Village Of Port Jefferson:

Press release from the Village of Port Jefferson:

2023-07-08

There will be a Organizational Board of Trustees Meeting

Monday, July 10, 2023

5pm Business Meeting
6pm Public Meeting

Both will be livestreamed on official YouTube channel
youtube.com/IncVillageofPortJeffersonOfficial

* Agenda will be posted here on Monday, prior to the meeting *

Agenda 7-10-23 Organizational Meeting

From the NYCOM Handbook for Village Officials (2023) • Chapter 7 • The Organizational Meeting

THE ORGANIZATIONAL MEETING

There is no specific State statute that requires villages to hold an annual organizational meeting. However, references to an annual organizational meeting appear throughout State statutes, and it is clearly implied and intended that a village will hold such a meeting.

The specific time and date for holding the organizational meeting is left to the discretion of the board of trustees. Many villages hold the organizational meeting on the evening of the first Monday of the month following the village election, although that is not required. It is recommended, however, that the organizational meeting be held sometime during the first month of the official year.

Pursuant to Village Law § 3-302(1), the official year of a village begins at noon on the first Monday of the month following the village election. Thus, for villages holding March elections, the official year begins at noon on the first Monday in April. In those villages that conduct their elections in June and November, the official year begins at noon on the first Monday in July and December respectively. The organizational meeting may not be held prior to the beginning of the official year.

MATTERS TO ADDRESS AT THE ORGANIZATIONAL MEETING

SWEARING IN ELECTED OFFICIALS

Since the term of an elected village official begins at noon on the first Monday in the month following the election, newly elected officials may file their oaths of office with the village clerk prior to the organizational meeting.

If an elected official takes and files their oath of office prior to the organizational meeting, they may still participate in the ceremonial swearing-in of the newly-elected officials at the organizational meeting. The ceremonial swearing-in is just that, ceremonial. Elected officials must file their written oath of office with the village clerk prior to participating in any official village business, including the organizational meeting. The written oath may be filed any time after the certification of the election results, including before the commencement of the official year. The filing of the oath of office may also be accomplished by signing an oath book.

APPOINTMENTS

After all the newly-elected officers have been sworn in, the mayor, as the presiding officer of the board of trustees, should call the organizational meeting to order. While there is no statutory mandate as to the order in which things are accomplished at the organizational meeting, it is not uncommon for the first order of business to be the filling of the appointive offices for which terms of office have expired.

At the request of the mayor, the village clerk may prepare a list of the individuals the mayor is appointing to each office. If several appointments must be made, the mayor may submit the nominations for board approval either as a single list or individually. It is important, however, that the minutes reflect each nomination and the board’s vote on each nomination. If multiple nominations are submitted as a list, board members must be given the opportunity to vote for or against individual nominations if they so desire.

Harborfront Park Lawn

Harborfront Park Lawn

Harborfront Park, Performance Stage

Harborfront Park, Performance Stage

This press release was produced by the Village of Port Jefferson. The views expressed here are the author’s own.