The board held a discussion to consider soft billing. Soft billing is when the ambulance would charge the insurance company of the person utilizing ambulance services.

“Right now, the village pays the ambulance company about $95,000 a year to cover the village and they don’t charge any of our residents,” mayor Valdini said.

The mayor asked residents to send in their opinions to the board on the issue whether through Facebook, letter, or going to meetings. The board said they have been trying to get official numbers and information from Bay Shore-Brightwaters Ambulance, but have been frustrated by a lack of official information and regular correspondence. Valdini said as of Jan. 1, the village will not have a contract with the ambulance company if they do not hear back from them.

“We have to hear from them very shortly or we have to look for other options,” Valdini said.

The board approved the Bay Shore Fire District 2022 Contract in the amount of $355,029. The contract is an approximate 2 percent increase from last year. In his presentation of the fire district budget, chairman of the board Gary Arnold reminded residents to check their smoke detectors this holiday season. 

The board voted to approve payment to Fifth Avenue Paving in the amount of $29,000 for the installation of blacktop in the parking and driveway area at Wohseepee Park.

Valdini said the Chanukah on Main event on Sunday, Dec. 5 was very well attended with approximately 200 people there. The event is hosted by the Chabad of Islip Township. Valdini also said the board is looking at getting prices for the gazebo projects to have the town gazebos maintained and refurbished. Valdini said the board will present numbers on the costs of the project around February 2022 and start the project “as soon as the weather breaks.”

The mayor also brought up one of his favorite traditions in the village, which is on Christmas Eve at 5 p.m. in front of the Brightwaters Deli, Bay Shore-Brightwaters musicians gather to do Christmas carols. The mayor said the group always has song sheets for everybody and that the event is a great time.

In the Suffolk County Police Department report, the officer said there were three issues in the village since the last meeting. The first involved a stolen credit card from an unlocked vehicle and the officer reminded everyone in the village to lock the cars. The other incidents involved a stolen gas meter at an abandoned house and finally, a road rage incident on Sunrise Highway.