Get To Know Me

To my friends and neighbors in Ocean Beach,

I wish you and your families a happy and healthy holiday season and the very best in 2026.

In 2026, there will be elections in Ocean Beach for Mayor and two Trustees. I have declared that I am

running for Mayor and now let me tell you why. I have been very active in our Ocean Beach

community as a Firefighter and EMT for 34 years, working my way up through the ranks. In 2013, I

was elected Chief of the department by the rank-and-file membership and held the position of chief

for 10 years. Building relationships with Town, County, and State officials along the way while making

OBFD the best it can be.

I ran for Village Trustee in June 2023 and was elected with the most votes among the five candidates.

Because of my experience as trustee, I now have even greater insight into how our village is running

and what opportunities there are for improvement. This is why I am running for mayor.

It’s time for some new blood!

The future does look bright for Ocean Beach. Both the past and present boards have implemented a

solid plan for improving the infrastructure of our village. I am quite pleased with the progress we have

made and was proud to have been able to provide input and be part of the decision-making process.

If elected, I look forward to working with the Village Board and Ocean Beach residents to help guide

future projects, drawing on the experience and expertise throughout our community.

Strong infrastructure is essential, but it’s only part of responsible government. Our focus must include

quality of life and disciplined maintenance of completed projects. One example is Phase 1 of the

Flood Mitigation project, which included replacing the concrete in most of downtown and was

completed in Spring 2024; we have yet to develop a strategy and program to keep the concrete

clean. (Hoping for rain is not a strategy!) I have been proactive, along with the Village Administrator,

and we are evaluating various street-cleaning systems.

There are opportunities to update the Code Book, this must be a priority to give OBPD and the

Building Department the tools they need to consistently enforce our laws. Our Police Chief has

regularly stated that the laws don’t support what he is being asked to enforce. So, let’s all get together

and change those laws so that they reflect the reality of village life. I have discussed this with our

elected Village Justice and our DA, and they will both gladly participate in these discussions.

The board’s focus should also include a thorough review of revenue and expense opportunities with

the goal of mitigating any future tax increases. (FYI…improving revenue or reducing expense by

$40,000 results in a 1% tax improvement.) Fee structures should also be discussed openly and with

the taxpayers to ensure the approach being developed is equitable and reasonable and well

understood. One such example, the “new” water meters were installed several years ago, and there

has been virtually no public discussion of how the water usage fees will be developed and the

timeline. We are now being told the new fees will be effective June 1, 2026.

 

One major financial concern is the garbage removal contract, which will need to be renegotiated in

2026. We expect a significant rate increase due to several factors, including FINS requiring all waste

to be barged. Last year, I proposed a change to our law that would allow us to charge for excess

garbage. This was passed unanimously by the VOB Board. However, there has been no effort to

enforce this or even to develop a plan for how / who will enforce it.

I was instrumental in INSISTING that we maintain two tennis courts in town and a Wagon Park. We

have successfully expanded the courts to be multi-purpose, including pickleball and basketball, and

participation has skyrocketed.

The many volunteer organizations in our community have really stepped up and we now have a full

Recreation Program, in addition to OBYG. The Ocean Beach Community Fund continues to host

important fundraising events for our village, OBFD and the Chamber of Commerce, VOBEC, and the

OBA have all hosted incredible events this past year. It has been my pleasure to work closely with

these groups AND attend most of their events, and I will most certainly continue to do so.

You may be aware that the OBCF is fundraising for portable air conditioning for the Community

House that can be used for special events and when necessary. This has been discussed for years

now. I recently became aware of portable units that the Town of Islip uses, amongst many

municipalities. When I first proposed this, the board did not share my enthusiasm. We will continue to

pursue all options.

I love our community. We need to be “One Village, with One Voice,” and I intend to represent all and

advocate for all.

I am a homeowner, business owner, a year-round resident and I live in Ocean Beach.

Our election is Friday, June 5th, 2026, at the Ocean Beach Community House. Please register to vote

in Ocean Beach. Please plan to vote. Please encourage your friends and neighbors to do the same.

I look forward to hearing from you with any questions, concerns or suggestions.

Vote4Ian@outlook.com

516-312-6722

 

Thank you,

Ian Levine

​

​

​

​

​

​

​