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Sandra Schroeder
Sandra Schroeder says after working for Sag Harbor Village for more than two decades, most recently as village clerk, she’s ready for the village’s top post: mayor.
Ms. Schroeder, who currently holds the title of deputy mayor, will face Village Trustee Dr. Robby Stein in Tuesday’s election.
She said her biggest project as mayor would be to curb development in the village. Just last week, she pushed for the Village Board to discuss a three-month moratorium on building this week, allowing time for the residential zoning code to be revised. The moratorium would apply to new residential construction of more than 3,000 square feet, along with renovations that would increase the size of a house by more than 50 percent.
Ms. Schroeder said the increase in development over the last year has put a dent in the overall character of Sag Harbor, and that the moratorium would be just one step toward preserving that character. “That to me, though, is not a hard thing to do,” she said. “That’s why I’m adamant about the moratorium—it’s going to get done, which makes me feel so good.”
The authority of village regulatory boards, such as the Zoning Board of Appeals, the Planning Board, and the Board of Historic Preservation and Architectural Review, also need to be examined, Ms. Schroeder said. Because they work directly with the applicants who are asking to build the large homes, she said, their members, who are volunteers, need to be better educated and need to use the guidance of village attorneys and consultants more.
She added that communication among all the boards, including the Village Board, also needs to be improved, and she suggested having members all sit down together a few times each year so they are all on the same page.
Ms. Schroeder promised stricter code enforcement under her direction, and said she would ensure the code enforcement officer is out in the field more. She said she would also work with Sag Harbor’s grant writers to apply for funds the village can use for historic preservation, a topic she said she is most passionate about.
The quality of Sag Harbor’s waterfront is another issue she would tackle as mayor. She has already worked with a grant writer to apply for funds through the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Hazard Mitigation Grant Program, which provides money to states and local governments to help establish long-term hazard mitigation measures after a major natural disaster.
She explained that the water itself is another key issue, specifically nitrogen loading, and she pointed out that an excess of nitrogen is suspected to have caused the massive bunker die-off in the Peconic River and Flanders Bay.
Additionally, she would like to see work done on Sag Harbor’s Long Wharf, which she said is deteriorating. “It looks like a wannabe runway to me,” she said. “I’m told that the end of it is starting to sink. It needs work. Our docks need to be totally maintained.”
Because Sag Harbor is a small, tight-knit community, Ms. Schroeder said she would like to collaborate with other village officials, advocacy organizations and community members when trying to solve problems. She added that her first action as mayor, if she wins, would be to work with the rest of the Village Board to appoint a new trustee to fill her vacated position.
“I know it’s the mayor’s appointment … but we all have to work together. I want it to be done together,” she said. “You get a better product.”
A member of the Residents Party, Ms. Schroeder previously ran for mayor in 2013 against three others, including incumbent Brian Gilbride, who was reelected and now is leaving the position open. She lives on Division Street with her husband, John, and they have two grown children, John Jr. and David.
Alyssa Melillo on Jun 9, 2015