Board weighs in on public spaces for private events

On Monday, Nov. 9, Bellport Village held its bimonthly Board of Trustees meeting.

Towards the conclusion of the meeting, Bellport Village mayor Maureen Veitch opened a discussion about the possible expansion of use of the village’s community center for private events.

In particular, one event during the holiday season, which has hosted the gathering at the community center for 15 years, began the question of further private use by community members and organizations.

“We’re having this conversation about the use of the community center… we have been looking at applications on a case-by-case basis,” said Veitch. “Do we want to use public spaces for private events?”

Trustee Dan Polner initially expressed some hesitation about the proposed usage, particularly that it would turn into a situation where applicants would assume their application would be approved because another community member’s was granted.

Deputy mayor Nathan Rohrmeier spoke in favor of the private use.

“I’m all for it… it’s a community center, it’s a place to gather, whether that’s an organization or a private event,” said Rohrmeier.

Veitch said bowling alley of the community center, which was restored in 2020, typically hosted events like birthday parties where community members could host after covering expenses for village employees to man the bowling alley for the duration of the event.

Bellport’s Community Center completed extensive renovations following the award of $187,500 in state grant funding, resulting in significant upgrades that enhanced safety, accessibility, and functionality for community members.

The improvements included insulating and sheet rocking the open ceiling above the stage, replacing flooring throughout the first floor, repairing and painting the bathroom, installing new fire and carbon monoxide detectors, upgrading portions of the electrical system, and installing an updated sound system. Additional renovations included improvements to the stage and storage areas, completing necessary plumbing work to relocate and reinstall the radiators, and the installation of a new fireproof stage curtain.

In addition to the state funding through a NYS State and Municipal Facilities (SAM) Grant, the Village of Bellport contributed an additional $5,600 toward the project.

In the past year alone, the Community Center has hosted a number of events, including:

Revolutionary War Exhibition (August 2026): A special three-day public display featuring Revolutionary War history from Aug. 10 to Aug. 12, 2026.

Community & Political Events (June 2026): The center served as a gathering space for local civic gatherings, including a “Meet the Candidates” event in June 2026.

Related Local Projects (November 2026): The Town of Brookhaven scheduled a public hearing for next Thursday, Nov. 19, 2026, for the proposed two-story Bellport Center commercial development near Montauk Highway.