than our local cable subscribers. East Hampton City Council meeting for Wednesday, May 20th, 2026. The meeting tonight is being recorded and broadcast by E Media on Charter Channel 193 and live streaming on their web page eastampton media.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 the public speak time or the public hearing. Thank you. This meeting is now called to order. Maryanne >> JPinski >> here. Connie Denn >> here. Tamara Smith >> here. >> Felicia Jadzac >> here. >> Tom Peak >> here. >> Jonathan Schmidt
>> here. >> Amanda Newton here. >> Caam Jamro McUade >> here. >> Nathan Marque >> here. Thank you. Uh we are going to uh have a moment of silence. I just encourage uh folks to um uh you know
again we are at a period of time where we are our country is at war. So I ask that people remember those folks that um are serving in our military uh and those civilians who are likely uh to also be in harm's way. Um and also please just
do anything that you need in order to center yourself for tonight's meeting. Thank you. Thank you. If you would like to participate in the recitation of the pledge of allegiance, now is your opportunity to do so. 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. >> Great. Thank you so much. Uh we have no uh minutes to act on this evening. Um uh
this evening we are very privileged to have our uh we the people uh students, mentors and uh teachers and adviserss here. Um which we are uh as uh city council is certainly very excited to be able to welcome you tonight. Um I know
that uh there's a lot going off on in the community and there's been a lot of discussion of kind of what is we the people. Um, and so, uh, before counselors, uh, you know, address, uh, students, which I'll give everyone the
opportunity to do so if they so please, uh, I'd actually like to give, um, uh, Kelly Brown the opportunity, uh, and some students to, uh, maybe come up to the microphone and share a little bit about what the program is, uh, and and
impact on students if you'd like. Yeah. Oh, good evening. Um, good good evening everyone. Um, I'm actually going to let the students speak a little bit about what the program is and then I will close by telling you a little bit about what the program means to me. Uh, but
they really are very wellkilled at being able to share their ideas. And so we'll have them tell you a little bit about what the program is and what it means to them and kind of the different layers of the program. But thank you so much for having us here tonight and for recognizing us. >> And if you could if you just might
wouldn't mind saying your name for us, that would be super helpful. >> Good evening everybody. My name is Luke Tetro and I am a member of the current We the People State Championship team at East Hampton High School. I'm sure most of you have heard of this class and love it, but I'm here to talk to you guys
about what this class is actually about. We the people is a civic education class where we take a deep dive into what into what the constitution actually means. Whether that means the thought behind creating it, the structure of it, how it has changed over time, how it has been
used over time, and how it has and how it is used in the crazy world we have today. We the people forces us as students to really understand the constitution from every aspect. The class is divided into six units with each focusing on a specific topic within
the constitution. Unit one focuses on the philosophy behind the constitution. Unit two focuses on its framers. Unit three focuses on how the constitution has changed to further ideals in the declaration of independence. Unit four focuses focuses on institutions
institutions of government and how the branches interact with each other. Unit five focuses on the bill of rights and unit six focuses on constitutional constitutional issues in the modern day. Each unit while entering with little knowledge works together as a group to
become masters of their specific topic throughout the year. We the people is not just learning about the constitution but also applying this knowledge in front of judges during timed hearings that forces to think quickly and speak clearly under pressure. We the people, while being a
high school class, teaches us essential life skills such as civil discourse, consideration of other perspectives, and the need to use reason to channel our passion. As James Madison said in Federalist 55, "Passion never fails to rest the scepter from reason." Alongside
our constitutional education, Miss Brown works hard to teach us through experience in literature the power of virtue. We have recently started reading the pursuit of happiness by Jeffrey Rosen as a part of cross a crossgeneration book group with the community which goes handinhand with the
lessons on virtue that Miss Brown has been teaching us throughout the entire year. Miss Brown and this book teaches that the only way to reach true happiness is through the constant practice of virtue throughout daily life. >> Thank you.
>> Good evening. My name is Leah Bach and when I signed up for We the People, I honestly didn't understand why everyone spoke so highly of it because on the outside it looked like another challenging AP class. But what truly makes We the People special is the family that's created. There is a sense
of community that you don't get in other classes. Part of that is from the time that we spend together in the state and national competitions, but an even bigger part of that is the love and passion that fills this classroom. And that love and passion comes from our teachers. They pour so much time,
energy, and care into this program that it's genuinely inspiring. And it makes us students want to work hard. We want to give back to every for everything that they do for us. And for a group of 17-year-olds to want to work for their class, for their teachers,
that really proves how great our educators are. This class has taught us the importance of hard work and that even though it is difficult, it's possible. Miss Brown always tells us how even though we might not be a big school or have the same as the same advantages
as others, we can we can have the same work ethic or even better work ethic because in the same we're all in the end we're all the same. Just a group of 17year-olds. We the people teaches us that nothing is impossible as long as you want it enough and work hard enough
for it. And I truly believe that is something every high school student should have the opportunity to learn. >> Hey, thank you. >> Good evening. I'm Oliver Oparowski. This year I've been mentoring in We the People. I competed in last year's uh in
last year's team and I couldn't give it up, so I came back to act as a coach for this year's students. There's a number of mentors like myself, and I know I speak for all of us when I say another year was not enough. Not only has it been a chance to learn even more, to become intimately familiar with politics from the local to global levels, and to
grow in our confidence as participants in self-government, but has also led us to gain a deeper appreciation for our education as a whole. As mentors, we do our best to be educators ourselves, to guide the competing students studies, to share what we've heard in our experience with them, and to build their confidence
going into their hearings. You have to do this work to understand how difficult it is. You're constantly finding ways to build a student's knowledge to give them the resources to develop into competent and passionate citizens, and then finding ways to grow their confidence in this person that they've become without
even realizing it. It's a daily effort, and we as mentors are only a small piece of this process. Being a part of that process as a mentor shows one firsthand that a good educator is no mere facilitator of certifications and benchmarks, not just a step in a career path. A good educator like ours
so truly are is someone who reveals your potential to you and gives you the tools to cultivate it into something more. We the people teaches us that our community is our greatest blessing and our greatest responsibility. Educators and mentors not only cultivate the potential of individual students,
but through their work foster the potential of their community as a whole. I'm very proud to be a part of this process as a mentor and very grateful to be a product of this process myself. I'm confident that anyone who has passed through this program can say the same. Thank you.
>> Great. Thank you so much. >> And I would just like to end by saying that I'm incredibly proud of not only these students, but all of the students I've had. Uh, I began teaching this program in 2011. Uh, 2012, my current
co-teer, Taylor Dadman, was one of my students in the first state championship team that we ever had. And when the students say that we the people is a family, it truly is. I just left the dollars for scholars meeting and ran into parents whose children I had in all variations of we the people. Um, I come
into this room and I see parents whose children are in college, graduating from college. When we go to Washington DC, we meet with a student who is now chief of staff for a member of Congress. We talk to lawyers. We talk to the current student who's about to enter Yale Law
School. Um really just the incredible power of this program and um my incredible pride for what it means for East Stampton. This is an incredible community and you all are now a part of something very, very special, which is
the We the People family. And it may be hard to believe that we create family in the classroom, but they're not lying. It really is something that students continue to come back to year after year to be a part of. So, I'm grateful, incredibly grateful for the town for
always supporting us and just so incredibly proud of the amazing work that all of my students do and have done. So tonight, as we honor you, I just want to tell you how incredibly proud I am of you and grateful for you for recognizing us. Um this morning we
left on a bus at 7:30. We traveled to Boston. Representative Gomez recognized us on the floor of the house. Um then we did our little Superman change into our We the People t-shirts out of our shirts and ties and came here tonight and just really grateful that people want to recognize this program. So thank you for
having us here tonight. >> Absolutely. I'm a pleasure. Um, any city councilors like to say? Uh, councelor Marquee. >> Hi. Um, I just want to mention that my daughter, uh, I'm going to give her a shout out. Um, Julianne Marquee, Jules
Marquee was in We the People last year. I know was a pivotal pivotal moment in her um, education and that I've watched We the People's hearings last year when she was doing them. And quite honestly, I think that any elected official should
be forced into watching the We the People debates because it's embarrassing how little I know considering I've been politically active since I was a teenager. Um, and that I hope to see a
bunch of you either up here or in higher office someday working behind the scenes and stuff because I know the wealth of knowledge that you guys have and quite frankly, you could probably talk any and all of us like not out of a job per se,
but you you know where I'm going with this, but congratulations. >> Thank you. anyone else like uh councelor Peak? >> Yeah, I just every year this is always such a pleasure. Um I just think that this this program it's like it's so
incredible to me that this program exists in a high school when I was a high schooler. I just I just couldn't have imagined a something like this existing in in my high school where I was and b anyone I know having the level of sophistication that all of these
students have cultivated. So I just think that that's incredible. Um, it's I think it's great for the students. It's it's clear how how developed they are. And I think it's great for our democracy. I mean, I think that's such a big part of our public education system is supposed to be about making people
better citizens, but if I'm being honest, like nothing that I learned in high school made me a better citizen. I mean, it made me better at some things, but I this civic stuff we never really touched on in a meaningful way. So, I I think it's incredible that it's there. I live on Holio Street and so every year
uh there's always a pleasure when all the buses come through, you know, and there's the welcome parade and I if I can I I try and get out and wave, but it's just, you know, the level of just from from the point of view of just a competitive standpoint, the level of dominance that this program has had at
the state level is just unbelievable. I'm trying I I think the entire eight years I've been a counselor, I I'm pretty sure you've won Yeah. Nine is there. So, it's like basically the whole time I've been there, you've been doing nothing but winning. If you if we had a a a football
team or a hockey team or a basketball team that won nine in a row, it would be there'd be reporters flying in to interview. >> It would be a dynasty. >> Yeah. It would be So, I just think that it's really incredible. I'm I I love this program. I I hope it's around for a really long time, and I hope that eventually you all come and take our
jobs. >> Yeah. Uh, councelor Newton, >> I I think it's really impressive that there are so many of you each year. Um because you've really taken like what sports have been traditionally, you know, and like that's the cool thing to
do, but like you've made this academic stuff like the awesome thing for people to do and like you guys are the cool I assume like you're the impressive ones who are like winning these amazing competitions and you kind of like you know athletes are great and all but you kind of like shown them like yeah you're
awesome too. So I know I'm being corny but >> thank you. Any other council Schmidt? >> Um, I'll echo some of what folks have already said. I I thank you so much for all all coming out here. I certainly recognize some of your faces, but not
all. Um, I am also gra not the only one up here, but also a graduate of EHS. Did not have the privilege of taking this class. Uh, I think it might have still been an afterchool program and it was really hard to fit that in uh amongst all the other things. So, uh, I'm I'm glad to see that it's been sort of
incorporated into the, uh, the school day. So, so you can make it a part of your schedules. Um, and, uh, it's it's amazing to hear about. It's amazing to see that you care. You care enough about this to come out and see us tonight after you've been on the
road all day. Uh, that that's absolutely amazing. Uh and even though I never got a chance to experience that we the people family um I absolutely uh through being a student of Ms. Brown myself and AP US history understand um the way that
that she brings community into the classroom. Um, and and it's such a special thing. And it it feels weird to be uh to say that I'm I'm proud of of of someone who was a teacher, but I I'm so proud of of what you've accomplished uh
with this team. And um and I truly hope that all of you, you know, take what you've learned, take this the skills, and uh and stay engaged with your your local communities, your local uh government, because what you've learned is is so important. and uh we're really
kind of counting on you um in the future when the time comes. Um so thank you for for everything you've you've done to be a part of this. >> You're awesome. Thank you any counselor. >> When I was in school there wasn't such a program but we had great education and
great educators and they taught us to think on our own for ourselves and I so glad to hear that is what you really can do for yourselves. It was great that you came here to share about the breakdown of the units because
I think a lot of the public don't know what the breakdown is and how it fits in the to talk about the virtues in daily life that that hits home. Uh the part about sharing about family
being created that's what it's all about. It's about making your family the family the unit and that's the unit that you are. Bring that forward. Share it with your classmates. The mentors I want to thank them for
coming back. You keep coming back. Keep doing it. Uh that you shared with us on recognition day and then you got to go to the legislature. Fabulous. I have yet to be at the legislature inside the building. uh
someday that will happen. Uh you have the thirst for knowledge, share that with others, with your with the other classmates, with other people in your building and throughout life like you're doing here today. You have the skill and ability to do that. Use your
voices. Uh nine in a row. You're right. It's a dynasty. It's a dynasty. Uh, one thing I'll leave you with, you're 17 for the most part. 18's next
year. You vote, you participate. Welcome aboard. >> Thank you. >> Uh, Councelor Jam Robuade. >> Thank you, Madam President. So, I won't repeat um many of the feelings that I share with my fellow counselors. I just
want to express um that I'm very proud of this community and you guys for representing this community at such a high level. Um we're in a time where political um literacy and government literacy is so important and needed more than ever. Um we're really going to need
you guys to dig us out of the hole that we've dug ourselves into. Um so and I'll just echo um councelor Kisinski's comments. You turn 18 next year. um that means participate, run for office. Um you guys are the most equipped to do so.
Probably a lot smarter than a lot of the people that are in office right now. So, >> thank you. >> And yeah, counselor, >> I can't not say something, but I don't need to be long. Um I'm very proud of you all. Um, I also had a child who has in the program in the past and it it's a
lot of work and a lot of dedication both for um yourself and for your families and thank you Miss Brown and all the other um teachers and uh volunteers really appreciate you. That's
>> Vice President J. >> I can't be the only one left out of this of this. Um I just want to say really briefly congratulations. We're all very proud of you and you should all be very proud of yourselves. Thank you so much for being part of our community in this amazing way. >> Thank you.
>> Um what a privilege it was for me uh I saw you all compete in Boston. Um, and you know, one of the things that you were you were getting feedback from your panel of judges, and I think I can't remember which unit it was, but uh, one
of the judges said, "This is a conversation that we're having in law school right now." And I I thought that that really struck me that that the the critical thinking, the planning, the preparation,
um all of that was was really um being represented in that particular room on on that particular day where this this is more than um an afterchool program or a class. um you know this is really
something that is teaching you um to think critically and to think about our world right um and as counselor Jamro McQuade said you know it's a tumultuous time right now and it it was very
heartening for me um to see you all competing and to talking and talking about um obviously it's the constitution and and princip principles that this country was founded on, but they're so relevant
today, right? The rule of law matters, right? The constitution matters. Um, truth matters, right? And so part of that um is also what you take from this. I think you
take away the ability to advocate for your communities, right? This community and future communities, right, in the leadership roles that we know that you're going to take. And so, um, it certainly was, uh, like I said, a huge privilege to me. Um, I used to work with
student activists, right? And these were the things that they were talking about, right? Those principles of of government, principles of equity, um, that that impact the communities that they care most deeply about. And so, you know, you you represent your community
and all the various communities that you occupy, right? We don't just occupy one community. Um, and so certainly it was it was really a privilege uh for me to see you there. It was also very uh cool to see you all go to the national
championship and compete there um and and representing not just East Hampton but representing the state. So certainly we're all very very proud of you and in particular, you know, a huge shout out to the mentors who came back and continued to give and certainly the
teachers and advisers for the guidance that you provide students. You know, that that is that's life-changing, right? And you've had a huge impact on the lives of your students. And so you are greatly appreciated. Um, Vice President Jazz and I are going to give
out some certificates and then afterwards we're gonna have everybody uh take a photo if that's all right. >> Yep. >> And councelor Peak, can you just if anyone comes in, can you just admit them? >> You don't need to be worried about time.
>> No, we'll take care of this real quick first. So, I'll just call out the names. Walter Baker have >> save for the end. Uh, Bryce Jan Stevens. I hear that correctly.
>> Yeah, he's not here. >> Oh, she's not here. All right. >> Kali, Cindel Melson, >> Kiana Cummings. uh Egan Mendes Menendez. >> Amelia Bacho,
>> Jackson Double Day, >> uh Lily O'Hana Olivia Gordon, Lonnie, Fern, Cohen. Jackson McGee, Noah Gettis, Olivia Sanchez, Katherine Koval,
Brooks scowling. I said that correctly. Uh, Alex Zerret Will Scarun Scarin Chel Jack Scarin These are for the mentors. Lea Matteo,
>> it's dollars for scholars tonight. So, we only have a couple of the mentors here. So, >> uh, Michael Walkman, >> Oliver Opari, >> sorry that Ayanna Cooper. >> All right. Morgan Winhogen,
>> Brody Donovan. Okay. >> Logan Kraik. Seth >> Anthony. All right. And here we go. Jeremy. >> Nope. All right. There we go.
>> We got Ryan left. >> Looking for Looking for Ryan. >> Ryan student. Ryan mentor. >> I don't think that name was on the list. >> We'll get you one.
>> Ryan will get you one. Was on the list there. So, do you want someone else? I can take them in because the dollars for >> Why don't you have Ryan come >> Taylor? Thank you so much.
>> Maddie Rodriguez Brown. We have here Ryan last name real quick. >> Are we going to all fit in this? >> This behind the table maybe. >> Yeah,
>> sure. Sure. Maybe we can get some people maybe on on the same day. Let's just do like unit six, unit five, unit four, unit three, unit two, unit one, and we'll just go how we go. Yeah.
So, five and six, second row, three and four, and then front row one and two. And you might have to make sure that okay >> and we're going to take a picture over there.
Just make sure >> Oh, Richard. >> Awesome. Thank you so much. Thank you. >> Thank you everybody. >> Thank you. Thank you for your time. district. >> All right. Just a little pass.
>> All right. It is 6:30. I will take a motion to open the public hearing. >> Second. >> Second. >> I have a motion, a second to open the public hearing. Any further discussion? All those in favor? >> I opposed. Abstain. Motion passes. >> Um before I turn this over to Council
Jammer Freed, I just want to apologize to the public for starting the the uh public hearing late. We had uh we the people here for those of you who might just be turning in and we wanted to celebrate their accomplishments. So apologies that this is uh starting late
as well. Uh we will open public comments uh after we close the public hearing. So anyone who else would like to speak about an item uh not on the public not on the um um I almost said syllabus on the agenda uh we will do that then. Uh
so uh uh chair jam mcuade go ahead and talk us through the affordable and fair housing partnership zoning ordinance recommendations. >> Thank you madam president. Um so just to give some background uh these section the first four sections is the first half of the zoning recommendations from the informable and fair housing
partnership. Um the the full suite of recommendations was initially presented to council back in um December of 2024. Um the ultimate goal was um to lower barriers to housing production uh across the city particularly uh for infill development on already developed land.
Um I would say that the the first few sections um focus on some inclusive language changes. Um and then they also include uh parking minimums for multif family housing. Um the ordinance committee and the planning board have both voted to recommend these initial amendments uh to the full council. Um and then we also have Jana Tetro who's
the chair of the housing partnership um here to speak to some of these as well. Um, I guess before we get into it, I would ask uh if you would prefer us go one by one or if I should just read through all or >> um let's go one by one. I think for uh just for the public's sake, I think that
would be the most useful. Uh and then we can take public comment on each of those. >> Okay, so the first one's really easy. Um it's just updating uh references to the Department of Housing and Community Development, DHCD, um to the Executive Office of Housing and Local Communities. So this is just to reflect the uh
administrative change at the state level um that happened in 2023. >> Great. Uh any questions from council saying none? Uh any comments, questions from the public regarding this
in the room? Anyone online? Questions? Uh nope. I will turn it back to you uh Chair Jamuade. >> All right. Thank you. So, I would like to make a motion to amend the East Hampton zoning ordinance to replace all references to the Department of Housing
and Community Development, DHCD, with the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities, EOHLC. >> Second. I have a motion and a second to amend zoning ordinances uh to update uh language referencing Department of Housing and Community
Development, DHCD, to Executive Office of Housing and Liverpool Communities, EO HLC. Any further discussion? Seeing none. Um all those in favor? >> Opposed? Stayain. Motion passes.
>> All right. Um the next one on my list here is the parking minimums. Um so this request or this proposed change would adopt a blanket minimum of 1.5 spaces per unit for all multif family housing which could be reduced to an average of one space per unit based on unit mix and
project location. Um so some important context around this one. Uh the east housing production plan that was approved in 2021 uh notes that the current parking requirements may inadvertently discourage multif family development. Um this is also consistent with the advice of many affordable uh
housing and planning organizations such as the American Planning Association um which encourages reforming or eliminating parking requirements whenever possible. Uh I'll also note that the EPA um in their report uh titled essential smart growth fixes uh recommends municipalities reduce
minimums wherever possible uh to reflect the context transportation options and land use mix. Um, I'll also note from our uh Eastampton climate action plan that 38% of uh Eastampton's greenhouse gas emissions come from private vehicle use. So, embedding um the costs of car
infrastructure into our housing units enforces that land use pattern um and continued reliance on on cars. I also think it's important to uh be realistic to uh to reckon with the fact that we're in Western Massachusetts. Eastampton is a very car dependent community. So, the
proposal isn't to eliminate parking minimums altogether. Um but it is I think a common sense step in the right direction. Um so we can you know encourage more uh uh public transit options and just a a different land use pattern. Um and that all sort of comes
together um or one other thing that I want to add was parking minimums uh act as a hidden tax on housing development. So, when you're moving into an apartment and you don't have a car, but the apartment that you were moving into was required to build a car, um that cost is
priced into your rent. It's is priced into the development of housing. So, this proposal better allows developers to determine what the parking mix makes sense for their units that they're building um and just increases the flexibility. Um but that's all I have to
say to it. I would Do you have any No. Okay. That's all. >> Great. Uh, counselors, any questions? Seeing none, uh, anyone from the public wish to speak on this item? Please state your name and, uh, address
for the record, and you will have three minutes. >> Uh, Carl Pearl, 22 Gaston, real quick. Parking minimums are antiquated. >> Developer will decide if they need them in the place. People who want to live there will decide, but having them just increases the cost of everything,
especially in a time when building is prohibitively expensive. Parking minimums aren't needed. We can lead the way with that. Thank you. >> Great. Thank you so much. Anyone else in the room have anything they'd like to say to this item? Uh, anyone online, please raise your
hand if you'd like to speak on this? I'm seeing none. Uh, Chair Jam Green. >> Thank you. Um, so and I would like to make a motion to amend East Hampton zoning ordinance section 10, table 10-3, off- streetet parking regulations for
multif family housing to read 1.5 spaces per unit. This may be reduced to an average of one per unit based on unit mix and project location. >> Second. I have a motion and a second to amend zoning ordinance uh 10 dash what
was the 10-3 >> 10-3 right thank you um argument so to adopt a blanket minimum of 1.5 spaces per unit for all multif family housing which can be reduced to an average of one space per unit based on unit mix and
project location. Uh any further discussion? Uh uh councelor Marquee >> I just have a question. What was the um prior language? What did it say in that particular
>> uh yes? So the previous language was I'm pretty sure it was one per bedroom plus one for every 10 units. Um so it was definitely a much higher requirement. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Uh councelor Peak. >> Yeah. Um, just since most of the counselors here were not on
the council when we last released the housing production plan, I would I just want to point out that this was one of the things that was highlighted as a priority to work on and a huge uh uh inhibitor to building new housing and
and and addressing East Hampton's housing shortage. So, uh it's good to see it that we're finally moving forward with it. Great. Any further discussion? All those in favor? I >> opposed abstain.
Motion passes. Uh, councelor Jam or Chair Jamar McUade. >> Thank you. Um, so the third thing on my list uh is the uh fair housing and state law compliance. So uh this is to modify local language to align better with and
defer to uh state housing law when uh whenever applicable. Uh so overall these are pretty straightforward changes. Uh updating references to housing uh references of housing authority to housing agency um and referring to household income instead of family
income. Um >> um that is really all I have. Um Jana, did you have any additional comments or >> definition of family? >> That's that's next. Next. >> That's next. >> Um, counselors, any questions?
Um, seeing none, anyone in the anyone in the public wish to speak on this matter in the room? Um, anyone online wish to speak on this item? Seeing none. Uh, Chair Jam.
>> All right. Um, so should I move do a motion for each separate? >> Uh, just do them all together. It's fine. >> Okay. So, I would like to make a motion to amend the following sections of the Eastampton zoting ordinance to align with and defer to state housing law
where applicable. Section 8.344 uh replace C numbers 1 and two with the selection of qualified buyers for the affordable units shall be administered by a qualified nonprofit housing agency. Number two uh section 8.345
replace housing authority with housing agency. And then the third is section 8.6 replace all references of family with household. >> Second. So, I have a motion and a second to amend uh zoning ordinance section
8.34, section 8.345. Did I say 34? I'm sorry. Section 8.344, section 8.345, and section 8.6.
Any further discussion? >> Seeing none, all those in favor? >> I opposed. Abstension. Motion passes. Uh, chair jams grade. >> Thank you. Um, so the next one is surrounding our definition of family.
Uh, so this would be to update the definition of family to include all the people who occupy a single housekeeping unit regardless of their relationship to one another uh to reflect diverse living arrangements. Uh, so this change again like I mentioned uh this change would be more inclusive of different living arrangements uh that would be considered
um a family in our zoning. Um, our current definition reads individuals related by blood, marriage, and/or adoption or a group of unrelated individuals not to exceed four who are occupying a dwelling unit. Um, again, we just felt that that was not inclusive
enough. Um I will note that the version on the agenda does not reflect the final uh modification or the final amendment that we made um before the planning board which should be um housekeeping unit rather than house uh or housing
unit. Um and that was just to make sure that uh there were concerns about um multiple parties living together and and that kind of thing. So this allows for anyone who lives together, shares a kitchen, living facilities, um any group
of people regardless of relationship to each other would be considered a family. >> Um do any counselors have uh councelor Marky? >> I don't have a question per se. I just want to um applaud uh councelor Jamro
McUade or chair Jamro McUade. I believe that in moving into a modern society um families have changed um our relationships have changed and I think this is definitely a step in a forward direction. So I definitely support this
change the definition of family. >> Great. Any other question? Uh councelor Newton. >> Yeah, I definitely uh support the change. I'm just wondering why are we not replacing families in the whole thing with households? Why are we only replacing it in one section?
Oh, you can't hear me. >> Jerry Jim. Oh, can you ask that again? >> Yes. Um, why are we not replacing the word families with households in the entire thing and just replacing it in that one section? >> Yeah. So, um, and the plan director
manual might correct me if I'm wrong on any of this, but my understanding is, um, in like section, uh, 8 or 8.6, six, um they're referring to a family income, which is a specific thing, uh a specific data point that's
separate from household income. Um so we're updating that um just to be more clear with uh household income is usually what we're referring to when we're talking about house a housing um or family's eligibility for a housing program like that, right? Um, I will say
that we did look into the option of removing the definition of family. Um, but that introduced some concerns regarding how that word is used in other places in our zoning. Um, so that's sort of we ended up with just coming up with a more inclusive definition seemed like the the best way forward. But, uh,
planner, if you'd like to share. >> Yes. Hi everyone. Allison Manuel, uh, director of planning and community development. Uh so there's multiple references to family in in different contexts in the zoning ordinance as um councelor Jamron McUade just mentioned
um particularly around you know single family dwellings to family dwellings um and removing the phrase or well the the term and definition entirely uh just didn't seem like the right thing to do
without taking a more extensive look at the impacts. Um, so it's not that it can't be done in the future. It just in this um grouping of of amendments, it just wasn't quite the right time. >> Great. Thank you. >> Other qu Council Schmidt.
>> Thank you. Um I would echo uh Councelor Marqueis support. Um I guess my one question and sort of just answered here in this moment a little bit and I'm curious if you have a perspective about uh what potential impact this might have on individuals. I'm hearing in the way
we refer to single and two family households, but I was just curious if you had an idea of other ways that this might affect folks. >> Yeah, I mean I I think that's a good question and again I would defer to the planning director um for any specific um
regarding of like the enforcement of our zoning. I think that there's um there's a case to be made that um or I know in in some communities um there have been concerns about like college students living together and this has been used sort of as a weapon
in in that way. Um so this is I think just a step to make it more inclusive. >> Plan commander, would you like to say more? I I don't really have much to add other than it I you know I've been here for a year and a half and it's not come up as
an issue but it can't hurt to be proactive about it. >> Great. Thank you. >> Followup. No. Okay. Any other question? Uh councelor Peak. >> Um yeah, I just think this is a good idea. I don't really think that it should be our job to define uh or what a
family, you know, to be telling some group of people who might see themselves as a family that we don't see them as a family. that seems like uh not what I want government doing generally. And so I think that just getting ahead of this
and putting a definition that takes us out of the equation um and lets people decide for themselves um I think that makes a lot of sense and is in keeping with how I think government should run. Mhm. Uh, councelor Kazinski,
>> I would echo the same comments about um, housekeeping family and that the time has come to have that change in our zoning. Uh, I'm concerned a little bit about the process and about how we
that we dot our eyes and cross our tees in here. And when you mention something about, well, this wasn't published this way, I want to be sure that we take the right steps. So was there any legal advice on that or concerns
about the process that would somehow jeopardize the actions that we take today? >> I so if I can um I mean I think um that it's within the spirit of what was advertised. I I mean I think that if we
wanted to we could move to amend this to housekeeping now and I don't think that that would meaningfully change like um but that's sort of you know I I think that we could do that or you know we could recognize that that was a typo and
just move forward that way but I don't I don't think that it provides or that it's a risk of like us mis advertising or or anything like that. Also, there was a public hearing between the planning department or the boy the the planning board and the um
um ordinance committee. So, that discussion did happen. I think again it was it was a typo. So, but councelor Peak I saw your hand. >> Yep. Just out of the advance of caution, I guess maybe we could just amend it to say what it's supposed to say and then we won't have to worry about it. >> Yep. >> That may be advisable.
>> That may be advisable. >> Yep. Um, any other questions? Questions? Um, uh, any comment from the public in the room?
Um, any comment online? Great. Uh, Chair Jam McQueen. So, go ahead and make the motion and then if someone wants to make that amendment, we can make that amendment. >> Okay. So, I'll read it as it is listed on the agenda. >> Yeah. >> Um, so I would like to make a motion to amend
uh East Hampton Zoning Ordinance Section 2.1 term definitions defining family as all the people who occupy a single housing unit regardless of their relationship to one another. >> Second. >> I have a motion and a second.
Uh, Councelor Marti, >> I'd like to move that we strike strike. Um, >> I think you're just amending the >> I'm amending. Okay. I want to Sorry. Help me. Help me.
>> Housekeeping. >> Okay. Like to um change the term housing to housekeeping unit. >> Second. So I have a motion and a second to amend
um definition of family in section one to read all the people who occupy a single housekeeping unit regardless of the relationship to one another. Any further discussion? Uh councelor Peak >> just for my own education what is the difference between a housing unit and a
housekeeping unit? >> Um I'll refer to the planning director if she's so willing. Um, please say your name and role again for the city. >> Yep. Allison Emanuel, director of planning and community development. Um, housekeeping unit is a term that is used
in land use law often to describe a um, it can be used to describe the people or the physical space. Um, but basically everyone who lives together and shares um, household responsibilities. And so,
you know, I know we don't want to keep going back to the term family, but regardless of marital relation, blood relation, um, but people that live together like a family, um, is what the housekeeping unit is is intended to imply.
>> Thank you. Other questions? >> So, I have a motion and a second to amend um section one. Um, all those in favor? opposed. Abstain. Uh motion passes. So we're now we're back to the original
motion. Um so we had a motion and a second to modify the definition of family in section one again to read all the people who occupy a single housekeeping unit regardless of their relationship to one another. Uh any further discussion? Seeing none. All those in favor?
Opposed? Abstain. Motion passes. Um Chair Jam Quaid. >> Thank you. Um so the next one um is surrounding the language of community character. Uh so this would be removing, rephrasing or clarifying vague and
subjective references to character throughout the zoning ordinance uh and replacing them with clear objective criteria. Um so I know um the chair of the housing partnership uh has a little bit more uh to say about this, but I'll just uh give some initial context. The
term character appears over 25 times in East Hampton's current zoning ordinance, but is never clearly defined. So, that falls on the ZBA and planning board to interpret what community character means to them. Um, I'll also add that uh there has been
social science research done on thousands of hours of public meetings that show that undefined terms like community character um can often be weaponized to stop housing construction. Um, these terms are often used to describe to describe the people who may move into low-income housing. Um,
serving as a proxy for other uh racial racial or um class exclusionary language. Um, so and it's not to say that that is happening in East Hampton now, but it has happened in other communities. So, we just want to set a clear standard um so it's transparent moving forward. Um, I'll also add that
the planning board um made specific comment um to applaud this uh proposal uh just because they are sick of having to interpret what character means. Um, and they definitely see um how that there's a different idea of what that means to different people. Um so this
proposal uh would set clear definitions uh for what we mean when we say character. Uh so if we're talking about the architectural character of the community, the way that the buildings look, um the roof, the roof and siding, um uh land use, uh the landscaping,
those kind of things are are things that we can set a clear uh standard for. Um but is hard to lump in with just this vague term character. >> Um so that's all I have to say on it, but I would um defer to Chair Tetro if that's okay. Uh would Chair Tetro like
to speak? Uh please state your name and address and your role for the community. Sure. Good evening. I'm Janna Tetro. I live at 52 Pomememoroy Street. I'm the chair of the affordable and fair housing partnership. Um I don't have too much to add other than what councelor um Jan
Mcuade mentioned. Um, I will say in the 19 years that I've lived in East Hampton and have advocated for affordable housing, every single public hearing on affordable housing development, community character has been brought up by opposition as a reason to oppose the
project. And as mentioned, it's not defined in our zoning. So, what we're asking our volunteer planning and zoning boards to do is make a decision on a project based on an entirely subjective, you know, characteristic that they're
looking for in a project. And I've seen projects be rejected on the basis of it not fitting in with community character. So, we while we can't stop the public from using that term when opposing uh affordable housing or any development in East Hampton, we can help the zoning and
planning boards uh make decisions with by not having that included as something that they have to take into consideration. So, you'll see in our recommendations that in some cases we've struck it, in other cases we've just made it more clear. So, if we're talking about architectural character, let's say
architectural character, um, in some cases, the zoning lists all the reasons why to approve or deny the project and then tax on community character at the end, and it's entirely unnecessary because all of the other reasons were very descriptive and very clear of what
uh should be looked for. So, um yeah, I I think it would be a huge step forward and honestly a um leading we would be another leader in community in terms of how we look at affordable housing by striking this out of our zoning. >> Thank you. >> Great. Thank you so much. Uh any
counselors with questions? Uh, councelor Marquee, >> I do not have a question, but I can definitely see how the term character could definitely be discrim-in discriminatory. >> Yeah, that word fashion. Um, so I am
definitely in favor of striking that language. >> Any other comments from or questions from counselors? All right, seeing none, anyone from the public, uh, please state your name and
address for the record. >> Kathinski, Overlook Drive. I'm going to once again bring up opposition to removing community character or character of the community from our zoning. I think it is all right to want to be a semi-ural city,
a community that is small and has a lot of open um areas and New England charm. And I think that the zoning could be clarified with definitions a little bit more and
not remove character of the community. Um I happen to like the character of this community. I happen to like New England charm and small rural communities and this gives developers an opportunity to
continue to urbanize our community and increase the density of development within our community. I think the the streets are busy enough. We don't need to add density. We do not need to
urbanize further. It is okay to be a small community and as much as you all like to build build, it is not what everybody in this city wants. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Um, councelor Jen Quay, does this in any
way the change of the definition of character impact density or impact open space zoning? >> No. Um, I actually I think that this helps provide a better framework for clarifying some of those specific ideas of what our community
character is. Um, so and it definitely doesn't um impact density directly or or anything like that. All right. Uh, councelor Kisinski, >> uh, Council Jam McQuade, does it in any way affect
the small rural aspects of our community in terms of the small rural aspects and what I think many of us enjoy about living in East Stampton along with New England charm. That's a term that geez
kind of warms my heart and I hope it warms most of the people's hearts because that's what's special about East Hampton and I'd hate to see that taken away in any way. Can you comment on that? >> Yeah. So, I mean, I think that a lot of
what you're raising is more of a question of land use than necessarily like the aesthetic character of of our neighborhood. So when we're talking about rurality, we're talking about overall density, we're talking about um uh you know the minimum watt size
requirements, we're talking about setbacks, we're talking about um the zoning table of use that enables certain ar uh agricultural uses, that kind of thing. This doesn't touch any of that. um this is only talking about the
aesthetic um broader qualities that um the zoning or planning board takes into account when they're um permitting a project. So it's just aesthetic. Um there's nothing that directly impacts the agricultural use,
the table of uses, the um right now we're not talking about um minimum lot size requirements, anything like that. I'm also thinking about May I follow up the downtown New England charm. There
are certain communities in in uh New England that have that charm and when you drive through you know it and there are certain communities that have lost that charm through other practices and you it's very hard
to identify a New England history. So is there a way to assure that we maintain that history in terms of the ability to to to imagine the past through what we see today?
>> Council Chair Jamu. >> Yeah. I mean, I think that that's a broader conversation of adding in other language that we're trying to um like we're just trying to clarify the term character specifically. So, I think that a lot of the things that you're
referencing um are a lot more related to like aesthetic qualities of buildings and um like downtown land use planning and and that sort of thing, which I don't think is directly related to >> like a character Kinski
>> I'm thinking specifically about architectural design and those would does that language kind of cover us in that in that regard or not? Uh if you think of the of Brick Row the on uh on the uh Main Street, if you think about
the the churches that align the other side of the road, uh they're kind of charm and the town clock up there. Uh and maybe some people would think of that as community character and I think that's what our our commenter was referring to.
And I think many people do share that idea and I just want to be sure that we haven't taken that away. Yeah. Plan. >> Yeah. If I can just like give an example of one of the the changes that we want to make. So, um in section 10.512A,
um the we would be replacing the planning board may take into consideration whether exterior building facads and materials are consistent with Eastampton's character with uh we would replace it with the planning board may take into consideration whether exterior building facads and materials are consistent with the other buildings in the city of Eastampton. and and that
kind of answers the question for me, but I wanted to be sure that the public was clear that we're making that that change, but maintaining the ability to to retain that charact that that aspect of what we think of as character. >> Thank you.
>> Great. Thank you for that. Um, Councelor Newton, >> I was just going to pretty much say exactly that, that the examples indicate that we would still want to have consistent building materials. Um, we wouldn't want, you know, probably wouldn't want to put like a big giant
cement building in the middle of Clapper, old Clappard houses and and stuff like that. So, that's already protected in there. >> Great. Thank you. Um, councelor Smith. >> Um, I'd just like to add, um, it's my
recollection that when we were going over this at the ordinance level, um, I brought up the example that in precinct 5, we're against the mountain and there are a lot of people who really like the shade of the mountain there. >> Oh, I'm sorry. A lot of people really
like the shade of the mountain and like being in kind of the forested area. And when we use the term character, that all kind of disappears. And so we were thinking that descriptors such as forested or rural or any of those
descriptors would just give a better, more accurate description of what we're trying to preserve as part of the community character, if you want to use that kind of term. >> Great. Thank you. Um, any other Yep.
counselor. All right. Uh, continue with the community or public comment. Uh, Max, I see that you have your hand up. Please state your name and address for the record. Hello, I'm Max Swisser, 8 Jones Drive.
I'm on the zoning board of appeals. I just wanted to um I just wanted to reinforce that it should not be my job to decide what does or does not constitute community character. I of course love the charm of our city. But
the job of ordinance is to put into actual enforcable objective words those qualities which make up the charm which we so much want to preserve. Using terms like land use and architectural qualities, talking about siding, talking about colors, talking about setbacks.
These are the kinds of things that a planning board and a ZBA should be able to objectively make decisions based on. It should not be up to us to decide. Hm seems characteristic or not based on the word character itself. So I am very
grateful for these changes and I think they will help the ZBA and the planning board moving forward. Thank you. >> Thank you for that. Uh anyone else from the public wish to speak? Anyone in the room? Anyone online?
Seeing none. Uh Chair Juade. >> All right. This is going to be a long one. Um, I would like to make a motion to amend the following sections of the East Hampton zoning ordinance to remove, rephrase, or clarify vague and subjective references to character throughout the zoning ordinance and
replace with clear objective criteria. Uh, letter A, section 2-6, definitions, home occupation minor strike for the residential character of the neighborhood. B, section 6.101 101
uh number two uh strike distinct character within uh section 7.21 strike quality and visual character of section 7.24 24 strike compatible with
the scenic character of the city and section 8.332A strike prevailing character and section 8.51a replace residential character of a neighborhood with architectural design
of neighboring building to the extent feasible. Section 863 letter E strike rural character. Section 8.87 replace character with nature. Section
9.1.2D strike uh compatibility with the character of the surrounding residential areas. Section 9.2.0.1B 0.1B strike integrity of character of the
section 9.31E uh leave as is section uh 10.41 strike neighborhood character section 10.44.6 strike residential character section
10.45.6 Six strike residential character of the section 10.512A strike character and section 10.512A replace the planning board may take into
consideration whether exterior building facads and materials are consistent with East Hampton's character with the planning board may take into consideration whether exterior building facads and materials are consistent with other buildings in the city of East Hampton section 10.512
to a replace for example exterior materials such as wood or metal or vinyl clapboards or stone or brick and treatment compatible on all on all four sides are considered consistent with Eastampton's character with for example exterior materials such as wood or metal
or vinyl clapboards or stone or brick and treatment compatible on all four sides. Section 10 uh.512A replace The planning board may consider whether the roof line is peaked or is otherwise consistent with the city's character with the planning board may
consider whether the roof line is peaked or is otherwise consistent with other building styles in the city of East Hampton. Section uh 10.10.1 strike serve to preserve the character of the community and section 10.10.5
10.5.5 Replace artificial screening device erected to eliminate the view from the public way. shall also be subject to a vegetative screen. And the board shall consider the surrounding landscape and view shed to determine if an artificial screen would be out of character with
the neighborhood with any artificial screening device erected to eliminate the view from the public way shall also be subject to the vegetative screen and the board shall consider the surrounds and viewshed to uh determine if it is similar to other vegetative screens in
the neighborhood. Section 12.7.1 strike and the character of the city. Second. >> I have a motion and a second to uh remove, rephrase, or clarify references to character in the zoding ordinance in the aforementioned
sections. Any further discussion? Uh, councelor Kuzinski, >> just wondering if you could just repeat the sections that referred to other building styles in East Hampton. And if that meant
somewhere in East Hampton there was a building style like that, then you've been compatible with other building styles in East Hampton. or is this referencing a particular district or area or street or neighborhood?
Because I can imagine we have industrial zones and industrial areas and building and and and factory areas and I don't think that's what we have in mind for neighborhoods. But somebody could say, well, in other places in the city, we
have this and is that meeting the criteria that is in this new ordinance? >> Chair J, >> if you need further clarification, I'm happy to try to >> No, I I think I understand your question. Um, so I think that's a that's
a good question. Um, if I were looking at this, um, I would read consistent with other building styles in the city of East Hampton to just refer to, um, the general like consistent nature of like the building. Like we have a lot of, um, New England style buildings
here. I I would be open to adding in an amendment here that says other residential building styles in East Hampton. Um, but I I don't know if that fully would address your concern. Um, but for me, I read that as like
consistent with the broader overall style of of how buildings are how houses are constructed. >> I think I was referring to styles in in a neighborhood, you know, a section of of the community. She's this is the main street area on Night Wright, you know,
McKinley, though. that's a neighborhood area and other neighborhoods, you know, Brian Avenue, uh, Taft Avenue as being kind of like styles within a neighborhood. But to say the style that's over in, you know, new city, is
that what we now can place on Taft Avenue or on McKinley because we have styles in in in the city as opposed to styles in a neighborhood. Um, councelor John McQuade, do you want to answer that or I see other hands as well.
>> Yeah. So, I think earlier on we um we replace residential character of a neighborhood with architectural design of neighboring buildings to the extent feasible. >> Um, again, I'm not sure where like if that being up there like supersedes or
or makes it sort of automatic down um in section 105. Um, but I would definitely be open um with or open to the idea of changing it to consistent with the other buildings in the surrounding neighborhood if but that's
>> I I would I would think that that would be the intent much more clearly than the broadbased throughout the entire city. Pick one and now oh that style is over there. >> Chair marquee sorry uh councelor Marquee
>> sure I'll take that. Um from my understanding um Chair Jamrock McUade and the um it doesn't matter. I I see that all of the sentence have just been restructured
without the term character and the meaning of the sentence hasn't necessarily changed. is just the word character because it's interpretive to so many anybody can um interpret it in a
different way. I only see it as nothing has really been changed except for the word character. The sentences have only been restructured. Am I missing something here? >> Count uh chair jam. Yeah, I mean I think that you're you're
getting to the point there like the the previous um the previous statement is uh whether exterior building facads and materials are consistent with Stampton's character. I I think that that's you know it calls into this all the same
questions of like where you know where in Eastampton are you talking about the character and so um yeah I I would agree that it really isn't changing the meaning of the sentence. It's just trying to not introduce that word that can be interpreted many different ways.
>> Okay. >> Okay. Uh, Vice President Jik, >> thank you. Um, I have I guess a comment question. I think this particular section that we're discussing is 10.512 if I'm correct. Right. And I am a little
um I just want to point out that I haven't read the full draft of everything here except beyond what we have here. that is se that section is titled commercial development performance standards. So I was curious if this would if we were to make an amendment
bringing in residential language would that fundamentally impact the overall section. So that was one question. But to follow up with the comment I just want to say that um I did hear the comments that Mr. Swiss are made and I think they're really relevant for this
particular discussion because I think that um I can't speak for anyone on the board who would be having to interpret this, but if I were interpreting this amended language, I don't think it's out of the realm of um reasonleness to think
that the folks who sit on the board can look at a residential neighborhood and say, "Okay, even though we have industrial buildings elsewhere in East Hampton, maybe this industrial building shouldn't be in this residential neighborhood. But I think that there's a judgment call to be made there, but this
clarifies it to allow the planning board and zoning board members to make that judgment call in a much better informed way. And the other thing I want to mention too is that there are mixeduse neighborhoods here in East Hampton. So there very very well may be neighborhoods where you have very charming looking houses that sit next to
industrial parks. And I think we need to keep that in mind because I don't want to amend language that would then put us into further difficulties in the future. >> Councelor Peak. >> Yeah. Um I got a couple things. So, a lot of this stuff that I think we're
talking about, we're we're starting to use the term architectural style, but I think that what like a lot of the stuff whether a building is a factory, whether a building is a rowhouse or whatever,
this is defined elsewhere in the zoning. Like this is like, you know, when we're talking about architectural styles, we're it's a pretty narrow thing. And um so I I just think that and I I am really sympathetic to the idea that like often
you find um volunteer members of these boards who are put in this these situations of having to make these very subjective decisions and that doesn't really help anyone. So that's I think just something that we should keep in mind that like you know I I I just think we should be we should be careful about
that. I think that if we were talking about doing something about saying certain architectural styles are allowed in certain neighborhoods and certain ones aren't that I would want first of all I think I'd probably vote against it but even if I were to be convinced otherwise I think
it would be something that we should really send to committee and have a thorough conversation about exactly what styles are or are not allowed in some other in these various places because that's just a big and heavy conversation with a lot of potential uh consequences
that I just think we should not be made via an amendment. Um you know, so there there's that. Um and and just the one last thing I I would just say about this is like I'll make fun of myself a little bit here because sometimes that's a defense mechanism I use for talking
about certain things, broaching certain topics. I live in in like an ugly house like and and and I live in a house I I bring this up because I live in a house that when I look at it I'm like like I I didn't I bought it because it was what I could afford and it was a nice location
and you know it's fine inside but there's nothing character about it. It was built in the 80s. It's got ugly yellow vinyl siding and it's just like it just it's a it's a piece of crap house, you know? It's like I It's my home, but it's not like a nice house.
And the reason why I'm bringing this up is because I wasn't alive in 1980 when it was built. So maybe someone can pull some town record and correct me, but I have a feeling that when it was built, nobody said anything about community character, right? even though it and a lot of it the neighborhood was actually
replacing you know not it wasn't coming that far like you only had to go maybe a generation back and a lot of that was farmland you know so like my house and all the single family homes along that street that were built in that period a lot of them are are are like literally
just like were were destructive to the agricultural comm like character of East Hampton in the way that putting like a triplex somewhere on some residential street that's mostly single family units, you know, but is already like that's doing nothing near the level of
destruction that when you talk about Yeah. the Holio Street neighborhood. You talk about a lot of the stuff in the planes, you know, whatever. like that that sort of when you talk about all the McMansions that were built that like when you're talking like you bring architecture up like if you talk to a lot of prominent American architects
they'll tell you that some of the stuff that we've built recently in the city in terms of single family development is some of the worst architecture that the world has ever seen just in terms of like just the standards of architectural practices that usually get um like that
that an architect would normally be thinking of uh in terms And in terms of like the cost used to develop a space in in in relation to like the actual usability of the space, the durability of the building, all of this stuff. And
I don't think that during these conversations the like there were a lot of people saying don't build these McMansions over on, you know, like out in out in the plains. Don't don't build that ugly little ranch at 55 Holy Oak Street,
you know, with its stupid yellow gross vinyl siding. Like, I just don't think there was anyone doing that, right? >> There were any contractors in that room like need to cancel their afterwards. >> Like, I I just I'm just bringing this up because I think that we just need to be
real about the specific political context in which this conversation comes up. comes up because people don't want to live around certain types of people and they start to say, "Oh, I don't want this multif family development near my house because and you know and now we've
got a housing crisis." And I just I like that's just the that's the actual political reality. The situations when I've seen people talk about community character, it's always been about certain types of it hasn't been about garish big ugly single family houses. It's been about houses that are
housing certain sorts of people that maybe they don't want to be their neighbors. And like I just I like I just want to be like I don't want that to get lost in the conversation about like like about this that there's a lot of housing that
was built that when it was built there was nothing like it. Right. And that's also that sorry I know I'm going but this is like I feel like this is important for me. Like the other thing is that like the the reason why houses are built the way that my house was and not that that they're not beautiful brick houses like they used to be is
because economics change, supply lines change, supply like change changed the pe like the actual skills of artisans and contractors and construction workers and the avail the tools availabil available to them change. And so it's like probably in the future there's going to be houses built in East Hampton
that look completely different from anything that currently exists here because materials and building science and best practices are going to shift. And I just I don't want to make sure that we don't end up putting ourselves like under a little glass bubble of just saying like okay whatever happened in
the 1800s is cool and we can't do anything anything new because that would destroy the character of the city. Because like I mean when the city was built there wasn't any colonial houses here until there was there weren't any of the row houses that housed all the factory workers until there were like I don't know things change. So sorry I've
been ranting for a while but I just I kind of feel like this is just relevant maybe. >> Economics change. uh you know my house on Brian Avenue it was built after the war right like I think there's differing circumstances in which uh houses we have
a I'm not sure if I'm saying a Kwanza hut on our street right like if that that's a character right um that I don't I haven't seen anywhere else in East Hampton right um so I I think to to
uh counselor Peak's you know um point. I think times change, economics change, science changes, right? So, I think that that all of those things are relevant to the time, but I see chair gam's hand up. >> Yeah. I just want to note two things.
So, one of the things just echoing um off of what Tom was saying, you know, we we've also changed our building regulations. Like the city of Eastampton has adopted um this the specialized codes which add an additional layer of things that builders need to be uh aware of that I think every new housing unit
needs to be a passive house and it needs to like be have solar um availability to hook up solar and electric car charging hookups, electrification. So, there are all those things that add to that. Um, and then I also wanted to just thank uh, Vice President Jadzik for bringing up
the context of where we were in the zoning. That was a complete oversight. So, thank thank you for bringing that context. >> Uh, councelor Newton. >> Yeah. Um, I really appreciate what you said. Um, councelor Peak. Um, one thing that I do want us to keep in mind is
that when Holio Street was built up, all of that Holio Street neighborhood was built similarly. So yes, it was a brand new style, but it wasn't placing a brand new style within a space that was already built up. So for example, I I
grew up on Plain Street and across the street from me growing up, it was just farmland and vernal pools. Like that's all it was. We didn't even have the second like side of Plain Street. So I literally watched all of that development in Kingsbury and everything and and the second side of Plain Street
like grow build up as a kid. Um, and like they weren't building those McMansions on Plain Street. They were building it in like a different area. So, it didn't feel like they're just plopping these random McMansions on the street. I don't know. I think there's something about like whether there is
already something there and what is being like plopped on it versus is this an open space that is like newly developed. Um I I don't know but I don't think that it means anything for what we're do talking about in the amendment right now.
>> Great. Uh, councelor >> to refocus back to my my original question which was uh would you read the sections that reply refer to all of these Stanton and as opposed to something that could be maybe
redefined as within a neighborhood and if that would be more descriptive of the feeling we're trying to what we're trying to convey or not and I would ask you to read and the concern was that anywhere in East Stampton
could exist. So, Quanet Huts could be anywhere or McMansions could be anywhere or uh because it exists in East Hampton and that was the concern. >> So, maybe you >> Yeah, I mean I'm not sure which specific
>> I think there were two or three sections that you said. >> So, councelor Kinsky, can you point them out? >> Okay, I think I know. So the the ones in section 10.512. So those are the so those are all within the commercial
commercial development >> within commercial development districts. >> Yep. >> Or commercial development like a commercial development not necessarily a district but a commercial development in in a district >> which typically has less concerns than
something that might impact the residential neighborhoods if that's truly limited. >> Yeah. cuz like like councelor Peak mentioned um we have a table of use that defines which zones certain businesses or um different types of land use uh are
allowed. >> That's good. I just the concern was that we didn't want to have something that somebody could drive a truck through our zoning regulations and >> do something entirely different than what was intended.
>> So, thank you for >> the discussion. >> Yeah. Uh any other comments? So we have a motion and a did we already we have a motion from where are we? Uh we have a motion and a second. Um all those in favor
opposed abstain. Motion passes. Great. Thank you chair jam. >> Thank you guys. >> Uh also want to certainly want to thank the housing partnership for all of the work that was done on this. Um, I think
that this, um, just kind of really echoing from the, uh, planning board's comments, I think that this is going to make their work a little bit easier, um, and a little bit more straightforward. So, certainly appreciate you and certainly appreciate uh, planning
director Emanuel for all of the work that she has done to to guide this process. So, thank you so much. >> We'll be back. We have more. >> There's more to come. >> There's more to come. and the other ones are even more fun. Thank you so much. >> Uh so we have an interdep departmental
transfer request. Uh I will turn that over to uh chair peak. >> Thank you, Mr. President. Um yes, so we have an interdep departmental transfer request from the CPA undesated fund balance to CPA administration expenses
uh for professional services such as appraisals and planning support. Um, so yeah, we have there's a certain amount of uh the CPA uh that we our CPA revenue that we bring in every year that um we are able to spend towards uh
administrative expenses. we are still well under um the the the uh we're well under the maximum and I think we're probably still under the average but um there were just uh I'm sure Ava will probably be able to describe it in more
detail but there was a handful of things that happened this year. Uh one of them being the um the community preservation plan that we did for the first time in a decade even though we're sort of supposed to do it annually. So um like that took some resources. There were
some other things and so the uh administration expenses just coming into the end of the year. Uh that account's a little bit short. So just to um take care of that, we were going to um yeah appropriate uh $7,950
from the undesated uh fund. So uh >> uh Ava, would you like to speak on this matter? >> Sure. Hi counselors, Ava Gristtol, CPA coordinator. Um, and so I think councelor Peak uh addressed it well.
There were a few additional administration expenses. We did an appraisal for an open space um possibility that may be coming in front of the CPA in a future quarter. Um, we worked with PVPC um on a big professional revamp of our preservation
plan. They put together some really nice materials including a really beautiful map that we'll be able to use um for years to come. There was uh some considerable printing expenses because we uh did our best to really advertise the preservation plan as widely as
possible. Um and we have our uh community preservation coalition dues which are just our our state organization dues. They provide technical assistance to the community preservation act. Um and they're really a vital resource. So that 5,500 number was what we appropriated with the
budget. We didn't know about uh the most of these expenses last February when we wrote the budget in February of 2025. Um so that's why we asked for this approp this uh transfer now and any of the funds um the 7,950
is um is an overshoot um and those will be returned to undesated at the end of the fiscal year if they're not spent. Mhm. Okay. Uh questions from counselors. Seeing none. Uh comment from the public.
I see a hand. Julie, can you please state your name and um address for the record? >> Hi, Julie Tesport East Hampton precinct one. So um couple of things is
what is the balance now in the CPA fund before you approve this? Secondly is when you state it's an overshoot when AA stated that shouldn't this be a line by line item so you know
exactly what it's being spent for. And lastly, I am going to request, and I know I brought this up at the April 22nd meeting for CPA budgets because we constituents do not know what was
collected every fiscal year because it's not put on the website. Eva said that she does have that information and that it does change frequently. She says she has a spreadsheet, but we need
to know what is being collected, what is being spent, what it's being spent on, and what is the balance. How can we get that? >> I again, I understand that on the
website and council denim, I'm sorry, you asked her on the website and you felt as though it was transparent on the website. only on the website is what is being spent like with the church clock. That is the only thing on there. That
information again is available as Eva said at that April 22nd meeting, but because it's updated frequently, it's not posted. At a minimum, they should be posting these every time after a CPA meeting. >> Great. Thank you, Julie. So, there was a
lot of this that goes beyond the public hearing. Uh but can you provide the balance? >> Absolutely. So the balance in the undesated fund um well okay so there's two appropriations that are coming in
front of you that the CPA committee has already recommended. So, I don't have the balance off hand without those two recommendations, but it is um to the tune of $640,000 approximately. Um, after those
appropriations um go through, uh, if they go through the city council, the balance will be $4,800 400,000. Sorry, just doing some mental math. $400,90. So, there's plenty in this account um
for this interdep departmental transfer. >> Okay, great. And in regards to the overshoot, um, can you speak to if it's an overshoot, why isn't this like a a more accurate spending?
>> Right. So, we put this interdep departmental transfer together a couple months ago. It was delayed coming to you for a variety of reasons, mostly administrative. These funds are coming from the undesated fund and they'll be returned to the undesated fund at the end of the fiscal year. So there they're
the CPA committee is not voting again on any additional projects this fiscal year. Those funds will just be returned um at the end of the fiscal year. >> Okay, great. And just uh just for reference uh how do people find the um
budget and spending on the website? >> Um so the the budget of the CPA committee is is shared the revenue um and the available funds are shared every CPA committee meeting. Those are typically the third th the third Thursday of each month. Um, and they're
recorded and posted online as public meetings and that uh the available balances are shared. >> Great. >> Thank you. And that's all online as well. >> The available balances we don't keep a live document online because it does
change so frequently. >> Okay, great. That's very helpful to know. Um, other comment from anyone in the room, anyone online? >> Councelor Peak. >> I will make the following request in the
form of a motion. Um, request is hereby made for approval of the following appropriation amount requested. $7,950 to be transferred from CPA undesated fund balance $7,950
to be transferred to CPA administration expenses 9 $7,950. The amount requested will be used for the following purpose for professional services such as appraisals and planning support. >> Second. I have a motion and a second for to approve the inter
departmental transfer request for community preservation act CPA transfer of $7,950 from CPA undesated fund balance to CPA administration expenses. Any further discussion? Seeing none, all those in favor?
Opposed? Abstain. Motion passes. Thank you, Ava. Um, thank you, Council Peak, for that. Councelor Peak, back to you, uh, for the adoption of local property tax exemption options.
>> Uh, great. Uh, so we have three, uh, local property tax exemption options to consider tonight. Uh, I guess we should probably do them one at a time. Um and uh so um we uh the the one they're all
uh they're all under uh Mass General law chapter uh 59 and uh section five. And so the first one is clause uh 17F which is an annual cost of living adjustment
for certain exemptions. Um and so uh this one uh would uh be for uh our our our senior exemption our senior uh exemption. It would basically provide a cost of living
uh adjustment to that automatically. So, uh, some of you who have been here a few years might remember a few years ago that we voted, I think we've maybe at least once, potentially twice on my town of the council, voted to increase the amount of
this exemption uh because it hadn't been in uh increased in some time. This would basically just allow for a cost of living adjustment to be statutoily attached to it so that this the size of this exemption uh
did you want to say something? >> I just wanted to speak it's a specific exemption which is 17D. >> Sorry. Sorry. Please state your name. >> Martha uh principal assessor. Sorry. Um it's uh specifically for 17D which is
through the the basis 175. So it would be adopting a percentage of the cola which changes every year. I just wanted to clarify because there's many different exemptions and amounts. So this would be 175 and then the cola if
you adopt the 100% which for FY27 is 2.7. So it would increase that to 180 and then that would be the base for the next year. So, it's just that one 22 uh 17D exemption. >> Yes. Which is
>> just for clarification. >> Yeah. And that's for qualifying seniors, surviving spouses, and or minor children. >> Yes. Correct. >> Okay. >> Uh any questions by counselors? Uh, councelor Kazinski,
>> I was wondering if someone here could comment on the number of people who would be affected and what the approximate dollar amount on the city's would go to the rest of the taxpayers because presumably anything exempted
would still have to be paid by everyone else. So, how many are we able to >> uh Dan, please state your name and your role for the city? >> Dan Sidonic. I'm on the board of assessors. Uh there are only
>> 18 >> 18 >> for 26 >> for 26 people that get this exemption. It's not going to work out to a lot of money and we're not asking for any money for this. Our overlay account already
has a built-in amount for exemptions and this would just be eaten for 27 in the amount that's going to be budgeted into the overlay. It's under $200. >> We anticipate this cost this exemption costing. >> Thank you.
>> And just one other thing. Uh councelor Peak was referring to clause 41C just for comparison that that's not on here. >> Mhm. But that started out at $500 and then went to 7. The council raised it to 750 and has since again raised it to
a,000 where this exemption doesn't have that option. >> It only has the cola. So we thought it would be best to uh at least add the cola in so it would go up. I know $5 isn't a lot >> for somebody on an exemption, but every $5 would help.
>> Yep. >> Thank you. Any other uh councelor Newton? I just want to make sure I'm super clear on this. >> So, speaking of microphone, >> um I just want to make sure I'm super clear on this. So, that amount that 180
that's coming off of what they owe for the taxes. Is that true? >> Yes. >> Um please come to the Sorry, I know that's a simple answer, but can you come to the microphone and answer? It looks like she has another question as well. So, give state your name. >> Martha Lei, principal assessor. The 180
would come off their total tax amount. >> Great. So if someone owes 2,000, they would owe 180 less than 2,000. >> Is this something that more that you think could be available to more people especially? >> Yes. Um if the word gets out that more
people might uh apply for it. There is an asset requirement. So you have to meet a certain um asset. There is no income limit like the 41C which is the thousand dollar exemption
but um yeah I think if pe more people know about it more people would apply um because a lot of times the income is what ties people up. >> So I think we should make this more well known to people because there are so many people who are really concerned
about these increases with the override. I just want to make sure that this is this is very well advertised. Great. >> There will be a followup um by my chair Dan Zidonic um with all the exemptions that are available. Great.
>> Great. Uh councelor Pete or chair Pete actually was it? Um yeah. So uh I actually just realized that I went through this entire uh finance meeting thought thinking I perfectly that I fully understood this issue and that in fact these are two different exceptions. So there's the 41 C. Um
>> 40 Yep. 41 C. That one is not an option right now. That one has increased in u the cola for the asset and income. It has increased um decrease the age limit from 70 to 65. There's a few more
options that um cities and towns can >> um words just gone um that can um adopt. >> Okay. So just to make sure I understand though that that one is for people that
are under a certain income limit. This one is only requires there's people are under a certain asset limit, right? Yes. That that assets could you just describe what that asset limit is a little bit if you >> have that in front of you? >> I do. Let me I have my pamphlet.
So the asset amount for 17D for senior surviving spouse and minor child is it cannot exceed 81,12. Your home is not included but if you have a second home you have other land somewhere that would be an asset.
>> Okay. Uh great. Thank you. Um >> sure peak uh vice president Jadzik did you >> Yes. Um just for the assessor, if you could just share for the public's uh purposes, how can people apply for this exemption?
>> You can call our office um 413-529401 and we can go over what is required. There are um requirements, bank statements. Um we can mail you an application after July 1st. they will be available for
FY27. It will get applied to your third and fourth quarter when the tax rate comes out and new vinyl uh values are finalized. Um it'll be on our website after July 1st. Um the due date is April 1st. So you have from
July 1st to April 1st of 27 to get your application in. Um that's a hard deadline that's set by the state. We cannot change that. Um, so yeah, call us. Um, they'll be available at the
senior center and u on our website under the assessor's page. J, sorry, I thought she was wanted her to ask a clarifying question. So, it's all good. Um, yeah, the uh other question that I have is just to make sure I understand this. Uh,
by adopting this MGL and applying this cola, this would then continue to apply in ongoing years, right? Right. So, this isn't just for this year. It's next year that >> that becomes the base. The 180 becomes the base. So, it will
>> increase slightly. Um, but 175 just seems like it's almost embarrassing. >> Great. >> Um, any other questions? Uh, Council Jam Rag McQuade. >> Yeah, I just have a clarifying question
because the the clause 41 um 41C was mentioned. Do has the city adopted that? We have 41C. It's um we go by 41C, but 41D is where the city adopted the cola for the income and assets.
>> Um yeah, >> thank you. Thank you. It's not totally related to this, but >> yeah, it's not related. >> Yeah. >> Any other questions, comments from the public in the room? Comment from the public
online. Uh seeing none, chair beak, >> I would make a motion to adopt Mass General Law uh chapter uh 15 section 5 clause 17F annual cost of living adjustment for certain exemptions.
>> Second. >> So I have a motion and a second to adopt MGL chapter 59 section 5 clause 17F annual cost of living adjustment cola for certain exemptions. Any further discussion?
Seeing none, all those in favor. Opposed, abstain. Motion passes. Chair peak. >> Okay. This next one is clause 22g, which is an exception uh to requirements for legal and sufficient beneficial
interests. So, this is um dealing with a pretty specific set of circumstances um that uh perhaps I I can do my best to describe it, but maybe it would be better if Daniel did. >> Uh Dan, again, state your name and role
for the city. >> Dan Sadonic, Board of Assessors. uh this clause, the Department of Revenue ruled probably a decade ago or more that veterans that put their homes into a
trust where they weren't the beneficiary could no longer qualify for their exemptions. So, they created this clause in 2018. And we hadn't really looked at it over time. We had a taxpayer come in and say,
"Gee, we no longer can get our our veterans exemption because it's in a trust and we're not the the beneficiaries of the trust. Our children are." And what this does, most communities around here have adopted this in the
last several years. This changes the requirement that the veteran, as long as they're living in the home, would still qualify for the exemption. It doesn't create a new exemption but it it allows expansion of the existing
clause 22s that we have >> questions comment questions >> okay >> I just just to put it on record we we expect that there will be at least one person >> and not many more who likely will come
in for Yeah. >> Yes. There's one person for 27 fiscal 27 that we know of that would come in and be able to get this. That person is a 100% disabled. They get their full taxes waved. So that is fully reimbursible by
the state. So there's no cost for that. We're not sure how many 10% 10 to 90% veterans disabled veterans are out there that would >> be able to get it. But that that's a
$400 exemption. >> Any question? Uh comments from the public, comments online. Uh Chair Peak, >> I would make a motion to adop adopt MGL
chapter 59 section 5 clause 22G exemption to requirements for legal and sufficient beneficial interest. trusts. >> Second. >> A second. >> I have a motion and a second to adopt MGL chapter 59 section 5 clause 22G
exemption to requirements for legal and sufficient beneficial interest trust. Any further discussion? Councelor Kazinski. I just can't imagine that anyone would want to penalize a veteran in this situation that has the
opportunity to take intelligent planning steps by establishing the trust to not receive their otherwise eligible benefit if they're living in the home. It just makes total sense and I'm glad
that the uh assessors have brought this forward. >> Thank you for that. Any other comment? Seeing none, all those in favor? Opposed? Same. >> Motion passes. Chair Peak.
>> Okay. This last one is uh clause 22I, which is a cola for veteran exemptions. Um, so we have uh there's a there's a handful of exemption clauses uh at various levels of amount right now uh
for veterans based on their specific circumstances. And this would basically apply a cost of living adjustment to uh each of those uh depending on the the amount. So you can
see in the in the attached table uh those would go from you know an $11 to a $29 uh in increase uh depending on the situation. But again those you know the I think the better the more important thing it's not necessarily that that
amount is going to make a life-changing amount of difference. It's that sometimes when we as legislators take our eye off of something where we set an amount and then 20 years go by and it doesn't come up and no one looks at it
and then that amount is now tiny um and and doesn't have the carry the same weight that it did when that initially was put into place. So having something like this in place helps to prevent inflation from just eating away at that until we eventually realize, oh wow,
that's a huge problem. We should do something about it. So uh I think it's very common sense. >> Any questions from counselors? >> See none. Any comments from the public
in the room online? Right. Seeing none. Uh, Chair Peak, >> I'll make a motion to adopt Mass General Law Chapter 59 section 5 clause 22I, COLA for veteran exemptions. >> Second. >> I have a motion and second to adopt MGL
chapter 59 section 5 clause 22 I COLA for veteran exemptions. Um, any further discussion? Seeing none, all those in favor? Opposed? Motion passes. Um, thank you for that, Chair Peak. And you also have a
supplemental appropriation. So, Chair Peak again. >> Yes. Thank you, Madam President. Um, so yeah, this uh we spoke about in finance at our last meeting after talking about the budget. Um I think the council is largely aware of the circumstances where
um the cost of our health care uh increased in the middle of the fiscal year by a lot more than we had budgeted for. Um, and so this would be to uh take
$870,000 of free cash uh to put it into uh our 32b health and dental insurance accounts uh so that we can uh
make that whole for the fiscal year. Um, I don't really think we have much of an option here. I don't think that not paying this is a responsible or potentially even legal thing to do. Um, obviously nobody is excited about these
cost increases and the cascading effects they continue to have on our on our city. >> Um, Director Russo, I see you online. Would you like to speak to this? >> Yes. Um, I'd like to just give a little bit more context. Thank you, Councelor Pete.
>> Can you please say your name and role for the city? >> Yes. Emily Rouso, the human resources director for the city. >> And we had budgeted for an 18% increase for July 1 and then due to a couple um
circumstances with health insurance, we had a midyear increase in October of an additional 20%. So, originally based on that unexpected 20% increase midyear, we were thinking we were going to have to appropriate
about $1.2 million. So, I mean, as much as this is a large amount of money, I am happy to say that we're coming in lower than we originally thought. Um, and you know, I think the Hampshire County Group Insurance Trust that we use for our
insurance company has been very active in trying to make sure that the trust doesn't end up in a position like this again. And I'm very pleased to be part of that executive committee in making sure that our employees are getting the
best insurance and um we are being responsible fiscally for the city and for the Hampshire County Insurance Trust moving forward. >> Thank you. Questions? Councelor Marque? >> I don't have a question, more of a
comment. I'm sure I'm preaching to the choir here. Um I know that um a lot of municipalities, East Hampton included, are facing >> break. So hang on. >> What' you do to all?
>> I'll continue. Um I know that a lot of the health care costs are driving a lot of the factors behind many municipal budgets, East Hampton included. Um, and I know that there are a lot of folks
that I speak to that would argue for Medicare for all or singlepayer, um, or to get with the rest of the the United States to get with the rest of the, um, developed world. Um, and I obviously I only have the
microphone that I have here and I know I'm speaking to a lot of people that agree with me in many ways, but I think it's just time to start taking Medicare for all single pair seriously. >> Uh,
let's stick to the Okay. >> the item. >> That's it. >> Yeah. Um, Council J. >> She had her hand up first. >> Okay. I was looking this way, but I didn't see your hand. So, I'm sorry. Councelor Newton. >> Yeah. I just have a quick um question for Director Russo. Is that okay if I
ask? Um is it possible that this number may up end up being lower after June 30th or is this definitely all going to be used? >> Director Russo, would you like to answer? >> Yeah, it's hard to say to be honest because health insurance is always such
a moving target based on enrollments. So, with calculating with um the city auditor, this is what we anticipated would get us through the remainder of the fiscal year. This is going to cover us for um the months of June and July
because we pay one month in advance. So, we'll pay for July coverage in June and then um proceed forward. So, in July, we'll be paying for August coverage in the new fiscal year. Can I ask about uh council followup? >> And then so if you don't end up having
to use all of it, it will just go back to free cash for next year. Is that true? I just want to make sure I understand. >> That's correct. >> Okay. Thanks. >> Just just a follow-up question. Can you how is enrollment a moving target? Wouldn't the enrollment be the same?
>> No, because people have the ability to disenroll at any point. Um, so employees can disenroll in insurance any time during the year. We just have to have it on the beginning of a month. Um, also there's qualifying life events. So if
people get married or have children or divorces or um, new hires, there's multiple moving targets throughout the year. So we try to take like a six-month average and work off of those numbers.
And your average is that does that vary greatly? I mean how often are people kind of f you know families growing or >> Yeah. Usually we'll see some changes um around July August just because of open
enrollment. It is currently happening. So we'll see those come into effect in July. Um and then we'll see new hires in the school department in August. So, if the summertime we'll see more changes, but then the rest of the year does seem to even out.
>> All right. Great. Uh, councelor Jamade. >> Thank you, Madam President. So, I just want to preface by saying that like I I definitely think that we should be supporting uh the healthcare for our employees. I don't I don't think that this is a wasteful cost, but I just when we're um
in the budget discussions, I think that there's um at least for me, I I hear a lot of confusion. I personally have a lot of confusion. um about this being um so so this is the the part of the healthcare that the city pays for. Um
can you explain u what the formula is for what the employees pay? Um and then the second part of that question is am I right in assuming that there's sort of a a state law that requires us to pay a certain amount of that?
>> Yes. I um so with the city of East Hampton, we pay 75% of active employees health insurance and then we pay 50% of retirees health
insurance. This does also include um our dental contributions and our life insurance contributions as well. And we pay 50% of life insurance and dental insurance for both active and retired
employees. And there is a state minimum that a city would need to pay. I will be honest, I don't know that number off the top of my head, but we also do have this in um collective bargaining agreements with many of our unions.
>> Thank you. >> I just have a question. Director, what are the four accounts here? I know you said active and retirey. So what are the four accounts that are listed here? >> Yes. So they are broken up into we have
our active school employees, active city employees, retired school employees, and retired city employees. Um, and then we when we do this appropriation, whenever it's necessary at the end of the year,
what we'll do is we'll appropriate it evenly across those four accounts and then disperse it however it's needed um for the remainder of the fiscal year. >> So that's why they're listed that's why the amounts are all the same for all
four accounts. >> That's correct. Um, any other questions? Comments from the public in the room, comments from the
uh online. Uh, oh, that's an admit. Okay. Uh, Chair Peak. >> All right. I'll make the following supplemental appropriation in the form of a motion. request is hereby made for approval of the following appropriate. Actually, before I do it, I just want to say something that I I keep saying. I
keep harping on this. When we these appropriations come to the council, it's really helpful if we have the names of the accounts and not just the na the numbers so that people it's just easier for us to talk through this process. Otherwise, I'm just reading off a bunch of numbers. I'm going to do that, but like if we could please just try and not
do that going forward, that'd be awesome. Um, okay. I'll make the following supplemental appropriation in the form of a motion. Request is hereby made for approval of the following appropriation. Amount requested, $870,000 to be transferred from free cash, $870,000
to be transferred to uh four accounts of 32B health and dental insurance each starting with 001.9140. So the first one is 560 $217,500
5601 217,5 217,500 57427,500 and 5743 $217,500. The amount requested will be used for the following purpose. To cover the
remaining health and dental insurance premiums for coverage for June and July 2026. Second. So, I have an a motion and a second to uh transfer from free cash
870,000 to 32B health and dental insurance uh for active school and uh city employees and retired school and city employees.
Um any further discussion? Seeing none, all those in favor? Opposed? Stain. Motion passes. Thank you, Councelor Peak. >> Uh, and the last item, general ordinance, amendment proposing a wetlands protection ordinance. I will
turn that over to um, Chair Jamu. >> Thank you, Madam President. Um, so I know that we have our conservation uh, conservation agent here that can speak to this in much uh, better detail than I can, but I just want to give broad context. Um, so this proposed ordinance
is a product of over four years of work. Uh so the wetlands uh the eastampton wetlands working group started uh on this back in 2022. Um they have done a ton of public information sessions reaching um especially recently reaching out to the public um
uh just to give a little bit of context of what um of the ordinance. So this would expand on the protections of the Massachusetts Wetlands Protection Act uh to better protect specifically isolated wetlands um upland streams and vernal pools. Um over 220 uh municipalities
across the state have adopted uh these ordinance uh these ordinances to expand on the gaps that the state law leaves. Um and uh as uh conservation agent Gersell will probably mention uh the commission the conservation commission has seen the real consequences of not having a local ordinance. Um so
developments that are built too close to the wetlands uh flooded basement and developments built on unprotected wetlands. Um I also want to add that this is a key piece of our climate resilience uh agenda. So um as wetlands they provide a critical natural flood
protection um by absorbing the excess water and storm uh runoff and they also help to sequester carbon um which is huge. Um and then I'll also add that um in our city climate action plan, we have identified municipal action number 29 which reads develop a wetlands uh
wetlands ordinance to protect and enhance the carbon sequestration and resilience co- benefits of these natural assets. Um so that's uh that context. I'll also add that the committee voted 30 to uh recommend this to the full council and um if it's okay with you, Madam President, I would turn it over to
the conservation agent. >> Yep. Conservation agent GTL has a new hat on right now. So, if you would like to speak to this, that would be helpful for the public. >> Absolutely. Hello, counselors. Again, conservation agent Ava Gerl. Um, is it possible to make the presentation larger
just for the public? Um, while that's happening, I can just say there's several copies of the full ordinance over there, the draft fee schedule, an introductory letter to the community, um, and a QR code if you'd like the ordinance um, on your phone while we talk about it.
Is that helpful? >> Awesome. That's as big as we're going. Perfect. Okay. All right. So, the East Hampton Wetlands Ordinance. Um, so as Councelor Jamrod McUade um noted, the East Hampton Wetlands working group uh began this draft in 2022. There has been
a desire for a wetlands ordinance for for several years before that. I would say I would say decades before that. Um previous attempts to work on one had failed just due to lack of capacity. Um it was a substantial undertaking. It took this working group four years to do. Um our working group had four
members. Two commissioners um chair the chair of the East Hampton Conservation Commission, Julie Busa, who's here, and Commissioner Deborah August. Um the conservation agent, so before me, uh conservation a agent Cassie Tragert, um did a lot of really good work on this
for the first two years. And a local professional ecologist who lives here in town, um Tom Lenheiser. And the impetus for this wetlands ordinance, particularly this draft, um was driven by two major uh two major reasons. The first um was that the
conservation commission experienced firsthand the shortcomings of the state wetlands protection act and the post-pandemic development boom. Um, notably lack of protections for isolated vegetated wetlands, the inability to require a habitat evaluation for a project that severely needed it, um,
lack of protection for vernal pools, bordering land subject to flooding not being appropriately set. All sorts of different reasons um, came up in projects periodically uh, in front of the conservation commission and residents were frequently um, frustrated that the conservation commission
couldn't do more to protect the resource areas. The conservation commission is a regulatory body and they were bound by the state wetlands protection act to protect them as best they could. Um so that was one of the major impetuses for this uh draft ordinance this proposed ordinance. The other um is a forward
look looking at our changing climate uh knowing that we have increased flood events um coming down the coming down the horizon towards us um here in East Hampton. knowing that uh our wetlands need space to be able to move in order to manage those uh flood events and to
grow um and just to be adequately protected. Um as chair Jamrod McUade noted um wetlands ordinances are really quite common. 220 Massachusetts municipalities have adopted them. Um and when the Wetlands Protection Act was
written uh in 1972, it included um this very key line that said, you know, nothing contained um in these regulations should be construed as preempting or precluding more stringent protection of wetlands or other natural resource areas by local bylaw, ordinance
or regulation. Um there was really an understanding at the state level that um these state that these state regulations were going to be the broad framework and that communities should go beyond them to protect their resources um as specifically needed in their community. So you know
not the the regulations needed on the Cape are different than out here. Um and there's nuances to uh groundwater in each community uh that requires this individual um ordinance process. Um, also it's just very much in the spirit of home rule here in the Commonwealth.
All right. Um, so you already noted this, but that it is in alignment with um, our 2024 climate action plan. It's uh, action item M29. It also was drawn out in the 2021 to 2031 East Hampton
Open Space and Recreation Plan as the third uh action item in support of goal number five. Groundwater and service water are protected as clean and abundant resources. So, this attempt, this proposal is very much in alignment with um long-term city
goals and city planning documents. So, now we're going to go through a couple different resource areas. Um, and I'm going to do a bit of a compare and a contrast for the counselors and for the public how these resource areas are protected under the wetlands protection act. So, how they're currently protected
under the state law and how they would be protected under our proposed ordinance. So, we're going to start with vegetated wetlands. Um, if you think of a wetland in your mind, you're probably thinking of this kind of resource area. We're talking a marsh, a swamp. Um, they're defined by soils, plants, and
hydraology. And we have two kinds. We have bordering vegetated wetlands which are those marshes, swamps, etc. that border on a stream, a flowing body of water. And we have isolated vegetated wetlands, um, ones that do not border on
any kind of flowing body of water. Currently, under the state law, um, bordering vegetated wetlands are protected and there are no protections for isolated vegetated wetlands. Um, this is a really critical gap in the state regulations. as well. In the state regulation,
there's a onetoone replication requirement. So, if you have to impact a wetland, if your project cannot move forward without it, let's say you have a home on some upland and you need to cross a wetland to build your driveway to access that, there's a onetoone replication requirement currently under
the state regulations. Um, in our proposed wetlands ordinance, the changes are we would in we would add the same protections to isolated vegetated wetlands as we have to bordering vegetated wetlands. So they would be treated the same. They'd be defined by those same three characteristics, soils,
hydrarology and vegetation. And they would have the same protections, the same presumptions of significance, the same um the same functions and values uh which we know they have. And there would also be a two to one replication requirement um for bordering and
isolated wetland combined. So let's say you're going to impact you know 300 square feet of isolated vegetated wetland and 100 square ft of bordering vegetated wetland. You would have to replicate 800 square ft elsewhere on the site.
We're going to move through these resource areas and then I'm happy to go back to slides um to clarify as counselors has qu have questions. So next we're going to talk about land subject to flooding. Um again there's two types. There's bordering land subject to flooding. So bordering on a river like the Manhan or Broadbrook or
the Oxbow and there's isolated land subject to flooding. So these are just places where water um frequently floods it frequently holds substantial water. So, with our bordering land subject to flooding, the boundary is set as the 100-year flood plane from the most recent FEMA map. Up until last August,
we were regulating off of FEMA maps from 1979, which gives you a sense of how often FEMA is able to update their maps. Um, that's not very frequently. And so, we would like to give our flood plane a little bit of extra room. In our proposed wetlands ordinance, we would
calculate, we would set the boundary as the 500year flood plane. So, just to clarify, 100-year flood plane, that's a 1% chance that land will flood in a given year. The 500year flood plane is a 0.2% chance that land will flood in a given year. So, assuming that it might
be quite some time before FEMA has a chance to update its regulations again, uh the 500year flood plane gives us some some room to wiggle there, right? We know that surface conditions are going to change. Um, and the last thing we
want to be doing is impacting that flood plane, is building in that flood plane, um, and flooding people out of their homes, um, and you know, pushing flood waters onto other people's property, etc., etc. Um, or I will just note too, you can also, there's a procedure in the
wetlands protection act about how you can calculate the boundary of the flood plane if you're unsatisfied with the FEMA map. So, we're talking about large developers. They're going to calculate a hydraulic model for their whole project and the whole wershed to do an estimate of the flood plane um the truer flood
plane, a more specific flood plane. And that's still an option for them. They just need to use future climate data, not data uh not precipitation numbers from from decades ago. Isolated land subject to flooding. Um, similarly, there's a procedure for how
you calculate it, and it uses outdated precipitation numbers. Um, we're going to keep that same procedure as is, but we're going to use uh future precipitation estimates um from there's a there's a website that Massachusetts Department of Energy and
Environment maintains um which is called Resilient Mass. So, whatever, you know, that's that'll be our go-to that we point people to now, but knowing that hopefully this proposed ordinance um outlasts this outlasts us and uh folks will use whatever best estimate um for
future precipitation numbers we have available to us. I'm going to move on to intermittent streams. So, currently under the state wetlands protection act, we have a bit of a catch22. A wetland is only a wetland if a stream flows through it,
right? That's the bordering definition. And a stream is only a stream if it's flowed through a wetland. So we're working with some circular logic here. Um and we know that isolated we know that um intermittent streams including those parts of those streams that are
upgradient of wetland resource areas think the the water coming off of Mount Tom are really vital wetland resource areas. So we'll protect intermittent streams with this proposed ordinance along the full reach including upgradient of wetlands. Next we have vernal pools. Um this is a
special wetland resource area. They're ephemeral pools. They appear for a couple months in the spring and then they dry up. Under the current wetlands protection act, they're not protected unless they're certified and they're located in another wetland resource area. So some vernal pools um show up in
the middle of a whole bordering vegetated wetland complex and some are just absolutely isolated in the middle of upland. Um the ordinance committee got to see two examples of those uh side by side. So they saw a vernal pool in a bordering vegetated wetland. That one would be protected under the act and
they saw one um up up on a hill just you know a couple hundred feet away not in a wetland complex that is unprotected by the wetlands protection act. Um and and they saw amphibian breeding evidence in both of those locations. So both of them
are serving as important habitat features. um and and are important um for the functions and values of vernal pools. So under our proposed wetlands ordinance, we would protect vernal pools with a 100 with a boundary 100 ft out.
So giving them a little bit of a buffer um an additional buffer as well. We'll presume them significant to habitat protection without the breeding evidence required. So breeding evidence currently is the piece that certification hinges on at the state level. Um and that makes
a lot of sense. if you want to be sure, but sometimes we have a project come in front of the conservation commission um in November and they're pushing to get a permit um and we think there might be a vernal pool there. We don't have a mechanism to hold that up until we have a chance to see if there's um if there's
uh habit if there's habitat and breeding evidence on site. So, it would flip the presumption. It would it would leave the presumption with the applicant to show us to watch it for a season and say there's actually not evidence of breeding here. Next, we'll talk about the buffer zone.
So, under the Wetlands Protection Act, it's currently advisory. It's not regulated directly. It's 100 ft. Under our proposed wetlands ordinance, we're going to regulate that zone that that buffer to our wetland resource areas. Um, other than land subject to flooding and uh riverfront, which is which is not
changing under the under the proposed ordinance. So, that inner 50ft area is a no disturb zone. Um, and the outer 50 foot, there's uh there's a list of limited work projects that can happen in there. Um, and we have a relief process outlined in the in the ordinance that
takes you through um if you if a buffer zone project, if you have a buffer zone project, what what your procedure would be for um seeking relief from the commission. Um, and you know, it involves looking at possible alternatives. law involves making the argument um that this is the version of
the project that's going to have the least impact to the wetland resource area. Um another thing that this proposed ordinance is doing um that we thought really long and hard about and I'm really excited to bring in front of the commission in front of the council is uh
a climate impact narrative. So just a couple municipalities across the Commonwealth um have taken these on and they've taken them on to a lot of success. Um they they uh require applications coming in front of the commission to include a climate impact
narrative considering prevention of storm and flood damage. How this project might um reduce storm and flood damage, how it might incorporate resilient plantings, how it might incorporate localized heating and cooling, and how it might incorporate carbon sequestration and storage. So our our
idea with this narrative um and the reason we call it a narrative is that it's designed to be flexible based on the kind of project that different applicants are bringing forward. So you know knowing that what we're going to be expecting from a developer of a really large development for a climate impact narrative is very different than a
single family homeowner who's trying to do a small project. Um, so this is this is designed to be a very flexible tool that the commission can use just to help applicants just think a little deeper about how their project um could benefit the climate. Um, you know, including in
the micro sense, right? We're thinking localized heating and cooling. We're adding new impervious services. How can we keep everyone cool? Couple things we didn't make any changes to the riverfront area, um the land underwater
bank timelines, hearing processes, and most of our procedures. Our idea was to to add in this ordinance to stitch it together as cleanly with the wetlands protection act as possible. So applicants will apply one hearing process. We'll be reviewing applications
under both the ordinance and the wetlands protection act like 220 municipalities do. But we're not trying to create a bureaucratic hoop um for any kind of sake of bureaucratic hoop. We're really going for the the minimum number of um you know the protections we can
add uh while not making this more ownorous on applicants than um than it needs to be. The added procedural procedural changes um we did add I think really highlight that we have an ability to fine if enforcement if enforcement orders are not complied with. Um, currently our only option with
enforcement orders is to pursue legal action, which I think finding is a really important middle step. Um, it would not be the first thing we would go to. Typically, the conservation commission issues cease and desist letters, then they elevated to an enforcement order. Um, and then finding
would be kind of our next move. So, a really important step before trying to take legal action against the person committing the wetland violation. There's uh modest additional fees um proposed. There are uh the commission can require a wildlife habitat assessment for any project. I mentioned
that at the beginning of the presentation, but that was something that um came up with the commission. Uh residents noting important wildlife features um on specific sites and there's a procedure in the wetlands protection act for what a wildlife habitat assessment looks like. So
letting the letting the conservation commission um call that in um at their discretion when it seems like a project might impact wildlife. Um, and there's a new simple additional form um to cover these new resource areas. And now we're up to questions.
>> Uh, counselor's questions. Uh, Council Smith, >> thank you. Um, so mentioned in your presentation and often out ofdate FEMA flood plane map. Um, I was wondering if there were uh other resources available that the public
might be able to use to understand what our wetlands any stamped in. Um, either because they're planning something or curious. >> Yeah, a great question. Um, Mass Mapper is a great resource. Um, you can turn on the layers for D wetlands and the
national wetland inventory. Um, as well as, you know, the locations, the polygons for rare and endangered species. I want to add a huge caveat to Massmapper which is to say there is no state uh you know there is no state complete wetlands map um and very frequently massmapper undershoots
um in terms of extent of wetlands it's really a it's really a crude tool it gives us a sense of what might be there but um I can think of dozens of times I look on mass mapper there's no wetlands on site I take a look um I got a building permit you know that I'm reviewing I take a look and I'm like oh
there's a wetland right here. So, it's a good it's a good first step, but consulting a professional um or calling your conservation agent is really the best the best way to figure out if you have wetlands on your property. >> That was a plug. >> Uh council was >> I didn't see your hand.
>> Councelor Peak, >> thank you. M um so, uh I think I understand almost all of this. Uh could you help me understand the logic of the 2:1 replication requirement? >> Yeah, absolutely. Um, so replication,
wetland replication, um, it is a it's a complicated subject and it's hard to do well. So I I will say one of the motivations with the 2:1 replication area requirements is to just demotivate people from impacting the wetlands
unless it's absolutely absolutely necessary. So it is a bit of a a a an incentive to to give them the buffer they need to not impact them directly. Um if you do have to do wetland replication um because there is just no
other choice than to impact those wetlands on your resource area, the 2:1 um frequently a part of a wetland replication area will have more success than others. Perhaps part of it is better tied into the hydraology of the area um or it got you know enough of the
correct uh vegetative matter planted to survive. So it just gives them more room um to aim for success. But wetland replication areas unfortunately fail um a relatively high percentage of the time. There's a good paper about it that analyzed wetland replication areas from
1972 to present um put out by UMass that is really interesting. >> Thank you. >> Follow Newton. >> Um I was actually going to ask can you just give a brief overview of what a replication is because I do not understand that.
>> Yeah, totally. Um it involves so so it's going to be overseen by a wetland scientist. It's a relatively technical procedure. It's going to involve excavating down to the groundwater level um or a little bit above it, transllocating hydric soils probably from your area of impaction and then planting wetland vegetation to try to
get it to colonize over. You're typically connecting it to an existing wetland. You're not building, particularly these days, we don't build just like little isolated vegetated wetland replication areas um because they have really low rates of success. So, if you can tie it into an existing wetland, you're going to have a better
chance of success. >> Okay, >> good. I think >> any other questions for counselors, comments? Uh, councelor Kwisinski. >> I'm definitely not an expert in uh
wetlands replication, but I understand that sometimes it doesn't take. I want to be sure. Is is is there are there different levels of least restrictive or least in least impactful in
method other than doubling the criteria? Uh is there for example a way to say listen uh there's just pick some numbers they could be way well well off 100 square ft of of replication area
required and we found a great spot for it and you find after a year or two that it didn't take. What other steps can you do to make sure it does take? Can you order a replant? Can you order a a uh a doubling of the requirement of funds
available for the replant rather than a doubling of the requirement upfront? >> So what I'm saying is set up a fund and say listen do your onetoone but put aside another one >> for example in case it doesn't take that
there's money and funds available to to do this and that'll be refunded to you if everything takes. So there's currently um monitoring requirements uh for wetland replication. They they have to they have to meet um typically it's three growing seasons um uh as evaluated
by a wetland scientist um after each one and their certificate of compliance. So the closure of their wetlands permit hinges on that. Um so sometimes projects have to redo their wetland replication areas several times. I will just note for the counselors um wetland replication is not a particularly common
thing. Most projects manage to stay out of the actual wetland itself. Um they're in the buffer zone, maybe they're in the they're in the riverfront area, maybe they're in the flood plane, but wetland replication because of direct impact to bordering vegetated wetlands is a
relatively common is a relatively rare occurrence. Um, in terms of what we permit at the commission, um, just off the top of my head, we have not had a wetland replication project um, in the two years that I've been here as agent.
So, um, that just gives you a sense. We've we've gone through a lot of permit applications and we haven't had a wetland replication area um, as part of a permit. >> But you've never councelor Kazinski, do you have another question? >> Well, sure. Just following up.
>> Okay. uh the uh isolated vegetative wetlands you don't regulate at all now in terms of or or the streams up upstream of the isolated vegetative wetlands as I understand the
ordinance is that correct >> yes currently >> so you wouldn't have any way of evaluating requests and would there be a different number of requests maybe for those types of wetlands >> in terms of impacts to isolated vegetated wetlands.
>> Yeah. >> Um there might be. Yeah. >> So I'm wondering if if we need to use this big hammer of we're going to we're going to double everything both the the uh BVW and the IVW requirements as
opposed to setting aside funds for that work to be done. >> Um >> and and I didn't hear you comment to that. >> Yeah. So the funds piece, so wetland replication is required um by an order of condition. So it's paid for by the applicant. Um the the conservation
commission would not be involved in the funds related to the replication area except to say we're holding up your certificate of compliance until this replication area is done correctly. Um I am going to turn this over to um my conservation commission chair who was also on the working group, Julie Busa, just to perhaps add a little more
clarification. >> Julie, can you please state your name and role for the city? >> Yes. Julie Busa, 89 Maple Street, chair of the East Hampton Conservation Commission. >> So to to answer your question, counselor, um the other things that that could be done to encourage a replication
area to be more successful are actually in our opinion more ownorous. Um it would require a longer leadup time. The best way to have a successful replication area is to have baseline data and monitoring that you conduct before the project so that you really have an understanding of the existing
wetlands and that helps to inform the replication and how you make the replication area successful. Even if you have all of that, it may or may not work. Um, but we decided that it was it would be more ownorous for applicants to have to go through the additional time
and data collection and money spent in advance to be able to really dial in how to make that replication area more successful than it would to just add an additional disincentive to impacting those areas. That's why we went with the 2:1 replication area. And it is
something that a lot of communities are using and have had a lot of success. A lot of our when we were putting the ordinance together, we looked at a lot of models from other communities that are like us both either geographically some of our neighbors or um other communities throughout the Commonwealth
that share similar characteristics and the 2:1 replication area is pretty common. >> Councelor Kisinski, do you have a followup? Uh I I'm wondering I'm trying to imagine development because we're all trying to balance affordable housing and
housing and the more housing you can have you increase supply but we don't want to affect our futures and protect our we certainly want to protect the land. So it becomes a balancing act and I haven't heard anything about the trade-off of how much land will be
consumed and taken off the development potential and in doing so so were there any calculations as to acreage that will not be part of that availability for our supply of housing?
We don't have any calculations, but what I would tell you is in my approximately 10 years now on the commission, one of the most common stories that we hear from residents, one of the most common concerns is that their basement is flooding or their property is flooding. And in most of those cases, we look at
the maps and we say, I'm yeah, I'm sorry to tell you that your your neighborhood was built in a wetland and that's why this is happening to you. And so whether it is um you know whether it takes away a little bit of space for development or
not, I don't have the distinct dialed in answer for that. But what I can tell you is that we're trying to keep people out of harm's way in the future. And most often the people that are living in those homes later are not the people that built them, not the people that made the decision to put the lo put the
building where it was. It's a developer. And so we're trying to stop that problem before it happens so that we don't have our residents and our neighbors living in those areas where they shouldn't have been put to begin with. >> Great. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Uh uh Chair Jammer.
>> Yeah. I just want to comment on something you mentioned because I do think it's an important conversation to bring to the forefront as someone who is um keenly concerned about um housing production in the city. Um you know, I think that this ordinance does add
additional barriers Um, but I think that there's a very clear scientific social um, you know, there's a good reason for it. I think when we look into our zoning as it stands today, there are a litany
of additional barriers that do not have the same scientific justification. a lot of the the justification behind, for example, a per building unit maximum. Um, which is part of the reason why the Sierra Vista project is nine buildings
instead of a a bigger building. >> That's a regulation that was put in place to protect people's feelings, not to protect resource areas. So, I think that there's a balance that can be made. And I I am actually really happy that this is happening on the same night as we did some of those zoning changes because I think that those things can be
tied together. We can be tearing down and um reducing the barriers to housing construction that are based on those feelings that are based on um antiquated ideas of how our community should be built and also be proactive on protecting the land and the resource
areas that we know are going to um be critical for our future. >> Thank you. >> Any other comments? Uh councelor Peak. Yeah, just to add to that, I I've always sort of seen our uh work over the last
few years to help um maybe challenge some of the regulations that have historically made uh certain types of of housing development uh challenging to sort of go hand inand with the fact you know there there is these two concepts
existing in tension that we do have a housing shortage um mass Usetts, I think we do have a housing crisis. Uh, and we also want to make sure that when people are building, they're not doing so in a way that's destroying what little um
sort of undeveloped, you know, land and and and uh like key wildlife habitats, you know, exist within our community. And I think that's one of the reasons why some of the stuff we've talked about about infill development and ADUs and making it easier to, you know, do do
stuff like that in the parts of the city that are, you know, that are that are developed. I think that that's why it's so important because there there are places that I think probably shouldn't be built on. And certainly one of them is is wetlands. I mean, you it I there
are some areas in in my precinct where basement routinely flood and it's a real pain to try and figure out what to do about it or what to say to people when they're in a situation where something just if we're being honest should not have been built there. Um so I I mean I
I think that this is um great. >> Thank you. Yeah, I think that that's a really great point and I brought this up in the meeting in the ordinance meeting. You know, I had lived in Brattleboroough, Vermont at one point and Keen, New Hampshire, uh, is, you
know, 20 minutes away and there was a wetland area there. They built, uh, a shopping development in there and the very next year there were rivers of water flowing down Main Street and other side streets, etc., and flooding people's homes, etc., which cost
millions of dollars in damage, right? So I think that speaks to we're trying to prevent a problem from actually happening because uh we have this ordinance which is acting as a um you
know deterrent you know from people being careless and constructing maybe in in too close to wetlands etc. So, I think that that this is in my opinion something that I think is um like I said, it's it's protecting future
homeowners. Any other questions from counselors? Uh comments from the public? Please, are you gonna speak? Please come to the microphone, state your name and uh address for the public or for the
record. >> Yeah, my name is Sarah Carr, 161st Avenue. Um I'm actually on the conservation commission and I've read this many times, but somehow the this question never came up for me. The the alternatives that are available where you talked about the
>> so talk to the >> the 50 foot um no work zone. Do the alternatives also apply to that 50 foot zone or not? >> So would you like to answer that?
>> Conservation agent GR. >> Yeah, conservation agent um Eva Gristl for the city. So the the relief process you can apply for relief um to the inner inner 50ft buffer zone as well as the outer 50 foot. >> Okay. Thank you. Anyone um another
comment? Yes. >> Good evening council. My name is Tom Lzniser. Um, I live at 90 East Street and I had the privilege of serving with Ava and Julie and Deb on the uh,
working group for this ordinance. And uh um I just want to say that you know earlier this evening there was a lot of conversation about character, city character, sense of place I think is an important element for what brings us here and allows us to live happily in
East Hampton and wetlands. On this spring evening, I walk out my door and I hear toads and frogs calling peepers, great tree frogs. You know, they're in the wetlands. Those ecosystems are an incredibly important place for defining
our sense of place here in the city and and elsewhere in the Commonwealth. But East Hampton is fortunate to have an informed, engaged, intelligent and and active conservation commission and reasonable conservation commission. and
the lack of an ordinance hamstrings our commission from protecting uh the resources that are so important for our our community. So I feel like this this ordinance from 1972.
And so, uh, for for the community to adopt an ordinance that is more future-looking and and flexible and suits, uh, East Hampton's needs well, I think, um, is a is a good thing. So, thanks for your time.
>> Thank you so much. Uh, online, Julie, please state your name and address for the record. Uh Julie Thomas, Concord and Samson, precinct one. I might have missed it, but does the Aquafor fall under this protection act to ensure that
nobody builds upon it? Because as we know that is one of our most prized resources here in East Hampton um that cannot be replaced if ever contaminated or ruined. Is that in this protection act?
>> Is that your only question, Julie? >> For this? Yes, ma'am. >> All right, great. Thank you. Uh, conservation agent Gers, can you answer that question? >> Yes. Um, so aquafers are not a wetland resource area in and of themselves. However, these wetland resource areas do directly relate to the aquifer. There's
groundwater exchange that happens between them and they're one of the essential functions of wetlands is that they um provide water quality, water uh cleaning capabilities. Um, so it it this ordinance absolutely has an impact on
our aquifer. Um, very very directly I would say. >> Great. Thank you. Uh, Greg online, please state your name and address for the record. Um, did he I think he left. >> He left. Okay. Uh, Elodie online, please
state your name and address for the record. Hello, Ellie Chuin, 86 Tory Street, precinct 1 in East Hampton. Um, did I understand the slides correctly that the com conseration commission is
recommending doubling the setback of what the state recommends from 100 ft to doubling that? >> Uh, is that your only question, Ellie? >> I after that is clarified, I have a followup. >> Okay. Okay. Can you uh conservation
agent Gerson can you please answer that question? >> Um yes. So the 100 foot buffer zone is described in the state regulations and it is um also a 100 ft buffer zone in the our proposed or ordinance. Um its
regulation will change under this ordinance. So it will go from kind of an advisory zone of sorts um to a a zone that is regulated directly. Ellie, do you have a follow-up question? >> We do. Yes. So, the impact on a 1 acre
lot that's a a building lot in East Hampton. A 100 foot setback would be about a quarter of that. If it's doubled and and enforced as as was proposing this wetlands, that would be half of the lot. And that would significantly impact
um uh individuals or or people looking to build um even with respect to wet land. So I just want to caution uh folks to really look at the impact and I think it was brought up by one of the counselors what is the actual impact of the the land available to be built on in
East Hampton and the land to be preserved and certainly for preserving for the peepers and the the wetlands but also um mindful building practices for housing. >> Great. Thank you. Uh uh conservation agent Gerso, would you like to respond
to that? Um yes, I would just like to clarify that we are not doubling the setback um from 100 to 200. The only place where the 200 foot number um is in our is in our uh wetlands protection is in our ordinance is where it references
the wetlands protection act regulations of the 200 foot riverfront area which we've made no changes to. >> Great. Thank you. Uh Greg, I see your hands up again. Um please state your name and address for the record. Uh good evening. Uh and thank you Greg Rashane,
12 McKinley Avenue in East Hampton. Um I just want to thank the the Wild Hands Committee um for for the hard work on this um and uh the council for your consideration. Um and just uh sort of thematically well one specific thing I want to note um is um I think I heard um
AJ Kristen um note uh a possible sort of delay option based on the possibility of um of I forget what specific was whether it was a vernal pool or seasonal questions right where you could delay from November to presumably springtime
when you could review again. Um I think looking at those timelines from the lens um of uh you know of a small infill developer is worthy um in that um that could create a pretty extended period of of carrying time. Um if a if if somebody
has perhaps an option on a property um it could be adding significantly to uh the you know the time that they might have to be paying for you know for holding an option on land. I think that's important to consider. Um, in general, I think I encourage the council to um, uh, in your plans, whatever you
do, um, plan to come back to this, uh, in future years. Um, and I think we should do that as a community. Um, there was a report released today really pointing out, um, the challenges of of fractured uh, wetland ordinances around the state. Um, I don't think it's a reason to stop entirely, but I think it
is a sign that we're obligated to really uh um, you know, examine whatever gets adopted uh, in you know, in a year or two. Um, see how it's actually playing out, see what the impacts are and be open um, to to wise fixes. I just want to submit that. Um, so thank you all.
>> Great. Thank you so much. Um, conservation agent Gil, did you want to respond to the comment? Um, sure. We can say a little more about vernal pools. So, so the way it currently works, um, under the wetlands
protection act, a vernal pool both has to be certified, uh, and located in another wetland resource area. If it's just certified, but it's not located in another wetland resource area, it it um has some federal protections, but not actually protections under the state wetlands protection act. It's a little
bit complicated. the ordinance would would clarify that would make it clearer. It just presumes significance. So if you have a a depression in the ground, no inlet or outlet, there's no fish. Um and we we believe we have good
reason to believe that it serves the functionality of a vernal pool. It's not in a lawn. We like describe all of the things that it can't be. It can't be in a lawn. um or just you know uh yeah that that we have reason to presume that it is likely significant to habitat
protection um without needing to be in that 6 week window that we can collect that data to go through the process of certifying it. So right now the way the wetlands production act is written it allows applicants to pull one over on the commission right to submit an
application at a time when we couldn't possibly certify a vernal pool. um and it leaves us in a bind. So, this just flips it flips the instruction. It puts it on the applicant to say just make sure that there's no that there's no vernal pool here. Make sure that there
isn't those those important amphibians and crustaceians utilizing this vernal pool for critical habitat. Um vernal pools are absolutely one of the the most threatened um ecosystems around our country. Um, and we just really have a responsibility to protect them as best
we can, um, and not let them fall through the cracks here in the city. >> Um, uh, planning director. >> Yep. Alison Emanuel, uh, community planning director of planning and community development. Sorry, it's a
long day. Um I just wanted to add that if there the scenario that was presented is there's an option on a piece of property and um not holding it up until that six week window that um the conservation agent just me mentioned the developer or whomever it is has the
option of just agreeing and accepting yes that's a vernal pool and I will work around it. So it doesn't it doesn't necessarily hold them up unless they want to counter >> and make the argument that it is not in fact burn. >> Okay, great. Thank you so much for that
clarification. Um, anyone else online with a comment regarding this? Anyone in the room? Great. Uh, Chair Jam Quade. >> All right. Thank you. Um, so I I'm
guessing I don't have to read the whole thing into the record, right? >> No, not >> just give us the title. >> All right. Um, I can find it in this list. There we
go. All right. I would like to make a motion uh to adopt as part of the um East Hampton general ordinance uh the proposed East Hampton wetlands protection ordinance. >> Second. >> Great. So I have a motion and a second
to adopt the general ordinance or boy general ordinance proposing a wetlands protection ordinance. Any further discussion? Uh councelor Kazinski >> just a quick question. I'm fully in favor. I'm willing to vote.
>> How much minutes on this do you have? >> Uh, not a lot. >> Okay. And then maybe should take a nice shower. >> Well, Kazinski, continue. >> I'm not sure I can follow that.
Let's see. Um, jeez. The uh the question I had was regarding to one of the questioners uh had to do with either a sunset provision or a a a review and coming back before
the council and a review of the impact I think would be something that I would feel very comfortable in seeing in this and I'm not quite sure how we might word such a thing but I think it's worthy of having a review to see what the impact
years of this uh proposal. How do we affect that? Uh to see if what what what the impact is >> uh is there a mandate? I mean could could we say in in in uh two years it'll be we
we expect to report back >> conservation agent Gersl you want to respond to that? >> Yeah absolutely. So, the conservation commission um is going to be dealing intimis intimately with regulating under this ordinance. Um and we're we're aware that it it's going to be a you know, a
learning process for all of us. um and the conservation the working group certainly discussed several times um you know the the idea that there will need to be amendments in future years um you know that that there that this is going to need to undergo revisions and I think the conservation commission is going to
be the best positioned to know when that time for those revisions is necessary and what those revisions should be. Um regulating wetlands uh under the state act and hopefully under our ordinance it's complicated business. Um it's it's messy. Uh the conservation commission
often has meetings as long as yours, I promise you. Um and they >> so sorry >> and they um and they they are going to know when it's time um to to introduce a new a new version that changes um the pieces of this that aren't working. Um and we fully expect that that'll come
before you um at some point in the next couple years. >> I'm glad to hear that. That's on the horizon. >> Yep. >> Great. I'm pleased that it's obviously a part of the discussion. Great. Uh any other comments? Uh Chair Jar McQuade. >> Yeah, thank you Madam President. Um I
just want to express gratitude for the conservation commission for working on this um and the working group for working on this for so long. It's clear that there was a lot of thought and energy put into this. Um I also just want to thank the conservation agent Ava um for meeting with me individually to explain this to giving two presentations
to ordinance committee to taking the ordinance committee out on a on a field trip to to go see these wetlands. um it was very cool. Um and I think that that's you're setting a great example of how we should be um setting policy in East Hampton. So, so thank you for that.
>> Any other comments? >> Great. I just want to echo that as well. Uh appreciate the opportunity of working with you and it's clear um I think from this um ordinance that we have a lot of experts. We have a lot of dedicated
um residents in the community who are giving a great deal of time and energy to things like ordinances like this and are working to uh not only improve um the environment, right? Thinking
about uh climate change, etc., but obviously I think there's pieces in there that that there's thought in here of protecting homeowners, etc. And so I think that that's just um I think really forward thinking uh and something that when I'm in the process of buying, not
that I buy houses all the time, right, but uh that that someone has thought about that, right? And I think that that shares a shows a dedication that our uh volunteer uh board members uh put into this work and certainly to uh the conservation agents. um you know the
tour that we were given as an ordinance committee was certainly greatly appreciated and and certainly um expanded our understanding of this issue. So I think that's like you said the type of work that this council needs to be doing. Um great. Uh all in favor
>> uh opposed abstain. Uh motion passes. Congratulations. >> Um I will take a motion to close public hearing. Second. >> I have a motion and a second to close the public hearing. Uh, any further
discussion? All those in favor? >> Opposed? Abstain. Motion passes. >> Um, five minutes. >> Councelor Smith >> like to request a fivem minute break. Second. >> I have a motion and a second for a five
minute uh uh recess. All uh any further discussion? All those in favor? >> Opposed? Abstain. Motion passes. Move it back and going to come back together. Uh again, just to clarify,
um we had a presentation at the start of the uh city council meeting um with we the people and that took us up to the start of our public of our public hearing. Um I see the number of people here who want to speak. Uh we would have
had to have moved this to the end of public hearing anyway. Um so just to allow the opportunity to have our high school students uh be acknowledged uh we move public comment or public speak uh
to the to after the public hearing. Um so public hearing is stopped. So we will open up opportunities for public comment. Um, this is an opportunity for members of the public to address the council regarding any topic not listed under the public hearing. So, you've had your opportunity to participate there.
You will have three minutes. Um, when you have 30 seconds remaining, you will hear an alert. Uh, at the end of your 3 minutes, you will hear a second alert. Please wrap up your comments at
that point. Um, and uh, please state your name and address for the record. >> Hi, my name is Margaret Betts. I live in Greenfield and I have taught in East Hampton since 2007. >> Sorry, can you one sec? Is your micro Is
the microphone on? >> I think so. Should I go in a little closer? >> Yeah, a little closer. >> My name is Margaret Betts. I live in Greenfield. I have taught in East Hampton since 2007 and I'm currently the vice president of the East Hampton Education Association representing
teachers, paras, administrative assistants, and custodians. When I think about this override, I am reminded that 400 years ago, John Dunn, living in England, wrote the timeless poem, No Man is an island. If you like
to read it in full, I have posted it on the EA website. I'll read for you the start of Dun's words which express what we all know in our hearts. No man is an island entire of itself. Every man is a
piece of the continent, a part of the main. If a claw be washed away by the sea, Europe's is the less. In 1624, 165 years before the founding of East Hampton, Don was arguing for us to see
the interconnectedness of humanity because every person is part of the larger whole. Others have spoken of the loss of teachers, electives, sports, and after school activities. But there are other smaller losses, little clouds of
East Hampton that would be washed away if this override fails. I want to speak about one of those small but vital parts of our school community, the Math Fact Helpers from the Senior Center. This past summer, I met with Dawn Gretchen
Moore, the the Council on Aging. I shared with her my vision of math fact helpers, retired members of our community who could help students with learning their math facts. Was inspired by my own grandmother who volunteered at my elementary school. She would spend a
few days each week working with struggling readers. When I started at Maple 19 years ago, we had volunteers doing this. Postco that program had fallen away. You might think, well, if there's no cost, why can't this continue? But programs like this only
work if they're point people able to support and guide them. My current role is the elementary math interventionist. I work with young struggling math students to close the gap in the early years. So these students are able to know and enjoy math in the later years.
The volunteers help me get to groups of children that would not be reached without them. I have seen how Ron, Kathy, Karen, Susan, and Michelle have moved student outcomes. Even in this first year, their contributions are
notable. However, if the override fails, there will not be elementary math intervention. I will be transferred to another role and unable to continue this work. There will be no one to pick up the slack. If we are all doing more with less, no one will be in the position to
train, oversee, and support the volunteers. My vision for next year is to expand the program, but that will not be possible without the override. I am urging voters to consider all the small invisible ways a community starts to fall apart when stretched to the edge.
if it is those it is those pieces big and small continent or clawed that a yes vote will support. Thank you. >> Thank you so much. >> Uh next please state your name and address for the record. >> Hello Taylor Dadman, 8 Campbell Drive.
I'm here to speak in multiple capacities. The first is as a lifelong community member who wants to see this city continue to be the place I know it to be. East Hampton Public Schools fundamentally developed me into the person that I am today. And not just in grades on a transcript. I learned the
importance of a safe adult in schools from Amy Whan, the importance of finding humor in life's stumbles from Jared Or. And the importance of truly understanding people that are different from myself from Brian Brown. I grew into a strong, vocal, and empathetic adult because of the influence of my
educators. I was proudly a member of East Hampton's very first We the People team to make it to the national competition. That program and specifically Kelly Brown completely changed my life during my sophomore year. So much so that when I decided to become a teacher myself, I chose East
Hampton High School for my student teaching placement. But I'm also here as an educator from East Hampton High School. Before I taught at Mohawk Trail, and I had said the only reason I wouldn't retire there is if a position opened here. And three years ago, one did. I left a full-time
position for a part-time one here because it was my dream to be able to give back to the community that had instilled such a love and respect for learning. My goal was then, as it continues to be to this day, to take over the We the People program when Kelly is ready to
retire. I have tirelessly I have been tirelessly preparing to have that torch passed to me. In my three years at East Hampton, I have coached over 65 We the People students to nationals alongside Kelly. I've also taught 54 AP US History students, 80% of which passed their exam
to earn college credit last year when the national average is 74%. I've been the adviser for two classes, run model UN, and last year taught without a prep period for over two months during a colleague's leave of absence. At this time last year, I received the Ginsspoon award for
excellence in teaching. This year, I received a termination letter. I don't say all of this because I am an anomaly. East Hampton Public Schools are full of teachers just like myself, members of this community who work
diligently to make this place even just a little better than the way we found it. This town cares about our schools, as I've seen year after year in the support for the We the People program. And I know this override is no small ask, but when we invest in our community, we
invest in building the kind of place we can all be proud to say we come from. A place where someone like me can say and mean every word, even if I won the lottery tomorrow, I would be in front of my classroom the next day. Thank you. >> Thank you so much.
>> Please state your name and address for the record. >> Uh my name is Will Waggler. I'm in Northampton. Uh, I am the current Mountain View Middle School librarian. I'm known at the school as Mr. Will. And last Friday, I received my notice of non-renewal. Without the override vote
passing, it is guaranteed the East Hampton Middle School will be without a skilled professional librarian. A certified librarian with an MLIS, a master of library and information science degree is trained in literacy development, research instruction, media
literacy, digital citizenship, and helping students learn how to evaluate information critically in a time of misinformation, AI generated content, and declining reading engagement. These skills are essential. This is the world now, and this is what I do as a
librarian. Studies consistently show that schools with licensed librarians have higher student achievement, especially in reading. Recent studies found that students in schools with full-time M's level librarians performed significantly better academically than
those with no librarian or where that role had been filled in by someone without a library degree. For many students, the school library is also a refuge, a calm space. The librarian there as a trusted adult and a place where they feel safe and seen. Childhood
is hard. Middle school is hard. A room with books and no librarian offers little comfort. When push comes to shove for what programs stay and which ones go, and a massive budget cut like this, it's always stat statemandated versus enrichment programs. For us, those
enrichment programs fall under the umbrella term of specials. Art, band, health, music, PE, steam, and of course, my personal favorite, library. What we do is special, but we are not a novelty or expendable. Our roles are vital to a
rich, full education that every single one of East Hampton's students deserve. Please vote yes for the override. Thank you. >> Thank you. Please state your name and address for the record. Hi, my name is Jesse Clark. I live on 27 Brig Street in East
Hampton. And unless this override passes, I'm formerly a third grade teacher at Mountain View Elementary School. I was laid off last week due to the budget cuts that will happen whether or not the budget or the override passes. I started as a parah at Maple School in 2022 and was laid off and hired back and worked hard to pass my
MTELS. Got my teaching license and was hired to teach third grade. I now come to the end of my third year, a year that would have given me professional status and preparing to start a master's program, not knowing what I'm going to do anymore. But I'm one of 39 people, many of whom have families of their own to support, living with that same
uncertainty. Not just about our own futures, but about the students we've devoted ourselves to serving. When cuts like this are made, it's always the newest hires who go first. And many of us are young and aspiring educators, energetic and ready to be in classrooms, open to new curriculums and new ways of teaching. East Hampton Schools just
purchased a brand new curriculum that's already put strain on many established teachers who are not ready for such a drastic and dramatic change in rigor and approach in their classrooms. And I would hate to see all that time and energy so many educators have invested in getting this curriculum off the ground be stunted because of a lack of necessary funding. I also want to speak
to the student support teachers and pair of professionals who will lose their jobs as well. Many students have formed deep bonds of trust with these people. And when they don't come back in September, some of those kids will carry that loss with them for a very long time. And while people argue online about woke agendas and where dispensary money went, 40 real educators lost their
jobs, real kids lost their teachers, and real families lost their livelihoods. I want this community to understand something clearly. A no vote on June 9th is not a vote against wasteful spending. It's not a vote to hold politicians accountable. Those politicians keep their paychecks either way. A no vote is
a vote to defund our schools, defund our police, and defund our fire department all at once. The override is the only thing standing between East Hampton on all three things happening at the same time. And the people who pay the price are the teachers, the firefighters, the officers, and the students who had nothing to do with how we got here. While some would like to use this moment
to fight a culture war, East East East Hampton is at risk of losing its culture and its character entirely. We risk losing children to other districts that have communities willing to fund athletics and the arts and the things that keep kids inspired, productive, and out of trouble. We risk becoming not a place where kids grow up with fond
memories and come back to visit, but a place where they spend their whole lives trying to get out of. So, I will hold out hope until June 9th that this community does the right thing, but East Hampton should be prepared to lose amazing teachers, paraprofessionals, firefighters, and officers who have given everything to serve this community if it does not. Thank you.
>> Thank you. Please state your name and address for the record. >> Carl Prawl, 22, Gaston. Um, I know I've seen some of you walking around town. Not going to talk about the prop. I want to talk about our walkable city. And you know, we're nearly through
May. Uh we passed another ordinance tonight and seven months ago, we passed an ordinance lowering the citywide speed limit to 25 mph. Since then, there have been no signs erected and no enforcement. An ordinance
is only as good as the enforcement behind it. In March, I came into these chambers to ask what the schedule was like. And I was informed by Chief Alexander after talking to Director Nettleman that those signs are going to go on the ground in April.
Something about frozen grounds and they don't know what an augur is apparently. But okay, 6 months down the road, April. Here we are in May, record highs. I don't think we can claim that the ground being frozen is a problem anymore. And we still don't have any signs up. We
still don't have any enforcement. Here's what's at stake. At if you're hit by a car at 20 m an hour, you have an 80% chance of surviving. If you're hit by a car at 40 m an hour, that ratio flips and you have a 20% chance of
surviving. That's not a statistic. That's our neighborhood. That's our kids. Speeding endangers pedestrians. It endangers other drivers. It endangers property. And there's no enforcement. Kids should be walking to school, especially with
bus costs and how much that's eating into our school budget. It should be an option. But the crosswalk right down here on Cottage where Cheryl Braun got hit 4 months ago, still no lights, no signs, not even fresh paint, no
enforcement. the bike lane on Highway 5 near the Duncan. They pulled the lane protectors out because we couldn't plow. There was snow in the way. And now they filled in those holes so those lane protectors can never go back in. I saw somebody just
the other day trying to make a turn in the corner. Somebody else comes in to make the turn in the bike lane. No enforcement. This is dangerous. In addition to that, everywhere you go around town, you're going to see the delivery vehicles double parked. You're
going to see landscapers double parked. And there's a lot of streets that don't have sidewalks. That's forcing bikers. That's forcing pedestrians into moving traffic. That's dangerous. And there's no enforcement on that ordinance. Double parking.
Police cruisers are expensive. The vehicles, the gas, the maintenance. Maybe if our officers were walking in town, they might notice some of these issues and enforce them. You see a lot more when you're going at 3 mph than at
25. So, please, let's actually get this ordinance that's been on the books for 7 months now. Let's remember our good friend Marvin, may rest in peace, and his campaign to get this speed limit in
place. Let's make this happen. Let's show that we can actually do our job, especially when we're asking for millions more. >> Great. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Please state your name and address for the record. >> Uh Kathy Wisinski, Overlook Job,
Overlook Drive, sorry. So, I think many of you know that I am not in favor of the override. Um, I've been reviewing the budget and have suggestions for budget changes that don't impact essential services such as fire and police and the school
department as significantly as the one proposed by Salem. This review process is difficult, however, because what was provided to citizens is a summary budget. um there's not enough detail in there to review whether some positions might be
um eliminated or the cost of those positions reduced. I was dismayed to find that although there were lots of cut cuts to the fire department, the police department, and the school department, there were minimal to no cuts to the general
government budgets. And indeed, there were increases to many of those staff, except if you're the frontline staff making less than $50,000, then your salary was cut. The increases were to higher paid, higher level staff, while
other staff who are less paid and forward- facing to the public are receiving cuts. The city has not responded to my records request. They've not responded to records request to for four or five
other citizens for budgets and expenses for several years so that we could have an open and transparent dialogue um about the budget. Um they're currently violating the records request law. Um
and I've now reached out twice um regarding at least one of them and have not had any response. We do not need this fear that is being pushed on our students and our teachers and our police department and our fire department. We
can look at reasonable cuts to non-essential services and not damage the important work that these dedicated professionals do. Thank you. >> Thank you. Please state your name and address for the record.
>> I'm Mary Frankie and 26 Briggs. Good evening. Um, I am a resident of East Hampton. I am a second grade teacher and I have two children who also attend Mountain View Elementary School. Tonight, I am here to strongly advocate that our community supports the override and votes yes on June 9th. Frederick
Douglas once said, "It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men." And I think about that every single day in my classroom because what I've learned after years of teaching second grade, fourth grade, fifth grade, even high school and preschool is that academics alone do not
build strong children. Connections. Connection does. Connection is everything. It is the foundation of every classroom, every community, every life well-lived. When a child knows that their teacher sees them, and I mean really sees them, something unlocks
within them. They take risks. They grow. they trust. And research tells us this, but teachers are the ones who live it. A child who feels connected to an adult at school, again, supported by evidence everywhere, is more likely to attend school, more likely to engage in both
the classroom and in extracurricular activities. They're more likely to believe that they belong somewhere in the world. That connection is built slowly and carefully over months through inside jokes, quiet check-ins, dance parties, uh through a hand on a
shoulder, and a name said with warmth. It cannot be manufactured. It cannot be replaced. And AI cannot replicate that. And if this override fails, we will lose 40 teachers. That is 40 human beings that have spent years building those connections. And like some of these
people said, if that if this override fails, those connections break. They don't just carry on. Nelson Mandela said, "Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world." But I'd add this. Education
without connection is just information. It's the people. It's the teachers, the counselors, the coaches, the staff, the nurses who turn a school into where a into a place where children actually want to be. As a parent, I chose East Hampton because I believed in what it
offered. great teachers, a tight-knit community, and a place where kids can thrive. I want all the children of East Hampton to have music and sports and the chance to discover who they are. I want them to grow up surrounded by adults who know them, who invest in them, and who
show up for them. A no vote doesn't just cut a budget line. It cuts the human infrastructure that makes this city feel like home. Vote yes for our students, for our seniors, for our neighbors, for the quiet, irreplaceable power of human connection that makes East Hampton, our
little city with a big heart, more than just a place on a map. It is the future of our children and our community. Thank you. >> Thank you. Uh we will move to online. Adam, I saw your hand first. Please state your name and address for the
record. >> Sure. My name is Adam Serwick. I am a Westfield resident, but I am a Mountain View School teacher. I'm also the president of the East Hampton Education Association. Um, I am a former student of East Hampton Public Schools, and
although I no longer live in the city, East Hampton is still my home to me in many ways. I was born here. I grew up here, and I lived here until my 20s. My family is still here. These schools help shape who I became. Years later, I made the choice to come back and work in this district because I believe in this
community and in the students here. I am proud to work in East Santa public schools. That is why this moment we find ourselves in is so difficult. What we're talking about is not just numbers on a spreadsheet or positions in a budget. We're talking about students. We're talking about classrooms. We're talking
about people who support children every single day. The possibility of losing more than 40 educators and par educators is not just concerning, it is devastating for a district our size. Last week, a former student of mine spoke during public comment at school committee and talked about how programs
like band and theater save kids lives. He was right. Those programs saved mine, too. As a student, I found myself in those spaces. They gave me confidence, community, and a place where I felt comfortable in my own skin in a way that academics alone could not. My older
sister found that same sense of belonging belonging through athletics. For many students, these programs are not extras. They are the reason students stay connected to school, build relationships, discover who they are, and feel like they matter. These kinds of opportunities are essential,
especially for students who are struggling, searching for connection, or trying to find where they belong. That is not how I want to see students go through school. This is not how I want to see my colleagues forced to work. This is not how city employees should feel, constantly worrying about whether
the systems they dedicate their lives to will continue to function. Education cannot operate in survival mode forever. Schools are one of the foundations of a healthy community. Strong schools create stronger communities, stronger local economies, and better futures for
children. When schools are stretched too thin, everyone feels it eventually. I know budgets are complicated. I know difficult decisions have to be made. But I also know what these schools gave to me growing up and I know what our students deserve now. The city invested years ago through its public schools.
That investment allowed me to become an educator and to come back to serve this community myself. I want today's students to have those same opportunities because at the end of the day, public education is not extra. It is essential. Thank you. >> Thank you. Megan Walker, please state
your name and address for the record. My name is Megan Walker. I live in South Hadley and I work as a math teacher at East Hampton uh high school. I've been at the high school for three years. First as a student teacher, then a
one-year teacher and finally hired on uh long-term this year. My first students at EHS are seniors graduating this year. I've had the joy of seeing and supporting their growth over the past three years. much the same for all my
students last year and this year. I share this to show a glimpse of the community I have come to be a part of and to make sense of the grief I felt last week when I needed to make it decision. On May 15th, I received this letter of non-renewal, more informally,
a pink slip. I've received it because of the budget shortfalls facing East Hampton. Like the 39 other teachers who received such a letter, I've been working to navigate this situation. a situation that without a pass override vote would require myself and many
colleagues to simply leave the school community. But it's not simple to leave a community, especially one such as East Hampton. Community is built by and for its people. A person leaving changes that community. For me, this change is
already underway. I've accepted a teaching position next year in another district. But for many other non-renewed teachers, this change is not yet made. For the town, for the schools, for the students and their families, I encourage you to reflect on the importance of
community and what it means to maintain a strong community. Thank you. >> Thank you, Julie. Please state your name and address for the record. >> I'm Julie Thomas, Concordi, Stampton, Math. Um, I just wanted to revisit the
CPA budget spreadsheet. you didn't address that. So, I didn't I believe you didn't address it because it wasn't part of the 7,000 that was being requested. So, I just wanted to revisit that. And just to clarify that, I'm asking that
the CPA budget spreadsheet be kept on the city government site where residents can access it at any time. I really feel like this is important. We need to know how much money taxpayers are contributing to the CPA. Residents of East Hampton, we have a
right at any point in time to see how much money is collected into the CPA budget through our search charges and how much is being spent and on what. Per Ava, there is a spreadsheet as I said earlier and it's kept it as updated, but again, I got the same answer that I got
last time that they update it so they don't put it up there. That's not an acceptable reason not to post that spreadsheet so that anybody at any time can see the transparency of what is going on with our CPA monies that we are
contributing and it is our taxpayers money even though it's a search charge it's coming up from us. So I'm requesting that how can we get that information visible to people at any point in time they want to see it. Is
there any way I can get that answer? >> Uh, Julie, we're not able to respond. So, I will again reach out to uh our uh CPA coordinator and inquire about that. Uh right now, >> I greatly appreciate that. Thank you
very very much. >> Thank you, Julie. I appreciate that. >> Uh Jessica, >> please state your name. Please state your name and address for the record. Good evening. My name is Avery Ascu. I am a school of choice resident of Chabe.
Um Jessica Kenny is my parent who is also a staff at East Hampton High School >> and sorry the East Hampton district. Um I am here to address the override and to
encourage people to vote yes on June 9th. Currently, we are aware of the 40 teachers and para educators that will be unfortunately leaving the school if the override is
not passed. And we know that multiple programs like classes and after school activities will be cut. We've seen this with Southampton High School and well the Southampton district in general. And I
want to urge people to yes to try and keep as much of that as we can. Um, somebody said at the school committee meeting that has really stuck with me was that
teachers are often people that students and young adults and children look up to. If you ask them who their role model is, a lot of times
a teacher come up. Even when adults are asked like who was your role model growing up or something, a teacher will most likely be said or staff just in their education system. And so by not
passing the override and with the way that the plan looks like things like where things would be budgeted out, we would be getting rid of those chances to make the connections with those staff and the opportunity to
experience more and learn more about yourself that you would get from those extracurriculars and extra classes. And so I just wanted to again um encourage people to vote yes to try
and foster those connections and keep as much of them as we can. Thank you very much and I hope you have a great night. >> Great. Thank you so much, Kelly. >> Good evening. My name is Kelly Rodrig and I am not a resident. Um I am a educator. I'm the prek to 2 school
psychologist at Mountain View School. And last week I delivered this message to members of our school committee and I'd like to restate it for city council and community members most likely watching on broadcasting another day. I am speaking in support of the override to preserve all city services particularly those in education. I have
proudly served this district for the past 12 years. And I began my career in Eastampton not only as an educator but also as a resident living in Eastampton for four years. And now, despite having a 40-minute commute, I continue to come and work in this district because I have deeply value this community and its schools. In my experience, East Hampton
is home to some of the most compassionate evidence-based educators and programs, as well as highly engaged and proactive families. Although our schools have grown and evolved, the collaborative and supportive culture that defined our smaller neighborhood schools continues to exist today. My concern, however, is
that the continued budget reductions place at risk of losing talented veteran teachers, specialists, coaches, and promising new educators who make this district exceptional. I began at Maple School in 2014 as a school psychologist and counselor where I worked closely with Judy Averil and our district team
um supporting a lot of initiatives. And when we transitioned to Mount View School in 2022, both veteran and newer staff um experienced a significant period of adjustment. And while change is never easy, one thing that remained constant was the unwavering dedication of our educators to collaboration, professional growth, and doing what is
best for children. Our system continues to strengthen its practices and evolve to meet the students needs. We strive for progress, not perfection. And when we know better, we do better. Over the course of my tenure, I've witnessed students, families, educators, and program really thrive when our schools are adequately staffed and students are
provided with the academic, behavioral, and social emotional supports they need to succeed. And today, I'd like to share some of my concerns regarding those proposed cuts and the long-term impact on all students in the broader and the broader East Santum community. As many of you know, all children are entitled to a free and appropriate public
education under the Individuals with Disabilities Act. And the range and quality of special education services provided in this district are among some of the strongest in neighboring communities. And while budget cuts reductions will affect all students, there is significant concern that our most vulnerable learners will be
disproportionately impacted. And in recent years, educational initiatives such as literacy grants, math intervention, other intervention program, specialized behavior supports have all evolved and become more streamlined following our consolidation into one elementary school. Now that we are entering our fourth year of Mount
View school, many of us educators feel we are finally reaching a point of stability and we are positioned to continue improving systems and outcomes for all students. Facing subst substantial cuts at this critical point is deeply discouraging. Many of my colleagues are concerned the reductions in staffing and programming will limit
our ability to proactively teach the self-regulation, social, behavioral, and academic skills essential for all student success. We are already seeing increasing numbers of students requiring immediate behavioral and emotional support. And without sufficient staffing and intervention programs, both classroom learning and overall school climate will be negligably affected for
all. For committee, >> Kelly, you're in Spanish. >> Yeah, >> it's amendment. Thank you. For committee members and community members wondering how these changes may affect them, the answer is simple. They will. Budget cuts will fundamentally alter the educational experience and the broader fabric of
these ted communities. Fewer teachers and reduced programming will result in larger class sizes and fewer support staff and enrichment opportunities and more disruption in daily learning. >> Kelly, please wrap up your thoughts. Please, your your time is up. Your time is up. >> Thank you. >> Thank you so much.
>> Uh Jody, >> hi. Good evening. Um, I am Jod Alatalo. I'm the elementary literacy coordinator and I'm a reading interventionist. I've been teaching in East Hampton. I'm not a resident. I'm from South Hadley. Um, I've been teaching in East Hampton. This
is my 20th year. Um, first and foremost, I want to just recognize how many educators are on this call tonight. And I look at their faces and I see tired I see tired teachers. I see people who are putting their hearts and souls out there every single day. And I just want
to recognize that there will always be financial challenges and education is expensive and kids are worth it and teachers are here because they are invested. Um, I
have had the privilege of coaching and training teachers to implement curriculum that is high quality and beautiful and we've gotten these amazing grants from the state. Um, but without these beautiful humans to do this important work, um, the kids are not
going to get what they need. And as a reading specialist, I know nationally our reading data is so sad. Um and and what we need to do to support our students um starts with those relationships that Frankie, Mary
Frankie was speaking about and then implementing all these amazing tools we have and the knowledge we have. We have this shared collective knowledge at Mountain View School that is beyond beyond um and I am just I'm so proud to be part of that community. Um, and I'm
here tonight to really ask um folks in the town in the city of East Hampton um to consider a yes vote. And I know that people are strapped financially. Um, in South Haven, my own community, I see what has occurred when the vote is a no
and um the disparity between the kids who have and the kids who have not and their families and what they can provide. people are leaving our public school in South Hadley. Um public school is for all children and I believe that
um that the work we do is what keeps us um you know in a in a democracy in a place where we have voice and we have choice and we have options and we have um each other. Um, so I'm just here to please um for for all the community
members who are on the fence, please consider this um one of the most important things you can do um for your community. Thank you. >> Great. Thank you. Jessica, please state your name and address for the record. >> Good evening. My name is Jessica Kenny
As. I live in Chabby. My three children offer um school choice in toabe at both Mountain View and the high school and I am the current district BCBA which means I work from preschool all the way up through transitions in high school. Um I
myself am an autistic woman. Um I was not diagnosed till very late in life and I will tell you the reason that I survived school was because of teachers. I tend to show up for students on the moments and the days that they are having the hardest time. The national
statistics for individuals who leave high school and do not know or understand how to use their accommodations is 65% of students who end up in colleges. Neurodeiverse students leave colleges and 80% of them
are unable to be employed. Those statistics will not get better without teachers like the ones that are in East Hampton. When I show up to support these students, when I am at meetings, when I am having parent conferences, when I am teaching teachers how to be
neuroaffirming and to really meet students where they are, I am met with some of the strongest, most caring, most loving adults. And that is what's going to move those numbers. When you take away supports from students, especially
those that they're most at risk, which are those who are neurodeiverse, which is autism, ADHD, OCD, trauma, all of these different spaces that these babies brains are in while they are in our care. When you don't give them the space
to have the people who they need, the people who are going to meet them where they are, the people who are going to go ask the questions to the people who understand different things so that they then can meet students where they are, those numbers won't get better. And the
other number that is really important to remember is that those who are neurodeiverse are seven times more likely to engage in suicidal ideiations and unalivvening. The people that are on this screen, the people who show up every day are the
ones who make those numbers possibly less. We save children. And I will tell you, I can name all the teachers in my my education that saved me because when I didn't understand that I was autistic, but I definitely knew I was different.
Those adults were the ones that showed up on the days that were hard for me. And those adults taught me how to be who I am. And I'm not one of the 80% who's not employable. I'm one of the 80% that I'm one of the 20% that is showing up to make sure that I don't allow another
child to live a childhood that may be like mine where I wasn't met all the time with understanding and where when I was I was given the pathway to be successful and to be available to not only be an autistic woman in a district
but to be somebody who can see others who are in the same space. >> Great. Thank you, Jessica. I'm seeing no other hands up online. No one's at the podium. Uh so we will close
public comment. Um I want to thank everyone for their comments this evening. Uh we have no items for immediate attention. Communication from elected officials, boards, and commissioners. I have Martha Lei, our principal assessor, and Daniel Zadonic,
our board of assessors. Chair chair. Please say your name and uh role for the city. >> Dan Zadonic. I'm on the board of assessors. Uh when I saw the well when we put the public hearing on for the exemptions changes tonight, I thought
this would be a good opportunity to go over the exemptions that we offer with the council and to let taxpayers know what is available to them. And I'll try to keep it brief because I know people have been here for a while. You're appreciated. >> Uh the major exemption that we offer is
clause 41C. That's $1,000 off of people's taxes. They need to be 65 or older as of July 1 of this this year to qualify. They have to own and occupy their property as their primary residence and they must have lived in
Massachusetts for the previous five fiscal years. There are also gross receipt limits and asset limits for that and we haven't calculated what those are for 27 yet from the state website. But
if people contact the office next month, we'll be able to provide them with the information. There's a aformational handout that we have on each of the exemptions and we can forward it a exemption application to them.
The next one is clause 17D. That one I have down here. It was 175. It's now $180 after tonight's vote. That one is similar to the clause 41C 65 as of J uh July 1st and they had to
live in the house as their primary residence. And also anybody who is a widow or widowerower of any age can qualify for this exemption. There's no income requirement, but there is an asset limit, and I think Martha gave that out before it was around
81,000 for fiscal 27. Uh, another one is the CPA exemption. This one is it's not big unless you own a really big house. Uh, you have to own and occupy the property as of January
1st. It's not the July 1 date. The the date for CPA is January 1. There are income limits that vary by age and household. For fiscal 26 or older on July 1st, a single occupant,
the income limit is just over $87,000. For two occupants, which would be a married couple, it's 985. If it's under 60, there's a a stricter requirement. And for a single occupant
it's 696 and a married couple is 796. This does also take into account multiple um member households. So everybody's income would have to be under those numbers and it goes up. There's a whole
schedule. I think it's up to 12 occupants. But if five people are working all five would have to be under the income limits. but they're they're much higher than the 98 and the 79 for the two member households.
Uh some of the more specific clauses that we have is 37A. That's a blindness clause. They get $500 off of their taxes for that. They have to own and occupy the property as of July 1. and they must get a uh
be legally blind as of July 1st and produce a certificate of blindness from the Mass Commission for the blind. Clause 22 is the veterans that started at 400, but tonight you voted to increase that by the 2.8 I think it was
2.8% cola. Uh you have to own and occupy the property as your legal doicile as of July 1 of 2026. You need at least a 10% service connected disability or be a Purple Heart recipient or prisoner of war
designation. There's also several other veterans exemptions that rage that the amounts are higher including up to a full exemption of your taxes and for those it's usually 100% disability
or gold star parents also qualify. And then the last one that we have is clause 41A, which is a tax deferral. And that's further down, I believe, on your agenda as well. For that, you need to be 65 as of July 1st, own and occupy the
property, and you have to have lived in Mass for the last 5 years, and overall, you had to live in Mass for any 10 years during your lifetime. the gross receipts, which this is really low. Uh it has to be under 20,000
and you can defer all or part of your income of your real estate tax up to 50% of the assessed value of the property. So a $300,000 house, their bill would be roughly $4,000 a year. They could defer
up to $150,000 in real estate taxes. And that would be sold or paid when they either sell the property, pass away, or choose to pay it back. And that's at 8% interest.
Delinquent taxes right now are at 14%. And once it's the state legislature just lowered tax title interest from 16% to 8%. And there's options on here where you can vote as a council to raise the income limit
above 20 and to lower the interest rate that's charged. A lot of communities have dropped it to 4%. And if there's any questions, >> uh, councelor Peak. >> Thank you, Jen. And is that is that information like I I tried to take good
notes but I think is there is on on the assessor's website is that information all just contained in a single place I could refer people to. >> Uh yeah there's a I believe there's a pamphlet for each exemption on the website that people can download. >> Okay.
>> And it has all the limits for fiscal 26 in it right now. >> Okay. But those will be updated and and they can always call the office or email and the staff is more than willing to either return their call or send them an
email with with all the information that they need. >> Okay, great. Thanks so much. >> Any other questions? Councelor Newton, >> have you guys ever done any type of like study to see how many people in East Hampton would actually qualify for
these? Not how many are applying, but like what it what do you think how many could actually qualify? >> Extremely difficult because the two senior ones are income based. So without actually having access to
people's income tax returns or information from the from the do, we would not be able to tell what what it would actually be. Most of the veterans ones, I think the veterans agent informs them. Well, I'm sure the veterans agent informs them and works with our office
to make sure that they're filing. >> Uh, councelor Schmidt, >> thank you. Um, I just was hoping you could confirm that there are no further exemptions that we may be able to adopt as a city that would help additional
individuals if we kind of exhaust what's in the MGL. Uh to my knowledge, no. These are the main exemptions that would I mean there are ways to change. I know we've we've adjusted some of the the local options.
Uh the 41A deferral, I've been doing this for 40 years. I've only had two people file or apply in the community I worked in. Most people don't want to defer their taxes because then they feel it's a burden on their children when they go to
sell the property that it has to get paid back. But if if people are out there struggling, it is an option because I'm quite sure the the town does not want to take anybody's house. >> Other questions, comments? Just a quick
question. Yep. >> So on 41A, that's not something that the city has to adopt, but we can lower the percent. >> Is that what I understood? >> 41A is state law. >> Uh-huh. >> We can we can adopt legislation and
adjust the interest rate that we charge through a vote of the council. And also the we can raise the income limit to qualify. 20,000 is extremely low, especially if it's a married couple, both receiving social security. Odds are they're going to be over the $20,000
limit. >> Okay. Thank you. Other questions? Great. Thank you. >> Okay. Appreciate your time. >> Uh correspondence from uh I know that Dr. Kam is not going
to be here. Um but I was asked to read um regarding the Go Digital East Hampton uh for the laptops for long-term lending. Uh, city of East Hampton is pleased to
announce that the Go Digital East Hampton Partnership has been awarded a grant from the Massachusetts Broadband Institute, MBI, a division of the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative, Massec, through the Connected and Online Program, which provides brand new
laptops, Chromebooks, tablets, desktop computers, and related equipment to be used for public use in order to expand access to education, workforce training, and teleaalth. For East Hampton's grant, most of the devices will be laptops and Chromebooks available for long-term loan
through the East Hampton Public Library or the East Hampton Veteran Service Department. Additional devices will be available as shared public computers at the library, city hall, and the East Hampton Council on Aging, all at no cost to the city. The equipment will be
available starting in late May. Borrowers will need to fill out a brief survey about their needs and sign up for an available pickup session. Tech help sessions will also be available for anyone who needs support. Uh at our next meeting, they will have additional
information, but people should know that. Um now, uh great. So, thank you. Uh mayor's communication. I saw the mayor and there he is. >> Good evening. um still here. I'll try to make this brief. Uh I just want to let
people know that tomorrow in these chambers at 4, uh we're going to have anformational session around um the the budget and what the difference between um the override budget and the non-override budget is. and we're
actually taking questions from community members to try to answer some of the stuff that's circulating out in the universe around the override. Um, so we actually on the website, if you look at the top banner, there's a link to a Google form where you can submit
questions. Um, and we're going to be updating those questions tomorrow. So there's still time to ask questions. Um, and then we will answer those questions um, up here tomorrow at 4. And um the next one that we are putting together is going to be at East Hampton High School
in the auditorium uh June 2nd and that will be at 6 p.m. And I'm hoping to have all of our department heads there as well um so we can have like a really comprehensive um review of the impacts of uh the
current uh budget. Uh and I believe that does it for me. Thank you. >> Thank you so much. I know residents have been asking for this, so I'm glad that your office is doing that. Do you uh councelor Marky, you have a question? >> Um, Mayor Derby, what time on June 2nd?
>> 6 p.m. >> Oh. Oh, he said it. I'm sorry. My apologies. >> Any other questions for the mayor? Nope. Seeing none. Uh, president, vice president, communications. Uh, just want to remind folks that on Monday will be
the Memorial Day parade. Uh, so very excited that we'll be having that. Uh, I believe the start time is 10 a.m. Um, so look forward to seeing everybody there. Um, Vice President Jadz, do you have anything? >> Uh, yes. Very briefly, um, I'm just
sharing out in, uh, my capacity as a member on the appointments committee. I just wanted to share that, um, we're hoping to share out vacancies that are on city committees in the upcoming months. And the first one I'd like to share tonight is for the East Hampton Cultural Council, which is a local
cultural council chapter of the Mass Cultural Council. Essentially, uh, briefly speaking, this group gets together and gives out grants to folks who are doing projects in arts, culture, and humanities. I'm a past chair of the ECC before I came on council. Uh, most
of the ECC current board is cycling off at the end of this year, and they desperately need new members. So, if you're interested, please go to the website and fill out an application form or feel free to contact myself and I'll be happy to share more about that. >> Great. Thank you. Uh, council
communication announcements. Uh, councelor Marquee. >> Yes. Thank you, President Denim. Um, the summer reading program begins at the library Monday, June 22nd. It is all ages. Um, so if you're going to be
reading this summer anyway, you might as well read and earn some prizes. Again, that's Monday, June 22nd at the library. Thank you. >> Great. Uh, Councelor Jam Quaid. >> Thank you, Madam President. Uh, so just my normal reminder about the Eastampton Tenants Union. They meet uh every
Thursday from 5:30 to 7:00 in these chambers. Um, they also have a website and newsletter that I encourage everyone to check out. Um, I also want to remind everyone that the East Hampton Rent Study Committee is developing a home rule petition for local rent stabilization policy. As part of that,
we are hosting listening sessions uh to gather input um and answer questions about um and to educate the community about um what that looks like. Uh our first one was last Thursday and was uh very successful. Um our next one is this Thursday, the 21st um at 6 p.m. and
that's in conference room B. Um, and the focus is uh on landlords and developers, but everyone in the public is welcome. Um, thank you. >> Thank you, Councelor Kazinski. >> As we uh approach uh Memorial Day and
giving honor to those who have given the ultimate sacrifice and those who have served. I just wanted to ask everyone to if you happen to go by a cemetery and see the flags that are there with the
veterans plaques that have been people have put up. No one who served said I'm going to be the one who gives the ultimate sacrifice. Everyone put themselves at risk and they deserve our appreciation and honor
at this time. So when you go out there, take a walk through the cemeteries, say thank you. >> Thank you, Council Kinski. Uh standing committee reports, uh finance. Chair Peak,
>> thank you, Madam President. Um well, we uh have been quite busy recently. Um we uh did uh two uh budget hearings uh last week. Uh we're going to be doing two more uh next week on the
coming uh Wednesday and Thursday uh at 6 p.m. Uh I would really encourage everybody to take part in those especially members of the public. I'm trying to have there be opportunities for people to ask questions and then
it's we can't always get an answer right away, but I'm I'm asking the department heads to just send information back to us so that we we have information for our final one which will be on June 1st. Um but uh yeah, so that's going to be
we're going to be meeting about those um next week and then uh depending on I don't know uh depending on the timeline for these appropriations, we we might need to figure out some other time to meet to talk about those. Um the new
business that is um but I guess we'll get to that new business. So uh that concludes. >> Great. Thank you, Chair Peak. Uh, public safety chair Newton. >> Um, we have not met since our last meeting, but we will be meeting on June
2nd um at 5 in, I believe, conference room 1. Um, it will be a short meeting because we do want to end before the um mayor's department thing at the high school. >> That concludes.
>> Great appointments. Chair Smith. >> Uh, thank you, Madam President. We met on Monday night um to review our ongoing agenda items of looking at how we are advertising for board and committee vacancies and just reviewing and
recruitment. But the one thing that we also did was we reviewed uh Jonathan Schmidt as the city council appointee for the TNGI um committee. As we were talking with councelor Schmidt, he was talking a lot
about um his desire to be on this committee and um we all felt that due to his um role with the public library that he would be a really good information gatherer and um fact shareer for this
particular committee. So we voted uh 3 to zero to not to just recognize that we also approve it. We are aware that it is a president appointment. However, we also wanted to be very transparent about
um what what his role in that would be or at least what his qualifications would be for that role. Um and so this concludes. >> Did you vote to appoint him? >> Yes. Three to zero. Uh, do we want to
approve that as a committee? >> Yep. >> Okay. Make a motion. >> Make I don't know quite how to say it. I'll make a motion for us to approve the appointment of Jonathan Schmidt to the
TNGDI committee. Second. >> So, I have a motion and a second to uh appoint uh Councelor Jonathan Schmidt to the TNGI committee. Uh, any further discussion? >> Uh, >> I see you're looking at me.
>> I just want to say I appreciate you stepping up and um um supporting this uh committee. Um obviously whenever we take on additional responsibilities and things like that, that's um um
appreciated. And certainly I I know that this committee is looking forward to getting going. So, you know, for you to step up and and take on that responsibility is um is that appreciated. >> Um so, I will of course abstain from this
vote. Um but I just wanted to say first of all, thank you for the opportunity. Um those who have been here and who have followed of course know it's been uh a little over a year now um that uh it's taken to kind of get up and running and
uh it's easy to um look at or to get you know swept up in what's happening in the world and all of the many things that we have to worry about. Um but the core reason that this was brought forward in
the first place has certainly not gone away uh and I know that it's still a very real um fear for uh our transgender neighbors. uh and um certainly uh the
the sort of fight and concern for uh people of all ages, but especially our youth in in obtaining uh gender affirming care is is as important as ever. And so I'm really looking forward to to doing the work and uh to um meeting all the the great folks who are
going to be part of this, I'm sure. >> Great. Thank you. Uh all those in favor >> I >> uh opposed same >> abstain. >> One extension motion passes. >> Um
and just for uh uh additional information in the ordinance uh the uh chair of the school committee is also asked to appoint um someone and that's going to be Atkins uh from the school
committee. So um that's an opportunity there to prevent we need to to start um ordinance chair jamuquade. >> Thank you madam president. Um so the ordinance committee last met on May 12th. Um and luckily tonight we got a
few big things off of our agenda. So thank you for that. Um but on the other number of items on the agenda, including the ordinance review committees report from 2021, the residency requirements for memberships on committees, the cannabis equity ordinance, um and the following sections of the affordable and
fair housing zoning recommendations. We're still sort of in the information gathering stage on those items. Um so we're going to be um addressing those as we move forward. Um uh regarding the ordinance review committee's final report, I know that I
need to request an extension on that. So, I would like to make a motion to request a 90-day extension on the or uh ordinance review committee's final report. Second, >> I have a motion and a second to extend the ordinance review committee's final report uh by 90 days. Um any further
discussion? Seeing none, all those in favor? Opposed? Motion passes. >> All right. Um the other thing that I wanted to note was um the sandwich board signs and city and zoning ordinance. Um, so after a closer review and discussion with the committee at our last meeting,
um, and as well as other conversations I've had with city staff, um, we determined that the be best pass, uh, best path forward for this item would be to remove it without, um, prejudice and resubmit, um, a new business of new business item related to the broader sign uh, sections of the zoning um, and
general ordinances. It it felt like addressing this one piece would be sort of insufficient because the whole thing just needs a lot more work. Um, so I would like to make a motion to remove without prejudice the review of sandwich board signs in city and zoning ordinance. Second. >> So I have a motion and a second to
remove without prejudice the review of sandwich board signs in city and zoning ordinances. Um, any further discussion? >> Seeing none. All those in favor? Opposed? Abstensions? Motion passes. >> All right. Um, so our next meeting is
June 9th at 6 PM in conference room 1. Uh, thus concludes. Great. >> Thank you for that. Uh property chairwisinski. >> Thank you, madame president. Uh we had uh two requests uh from planning and
community development from uh director Allison Manuel to uh begin authorization for Parsons and Ferry Street preliminary eminent domain proceedings and eminent domain proceedings for Emerald Place.
One project has to do with stabilization of the soils on along the pond and the other one has to do with the development of the safety of the intersection at Parsons and Ferry
Street and taking some land there. Uh we studied the matter, asked lots of questions. It's getting very late. Director Emanuel stayed uh here to be able to help us with any questions that you might have. Basically, this project
has been ongoing ongoing for quite some time. The Parsons and Ferry Street intersection, if you're familiar with the city and you've driven out there, left turns out of Parson's Street are particularly uh troublesome. Uh also going to the right is troublesome. It's
hard to be able to see uh coming up the hill. This will move the uh u side and develop allow for the development of a sidewalk along those lands, but it will require the taking of easements on people's properties. Uh fortunately, it
looks like none of the areas have buildings right near that section. This is the land that is furthest from the structures. Uh it's always uh a touchy subject with me personally.
Anytime the the city is involved with eminent domain proceedings and the taking of land, it's something we want to be sure that we do. Well, in fact, the planning department has sent letters to each and every individual and to be sure that they were aware. They're aware
of no the planning department has disclosed to us no concerns from any of the particular owners. And again, what we're being asked to do is authorize a preliminary uh ability for the mayor to do the negotiations. This matter has to
come back before us in order to get final approval for eminent do any eminent domains takings. uh even though if they are easements and temporary or permanent easements uh we're happy to describe more of the particulars of the
project or to do the readings and make the motions to get the process started. >> Uh does anyone have any questions regarding this? Um planning director Emanuel, do you have anything that you
would like to be careful or uh speak to the council? Chase around a toddler when I'm not here, so I'm good. Um, I just I just want to clarify. You said I didn't disclose any concerns of any property owners. I don't want to speak on the property owner's behalf, so that I it just didn't feel comfortable leaving
that statement out there. Um, but they will be compensated um according accordingly. >> Okay, great. Thank you very much. kind of the what I mean to quote is the letter from director Manuel which says we have
been in contact with the affected property owners who are supportive of the project >> and uh would you have to state your name >> not to say that no one had any issues or there was no concerns or there would not be concerns in the future but that it
appeared that everyone was supportive of the project is the language we discussed in committee and therefore made our recommendation to zero for >> approval. So, planning director Alison Emanuel, I can clarify that is related to the Emerald Place project. There's only two property owners that are affected as part of that project and we
we have gotten um support from both of them. The I I was referring to the Ferry and Parson Street project. It's still the case that they've all been notified, but I I don't want to speak that they have given their um overwhelming support to it.
>> Great. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you for that clarification. >> Uh there's no other questions. Do you want to read the motions? >> I'd be happy to make the motion. Let's uh take the issue on slope stabilization and resiliency
improvements. uh the city of East Hampton, Massachusetts city who desires the to undertake slope stabilization and storm water management improvements in and adjacent to portions of Emerald Place and Glen Cove Place shown on a plan of
land entitled easement plan prepared for the CDV Stampton Emerald Place Stampton Mass dated March 2, 2026 by Gutlo and Associates Incorporated and stamped by Frederick J. Haley pls the plan. It is necessary for the city to acquire by
eminent domain taking permanent and temporary easements over certain parcels of land as shown on the plan and chapter 40 section 14 chapter 79 section 1 act sick and chapter 82 section 24 the
Massachusetts general laws and other applicable statutes and any and every power and authority to grant to it granted or implied and the charter of the for the city allow the city to acquire ire easements over real property by eminent domain for municipal
purposes. I move that the city council for the city of East Stampton, Massachusetts vote to authorize the mayor of the city as necessary to enter into all agreements and executes any and all instruments necessary to complete the preliminary work necessary to affectuate the order of taking.
>> Second. So I have a motion and a second uh for the author authorization um to authorize work on imminent domain taking. Um any further discussion um seeing none all those in favor?
Opposed abstain motion passes. I'll now read the uh authorization for work on eminent domain takings for improvements to the Ferry Street and Parson Street intersection in East Hampton. The city of East Ham, Massachusetts. The city desires to expand and reconstruct all or
portions of Ferry and Parson Street shown on a plan of land entitled layout plans showing location of easements for the purposes of reconstructing Parson Street at Ferry Street for the city of Eastampton dated April 23, 2026 by VHB Incorporated and stamped by Christopher
C. Danforth pls. the plan. It's necessary for the city to acquire by eminent domain the permanent and temporary taking temporary easements over certain parcels of land as shown on the plan and chapter 40 section 14 chapter 79 section one at sick and
chapter 82 section 8024 of the Massachusetts general laws and other applicable statutes and any and every power and authority to it granted or implied and the charter for the city allow the city to acquire easements over real property by eminent domain for
municipal purposes. I move that the city council for the city of East Stamp, Massachusetts vote to authorize the mayor and the of the city of of as necessary to enter into all agreements and execute any and all instruments necessary to complete the preliminary
work necessary to effectuate an order of taking. >> Second. I have a motion and a second to authorize work on imminent domain takings for improvements to the Ferry Street and Parson Street intersection and East Hampton. Um, any further discussion?
>> None. All those in favor? >> Opposed? Stain. Motion passes. >> That concludes the property report. >> Great. Uh, thank you, Chair Kisinski. Uh, rules and government relations. Chair Kuisinski. >> The rules and government relations has the code of conduct for appointed
members and boards. uh committees and commissions on its uh docket and uh we'll be getting to that but with the budget and the financing it looks like that will not occur in May. So that concludes. >> Great.
>> Thank you, Chair Krosinski. Uh we have no business. Um new business. Um actually, we're going to keep this now. So based on what was said, so 102. >> Um All right. So for new business, we have a city council action request to
review MGL chapter 59 section 5 clause 41A to allow qualifying senior citizens age 65 plus to delay payment of all or part of their property taxes. And I'd like to make a motion to refer this to the finance committee. >> Second. >> Have a motion and a second to review MGL
chapter 59 section 5 clause 41A to allow qual qualifying senior citizens age 65 plus to delay payment of all or part of their property taxes to finance. Um any further discussion?
Seeing none, all those in favor? Opposed? Abstain. Motion passes. Um, next I'm going to pass it to Chair Peak. >> Okay. Um, before I go, is there anybody here from the city who still who can say
whether there is an important reason why we have to hold these public hearings at our next city council meeting and not the one after that? I there was a deadline for the gazette ad by noon today and I did put in an ad
they would be at the next meeting June 3rd but I suppose you could open the meeting and continue them. Um okay >> I had to. >> So they're listed for June 3rd. So we'll put it for June 3rd. I'm just saying I I want to I want to connect with the city people and if there's a chance that we
can just continue those we might need to because we are holding we're doing three budget hearings right now that I expect to be very long in the next 14 days and I'm just not sure how realistic it is that we're going to have time to give these a thoughtful read but we'll do what we got to do.
>> Great. >> Auditor Patel I see you online. Is it pos do you see a need for us to do this at the next meeting or can it wait till the second meeting in June?
>> Uh let me let me see the appropriate on the table. >> I guess if we put it in the gazette anyway then we got to say that and we can figure this out on >> Yeah. Yep. I just want to make sure. So
my all of them is okay to process except Oh, >> can you hear me? >> Yeah, we can hear you. >> Okay. All of them we can postpone all of them except the election budget because that will be expense will take place
um well before the next or the following city council meeting is going to take place. >> Understood. Okay. So, we'll we'll have I'm going to set them all for the third with the understanding that we might just touch on that one at one of the budget meetings and then
>> we'll work on the rest. Okay. So, as one motion, I'm going to uh make a motion to send the following uh supplemental appropriation requests to the finance committee and set a
public hearing for uh June 3rd at 6:15 in these chambers. Um request is hereby made for approval of the following appropriation. Amount requested $20,000 to be transferred from
free cash $20,000 to be transferred to school Medicare $14,000 Medicare tax $6,000. The amount requested will be used for the following purpose to cover the remaining fiscal year uh required Medicare tax. Next one.
Uh, request is hereby made for approval of the following appropriation. Amount requested, $23,000 to be transferred from free cash, $23,000 to be transferred to auditor salary, $23,000. The amount requested will be used for the following purpose. to cover the
reinstated hours from 70 to 80 hours for the second half of fiscal year 2026 and overtime to work on the F Y25 and FY26 backlog. Request is hereby made for approval of the following appropriation. Amount
requested $16,000 to be uh transferred from account 001 000013590. $16,000 to be transferred to election workers $11,500. Computer services $4,500.
The amount requested will be used for the following purpose. to cover costs for election workers, ballot printing, and programming of voting machines for the June 9th, 2026 spe uh special city election. Request is hereby made for approval of
the following appropriation. Amount requested $582,500 to be transferred from free cash582500,500 to be transferred to snow overtime $65,636. Snow equipment rental $153,465.
Snow miscellaneous professional services uh $6,600. Snow repair and maintenance $14,000. Snow chemical $37,250. Salt $241,375 and school plowing $64,174.
The amount requested will be used for the following purpose. The Department of Public Works has experienced a short hall of $582,500 in the snow and ice removal budget for FY 2026. We are requesting funds to be transferred from free cash to cover this
deficiency. Request is hereby made for the following appropriation. An amount requested $60,182.116 to be transferred from free cash $60,182.16 to be transferred to uh
conserve systems uh uh health system other expenditures school account $48,52916 city account This one's a little hard to read exactly how this is, but school nurses system
professional salary school account city account uh $11,653. The amount requested will be used for the following purpose. Cover unanticipated expenses related to a medical leave and vacancy of school
nursing staff. Expenses included the cost of using a PDM nurse through a staffing agency as well as the increased personnel cost of the new employee hired to fill the vacancy. Request is hereby made for approval of
the following appropriation. Amount requested $10,000 to be transferred from free cash $10,000 to be transferred to city attorney professional expenses $10,000. The amount requested will be used for the following purpose to cover the
remaining fiscal year uh city legal expenses. And finally requested hereby made for approval of the following appropriation amount requested $8,700 to be transferred from free cash $8,700 to be transferred to park site
improvements $8,700. The amount requested will be used for the following purpose. 12 month rental of a maintenance office trailer. >> I have a motion and a second to um send the following seven supplemental
appropriation requests to the finance committee and set a public hearing for June 3rd uh at 6:15 in these chambers. Uh any further discussion? >> Seeing none. All those in favor?
Opposed? extensions. Motion passes. Um that is everything on our agenda. >> Second. >> I have a motion to uh adjourn I and a second. Uh all those in favor
>> motion passes. >> Thank you. than our local cable subscribers.