Albany – Senator Ken LaValle, (R-Port Jefferson) and Assemblyman Fred W. Thiele, Jr. (I, D, WF-Sag Harbor) announced that the Senate and Assembly have approved their legislation (S.5913/A.8183) which extends the expiration of provisions which defines the Trustees of the Freeholders and Commonalty of the Town of Southampton, the Trustees of the Freeholders and Commonalty of the Town of East Hampton and the Trustees of the Freeholders and Commonalty of the Town of Southold as municipal corporations for the purposes of Section 72-h of the General Municipal Law.

In 2013, Senator LaValle and Assemblyman Thiele passed legislation (Chapter 387 of the Laws of 2013) which added Trustees to the list of municipal corporations who could receive land transferred from local governments at no or reduced cost under Section 72-h of the General Municipal Law. Previously Section 72-h permitted land transfers only to County’s, Town’s, Village’s and Fire Districts.

Because of the Legislators efforts, the Southampton Town Trustees were able to acquire a four acre beach parcel on Fantasy Drive from Suffolk County which overlooks Reeves and Flanders Bays. Under the ownership of the Trustees, this beach will remain a viable access point for residents and could also serve as a much needed depository for sand dredged from navigation channels.

This new legislation extends the expiration date from July 31, 2015 to July 31, 2017.

Since the Senate and the Assembly have both approved the legislation, it will be transmitted to the Governor for consideration.