A Long Island community group handed in papers this week to incorporate East Quogue into a village.
East Quogue is a hamlet in the Town of Southampton, which means it is subject to town code.
Karen Kooi, co-chair of The East Quogue Village Exploratory Committee, says East Quogue has no decision-making power over building in the hamlet. If it were to become a village, East Quogue would gain control over any zoning or construction in the area.
“We’re a very small hamlet, we’re only two percent of the voting population, and we were keenly aware of what was going on in town, where we felt that we weren’t having our voices heard in town government.”
East Quogue would reimburse Southampton Town for police and sanitation services.
The Committee says the village would elect volunteer board members, except for a paid clerk.
The average household would pay an additional $50 in taxes a year to pay for the village’s expenses.
Southampton is required to hold a hearing on the petition to incorporate by May. Kooi hopes to be voting on village officers by September.
The Committee is modeling its efforts on the village of Sagaponack, which incorporated 13 years ago.