DIME COMMUNITY BANCSHARES INC
11-K, 1999-12-27
SAVINGS INSTITUTION, FEDERALLY CHARTERED
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                         SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                           WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

                                  FORM 11-K




X  ANNUAL  REPORT  PURSUANT  TO SECTION 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF
   1934 [NO FEE REQUIRED]
                   FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 1999

   TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE
   ACT OF 1934 [NO FEE REQUIRED]
                   For the transaction period from       to


                       Commission file Number 0-27782

 THE EMPLOYEE STOCK OWNERSHIP PLAN OF DIME COMMUNITY BANCSHARES, INC. AND
                           CERTAIN AFFILIATES
                       (Full Title of the Plan)

                   DIME COMMUNITY BANCSHARES, INC.
                   209 Havemeyer Street, Brooklyn, NY  11211
                   (Name of issuer of the securities held pursuant to the plan
                   and the address of its principal executive office.)

      Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (718) 782-6200


<PAGE>

THE EMPLOYEE STOCK OWNERSHIP PLAN OF DIME COMMUNITY BANCSHARES,
INC. AND CERTAIN AFFILIATES


TABLE OF CONTENTS


                                                                     PAGE

INDEPENDENT AUDITORS' REPORT                                            3

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEARS ENDED
 JUNE 30, 1999 AND 1998:

 Statements of Net Assets Available for Plan Benefits                   4

 Statements of Changes in Net Assets Available for Plan Benefits
    for the Years Ended June 30, 1999 and 1998                        5-6

 Notes to Financial Statements                                       7-10

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION:

 Item 27(a) - Schedule of Assets Held for Investment Purposes at
    June 30, 1999                                                      11

SIGNATURES                                                             12

                                       -2-
<PAGE>

INDEPENDENT AUDITORS' REPORT


To the Board of  Directors of
  Dime Community Bancshares, Inc. & Subsidiary

We have audited the accompanying statements of net assets available for plan
benefits of The Employee Stock Ownership Plan of Dime Community Bancshares,
Inc. And Certain Affiliates (the "Plan") as of June 30, 1999 and 1998, and the
related statements of changes in net assets available for plan benefits for the
years then ended.  These financial statements are the responsibility of the
Plan's management.  Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these
financial statements based on our audits.

We conducted our audits in accordance with generally accepted auditing
standards.  Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to
obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of
material misstatement.  An audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence
supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements.  An audit
also includes assessing the accounting principles used and significant
estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall financial
statement presentation.  We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis
for our opinion.

In our opinion, the financial statements present fairly, in all material
respects, the Plan's net assets available for plan benefits as of June 30, 1999
and 1998, and its changes in net assets available for plan benefits for the
years then ended in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles.

Our audits were made for the purpose of forming an opinion on the basic
financial statements taken as a whole.  The supplemental schedule of assets
held for investment purposes is presented for the purpose of additional
analysis and is not a required part of the basic financial statements but is
supplementary information required by the Department of Labor's Rules and
Regulations for Reporting and Disclosure under the Employee Retirement Income
Security Act of 1974. The supplemental schedule of assets held for investment
purposes is the responsibility of the Plan's management, and has been subjected
to the auditing procedures applied in the audit of the basic financial
statements and, in our opinion, is fairly stated in all material respects, when
considered in relation to the 1999 basic financial statements taken as a whole.

/s/ DELOITTE & TOUCHE LLP
New York, New York

December 16, 1999
                                       -3-
<PAGE>
THE EMPLOYEE STOCK OWNERSHIP PLAN OF DIME COMMUNITY BANCSHARES, INC. AND
CERTAIN AFFILIATES

STATEMENT OF NET ASSETS AVAILABLE FOR PLAN BENEFITS AS OF JUNE 30, 1999 AND
1998
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                          JUNE 30, 1999                                   JUNE 30, 1998
                                          -------------------------------------------      ----------------------------------------
<S>                                    <C>            <C>                <C>            <C>             <C>            <C>
                                         ALLOCATED       UNALLOCATED          TOTAL        Allocated      Unallocated       Total
                                        ----------       -----------         --------       ---------     -----------    ----------
ASSETS:
Investment in HSBC Bank, USA
   short-term investment fund             $146,174            $4,289         $150,463        $31,074          $1,141        $32,215
Investments in shares of Dime
   Community Bancshares, Inc.
   common stock, at fair value           7,814,370        18,637,969       26,452,339      6,823,945      25,459,655     32,283,600
                                        ----------       -----------         --------      ---------     -----------     ----------
Total investments                        7,960,544        18,642,258       26,602,802      6,855,019      25,460,796     32,315,815
Accrued income receivable                      564               301              865            140             354            494
                                        ----------       -----------         --------      ---------     -----------     ----------
TOTAL ASSETS                             7,961,108        18,642,559       26,603,667      6,855,159      25,461,150     32,316,309
                                        ----------       -----------         --------      ---------     -----------     ----------
LIABILITIES:
Borrowing from Dime Community
Bancshares, Inc.                                -          8,016,326        8,016,326             -        9,174,647      9,174,647
                                        ----------       -----------         --------      ---------     -----------     ----------
TOTAL LIABILITIES                               -          8,016,326        8,016,326             -        9,174,647      9,174,647
                                        ----------       -----------         --------      ---------     -----------     ----------
NET ASSETS AVAILABLE FOR PLAN
   BENEFITS                             $7,961,108       $10,626,233      $18,587,341     $6,855,159     $16,286,503    $23,141,662
                                        ==========       ===========         ========      =========     ===========     ==========
</TABLE>
See accompanying notes to financial statements.
                                       -4-
<PAGE>

THE EMPLOYEE STOCK OWNERSHIP PLAN OF DIME COMMUNITY BANCSHARES,
INC. AND CERTAIN AFFILIATES

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN NET ASSETS AVAILABLE FOR PLAN BENEFITS FOR THE YEAR
ENDED JUNE 30, 1999
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
<S>                                            <C>                 <C>                   <C>
                                                    ALLOCATED          UNALLOCATED             TOTAL
                                                   ----------          -----------           ---------
ADDITIONS:
Investment Activities:
Dividend income                                      $118,543             $471,004            $589,547
                                                   ----------          -----------           ---------
Total investment activities                           118,543              471,004            $589,547
                                                   ----------          -----------           ---------
Other Additions:
Contributions from Dime Savings Bank of
   Williamsburgh, net                                      -             1,424,385           1,424,385
Allocation of 115,832 shares of Dime
   Community Bancshares, Inc. common
   stock to participant Accounts                    2,693,094                   -            2,693,094
                                                   ----------          -----------           ---------
Total other additions                               2,693,094            1,424,385           4,117,479
                                                   ----------          -----------           ---------
TOTAL ADDITIONS                                     2,811,637            1,895,389           4,707,026
                                                   ----------          -----------           ---------
SUBTRACTIONS:
Investment Activities:
Depreciation in market value of Dime
   Community Bancshares, Inc. common stock          1,143,501            4,128,593           5,272,094
                                                   ----------          -----------           ---------
Total investment activities                         1,143,501            4,128,593           5,272,094
                                                   ----------          -----------           ---------
Other Subtractions:
Allocation of 115,832 shares of Dime
   Community Bancshares, Inc. common
   stock to participant accounts                           -             2,693,094           2,693,094
Cash benefit payments                                 315,674                   -              315,674
Release of 11,895 shares for benefit
   payments                                           246,513                   -              246,513
INTEREST EXPENSE ON BORROWING FROM DIME
   COMMUNITY BANCSHARES, INC.                              -               733,972             733,972
                                                   ----------          -----------           ---------
TOTAL OTHER SUBTRACTIONS                              562,187            3,427,066           3,989,253
                                                   ----------          -----------           ---------
TOTAL SUBTRACTIONS                                  1,705,688            7,555,659           9,261,347
                                                   ----------          -----------           ---------
CHANGE IN NET ASSETS AVAILABLE
   FOR PLAN BENEFITS DURING THE YEAR                1,105,949           (5,660,270)         (4,554,321)
                                                   ----------          -----------           ---------
NET ASSETS AVALABLE FOR PLAN BENEFITS:
   BEGINNING OF YEAR                                6,855,159          $16,286,503         $23,141,662
                                                   ----------          -----------           ---------
   END OF YEAR                                     $7,961,108          $10,626,233         $18,587,341
                                                   ==========          ===========           =========
</TABLE>
See accompanying notes to financial statements.
                                       -5-
<PAGE>

THE EMPLOYEE STOCK OWNERSHIP PLAN OF DIME COMMUNITY BANCSHARES, INC. AND
CERTAIN AFFILIATES

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN NET ASSETS AVAILABLE FOR PLAN BENEFITS FOR THE YEAR
ENDED JUNE 30, 1998
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
<S>                                           <C>                <C>                     <C>
                                                    ALLOCATED           UNALLOCATED              TOTAL
                                                    ---------           -----------           ---------
ADDITIONS:
Investment Activities:
Dividend income                                       $30,739              $238,948            $269,687
Appreciation in market value of Dime
   Community Bancshares, Inc. common stock          1,014,857             8,001,100           9,015,957
                                                    ---------           -----------           ---------
Total investment activities                         1,045,596             8,240,048           9,285,644
                                                    ---------           -----------           ---------
Other Additions:
Contributions from Dime Savings Bank of
   Williamsburgh, net                                      -              1,685,883           1,685,883
Allocation of 114,935 shares of Dime
   Community Bancshares, Inc. common stock to
   participant accounts                             3,189,446                    -            3,189,446
                                                    ---------           -----------           ---------
Total other additions                               3,189,446             1,685,883           4,875,329
                                                    ---------           -----------           ---------
TOTAL ADDITIONS                                     4,235,042             9,925,931          14,160,973
                                                    ---------           -----------           ---------
SUBTRACTIONS:
Allocation of 114,935 shares of Dime
   Community Bancshares, Inc. common stock to
   participant accounts                                    -              3,189,446           3,189,446
Benefit payments                                        8,318                    -                8,318
Interest expense on borrowing from Dime
    COMMUNITY BANCSHARES, INC.                             -                825,921             825,921
                                                    ---------           -----------           ---------
TOTAL SUBTRACTIONS                                      8,318             4,015,367           4,023,685
                                                    ---------           -----------           ---------
CHANGE IN NET ASSETS AVAILABLE
   FOR PLAN BENEFITS DURING THE YEAR                4,226,724             5,910,564          10,137,288
                                                    ---------           -----------           ---------
NET ASSETS AVALABLE FOR PLAN BENEFITS:
   Beginning of year                                2,628,435            10,375,939          13,004,374
                                                    ---------           -----------           ---------
   End of year                                     $6,855,159           $16,286,503         $23,141,662
                                                    =========           ===========           =========
</TABLE>
See accompanying notes to financial statements.
                                       -6-
<PAGE>

THE EMPLOYEE STOCK OWNERSHIP PLAN OF DIME COMMUNITY BANCSHARES, INC. AND
CERTAIN AFFILIATES

NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS YEARS ENDED JUNE 30, 1999 AND 1998

1.  SUMMARY DESCRIPTION OF PLAN

    The following is a brief description of The Employee Stock Ownership Plan
    of Dime Community Bancshares, Inc. And Certain Affiliates (the "ESOP").
    This description of the ESOP is provided for general information purposes
    only.  Participants should refer to the ESOP document for a more complete
    description of the ESOP's provisions.

    a.   GENERAL - The ESOP was adopted by the Board of Directors of the Dime
         Savings Bank of Williamsburgh (the "Bank") on February 8, 1996, with
         an effective date of July 1, 1995.

         On June 26, 1996, the Bank converted from a federally chartered mutual
         savings bank to a federally chartered stock savings bank and all of
         its outstanding capital stock was acquired by Dime Community
         Bancshares, Inc. (the "Company").  Simultaneously, the Company issued
         14,547,500 shares of common stock in a Subscription and Community
         offering to eligible investors in the following order of priority: (1)
         depositors whose deposits in qualifying accounts in the Bank totaled
         $50 or more on October 31, 1994; (2) the Employee plans of the Bank;
         including the ESOP, up to a maximum of 10% of the total shares issued,
         (3) depositors whose deposits in qualifying accounts in the Bank
         totaled $50 or more on March 31, 1996; and (4) members of the Bank,
         consisting of depositors of the Bank as of May 9, 1996, the voting
         record date for the special meeting of members to vote on the
         Conversion, other than those members who otherwise qualified as
         Eligible Account Holders or Supplemental Eligible Account Holders.
         The ESOP purchased 1,163,800, or 8%, of the shares issued by the
         Company in its community offering at the initial issuance price of
         $10.00 per share.

         The ESOP is designed to comply with Section 4975(e)(7) and the
         regulations thereunder of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as
         amended (the "Code"), and is subject to the applicable provisions of
         the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended
         ("ERISA").  The ESOP is administered by the Compensation Committee
         appointed by the Company's Board of Directors.  The trust services
         department of HSBC Bank, USA (formerly Marine Midland Bank)
         ("Trustee") acts as the trustee for the ESOP.

         In order to purchase the shares of the Company's common stock, the
         ESOP obtained a borrowing from the Company of $11,638,000, which is to
         be repaid over a ten year period at a fixed interest rate of 8.0%.
         The borrowing agreement establishes a repayment period of ten years
         with an option to make prepayments subject to certain terms
         established by the agreement.  Repayments of the borrowing are made
         from fully deductible contributions from the Bank to the ESOP.  As the
         ESOP makes each payment of principal on the borrowing, an appropriate
         percentage of stock will be allocated to eligible participants
         accounts in accordance with applicable regulations under the Code.
         Shares fully vest upon allocation.

         The borrowing is collateralized by the unallocated shares of stock
         held by the ESOP.  The Company, as lender, has no rights against
         shares once they are allocated under the ESOP.
                                       -7-
<PAGE>

         Accordingly, the financial statements of the ESOP for the years
         ended June 30, 1999 and 1998, present separately the assets and
         liabilities and changes therein pertaining to:

           (1) the accounts of employees with vested rights in allocated stock
              (Allocated) and
           (2) stock not yet allocated to employees (Unallocated)

    b.   ELIGIBILITY AND PARTICIPATION -All Eligible Employees, defined as
         salaried, common law employees of the Company or the Bank and its
         subsidiaries, who have completed a period of service of at least one
         year, automatically participate in the ESOP.  An employee is not an
         eligible employee if he or she is compensated principally on an
         hourly, daily, commission fee or retainer basis, or has waived any
         claim to membership in the Plan.

    c.   CONTRIBUTIONS AND DISTRIBUTIONS-  The Company or the Bank shall
         contribute to the ESOP an amount which, at minimum, shall serve to
         finance the ESOP's obligation under its outstanding borrowing from the
         Company.  The Company or the Bank may contribute additional amounts,
         if designated by the ESOP Committee, to the ESOP, which shall be
         applied as a prepayment of principal or interest for the outstanding
         borrowing from the Company.  Any additional contributions approved by
         the Committee shall be treated as an ESOP contribution and shall be
         allocated among the accounts of Eligible Participants in accordance
         with a pre-established formula.  Participant contributions are not
         permitted.

         No distributions from the ESOP will be made until a participant
         retires, dies (in which case, payment shall be made to his or her
         beneficiary or, if none, his or her legal representatives), or
         otherwise terminates employment with the Company or the Bank and its
         subsidiaries.  Distributions are made in cash or, if participant
         elects, in the form of shares of common stock of the Company plus cash
         for fractional shares.

    d.   VESTING - The balance credited to each Participant's account shall
         become vested in accordance with the following schedule:

             NUMBER OF YEARS OF SERVICE VESTED PERCENTAGE

                Less than 2 years           0%
                Less than 3 years          25
                Less than 4 years          50
                Less than 5 years          75
                5 or more years           100

         Under the provisions of the ESOP, participants were granted credit,
         for purposes of vesting, for years of service at the Bank prior to the
         establishment of the ESOP.  Any previously  unvested  portion shall
         become fully vested to participants upon attainment of age 65, or, if
         earlier, upon the termination of his or her participation by reason of
         death, disability, retirement or upon occurrence of change in control
         of the Employer.

     e.    INVESTMENTS -  As of June 30, 1999 and 1998, the ESOP's investments
        consists solely of investments in common stock of the Company.  The
        ESOP is permitted, under the Plan Document, to invest in any commingled
        or group trust fund, or common trust fund that are exempt from taxes
        under Section 501(a) of the Internal Revenue Code.
                                       -8-
<PAGE>

     f. ALLOCATION OF SHARES TO PARTICIPANT ACCOUNTS -  As of the last day of
        each plan year during which a borrowing is  outstanding, a portion of
        the financed shares purchased with the proceeds of the borrowing shall
        be released in accordance with a predetermined formula.  The released
        shares are allocated to Eligible Participant accounts in the proportion
        that each such Eligible Participant's compensation, as measured under
        the terms of the Plan Document, for the portion of the immediately
        preceding calendar year during which he or she was a participant, bears
        to the aggregate compensation of all Eligible Participants, as measured
        under the terms of the Plan Document.

        Released shares allocated to participant accounts totaled 115,832 and
        114,935 during the years ended June 30, 1999 and 1998, respectively.

        Each participant's account reflects an allocation of the Bank's
        contributions, ESOP earnings and the forfeiture of terminated
        participant non-vested accounts.

        Each participant is entitled to exercise voting rights attributable to
        the shares allocated to his or her account and is notified by the
        Trustee prior to the time that such rights are to be exercised.  The
        Trustee is  permitted, upon grant of authority by the Plan
        Administrator, to vote shares for which instructions have not been
        given by a participant within the stated time period.  Such vote is
        made in direct proportion to the votes received from participants.

     g. FORFEITURES -  Upon the termination of employment of a participant or
        former participant for reason other than death, disability, or
        retirement, that portion of the balance credited to his or her account
        which is not vested at the date of termination shall be forfeited as of
        the last Valuation Date, defined as the last business day of March,
        June, September, or December.  The proceeds of such forfeitures shall
        be treated as loan repayments and ESOP contributions as designated by
        the ESOP committee.

     h.    ESOP TERMINATION - The Company reserves the right to terminate the
        ESOP at any time, subject to the provisions of ERISA.  Upon such
        termination of the ESOP, the interest of each participant in the ESOP
        will be distributed to such participant or his or her beneficiary at
        the time prescribed by the ESOP provisions and the Code.  Upon
        termination of the ESOP, the Compensation Committee shall direct the
        Trustee to pay all liabilities and expenses of the trust fund and to
        sell the shares of financed stock held in the loan suspense account to
        the extent it determines such sale to be necessary in order to repay
        the borrowing.

2.   SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

     BASIS OF ACCOUNTING - The accompanying financial statements of the ESOP are
     maintained on the accrual basis of accounting.

      INVESTMENT VALUATION AND INCOME RECOGNITION - The shares of Dime
     Community Bancshares, Inc. common stock are valued at fair value based
     upon the closing price stated in the Wall Street Journal.  The closing
     price of the common stock was $23.25 and $27.75 per share, respectively,
     as of June 30, 1999 and 1998.

      Dividend income is accrued on the ex-dividend date for all dividends
     declared.  During the years ended June 30, 1999 and 1998, cash dividends
     of $0.51 and $.23 per share were declared and paid, respectively,  on Dime
     Community Bancshares, Inc. common stock.

      Purchases and sales of securities are recorded on a trade date basis.
     Realized gains and losses from security transactions are reported on the
     average cost method.
                                       -9-
<PAGE>

      USE OF ESTIMATES - The preparation of the financial statements in
     accordance with generally accepted accounting principles requires
     management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported
     amounts and disclosures in the financial statements.  Actual results could
     differ from these estimates.

3.  FEDERAL INCOME TAXES

    The Company has not yet received a determination letter from the Internal
     Revenue Service stating that the ESOP and related trust are designed in
     accordance with applicable sections of the Internal Revenue Code (the
     "Code").  However, the Plan Administrator believes that the ESOP and
     related trust are currently being operated in compliance with the
     applicable requirements of the Code.  Therefore, no provision for income
     taxes has been included in the ESOP's financial statements.


4.  ADMINSTRATION OF PLAN ASSETS

    The assets of the ESOP, which consist of investment in shares of Dime
    Community Bancshares, Inc. common stock, investments in the HSBC Bank, USA
    short-term investment fund and accrued interest and dividends receivable,
    are held in safekeeping as designated by the Trustee.

    Contributions to the ESOP are held and managed by the Trustee.  All
    contributions received during the years ended June 30, 1999 and 1998, were
    utilized to service the principal and interest on the borrowing.

     Certain administrative functions are performed by officers or employees of
     the Company or Bank.  No such officer or employee receives compensation
     from the ESOP for the administrative functions they perform.  All
     administrative expenses of the ESOP are paid by the Company or the Bank.


5.    INVESTMENTS

    The investments, at June 30, 1999 and 1998, are presented in the following
     table:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                              JUNE 30, 1999                           JUNE 30, 1998
                                   ---------------------------------         -----------------------------
<S>                            <C>                  <C>                    <C>             <C>
                                      ALLOCATED          UNALLOCATED           ALLOCATED       UNALLOCATED
                                     ----------          -----------           ----------      -----------
     Investment in HSBC
     Bank, USA Short-Term
     Investment Fund                   $146,174               $4,289              $31,074           $1,141
                                     ==========          ===========           ==========      ===========

     Shares of Dime
     Community Bancshares,
     Inc. Common Stock:
        Number of shares                336,102              801,633              245,908          917,465
                                     ==========          ===========           ==========      ===========
        Cost                         $3,361,020           $8,016,330           $2,459,080       $9,174,650
                                     ==========          ===========           ==========      ===========
        Market                       $7,814,370          $18,637,969           $6,823,945      $25,459,655
                                     ==========          ===========           ==========      ===========
</TABLE>
                                  * * * * * *

                                      -10-
<PAGE>

                                                                      SCHEDULE 1

THE EMPLOYEE STOCK OWNERSHIP PLAN OF DIME COMMUNITY BANCSHARES,
INC. AND CERTAIN AFFILIATES

ITEM 27(a) SCHEDULE OF ASSETS HELD FOR INVESTMENT PURPOSES
YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 1999

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
<S>                     <C>                        <C>                               <C>                   <C>
         (A)                       (B)                          ( C )                       (D)                  (E)
 PARTIES IN INTEREST       IDENTITY OF ISSUER         DESCRIPTION OF INVESTMENT            COST                  MARKET
 -------------------       ------------------         -------------------------          ------------          ----------
Yes                        Dime Community
                              Bancshares, Inc.          Shares of common stock            $11,377,350         $26,452,339

Yes                        HSBC Bank, USA               Short-term investment fund            150,463             150,463

</TABLE>

                                      -11-


<PAGE>

                                    SIGNATURES

     Pursuant to the requirements  of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Dime
Community Bancshares, Inc. and Certain  Affiliates  (the  Plan Administrator)
duly caused  this report to be signed on their behalf by the undersigned
thereunder duly authorized.



Dated:  December 27, 1999
                                      /S/ VINCENT F. PALAGIANO
                                      ------------------------------------
                                      Vincent F. Palagiano
                                      CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD AND
                                         CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER





Dated:  December 27, 1999
                                      /S/ KENNETH J. MAHON
                                      ------------------------------------
                                      Kenneth J. Mahon
                                      EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT, SECRETARY
                                         AND CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER


                                      -12-



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