Huntington Bay changes length of mayor, trustee terms to four years

Huntington Bay officials have doubled the term lengths of office for mayor and trustee seats on the village board.

The board voted 5-0 at its village meeting Monday to approve changing the terms of office from two to four years and to hold elections in even years. The board has a mayor and four trustees.

Village Mayor Mark Dara said it’s hard to accomplish anything in two years, longer terms offer cost savings to residents, and they cut down on the need for candidates to campaign and collect signatures to get on the ballot so frequently.

“To have elections every single year for two-year terms seems a bit over the top,” said Dara of what has been the staggered election schedule. He was elected in 2024 and is up for reelection next month. “When I look back at the history of trustees and mayors who have been on this board, nobody stayed for a term of two years, everyone stayed for four years, eight years, 10 years.”

Next month's election remains unaffected. In addition to the mayoral race, it features two trustee races, all for two-year terms.

Dara said the new terms will be phased in starting next year. The winners of next year’s election, which will be for the other two trustee seats, will have three-year terms. The 2028 contests will again be for mayor and two trustees, and the winners in those races will have four-year terms.

“We want to have the elections in even years but never have a situation where the entire board would change at once,” he said. “That’s why we staggered the elections, to stagger the positions.”

Dara said it costs the village about $1,200 for each election, for monitors and printing ballots.

Mike Frawley, who ran for mayor in 2024 against Dara, said it would be “prudent” to extend terms to either three or four years, while personally preferring a three-year term.

“The current two-year election cycle is too short and unnecessarily bureaucratic for both elected officials and our community,” he said in an email. He added he also thinks there should be a system "to allow for the emergency removal of elected officials who are no longer considered fit to serve."

Former trustee Dom Spada, whose tenure ran from 2011 to 2021, said he supports the extension but thinks changes should go further.

“If the intent is to give village officials more time to deliver results and focus on the residents' needs, I support that goal,” he said. “However, to ensure fresh perspectives and new voices are involved in the decision-making process, term limits should also be considered.”

Dara said term limits were discussed but ultimately the board decided against it.

No one addressed the board during the public comment portion ahead of the vote, Dara said. Because there was no opposition, the board voted on the measure.

Residents opposed to the change must present a petition with 350 signatures from the village’s estimated 1,500 residents to the village board within 30 days, Dara said. If that happens, the board will then have to hold a special referendum election to decide if there will be a change in terms.

By Deborah S. Morris

deborah.morris@newsday.comdsvmorris

Deborah Morris is a native Long Islander and covers the town of Huntington.