This government meeting is brought to you by Eastworks and our local cable subscribers. >> Good evening. Welcome to the East Hampton City Council meeting for Wednesday, January 7th, 2026. The meeting tonight is being recorded and
broadcast by emeddia on charter channel 193 and live streaming on their web page eastampton media.org. Counselors and the part participants in this meeting are gathered 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 >> JP Kisinski >> here. >> Connie Denham >> here. >> Tamara Smith >> here. >> Felicia Jadzac >> here. >> Tom Peak >> here. >> Jonathan Schmidt >> here. >> Amanda Newton >> here. >> Taam Jamrock McUade >> here. >> Nathan Marquee
>> here. >> Great. Thank you. Um we're going to have a a moment of silence, but um you know before we do that, I just want to acknowledge the um tragedy um that
happened today in Minneapolis. Um it was a tragic loss of life today. Um so I just I I hope everyone is taking this opportunity of moment of silence to to think about your families, your loved ones. Um, and so please use this time to
to think about what you need to think about in order to be present this evening. Thank you. Thank you. Um, 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. I'm here to work for you. >> Great. Thank you so much. Uh we have
some minutes that we need to approve for December 17th, 2025. Um I will take a motion to approve those. >> Some move. >> Second. >> I have a motion and a second. All those in favor? >> I I uh all those opposed
>> abstain. >> Any abstensions? >> Abstain. >> I guess I'll also listen. >> Yep. So, we have two extensions, right? Great. Um we have the honor this evening of uh swearing in our new firefighter, uh Ryan Jenner. Uh and I'd like to
invite uh Mayor Derby up to do the honors of that as well as Chief Norris. >> Thank you. And as the mayor and our new firefighter are making their way up, um I again want to welcome and congratulate the uh entire new city council uh
council here with us uh going into 2026. So congratulations again to all of you. Um as you all start off in your new roles for the city as city leadership, um I just wanted to kind of give you the backdrop as to this process. Over the last six years, um we brought forward
all of our new employees to come before this body for the city leadership um to allow you to um put a face to the name to your public servants uh serving the community of East Hampton. Um we've really tried to engage city leadership not only in the swearing in process but
also in the hiring process. We've reached out through the public safety committee and the chair of that committee over the last five plus years to be part of the interview process for these new employees. Um, so really from start to finish here today, swearing in
Ryan Jennifer, um, this group has the ability to, uh, see these new public safety officials coming in that that serve you and your community. So, we appreciate the opportunity to come before you tonight. So, with that, I'll step aside and let Mayor Derby uh, swear in our new firefighter, Ryan Shenner.
>> Thank you, Chief Norris. >> Where's your right hand, please? >> I state your name. do solemnly swear >> I, Ranch, do solemnly swear >> that I will faithfully and impartially >> that I will faithfully and impartially >> discharge and perform the duties incumbent upon me
>> discharge one more time >> discharge and perform the duties incumbent upon me >> discharge and perform the duties incumbent upon me >> as a firefighter for the city of East Hampton. >> as a firefighter for the city of East Hampton. >> according to the best of my knowledge and abilities. >> according to the best of my knowledge and abilities.
>> Agreeably to the rules and regulations. agreeably to the rules and regulations >> of the United of the Constitution of the United States of America. >> of the Constitution of the United States of America, >> the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts >> the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts >> and the city of East Hampton >> and the city of East Hampton.
>> Congratulations. >> Congratulations. Congratulations. >> Congratulations. >> And again, thank you all for that opportunity. Greatly appreciated. >> Very appreciate you. >> Uh the next thing we'd like to do is we'd like to recognize uh former city
councelor, now our state rep, uh Omar Gomez. Um uh Mayor Derby, if you'd like to join me. Um So, Representative Gomez, uh, you know, you served on city council from 2018 to
2024 and from 2022 to 204, you serve as our city council president. So, it was certainly a great honor that we had the opportunity to work with you and certainly your vice president here um, and now mayor, right? Um, so we just like to present that to you with just
gratitude and appreciation for all that you've done for the city of East Hampton. >> Thank you so much. >> Appreciate. >> Yeah, please. continues to do. >> Yes. And continues to do. RIGHT. >> I'm going to be brief. Yeah. Right. Um first, thank you. Um
for me, it was a honor to uh being serving as a city council for four terms. Uh but forget about me, forget about this for a second. I just want to congratulate the council as a whole and for the first time ever in Eastampton we
have two women's in the highest positions at the city council. Congratulation madame president. Congratulation madame vice president. This is a great sample of what we need in our nation in our commonwealth. And
thank you. Thank you for everything you guys been doing. Um, someone asked me today about my job in Boston and I said that in Boston was, believe it or not, easier to take a vote than here. Uh,
really, I'm not joking. Here, exactly at the second I took a vote here, my neighbors, the people who live in Eastampton congratulate me or fight against me right away. And Boston is is a different
way. We have 160 members there. So, it's a little different. But again, again, my credits to you guys. I think you guys do the right thing choosing two women's to be leaders in in our city. And I cannot imagine the first picture of this group
of people having five, not two, not three, five women's in the center of that table. Uh because I'm including the clerk. So I'm so happy to see that many women's in this group and the diverse in this group too. Thank you and thank you
for the black. >> Appreciate you. >> Uh now we're going to have uh public comment. So, if you have uh anything that you would like to speak about to the uh to city council that is not on
our agenda, um you know, now is your opportunity to um to get up and speak. You will have three minutes. Um at the 2 minutes and 30 seconds, uh we will kind of give you a signal um
that you have 30 seconds left. Um so please kind of wrap up your thoughts at uh once the time is um concluded. I do want to um make note that um because this is not what you're speaking about is not on our agenda. Um counselors do
not have the opportunity to respond uh to the comments. So I just want you to keep in mind that if there's questions that you have and things like that, we're just we're just not able to respond. But we will make note of that and we will outreach to you uh for uh further information. Um we will start
with the folks in the room uh and then we will to move to folks uh online. So, if there's anyone in the room who would like to speak and it looks like um councelor Quisinski putting on my hat as private citizen
James Kisenski, 47 Hannen Brook Drive, I just couldn't help but to say to everyone in East Hampton, take note what happened in Minneapolis. Take note. Watch the videos.
Watch the comments of those in Washington who are defending the actions of what seems to me to be a clear murder. A shot through the side of a window killing
a civilian is not self-defense. A shot to defend oneself would have gone right through the windshield if a car is coming at the person. I heard a secretary of homeland security described
their the action as self-defense. As someone in Minneapolis said today, I try not to use those words. That's BS. That's a cover up. And for those action, those words to be spoken immediately after what was done without a formal
investigation is more BS. ICE, get out of Minneapolis. On one other note, I think every veteran in this country ought to take note of what's happening
to the senator from Arizona that they be asked to cut their rank or forced to cut their rank and their retirement because they stood up for the Constitution and said, "Obey only legal
laws, legal orders." >> That's two. That too is BS. Should never happen to anyone who's defending the Constitution as they swore to do.
We saw swearing in today. We saw swearing in earlier this week. We agree to defend the Constitution. Defend it. Thank you.
Anyone else? >> Great. Please state your name and address for the record. >> Carl Prawl, 22 Gaston. Um, firstly, I have to say thank you very much, Councelor Denham. Counselor
Quizent Gage for bringing this up front and foremost. I think it's on the front of all of our minds or should be. Um, you know, I had planned to come down here and talk about public safety and how dangerous it is to walk down on Cottage Street. A friend of mine was hit
in a crosswalk a month ago and just walking down tonight, I had to jump out before somebody hit me in the illuminated crosswalk. It's a problem. But ICE murdered Renee Good today in Minneapolis. You know, according to Christy Gnomes,
the ICE agent was acting in self-defense. You know, basically by shooting a domestic terrorist. That's what the Department of Homeland Security would have us believe. According to my lying eyes and several
different angles of video, it sure looked like a mass thug murdering a fleeing woman. And it's not the first time. You know, Renee Good joins I don't even know how many bodies in Los Angeles and Chicago at this point. And we are so
quick to gloss over the death toll in other countries as we partake in law enforcement activities. I wish I had a more eloquent speech to give you to motivate our council, our
city, our governor, our community to act up and stand up. And all I really have is history to fall back on. You know, in 1851, Syracuse, New York was faced with a similar situation where the law said
that certain human beings were chatt. And if they escaped, US marshals and bounty hunters could capture them and return them as property. In 1951, Syracuse, New York said, "No, we the people are not going to allow thugs to
come into our community." And when the US marshals arrived, they were met with a crowd of angry Yankees armed and said, "No, in response, uh, Jerry Henry, William Henry was his name, and he was freed. He was saved."
And I strongly suggest everyone look into the Jerry Rescue and other towns in the 1850s in our country who stood up to what was clearly unethical laws, clearly immoral laws and had the audacity and the gumption to
change them. I wish you all well in these very trying times and know that we need to insulate ourselves to ha exercise sovereignty here in East Hampton to make sure we can keep the lights on and the trash going that we actually have doctors here in town when
Trump decides to cut funding because we won't tow the line on whatever his Gustapa wants to do next. We need to act proactively, but we also need to act with love and make sure we carry everyone with us. We cannot leave anyone
behind in these times. Thank you. >> Thank you. Anyone else in the room who would like to speak? >> Please state your name and address for the record. >> Steve, where I live in East Hampton. I've been in here for 26 years. I live over on Cal off street over at the rail
hail rail trail apartment complex. Been there for 26 years. Uh I'd like to bring the topic a little bit more to home here. Rent increases. Uh different landlords jacking things through the roof. Um we've had several different complexes
had issues recently. um where different complexes formed groups and trying to organize to get landlords to mediate some of these increases. Uh Panace owned the place when I was
there. First three years, no rent increase. And you know, times were different back then, too. Less expenses. A $25 increase, $50 increase, $75 increase, lease after lease after lease after lease. That's a landlord. Somebody
who's looking into the future, okay, of providing housing, okay, for people who want to rent. Giving somebody a lease for a year and then wiping it out and going monthtomonth is not a landlord who's
interested in building a community, okay, and having people stay here. They're interested in being able to increase their rents for whatever reason they want. if they have a water leak and they don't know about it because they're not maintaining their building correctly and then they increase everybody $50 a
month because the water went up or the usage is up. That's over $700 that I've paid so far now for their water leak that they didn't know about. Anyway, um my rent just went up to $1,600 for a
two-bedroom apartment. It was at $1275. It was increased, okay, $150 already this year. Now, I just got hit with a $325 increase. The paperwork says we don't want to do this, but we have to. The
paperwork says we want to maintain safety when none of the lights work outside. Okay. Um, they talk about the increased maintenance. Uh, the equity in your building has gone up. It's doubled. Increased maintenance. they haven't done really much maintenance on the outside
of the building. The bottom line is that it states that because there's a pending law, okay, that might go through in November of 2026, okay, and then would be finalized in January of 2027, we have to
retroactively increase everybody's rents the year before so we don't get hit with that rent freeze. to me. How could that be legal? How can you do that? How can you say, "I'm an investor. I'm
self-employed. I'm a landlord, and this is my business, and I see down the road where there could be a potential for me to make profit. So because of that, I'm going to supersede a law, okay, that may
or may not pass and go ahead and charge you those rates. Now, it's ridiculous. I mean, my and and then when I specifically asked, I was I was told, okay, well, it's because of this law, and this is why we need to do this
because if we change these rents, so as of the first, everybody's rents went up. If you pay the increase, you agree. If you don't pay the increase, possibly you'll end up getting evicted. Okay? But I should at 67 years old, okay, should
pay $3,600, okay, a year more, okay, for for this to help ensure somebody else's business venture? Is he asking me to go ahead and buy into his business? Am I Am I going to am I
getting a rate of return? What's my rate of return? What am I getting? Am I part of your LLC now? Can I borrow against your equity? Those things sound ridiculous. How could you put those together? No more ridiculous than going ahead and saying there may or may not be
a rent increase, but because there may be, we need to do this to protect ourselves. You're looking into the future. There's a comet floating around out there. Can we all turn around and say we want to do anything from A to Z to protect ourselves from the comet?
It's it's it's it's ridiculous. >> So, I'm a bit nervous here, especially because you're recording it because if my landlord sees this, I'll end up, >> you know, okay, so you're the wise guy. But we did form a group and we do meet
on Thursdays and there are other apartment complexes and other groups and whatnot, but you guys look, you're here in East Hampton, >> you know, I've seen it change so much. Some good, some bad. Okay, but this is through the roof. It's ridiculous.
Nobody can afford to live. I gota What? What? One of the reasons I'm here isn't just for me. I have a neighbor who's 90 years old and his wife has terminal cancer. She has about 4 months left to live. She's gone. Okay. $300 rent increase. And I said, "How could you do
that? How could you do that? It has nothing to do with what anybody's finances are, whether they can afford it or can't afford it, whatever their health is, whatever they're seniors or not. It has to do with a pending possible law that might pass. So, we need to butter up our bottom line. Okay,
good. I talked about putting it in escrow accounts. >> If you could just wrap up your wrap up your thought. >> Yes, I talked about putting it in escrow accounts. Can we hold the money aside? Can we do this? Can we do that? What if the law doesn't pass? Are you going to give us the money back? Dead silence.
>> Well, we'll talk about that then. What are you going to do? You going to give us 10%. Perhaps you say, "Well, we had increases. Would you put it in writing?" Dead silence. So, this is ridiculous. I mean, somebody needs to to get to the bottom of this. And quite honestly on this law, if they have certain lines
where they're stipulating certain things, what's going to go on that law, okay? If I have to take every last penny I own is a line that states if you deliberately went ahead and increased your rents verbally and in writing to supersede the
law, you don't qualify for that. >> All right. Thank you so much. >> Okay. Thank you for your time. Thank you for everybody for being here and hopefully something positive will come out of the rental situation, the scenario here in East Hampton and in the entire community.
>> Appreciate that. Um just just for the record, right? Uh so public or um uh opportunity for public comment is three minutes. We don't have very many people here tonight, which is why I gave some additional extra time there. And I also
recognize this is a really difficult topic for a lot of people that's being impacted. So I just want you to know I'm I'm >> It's one thing to have increased expenses. Yep. >> It's another thing to go ahead and do what's going on here. It's just not >> Yep. Absolutely. So just want to
acknowledge that. Um anyone else in the room who would like to speak? >> Anyone online who would like to speak? Um I see Lindsay Sakula. Uh go ahead. Uh please state your name and
um address for the record. >> Good evening everyone. Lindsay Sakula, precinct 3. Um I come in peace tonight and I just want to say congratulations to everyone on city council. Um I know
each and every one of you and have deep respect for each and every one of you up there. Um, I'm so proud of you all for running and securing your seats on council and I look forward to all the work um you have ahead of you and that
you are going to do. And a special congratulations to um President uh Denim and Vice President Jadzik. This is um truly amazing to see you both in leadership roles and um I'm just so very proud of you all. So, just sending my
congratulations tonight and um always a phone call away for all of you. >> Great. Thank you. Anyone else online who would like to speak, please raise your hand, your virtual hand.
All right, seeing none. Um great. So, uh we have some items for immediate attention. Um the first thing we'd like to do is take about five to seven minutes to give um the reorganization of our um city council committees uh the
opportunity to decide and to to connect to decide and select uh chair and clerk uh for their committee. So, if we could just take uh that time so we could just break up in our committees to to make that decision and then when you're done, if the uh chair uh can just write who
that is on this sheet of paper, which I will have back here. So, if we could just take a few minutes to do that, that'd be great. >> Three of us right here. All right. >> Which committee are we >> Okay. >> Um, councelor Krosinski, would you be open
to sharing >> property? Well, I think I was doing that and and fin because you were handling all the vice president and the acting president do this, but I I'm not particularly interested in sharing to committing
to seeing the final as would you be interested if that works. >> If that works for everybody, I'm happy to do it. I would make a motion to nominate JP Kazinski as the >> Okay. >> Um
I'd be open to clerking or I don't know if you'd be interested in doing that or >> that's mainly just taking the minutes and yeah I can do that. >> Okay. I would nominate Kai Kler Jam on Mcquade as a clerk. >> Do you know what you're getting into?
>> It's not so bad. >> It's not so bad. Uh but uh it can be stickers to get the information detail. >> Yeah. So what I what I would ask is that
as soon as possible after the meetings and we have to have that before that being said I'll make a All right,
>> easy enough. >> I just don't know. I like to do it on my camera type. So I'll just do it by hand. If I screw up, somebody can yell at me. If you guys like my minutes, you want to
like make sure >> No pressure. We might be kind of quick if uh we kind of deliberate here. >> This is how >> anyone can have I just brought it for the meeting if they would left from the I don't have any left from
the swearing in someone. How do you feel about >> that? Is that's a strength that I feel like I experience running for any committees. >> That's true. >> Yeah. But at least we don't have to quum
just between the two of us. That's important. me. Um, so let me tell you what I am kind of most interested in for the committee and I say this as whatever my goal is. Um
uh so I think one of my kind of talks when I was starting the campaign was this idea of the hazard preparedness and so I was very interested to see this thing come today and it's not originally super like immediately apparent to me the connection between that public
it became clear and so one of the things I feel like is important coming out of that and I would love to see committee kind of looking at regardless of leadership is this piece of public education and bringing public awareness to it. And I feel like that's something
about your experience in education and I want to talk about straight down. So to nominate I second Yeah, >> abstain. >> Um,
>> okay. writing on paper. >> Yeah, the paper. >> I'm not sorry. >> Yeah, cool. >> Say >> I said I said Connie. I said I should
say president. Jam, are you still at your appointment? >> I have some questions. >> Don't worry. I'm like really excited about all your climate change stuff. Really exciting and educational.
Oh, this is from finance meets every off Wednesday. >> Thank you. >> I would gladly meet you. >> I don't know when you get out prior to >> Great. Thank you everybody. So, we have
our chairs and clerks uh ready for uh this term. Um our our uh chairs will be uh setting up meetings with their um prospective committees. Um and when you do that, please communicate with our
clerk's office uh to find room locations and times, etc. So, appreciate that. Um next item on business is for city council to uh reconfirm the resolution pertaining to discrimination and intolerance. and I'm going to turn that over to Vice President Jadzik.
>> Thank you so much, Madam President. Um, I'm going to read this out in the form of a motion. >> So, the East Hampton City Council >> Before you do that, sorry. Is there any counselor uh who has concerns and would like to send this to committee before uh to committee? So, we don't have to vote
on it tonight. We can send it to committee um or we can choose to vote on that. So, if I see no opposition to that, um go ahead. I will now read this out in the form of a motion. Um the East Hampton City Council resolution pertaining to
discrimination and intolerance. Whereas one of the fundamental core values of the city of East Hampton is to treat all persons with respect and dignity. And whereas the city of East Hampton values all of its citizens and recognizes that the many races and ethnicities of its citizens have contributed to the
strength of character of East Hampton. And whereas the city of East Hampton recognizes the strength in the diversity and inclusiveness of its citizenry. And now therefore be it hereby resolved that the city of East Hampton and its representatives shall not condone or
tolerate any form of discrimination and will create basis of inclusion by challenging any and all forms of discrimination on the basis of race, color, class, religious creed, age, familial status, national origin,
immigration status, sexual orientation, sex, gender identity or expression, disabilities or veteran status. We'll second that. >> Great. So, I have a motion and a second. Um, all those in favor? >> I
>> uh any opposition? Any abstensions? No. Great. Motion passes. Uh, great. So, um, next item is communication from elected officials, boards, and um, commissions. Uh, it does say correspondence. So, one of the
things that we are going to uh attempt to do is to have some of our um departments as well as committees take advantage of the opportunity to provide uh uh correspondence and uh communication with city council uh in this next term. So, that is something
that we will be working on um to um just increase um access to council but also just uh support transparency from uh committees and and departments. So um appreciate that. Uh next is um president
vice president communication. Uh I just want to take a a quick moment uh to uh extend my um thanks to the council for the opportunity to uh lead as president this term. Um I I I am deeply grateful.
Um but with that uh prior to to or most importantly what I again would like to to emphasize is is my appreciation for um councelor Kuisinski and your leadership to this council um in the last uh term. It was certainly greatly
appreciated. Um, I think it was a particularly difficult time for council and um your leadership uh really um uh uh got us through uh in one piece and and uh as a collective. So I certainly
thank you for your ongoing leadership. Um and um you know I I was reflecting on um this um statement um and affirmation
and I know that um Representative Gomez spoke to this already, but you know we do have uh two women in in leadership on this on the council, but we also have for the first time four democratically elected women who are sitting on this
council uh as Well, and you know, the the choices and the decisions and our actions that we make um and our commitment to things like um uh eliminating discrimination and
intolerance must have a ripple effect in our community. And I think it's it's largely to the actions of of council and our commitment and our voice uh to support equity and equality that we are
able to have such a diverse body uh of of leaders on council uh today. So, I just really want to um to to say that I I hope that we continue to be leaders in this community in that particular way and that we don't have to face tragedies
that we saw and today in Minneapolis um and that we're able to come together um and able to to solve our problems collectively. So, I look forward to certainly working with with all of you. Um, and I know the vice president, uh,
Jadzac has some, um, items as well. >> Thank you. Um, yes, I'd like to just echo your comments. Thank you to outgoing President Kazinski very much. Appreciate your leadership and continued presence here and looking forward to working with everyone here on council in this coming term. Um, I do have a number
of items to get through, so just bear with me. There's a couple things that we'll we'll chat through. So, um, just so folks know going forward, what I will be handling is any new business agenda items on the agenda. So, you'll hear again from me before this meeting is
over. Uh, there is a noon deadline for all agenda items. So, especially for newly elected chairs, make sure that you get your items in on time to Maryanne because if it's coming in past noon, it will not make it onto the agenda barring extraordinary circumstances. It's really just to make sure that we respect our
city clerk's time and their schedules and and the demands that they have on their time. Um we are currently in the process of setting up a meeting with it for all newly elected chairs as well. So um keep a lookout for that just to make sure that you are all best set up for uh
technological success here in 50 pac. So that'll be something that we'll be setting up in the next hopefully next week or two so that we are all on the same page when it comes to the tech that's available to us. Um there will also be an email coming out the week I believe of the 19th about harassment
policies from HR. So for everyone make sure that you keep a lookout for that as well. Um the rent study committee is a committee that both myself, councelor Dunham and councelor Jamra McQuade are currently sitting on. Um, this is for the public as well as for anyone here
tonight on council. Um, the rent study committee will be needing new members, especially folks who are renters. So, I know that we've heard from at least one person tonight. Council has been hearing from folks uh for the past uh year really and I know there's a lot of people who are interested in this topic.
So this is a city council committee that was formed last year out of a resolution that city council passed and we are really focused on um two main approaches. One is looking into understanding whether or not it makes sense to put forward um a request to
change our charter for rent control here in Eastampton and what that process would look like if we were to pursue that. The second focus is really about helping renters in East Hampton right now because we recognize that there's a real real need as we've heard um so eloquently tonight. So if anyone is
interested or knows anyone who's interested, please um direct that notice to councelor Madame President and Kevin. Um we also have a St. Patrick's parade invitation coming up. So if any council members are interested in attending the
St. Patrick's parade and walking in it. Please let Maryanne know by the 21st of January so that she can get that in on time. Um, also we have a conference coming up that all counselors are invited to called Connect 351. I personally have not had the pleasure of
attending, but I know other counselors who've been on um longer than I have have attended in the past and I've heard really good things about it. We do have stipened or we have some budget rather uh for covering registrations. So, if anyone is interested, um, please, I
guess, let Maryanne know, if you have any questions around what that looks like, essentially, you'll just go ahead and register and then get reimbursed by, uh, by city hall for that. But if you have any questions, also, please feel to direct them to myself as well. Um, that deadline for the lower registration rate
is the 20th of January. So, after that, it will go up. So, definitely think about that before the 20th. Um and then finally, the 911 911 committee is looking for feedback. So we have a newly formed memorial committee. Um and the purpose of this committee is to develop
a permanent tribute for first responders and civilians who sacrificed their lives, safety, and health for their community colleagues and friends on 911. And so this is about really looking into putting together a tribute to help promote remembrance and opportunities
for reflection here in East Hampton. the committee's in the early stages of planning um and figuring everything out and so they're looking for ideas from East Hampton residents on how best to memorialize those events. So what they're hoping for is um having anyone
who has any ideas to share that with committee either in person or via email and their next meeting is coming up on Monday, January 26th at 6 p.m. at the Council on Aging Building in uh 19 Union Street. You can also email your ideas to
Dylan Maxfield dmaxfield eastamptonm.gov. And with that, this concludes my communications. >> Great. Normally, uh, usually we won't have such long um, communication, but this is our our first meeting and it was just easier to tell everybody than put
all of that into an email. So, that they will that will be much shorter in the future. Um, mayor's communication. >> Uh, thank you, councilors. I just wanted to uh congratulate everybody again. Um and I didn't have the opportunity last
time because you all hadn't voted um in your leadership yet. So I just want to acknowledge uh councelor Denim, councelor Jazz. Congratulations on being president vice president. And I think it's it is amazing to be able to have two women at the helm. Um and not just two women but you know capable and
competent um people uh to help lead the council forward. So I think that's exciting. Um, and you know, being a mayor gets pretty busy. So, um, I hadn't heard about what happened until I was sitting right there, um, in Minneapolis.
And it and it really shook me a little bit um just because you know you get caught in the whirlwind of just working and being busy and then you know something like that happens and um you know it's it's frustrating uh to have to
and and this is a thing that I think we'll find as we move forward. you know, I've sat at this where you're sitting um for many, many terrible things that have happened and to feel um that we don't have a lot of control, you know, with
school shootings and other violence that happens in our in our society and, you know, now we're in kind of unprecedented times where the military is occupying cities in the United States um and we're having law enforcement shooting unarmed
civilians. Um, and so, you know, I I think that this is a double down for us to to be working together, to have a unified front, to be able to, you know, do what we can to protect our citizenry and to
make sure that people know that what's happening now is not okay and it's not normal. Um, and so I'm hoping and and I'm looking forward to working with the council for us to create a unified front. Um, so we can address these
things. And while we might not be able to do anything tangible, we can at least take a stand and and let it be known um, you know, that this is not acceptable uh, in the United States. Um, you know, we all took an oath to the Constitution
and we should hold the people that are above us in government to the same standard. Um, and you and you know, I think it's interesting you you're going to have to take the ethics uh training pretty soon if you're a new counselor and the old
counselors as well. And it's pretty strict. Um, and I think that that is it's always kind of struck me. I'm like, why do we have to do this? and I look at what's going on at the federal level and it just seems like a complete um 180
from what we've been learning. And so, you know, I really hope that um the madness kind of settles and and I and I look forward to working um with all of you and and um and I do want to just welcome you again. So, thanks.
>> Thank you, Mayor Derby. Um, council communications. Um, chair peak. >> Thank you, Madam President. Uh, so finance has not met uh since our last meeting. Uh, we will be meeting uh next
Wednesday, a week from today. Um, in lie of our usual time of uh 5:30, we're going to be meeting at 6:00 to accommodate an early uh ordinance meeting. Uh at that meeting, uh we will be uh discussing uh the city clerk's
office's proposal for a vital statistics fee increase. Um and probably uh maybe just doing a little bit of housekeeping, checking in on the the other items, but probably not making any deciding any any major decisions on any of that. Um so,
uh yeah, thus concludes. >> Great. Thank you. Your question. Uh, I just wanted to wonder if we had communications from elected boards and officials and if we could comment if the counselors would be asked to comment.
>> Oh, sorry, I missed that. Sorry. Uh, yes. Uh, council communication. Um, if there's any counselors who would like to speak, I apologize. Yes, counselor. >> Waiting patiently. >> Quizenski, I apologize. >> Thank you. Uh, that's fine. Uh,
I appreciate the mayor's uh comments and there isn't much we can do on the national level except for actively getting together and staying together as a group and with one mind we hope. That being said, there's something
we can do locally and that's with regard to the situations that we have locally. And I'm going to address an issue tonight of the real estate taxes. You may have gotten your tax bill if you're a homeowner here in the city of East Hampton. So, if you're a homeowner in
the city of East Hampton, you've gotten a new your tax bill. you have and it's very important to note only until February 2nd to file an abatement should you have questions about your assessment or about the tax
bill or about whether or not the properties are being assessed fairly in that is in level playing field with your neighbors. You know your neighbors homes, you know your home. One of the common things that you'll see is sometimes the assessor's
records uh are noted to be wrong. And that's not something that the city does on purpose, but it's an accident. It may be a fill-in of information because they couldn't get into your home. I encourage everyone to look at
the abatement forms. I happen to have one. Any counselor here is welcome to one. I can share it. They are also available online at the assessor's office. This form must be filed by February 2nd at 5:00 p.m.
in order to qualify for an abatement. Let me give you a quick example. Let's say that there's an extra bath or half bath added to your home. That increases its value. That increases the taxes you pay. There may be listed as your home
having three baths. It only has two. All you have to do is fill out one of these forms, go to the assessor's office and say, "Help me with this. We only have two." And they will make the adjustment. They may need to come into
the house to see, but it's that kind of a thing that you have the opportunity to question. You have no rights to question it after that date. That being said, go for your abatement forms if you have any concerns. What you'd ask for is for the
field card in the assessor's office. That's where the information is kept. Thank you, Mr. Madam President. >> Thank you, Councelor Kisinski. Any other counselor for announcements or communications? >> Yep. Um I'll just put on everyone's radar. We already heard already from a
member of the public that the East Hampton Tenants Union um meets every Thursday in the conference room just behind these chambers actually. Um it's a great group of people. They're building solidarity. They're helping people um or five thank you 5 p.m. um
the great group of people. They're building solidarity. They're helping people understand their rights. Um if you're facing uh egregious uh rent hike like many in the people in the community are, you have rights. You have people who are in your same position who are willing to stand with you. So just want
to put that on people's radar. Thank you. >> Great. Thank you, Councelor Chamrock McUade. Any other counselor announcements? Seeing none. Uh we'll continue uh public safety.
Uh Chair Newton. >> So we have not had a meeting since our last meeting. Um and we need to get together for chat about the next meeting. So we need to get that on the books and hear that.
>> Great. Thank you, Chair Newton. Appointments. Um, Chair Smith. >> Okay. Thank you, Councelor Denim. Uh, we have not met since our last, uh, meeting. We were waiting to have the new
city council moved forward. We had at a previous meeting talked about having the board and committee fair. Obviously, we can't have that um on the 10th as originally planned, but we are still planning that. So, I need to meet with
the other members of the appointment subcommittee to be able to plan that time. So, I'll announce that um at our next meeting. And the rest that we have on the book is for future business. However, I would
like to extend these two action dates from 2526. Um extend those for 60 days, please. >> Is that in the form of a motion? >> Yes, in the form of a motion. All right. So, uh we have Thank you. We have a
motion and a second to extend um the uh ongoing agenda items request for board committee vacancy review recruitment and proposal for mayor and clerk to create an appointments committee handbook for 90 days. >> I had said 60
>> 60 days for 60 days. >> Uh any further discussion? All those in favor? I I any opposed? Any obstensions? Great. So good. Thank you. And is that everything? >> Yes, that concludes. >> Great. Thank you, Chair Smith. Um, Chair
Jammer McQuade ordinance. >> Thank you, Madam President. Um, the committee last met on December 18th. Um, I wasn't there as a member of the committee, but I was attending as a member of the affordable and fair housing partnership. Um the committee discussed the public safety dispatch position um and voted uh unanimously to
recommend. Um so with that I will move to set a public hearing to amend exhibit A classification of employees to add position of public safety dispatch director on January 21st at 6:15 p.m. in these chambers.
>> So we have a motion second. Sorry. So we have a motion and a second. Any further discussion? Seeing none, all those in favor? I I any oppose? Any abstensions? Great. So, we have a public hearing set for January 21st at 6:15 in these
chambers. >> Thank you. Um the committee also discussed uh at length the short-term rental ordinance changes specifically surrounding the fire safety. Um and recommendations from Chief Norris and the building commissioner. Um the committee voted unanimously to continue the discussion to the next meeting. Um
uh we uh also or the committee also discussed the zoning recommendations put forward by the affordable and fair housing partnership. Uh they voted unanimously to recommend sections 1 through 4 to be moved to the planning board for consideration. Um I had the city council clerk print out um those
four sections uh on the paper in front of you. Um I could screen share, but I'll have to join the meeting. >> Yeah. And we'll screen share this for transparency to the public so that they can follow along.
Okay. So I'll just go through these um simply one by one and then if we have any questions we can dive deeper in. Um so section one is pretty simple. It is just updating all references to the department of community uh department of
housing and community development uh which the state has updated to the executive office of housing and livable communities. So we have line edits throughout the uh zoning ordinance that correct that and correct that acronym as well. Um are there any questions related
to that? All right. Um, section two, uh, adopts the 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. Um, this is currently
the inclusionary zoning for all multif family housing with greater than 15% of units uh, listed as affordable. Um the previous multif family parking minimum is one for each bedroom in each unit plus one additional visitor space for every 10 units in the development. So
the new minimum um would apply to buildings starting at three units. Um so that would require four spaces. Um and then the math goes up from there. It rounds up. Are there any questions related to that one? >> Questions.
Councelor Marquee. Um yes, with the um parking minimums, would they just be applied to future rentals or um multif family housing or is it retroactive? >> So it's for new developments. >> Okay. >> Yeah,
>> other questions. Councelor Peak. >> Yeah, I I think I like this, but I guess the one concern that I I have is that so when we did those parking minimums, um pretty much every I think Basically every big multif family
development since then has included those affordable housings be housing because I think because they wanted to get those parking minimums and so I guess my only thing is is there a concern that in adopting that as a blanket standard you're actually
removing like a carrot that might be incentivizing people to put more affordable housing into developments that might not otherwise include any >> Yeah. Yeah. No, I think that that's a it's a good question. Um I think it's a balance between having that sort of
carrot incentive inclusionary zoning piece versus I think the overall recommendation of planning uh like the American Planning Association and a lot of um thinkers on this issue that just recommend removing parking minimums as just a land use thing. Um so I I hear
that. Uh I also think that part of our efforts are trying to remove some of those barriers to developers um developing all types of housing. Um so you know we've heard we have a lot of of projects that are using like the low-inccome housing tax credit but we
also have a lot of developers um that were trying to encourage all sorts of um housing stock. >> Okay. >> Followup question. >> Yeah. Uh, excuse me if this is sort of a silly question, but um we're presenting
on this tonight, but there's no there's no public hearing. Are we taking a vote on anything tonight or are we just doing a presentation? >> Nope. So, we're gonna vote uh to send it to um the planning board. Okay. >> For a joint public hearing. So, but uh right now um
Chair Jamar McUade is letting you know what we decided um in the last ordinance meeting. >> Okay. Thanks for the clarification. >> Mhm. Any other questions? All right. Um, so the third section is
surrounding fair housing um and state compliance with state law. So there are a number of items um where state law supersedes or um it makes more sense to just uh either defer or uh change a couple uh pieces of language. Uh so we
included those. And then I think the important piece of this section is changing the definition of family. Um which our uh recommendation is to update the definition to include uh all the people who occupy a single housing unit regardless of their relationship to one
another to reflect uh more diverse living arrangements. Um and this definition was taken from Medford. Um but we felt uh the housing partnership and then also uh the ordinance committee felt that that was a lot more inclusive. >> Mhm. questions.
I actually have a question for planning director Manuel who is also on the call. I just want to um ask um if you can just speak to the change in this um definition whether
it's in line with what other communities are doing. I know we borrowed this from Medford, but is this the direction that other communities are going? And also I'm wondering does this create any challenges through the rest of our um zoning ordinances.
>> Um so the excuse me the change as proposed um doesn't create any conflicts with the rest of the ordinance. I do want to clarify that. Um, I think any conversation about conflict was related to moving the to removing all reference
to family, uh, which is not what this proposes. Um, I would say it's it's pretty consistent with what a lot of communities are doing. Um, there's certainly been a movement towards less discriminatory uh, views and and definitions of what a
family is. And um I I think it makes sense for us to also take a step in that direction. >> Great. Thank you. >> All right. Um and the last thing that we moved from committee was section 4
surrounding uh the term community character. Um this is a term that's used throughout the zoning. Um and it is currently undefined. it is sort of uh incumbent on the zoning board of appeals or whatever um body that is deliberating
on it to determine what that means to them. Um historically this has been used to be exclusionary to come up with you know there there's a lot of um qualitative research done on this um with people showing up to public
hearings and using the term character to really mean the kind of people who will be moving into the housing or the developments um that are being built. So, we really want to um or we really wanted to clarify that to make sure that when we're talking about character, we're being clear what we're referring to, whether it's architecture, whether
it's layout and land use. Um so, you'll see in this packet and on the actual report, there is a full matrix of all the changes that shows where it is in the zoning, what the current language is, and what the recommended change is. I won't go through all of those because
they're dozens. Um, but I'll say in general it just removes, rephrases or clarifies vague or subjective references to the term character throughout the zoning ordinance and replaces them with more clear objective criteria. Questions?
Questions? Great. Um, just one comment again um just for for context. Um, this was from the affordable and fair housing partnership zoning recommendations that came to us in March. Um and so we've had multiple conversations um about these
throughout the course of the last almost year um to uh have discussions about um these various topics and try to understand or or discuss um um impact of in communities, neighborhoods, etc. There is another section that that is
specifically um uh related to um kind of our zoning classification or how we classify um zoning. So that is not a part of the recommendation that is going that to that that this is just for sections 1
through 4. So, I just want to be clear that those next um uh conversations will um be taking place um and um they're in process with talking with the aquifer protection um commission etc. So, that's
uh another part of this um set of recommendations that will be coming kind of in the future. But, we kind of divided it and we're sending these first four sections uh on to the planning board just to ease their workload, so to speak. Uh, any questions about any of that? All
right. So, um, Chair Jam McQuay, did do you want to make a motion? >> Sure. Um, I will move to send sections 1 through four of the affordable and fair housing partnership zoning recommendations to the planning board for a joint public hearing.
>> Second. >> Great. So, we have a motion and a second. Any further discussion? Seeing none, all those in favor? I. Any those any abstensions? Great. So, uh motion passes. So, we will send this to
the uh planning board to set up a joint uh public hearing. And the last thing is our next meeting we already set for January 14th. That's next Wednesday at 5:00 p.m. um in conference room 1 where we will continue to discuss the short-term rental um
ordinance changes uh review the sandwich board sign ordinance and uh discuss the ordinance review committee's final report. Thank you. >> Thank you councelor Jam uh chairwisinski property >> for property uh thank you madam
president uh there are two items on the agenda. One is the ordinance uh request regarding flags on public property and the second is the town lodging house. The committee met uh and we elected
uh councelor Jamrock McUade as clerk wanted to report that and uh myself as the chair of the committee. We will be scheduling a meeting this month on the matter and this concludes. >> Great. Thank you, Chair Guisinski, and
Chairw Chair Kwisinski, I think, right back at you with rules and government relations. >> Thank you again, Madam President. Uh, with regard to the rules and government relations, two items are on the agenda. Resolution in support of the water operator retirement reclassification and
code of conduct of employed members of boards, committees, and commissions. Uh the committee uh met uh I was elected chair and uh councelor Janzik uh clerk uh we will again be scheduling a meeting
for rules this month. Uh this concludes. >> Great. Thank you so much Chair Guisinski. Um we have no old business pending. Uh new business. I will uh turn it over to Vice President Jazzik. >> Thank you Madam President. Um for new business first we have four new mayoral
appointments. So, I'm going to read these out in the form of a motion. So, from the mayor, we have first Marlene Machonssky for uh reappointment to parks and recreation commission with a term expiration date of December 31st, 2029. Then we have Michelle Sububos for
Parks and Recreation Commission also with a term expiration date of 123126 or I should say with a term expiration date of 123126. Next we have Mary Church uh for housing authority to move to EHA resident
appointment uh with a term expiration date of 12312031. And then finally we have Carl Prawl for uh appointment to housing authority with a term expiration date of 1231 2031 as well.
>> Second. >> All right. So, we have a motion and a second to move the four mayoral appointments um to appointments. Um any further discussion? >> All those in favor? >> I any
nos? No. Uh and no extensions. Great. So, uh those four appointments will move to uh their appointments to appointments. Um and the next >> Yes. Next, we have a request by Fire Chief Norris to approve a resolution
adopting the hazard mitigation plan. Um, there's a copy of the hazard mitigation plan in the agenda tonight. Um, I'd like to not read this out because it's 300 plus pages long. We'll be here all night long, but I'd like to make a motion to move this to public safety for further discussion.
>> Second. >> So, we have a motion and a second to uh move the resolution adopting the hazardous mitigation plan uh to public safety. Uh any further discussion? All those in favor? I. Any opposed? None.
Any abstensions? None. Uh so motion passes. Um that is all of the items on our agenda. I will take a motion to um adjourn. >> Second. >> All right. A motion. We have a motion uh
to a second. Uh all those in favor? >> I I Great. Awesome. Thank you so much, everybody. >> Thank you. Hey,