Petition Urges Brookhaven To Renew Davis Park Ferry's Contract

PATCHOGUE, NY — Patchogue residents upset over the recent denial of a lease renewal to a local, long-time Davis Park ferry operating company are signing a petition asking Brookhaven Town to reconsidersigning a petition asking Brookhaven Town to reconsider.

In December, the town denied a lease renewal to the Davis Park Ferry company after 70 years of operation. The deadline for bids is now January 28.

Joyce Koesteror created a Change.org petition asking the Town of Brookhaven to reconsider and maintain uninterrupted service. The Sherman family lives in Patchogue and operates ferry service only to the small Davis Park, Fire Island community.

"Any new lessee would need to apply for permission from Suffolk County to operate from Patchogue to Davis Park which is predicted to take a several months for approval. This means interruption of service to all homeowners, renters, visitors and employees of the Davis Park and Ocean Ridge community. Please support the Davis Park Ferry Company having a continuation of a lease and therefore, uninterrupted service to Davis Park and Ocean Ridge, Fire Island," Koesteror wrote.

Brookhaven Councilman Foley told the Long Island Advance that the decision was financial: "Foley said the town was trying to prepare for loss of revenue in 2025-26 when the landfill closed and began reviewing all town contracts two and a half years ago."

4,218 people have signed the petition so far.