said undercover officers on the beach have issued 22 summonses for eating or drinking on the beach since the new initiative launched last month. More detailed were statistics released on the number of fire and emergency medical calls handled by the Ocean Beach Fire Department so far this year.

Of the 222 calls responded to within the village or neighboring communities, 60 were for the firefighters and 162 were for emergency medical technicians. Three percent of the calls were for fires, 10 percent were for gas leaks and other hazardous conditions and 11 percent were false alarms. An OBFD official said between 10 to 20 percent of EMS calls were for drug- and alcohol-related emergencies.

In other news, Fire Island Ferries has sent the ferry contract back with changes, but it is not final yet. "We have a few sticking points," said Mallott.

Resolutions also passed include a measure to tighten up policies governing employees using village credit cards, the fire department being granted permission to purchase a first-responder golf cart for more than $9,000 and the board hiring the law firm of Hawkins Delafield & Wood LLP as counsel in the $3 million in planned borrowing.

Village officials were also granted permission to attend a conference on how to deal with a recently passed New York State law capping municipalities from raising taxes more than 2 percent annually.

They assured the audience that even though five Long Island post offices were recently slated for closure while the US Post Office tries to close budget gaps, the Ocean Beach Post Office is reportedly not on the chopping block and has a lease through 2018.

Best Show in Town

Those in the don't-call-us-crackpots crowd had a few gems as capital city never disappoints for those looking for a debate.

One suggested privatizing the sewage system and that the village hit up the town of Islip for sidewalk funding. Mallott said the village is always looking for grants for which it is eligible.

A local gadfly complained that the bay beach is nonexistent—a grievance as routine as its gripe mates. This vocal villager also complained about obnoxious drunks depreciating the property value, speeding and light-less night bicyclists and noise.

Deputy Mayor Tom Nolter assured the gadfly that the village has pending permit applications before the state Department of Environmental Conservation to use dredge spoils from the ferry terminal and another bay front location to rebuild a bay beach.

Gwen Silver, an Ocean Beach Association director, was one of several villagers to take the podium and air her grievances causing Mallott to raise his voice frustration.

"It's seems like it's the worst it's ever been," said Silver of the rowdy crowds that flood Fire Island's most bar-laden village.

"We're doing the best we can!" Mallott yelled back.