Longtime Greenport Village Trustee Julia Robins will be stepping down from her board seat effective Sept. 1.
Ms. Robins is “moving her residence just outside village lines and consequently can no longer serve as she will not meet the residency requirements,” announced Village Mayor Kevin Stuessi in an email newsletter to village residents Monday. The mayor is expected to appoint a replacement to serve until the Village’s March 2027 elections, at which time four seats on the five member board will be in play.
Pictured Above: Greenport Village Trustees Julia Robins (left) and Mary Bess Phillips (right) after winning re-election in 2025.
Ms. Robins has been a renter during her tenure in village government, she told us Monday, and “the owner is going to sell the house. It’s as simple as that. I own a house with my sister that I inherited but it’s a mile outside the village and it doesn’t count.”
She said she is most proud of her work to upgrade the village’s electric plant during her time on the board.
“I will miss Julia very much as she was a voice of, at times, a different direction that took everybody a bit further,” said Village Trustee Mary Bess Phillips, the only Trustee who has served with Ms. Robins for her entire term, after the Mayor’s announcement. “She’s been a longtime resident, knows the village, and has institutional history that will not be available anymore. We don’t always agree but are able to have a conversation and hear both sides. I wish her well and I know she had to make a very tough decision.”
“I’ve admired and will miss Julia’s willingness to speak her mind and go against the grain, and her long attention to both affordable housing and energy issues in the village,” said Village Trustee Lily Dougherty-Johnson. “This also could be an exciting opportunity for a fresh voice and perspective on the board, so I hope that many villagers will consider the opportunity to serve.”
“I’ve appreciated working together with Trustee Robins and hope she will continue to engage and help the village in her new role outside of elected office, as a citizen of the North Fork,” said Mr. Stuessi. “Over three terms, and now serving in her fourth four-year term in office, Trustee Robins has dedicated her time to our community with a particular focus on needed affordable housing, the downtown business district and her role as board liaison to the carousel committee.”
Ms. Robins, a real estate agent with Century 21 Albertson Realty and a former builder, was first elected to the Village Board in 2013, after serving on the village’s Planning Board and Housing Authority. She was last re-elected to a four-year term in 2025.
During her most recent re-election campaign, Ms. Robins had often discussed the village’s need to focus on repairing its infrastructure, including upgrading its aging sewer system and a much-needed repair of the bulkhead surrounding Mitchell Park.
Mr. Stuessi is expected to appoint someone in September to fill Ms. Robins’ shoes until village elections in March of 2027, at which time an election will be held for someone to fill out the remaining two years of her term.
“A special election could have been held, but with timing being so close to the next election and significant added expenses it doesn’t make sense with this short window,” said Mr. Stuessi in the announcement.
Mr. Stuessi said he has not yet chosen a candidate, and he’s accepting inquiries from people interested in serving until the next election via email at mayor@villageofgreenport.gov and copied to Village Clerk Candace Hall at chall@villageofgreenport.gov.
They will be accepting applications through Wednesday, Aug. 26 at 4:30 p.m.
“Please include a few sentences about why you wish to serve and any relevant experience whether in public service, charitable or professional work,” said Mr. Stuessi
Ms. Phillips said the choice of who to appoint is “the mayor’s decision. Whoever he appoints will only serve up until the March election.”
This development would put four of the five seats on the Village Board in play in the March 2027 election, with Ms. Phillips the only current member of the board not either facing re-election or leaving public office.
The seats belonging to Village Trustee Patrick Brennan (who also serves as Deputy Mayor) and Village Trustee Lily Dougherty-Johnson are up for re-election, and either of those trustees could, hypothetically, run for either their own seat or the mayor’s seat.
Ms. Dougherty-Johnson declined to comment on her plans for the spring election and Mr. Brennan could not immediately be reached for comment.
On Monday, Mr. Stuessi reiterated a position that he’s publicly stated several times since he was first elected in 2023 — he will not be running for a second term.
“I stated when I ran for office I would only serve one term,” he said.
Ms. Phillips laughed and said “no comment” when asked if she would run for mayor.
Mr. Stuessi also said in the email that the Village Board’s work session this Thursday will be at 3 p.m. instead of 6 p.m. in order to not conflict with the Suffolk County Water Authority’s 5 p.m. public hearing at the Peconic Recreation Center on its proposed North Fork Pipeline.
This is a developing story. We will update this post as more information becomes available.
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