Mastic Beach Village Dissolution

Laberge Group was retained by the Village of Mastic Beach to guide them through the village dissolution process.

Dissolution is the termination of a local government. On August 30, 2016 the electorate of the Village of Mastic Beach filed a petition for dissolution to the Village Clerk. The petition contained 916 valid signatures out of 1,474. The Village Clerk reviewed and certified the petition on September 8, 2016. As required by law, the Village Board of Trustees passed a resolution on September 15, 2016 calling for a referendum on the proposed dissolution for November 16, 2016.

On November 16, 2016, a majority of the qualified voters of the Village approved the referendum for dissolution by a vote of 1,922 to 1,215. This means that the Village will cease to exist as a government entity and would effectively consolidate with the Town of Brookhaven.

Since the referendum passed, the Village Board is required to develop and accept a Dissolution Plan within 180 days. The Dissolution Plan will include the required elements of General Municipal Law Article 17-A, Title 3 §775. It will specify when the Village, as a separate government, will cease to exist, which municipal services will continue after dissolution, how the costs of those services will be paid, a fiscal estimate of the cost of dissolution, how Village-owned assets will be transferred or disposed of, how any remaining liabilities and debts will be paid following the entity’s dissolution, and findings as to whether any local laws, ordinances, rules or regulations of the Village shall remain in effect after the effective date of the dissolution.

Following the development and acceptance of the Dissolution Plan by the Village of Mastic Beach, the Village will hold a public hearing on the Dissolution Plan. Following the public hearing, the Dissolution Plan will be finalized and adopted. Registered voters in the Village of Mastic Beach will then have an additional 45 days to petition for a permissive referendum on the Final Dissolution Plan. If a petition containing signatures from not less than 25% of the registered voters of the Village is filed with the Village Clerk, a second vote will be held to determine whether the majority of Village voters approve implementation of the Final Dissolution Plan.