About Us
The Suffolk County Village Officials Association (SCVOA) was established more than 90 years ago as the professional organization for Suffolk County’s incorporated villages. SCVOA’s mission is to inform, support, and advocate on behalf of the 32 villages of Suffolk County. The Executive Board of SCVOA works tirelessly in its commitment to create a strong, effective, cohesive organization that promotes an exchange of ideas and strategies that enable village government to faithfully serve the more than 125,000 Suffolk County village residents.
With municipal management and government issues – most importantly, fighting to maintain local control and “home rule” — becoming more complex over the years, SCVOA has grown into an important information resource and advocate for protecting the quality of village life. Suffolk’s villages represent the foundation of the county’s economy and residential development. Most of the early Suffolk County settlements, some of which pre- date the Revolutionary War, were shoreline communities that grew into thriving downtown centers and became the economic backbone of the county.
Our Three Tenets Drive Our Mission
Strong Alliances
SCVOA’s strong alliance with NYCOM – the New York Conference of Mayors – enables the organization to provide a wealth of information on how New York State legislation and policy decisions affect local municipal governments. Keeping our members informed and vehemently supporting local control and “home rule” are central tenets of our mission.
Community Engagement
SCVOA’s close ties with the Nassau County Village Officials Association (NCVOA) allows these two populous downstate suburban counties to work as a single, united force when issues of common concern arise. SCVOA is in regular communication with our member villages, and we encourage and help facilitate the sharing of information among village officials to assist them in any way we can to govern most effectively.
Timely Information
SCVOA hosts meetings throughout the year with guest speakers and noted experts on a wide range of current topics that are of interest to village officials such as zoning and planning, finances, election law, grant funding, cyber security, and current public policy issues, to name just a few. In addition, SCVOA frequently distributes informational documents and position statements on timely issues affecting the villages, often impacting local control.
Real People. Real Impact.
Today, SCVOA represents the county’s 32 incorporated villages, ranging from Lindenhurst, one of New York State’s largest villages with a population of nearly 28,000, to Dering Harbor, the state’s smallest village, with just 13 year-round residents. In total, village residents account for about 10% of the county’s population or more than 125,000 people.