This government meeting is brought to you by Eastworks and our local cable subscribers. Welcome to the East Hampton City Council meeting for Wednesday, June 18th. The meeting tonight is being recorded and broadcast by E Media on CH Charter Channel 193 and live streaming on their
web page, eastamptonia.org. Councilors and participants in this meeting are gathering hybrid on the order extended until June 30th, 2027, allowing us to do so. I remind both the members of the city council and the public participating remotely to remain muted until recognized by the city
council president. Also for the members of the public, please remove your camera for the duration of the meeting unless you are participating in public speak time or the public hearing. Thank you. This meeting is now called to order. Maryanne Peg Coniff here. Connie Denim here. Salem Derby present. Felicia Jadzik here. JP Quisinski here. Tom Peak
here. Brad Riley here. Tamara Smith here. JT Terrell here. And now you can either take a moment of silence or join us for the pledge of allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the
republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. I will work to it. Okay. Um we don't have any uh minutes available for this meeting. So we will
take care of those at our next meeting. Um and tonight is a little bit different um because um it seems we have a lot of people in the in the house which I imagine some of you might want to speak. So what I'm going to do tonight is I'm going to open up public speak time. Um
but we can only keep it open until 6:15. um at 6:15 is a hard stop for us to go into our public hearing where we have an unfortunate amount of stuff to deal with because the budget was delayed last meeting. So, we have the city's budget that must be passed before June 30th and
we also have quite a few supplemental appropriations. Um so, when that is finished, I will reopen public speak again. And when everybody has been able to speak, um then we will uh the first order of business after that will be to
move the resolution. Um, so buckle up. Uh, and also saying that, um, buckle up. Please, if you would like to address the council, um, on anything other than our public hearings, which is the budget and appropriations, uh, you may step to the
podium. The only thing I ask, there's a couple things here. We're going to keep it to 3 minutes and we are going to state our name and our address before we speak. We will address the council. And please, nobody in the audience, as much as you might want to really cheer people on or not cheer people on, to maintain
decorum, we're going to ask you to hold your comments, hold your emotions until you get to the podium where you can be as free as you would like to say whatever you would like. Um, so if you would like to speak, please step to the podium. Thank you. Did you ask for
identify? I did. Oh, okay. Yep. I'm sorry. You ready? We are ready. Just name and address for the record and then continue. My name is Reverend Dr. Chris Davies. My address is 229 Montgomery Road in Westfield, Massachusetts. And I
have a family member in the East Hampton School. I am here as uh part of that in part because I'm the executive minister for programs and initiatives in the Southern New England Conference of the United Church of Christ representing 570
local churches across the Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island. The United Church of Christ has been firm on our commitment to transgender folk for years, and we intend to be clear and loud about that. I am here because of my
faith and I strongly affirm East Hampton as a city of safety for trans and gender non-conforming people. We are here because it matters to publicly affirm the safety of trans siblings and continue to build places of trans flourishing and joy, especially when
this work will be so long. It matters. We need this hope. East Hampton can continue to be a city on a hill, a city of refuge for the most and multiply oppressed in this ongoing work because trans people are made in the image of
the divine, holy and wholly made just as they are sparkling beacons of creative gender joy. Because I believe this work is co-creating the world God has called us to build one where people are free,
have enough, and can flourish in community. Thank you. Okay. Hi, my name is Nathan Marquee. I live at 37 Holio Street, um, precinct 3. I am also the chair of the East Hampton
Democratic City Committee. Um, I'm here to speak in full support of the resolution. If it um I hope that all of the city councilors vote yes on this resolution. I um did not I do not have a prepared speech. I am not speaking on behalf of the committee though there are
many many members of the committee there in um favor of this resolution and there was much discussion last night about it. Thank you. Thank you. My name is Marggo Anderson. um in East Hampton. And um
so today I learned that my country hates my family. These words were posted on Blue Sky this morning about today's Supreme Court decision and today especially a uh state and local civil rights protections matter in a time of encroaching hate and discrimination in
Washington. Your actions tonight resonate far beyond this chamber and well beyond our town's borders. I have a job in New York City, but I and my family live here in part because this is a wonderful town in a wonderful state.
My wife and I pay local and state taxes and our kids are in the local public school system. We all gladly support local restaurants and businesses. However, the vindictive federal administration for us jeopardizes everything. It shouldn't fall to local
governments to pass a civil rights ordinance. Yet, these are unusual times with an increasingly authoritarian federal government trying to consolidate power at the expense of the most vulnerable. And look, you stop authoritarians by stopping
authoritarians. They are bullies and we all know how to fight bullies. You stand up to them and do not give any ground. With great respect and admiration for the hard work this chamber does, I request you please
consider voting yes on the trans city of safety resolution. Thank you. Thank you. Kathisinski, Overlook Drive. I was reviewing the agenda this evening and unclear as to what the initials were for the resolution and needed to ask one of
the city councilors. I'm going to guess that many of the citizens in this community also weren't sure what those um initials stood for and therefore would not necessarily come to provide either support or a dissenting viewpoint
on this resolution. I will ask that you either delay discussion of this resolution or continue discussion of this resolution to the next city council meeting so that people who might have a different point of view might be able to present that. Thank you.
My name is Eileen Royceman and I live at 17 Adams Street. It's a quirky old house divided into eight small to medium-siz apartments with comparatively low rents. The previous owner couldn't keep up with the building, but he kept the rent low. Then he sold it to Hurricane Properties, an investment company that owns many
rentals in Western Mass. They have a mailing address in Charleston, South Carolina. Their property manager, the public face of the operation, is in Florida where they own some luxury properties. Here in East Hampton, they're imposing enormous rent increases to be closer to what they consider to be
market value. But investor market value isn't the same thing as fair market value. Hurricane Properties doesn't care about tenants as people with lives and ties to the community. So, they don't care about being fair. The only thing they care about is maximizing profit. A
testimonial on their website says, "I started off with a modest investment, but over time increased to $400,000. I would highly recommend this to someone who is looking to make a solid return on a passive investment. Passive investing means getting money without doing any work. Some hard-working people never see
$400,000 their whole lives." In a letter to investors dated February 2024, they said, "We believe that to be successful with investing, you need to do the opposite of what the crowd is doing, and that oftentimes the best opportunities present themselves when everyone else is running scared." With that in mind, we
pivoted to a new market where prices were affordable and charged forward, purchasing 33 apartments units in 2023. Because we bought our newer properties at a discount, we are still able to have strong cash flow despite higher costs. Also, unlike many real estate companies,
we manage all our properties in-house and perform all our rehabs with our own team. This complete control over our operations allowed us to keep costs down and generate profits where the other real estate investors could not. We have also continued to aggressively raise
rents to offset increased costs. We will continue to grow our portfolio in a safe and diversified manner for the decades to come with the goal of creating generational wealth for ourselves and our investors. They intend to own $30 million in property this year. None of this takes into consideration the people
who make their homes in these buildings. To them, apartment units are commodities and tenants are merely conduits for money. Tenants who don't pay are removed and replaced. Ironically, their messages on the tenant portal say, "Thank you for choosing Hurricane Properties." Out of
fear or due to extenduating circumstances, several of the tenants in our small building have agreed to the higher rent, even though they can't really afford it. That doesn't make it acceptable. It just means Hurricane Properties is very good at bullying. They're about to try evicting the rest
of us, but we're not going to back down. We have legal support, and we're going to keep standing up for the other tenants as well. None of this is good for community stability. This can't be what you want, phrased Hampton. A mechanism has to be put in place to ensure a balance between fair housing
for tenants and fair business for landlords. Thank you. My name is Anne Stangle. I live at the same residence as Eileen uh 17 Adam Street that just got purchased by Hurricane Properties where they just
raised our rent by 30% with a 30-day notice. either pay up or get out is basically what they told us. Um, this has been my home for 13 years. I'm a teacher in this community. I teach
at Holio Community College. Many of my students are from East Hampton. I ran into several of them at Cultural Chaos on Saturday. We had a great time. Um, I've also been a veterinary technician in this community at the Florence Animal
Clinic for 18 years, which has also been a family-un business. So, I ask you, where are we supposed to get this 30% rent increase from? I can't go to the college, it's state-run. Am I going to go to the state government
and say, "I need a 30% raise." Am I going to go to the Florence Animal Clinic, a family-owned business, and say, "I need a 30% raise." That's not going to happen. Where am I going to get this money from to stay in my community that has meant so much to
me for the past 13 years? Thank you. Uh my name is Jesse Moresy. I live on Apple Tree Lane. I've lived in East Hampton for 12 years. I'm a small business owner. I work at a lo local brewery and I'm raising my kid, my two kids here with my wife. I love this
town. This is where I want to grow old. I'm also a transgender man. There was a real growing effort in this country to strip strip rights away from people like me, from trans adults, trans kids, from our doctors, our teachers, our parents.
Some people think that'll never happen in Massachusetts. And I hope they're right. But hope it's not a plan. You don't have to understand everything about gender identity to understand this. I just want to live. I want to raise my kids. I want to work. I want to
be a good neighbor. That's all. This resolution tells families like mine that we are safe, that we belong, and that our town will stand by us when it matters.
Please be kind. Please pass this resolution. Thank you. My name is Molly Davis. I'm uh at 56 Fairy Street and I'm an East Hampton resident. I'm reading this statement on behalf of Sebastian Bar, who is also an East Hampton resident. These are his
words. My name is Sebastian Bar. I am a transgender man and have lived in East Hampton for four years. As our country grows scarier and more difficult to be trans in, I have taken solace that I live in an area that is generally very embracing of gender diversity. With the
ongoing and worsening attacks, including today's Supreme Court decision and the Trump administration's stated and evidenced agenda against my community's rights, I am increasingly concerned that being anywhere in the US is too dangerous. But I love living here. We
own our home and have built and are expanding pollinator gardens. We frequent the shops and restaurants downtown. I lead a weekly group bike ride and we have a wonderful community of neighbors. And my wife is expecting our first child later this year. We
don't want to move. We want to continue building our lives and our family in East Hampton, but we need to be reassured that we will stay safe here. Please pass this resolution. I hate that we're here, but if we need our city council to affirm commitment
uh sorry um but we need our city council to affirm commitment to trans safety and commit that regardless of the direction the country takes and regardless of the direction the country takes, our city's resources will not be spent harming my community or restricting our rights.
Thank you. Thank you. And I hate to do this, but let's have you be the last one, okay, for this. And then just remember where you are in line and when if you can remember if you can remember how many hours from now this takes, uh, then just jump right
back in where we left off and we're going to have you be our last one for this moment. Great. Thank you. My name is Cat Novitzki. I use she her pronouns and I am a proud resident of East Hampton, a place that I love very much at 58 Pleasant Street. I love the spirit
of East Hampton. We are hardworking, determined, creative, quirky in the best way, and above all, we are a community that cares about one another. About a decade ago, I started my work as an advocate for trans and non-binary students in educational settings,
creative communities, and spiritual groups to support the process of making spaces safer for trans community members. In my policy and community work, I've often been faced with resistance to making institutional changes that would better serve trans
folks. Frequently, I heard the response, "There are not enough trans people for us to put in the effort to make the changes." And my answer to that has always been if a policy change can save and protect even one life that is more
than enough that to put the the effort into making a change. Everyone in East Hampton deserves to feel that the message on our downtown street lamps that state now you belong applies to them too. I urge city council
to please vote yes on name naming East Hampton a sanctuary city for trans and gender diverse communities. Let's stand together during this time when the White House is trying to frighten people away from living their values and boldly state that no, this is our value that we
do not side with hate and fear is not who we are. Our city is a place where trans folks are worthy of feeling like they belong, that they can thrive and live long and fulfilling lives. Trans people are the targets of so much violence and hate. And even today, the
Supreme Court upheld withdrawal of life-saving gender affirming care, but we in East Hampton believe in standing by our neighbors. I urge you to vote with the values of East Hampton citizens in mind. Please support our trans
community members so that they may able to continue to contribute to making East Hampton such an outstanding place to live where everyone can feel that they belong and feel safe enough to learn, live, work, and just live without fear
of their safety on a daily basis. Please use your vote today to bravely state that we are a sanctuary city for trans people because we believe in everyone's right to live safely, to be a part of the community, and to feel that they
belong in East Hampton because this is who we are. Thank you. Thank you so much. Thank you. And so with that, we're going to um uh open the public hearing. And what we'll do is we'll queue back up as soon as we close the public hearing. So I would entertain a motion to open the public hearing.
We have a motion in a second. All those in favor. Public hearing is open. Council peak. Thank you, Mr. President. For everyone here, I'm I'm so sorry. This is going to take a while. Um Okay. Uh so, let's get to it. Uh so, just just
to overview what we are going to discuss tonight, it's related to finance. We have our municipal budget that we need to pass. We need to pass it tonight. If we don't pass it, we're in a lot of trouble because it's the end of the fiscal year. After that, we have 17 appropriations that we also need to
approve. So, if anyone's wanting to keep track, that's what we've got. A budget, which has 10 parts, and then 17 appropriations. So, let's start with the budget. Um the budget was um we
continued this hearing uh at the last uh meeting uh to give some time to see whether some negotiations could work out in a way that would uh potentially uh resolve some matters of contention. Uh I have not received any update about that.
Has anybody else know I um I I could speak to it just briefly. I had understood that we had booked for a meeting on June 11th as the next time there would be a meeting. And through no fault of either party, any any party
involved, that meeting was unable to be held on the 11th. And so we had hoped at the time of our last meeting to be able to have two meetings occur. That would be the 11th and on the 18th this afternoon. Uh
the 11th meeting did not occur and the 18th I did I believe did occur but I have no updates on the progress of that meeting or whether we were able to come to any change from the positions that we
stood at come two weeks ago if that helps you at all. Sure it does. What it tells me is there hasn't been the this the satisfactory resolution that we had hoped for. Okay. Um u is that um
uh mayor, do you do you have any comment on this? Uh the counselor is correct in that the 11th uh meeting on the 11th could not happen. um for undue uh circumstances. Meeting happened this afternoon and uh
we will be having another meeting on June 25th I believe or accepting proposals. Um again uh second uh session of empower pack bargaining we expect at least a
third um and that's where we are now. Okay. So uh thank you mayor. what that my so my immediate reaction to this although I'm willing to be talked out of this if somebody else has a really different way of looking at it is
that at this point uh any remedy to the uh the the concerns that that have been placed forward by by councelor Denim and others uh would have to come through in the form of an appropriation next year if the parties come to the con come to
uh a conclusion that that works for everyone because this needs to get passed and I I I'm not like again if I would love for the parties involved to come to a conclusion that everyone's happy with and come forward and if that's what happens I I feel very conf
comfortable saying that as finance chair I would most likely support any appropriation to help with that situation but ultimately that is not something that is currently under our control and before this night is over we need to pass a budget. Um so I with that
being said am ready to move forward with the budget uh as it's uh been presented uh unless I mean when we go through I guess any anyone who wants to see if there's anybody who has any amendments
that they would want to suggest they would suggest them during that motion during the the the motion of the section of the section that was my understanding as well. Councelor D. Yeah, just a point of clarification. The budget has to be passed before June 30th, correct? So, in
theory, there could be this council could have an emergency meeting after tonight. Correct. In theory, yes. Yes. Okay. Councelor Connor. Um, and also, and maybe this is not the time to speak to it, but
it it almost doesn't matter what the union comes up with. We cannot increase the budget. So what will happen either way is if they approve it after we approve the budget, an appropriation will be made to supplement the income
that those individuals may or may not win. If it's after the 30th, same thing. An appropriation will happen. There is nothing that will happen during those union negotiations that we have any control over. All we can do is reduce the budget, not increase it. So I find
that whole conversation loot to what we're talking about tonight. That that's a good point, Council Connor. Thank you. And and I think that it's clear the the the sentiment of at least a few members of the council is relatively clear on this issue. So I don't think that if we
did decide to hold it up and have a special meeting that it would solidify that position any further other I think that position is no. I think um and so I I agree that it would be a moot point to do that. Um, any other thoughts on this before we move into the sections?
Council Kazinski, just as a general matter with regard to amendments, I think it's fine to say that the council can't increase the budget. We can't. That's the state law. We cannot change. We cannot increase the budget.
We can make our sentiments be known, however, through any amendment to the existing budget. Sure. to make it very clear that we are not happy with certain matters
that we're not happy with the way the budget has been presented. We really have very little options and frank I for one am frankly very frustrated and dissatisfied with being in a position
where we can't express those feelings clearly. So it is very likely I will be making amendments to the budget. Uh and its intent I'll be very clear
with is to make clear that we are dissatisfied with the negotiation process between the executive and the council with regard to certain issues. The executive can make their decisions and will submit whatever budget they
want. If we're dissatisfied, we can take some action. And the only action we can take is to delay through the 30th or make amendments. Yeah. Um I guess I I hear what councelor Kazinski is saying and obviously every
single every counselor here has every right to propose any number of amendments. Um, without straying too much from the topic at hand, I would just say that ultimately
there is there is recourse that we do have beyond that. It's just not recourse that happens this fiscal year, right? Because we could amend our charter, right? If there's if there's a feeling that that actually we the council wants to have more power in the budget making
process, we could propose a charter amendment and bring it to the people and make our case. Um, and uh, at at this point I I just I want to throw that out there because we it seems like we get stuck in this sort of brinksmanship
uh, every year or two and at some point it it feels kind of uh, exhausting and uh, I don't know whether the voters would approve would support that. I mean, I need to think about whether I support it, but ultimately I do think that if this is something that we need that this is something that there
there's a conversation about this that starts every year around May and ends every year around the end of June about whether or not like and it's like, well, this is crazy. And then we go and we don't do anything about it and we don't make any attempt to change the system and then we're stuck with the
same system next year. So, I just want to I don't want to get too far into that. we should talk about what's on the agenda, but just since this happens every time, I just want to remind people like this is a system that exists because the voters voted on it being the system, and I don't like elements of it,
and I'm sure that a lot of other people don't, but it it's what we're stuck with until someone changes it. I agree. I think both of those are are good points. I think that um Council Kinsky, you're right. We have there like as of now, the only recourse we have is the only option
we have is to cut it. no other option and council peak that I think is a a interesting long-term solution potentially. Um, I do think it might make sense for um, you know, time-wise is for us to get into the and and if
people do have amendments to um, bring those per section and and continue to move forward because we could get stuck in a circular um, spiral here, which I don't necessarily think is the best course of action.
I understand. I'm I'm ready whenever everyone else is. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. So, uh section one is general government. I'm I'm just going to be making these motions and all
right. Uh I move the city vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $3,563,535.86 86 cents for the various departments listed under section one general government and that the amounts listed in the mayor's printed report unless amended be considered specific
appropriations with the following amounts to be transferred as recommended by the mayor and city council finance committee. Water sewer enterprise 529,086.33 parking funds 7 $7,500 overlay $400,000.
Second. Okay, we have a motion and a second. Do we have any further discussion? General Councelor Kisinski. I move to amend the motion and substitute it with the following motion. I move that the city vote to raise and
appropriate the sum of three mil 3 million488,53586 for the various departments listed under section one general government and that the amounts listed in the mayor's printed report amended uh city attorney professional services
budget reduced by $75,000. with the following amounts to be transferred as recommended uh by the mayor and the council city council finance sub uh committee water and sewer enterprise 52908633
parking fund 7500 overlay $400,000. Is there a second? So moved. Second. Okay, we have a motion and a second on the original um motion. Uh is there any discussion on the amendment?
Councelor Pete, I'll speak to it. Oh, well, you want to speak to I I just wanted to say the purpose here is that the budgeted amount had been $85,000 for uh prof for professional legal services.
that figure if we reduce it, it's the one section of the budget that gives us the flexibility to reduce something where the mayor can come back to the council to make requests for future increases, but it's a matter of
negotiation between the mayor and the council. It gives the council the authority over this line item as opposed to the mayor having the authority over the line item. It gives flexibility.
Right now I feel as if the council in general before we had a small tiny little budget for legal services goes and is always asking the mayor for permission to can we look, you know, look into this, can we look into that?
And if there happens to be a disagreement between the executive and the council, there's very little flexibility for the council to have any ability to have professional services. I think those are the kinds of issues that can be helped by making this kind of a
reduction in the city's budget. Okay, councelor. Uh yeah, respectfully, I I I don't think I'll be voting for this. I um I understand the uh intent behind it and I think that there's something respectable
be behind that. But as finance chair, the idea of having to be constantly coming for appropriations, that legal work that's necessary for uh all sorts of things in the city uh to move forward, while maybe that does create some leverage in the balance of powers
question, I think it uh could potentially create a headache uh for the finance committee. Um, and beyond that, I it's just goes against my general philosophy on these things, which is that we should budget, we should avoid,
we I like that we've actually been moving away from budgeting way less than we need than we know we need for these things. And so, while I understand the sentiment behind it, and there's elements of it that I'm sympathetic to, I don't think I can get on board with this. Okay. Uh, councelor Denn. Thank
you, Mr. President. I have to be really honest. I'm getting really frustrated with council making decisions based on whether whether or not they're convenienced or not. There are eight people right now who are
being impacted by this cut and their lives are being inconvenienced. This is what we were elected for. People are hardworking. People are committed to this community.
People are our neighbors. People are our constituents. And they quite frankly should not be treated this way. This is ridiculous. This whole thing is about $24,000 in a budget of $61,000 or $61 million.
This is absurd. Like I don't understand why people are being treated this way. And this is our responsibility to stick up for them. I do not understand when the union when labor became a problem for this city and
those positions as we have learned in this packet the council on aging now has cut back their hours. When did seniors become a problem for this city that we were not committed to them? Someone in the health department over
this situation has now left their position. Did you not hear people today talking about the rent raises that they're dealing with? Now there's no one in the health department who's who's willing to stand up and speak for them.
When did poor people in a workingclass city become a problem for us? Like I'm sorry, I am not inconvenienced by this. And in fact, I will come back in a week and speak on this again. The
person who should be inconvenience is the person who's put this forward. People are suffering in this community over this. People are having their services cut because of this for nothing. There was in fact a mistake in
the budget of over 64 or $64,000. And that could easily have been Oops. that was a mistake. You know what? We care about our employees and we're going to put that money to that. But instead, we're going to sit here and we're going to spend hours
dinking around having a conversation which $24,000 would would address. These are people's lives. This is people's income. And this is something that people counted on. You don't just
in the last minute or the last couple of months say, "Sorry, you're down." One person is down $12,000. Another person is between five and $7,000. That is a huge inconvenience.
And I'm not inconvenient to speak up for them. Any other thoughts? you would if you wouldn't mind in the audience just so we can get through this just we'll try to keep it um with some decorum here. Um does any other
counselors have any comments on the amendment? Seeing uh none I think that councelor Denim I I appreciate your um your passion around this. I I think it's unfortunate that we don't have the tools
uh to to do what I think a lot of us want to do, which is and which is part of your impassion, please, to help some of these people that um are going to be impacted potentially by these. I just it's unfortunate that we in this
position as city councilors are not empowered to be able to do that. I think that is, you know, under our current form of government with the mayor strong um is is the executive branch's um purview. And it's as frustrating as it
is, it's you know, that's that's the structure. And um so I understand um but I I think that as we move forward I'm I'm happy to um to support the amendment just to show
that you know I support this the position of trying to support our employees. But I also know that it is um it's symbolic. We don't we don't have
the the purview to to do to change the budget in the positive. All we can do is take a stand and it doesn't matter whether we do or not. It's it's the executive's decision. Um so I think that uh if unless anybody else has something
I'll be go ahead. I just wanted to elaborate that in terms of there being an inconvenience, I'm I'm I'm sorry if there's an inconvenience that that's what we're hired to do. I agree with councelor Denim. Uh
if the mayor needed to come back and ask for $75,000 on July 1st, that would be the mayor's prerogative to do that. So, this isn't an attempt to make more work for the finance subcommittee. This is an
expression of expressing an opinion in really one of the only few ways we have to express the opinion here and make the council's will truly be known other than we say nice things. Yeah. Um and I think probably for this
one, let's let's do a uh are you prepared to do a roll call? Let's do a roll call for this one and then hopefully we'll be able to do just voice votes for and this is for the uh amendment to the original motion.
Uh point awarded. Sorry. Yep. Does the does the public speak after each piece before we vote or does that have to come at the end? So well after if we amend it then the public would have an opportunity. Okay. I just want to be clear what the process is for the
amendment. Yeah. generally because that way they'll know what they're speaking to. Council Smith, this is nothing to do with that, but the name tags are in the wrong position. Thanks for that. That's my
Don't trade. But if you want me to be top peak, I'm not. You don't want to be top. Okay. Me tonight. Maryanne, and this is on the amendment to the original motion. Peg Con. Oh, sure. Um,
you know, I mean, in theory, I completely agree. I I get it. Yeah. I'm going to vote no. Okay. Connie Denim, I. Salem Derby, hi. Felicia Jadik, I JP Kuisinski, hi. Tom Peak, no. Brad Riley,
no. Tamara Smith, I. JT Terrell, I three nos. Okay. So, amendment passes. Yeah. Okay. So, now this is back to the amended motion. Yes.
Um, and uh, I think what we probably need to do is, and this is my this actually, we do we need to take JP, this is a question for you, do we need to take the second off of the amended
motion and table it to get input from the public and then reput the amendment back on the floor? I would say no. I would say we pass the amendment that's on the floor. We have the the the amendment which is now the the new
motion. The new motion, but it's the new motion was in effect. So, well, the motion is on the floor. So, and we can't have a motion on the floor and have public speak to it. So, well, when would we have the public speak before the before Well, that's that's that was the conundrum. So, what I'd like to do is
I'd like to get um to open it to for the public speak. And you want to be clear and I want to make sure that we don't have a motion on the floor. So what I'm saying is can we take the amended motion off have anybody that's interested in speaking to it and then bring the
amended motion back which I think is probably the smartest way to do it. I would say we in the firing line I would do it. Okay. Um so I I'm going to request that the amended motion um that we will be voting on be uh taken off the
floor. So, whoever seconded the original one, which I don't remember. Well, actually, it should be the motion be taken off, not the the Yeah, the motion to be taken off. So, and then we'll bring it back. So, do we have who amended? Who um seconded the first one?
I believe we seconded the first one. Peg. So, can you just resend your second for now? Uh, sure. Okay. and then the motion. Uh I'll resend my motion. Okay. So, um would anybody like to speak to uh
general government? Okay. Again, just state your name and address for the record. Kathy Wisinski, Overlook Drive. I wanted to point out once again some discrepancies in salaries. Um, and I
appreciate Connie Denim's advocacy for our our staff. I think it's really important. I did want to point out for all the citizens a discrepancy in the clerical salaries. Um, we have
um two longtime um clerical staff that have worked at public safety and I'm sure other long-term clerical staff that have worked here for years. um some of them decades that are
um making significantly less than someone who's been working here far less time. It's really inappropriate for a $30,000 salary jump in the last 5 years for a a clerical staff person that works
less than 40 hours. Um, and this year there's a proposed increase of another $3,000 while other staff are losing hours, other secretarial staff. Um, I'm not exactly sure why we need a $92,000 a
year um executive assistant and the mayor's office. Um, it's really inappropriate for someone to be making that level of salary that works less than 40 hours a week. And when we have staff, secretarial staff that have worked here for more than two decades
that are making $30,000 less, um, I think it's really inappropriate and I'm disturbed that this wasn't caught by the council when it was first proposed. Thank you. Thank you. Anybody else want to speak to general government? Uh, Carolyn Cushing, Main Street
Precinct 4. I'm not exactly sure this is the right time to talk, but I think it fits. I all the ins and outs here. Um uh the my understanding of this some
workers ate people their salaries their time being cut by an hour or two hours resulting in this loss of income that is not insignificant in a time when people's costs are rising. and I don't
have a solution for you, but there does seem you do have until the end of the month. And these workers who serve us, how are they getting the message that their work isn't valued? You know,
there's some clerical error or bad planning or something that's been known about for a while and it's just unressed. Um, and this will impact our services in
the Department of Health. We have lost someone already in a time when the federal funding is losing and we're going to be facing more problems. The Council on Aging, funding for elders being cut, who's going to support them? I um
I I the idea of like the budget isn't voted on tonight, something happens and you come back later. Is that possible? I don't know. And you know, maybe there needs to be a long-term fix for this, but I hope we figure out a way to
support the people who work for us in the city. And we can be creative sometimes. I've seen you all be creative with different things. So, thank you. speaking the general government.
Hi, Miriam Ansar, 359 Main Street. So, I confess that I don't know a lot about what's happening and why these employees are having their hours cut. I wish I did know more. But what I do know
is that this is not the moment in time in history and in our country to be reducing people's hours. Our economy is actually in crisis
um despite any any um hype to the contrary. And it's also a time where we're really called on to put people first and to value people first and value their ability to support their
families first. And so, as I understand it, the council doesn't have much say over the budget. I don't know if it's even appropriate to say, can you change this? Because my understanding is is that you cannot.
But I would say that what would be really important is to f I mean we've had these discussions. I remember the last budget discussion maybe it was the one before about um bilingual services and support for our students. I don't
see the difference between the necessity of supporting our students and necessity of supporting their parents and the people who work in for this city and the people who provide all kinds of services for us. And I just think that that should be first,
you know, I mean, I saw some item that said we have to fix the deficit in the cannabis budget. Good lord, pot over employees. How could that possibly be? But as I say, my understanding of this is really random,
but what I know is I want our city's employees to be safe in every way, including economically. Thank you. Okay. Uh, anybody else? And if you're online, you can always just uh raise your virtual hand, but I'll just kind of
take people as they come. Good evening, city council um and members of the public. Uh I am the community social worker here in the health department and as you have all heard, I did resign this week. Um,
I just want to speak about about 2 months ago, we got an email that said that our union workers, sorry, who were working more than 34 hours a week would be adjusted to 34. And I reached out to the union when I got this email and they weren't aware of
this decision. There's actually a paragraph in our union contract that explicitly states that in the event of a reduction, the city has to provide notice to the union and an opportunity to bargain over the impact of said reductions. So, the discussions and the negotiations with our union were
actually a reaction to union members like myself reaching out and bringing up these concerns. The negotiations and our contract were not considered proactively ahead of time. And I think this is ultimately why this is all still unresolved and coming down to the last second because the process was not carried out the way that it's supposed
to be. The piece of this that I really want to highlight and hope will be handled differently if this situation should present itself in the future is the consideration and respect given to the impacted employees. At the May 12th finance committee meeting when budget discussions first started, councilors inquired with city leadership about our
34-hour reduction. And the response on the city's end was that this is targeted to ask me members because the union has administrative staff who are primarily 34 hours anyway. And this is just getting everyone in line. Councilors also inquired if the impacted staff were
originally hired at 34 hours, and the response from city leadership was yes, most people. and that this only impacts about four or five people. It was not clear during that meeting who the impacted employees were. We were not mentioned by our names and our roles and it took a lot of collaboration to
determine who the actual group is that this will impact and the correct total number of employees is actually six of us. If union employees are going to lose hours and wages, the details should have been clearly stated and known from the beginning. This was discussed as a casual no big deal matter. The six
employees involved are dedicated, hard-working people who range from 35 to 40 hours a week from the police department, the fire department, the public health department, IT, and our senior center. Many of us often work extra regardless of our 35 to 40 hours
because of the demands of our jobs and this process and the discussions that have taken place about us have felt incredibly disrespectful and dismissive. I would like to say a big thank you to councelor Denham for her advocacy and for being a champion of equity for employees and residents. When you have
employees receiving significant raises above and beyond step raises on one hand and you have employees receiving cuts to their hours and loss of income on the other, it is a hard hit and your support is greatly appreciated. Thank you all for your time and the work you do for this community. Thank you.
Anybody else? Okay, seeing none, we can put the amended motion back on the table. Council, do you have the amended numbers? numbers. Okay. Just like so. The amended
number then would be uh I move that the city vote to uh raise and appropriate the sum of 3,488,535.86 from the various departments for the various departments listed under section one general government. and the amounts
listed in the mayor's printed report uh uh amended uh to incl uh have the city attorney professional service budget reduced by 75,000 uh with with the uh following amounts to be transferred as recommended uh by the
mayor and uh city council finance committee uh water sewer enterprise $529,86.33 parking fund $7,500 overlay $400,000.
Second. Okay, we have a motion in the second. Uh, any further discussion on the amended motion? Councelor Kisinski, I just wanted to point out a general issue that if there was to be a delay, everyone that has spoken to this is
correct. June 30th is is the last day for budgets to be passed. If there's a will of the council to move forward tonight, then that we vote on this on this motion. Uh just wanted to make sure in case there was any further thoughts
or discussion on that matter. That being said, we could meet sometime next week should that be the will. In the absence of that, uh, I'm not sure there are any conclusions that would lead to satisfaction for those who would be
concerned about the matters that we've discussed. So, that being said, council gentleman, is that your hand? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Um, well, I just want to I have a clarifying question and then I have a comment.
Okay. So, one, can we make a motion now to do that or does it because this motion has already happened? Um, now to do to to do what? That's a very good question. Yeah. Um to
uh to move it to next week, right? I we we could we could take the motion and the second off the table or we could vote this section and stop there. We could stop after any section. Um, councelor
before and and and go into a continuation of the hearing. Before I answer that, because I do have an answer, council, did you want to weigh in real quick? Why don't you have your answer? Um, so if if we were going to delay the vote again, that means we'd have to hold a special meeting, which
means um that would be next week. It sounds like the the meetings, the union meetings would be Wednesday, so it would have to be after Wednesday. Um, I mean I'm I'm personally not going to be available for that. So, and I don't know with such an
not short notice if other counselors will be available. So, it is taking a risk of not having a a majority um, you know, unless we checked in with everybody to see if we would have the appropriate number of people. I mean,
I don't again I I don't necessarily believe that delaying the budget will do anything. Um I think amending the budget um which we which is the motion that's on the table right now would be the first time in my tenure that that would
have happened. I I uh I councelor Quisinski has this nothing like nothing of this magnitude in the last 22 years. This has never happened. I'm just so this is not insignificant. Uh I think it's a a significant
statement. Um and I think it makes the very clear where where we um fall down on this issue. Um so I I think it you know what it would be is if if someone decided that we
wanted to try to hold a special meeting next week knowing that I would not be available. um that it would fall to council Kisinski. Someone would have to request for this motion to be taken off the table. It would and we'd also it would make sense to check in to make
sure other people wouldn't would be available for it. So, um you know that would be councelor Con to Oh, you had a part two to your question. Sorry, I have a part two, but I'm happy to make that statement after
this clarification is clear. um for financial matters and maybe this is a Marian question. Do we need 2/3 instead of a simple majority for the budget on financial issues? I thought we
needed 2/3 but I could be off on that. I just wanted to throw that out there. Anyone know? Hel said for certain ones like the stabilization we need two but not for the budget. Okay. number two. Two and then we'll go to you
because you have much more feelings about this. Um, if we delayed this, what, and I mean this with all sincerity. I'm not trying to be a jerk about it. What are we gaining by waiting a week? We still
can't add to the budget. And if the union says you can have the money, the mayor will have to do an appropriation legally because the union has now said you have to pay them. I just don't know what our role would be for that. Either way, an appropriation has to happen and
we can't increase the budget. So, I feel like we'd be in the same place we are today, voting on the same numbers, and then the mayor would have to de facto do an appropriation to pay whatever the union deems that they need to have. So,
I I'm a little concerned about if we're just going to be spinning on this for another week. I'm not I have no appetite for that. Yeah, makes sense. Um, councelor Peak. Yeah. Um, sort of in line with what councelor Connor says,
it's not uncommon for this city to pass a budget with union bargaining ongoing. It's happened a number of times that we've budgeted for a certain amount of money and then the city has reached some
understanding or agreement with uh one of our unions and as a result of that appropriated money to make up whatever the difference will be for the remainder of the fiscal year and then in subsequent budgets uh it's
put the the you know an appropriate numbers put forward that happens virtually every year. In fact, one of the reasons we have a large uh appropriation for uh the school department that we're going to talk be talking about later is because of precisely that reason. We ended last fiscal year where there were ongoing
negotiations with the teachers union. So to me there's I I I think I I'm agreeing with with councelor Konafir. I uh I I don't given that we don't have a
lever to force the mayor's hand on this. I think that what we have to do is wait for these this bargaining to play out and in the case that I hope there's a favorable conclusion then we can be there to make whatever corrections we
need to going forward. But I don't see how delaying these hearings further are going to make that um are are going to to to change the the the the material situation that we're
dealing with here uh with this whole thing. Um Council Rio, thank you, Mr. President. Um, you know, I I was pretty clear at our last meeting, um, that I was coming to this meeting tonight to vote on the budget.
Um, I'm very firm in that. Um, as other counselors have pointed out, there are constitutional affordances that are not at play for us uh to resolve this issue. Can't change that. It's not going to
happen. Um, if we could, I would do it right now. In a heartbeat, I would do it right now. $26,000 to me is nothing compared to the entire city's budget. Um, but that's not
up to me. It's up to the mayor who is sitting over there um underneath the uh the sign there next to the door behind the podium. No, I No. And and the reason why I'm doing this is because what we can do symbolically
is we can tell the mayor who is in the room with us right now, I don't care what it takes. Make sure that this gets done and bring us the $26,000 at the earliest convenience and we will
say yes. That's what I can do within my constitutional affordances is I can apply pressure with all of the people in this room to tell the mayor to just get the job done. With that being said, I've had conversations with the mayor about
this topic. It needs to play out as it needs to play out. She's not she's not out to hurt the employees. This is just a contentious situation. Um, I don't know of any union negotiation where
everybody walks in and doesn't come out with at least one lump on their head. Right. This is a it's it's the it's the most progressive and bluecollar form of activism that we have within the United States. Um, and that's okay. It's
okay for it to be that way. Um, but we can't do anything other than symbolic gestures and and that's just the way that our constitution is written. So, please, mayor, I ask you do do good more good work with the unions,
get this taken care of, and just as soon as you bring an appropriation forward, I know that I will pass it, and I know that everybody else on here would pass it as well. I mean, what we're talking about is such a small amount, we just don't have control over it right now. So, um, I know that she will uphold her
end of the bargain and I know that we will, too. Um, so with that being said, I I hate to be the stickler, but I'm I'm not coming back for a special session. I was very clear at our last meeting. The role of a city councelor in local
government is to pass the budget on time, responsibly, exactly as we're supposed to, which is what we're here to do tonight. Um, so if we are talking about a super majority of votes, then there's at
least two down. Um, so we've got seven out of uh nine people that will be here at the special session. So, thank you. Any other thoughts? And we and we do have a motion on table. So, councelor D.
Yeah. So, I would support moving it, but if I there's not the votes to be able to do that or the support to be able to do that, there's obviously nothing that can be done. In terms of the motion, right, I will be supporting that uh in part because
no disrespect to our uh uh uh department heads. I think that they have all earned a raise but the total amounts of the department heads raises amounts to $27,000
and the cut to the seven asks me is I think around $24,000 as well as the other two department heads who had their hours reduced where others didn't. Now that is a transfer of wealth from our lowest paid employees to
our highest paid employees and that is unacceptable. Whether or not this is a symbol symbolic or not it's unacceptable and actually I will be presenting changes to the charter in order to be able to address this matter. Okay. Uh
thank you councelor Dunham. Uh and if there's no councelor Kazinski, do you have something further you want to add before we vote? just as a specific to put on the table other things in the general government budget that I think should give us all pause and that was
the mayoral department. Uh in within the department, there was a clerical section that cause calls for an a mayoral assistant who will make more money in the coming
fiscal year than the mayor. If I'm not mistaken, $92,000,000 and change versus a mayoral salary of 90,000. I think we have a problem there. I did not want to bring back an amendment on that matter because I don't
think it's fair to change that person's salary necessarily without the full support of the council. But I did want to put that on the table that I'm not happy with that kind and fought that years ago that it developed and it's
here. It's here. I will that just should give us pause to think. Okay. I saw councelor Peak and then councelor Riley. Yeah. Um I don't want to discuss this too far, but I just want to say that the reason that person's salary is the way it is is because this council voted to put that person in a
pay grade that has those steps, right? And we all had that discussion and I was on ordinance at the time. I was in those meetings. I remember ordinance voting on that unanimously. I'm pretty sure I remember the council voting on it unanimously, although I might be mistaken. So that's the way it is. the
these things. It's not like we sit around in budget season every year and we say, "Oh, well, what should this person's salary be this year? What should this person's salary?" We we that person holds a position that was created because there was a sense that their
scope of work exceeded what the job what their current job description was. So, we moved to a different new position in a new pay grade. And that's what that pay grade with those step increases leads to. So that's that's a consequence and this this happened over the course
of a couple votes, but most of you were at the table with me when that happened. So to hem and haw about that now, as if that's a surprise that came, you all voted for that like and and I did too because you know what, like there's actually a ton of difficult administrative stuff that goes on in the
city. It made sense at the time and it kind of still does make sense to me now. If you disagree with that, then you know, fine. we're going to have a change in leadership next year. We can talk about what sort of staffing levels that department needs. But to target a a
specific employee, their salary being well a position a position held by a single employee though, you know, when when we all voted for that position to exist at the salary level that it does, uh to me feels uh I mean it feels like
an inappropriate waste of time is kind of where I am. But um and for I should also note that in 707 we are now 45 minutes into the public hearing and we have yet to pass the first of 10 sections of the budget. So I don't really want to spend too much time uh
going over the details of this one individual's salary. If people have a problem with that, they should have said so when we amended our ordinances to create that position. Yeah. And and I and just to follow up on that, I think maybe if people are interested in that,
the appropriate time that we can do that is at the transfer when there's a transfer of power um and someone new will be coming in to fill that position potentially. So I think that would be a decent time to take a look at that. Councelor Riley, thank you, Mr. President. I'm going to be very short
and direct in these comments. Um I have heard multiple times over the last um I don't know probably four or five months or so that with this employee in particular being referred to as a secretary or as an assistant or that
that person is not deserving of the salary that they are being paid. With that being said, last year our entire economy almost completely crashed because we didn't have a functioning licensing board. And I worked with that
employee who is also the clerk of the licensing board to put everything in place to make sure that not a single person in this community knew that everything was going to come crashing down. We were going to have businesses that were going to be temporarily shuttered. Uh food truck Fridays was not
going to happen. Cultural chaos was not going to happen. That's the stuff that is the lifeblood of our city. That's what brings the money in. That's what makes the things about East Hampton that everybody loves so much. And it was because of her working with me to make
sure that that carried out the way that it was and to put an extra um signature on that. Counselor Denim's spouse was one of those people that stepped up to make sure that that didn't come crashing
down. So that was a five alarm fire that she helped me put out so that way nobody had to deal with any of these issues. And that's just one example. the entire appointments process goes across that person's desk. So, we have over 200
public administrators that do conservation, that work in Nashanic Pond, um that take care of our cemeteries. Everything in between goes across her desk. So, there are hundreds of people that
network with her and get the city's business done every single day. That is deserving of $90,000. She's not a secretary and she's not an assistant. She is an administrator of this city. And I I take extreme offense of all the
times that people degrade her as being uh merely an assistant to the mayor. It is hard work to run a city. And I know that politicians sometimes think that you can just have your ego or you can just have a popularity contest and you can run a city. And that's just not
true. You need public administrators that know contracts inside and out, that know um our strategic plans. That person knows all of those things. If you ask her a question, she knows the answer. So, with respect,
please respect her title and the work that she does. That's all. And I'm just going to clarify before I call the vote, which I'm about to do. Um and please do. So, uh you know, I I think that this is passion. Great. Um, you know, I think I know what councelor Kazinski was talking about, which was a position, not a
person. Um, and I think that if as a council we think that that position uh needs to be adjusted with a new mayor coming in, there will be a time for that. And I and I think that if if if there's will, then that's one of the things that we should do. Uh, and I will just leave it at that. But it was
definitely not about the specific person that fills the job who I think council Riley gave an appropriate kind of response that they are valuable. Um, so that being said, all those in favor of the amended motion. I Any abstensions or nos?
General government passes. Council next one we can do in less than 45 minutes. Yeah, let's see. All right, so next up we got public safety. Um, yes. So, uh, I'm just going to make the motion and then we can discuss. Um,
well, let's let's see if there's anybody else that maybe just say what's in it and that way we can open it to the We'll do it. That's great. So, public safety uh includes our police, our fire, our dispatch. Um and uh we have uh total uh
appropriated uh 9 million 10,000 uh248 uh29 uh for that appropriation. uh most of which is to cover uh basically a on the staff side it's
mostly contractual uh union raises and then uh on the supply side it's inflation inflation there isn't a lot of there I don't think there's any new positions being added or anything like that so yeah that's where
we are so if there's anybody from the public that would like to uh make a statement on uh the public safety section of the budget please step to the podium and say your name, address, and you have 3 minutes or less. Hello, my name is Carl Prawl. I live at
6 Golf Street. I run Underline Farm out on 15 Tory. I don't know if this is the appropriate spot to speak. It's a little all over the place tonight, but um I just wanted to take a moment for everyone to just picture East Hampton in
20 years. You know, if we make all the right choices, if we get all the right breaks, all the lucky breaks, what does our city look like? What does it sound like? What does it smell like?
You know, a city budget and a resolution to declare East Hampton a sanctuary city for trans people. Two items that might not seem closely linked. But how do we offer sanctuary to somebody if we can't house them?
I've been speaking to a lot of community members, sitting in on meetings, listening, renters frustrated watching rent go up and up and up and up. Young families and old families losing a chance at their first home because out of town cash offers come in at the last
moment. People are coming to East Hampton whether we plan for it or not. They will need homes. We should plan for it. How do we give sanctuary to somebody if we can't feed them? The Globe reported just
this week that a third of state households did not have enough food last month. A third of households in the state. SNAP eligibility is restricted. HIPP benefits are cut. Everything comes in smaller packages and they charge more for it. Our community
center is helping 5,000 families with weekly food parcels along with breakfastes and lunches for 700 kids with school out who without the help would be going hungry. These are our neighbors going hungry for a lack of resources.
We want to do more than offer lip service to the idea of sanctuary. We want East Hampton to be a place any human of any color, any creed, any gender can find peace, liberty, and their own pursuit of happiness. This is
home. Does this budget do that? When we think of the East Hampton of the future, does this budget, and more importantly, the philosophy behind this budget, does it make all the right choices? I'm not here tonight to naysay or point
to any line item. I'm not here asking the budget to be held up. I am here to ask the council and our future mayor, whoever that is, to start planning for the future, no matter what comes. We need to control more aspects of our lives. And should the worst come, as we
see happening every day on the news, we need to be able to take care of our own and and anyone seeking sanctuary. That means we stop outsourcing and selling off public assets. It is gling that we can't afford to build affordable
or low-income housing in a timely manner. But we can give a 100k to some investment capital banker to go beg Beacon Hill for more taxpayer money to build apartments that will then extract wealth from our poorest neighbors. That's 100K is exactly what our
community center lost in federal funding this year. We're spending $150,000 on police overtime. That is the East Stanley Community C Center's budget. We're not giving the community center 1 cent in this budget. Hundreds of
thousands to lease vehicles, not one bus. If you want to stop environmental change, climate disaster, it's not investing in lithium batteries. It's not investing in EVs. It's investing in public transit. It's investing in local
people. The city can and should build housing, lots of it, a surplus of housing, so the rents come down. If we can't put in rent controls because Beacon Hill says we can't put in rent controls, we should flood the zone and build housing. Rents come down, property
taxes come down, lower taxes, make it easier for everyone to stay in East Hampton, retire in East Hampton. We might have to create some jobs to build them, post some positions. The city can do it. We can do so much. So you're at 3 minutes. If you could just finish up
your thought. Whether it is utilities, internet, trash, public transit, schools, the library, the senior center, the city needs to consider all needs of our residents and those it would offer sanctuary to. We cannot plan on benefits trickling down as the political wind shift and means we have to budget for
these resources. If we get extra funding, great. We're overfunded. But if we don't, school bells will ring, the lights will turn on, trash will be picked up, food will be grown. doctors will be seen and life will continue because we control them here in East
Hampton. I want to leave you with a quote from Pascal Azero. I probably ask you that name, but our city arts director. If we don't protect it, it's not protected. Thank you.
Um, in regards to the um, uh, cost of living crisis that we're in and this very tight budget that we have, you say your name. Oh, I'm sorry. My name is Sam Hunter. I forget that I have to do that here. Um, I live at 8 Mayor Street. Um, and I'm also on the school committee. I'm not speaking on behalf of the school committee. Um, I just wanted to let let
the council know and let everybody who's watching know, um, if your family is struggling with food insecurity, as 50% of families in Hampshire County are currently according to that Mass Live report, um, we are offering the, uh, summer eats program in our city this summer. So, that's free uh, school free
lunches uh, Monday through Friday for anybody who is 18 and under. You don't have to be a East Hampton Public School student. You don't have to live in East Hampton. Um, you don't have to show any proof of address or proof of need or anything. Just show up. It's at Mountain View School and at um and the high
school. It's actually free breakfast and lunch. Um, and uh it's for the premises. You got to eat on premises. You can't take it to go. That is like our number one question. It's a USDA rule. Uh, call them and they'll explain it to you. I guess they won't, but um, yeah. So, if
anybody's got kids and you're you're having trouble um making ends meet this summer, please come and um have some of our food. Thanks. And and I think for maybe future reference, if we could tie our comments to the budget section would be really
helpful so we can hear comments on each section and meaningful feedback. Um, and then again there will be public speak that is just open once we finish this. Um, so you can speak on whatever you would like. Uh, and I believe it is time
to put a motion on the table. Okay. I move that the city vote to raise and appropriate the sum of 9,10,24829 for the various departments listed under section two public safety and the amounts listed in the mayor's printed report unless amended be considered
specific appropriations as recommended by the mayor and city council finance committee. Second. Okay, we have a motion and a second. Any further discussion on the public safety section? Uh seeing none. All those in favor? Any
extensions or nos? No. Okay. Uh motion passes with one no from councelor D. Um okay. That move makes us go to the next section. All right. So section three is schools. Um the amount is $22,794,154.
Uh it goes to uh the school. Uh the school is uh a little bit different from the rest of our budget in that uh rather than sort of getting a specific line item budget, we send alums on to the school committee who has broad
jurisdiction to uh use that uh as they see fit. So uh there's maybe a little bit less specifics uh in in our discussion to that, but that's because we have a great school committee who does a good job. Yep, that is true. And uh does anybody from the public have any
comments about the school portion of the budget? And again, if you're online, you can just raise your virtual hand. If you're here, you can just come up. Okay. Seeing none. All right. I move the city vote to raise and appropriate the
sum of $22,794,154 the various departments listed under section 3 schools and that the amounts listed in the mayor's printed report unless amended be considered specific appropriations as recommended by the mayor and city council finance committee. Second. Okay, we have a
motion in the second. Any further discussion on the school's budget? Councelor D. Uh just to clarify, I won't be supporting any more uh of the budgets. Um I think that uh what has happened with the uh se uh six asked me
and two uh department heads I think is a travesty and I in good faith to uh their commitment to this community uh cannot support these. I think that as a as a community we could have easily solved this problem and we chose not to. Okay.
Any other comments? Okay. All those in favor? I. Any abstension or nos? No. One and no. Okay. Council peak. Okay. So, section four is public works. Uh the amount is
uh 2,449,71712. uh but uh a lot about uh oh I don't know about 800,000 of that is coming from uh the various uh enterprise uh funds so the funds that uh raise money when when
you pay your water sewer bill. Um so uh yeah any anything on that? Okay any anybody from the public have any comments on uh enterprise? Anybody online? Okay, see none.
Okay. I move that the city vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $2,449,71712 for the various departments listed under section 4 public works. and that the amounts listed in the mayor's printed report, unless amended, be considered specific appropriations with the
following amounts to be transferred as recommended by the mayor and city council finance committee. Water, sewer, enterprise, $634,98121. Sale of lots $7,500. Capital stabilization $123,912.
Second. Okay, we have a motion and a second. Any further discussion on public works? Seeing none. All those in favor? I. Any nos or abstensions? No. One. No. Okay. Council peak. All right. The next uh up is human services. The amount. So,
human services, the health department, um and a few other uh those uh sorts of departments. um the uh veterans department, those those sorts of things. Uh the uh amount is uh
$867,325.38. Uh anybody from the public have anything on human services? Okay. See, I don't think anybody online. I don't see any virtual hands. Okay.
Okay. I move that the city vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $867,325.38 for the various departments listed under section 5, human services, and that the amounts listed in the mayor's printed report, unless amended, be considered
specific appropriations with the following amounts to be transferred as recommended by the mayor and city council finance committee. Second. Okay, we have a motion and a second. Any further discussion on human services? Councelor De. Uh, thank you, Mr. President. I wanted to mention this
earlier, but decided to wait to the section. Um, I know that I don't know if Liz is still here. Um, is she still here? Um, I just want to thank you for your words this evening. I'm incredibly
heartbroken that you are leaving the city. I think that you the work that you did was incredibly honorable to vulnerable populations in this community
and in our schools. Uh I know you worked with our veterans. Um, I know you worked with the folks that are um struggling with housing and you never ever turned your back on them and I'm sorry that we
let you down and I appreciate you everything that you did for the city. Okay. Any other comments? Okay. All those in favor? I. Any abstensions or nos? No. No. Looks like
we got two nos on that one. Okay, councelor Peak. Okay, next up we've got culture and cultural and recreation. So, this is parks and wreck and uh the our appropriation to the library. Uh so, uh yeah, the amount is
$816,735. Um and uh that's about it. Okay. Uh, anybody from the public have any comments about uh, cultural and recreation section of the budget? Anybody online want to raise your hand? If not,
councelor Peak, I think we're ready for a motion. Okay. I move that the city vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $816,735 for the various departments listed under section six, culture, culture, role, and recreation. and that the amounts listed
in the mayor's printed report, unless amended, be considered specific appropriations as recommended by the mayor and city council finance committee. Second. We have a motion and a second. Any further discussion? Culture and recreation. Okay. All those in favor? I. Any abstension or nos? No.
One. No. Okay. Council peak. All right. So, the next section is debt and interest. Not a lot to be done here. we have to pay it or we get in trouble. Um, it's 5,521,52253 cents, which is kind of tongue twister.
Um, and it uh a good uh so 301,000 that's coming from water sewer. Um, we've got some uh debt exclusion in there. We've got some uh as the premium for the uh Dclusion premium for the uh
Maple School. Um and we've got some uh tax rate stabilization which is being appropriated here which $100,000 which basically takes the amount that people would have to like the property owners would have to pay for the school and reduces it by $100,000 so that we all
pay little tiny bit less. Um so uh that is what is in debt and interest. Okay. Just point of point of order. I think the items should be read including the number. I will read them when I make the motion. My apologies. I I was stepping
ahead. I thought we were getting there. No, no. We might have an onslaught of people wanting to talk about debt and interest. So true. Um so does anybody from the public would that like to address debt and interest section of the budget? Anybody online? Okay, seeing none. Now, councelor Pinky
can read all the numbers. Okay. I move the city vote to raise and appropriate the sum of 5,521,52253 uh for the various departments uh listed under section 7 debt and interest and that the amounts listed uh in the mayor's printed report unless amended uh
be considered specific appropriations with the following amounts to be transferred or raised as recommended by the mayor and city council finance committee. uh water sewer enterprise $31,1341 uh debt exclusion taxation to be reduced
by reserves for amortitization $3,310 debt exclusion Maple School K through8 premium $18,25781 uh HVAC debt premium $0. Uh
tax rate stabilization $100,000. Second. We have a motion in the second. Any further discussion? Uh I I just wanted to say I I don't think we have much of a choice here, folks. We don't. Uh you you borrow the money, you owe the money, you pay it. So
I'll vote yes. Okay. Um so all those in favor? I I Any abstensions or nos? No. Have one. No. Council Peak. Okay. Next up is uh section 8. It's called unclassified, but it's it's employee
benefits. Um this section saw a big jump this year and uh a lot of that came with the fact that uh the Hampshire Insurance Trust that we are part of uh had their reserves pretty badly eaten up uh as a
result of some breakthrough uh new medications that have hit the market that have helped a lot of people to lose some weight or help their diabetes but are also quite expensive and a lot of people in Hampshire insurance trust have
apparently used. So we are in a uh that has that's that led to a significant increase in the um uh in in this item that was a little bit outside of our control. Um and uh yes uh
so then out of that uh we have um water sewer enterprise is paying for $650,000 of that and uh we are moving $4 million out of general stabilization
uh to cover this uh with the idea being that um well there there's a couple things here. Uh I do think the four million is a kind of an important number to talk about for a second. Uh when we get our free cash certified, we can put some back into there, but there's also
uh the city's new financial policies that as rolled out by the mayor are calling for us to generally keep lower levels of reserves than what we historically have done. Um and so the idea is to spend some of this down uh
now to to to handle this situation. Um it is worth probably bringing it up. This is a big room that one of the consequences of this is that should we have a tough year like we might not have as much reserves but you know uh I think
that there wasn't a ton of fat on this budget to to trim. So I think that the idea is to to do this now and and and hope that uh we are uh going to be in an okay spot next year. Okay. Uh so does anybody from the public like to address
uh the unclassified or employee benefits section of the budget? Anybody online? Uh seeing none. Council P. Okay. I move the city uh vote uh to raise and
appropriate the sum of 12 million757,99387 uh for the various departments listed under section 8 employee benefits and that the amounts listed in the mayor's printed report unless amended be considered specific appropriations with the following amounts to be transferred
as recommended by the mayor and finance committee. Water Sewer Enterprise $650,344.74 General Stabilization $4 million. Second. Okay, we have a motion in the second and I'm just going to make one statement because I think that it's an
important statement to make. Um the the idea that the trust fund was eaten up completely or health insurance costs have gone up so much because of uh one particular drug that was in full shortage during the last year is a red herring. uh I started to investigate it
after I heard that statement made at the uh finance committee and and really it's CEOs of health insurance companies making ridiculous amounts of money and shareholders getting ridiculous dividends because we are running our health insurance for profit which is
insane and that is why we are paying so much more. It's not because people are getting medication that they need. So I just want to make sure that's really clear. So um I would take other comments to councelor Peer D. Uh yeah noted and of
course it's whatever expenses whatever things cost we could run this entire system in a better way. Uh and we don't so that's bad. Um the other thing I would just want to say is uh that when I talked about the financial policies I neglected to mention that those
financial policies uh while there has been some misgivings about them uh locally based on our own traditions of handling these things um the mayor has assured us that they are sort of in line with what the department of local services is advising. So it's not like
this is a complete rogue action. this is sort of what's being suggested that doesn't mean I I don't have some anxiety about it, but I do like I I just want to note that because I worry that my previous comment perhaps did not accurately reflect that. Understood.
Councelor D. Yeah, I was just going to also make comment about that. I I think that it's unacceptable that we shame people based on the their medical needs. So, I think that the comments that were made during the finance meeting were completely unacceptable. Um, the other thing I just want to
continue to point out that the contributo retirement was overbudgeted by over $64,000 which would have solved this entire problem this evening. Any other comments? Um, I think just for clarification, the
the over budgeting if um if that stays it it rolls over um into I believe free cash um at the end. So, um, okay. Uh, seeing no more. Oh, I'm sorry. I just want to make a comment really quick. Um,
for the benefits, I I know we can't increase things, but I just want to make the statement that that's what I'm most worried about both for our employees and for the people who live in our city. The great amount of cuts that are coming to a lot of
benefits that people really depend on. And I know we're limited in what we can do here, but I agree that we need to fast forward and think about what's our what's our failafe plan if that happens. Because if you're hearing here right
now, if we're already serving 5,000 meals a week at our community center, we might have to really think a lot of different things within the city. And just pointing it out there that I'm very aware that it's coming. And so when we
look at taking 4 million from the budget, I have mixed feelings about it. I really like the movement that we've had in East Hampton under the mayor's leadership. I like a lot of the things that we've moved forward. Um, and I've
seen over the long run a lot of m momentum in building with our savings that we've had and what we have available now. And I guess I'm just pointing out that I also have trepidation about this. And my
reason for having trepidation about this is we haven't talked about that next step yet. And I know we can't necessarily do that in the yearly budget, but it's coming and it's going to be brutal.
Okay. I have one comment. Thank you. Uh I am particularly moved that our city is able to provide health insurance to the employees. It's a unbelievably huge benefit
for whatever illness or care you need. It's there. I'm pleased to be able to provide it. When I hear about CEO salaries and executive salaries and that's impact on
the cost, frankly I get sick. I get sick because we should have a system of care that takes care of everyone, not just those privileged to be employed employed by
the state or the municipality. But we need to provide those benefits while they're needed now. But I will protest this vote. Okay. So, all those in favor? I. Any obsessions or nos? No. Looks like we got
two. Council peak. All right. Um, next up, section nine, uh, community preservation. Uh, it's $811,300. And this is uh the uh money we
appropriate uh for the CPA which is then in turn matched uh by the state money and and can be used for affordable housing, recreation, uh conservation, uh a lot of really good uh open space. Yeah. Uh a lot of really
good things that would not necessarily uh find a lot of funds in a municipal budget without uh the CPA. So, uh, I happen to sit on that committee, and it's, uh, probably the most feel-good thing that I get to do in local government. So, uh, I don't see any
reason why we wouldn't vote for this. Okay. Uh, does anybody from the public have any comments about the CPA section of the budget? Anybody online, just come up or raise your hand? Seeing none, uh, Council Pink, let's get a motion. Okay. Okay. I move that the city vote to raise
and appropriate the sum of $811,300 for the various departments listed under section 9, community preservation, and that the amounts listed in the mayor's printed report, unless amended, um be considered specific appropriations with the total amount to be raised and
appropriated uh from the community preservation fund uh as recommended by the mayor and city council finance committee. Second. Okay, we have a motion to second. Any further discussion on the CPA? Uh, councelor Kisinski, I
just think that this money is the best feel-good for the whole city. It is what we can do. It's what makes our city be vibrant when you see the expenditures that come out of these funds. I wish on the other hand that we were able to use it for some other purposes. We cannot.
It's state law. They can only be used for the express purposes that councelor Pete mentioned. Um, I will vote in favor. Uh, okay. All those in favor? I. Any abstensions or nos?
Is that unanimous? Also doing I said I Oh, it was unanimous. I like CPA. Okay. Uh, councelor P, bring us to the next one. Section 10, enterprise. Uh so
enterprise is uh all of the expenditures uh related to water and sewer that come from uh the money raised from uh you water and sewer uh bills. So okay, anybody from the public like to address the um water and sewer section
enterprise section? Anybody online? Okay, seeing none, Council Peak, I move that the city vote to raise and appropriate the sum of 3,3 87,750.60 for the various departments listed under section 10 enterprise and that the
amounts listed in the mayor's printed report, unless amended, be considered specific appropriations with the following amounts to be transferred as recommended by the mayor and city council finance committee water sewer enterprise $3,387,75060.
Second. Okay, we have a motion and a second. Any further discussion? Okay. All those in favor? I. Any abstensions or nos? Have one note. And I believe that's just one more. Just one more. Uh this is I don't know close to the end. I don't know exactly how
this finds its way in there, but that we have a revolving fund cap. That's right. Uh which is related to the uh electric vehic or the the electrical vehicle charging station and the bike share program. Um, it's just a bunch of legal lease that for some reason has to fit
into the budget. So, um, I don't think anyone does anyone want to speak to this. No. Okay. Yeah. If anybody does, please make your way up. If not, that's fine, too. I move the city council cap the DPW revolving fund spending for
electric vehicle charging stations and the bike share programs at $20,000 for fiscal year 2026 as per mass general laws chapter 30 or 44 section uh 53e and a half second. Okay, we have a motion
and second. Any further discussion on this? We have a ber. No. Okay. All those in favor? I. Any obstensions or nos? No, we got to know. Okay. And that is the budget. Now we only have what? 17 appropriations. Now we just have 17 appropriations. 17. Okay.
I am again very sorry. Thank you everybody though. Okay. Um so this first one's pretty easy. Uh it's a uh interdep departmental transfer of just under $45,000
to and from the PEG access account. Basically, we have a a franchise agreement with Spectrum and as a result of that, when uh you pay your cable TV bill, if you have cable TV, uh a small
sir charge on that goes to the city, the city then takes this money, but we have to take a vote every quarter to send that money along to East Hampton Media so that they can provide uh all the great services that they provide. So, that's what this is. Um, yep. Anybody from the public like to talk about the
PEG access account? Anybody online? Okay, seeing none, council peak. All right. Request is hereby made for approval of the following appropriation. Amount requested $44,845 to be transferred from PEG access account to be transferred to PEG access
account. Uh the amount requested will be used for the following purpose. to give approval uh to spend from the peg access receipts reserved account for cable related purposes consistent with the franchise agreement. Second. Okay, we have a motion and a second. Any further
discussion on this? All those in favor? Any or abstensions? Motion passes. Okay, great. Uh the next one up is uh related to our water division. Uh so we have a system called the I guess it's
pron scattera uh supervisory controls and data acquisition system uh it's uh sort of a our uh control and data system for our water system. It is uh from 1996. Uh it it's obsolete. There are parts
that replacement parts that are no longer built by manufacturers and it's a major liability to get hacked. Um, so for a lot of reasons, we want to replace this. Uh, doing so will cost $136,000, which is a lot of money, but uh, it's nothing compared to what could happen if
the city got like ransomware, which could absolutely happen. This is a frequent backdoor for hackers uh, into municipal governments. Okay. Is there anybody from the public that would like to address this appropriation? So, the mayor, please. Um I I just want to note
that the this appropriation is actually a match to a grant we got um from the state to close this back door and um DPW and it uh work together to get that. We were one of the first cohorts uh cities to to get this this grant. So just for
cyber security. Thanks. Uh is anybody else from the public have anything to say on this? Anybody online? Okay, seeing none. Council P. Okay. Uh requests hereby made for the approval of the following appropriation amount requested $136,000
to be transferred from enterprise retained earnings to be transferred to FY25 water SCADA project. Uh the amount requested will be used for the following purpose. This appropriation will fund the design and installation of upgrades
for the water department scatter system. The city IT department has successfully secured $147,000 in grant funding from the community compact IT grant program uh towards the total project cost of $283,000.
The current Scattera system is uh approximately uh 30 years old, obsolete, and in need of replacement. Okay. Second. We have a motion and a second. Any further discussion? All those in favor? Any extension or nos? Motion passes.
Council Peak. Okay. Uh so the next one uh is related to uh these are all by the way every one of the rest of these is a supplemental appropriation. Um the next one is a uh waste related to the wastewater treatment plant. Uh there is
an upcoming uh aator replacement project at the wastewater treatment plant. Um and so they thought this would be a good time to move forward uh with a replacement of one of their uh antiquated return and waste pumps. Um so
uh that is uh what this is. Great. Anybody from the public have any comments on this uh supplemental appropriation? Anybody online? Seeing none. Okay. Uh request is hereby made uh for
the uh following appropriation. amount requested $128,000 to be transferred from enterprise retained earnings uh to be transferred to uh FY25 wastewater treatment plant uh return and or RA
pumps. Uh the amount requested will be used for the following purpose. This appropriation will fund the installation of the new return and waste pumps and associated valving uh at the wastewater treatment plant. Uh this work will be
completed as part of the upcoming airator replacement project which results in a significant cost saving. Second. Okay, we have a motion and a second. Any further discussion? All those in favor? I. Any abstension or nos? Motion passes.
Okay. Uh one more DPW one. Uh we have uh a uh this is a Lovefield Street pump station air valve replacement. So, the Lovefield uh street pump station was constructed in 1972. Uh the air release
valve on the discharge piping is in need of replacement. Uh the they're they're saying that the repair cannot be delayed until a full rehabilitation can be funded. Uh in addition, ahead of full rehabilitation necessary to install a
bypass pumping connection. So they're request DPW is requesting $37,000 to be appropriated uh from entert uh enterprise retained earning to cover the cost of this work. Okay. Any anybody from the public have any comments on this appropriation?
Mayor I uh the this um request and then the last one are um items on our integrated storm water management plan that protects our water supply. Um, we are right. We need to spend $22 million
down on that plan with an authorization that we got for an outfall pipe and this we start taking these projects one by one off. These are bigger things. So, um, just as far as spending in future, uh, water supply a big deal and and so
that's why these are so important so we can stay on top of that plan and federal permitting. Y, anybody else from the public? Okay, seeing none, council peak, u I like to always when I do the wastewater treatment plants, I'd always like to just say quickly that I one time heard a
wastewater engineer tell me that in the last 100 years, wastewater engineers have saved more human lives than doctors. Um I just think about that for a moment and uh in that in light of that uh request is hereby made for approval
of the following appropriation. Amount requested, $37,000 to be transferred from Enterprise Retained earnings to be transferred to FY25 Lovefield pump station improvements. The amount requested will be used for the following
purpose. Uh this appropriation will fund the construction of repairs and upgrades at the Lovefield Street wastewater pumping station. Uh construction will include uh replacing of the discharge pump piping air release valve and
installation of a bypass pumping connection to allow for a larger rehabilitation project to be completed on the station in the future. Second. Okay, we have a motion second. Any further discussion on this item? Seeing none, all those in favor? Any abstensions or nos? Motion passes.
Okay. Uh this next one is pretty uh so uh this is a often when we are you know working through our free cash at the end there's a uh before the end of the year there's a large amount that's then transferred uh into uh reserves uh or
stabilization accounts uh because if we don't then it just rolls over and we can't it rolls over into free cash which is a sort of government budget term but the basically if we don't put it into deliberately into a reserve account. We
can't touch it for like a year and no one wants that. So, um this uh is doing that. Uh the the total amount is uh $2,400,000 from free cash. Uh $1,800,000
for of it is going to general stabilization. That will replace the $1,800,000 that was uh moved from general stabilization into last fiscal year's budget. Uh in addition, there will be 500,000
uh going into capital stabilization and 100,000 going into tax rate stabilization. Great. Uh anybody from the public would like to comment on this particular supplemental appropriation. Anybody online? Seeing none, council Pete requests hereby made for approval
of the following appropriation. Amount requested $2,400,000 to be transferred from free cash $2,400,000 to be transferred to general stabilization $1,800,000 capital stabilization $500,000
tax rate stabilization $100,000. The amount requested will be used for the following purpose. to fund general stabilization uh to provide stability in the current environment uh to fund capital stabilization to meet capital
needs and to fund tax rate stabilization to help reduce the impact of debt exclusions on the tax rate. Second. Okay, we have a motion and second. Any further discussion? All those in favor? Any abstensions or nos? Motion passes.
Okay. Um, so, uh, the next one is a $19,3960 appropriation, uh, to cover, uh, the deficit in the cannabis stabilization budget. Um, mayor, would you would you mind just,
um, with this one, we did 17 of these and I'm sort of straining on the details of exactly it was it's just an accounting thing, but maybe you can um, make it more clear. Yeah. So, in the process of closing out the capital stabilization account because we have not collected the cannabis stabilization
CA cannabis stabilization, we've not collected uh that local impact fee since July 1st of 2022. Um, so we let the we had to figure out the interest and and whatnot to close it out. uh accounting area literally pasted and cut the wrong
cell uh number into our final report and we caught the um the deficit two weeks ago when we were balancing the books getting ready for this. So um not nec we didn't overspend um we just picked up the wrong number when we were transferring um one account to the other
spreadsheet. Okay. Uh anybody from the public want to speak on this? Anybody online? Okay. Seeing none, council P. Mr. President. Oh. Oh, sorry. Just don't do wait till the I mean, you can wait till the motion's on the floor. Okay. Request is hereby made for approval of the
following appropriation. Amount requested. $19,39.60 to be transferred from free cash to be transferred to cannabis stabilization. The amount requested will be used for the following purpose to fund cannabis stabilization to cover deficit. Second.
Yeah, we have a motion to second. My apologies, council. It's okay. Thank you. You are. Um, yes. So, I was just, um, I was thinking as we got to this item that there was someone during public speak, I can't recall who it was, that had a question specifically about why, you know, we were, you know, when
we're talking about shortfalls in money and that, you know, we're talking about this, you know, $19,000 for the cannabis stabilization fund. And I just kind of wanted to put a an extra point on, um, something that was brought up for the um, CPA um, fund. And that is um
that sometimes when we're talking about you know why we don't have access to small amounts of money and yet we are talking about large amounts of money for certain accounts. Um so the cannabis stabilization fund was a similar fund
sort of like um the CPA fund which is that when money goes into it it is only allowed to be spent on certain things. Um, so there are sometimes where we might have, you know, a surplus of, you know, $100,000 here or, you know, $400,000 in this fund and people say,
"Well, why don't you just take the money from this account and just pay off, you know, whatever the, you know, the excess is." Um, and and it's for that reason there are some accounts where you're not allowed to do that. There are only express uh things you're allowed to
spend money on. So sometimes we do have a lot of money sitting in certain places. We just can't solve the problem that we would like to solve. Um otherwise um I'm sure the state's auditor would have questions about what it is that we were doing. So that I just
wanted to do that as a sort of a a quick public education um snippet. Thank you. Thank you. Any other comments? All those in favor? I. Any abstensions or nos? Motion passes. Council. Okay. Uh the next one, and there's a few of these that sort of follow the same general
principle, uh but this is a uh $9,12 appropriation. Um and it's to pay a prior year uh bill. Uh so sometimes there's reasons why some bills happen and uh there's something that occurred
last year. Um, and so the money that we set in the budget can't be spent on it because that's money that we budgeted to spend on things that happened this year. And so when that happens, those things have to come before city council to uh
just sign off on them. Uh, it's mostly procedural, but um, this is uh a uh this would cover a uh workers comp audit adjustment invoice. uh from FY2024.
Okay. Anybody from the public like to address the supplemental appropriation? Anybody online? Is this okay? Just name and address for the record. Uh Liz um Orchard Street. Um, I know that the budget's important, but I don't
really understand why we're doing this now instead of hearing the resolution, which is why everybody is here. Um, you are paid to be here with our tax dollars. You can spend the night here. This is important. Did you not hear what happened in with the Supreme Court with Tennessee? Why don't you pause this
right now and let these people be heard? So, uh, I can address that, which is, um, one of the reasons why we had considered trying to move the I know you paused it, Salem. You put it on pause. Well, actually, so this is so No, don't tell me what to
do, Brad. No, you put it on pause. It was supposed to be last week or last meeting, then it was supposed to be this meeting, and then you wanted to go further. This is important to these people. You think they're here to listen to the budget? They're not. So, why don't you put this on pause, let these people speak, and then continue with the budget because that's what you're here
for. That's not what we're being paid to be here for. Okay. Thanks for your input. Um, but just to clarify this, we're in a public hearing, which was one of the reasons why we had considered to push it to a time we didn't have a public hearing because the
public hearing is by law has to we have to complete these all of these items before we can end the public hearing. And that's what we have to do. we can't pause it and um we didn't have time before the public hearing was advertised to do it which so um you know
unfortunately this is like I said at the beginning of the meeting this is what we're in for um and it's not ideal and it's not the way I wanted to do it but it's it's just the way it is with budget season and what we have to do statutoily so um that's the reason um and I think
that we're at a point where we can read the motion sure request is hereby made for approval of The following appropriation amount requested, $9,12 to be transferred from school workers comp, $4,551.
City workers comp, $4,551 to be transferred to school workers comp, $4500 $4,551. City workers comp, $4,551. The amount requested will be used for the following purpose. Vote to pay prior
fiscal year bill out of FY25 budget covers workers comp audit adjustment invoice for prior fiscal year FY2024 policy period July 1st 2023 to June 30th
2024 MIA insurance second. Okay we have a motion and a second. Any further discussion on the supplemental appropriation? Seeing none. All those in favor. Any nos or abstensions? Motion passes.
Okay. Um so the next one up is a $270,000 appropriation from free cash. Uh it is going to be used uh to cover uh remaining uh health premiums uh across
our four uh units. uh they're basically they're asking for like equal money to each of the four units and then they're going to because after that they can intradep departmental transfer move it around as needed but the basic idea is that they calculate the premiums every year and um
often they are not correct in one way or another and in this case they need some extra money to help uh pay some of the remaining premiums. Okay. Does anybody have any uh from the public have any comments on the health and dental insurance premiums? Anybody online? Okay, seeing none.
Council Peak request is hereby made for approval of the following appropriation. Amount requested $270,000 to be transferred from free cash $270,000 to be transferred to 32 32B Health and Dental Insurance uh for
account I'm sorry 001.9140560067,500 001 914560167,500 001.91405742 67,500 001 9410
dot 574367,500. The amount requested will be used for the following purpose to cover the remaining health and dental insurance premiums for May uh June July and July 2025. Second. Okay, we have a motion and a second. Any further discussion? All
those in favor? I. Any no or abstensions? Motion passes. Okay. Um, this next one is very similar to the one two years ago, but it's um to
pay prior fiscal year bills uh for uh liability adjustment and deductible invoices uh for FY2024 uh for both the school and the city. It comes out to a little under $21,000.
Okay. Anybody from the public have any comments on this supplemental appropriation? Anybody online? Seeing none, councelor Peak. Amount is request is hereby made for approval of the following appropriation. Amount requested $20,945
to be transferred from school liability $10,855 city liability $10,90 to be transferred from um so those to be transferred from those to be transferred to school liability $10,855
city liability $10,90. The amount requested will be used for the following purpose. vote to pay prior fiscal year's uh bills out of FY25 budget covers liability adjustment and deductible invoices for prior fiscal year FY2024
policy period July 1st 2023 to June 30th 2024 MIA insurance second. Okay, we have a motion and second. Any further discussion? All those in favor? I. Any abstensions? Motion passes.
Okay. Uh the next one up is a uh $15,000 appropriation from free cash. Uh this is going to cover it's again an old bill related to um uh someone from the fire department that was injured on duty. Uh there's a medical expense. Um
uh so uh the billing occurred after the closing of the fiscal year. So it's $15,000. Okay. Anybody want to speak to this uh $15,000 supplemental appropriation in person or online? Seeing none,
request is hereby made for approval of the following appropriation. Amount requested $15,000 to be transferred from free cash to be transferred to injured on duty fire medical expense. The amount requested will be used for the following purpose. Cover remaining fire department
injured on duty medical expenses from fiscal year 2023. billing occurred after fiscal year closing. Second. Okay, we have a motion and a second. Any further discussion? All those in favor? I. Any extension or nos? Motion passes for 10
of 17 downs. We are making progress. Um, okay. Uh, this one is sort of a catchall uh that covers uh a handful of things uh related to the police department. Um so uh the amount requested is
$113,10.14. Uh a lot of that is to cover uh the payout uh for uh the retirement of uh Staff Sergeant Ross. There's also um some an overtime shortfall as a result
of a series of trainings and several police officers who are also uh in I believe the National Guard being deployed uh for periods. Uh and uh then there's uh 5,000
$500 to cover uh some uh anticipated costs for uh some auto repairs. Okay. Anybody from the public have any comments on this section of the budget? Anybody online? Seeing none, council peak. All right.
Request is hereby made for approval of the following appropriation. Amount requested. $113,10.14 to be transferred from free cash to be transferred to police base pay $8,5614.
Police overtime $57,000. Police sick leave 31,67585. Police unused vacation 10,273 uh23. And then police auto expenses $5,500. The amount requested will be used for
the following purpose. To cover the cost of the contractual payout to Staff Sergeant Brian Ross. uh to cover a shortfall in FY25 overtime as a result of one officer on maternity leave, three
officers on paid parental leave, one officer that attended 12 weeks of K-9 training, one officer on military deployment for 9 months, two officers with monthly weekend military training, one officer assigned to field training, and minimal special officers available
due to uh post requirements. uh as well as a new hire uh that may be that may need to attend the police academy uh and to cover the cost of the additional auto supply and repair expenses for the remainder of FY25. Second. We have a
motion and a second. Any further discussion? All those in favor? Any abstensions or nos? Motion passes. Okay, next one is snow. Uh for those who don't know, snow is the one thing we're
allowed to run a deficit on. So we basically always do because it's impossible to predict and then at the end we total the bills and we pay it out of free cash. So this happens every year. It's not that we under budgeted for snow, it's that we did not budget for snow because we're allowed to not
budget for it. Um and that's just been what the city and every other city does forever. Um, so, um, it the total amount came out to $321,23045. Anybody like to address the snow portion
of the budget? Okay. Uh, seeing none, councelor P. Request is hereby made for approval of the following appropriation amount requested. $321,23045 to be transferred from free cash $321,23045 to be transferred to snow overtime
$20,17683 rentals $95,59.73 snow chemical $32,9314 salt wow $133 $3,632.85 school plowing $36,550. Travel and meals 202,430.
The amount requested will be used for the following purpose. Department of Public Works has experienced a shortfall of $321,23045 in the snow and ice removal budget for FY2025. We are requesting the funds be transferred from free cash to cover this deficiency.
Second. We have a motion and a second. Any further discussion on snow? Okay. All those in favor? Any abstensions or nos? Motion passes. Okay. Um next up we have an appropriation of $2,000. Uh that's to
cover a shortfall in the FY25 animal control professional services uh due to increased costs. So, we currently have a contract with uh the Westfield Animal Control Department. So, um when we get an animal control call, if it's not
something that the police can handle, uh Westfield Animal Control handles it. And, uh their costs have gone up. So, um that includes just the various costs around kennels and uh vaccinations and
uh inspections and all of that. So, our we're $2,000 short. So, Here we are. Okay. Anybody from the public like to address the um Yes. Hi, Dan. I live on Parson Street. Dan Gilbert. Um I just want to bring to your attention that
there was an absolutely ludicrous animal control situation that happened earlier this year. Um, and the arrangement with whoever is handling animal control needs to be uh reformed or looked at because um I I mean I'm not going to go into the
details here, but it was insane. Okay. Thank you. Um, anybody else like to address that? Okay. Uh, seeing none. Uh, okay. Uh request is hereby made for approval of the following appropriation. Amount
requested $2,000 to be transferred from free cash to be transferred to animal control professional services. The amount requested will be used for the following purpose. to cover a shortfall in FY25 animal control officer professional services as a result of
increased costs to share animal control and animal shelter services with the city of Westfield. Uh the monthly fee has increased by $1322 effective uh November 18th, 2024. There
are also additional monthly fees which can include boarding and medical fees, costs per uh call for service, rabies testing and associated shipping, kennel inspection fees, etc. Second. Okay, we have a motion and second. Any further
discussion? All those in favor? I. Any nos or extensions? Motion passes. Okay. Uh the next up is a $14,930 uh item uh from uh that is to cover uh
uh the cost of supplies for uh uh EMS uh for the remainder of the year. Uh and also uh dispatch fees uh oh so uh uh yeah and the the dispatch on the peer
support network fee. Okay. Anybody from the public like to address this supplemental appropriation? Any online? Okay. Uh request is hereby made for approval of the following appropriation. Amount requested $14,930
to be transferred from free cash to be transferred to AM ambulance supplies $11,500. Miscellaneous professional and technical services $3,430. Uh the amount requested will be used for the following purpose. Uh cover cost of
EMS supplies for remainder of the year and the cost for fire police and dispatch on peer support network fee. Second. Okay, we have a motion to second. Any further discussion? All those in favor? I. Any notes or
extensions? Motion passes. We've got three more. We are so close. Um okay, but who's counting? uh request. So, okay. So, this one is a $40,000 request um that covers uh some uh
personnel and uh so it covers uh the cost of onboarding uh to new firefighters for medical evaluations that we have to pay for. It covers some repairs to the fire apparatus. Uh it covers the annual service on uh the hose
testing and the extrication uh equipment uh contractual uh requirements uh for reimbursement for uh of personnel for tuition and uh the building uh and uh
annual service on the exhaust removal system and the vision 21 system for the fire department. Okay. Anybody from the public like to talk about these fire department supplemental appropriations? Anybody online? Seeing none. Okay. Request is hereby made for approval of the following appropriation. Amount
requested $40,000 to be transferred from free cash $40,000 to be transferred to fire medical 2,000 vehicle repairs $25,000 fire equipment 7,000 fire education and training 3,000 building
equipment 3,000. The amount requested will be used for the following purpose. Fire medical cost for onboarding to new firefighters for medical evaluations. Vehicle repairs cost for unanticipated repairs on fire apparatus. Uh fire
equipment cost for annual service on hose testing $5,500 and extrication equipment $1,500. uh fire uh education and training contractual requirement for
reimbursement of uh tuition or reimbursement of personnel for tuition and building equipment annual service on exhaust removal system $1,500 and vision 21 system $1,500. Second. Okay, we have a motion and a second. Any further
discussion? All those in favor? Any nos or abstensions? Motion passes. Okay. Uh so the next one is uh a uh this is um a free cash
appropriation of $28,000. Um and this is for school and city Medicare expenses. Sort of similar to one we were talking about a little while ago. They budget these at the beginning of the year and uh they're usually off by something and this year we they're off by 28,000. So
Okay. Anybody from the public like to talk about this uh Medicare expense? Okay, seeing none, Council Peak. Okay. Request is hereby made for approval of the following appropriation. Amount requested $28,000 to be transferred from free cash. $28,000 to be transferred to
00 again this is just account numbers. Um 001.912156014,000 001 91215744 $14,000. The amount requested will be used for the following purpose. Funding for school and city Medicare expenses
FY2025. Second. Okay, we have a motion and a second. Any further discussion? All those in favor? I. Any nos or abstensions? Okay, motion passes. Last one. Last one. So, this is a $3,000 appropriation from
free cash for 300. What did I say? 3,000. 3,000. No. Couple couple more. 300. Couple more zeros. Yeah. All right. Well, that's the first time I've messed up so far in 17. You've done remarkably. All right. Um, so Okay. $300,000
uh from free cash to school inter department intergovernmental. Um, and the the short version of this is that it it covers um some unanticipated deficits uh for uh special education uh
tuition and transportation expense accounts. Uh these things are again very challenging to uh budget for. Traditionally, this is the reason the school has the school district has um had certain fiscal policies which gives them a bit of a cushion for this as a
result of conversations that many of you may recall being involved in a couple years ago. We are there it's a little bit of a tighter situation now which means that while other departments regularly come back for appropriations, the school department may from time to
time need to going forward. Uh we said at the time when all of that was going down that when that happened, we would support them. And so I expect that we probably I certainly will and I expect the rest of you probably will as well. Uh I don't know if there's anything else
like Laura, do you want to say anything else on this? Okay, I'm going to keep it brief. I I feel you. Um AC shots after 9, I've been told. So um we had a $1.4 million deficit. So, we
have nearly entirely drained our circuit breaker, which is the reimbursement funding we get for our special education students. We've also Could you sort of just identify yourself? My name is Laura Scott. I'm the chair of the East Hampton School Committee. I live on Plain Street. Um, we're all a little punchy tonight. I apologize.
Um, that's true. Um, so we so to to do our best in our good faith, we have nearly entirely drained our circuit breaker account as well as our school choice revolving account down to about $25,000. So what we are asking
the city to do is make us whole for the last $300,000. I heard one of the comments earlier expressing frustration about having to sit through this very arduous and boring process. But I just want to give you a second to reflect that the what this money is paying for is for example tuition for some of our most um some of
our students with the highest level of needs and most complex needs. This is paying for transportation for our unhoused students and our students in foster care. So if you're here to support vulnerable people, so are we. And we uh it's not sexy, but this is the work that we're tasked to do. We thank
you for your support. And we are the last appropriation of the evening, everyone. Okay, I might just open it. Anybody from the public like to uh speak on the supplemental appropriation? Anybody online? See none. Council B. All right. Uh
request is hereby made for approval of the following appropriation. Amount requested uh $300,000 to be transferred from free cash to be transferred to school intergovernmental. Uh the amount requested will be used for the following purpose to cover deficits
in school department in the school department for unanticipated special education tuition and transportation expense accounts. Second. Okay, we have a motion to second. Any further discussion? Councelor Kisinski. I just wanted to quickly attest that this is incredibly difficult to budget for. We
were very strong in our uh endorsement of the school committee handling this matter in such a way that they corresponded with our budgeting practices. I thank you for your indulgence and I'm happy to see that we
will fulfill our obligations for this very important project. Okay. Um any other comments? All those in favor? I. Any nos or abstensions? Motion passes. I will entertain a motion to close the public hearing. So move
second. Okay, we have a motion to second. All those in favor? I Okay. Uh, our public hearing is now closed, which means we are going to reopen public speak. So if you have not spoken yet, you can line up again in the exact order you were before though. No, I'm just kidding. Um, I will just remind you that
um, please state your name and your address for the record. Please address the council. We will give you three minutes. Um and if you do reach your three minutes, we will just let you know to finish your thought. If you would not um go too much over that, we would appreciate that. Uh point point of order question, please, Mr. President. Um with
with the uh duration of the meeting, can we do a 5m minute adjournment for a bathroom break while everybody lines up? Um we could just go one at a time or can we go for 3 minutes? I don't I mean we've been waiting a long time. Let's just let it go. Let's just let it go.
Can we take a break before we vote on this? All right. I can make it through this. I'm not going to make it through everything. That's okay. We got it. So, you can feel free to step to the podium. Don't mind us. Some of us might go to the bathroom, but we're Are they
going to be able to hear in the bathroom? I think they Well, they I don't think they can hear in the bathroom. I don't think they can. So, you want to you want to wait? That's I would I would I would endorse a 3minut break for a bathroom break. So I I just think
it would it would make more sense for them for folks to be able to hear speaking if I move for for three minute recess. Yeah. Three minutes. Yes. A second. Second. Okay. All those in favor? I Okay. 3 minutes. 3 minutes. What time do we have? 8:24. somebody.
All right, we're going to call this back to order. Little over three minutes. So now that and if you wouldn't mind in the audience if we could just uh be quiet so we can hear the people that are talking. Uh and again you have three minutes just address the council uh name and address.
Uh and if you reach your three minutes, we'll just let you know and just try to finish that. Yep. All right. Thank you. Good evening, council. My name is Maddie McDougall. My pronouns are she, her. I am a resident of East Hampton at 5 and a half West Street. Uh, I relocated to
East Hampton in large part um searching for a queer community. Um, it was something that was lacking where I was previously living. Um, and since moving here, I am now the founder and executive director of Resilient Community Arts based in the Eastworks building.
The following statement is shared on behalf of the Resilient Community Arts RCA executive board in enthusiastic favor of the resolution in support of the East Hampton TN TGDI community. The TNGI acronym or initials as was previously
mentioned earlier tonight is standing for trans, non-binary, gender diverse, and interex, which was clearly stated in the first page of the resolution. RCA has had the honor of serving all kinds of East Hampton families in providing accessible arts programming since our founding in 2021. A majority
of our school age enrollment includes TNGI in identifying youth andor youth being raised by TNGdi parents. Our most highly attended adult programming in includes queer trans art group. Many folks here tonight are attendees of
their program. Um that program has has been serving an estimated 80 plus individuals annually in partnership with translate gender. This program has recently expanded by popular demand to include a family queer trans art group.
And as you can see even just from this that tiny microcosm these people are here and these people need services. RCA has been successful in creating a space where T and GDI folk of all ages and backgrounds can gather, connect, create, be themselves and young people can see
trans adults and know there is hope. While we look to the future, we must prepare for federal persecution of TG NDI people to become an even heavier force and more violent. Our community needs to be prepared to protect our TGNDI neighbors and protect those
serving them. Where we live is a special place. There is a reason people want to live here. It is a holistically a good place to live and it would not be this way without the presence and contributions of TNGdi individuals and families. We need to protect TNGdi
people because that means protecting our community, protecting our neighbors. The executive board of resilient community arts hereby strongly encourages the city council to vote in favor of this resolution in support of the TGNDI Eastampton community. Thank you. Thank you.
Uh my name is Lori Shine. I live on Ward Avenue in East Hampton. I uh want to tell the council how much I appreciate all of the work that you do, including on zoning and housing and budget items that keep this city vibrant and wonderful and moving forward with all of
the requirements that we have upon us. Um, I'm here tonight because I believe the trans and gender creative folks in our community who say they need and want protection, including my kids.
I'm not great at that part. Um, the targeting of trans and gender non-conforming people in our country is at an all-time high. And many days we may wonder what we can do in this climate.
Many days I wonder that as a parent. Today you're in the position of being able to help. Please do. Thank you. Thank you. Uh good evening. My name is Jade Russo and I live on Golden Drive. I'm here to ask you to vote in favor of the resolution establishing East Hampton as
a sanctuary city for transgender, non-binary, gender diverse, and interex people. With the federal government taking such an overt stance against trans people, doing what we can at the local level becomes even more important. Passing this resolution sends three messages. The first is a message to
trans people saying, "You are welcome here and we will stand up for you when many other places are saying the opposite." The second is a message to the federal government saying that we are not going to be quiet and that we will give in that we will not give in and we will continue to fight for what we believe in. And the third is a
message to other cities and towns around us to join in declaring themselves also as sanctuaries. We lead by example. Please vote in favor. Thank you. Hi there. My name is Marcy Blumenthal 25 Sheldon A. Um, I came tonight to urge
strong support for passing the resolution that this be a community in East Hampton um in support of trans and gender non-conforming need a glass of water, excuse me, individuals. Um, and I think that the community part of that
sanctuary city statement is key. Um I'll tell you why briefly. Um from the perspective of a 30 years clinical social worker and mental health professional and that is that we all have basic needs without which we wouldn't survive. But there are really
two pieces that come to bear when it comes to mental health. One is a sense of belonging and the other is a sense of purpose. And I really hope that the city that I live in can be a place of belonging for all people so that the
mental health and every other component that it supports can be something found here in East Hampton. Thank you. Hello. Uh my name is Anna Simb. I live on Lovefield Street and I use they them pronouns. I am a licensed independent
clinical social worker currently in private practice here in East Hampton where I've also been a resident for the last four and a half years. I really love this town. My first experience with East Hampton was back in 2014. I was a fellow for the safe schools program at the Department of Elementary and
Secondary Education where I ran leadership classes for students involved in what we then called their gay straight alliances. East Hampton High School generously offered to host our western region for a meeting, and I remembered it being a kind and welcoming place. When I moved back to Massachusetts in 2020, I knew exactly
where I wanted to be in that small town that was so welcoming. I hope to stay here for a long time. As a mental health provider, I work primarily with queer and trans folks. Every day I sit with clients who are wrestling whether or not to leave the country, who wonder if they will be safe, if their children will be
safe with the current administration. I often ask myself these same questions. I asked myself before leaving today. Do I even feel comfortable giving comment publicly as a non-binary therapist? It didn't used to be like this. In Massachusetts, I've been doing this work
for over a decade, and it's only going to get scarier. We have data from a recent Trevor Project study that tells us anti-trans laws cause up to a 72% increase in suicide attempts among trans and non-binary youth, which is especially concerning given the Supreme Court
decision today to uphold bans on life-saving gender affirming care for minors. Trans folks have some of the worst outcomes systemically for mental health, and this is partially due to lack of appropriate care. I work with trans uh lack of appropriate care. I see providers being less and less
willing to work with trans folks and in particular trans youth because of concerns around liability and their own safety. This only increases the gap between trans people's needs and the services available to them. The current administration is trying to snuff out
trans folks, but we've always been here and we're not going anywhere. We have the opportunity to do some genuine good in our community at an incredibly scary and dangerous time. I urge the East Hampton City Council to do the right thing by supporting this bill and declaring our city a sanctuary
city. Thank you. My name is uh C. Backter Chandler. Uh my pronouns are he him and I live on Main Street in East Hampton. I speak tonight partially well to first identify I am the secretary of the East Hampton Democratic Committee but I'm speaking tonight as a resident um I guess the
third social worker clinical social worker in a row of social workers and a member of the LGBTQ community. I find it infuriating that in 2025 we are having to stand here and support a resolution
to affirm the existence of a group of people to to have a resolution to protect the transgender, non-binary, gender diverse and interex community. But here we are. The Trump administration has made it abundantly clear that on the federal level, their
evil and hateful goal is the silencing, suppression, and I think eventual elimination of this group of people. It falls on the state and the city governments to stand up and reject this hateful agenda. I urge a unanimous vote in favor of this resolution. any votes
that I will I will be looking for and encouraging others to seek a public explanation of why a council person voted against this resolution on the side of hate and discrimination. Just as a another side note, and someone
else pointed out um as to the request to delay this vote because you don't know what TGDI stands for, those letters were clearly defined in the resolution um and available to the public. Ignorance and not doing your homework is not a reason to delay this resolution.
Thank you. Hello, my name is Keith Aaron. I'm a trans person and a resident of East Hampton in precinct 2. I'd like to invite you all to imagine the following. You wake up every single morning bracing
yourself to face dehumanizing rhetoric about you and your gender identity. You also brace for news of the latest legislative efforts to strip away your legitimacy, remove your basic rights, and demolish your dignity.
For decades, you live trapped in a false identity and in a body that felt wrong for you and caused you to be constantly misgendered. Your nightmare included intermittent suicidality, the horrors of addiction,
and eventual family estrangement. Somehow, you've survived despite this nightmare. And for the past several years, you've been living in alignment with your true self. But now, you're watching with horrified disbelief as the legal rights that allow you to live
authentically are taken away. I want you to know this is my reality and the reality of many trans people in this country every single day. Now imagine living in a town that has publicly said, "We see what's happening
to you and it's unequivocally wrong. We won't stand for it, so we're committed to protecting you with everything we've got." Contrast that with living in a town that chooses to ignore your reality and remain silent
as you cry for help. This is what's on the table here tonight. But this resolution, the resolution in support of the trans community isn't a threat to anyone else's rights. It is a public commitment to protect the
fundamental rights of very vulnerable people who are being scapegoed. asking this not as a solution but as a step toward a binding ordinance. I urge you to do the right thing and pass this
resolution at this meeting tonight. That's why we elected you to keep East Hampton the quote little city with a big heart. Thank you. Dan Gilbert, uh, Parson Street. I'm a cisgender person here in East Hampton.
This ordinance is the least [ __ ] thing we can do. And I say that pessimistically because it's going to get harder and we're going to have to do things that don't cost nothing and that actually risk people's well-being and livelihood and
confrontation and and this is the easy part. It's the no-brainer. Um and yeah, I expect you all to do the right thing. Great job. Thank you, counselors. Um, my name is Kim Jr. McUade. I'm a resident at 8 Jones Drive in Fre. I'm speaking tonight
to urge this council to pass the resolution tonight in support of the transgender, non-binary, gender diverse, and interex individuals in our community. Um, I want to say thank you to the community members and to the counselors that put this resolution together. Um, it's a privilege to be in community with you guys. Um, especially
at this time. Um, and I also want to thank uh the ongoing advocacy that got this on the agenda tonight. Um it's an extremely important statement to make as a city, but now more than ever, as a few people have mentioned today, the Supreme Court um affirmed a horrifying ban on gender
affirming care in Tennessee. Um that sets the stage for nationwide bans. Um and as other people said, that this is life life and death life and death is issue for many people. Um this latest decision is effectively telling trans kids across the country
that they have no right to grow up and move through the world safely as who they are. If we want to be on the right side of history, we need to use our voice as a community um to stand up against this assault on human rights. There has never been a world without trans people and there never will be.
Please pass this resolution tonight. Hi, my name is Amy Hawkberg. Um I'm a licensed I'm sorry, I live on Loudville Road in West Hampton. Um, I'm also a licensed independent clinical social worker in Holio and I work with trans young adults across Massachusetts,
including East Hampton. My CL clients are terrified to be out in public, to live their lives, to access care, to freely exist. While each of us is able to make change in our in our own small corner of the world, not many have the power to you do, to create and enforce a
safer community for trans folks to just exist and live their lives. If you have the opportunity to help people feel safer in the world, why would you not take it? Hi, I'm Ursula Kadali. I live on Parson Street in East Hampton. Uh, I am a trans
person. Um, she her pronouns. Um, I'm just here to urge you to pass this resolution. Um, I do think it is a bare minimum and I also think things are going to get a lot worse and we probably should be trying to do as much as we can
as early as we can before it becomes impossible. Um and uh I also want to say that our struggles are connected and I really like feel for the people who came up and talked about like uh big uh investment companies like buying property and
raising the rent in Eastampton and perhaps a sanctuary resolution means very little if most of us can't afford to live here anymore. Um so yeah um that's all I have to say. Thank you for all the work that you do. free pass.
My name is Jesse. Um, I live on Bridge Street in Northampton. I'm going to time myself. Uh, I have lived in this area for the past 25 years on and off. Uh, I'm going to say this resolution is just a gesture. Uh, but this gesture lets this room, all of the people
watching, all of the media, all of our surrounding towns know what each and every one of you think about the trans population in East Hampton and globally. Um, can you imagine any other group of people with a medical condition sitting
in this room for over four hours waiting in line to speak to beg for their lives? Can you imagine a a group of diabetics standing in line saying, "Scottus just said, "I can't have insulin and I'm going to die." Would you be sort of
hemming and hawing about this issue? If any of you men I'm imagining you're cisgender, call me a bad person for uh assuming your genders. If you want to get testosterone because your levels are low, you go to the doctor and you get it like that. If any women on this board, again, I'm imagining you're gender
women, please call me a bad man. I'm just uh assuming your identity. If you wanted estrogen, you would get it like that. But there are many people in this room who under 18 now cannot get that. Massachusetts is not a there's no steel
wall protecting trans people. This is not about identity politics. This is about life and death. If you don't know, yes, there will be many young people. Let me check my time. There will be many young people who will suffer immense
mental uh stress that leads to suicidality. If you have never met a parent of a trans person whose kid killed himself, consider yourself lucky. If you've never lost a trans friend, consider yourself extremely lucky. Tons
of people in this room have. Yes. Uh, I lost my train of thought. You have a minute just to keep you for one minute. I I have one more minute left. Yes, I know I'm timing myself. I want you to know that there are trans adults living in your town who transitioned 20,
30, 40 years ago and had the reproductive organs removed and they are synthetic. They're uh dependent 100% on synthetic hormones. If you do not pass this resolution and Scotas and our government continues annihilating trans people, they will die without synthetic
hormones and their blood will be on your hands. This resolution again is just a simple gesture, but gestures add up and you have a chance to save lives. And yes, this has taken us a whole heck of a lot of time and is incredibly inconvenient for all of us, including
you. I appreciate your time, but I want you to know this is not about identity politics. This is about life and death. And like someone else said, we will be seeing how you vote. And if you don't vote the way we like, we'll vote you out. So, thank you for your time. Uh, hello, my name is Matthew Newman.
Um, I live on 165 East Street. Um, been living in East Hampton for 15 years. Um, love thy neighbor. That's what they say. So, um, because I love my neighbor, uh,
because I believe in liberty and justice for all. When we said the pledge of alle allegiance, um, for all. Because in East Hampton, where we live, I support our trans community members, our trans neighbors, our trans friends and
co-workers, and our trans family family members. Because our trans friends deserve to feel safe in their own community. Because trans people deserve to receive health care that they decide upon with
their own health care provider. Because I love this town that we call home. And because my child deserves to feel safe here. Because I love and support my trans child. I urge this council to adopt this
resolution. Uh, and I just want to piggyback. There was an earlier comment that because the title of this resolution had some seemingly random letters in it that we should delay the voting on it. I highly disagree with this and I hope that the
turnout tonight shows unequivocally that people are able to read and understand this resolution and how important it is to pass now. Thank you. Hello, my name is Karly Dhoni. I live on Cottage Street. Um, I am a teacher and a
lifelong resident of East Hampton and um, now that I'm at my place in line and kind of what I'm going to say maybe a little bit repetitive, but I think it's important. Um, trans people have been under under attack for decades and unfortunately
because of our current administration, it's only going to get worse. Um, and the risks are not just about the violence towards trans people, um, but the internal mental health struggles as well. According to the East Hampton resolution statement, and I know some people have already mentioned this,
there has been a 72% increase in suicide attempts since anti-trans bills have been introduced nationwide. When trans people feel supported and included in their jobs, families, and communities, the risk of suicide is greatly lowered. As a teacher, I've been
able to see firsthand the positive and life-saving effect that supporting trans kids has on their lives and their futures. This issue is not just about supporting trans people in their journeys, but also about saving lives. Thank you. uh Carolyn Cushing, Main Street,
District 4, uh she her. Um I want to thank the counselors and community members that have worked together over many weeks, months to craft a resolution that lays out important information and context. The people who are not here tonight can read
that. I hope you share it widely. Um and I thank them for that hard work. uh I have a more basic version of the resolution whereas transgender non-binary gender diverse and intersects people are human
beings who are our family friends co-workers civic leaders lovers storytellers and fellow East Hamptonites. Therefore, be it resolved. We we get the flying fruitc cake out of their way and
stand up to support them when they are doing what they know they need to do to live lives of dignity, security, and joy. That's it. That's it. Um the full resolution is a communication from the city affirming
basic humanity, human rights. So, no need for a big debate or send it for study. pass it tonight as a first step towards an ordinance, towards something that's more legally binding, toward the real action we need. And um as everyone knows, we'll be we'll be watching. We'll
be excited to vote for people who vote yes in November. Thank you, council members, and thank you to the community members and council members who worked on this resolution. My name is Francis. I'm an East Hampton resident living on Park Street in Precinct 4. I'm here tonight to speak in
favor of the resolution. Currently in this country, we are being bombarded by discriminatory policies and laws, including the devastating ruling by the Supreme Court today that are attempting to erase, annihilate, and dehumanize gender diverse people. These policies
and laws are increasing the already high levels of violence gender diverse people face. They are increasing the likelihood that gender diverse folks will die by suicide. They are emboldening those who want to harm, demonize, and eliminate gender diverse people. These laws and
policies uphold a system of violence. I know the city of East Hampton stands for something different. We are a city that welcomes and supports. I see it in the events we hold, in the resolutions that have been passed, in standouts and
protests. I hear it when I talk to my commu fellow community members in the neighborhoods and businesses of East Hampton. The dehumanization, the attacks, they are real. They are really and truly taking lives. For me, it is
simple. Which side of this atrocity are you on? It's either the side of love, inclusion, and safety, or the side of hate, exclusion, and violence. I know the city stands on the side of love, inclusion, and safety. Please let your
vote reflect that by voting for this resolution. As a non-binary member of the community and someone who has loved ones who are trans and non-binary, I want I want to know my city is doing everything it can to show its gender diverse community
members you value our lives, welcome our presence, and care about our safety. I want to take a moment to invite members of the public who are here in support of this resolution but are not speaking tonight to raise your hands. Anyone in favor and not speaking, please let us
know by raising your hands. Thank you. Passing this resolution is a small but essential step in the direction we must go in. Council members, I'm asking you all to vote tonight at this meeting in favor for this unquestionably necessary
resolution. Thank you. Council, my name is Kay Collins. She, her. I live at Fort Carol in East Hampton in Salem's district, Council Derby's district. Um, I've been in East Hampton for 13 almost
14 years. Uh, over the over the last 10, 12 somewhat uh some odd years, I stood before you and we've worked on many things together, most of you. And one of the things that I have frequently been tasked to do by the many groups that
we've organ that I've organized with, is to talk about facts. My whole heart is in this in standing with you today because the the trans uh the TNGI community is part of my LGBTQIA+
community. Um they are my friends, my beloveds, my nibblings, um people that I work with, people that I organize with. And I will uh stand up and shout from the rooftops um for their freedom and their happiness every single day. But I
wanted to talk for those of you who don't understand the broad impact of what is happening at warp speed in this country every single solitary day for the last 10 years but most particularly
in the last couple of years. the um the anti-trans legislation tracker is tracking right now in 2025 973 bills in 49 states, 114 of which
have already passed, 745 of which are currently active and only 78 of which have failed. And that is on a state level. Right now they are tracking um also national anti-trans bills uh amongst
which are 62 national bills in the United States. One of which is US HB1, the one big beautiful bill act, which will remove any hope that the Scrati case that was um that was decided by the
Supreme Court did uh in which the the um the states rights element which was sending it back to Tennessee to continue to be decided by the states. It's going to remove that option because it is going to make it federally illegal for
anybody, not just children. So, it's going to take away the protection of the children and it's going to make it federally illegal to prescribe gender affirming care to anyone. So, I want you to think about that for just a moment. It kind of ties back to what a lot of people have said in this room. I also would like you to say uh I'd like you to
know um speaking of how fast things change. Just today, the Trump administration announced that it will shut down the National LGBTQ plus youth suicide lifeline in 30 days. So, why is this crucial? Um, over the bunch of years that I've worked with
you, we've worked on several ordinances. Uh we passed a resolution in support of the 2018 say yes um on excuse me say yes on three bill which was uh supporting the resolution to continue to have
public accommodation laws in Massachusetts so that anyone could use the restroom of their choice in Massachusetts. Um just this year about a month ago um a woman who was cisgender used a bathroom in Boston. She happened to have short hair. She was dragged out
of the bathroom by security officers and thrown out of a hotel along with her wife. Some of you know my wife. My wife has short hair. Um, so how does this affect us in Massachusetts despite the fact that we already have public accommodation law? This means that the
ter that that that the tenor of our state and our country has been changing rapidly. What does this mean in East Hampton? A lot of people said we don't need this. We don't need this based on state laws. I just noticed that we happen to have right now despite many people's uh many people's assertions
that we didn't need it language on our on our city website that says know your rights right so let's tie together the fact that all of our causes and all of our fights are interwoven together and the
more we stand together the harder it is to make us fall. A few years ago when we passed the welcoming city ordinance, nobody thought we were going to have know your rights training on how to stand up against ICE on our city website
passed by our police. They would have said it would never happen, but we stood up for our community and we're going to stand up for our community today. Thank you. Hi, my name's Pagan and I live on Clap
Street. Um, Massachusetts has this incredible history of providing um, gender affirming care to children. uh in fact I think we were the pioneer
state uh to do that in the early 20th century 21st century um children's hospital in Boston began providing some of the first gender affirming care for children in the country and people were flying from countries all over the world
to children's hospital to get care they couldn't get anywhere else in the world and I know that because I wrote a profile of Dr. Norman Spack who was the pioneer of that care in the United States for the Boston Globe at that
time. I'm a journalist and um after that piece came out, doctors back received so many death threats that he decided not to speak out again in public. Uh at
least not for a while. I I don't know if he's he's decided to kind of begin speaking again, but um that gave me a taste of um you know just how dangerous they can this can be, how much hate can be directed not just at the trans
community but at the providers at the medical system and how you know this really is an issue that touches everybody because we're talking about just providing the integ integrity, the
safety of our medical workers as well as trans people in the community and children. Um, and you know, it was that experience that really made me into a lifelong activist working with the trans doing what I could for the trans community. So, I would love to see this
resolution passed. Thanks. Hello, my name is Omar Gomez. I live in 14 Clark Avenue. Um, state rep, former city council, former city council president. I'm here tonight for asking one simple simple thing. Please say yes.
It doesn't matter. But before that about the procedures, I hope no any counselor asks to move this to a committee. I have the time to read this the resolution at least six times
and I'm a little busy. So if I could read it at least six times, you had the opportunity to read it more than six times. It's clear I give your credit to who deserve the credit to the people to our neighbors the people who put their words in this
resolution. I'm glad that we live in Massachusetts because Massachusetts at least we have some protection. Chapter 127 from the MGL, but it's some protection, not all the protection. And this is not a long
meeting compared to what they leave every night. They have long nights thinking about what they can happen tomorrow. They have long days about what they can happen tomorrow to them, to our
neighbors, to our family members, to our residents. Please say yes. It's about time that someone stand up. It's not confidential that this resolution is happening today.
It's not. The Supreme Court say no. The federal government is not standing up for them. But we are. And today is going to be approve of that. I'm not just asking you guys to say yes. I'm asking the mayor
too because she can veto it and I hope she doesn't because look at how many people we have here today and they have more and and I'm saying that because the election is November,
right? I'm not saying you to be scared. I'm saying you to be concerned because you should be doing what is right. Again, this is our people and we cannot lay them let let go down.
We can't again for the last time I'm going to ask you to say yes to this resolution. It's needed and it's about time and if the first step of the marathon because
the next one should be a ordinance the same way that we do a welcoming trust ordinance and we have people that don't like it but we have to do the right thing. Thank you. Hi. Uh, my name is Dean Hartzorn and I'm a resident of East Hampton on Pleasant
Green. Um, I've spent the majority of my life living in small towns in Idaho, um, communities that were very different uh, than East Hampton, Massachusetts. It was not until I moved to Massachusetts 4 years ago that I realized um that I've been living with the constant weight of
feeling like my local and my state government officials were always on the brink of throwing me under the bus. I I didn't realize until I moved here and I no longer felt that on a daily basis. Um just what that meant. um not feeling
like the people that I had elected to represent me were looking for opportunities to to not do that. Um I love living in East Hampton. I love the the passion that our local city officials uh bring to doing their jobs.
Um like passing our city budget. Um I love I love the schools and the the teachers and the the creative and the cultural arts events that take place here. I love the farms. Um, this is a place where I have uh grown into my more authentic self. It's a place I call my
home. And it's a place that I'm proud to call my home. And yet, I'm once again finding myself feeling that weight, that feeling of despair and dread. Um, this time coming from the federal level. Uh, like the others here tonight, um, I've
been feeling this. I I'm so grateful that I live in Massachusetts. I feel that every day. And yet I still feel this this sense of of oncoming doom. Um and as my community has faced numeral numerous political attacks across the country. Although this resolution is
symbolic, it's also tremendously powerful. It takes the position that this city and this council notices us, appreciates us, and believes that our families deserve to be a part of this town. It asserts that this is a place of safety and belonging and a place where people who are seeking that can find it.
Words matter and I urge the city council to use the words in the proposed resolution to affirm that Eastampton is a city where trans people are a valued and respected part of our community and a community where we can all find a place to thrive. Thank you. Hi, I'm Megan Harvey. I live on Button
Road in East Hampton. I am a mother to three children. I'm an elected member of the East Hampton School Committee. I'm a member of Tapestry Health's Board of Directors. I'm an epidemiologist and I'm a staunch advocate for LGBTQ plus rights
and for this resolution and I'm heartened by all of the testimony uh and the words that I'm hearing here tonight. It's um really lovely to be amongst this group. Um words matter. The citizens of our city are listening and our children
are listening. And I want them to hear this message from all of us and from the city and from their schools that you belong here. You are valued. You have the right to be safe here, to feel safe here. It matters
for trans children and folks, but it matters for everyone to know that we are taking part together in standing up for our neighbors. I thank you for writing this resolution and for bringing this resolution forward and for all of those community members who have helped uh
craft this resolution. It's not enough. Of course, we all know that no one thinks one resolution, tada, we've we've solved the things, but words matter and it's an important step and it's an important message for our community and for our children.
I look forward to what I hope will be your unanimous support of this resolution and I look forward to sharing this resolution from the school committee and reinforcing it among the children in our district. Um my name is Ray. I live on the Oxbow.
Um, I'm a parent of a trans child who receives care here in your city and who depends on that care to survive. Um, I nearly lost him last year and it is the most powerless and scared I have
ever been. And I'm a professional healthcare worker. I've been a nurse. I just nurse for over 20 years. Um, and I felt at a loss uh because we know our
health care system already faces so many struggles. And one of the ways people die is waiting for care. And we have such a der of care right now. Not just for, you know, trans people, especially for trans people, for all people.
Primary care is in crisis. It's in collapse. I wrote a grant three years ago with one of your nurse practitioners from this city. That first line was primary care is on fire. It didn't get funded, but um
it's just going to get worse. I can't imagine how we'll continue um if the very fragile system we already have falls apart further. And in my other world, my job, I study health care systems and health information. And this
past summer, I sat on a federal advisory rules committee. I don't know if you all are aware, when the Affordable Care Act passed, it required creation of a national database of all electronic health record data in the country. It's
supposed to be deidentified. We all know I I know the studies because I researched this. it's nothing's ever truly deidentified. Um, my job on that committee was to fight as hard as I could for exclusions to allow folks to protect themselves from having their
data turned over um without their consent. Because, as we know, the government is getting much better at weaponizing data, as they just admitted, turning over Medicaid data about immigrants this past week to allow them to be hyperargeted even more by ICE in
hospitals and health systems. And that is one of the places that are under attack. I've worked in them. I now work to protect them. And I know now from serving at the federal level that the fight is in the hyper local spaces right
now because whatever protections we thought we had, we worked hard to pass some over the last several years. They're all gone. They've all been erased from the website or rescended in a single, you know, executive order, which isn't legislation, but people keep acting as if it's law and so it becomes
law. I want my child to survive. I want all of us to survive and we're going to need to do that together. So, thank you so much. And I do hope all of you will be voting yes tonight. Hi, I'm Shelley Greenstein. Uh, Fairfield A. Um, similar message to the
rest of the folks. Um, I want to talk about the Civil Rights Act. It was passed in 1964, just a few months after my birth. And that should have been it. But no, we've been fighting to actually protect this act and the legislation enacted underneath
it. And now we're in the middle of a crisis, one that requires we protect each other against a frightening reality which affects all of us. The fascistic and hateful government policies being proposed and enacted are destroying the progress we've made
towards creating a more egalitarian society. The anti-transgender agenda is one of the more disgusting displays of this hate. Now is the time to take action. What is compassion, kindness, love? Do
we hold these values? Can we all agree on them? As the federal and state governments can no longer be trusted to protect all people and continues its descent into fascism, it is here at the local level where we must continue. We
must come together. Do we believe that each individual should live an authentic life full of joy and celebration and not hate and discrimination? I hope so. Please, let's pass a strong statement declaring ourselves and our city to be on the side
of love. Thank you. Hi, my name is Jay Oen. I'm Am I allowed to speak if I'm if I'm not a Eastampton resident? Okay, wonderful. Um, I'm here from uh North Main Road on North Main Street in Williamsburg. Um, I moved up to this area. I'm
originally from South Florida. Um, I've lived in Washington DC for the past 11 years and I moved up here with my partner uh about 5 months ago now. Um, we were looking for a safe place to live and we didn't feel like DC was going to be it. Uh during this time uh we were
seeking a place for our nervous systems to get some rest as much as possible. Um and this is a safe place and we have found community that is stronger and more loving than we ever could have possibly hoped for and more quickly um
than we could have hoped for. But unfortunately, I think it also um can be so safe that it's easy to not realize how tenuous that safety is and to take it for granted. Um, so I'm really glad that we're here tonight talking about this. Um, I also want to say that um,
towns in the reason that I'm speaking up from Williamsburg is that towns in this community are known progressive leaders in LGBTQIA rights. Um, and really just being an incredible place for us to live and find joy and be in community with each other, which is what brought us here. Um, and it's known outside of this
area for that, which means that other places are looking to this area for guidance. not only what is uh possible but what is permissible. And so by voting yes on this resolution, you're saying that yes, it is possible. Yes, it is permissible.
Yes, you should be doing this too. And here's how you do it. We're giving them a blueprint to enact this in wherever else folks want to organize like we have organized tonight. And thank you so much to the organizers who put this together. Incredible work.
and possibly even in my little town of Williamsburg. Um, so I hope the council votes yes in favor of this. Um, thank you. Hi counselors. My name is Mark Wamsley. I live at Berts Pit Road in Florence or like I like like to call it Northeast
Hampton. Um, I I actually came here tonight to speak on a completely different topic. Uh but I was so moved by what people have said I I felt compelled to speak and just share a very short anecdote. Um as
everyone knows this past weekend was Father's Day and I got a great surprise. I got a call from my trans little brother Christopher. Um Christopher and I don't speak very much. We're of different generations. uh
we didn't grow up in the same household but you know he was a wonderful person and I was really touched that he called me to wish me happy father's day and it was an absolutely lovely conversation um we talked about everything from work to you know I asked him about how his transition was going and he talked about
you know his recent doctor's appointments down in Philadelphia where he lives and at the end of the conversation he said you know we really should talk more and I wholeheartedly agreed and isn't Isn't really that really the bottom line
of all this? People need to be able to be feel free and feel safe to speak to feel part of a community and to be part of a family. So, uh, this seems like one just easy step to create that. So, on behalf of Christopher, I urge you to
pass this resolution. Thank you. Hi, I'm Sam Hunter and this time I'm going to do it right. I'm uh Mayor Street East Hampton. I'm also on school committee, but I'm not talking uh on behalf of school committee. Um I just wanted to uh uh jump in and I just want
to kind of So I for those you all know me on city council, but pretending that you don't, I um I moved to East Hampton about 10 years ago. Um, and I served on the school committee very briefly and um, it was a really rough time in my life for lots of reasons and I ended up
not seeking a second term. I was kind of pulled back onto school committee again um, uh, a couple of years ago due to some resignations that had happened. And the thing that I said at the time was uh, to my friends who were were telling me I should get back on school committee. I said I I can't because I
literally just decided this weekend to transition. I can't do that in public. Um, and they um convinced me um you know, like it it's not going to be a big deal here. Like it's it's fine. Um, and I didn't believe them because they're
not trans. Uh, mainly I was like, I don't know if you guys know what this means. Um, but I I um I just kind of felt like it was something I didn't I don't know why I I always say this is like my weird hobby. I don't know why I like this, but I I couldn't like stay away. Um, and I'm really glad that I
that I joined school committee. It really gave me um it got me involved in the community in a way that I really um uh I feel like makes good use of my gifts, but also like I've never had any problem with transitioning on school committee. And I ran, you know, I joined
under one name and then when I ran that I had to hurry up and do my name change so I could run under the right name. Like that was um difficult but I got it done. I had to pull papers a little bit later than I wanted to but it worked out. Um, and it's been it's been really um like such a gift to serve the
community this way. And so I think like when we talk about this stuff, you hear a lot about like what happens if we don't pass it or what um you know the mental health impacts or like the um kind of the suicide rate and stuff. But I also just want to say that like being trans is also really good and fun and
there's nothing like I'm um I I am like I'm happier than I've ever been in my whole life and I did that here with you all and you all were a part of that and I um I really appreciate that and it has really meant
a lot to me and my family and um so I expect that this is going to pass unanimously uh tonight and I appreciate that and um you know I just wanted to remind everybody like you can decide to do this you know if you you can decide to be who you are even if you're in your
30s and even if you are have a kid and even if you are an elected official like you know there's no deadline you don't have to yeah so thanks everybody Okay. Thank you so much for that. Uh, and I would be remiss to not acknowledge the people online that have their hands
up. Um, and I probably should have interspace them. So, if you're online, I apologize. Um, we did have a very long line of people here, too. So, if you would like to speak, I will take you in order. And if if you don't, then you can just lower your hand. Um but so I'll
give you a second if you would like to speak to leave your hand up or raise your hand. Uh and it looks like I have um Carrie Beth Garvey. Are you there? And if I butcher your name, I apologize. Okay.
No, Carrie Beth. They're on mute. And they are unmuted. So, and you also have to unmute yourself because I can't do that. Uh, and maybe we'll come back to Carb Beth. Uh, Mona. Hi. Yeah, my name is Mona. I live on
Loud Mill Road. I'm a trans woman who grew up in East Hampton. I went to EHS. I've lived here most of my life. And I could not be more in favor of supporting the resolution in support of the trans community. I was very scared when I came
out as trans in 2022, which in retrospect feels like a lifetime ago. But I'm not exaggerating when I say that it saved my life. There's been talk of suicide rates today, but it isn't just an abstract horrifying statistic. I am
someone here talking to you that would not be alive tonight if I hadn't transitioned. Life felt fake before, like I was just going through the motions and it didn't matter much what happened to me because this life was a
bust anyways. And transitioning gave me a new appreciation for the world. It allowed me to feel what it really meant to be myself and to enjoy my time during this life. But it still felt so scary doing it. And that fear came from not
knowing how my community would react if I came out. not knowing how many family members or close friends would reject me. And I've seen that fear grow amongst my trans friends in recent months. And it's it's a terrible thing to see. I've
had people call me brave for coming out as trans and dealing with the adversity that comes with it. But I shouldn't need to be brave to be as I am. A young trans person shouldn't have to be brave enough to face constant abuse just to be who
they are. And the current administration is doing as much as it can to send the message that it doesn't care about us. That it would prefer to see us suffer in the closet than dare to live our lives to the fullest. And it just it breaks my heart cuz that message doesn't just
directly affect us in so far as it restricts our access to medicine, but it also it emboldens bigots to be more cruel and violent towards us. I've noticed a large uptick in hate speech and threats towards myself and my
friends in recent months, and I'm sure I'm not the only one. The president is sending a clear message that we are the other, that it doesn't matter what happens to us, and people are listening to that. This is our chance as a community to send the message that that
violence, that cruelty isn't us, that we care equally about every member of our city, that we believe in life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness for all citizens, no matter their background, no matter their identity. It has been a very scary, dark time for trans people
and we need a win. So I urge you to vote in favor of this resolution. Looks like next is Romearian spec. Hopefully I said that right. And so if you're Romearian spec, you can unmute and lower your hand.
There we go. Just unmute. There we go. Thank you. Sorry about that. I'm very bad at tech. Hi, my name is Roomie. I use he him pronouns. Um, I live on Parson Street. I am a trans father and of a trans child. Um, I've lived in East
Hampton for about 5 years. Um, and I would love to be with you guys in person, but my schedule's actually been all messed up because I was just helping two trans people from the south move from Texas to East Hampton.
Um, Eastampton as a welcoming city and as a sanctuary city and I hope that we can continue to be safe in the town of East Camden because I I I know that you guys didn't choose for
Skreetti to be decided today. Um, but the the trans community is reeling right now and um I would really hate to be an isolated trans person or be a trans kid and hear that a town in western Massachusetts couldn't pass a sanctuary
city resolution. I I don't know where else to tell people to go or to come if they want to try to be safer. Um, and you did not choose for today to be a historic day, but it is. And I I urge you to give trans people in the country
and for those of us who are here tonight in front of you as we expect you to fully um to to note our human rights and to give us a place to say that someday somewhere you could get them respected,
you know, and if you won't do it for that, I I hope that you know that if you vote no, I have questions about how you want me to explain that to my 9-year-old who goes to Mountain View. Thank you so much for your call.
It looks like next uh uh Graino Kennedy. Hi. Um I myself am not an East Hampton resident. I am actually living in Holio, but I'm speaking on behalf of my friend Will Schwarz who lives at Parson's Street. Uh they're unable to make it
tonight, so I'm just going to read what they sent me. Um as I'm unable to attend tonight due to work, I'm grateful to have my opinion nonetheless shared here. I have been a resident of East Hampton for almost 5 years now. I have chosen this town to raise my child and build
community. I am also a social worker and a therapist. And I've chosen East Hampton and the surrounding areas as a place to dedicate my labor in building greater strength, resources, and supports for those who call this town home. I and many of my community members are trans. We have built a home here and
invested our time, our resources, and our lives in this town. Now, it's time to see if the town of East Hampton is going to prove worthy of that investment. The question at the heart of this town hall is not whether or not East Hampton East Hampton should be a sanctuary city. It's whether the town,
its leadership, and its citizens are willing to trade our safety for their comfort and convenience. It's about whether the town is willing to abandon the well-being of trans and non-binary children who live here. If East Hampton will tell our youth that their lives and their safety matter less than the
ability for sis citizens to keep their heads buried in the sand. These are not hyperbol or hypothetical situations. With the increase in hate crimes, the increased legislation, and pressure to control trans bodies and eliminate trans people throughout our federal government, we are already being
abandoned by our governments and our fellow citizens. These are the immediate realities that we, as trans residents of East Hampton, face on a daily basis. Now, East Hampton gets to make the real choice. Are we as a town willing to defend our neighbors to actually care
for them even when it's not convenient? Or if it requires taking a little of the risk to prevent much greater risk for another? Or is just another town ready to throw trans bodies onto the p to keep themselves warm in choo political weather?
Okay, looks like next to we uh Chelsea Tromblé if you're there. Hey, hello y'all. Um I'm Chelse. I go by they pronouns. I live on Pleasant Street in East Hampton. Um I am also a clinical social worker. I
currently hold my LCSW. I work in community mental health. I will not specify the agency because I am not speaking on their behalf tonight. I'm speaking on my own. Um, working with the local community of queer and trans people, we're we're under attack, y'all.
It's really intense. It is very difficult to see how many people are struggling and to see how many people would really really benefit from a motion such as this being passed. as other people were speaking, a lot of my points about like the safety, the
suicide rates, all of that were kind of echoed. So, I've crossed them off the little list I keep on my side. Um, but the things that I really wanted to reiterate is that when I work with local trans people, especially our trans teens and adolesccents,
they are scared. They do not have any reason as of right now to think that their local communities have a vested interest in keeping them safe. And you all have a chance to unite to prove them wrong. And I would love for you to prove them wrong. When we show our trans
community members, especially our most vulnerable trans miners and teenagers, that we are behind them, they become safer. They become less likely to kill themselves. I don't want to mince words. refusing to stand behind them and
support them means that they will kill themselves. Means that there will be dead teenagers in our towns and our communities. And I hope that if any of you choose to vote no tonight, you are ready to keep an eye out in the obituary
for the next couple of months. And any trans person that is marked there, just put a little arrow and say, "I did this. I did this. I did this." and really hold yourself to that accountability line because though you are local, you do not control what happens at a federal level. I know a lot of people have reiterated,
you didn't choose to have a Supreme Court decision come out tonight. You are still accountable to how you respond to the aftershocks of that. There are people in your town who are vulnerable. There are people in your town who are vulnerable that might consider whether or not they want to vote for you again
if you choose not to pass this motion. Um, the last thing I really want to make sure I mention is that this local area has been nourished by trans people culturally for decades upon decades upon decades now. So, just a reminder that
when we look at cultural chaos, when I see the number of trans artists and vendors and stalls there, I really want us to consider what impacts it would be culturally if we choose not to stand behind our trans community members tonight. Thank you.
Looks like East Hampton Clay is next. So, East Hampton Clay, you can unmute and lower your hand if you're there. Oh, there we go. Forgive me. Hi, my name is Liz Rodriguez
and I'm the owner of East Tennessee Play. I have been a um East Hampton resident for the past eight years. I live on Carson Street and I'm here because um
I own one of the largest pottery schools in the state and more than 50% of my community is trans and queer and I'm speaking on behalf of them. Um, I do everything in my power to keep this
community safe and the voting yes tonight would help make this community feel safe. And not just from a heartfelt standpoint, but from a business standpoint
um um like the previous person had said um um from a revenue standpoint, East would lose a lot if um we did not become the sanctuary city. And um while I am
not trans or queer, um I understand what my community feels as a person of color. So um um that's all I have to say and thank you for your time and thank you for your
consideration. And it's I think it's really important for businesses um um for this town to become sanctuary city for the businesses of this town. Thank you. But um I just wanted to speak on that
front. Thank you. Thank you. Then it looks like the last online person, uh Carrie Beth Garvey, if you're there, you can unmute and lower your hand and
thinking maybe not. And do we have another person in house to speak? So maybe we'll do that. Yes. I'm sorry to do this to all of you. Um hi. But I finally figured out what I wanted to say. My name is Olivia Lensson. Um I live in Williamsburg with my partner Jay um who you all already heard from. I
just wanted to share a little bit about our experience moving here. Um I think it might give a slightly different perspective. Um we moved here in January from DC as Jay said. Um, the first thing, quite literally, the first thing I did was to get online when we were
considering where to move and look at what cities have the best protections for LGBTQ folks. And I found immediately that Northampton is a transctuary city. And that was a signal to me that this was somewhere that would be safe, somewhere that would be welcoming. And I
want to tell you just a little bit about my partner. Um, they're a passionate reproductive health nurse. They're an activist. is their community organizer, a cat parent, and history nerd among other things. Um, they love to build things. They were a small business
owner. Um, I'm pretty cool, too. But I think they're great. So, I just I want you to know that when you pass legislation like this, you send a message that this is a safe place for people like us. You send a clear message to people across the country that this is a safe place for people to come and
be welcome. Um, I have a masters in public policy. That's a side note, but I happen to know that that's good for revenue, that's good for business, that is good for everyone, good for equitable practices. You attract brilliant, kind, community oriented people and people who
will invest in your community because you're investing in them. Thank you. So again, it looks like um everybody that wanted to speak has had a chance to speak, which I hope. And if it's not, we can afford a little bit more time for that if uh we haven't done that. And
then uh if everybody has had the chance to speak that would like to speak, I would hand it over to who am I handing it over to? Amber. Councelor Smith. So I will hand it over to you now. Okay. Thank you. Um,
where to start? Where to start? Is Keith in the room? Keith was here earlier. And one of the things that Keith said to me that really struck me and stayed with me is one of the reasons why tonight is so important
for the TNGI community is because it remains this public space remains our right to be in it. This is our ability to organize, to come together, and very
rightly so. Keith said, we need to do this because we need togetherness and we need community. And so, it's pretty easy to write this down. The hard part and the one I want to commend all of you for
is being in this room of collecting the testimony of people who can't be in this room and for showing up. And I will be the one reading the resolution. I certainly didn't write it
alone. And I want to give my co-authors an opportunity to speak on this before I write it before I read it into history. Um, sure. I'm happy to start off. Thank you, Councelor Smith. Um, for anyone who
does not know me, my name is Felicia Jadzac. I am the precinct 2 counselor here in East Hampton. I am also a a new counselor. So, this is my fifth or sixth month on council, but I'm so honored to be part of this resolution and honored
to be in this space with you all. Um, I'll keep it brief because I know we've been here a long time and we have a long resolution to read through. Um, but it's it's important, it's vital, it's critical. Um, another thing I'll mention is that in my day job, I am a DEI
practitioner. I am also biracial and disabled. And a few thoughts that kept swirling in my head as I was listening to you all tonight was first, there is no hierarchy of oppression. And second, our struggles are all interconnected. That just kept sticking with me. And I
think it's so critical to name that and to reaffirm what you've all shared with your stories because we need to protect our most vulnerable and most marginalized members of our community because East Hampton is a little city with a big heart. But the reality is
that without people, this is not a city. And without supporting all of our community members, what are we? It's not worth it to be here or to live here. And we've heard over and over again how welcoming and wonderful and warm and and
full of community this place is. I am a resident here four years coming up this summer. And one of the things that really drew me to East Hampton was a vibe, if you will, because I moved here in 2021 when there was u nothing open, COVID lockdown, there was no no vaccine,
and my husband and I kept driving through and just feeling a vibe, literally. That's why we choose to move here. Very lucky for us that we found out after we moved here that this was such an amazing place to live and I can't imagine living anywhere else. But really, it's we there's such a strong,
wonderful, welcoming spirit to this community. And so, I'm not going to keep speaking on this because again, I'm just reiterating what you all are sharing, but I'm so heartened to hear from you all. I want to thank you all for being here. Yes, it's been a long night. Yes, this is the the boring part of city
government and um how things work. And so if nothing else, we've heard your testimony and you've also learned a little bit more about what it looks like to be on city council and how we get things done here. It's it is important even if it's not always sexy as someone said earlier. Uh I also want to really
thank um those members of my precinct and my actual neighborhood who have spoken here tonight. I really appreciate you all and I also want to thank the business members um and especially East Hampton Clay which I'm a a proud member and I found it's a wonderful welcoming space and I appreciate you all for being
here and for speaking tonight. Thank you. Thank you, Councelor Smith. I'm going to keep it even briefer because I know we really want uh to get this um but it has been mentioned. Um if anyone is interested in running for
city council, you can pull papers on July 1st. So, if this was exciting to you, um I I think what's really important today to recognize and understand is that this resolution was written by the community
and these words are you affirming you. I don't know um what else to say other than that. Um I think today was an incredibly difficult day um for a number of reasons um but
particularly for the trans um you know gender non-conforming community. Um today was incredibly painful. It's it's frightening. It's scary. Um, but as long as we
stick together and do things like this that allow us to demonstrate the love that we have for our community, then we can get through these times. Um, but I appreciate all the words that were
spoken today. They were heard. You were seen. Um, and I am so appreciative of the opportunity to be your neighbor. Okay, this is for you and this is ours. And I'm sorry it took this long.
The East Hampton City Council recognizes that history has repeatedly shown that the most marginalized and vulnerable members of society are the first to be attacked under authoritarian rule. which then sees such attacks extended to
broader swaths of the population. Local government is the last line of defense against such attacks. This is our response to which we assert the following. Whereas transgender, non-binary, gender diverse and interex
TGI, people have existed throughout the globe since the beginning of humankind. And whereas since January 25, TNGI people have come under a rapidly escalating threat at the federal and state levels
throughout the United States. As the drafting of this resolution, there have been 12 federal executive orders strictly and wrongly denying gender outside of the gender binary as defined by these orders in 895
anti-trans bills that have been filed across 49 states, including Massachusetts. This is more than any previous number of anti-trans bills considered. Oh, I'm sorry. This is more than any previous
year on record and the sixth consecutive record-breaking year for the total number of anti-trans bills considered in the United States. These bills target varied areas of life in society,
including but not limited to health care, education, sports, bathroom access, and the military. This number is only anticipated to grow in the coming months and years. And
whereas these executive and legislative efforts which seek to block TNGI people from receiving basic health care, education, legal recognition, and the right to publicly exist, represent a coordinated
effort to erase the very existence of TNGI communities, including members of our own East Hampton community. Additionally, these attacks on TNGI individuals are spreading and will
continue to spread to members of the wider LGBTQIA plus community. And whereas TNGI individuals who often possess multiple intersect intersecting marginalized identities are among the most
marginalized and vulnerable members of our community. They historically face higher levels of poverty, lack of access to stable housing, and limited economic opportunities. TNGdi individuals, particularly bipox
trans women, are also disproportionately affected by harassment, which escalates to physical, psychological, and ultimately fatal violence. And whereas TNGdi youth,
teens and adults of all ages who are children, siblings, parents, friends, and chosen family deserve human dignity, support, and the right to live healthy,
fulfilling lives equal to those of their cisgender counterparts. And whereas suicide risk is eight times higher for transgender youth compared to their cisgender counterparts
due to the mistreatment from society. And there has been a 72% increase in suicide attempts among transgender and non-binary youth since the passage of anti-transgender bills at the state and
federal levels. And whereas TNGI immigrants, refugees, and asileles also face additional persecution due to their immigration status. And whereas fatal violence disproportionately affects transgender
individuals compared to their cisgender counterparts, the convergence of transphobia, racism, and misogyny creates a heightened risk in particular for black transgender women. As reported by the Human Rights Campaign
in 2024, fatal violence against transgender and gender diverse people disproportionately impacted BIPO community, making up 78% of victims since 2013.
Over half, 56% of all victims have been black trans women. And whereas the internationally recognized transgender day of remembrance, an annual observation on November 20th, originated
in Massachusetts in 199 1999 as a response to the murders of Rita Hester, Monnique Thomas, and Chanel Picket, three black transgender women and BIPAP transgender women and all
transgender people continue to confront disproportionate violence, disproportionate violence, discrimination, and systematic barriers. And whereas in May 2019, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts passed bill H190,
an act relative to abusive practices to change sexual orientation and n and gender identity in minors, which bans harmful and abusive conversion therapy practices. And whereas the Commonwealth
of Massachusetts passed Chapter 127 of the Acts of 2022, an act expanding protections for reproductive and gender affirming care, which protects individuals seeking sanctuary from outofstate persecution
and explicitly prohibits law enforcement agencies from knowingly making or participating in the arrest or extradition of an individual pursuant to an out ofstate arrest warrant based on another state's law against receiving
gender affirming healthcare in Massachusetts. And whereas TNGdi people live and work in East Hampton and contribute to our community in unique and valuable ways that deserve
to be acknowledged, honored, and celebrated. And whereas medical and mental health providers providing gender affirming care or otherwise serving the TNGDI community who reside and or have offices or
facilities in East Hampton should be protected from attempts to impose criminal punishment, civil liability, administrative penalties, or professional sanctions based on the laws of other states when gender affirming
healthcare is lawful. ful in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and adheres to clinically accepted standards for good professional practice. And whereas due to the nationwide surge of
anti-transgender legislation, increasing numbers of TNGI people and their families, many of whom are working class and or are in lower income bracket brackets, are relocating to Massachusetts, including East Hampton,
because our state is accepting of them and so we can access and so they can access gender affirming care and other basic human and civil rights. And whereas East Hampton has a history of adopting ordinances and resolutions that
affirm and support the rights of TNGI people at the local level, including resolution pertaining to discrimination and intolerance that states in part that the city of East Hampton and its representatives shall not condone or
tolerate any form of discrimination on the basis of race, color, religious creed, age, familial status, national origin, immigration status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or
expression, physical or mental disability or veteran status passed on January 3rd, 2018. The resolution in support of yes on 2018 state ballot measure 3 transgender
rights was passed on October 3rd 2018. City Ordinance Chapter 13, Article 1, Welcoming Community Trust Ordinance, which was approved by the city council and the mayor of East Hampton on June 10th, 2019,
and which directs all city departments to build trust and fairness between our local government and its residents, employees, and visitors. and the resolution to support resolution in support of an act providing gender
providing for gender non-binary designation on state documents and identifications passed on April 20, 2022. And whereas in response to broad-based community support for protecting the
basic human rights of its TNGI members and in keeping with its longstanding values of equality, safety, and dignity for all, East Hampton affirms its commitment to protecting and preserving those rights.
Now, therefore, be it resolved that the East Hampton City Council hereby reiterates its commitment to transgender rights and declares itself a welcoming city and a place of safety for our TNGDI
community and as such shall exercise its power to ensure the equal protection, treatment, and representation of all transgender, non-binary, gender diverse, and interex ex persons without discrimination.
Therefore, be it resolved that this council recognizes the importance of gender affirming health care as a matter of health, privacy, and equality, and to ensure to the greatest extent permitted by law that those rights are upheld for
all residents and visitors within the city of East Hampton and therefore be it resolved. The city of East Hampton City Council hereby maintains it should be the policy of the city that no city resources including but not limited to
time spent by employees, officers, contractors or subcontractors while on duty or the use of city property shall be utilized for detaining purposes for solely seeking or providing gender affirming care, including gender affirm
affirmation surgery or gender hormone therapy. and therefore be it resolved. The East Hampton City Council hereby maintains it should be the policy of the city that no city resources shall be utilized
for cooperating with or providing information or records to any individual or outofstate agency or department regarding the provision of lawful gender affirming health care or gender affirming mental health care performed
in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. And therefore be it resolved that all public spaces in this city, including the Council on Aging, the East Hampton Community Center, the public spaces under the Department of Parks and
Recreation, public safety, public works, and public schools be deemed as welcoming, equitable, and safe spaces for members of the TNGI community. And therefore, be it resolved that the city
of East Hampton protect the legal rights and safety of all health and mental health care providers, public school teachers, and library workers who serve the TNDGI community. And therefore, be it resolved that the East Hampton
City Council calls on the mayor to create an advisory committee by by August 1st, 2025 comprised of individuals from the TNGI community for the purpose of safeguarding said community from ongoing and future
anti-trans legislation as it develops. And therefore, be it further resolved that the East Hampton City Council affirms that East Hampton is a community that honors diversity and diverse interest and aspires to be free of
prejudice, bigotry, and hate. And the city clerk of I'm sorry, the clerk of the city council shall send a copy of this resolution to state senator John Velis, state representative Omar Gomez, East Hampton Mayor Nicole Ashappelle,
East Hampton interim superintendent Marine um Beniada, members of the East Hampton School Committee, East Hampton Police Chief Chad Alexander, East Hampton Director of Public Health Ryan Griffin, East Hampton Director of Parks
and Recreations John Mason, East Hampton DPW Director Greg Nettleman, East Hampton Library Director Katcha Shapiro, Director of the East Hampton Council on Aging, Cynthia Terelli, I'm sorry, Terrell,
executive director of the East Hampton Community Center, Robin Blei, president and chief operating officer of Kulie Dickinson Hospital, Dr. Kevin Whitney, Trans Health CEO Joe Irwin, and Tapestry
CEO Craig Anderson. Second. Okay, we have a motion in the second. Any further discussion? Council Riley. Thank you, Mr. President. Um, so I apologize. I'm a really ugly crier. Um, and
there's there's something to be said about being at this stage in my life to sit next to someone like Counselor Smith who is a friend and a colleague and is exactly who I needed
when I was a kid. And to be able to sit here next to you and to hear you say these things and to speak it into record. I wasn't just a city counselor listening to you right now. I I was also that little kid that needed someone like you. And I'm just so happy that we're peers
and we get to share in this together. So, thank you for that. Um so, um you know, first I just wanted to say how happy that I am to have all of you in attendance tonight. I have so much love and affection for all my queer siblings. you've been
gracious and supportive and engaged in the policy process tonight and I hope that this isn't the last time that I see you all in city hall. Also, my council members know that I'm a very emotional person. Um, so for those of you that I've not met before, I have a lot of feelings and I'm going to get
through this the best that I can. So, with that being said, hi everyone. I'm Brad Riley. I use he, him, and they, them pronouns. And in addition to being a city counselor, I'm the vice chair of Tapestry Health. I want to speak from the heart tonight,
not just as a counselor, but as a human who knows what fear can do to a person. I remember what it felt like growing up as a queer kid in a world that didn't seem to want me in it. Fear shaped everything. I was afraid to
go to bars because I didn't know if someone might follow me out. I was afraid of pickup trucks slowing down on quiet roads. Afraid of being at the wrong party around the wrong people. I avoided dark streets. I changed my
clothes. I changed the tone of my voice and walked faster if I felt like I was being watched. And I did what so many queer people do. I became a master at shrinking myself down just enough to feel invisible, but never enough that I
completely disappeared. And it's really hard for someone who hasn't experience that to describe what that does to you over time. And it's even harder when the government joins in, not just with a silence in policy, but with laws that are meant to make you
feel small, unsafe, and alone. That's the world that I came of age in. And it's the world that I still live in. And it's the world that transgender people are living in today. Across this country, states are passing laws that target trans and queer people,
especially our youth. They're banning gender affirming care, criminalizing doctors and families, erasing history from our school books, and trying to legislate people out of existence by denying them access to
health care, housing, public spaces, and even something as basic as having to go to the bathroom. To my fellow counselors who don't know what that is and doesn't know what it feels like, I want to ask you something.
Have you ever had to go to the bathroom? One of those situations where you've quote had too much coffee and you can't wait situations and you realize you don't know where the closest bathroom is. But then imagine that there is a bathroom nearby and you're not allowed
to use it. Not because it's out of order, but because the law says that your existence makes other people uncomfortable. Or have you ever had to bring your child to the emergency room and prayed that the doctors would know what to do
without judgment and without delay? Now imagine being the parent of a trans teenager who needs help and the law won't let doctors treat them. Not because the treatment is untested, but because lawmakers don't think that your
child's needs are real. Or have you ever filled out a job application and hesitated even just for a second because you're worried that they might not accept someone like you? Imagine the hesitation stretching into a daily fear that you'll lose your job,
you'll lose your housing, your physical safety just because of the way that you were born. These are not abstract hypotheticals. They're the lived realities of trans and queer people across America right now. not in the 1950s, not in some far away
country, right here and in states that are just a few hours drive away from us. So that's why this resolution matters. It's not just a symbolic gesture. It's a declaration that East Hampton is not going to join in that cruelty.
That here we will lead with care and not control. As someone who made it through a very lonely childhood to become a city counselor, I don't take this platform for granted. I see it as a chance to do
what so many could not do for me when I was younger. To speak up, to pay it forward, to say to anyone who feels afraid to live fully and freely that the government of East Hampton will not hurt you.
You are seen. You're so beautiful. and you're welcome here. And if you ever feel alone, the doors of Pacin Avenue are always open to you. We are the little city with a big heart.
And I know that we say that a lot. We actually heard it a lot here tonight, but it's true. I've seen this community disagree on things passionately and sometimes even fiercely. But I've also seen us return to something deeper, a kind of dignity in the way that we treat
each other and an understanding that people are more important than politics. We may not all understand what it means to be transgender or queer, but we all know what it means to feel safe, to be treated with decency, and to be allowed
to live our lives in peace. So tonight, I ask us to extend the promise of East Hampton to those who need it most. Let this resolution be our reminder to ourselves and to the world that in East Hampton, we do not meet fear with more
fear. We will meet it with love, with protection, with a steady hand and an open heart. Let's be the kind of city where trans and queer people do not have to look over their shoulder to shrink themselves down and to wonder if their government
is against them. Let's be the kind of city that says with clarity and compassion that you belong here. Thank you. And to everyone, happy pride. Thank you, Mr. President. I just want to thank the counselors that brought this forward. Um I just wanted to coattail on
something I heard earlier that that that I didn't want to get lost. Um when we did say the pledge of allegiance, somebody referenced that, you know, liberty and justice for all. Whether you agree or disagree with the way somebody lives their life, all means
all. Mhm. Don't say any other counselors. Councelor Kazinski, you're all incredibly patient and I appreciate you being here tonight. I hope that we're able to help everyone
understand better situations that they may not experience in life that not part of their own lives. That helps us to become a community, a more understanding community, a more open community, a community that shares
with one another and trusts. We must trust one another. I pledge at each meeting, you may not hear it, when the pledge of allegiance is said, with liberty and justice for
all. I add, and I will do my best today. In that regard, it would be unfair to anyone to allow people to be in a body that doesn't feel right. We must love one another, have
inclusion, provide the safety that we've been talking about. Everyone deserves to feel like themselves and we will help you do that. Okay. Any other council?
Okay. Um, all those in favor? I I Any abstensions or nos? Motion passes. Heat. Heat. recess. I move for two. I move for two minute recess. Second.
All those in favor. All right. So, we're in recess. You don't have to stay anymore if you don't want to. But, but you have two minutes if if you are going to stay and talk, which is welcome. just please if you could go down the stairs and do it so we can we still have a full agenda.
Our time is up. If we could make our way back and if you're still up here, we're about to start. So you might want to run away talking to us and if you need to counsel, you put in your time. You did
such a good job. You're a trooper and we appreciate you. I was doing my exercises under the table. Oh, all righty. So, retained three more people than I thought we would. Um, so we we're going to get started as soon
as Councelor Smith sits down and we will get this going. Okay. So, uh, the next thing that we have on the agenda is communications from uh, boards and commissions. We have a letter from the council on aging director regarding EU change of hours.
And I don't know if anybody wants to speak on that um, but uh, Yeah, that's what I I noticed. I don't know if you are you too tired. I am actually. Thanks for asking.
Um do you want me to read it? No, you don't have to read the whole thing. You can just give us the bridge version. Yeah. Um let's see. Uh so just for people who don't know the Council on Aging typically has been open
from 8 to 4 most days um for many years. Um many senior centers are not open to the public for the full hours that their staff work. So they can do administrative work and backup housework. And in our case where our
main room where almost everything happens um every staff person except me has no ceiling um and barely any walls. So everything that happens happens while
everybody is present. And then um what we have noticed over time is that business really slows down unless you're in a specific class you've signed up for or you're out on a field trip or playing botchi or something at the park. Um pretty much after 3 3:15,
but one or two people might come in a few times a week between then and you're really trying to wrap stuff up, return calls to people who need rides, whatever. So we also have staff who just to finish up that last conversation,
that last call, you know, are routinely late leaving and we really can't have that um comp time has limits. So, we've talked about this for a very long time and what we've decided to do is rather
than say have a half day on Fridays or something like that, like we pride ourselves on being open on Fridays. Um, we wanted to just slice off the tiniest bit of each day possible to make more time for administrative work. And um we
will still have classes, field trips, outreach appointments, um the work that I do um going on. So um 8 to 3:30 would will be the new hours. Does anybody have any questions?
I don't think so. Thank you so much. And it's not something that anybody has to vote on. Um, as far as I understand it, it's a policy that I can make, but I would never do that without consulting with our executive branch, our council on aging board, and letting you folks
know. Appreciate it. Okay. Thank you so much. Okay. Um, do any other counselors have any announcements they would like to make? Um, it looks like Oh, are you going to do the same one I am? So, probably three the same. JP, are you going to do the same one? What do you
got? I don't know. Was it Is it the park? Yes. It was Daily Field. Yes, it was. 100th anniversary this this this weekend and June 17 uh for release on the 21st from 12 to 5
at Daily Field. Come and join in the festivities. There will be inflatables, classic field games, baseball games or ball ball games rather. Eastampton Fire Department ladder truck uh appearance, live music at 3:00
uh and food trucks on site and please feel free to add any more. You said it all. Stol, but I rolled my hand very true. That's true. Any other any other announcements? Uh councelor Denim. Uh
not an announcement. I just want to acknowledge that tomorrow is Junth. Um, so it's an opportunity for us to remember the sacrifices, lives of um, our uh, black residents within the
community and um, the history that they have experienced um, and uh, what they have endured to make significant contributions to the culture and life of our community and this country. and uh
to the world really. But I just want to acknowledge um that celebration tomorrow. Okay. Thanks for that. Uh and I don't have any other communications other than the 100th anniversary. Mayor communications. Do you have anything for us tonight?
We have we did get your memo. So if you don't if you don't want to explain it. So we did get and I'm sure everybody saw the memo and Okay. Thanks. Uh and let's go to committees. Uh, finance council peak. Uh, thank you, Mr. President. Um, so, uh, finance
obviously did all this stuff. Um, the only thing that is not there is, uh, we did meet to discuss a request uh from the police department uh for the creation of a donation account supporting mindfulness and meditation in the police and fire departments. I
suppose they somebody's offered to donate money for them, but there is not a donation account to receive that money. I don't see why we'd turn it down. Um, and so uh I would make a motion to uh create a donation account
uh supporting mindfulness and meditation for the police and fire departments. Second. Second. Okay, we have a motion and a second. Do we have any further discussion? All those in favor? No extensions or nos? The motion passes. concludes. Okay. Thank you. Uh and uh
public safety council. Thank you, Mr. President. Uh we have not met since our last meeting. We do have a scheduled meeting on Tuesday, June 24th at 5:00 p.m. Hopefully in conference room one. I have not checked Maryanne yet, but I'm hoping it'll be conference room one. Um
thus concludes. Uh would you like to um an extension? No, you don't need an extension, but let's let's move um the request from the director of public works, which is going to be accompanied by uh my formal request. So, let's just move it into public safety for a four-way stop. Perfect. So, I'd like to
make a motion to move the request from director of public works to convert Lville Road, West Street, Glendale Street, and Pier M Road to an all-way stop control to public safety. Second. Okay. All those in favor? I. All right. Sounds good. That's your new business.
So, we're good. Okay. Uh let me see what that brings me to appointments. Councelor Smith. Uh thank you Mr. President. We have not met since our last meeting since we had no new business. However, um I have some new business now. And so in the form of a
motion, I would like to move the following four uh mayoral appointments to the to appointment subcommittee. uh Leslie Button for the board of registars within a term expiration of 123125.
Deb Peavey, Council on Aging 123125. Elizabeth CJ Muddy, East Hampton Cultural Council 632028 and Wendy Jord Wendy Taylor Jordane Planning Board 123125.
Second. We have a motion to second. Any further discussion? All those in favor? I uh any abstensions or nos? Motion passes. And oh go. Oh, I was just going to say the only other business I have I is that I would like to put an extension
on um the ongoing agenda item request for board and committee vacancy review and recruitment. Um could I get a 60-day extension on that? Second. We have a motion and a second. All those in favor? I. Any nos or abstensions? Motion
passes. And this concludes uh thank you ordinance councelor D. Uh thank you Mr. President. Um boy have we been meeting um and I I say that uh with somewhat sense of humor but sense of
humor but I I do just want to acknowledge the other committee members for the amount of time that we've been putting into these items. Um, so I just I just want to acknowledge that we've we've met twice a month, sometimes three times a month to be able to kind of move through
these things rather quickly. But uh since our last meeting on uh June uh 9th and June 10th, um we uh talked about the um the short-term uh rental um
ordinance. We've been moving through that. We've gotten some um we've gotten pretty far on it. We've gotten some uh I think clarifications on some some things. We we've gotten a couple more questions, but it's kind of narrowing itself down. So, that's uh moving along
and so hopefully we'll be able to um present something to challen um in the near year nearish nearer uh future. Uh we also met uh to talk about the um review of the affordable and fair
housing partnership uh zoning ordinance recommendations and uh at our last meeting we also met with the aquaer aquafer protection committee of the chair um and because there was a lot of
expressed concern about what the recommendations what impact they may have on the um aquifer And so at that meeting we basically put those two committees together for them to be able to come together and have some uh conversation. I know that the aquafer
protection committee is also working on some uh recommendations uh as well. So it's an opportunity for them to kind of come together and talk about those things which I think would make the work of the planning board when it gets to
them a lot more um hopefully is a simpler kind of process. And those are really the two things that we've been working on. We're still waiting on information regarding the moratorium on sewer sludge and the other pieces we've those have just unfortunately just taken
a backseat just because of the number of things that we um have going on. I don't have anything to increase uh the time but we do have an item that we need uh to move to the
committee. Um so uh the uh uh the action uh the short-term rental zoning ordinance uh amendments uh sections two definitions to amend 2.1 and sections four use regulations to
amend table 5-1 uh in the form of a motion. I'd like to move that to the committee. Second. Okay, we have a motion and a second. Any further discussion? All those in favor? I. Any nos or abstensions? Motion passes. No. And that's everything. our committee has to offer council this evening. Okay.
Thank you. And property council Pete. Thank you, Mr. President. Uh property met last week to discuss a uh a a conservation restriction uh from uh Kestrel Land Trust for uh the property
um on Main Street. Uh forgive me, I uh 385 389 Main Street. Um 385 38 what? 385 Main Street. Um, so, uh, we have a representative from from Kestrel here if people have questions, but basically I
think most of you remember when this, uh, project started moving forward, the idea is that a portion of the project, uh, is going to be affordable housing developed by a group called the community builders. The other is going to be, uh, property uh, maintained as conservation uh, by uh, Kestrel. And uh
essentially those two timelines are slightly different. Um and so we are in a position to move ahead with the conservation stuff. There's no reason to believe that they will not be moving ahead with the housing stuff. It's just taking longer and for various reasons,
it makes a lot of sense for this conservation restriction to happen this fiscal year. Uh which is why we need to vote on it today. Um, so, uh, if there's any specific questions, uh, we've had our our room has been nice enough to sit
through the last, uh, 4 and 1/2 hours of meetings. So, uh, you could go ahead and and and ask away, but, uh, otherwise, I have a motion ready to go. Uh, does anybody have any questions? Motion away. All right. Uh, I will make a motion to
approve the foregoing uh, conservation restriction from Kestrel Land Trust Incorporated to Massus Ottabbon Society Incorporated and the City of East Hampton acting by and through its conservation commission in the public
interest uh, pursuant to section 32 of chapter 184 of the Massachusetts General Laws. Second. Okay, we have a motion and a second. Any further discussion? All those in favor? I. Anybody against or abstensions? Motion passes. All right. And we have some other stuff that we're
going to work on next fiscal year uh that we've been saying we're not going to touch until the budget's done, but now the budget's done. So, sounds good. Okay. Rules and government relations. Councelor Kazinski. Regarding the Home World Charter Amendment request, uh we have received some new information from
the attorney. We'll be calling a meeting shortly on that matter. and stay tuned because uh we hope to have that get get that back to you folks soon in the next fiscal year. Okay, that concludes. Thank you. And uh we don't have any old business. We've taken care
of all new business. I would entertain a motion. We have a motion to second. Do not leave without signing. Okay. All those in favor? Nobody's against that. Thank you so much.