The Greenport village board was divided last night on a vote to allocate funding for marketing and public relations services for the upcoming Tall Ships event.
Before the vote, the two village board liaisons discussed a meeting that took place yesterday. Trustee Julia Robins said a written report will be prepared and on the village website in the next few days.
Resident John Saladino said he didn’t even know what questions to ask about the event because “we haven’t been told anything.” Saladino said the Business Improvement District as well as the board liaisons had been “unresponsive to the public.”
Mayor George Hubbard said “in all fairness,” the Tall Ships committee has been restructured” since the election.
Robins said she was asked at the Tall Ships meeting not to release the report due to some questions about the advertising budget. She did say, however, that there are $176,000 in ship contracts.
The BID, she said, has confirmation of $60,000 in the form of four lead sponsors, with with $13,500 committed from smaller sponsors; most, she said, are local businesses. The lead sponsors will have their logos on promotional materials, she said.
Trustee Doug Roberts asked how much money has actually been collected.
“We have nothing in hand,” Robins said, adding that one of the sponsors is ready to give a $15,000 check.
A kickoff press conference will be held on May 5 at the far dock at Claudio’s in Greenport with County Executive Steve Bellone, as well as members of the town board. On May 1, the website for the event will go live, as well as TV spots.
“It was a very positive, upbeat meeting,” Robins said.
Trustee Jack Martilotta, who is now also a village board liaison to the Tall Ships committee, said they’d started asking for written commitments.
Up to six lead sponsorships can be sold, he said.
Ticket advance sales are not live yet; a transportation plan is also being developed, Martilotta said. So far, some handicapped spots have been designated on Third Street near Bridgehampton National Bank, and there may be some parking at the high school, he said.
“We’ll going to at least break even or even make a little money,” Hubbard said.
Roberts said he wanted to now if any checks had been received; Robins said they had not.
Village resident Mike Osinski said he did not believe people who do business with the village should be able to donate large amounts of money to the event. “It lends itself to people thinking these people are getting sweet deals because they chip in for these events,” he said. “I don’t like the idea of the village accepting a penny.”
In light of the fact that no checks have been received, Roberts voted against the village allocating $17,000 for marketing and public relations for the event; he believes the BID needs to make a concrete commitment.
“When I was transitioning into office I was very clear about what they needed to do,” Roberts said. “They’re headed in the right direction but I made it pretty clear that I don’t agree with how this whole thing was set up from a fiscal standpoint. We’ve gambled with people’s money, written $37,500 in checks. The village has done its part. This event is going to happen. But I’m going to vote against this because the BID needs to do its part.” The village, he said, needs the discussed $100,000 from BID donations.
Roberts also said the reason he thinks the village has seen movement is because he “made clear” what needed to happen before he’d support the village giving any more funding to the event.
Roberts voted no, Martilotta abstained because he’s on the committee, and the other three trustees voted to green light the funding.
Later, Roberts did vote in favor, along with the board, of a resolution for a proposal submitted by Kit Liset, as recommended by the Tall Ships 2015 Event Steering Committee, for performance of independent contracting services as event coordinator; the board also approved a resolution for creation of artwork for the event.
