East Hampton Notebook: Barbs Fly Over Leaf Program

Tempers exploded at Thursday's town board meeting when resident Arthur French blasted the board for cessation of East Hampton's leaf pickup program last fall.

French presented the board with a check for the small amount he said it would have taken per resident to keep the program alive. "I come to ask you for an explanation," he said. "The bottom line is, I question your decision. You were elected to serve the needs of the people."

French gave financial calculations and said he believed the leaf pickup only posed a cost of $5.43 per pickup. He told Councilwoman Theresa Quigley he was "still waiting" for the volunteers he'd been promised to help remove leaves from his property. Quigley asked if he'd registered with the town's senior services department. French said he had, to no avail.

"You hear us, but you don't listen to us," French said. "I'm 72 years old. I'm not humping stuff to the dump."

Quigley and East Hampton Town Supervisor Bill Wilkinson said the board was faced with tough decisions after being left a heavy burden and staggering deficit by the former administration.

"I applaud your efforts, but you can't do it on the backs of the working people," French said.

French questioned why the board was working to facilitate the upcoming for-profit Music To Know concert organized by two private individuals, originally slated for Amagansett but now scheduled for the airport. "When did the town board become a shill for two guys?" he asked.

Board members fired back, saying French's public tongue lashing of the town had resulted in ugly name calling. "You called us the Taliban board," Wilkinson said. "I don't care for that, Mr. French."

The supervisor added that the "catalyst" for allowing the concert was to develop a public/private partnership that would result in the concert organizers donating $100,000 to town charities, such as Project Most, that are in dire need of funding.

"Are you willing to write out a check for $100,ooo?" Councilman Pete Hammerle asked French.

French countered and asked if the town would pay the $563 he put out for leaf carting.

Quigley said the charitable contribution would go a long way to meeting the pressing social needs facing the community. "People are struggling. I don't sleep well at night. We are not shills and we're most certainly not Taliban."

The councilwoman added that French had a right to be disappointed in terms of the leaf program but said "personal insults are not acceptable. Calling us the Taliban board is personal. Give us your arguments without the nasty words."

Quigley added the board has heard no previous complaints about the leaf program.

Citizens Suggest Changes in Town Hall

During Tuesday’s town board work session, East Hampton residents Beverly Bond and David Buda suggested some changes for . Bond said she would like a schedule of meetings, minutes and directions posted outside the building. Wilkinson said a map would be a good addition, too.

Buda wants better lighting in the parking lot; Councilman Dominick Stanzione promised to follow up on. Buda also pointed out that work session agendas are not available beforehand on the website or anywhere. Wilkinson took full responsibility, and said he usually writes them the morning before.

“The website is still being fine tuned," the supervisor added. "We have the ability to look at it and fix things.”

Long Island Sports Wants a Track Near Airport

Martin Drew from the Long Island Sports Committee spoke during the public comment section to propose creation of a track near the airport for BMX biking and off road vehicles and also, the possibility of adding a field near the track for rugby.

The Maidstone lease should be running up this year, Drew added. East Hampton Town Attorney John Jilnicki said it was extended. Drew said a clause in the lease states up to 10 percent of the land in question can be recaptured by the town. Councilwoman Julia Prince said he should get together with all parties and write a proposal to present to the board.

Small Business Owner Wants Signage Approval

On Tuesday, Chris Schiaffino said he got a sign approved for his business, Tri-R, by the architectural review board but the ARB said he must go to the town board about its site, because it is on town property.

“As long as the practice is consistent I have no problem with it," Wilkinson sid. Jilnicki will review to see how similar situations were handled by the town in the past.

Board Wants Checks and Balance for Grant Money

Grants were on the table for discussion at Tuesday's work session -- specifically, how to track grant funding.  The board vetted the issue, saying when grants are offered, funds are taken out of the budget, and the wait is on for grant monies to come in. The problem, the board agreed, is that there is no system in place to double check arrival of the funds.

To that end, the board asked budget officer Len Bernard about implementing a system to track monies after the town has paid for the work.

"Without having a check and balance system, we don’t know if we get the money," Quigley said. "I have a problem giving out money, if we don’t know we are getting it back.”

Soil Definitions Differ From USDA's

The Town of East Hampton had a definition of soil types that matched the United State's Department of Agriculture’s definition in 1975 -- but when the USDA updated its definition in 1983, the town did not follow suit.

Attorney Laurie Wiltshire has a client who has been allegedly affected by this definition. During Tuesday’s work session, she said her client, “would like rezoning based on a faulty definition.”

“It is not a faulty definition, but the town's definition," Quigley said. "We do not have to update with the town.”

Wiltshire asked to be put on the agenda to plead her client's case.

Board Considers Banning Town Dock Fueling

Boaters in town might soon have to find a new way to fuel up.

Currently, town docks provide fueling for boats. But, members of the town board said, if there is an oil spill in any way associated with those fueling stations the town is liable.

A public hearing will be held to determine whether the town should cease providing fueling services and ban the practice.

“I do not want to put a business restriction on any type of facility," Wilkinson said. "I do not want this to be seen as a restriction on the fishing industry.”

If a decision is made to ban fueling at town facilities, private businesses will emerge as go-to fueling stations.