The Mayor’s Catch: A Monthly Update from West Hampton Dunes Mayor Irwin Krasnow

Welcome to the inaugural edition of The Mayor’s Catch! As many of you know, I’m an avid fisherman, so it only seemed fitting to reel you in with a name that reflects both my passion and our beautiful village by the sea. Each month, I’ll be casting out the latest news, updates and highlights from around West Hampton Dunes.

A Quick Dip into Our History

West Hampton Dunes sits on the westernmost section of Dune Road, just before Cupsogue Beach.

Our village was founded 31 years ago by a determined group of homeowners in response to the devastating hurricane of December 1992, which destroyed over 150 homes and caused millions in damages.

Their resilience laid the foundation for the strong community we enjoy today.

Cast Your Line for the Mayor’s Catch

I’m excited to announce the monthly Mayor’s Catch Award — a fun way to celebrate the best, biggest or most unusual catch from our local anglers!

Whether it’s a whopper of a fish or a quirky find, send your photos to me at irwin@whdunes.org, for your monthly entry to win the Mayor’s Catch!

The Inauguration Recap

Our village’s inauguration, the first in 31 years, was held on July 1, 2024. It was a day of pride and unity, as we were joined by many esteemed guests, including Rabbi Marc Schneier from the Hampton Synagogue, who delivered a touching invocation, Southampton Town Supervisor Maria Moore, who graciously swore me in as mayor, Supreme Court Justice Eileen Daly-Sapraicone, a village resident, who swore in our new trustees, Howard Freedman and Regina Mulhearn.

We were also honored by the presence of Chief Deputy Suffolk County Executive Kevin Molloy, Westhampton Beach Mayor Ralph Urban, Suffolk County Deputy Sheriff Christopher Brockmeyer, Westhampton Beach Police Chief Steven McManus, Quogue Village Police Chief Christopher Isola, former Deputy Suffolk County Executive and former Town of North Hempstead Supervisor Jon Kaiman, Peter Ganely, director of operations for Congressman Nick LaLota’s office,  Southampton Trustee President Scott Horowitz, State Troopers representatives from Troop L,  Suffolk County Under Sheriff Steven J. Kuehhas,  and Westhampton Beach DPW Commissioner Matt Smith

What We’ve Reeled In So Far

In just 45 days, we’ve already made significant strides:

We’ve established a Village Board of Ethics, and all trustees and I have filed our financial disclosure forms.

Our village office is now back in the village! We’ve signed a lease with the Barrier Beach Preservation Association for the use of the building at 914 Dune Road.

Come visit us — we even have leftover candy from Movie Night!  Future Board of Trustees meetings will be held at 906 Dune Road, right here in the village. We also sold an old village vehicle, saving on insurance costs and putting money back into the village coffers.

We’ve secured flood insurance for our brand-new constabulary at 656A Dune Road — a crucial step that was previously overlooked prior to my tenure.

We’ve worked closely with village auditors to complete the 2023 audit and will be implementing recommended controls and changes. The 2024 audit is already in the works.

I’ve met with elected officials from both sides of the aisle, including Governor Kathy Hochul, Congressman LaLota, Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine and other key officials to discuss issues critical to our village. From the FIMP project and road flooding to grants and potential improvements to Cupsogue Park,  storms and flooding don’t care about political affiliation!

Looking Ahead

The first two months have been full of enlightening experiences and important discoveries. I’m excited to continue working with all of you to make West Hampton Dunes an even better place to live, work, and, of course, fish!