Amityville hearings on potential new laws

Amityville Village trustees on Monday night scheduled public hearings for two laws being considered, one to eliminate health care benefits for newly elected village officials and another regulating solar and wind energy systems.

Like some other villages on Long Island, Amityville makes free health insurance available to its five trustees and the village justice, and their families. Eliminating that perk could save up to $120,000 a year under current insurance rates, according to numbers supplied by the village treasurer.

The village has budgeted $1.79 million next year for a health plan that covers most of its roughly 110 employees.

The law would not affect officials now in office. Future boards could overturn it but would have to hold a public hearing first.

Only the proposed health care law drew public comment. Resident Frank Cruthers asked whether sitting trustees would consider expanding the measure to eliminate their own benefits. The answer, from vice-mayor Peter Casserly and others, was no. Such measures are hardly ever retroactive, he said.

The hearings are scheduled for April 23.

Above: Downtown Amityville