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Video-1: youtube.com/watch?v=v1lNW9Ub5KU

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This government meeting is brought to you by Eastworks and our local cable subscribers. Welcome to the East Hampton City Council meeting for Wednesday, June 17th, 2026. The meeting tonight is being recorded and broadcast by E Media on Charter

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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

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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

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order. Maryannne, >> JPinski >> here. >> Connie Denim >> here. >> Tamara Smith >> here. >> Felicia Jadzac >> here. >> Tom Peak >> here. >> Jonathan Schmidt >> here. >> Amanda Newton >> here. >> Tyam Jamrock McQuade >> here. >> Nathan Oh, he is. Excuse me. Nathan

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Marquee >> here. >> Great. Thank you, Marian. Uh at this time we're going to take a moment of silence. Um so please do whatever it is that you need to do in order to make yourself be present for this meeting tonight. Thank you.

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Thank you. Uh, 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

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under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> Thank you. Uh at this time, I would like to invite uh Chief Norris uh and Chief Alexander up to the microphone. We have

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a resident recognition and would like to turn it over to you to uh do the honors. Yes, thank you and good evening. Um, these are the nights that Chief Alexander and I love coming to city council because it's an opportunity to

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not talk about budgets and to recognize some extraordinary efforts that uh happened with uh two incredible people here in the city of East Hampton. Um, at this time I'd actually like to invite up both uh Nick Heber and Stacy Elander and

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any other people that they'd like to bring up with them. come on up. Please join us. Good evening. Good evening. So, as they're making their way up here, um I want to give everyone some background here. On behalf of Chief

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Alexander and I, it is our honor to recognize Mr. Nick Heert and Stacy Elander for their extraordinary courage and selfless actions during a motor vehicle fire on Strong Street. On the day of May 18th, 2026, at approximately

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7:20 a.m., a vehicle left the roadway, struck a tree, caught fire with an occupant trapped inside. Before any police or fire and EMS personnel, arrived on the scene, Mr. Heber and Miss Elander, residents of Strong Street, witnessed a crash and

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immediately sprang into action. Realizing the danger posed by the rapid rap rapidly growing fire, they place their own safety at risk to help a complete stranger. Mr. Heert and Miss Elander broke the vehicle's windows to gain access to the

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trapped occupant and used a garden hose to begin suppression of the advancing fire, pres preventing it from spreading further within the passenger compartment. Most importantly, they successfully extricated the victim from the burned vehicle and moved them to a place of

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safety before the conditions worsened. When emergency responders arrive, they found the occupant outside the vehicle receiving care. Firefighters begin uh continuing the extinguishing efforts and police continued with emergency care and

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EMS personnel transported the patient for further medical evaluation. There is little doubt that Mr. Heertz and Miss Elander's quick thinking, courage, and willingness to act during a life-threatening emergency significantly

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improve the outcome of this incident. If it was not for their actions, the outcome, unfortunately, could have been a lot worse for that individual involved if it wasn't for them stepping up and successfully rescuing that person. Acts of heroism

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often occur without warning and require individuals to make difficult decisions in a matter of seconds. Mr. Heert and Miss Elander demonstrated exceptional bravery, compassion, and commitment to helping other people in need. Their

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actions reflect the very best of our community and serve as an example of the difference one individual, multiple individuals can make in these circumstances. Emergency responders are fortunate to have protective equipment and resources

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to protect us and keep us safe while performing such dangerous tasks. These two individuals helped the occupant safely escape, putting themselves in harm's way with no protective resources other than a garden hose.

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On behalf of the city of East Hampton, the East Hampton Police and Fire departments, and the residents we serve, we extend our sincere gratitude and recognition to Mr. Nick Heert and Ms. Elander for their heroic actions and

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outstanding public service. Thank you so much. And in honor of in addition to this recognition, um we also have some life safety awards presented to them on behalf of East Hampton Fire Police. I just want to read them. in recognition

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of exceptional courage and selfless action for rescuing a civilian from a burning vehicle, demonstrating remarkable bravery, quick thinking, and unwavering commitment to the safety and well-being of others. Thank you again for everything you've done for this

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community and certainly the occupant trapped in that vehicle. Miss Elander and uh Mr. Dr. Hubert, thank you so much for the brave bravery that you demonstrated and the and the the courage to to step up in I can only

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imagine was a terrifying situation to to have to kind of come upon and witness and see. So, thank you so much for for stepping up and and supporting um a neighbor. >> Yeah. Thank you. >> Thank you everyone.

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Uh we have no uh meeting minutes. Um public comment. This is an opportunity uh for members of the community to address the council regarding any topic not listed under the public hearing. Uh you will have three minutes. Um when you

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have 30 seconds uh remaining, you will hear an alert. Uh when your time has concluded, you will hear a second alert. At that time, please wrap up your comments. Um and uh when you come up to

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the uh microphone, uh please state your name and address. We do have a public hearing starting at 6:15, so we'll go until then uh with uh public comment. Um so I see someone at the microphone, so please state your name and address for the record. Kathy Wizinski Overlook

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Drive. I wanted to read a petition that was submitted today for a recount. Um, we have reason to believe and do believe that the records of the votes cast for the office or question given above the election on June 9th held in the city

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are erroneous. The vote count is different than the totals recorded by the state. Eligible voters were denied opportunity to vote. uh mail and ballots arrived late after the election or no ballot was in the envelope. Some voters were denied an opportunity to vote in

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person erroneously. Um votes cast by mail or an office may not have been properly secured. Chain of custody may not have been maintained or not documented properly. There is concern about votes cast by non-residents or other ineligible voters

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and votes cast potentially by invalid format. Um it is and there was also in unclear and inconsistent information about how to vote by mail or in the office denying some voters the opportunity to vote. I

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think most of these issues can be attributed to the fact that this election was rushed. Um there was not a lot of turnaround time. I'm still hearing from people today that didn't even realize the election was occurring. Um, you know, for those of us on social

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media and and watching the news, yeah, we know what was happening. Um, but not everybody does pay attention to the news. They're working a lot of hours. And so many people didn't have an opportunity, they believe, to um, voice their

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concerns about this ballot question. And I think it's really important to look at the process that occurred. Um, I think the fact that there were a number of errors in the budget itself that weren't corrected before the election was problematic. The questions that we many

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of us had were not answered. Um, records requests were not responded to in a timely manner so that people could assess what was happening um with the city budget. And I think for that reason um and and many others were was why we submitted

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this request. I think it's also important to understand that the recount might not address all of the issues raised by citizens in this petition. Um, but according to the chief of elections, we needed to submit all concerns um on this petition for a recount in order to

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move forward beyond a simple recount. Um, so I wanted to get that out there. Thank you. >> Thank you very much, Kathy. Any other public comments? So, please state your name and address for the record.

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>> Hello, I'm Jamie Pocket from 10 Metobrook Drive here in East Hampton. Uh, I'm just coming to you. I am the chair of the uh, East Hampton Energy Advisory Committee as well as a member of the bees committee. And, uh, just coming to provide a couple quick updates. I've had some people, counselors and others reaching out to me

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uh, for updates on a few things. I just wanted to provide a couple uh, important updates to you all directly this way. Um, one of the the big things that's happening, um, originally approved in 2024 and approved by the state, uh, DPU in 2025 is the East Hampton Community,

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uh, electricity aggregation program. Um, we've been sort of in a holding pattern, waiting for the market to, uh, to shake out a little bit on the electric side because of a lot of turmoil. Um, but just wanted to report to you all though that we are looking at doing a pre-bid meeting and then a bid day next week uh

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through our our consultants with good energy. Um, and that the electric assuming that we get some favorable pricing, we will be uh executing a bid. We've had a meeting with the mayor's office to discuss this. Uh, so it is likely that we will be executing a contract for the city uh starting next

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week and getting the aggregation program up and running. Uh, as part of that, there will be an ongoing uh, you know, public outreach and and education uh, period before it is officially up and running. But I just wanted to put that out there because I know there have been some questions about the status of that. So, that's the uh, the current status

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and we hope that we're going to have some good news to share next week and that we'll be able to secure some favorable pricing that will help uh, you know, combat the rising electricity costs that everybody's dealing with right now. Um, so that's one quick update there. Uh some other things that we're participating in are um the

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community first partnership and what's called electrify eastampton northampton. These are combined efforts that are focused on uh promoting mass save programs and electricity uh uh energy efficiency and electricity reduction or electrification moving away from fossil

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fuels. Uh, one thing that I think maybe a lot of people don't know about is that through the electrify Eastampton Northampton uh, program, there are opportunities for additional rebates for people that choose to implement things like heat pumps at that. And it's just for Eastampton and Northampton residents, and it's on top of state uh,

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state rebates and incentives that may be available. So, it's up to another $4,000 that Eastampton and Northampton residents can can access if they choose to do some of these upgrades through the program. Um so uh one other last bit um to update is that we recently had some

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of our members meet with representatives from uh Senator Visas and Representative Gomez's offices uh to uh talk about energy bills and and uh uh energy bill and bond bills that are going through the state legislature right now to

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encourage uh them to support Massave to reduce cuts that might be happening to Mass Save and to support any other energy forward programs like the climate bank uh and simplifying solar permitting etc. So just wanted to provide those updates to you. Thank you all for your time.

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>> Awesome. Thank you so much. Uh please state your name and address for the record. >> Roger Anderson, Westview Terrace. I'd seen somewhere else um in other places this comment that people weren't aware of the election and it just astounded

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me. Um, besides the newspapers and news and social media everywhere for weeks, there were people standing out all over the city with vote yes and vote no signs. Um, there was a huge, you know, lighted up sign on the rotary more than

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once saying vote. It was everywhere. So, I think if you weren't aware that the election was happening, you'd have to be extremely unattentive and uninformed, and I would question whether those

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people would would vote. Thank you. >> Thank you. Um, it is 6:15, so we have our we're going to start our public hearing. So, after the public hearing, we will open uh public comment. query.

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>> Yeah. So, we will open that up uh after. Um so, I will take a motion to open the public hearing. >> So, moved. >> Second. >> I have a motion and a second to open the public hearing. Um any further discussion? Seeing none. All

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those in favor? >> I >> opposed abstensions. >> All right. I forgot about Kai. >> Uh good catch. Um, Maryanne

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>> uh to vote to open the public hearing on >> Connie Denham. >> I >> Felicia Jazzic >> I >> JP Quisinski. >> Hi >> Tom Peak. >> Hi >> Tamara Smith. >> Hi. >> Jonathan Schmidt. >> Hi. >> Amanda Newton. >> Hi. >> Nathan Marquee. >> Hi. >> Cam Jamro Mcuade.

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>> I. >> Motion passes. >> Great. Uh before we start, I just want to remind folks who are going to be participating in the um public comments and counselors who

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are going to be participating as well. It's important to remember that you need to be you need to wait until the city council president recognizes you. Uh we need to limit the back and forth. Uh and also for those residents who are uh

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participating, if you have questions, please state all of your questions and then we can direct them to the appropriate uh person. But we can't have one question and then it's answered in another question etc. So please ask all of your questions um and then that way

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we can best direct your uh com or your question to the to the right person. So, please remember to wait for the city council president to recognize you. Uh, at this time, I will turn it over to uh, Chair Peak. >> Thank you, Madam President. Um, so what

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was going to be our big item tonight was the, uh, budget. Uh, the budget we are going to be continuing tonight. Uh the reason for that is that uh the uh well between there were some scheduled cuts

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that were going to happen in either budget and so the one that passed it includes some cuts and then in addition the the finance uh committee recommended some additional cuts um and where those affected personnel uh there was impact

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bargaining that needed to happen. Uh I spoke to the mayor before this meeting started and was informed that that impact bargaining has concluded. So it's just but like we needed to do that so that we could get the adjusted amounts

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so that we could pass the budget the final budget. So, just as an idea of where this is going to be, uh, Tuesday, uh, of next week, that's the 243rd, >> 23rd, um, we'll be meeting at 6 p.m. to

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take a vote. >> Who who will be meeting? >> The finance committee. Okay, there you go. >> Um, we'll be meeting at 6 p.m. to uh make uh to take to take a final vote on those appropriation lines. And then we will be the city council will be meeting

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the next day, the 24th, uh to uh continue this item. So I we we'll be we'll be voting to like like we're going to have to take a vote tonight to continue it, but since it's on the agenda, I think if there's any member of

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the public who would like to say something about it, they're welcome to do so. But then I will be making a motion to continue this. until next week. >> Great. Uh before we get to the public comment of this, does any city councelor

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have question or comment? >> I seeing none. Um anyone from the public wish to speak or make comment on the uh proposed 2027 city budget? Uh please state your name and address for the record.

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Kathy Wisinski, Overlook Drive. I did not see any change in the agenda for this not being done tonight. And I think given that lots of people are watching online and adjusted their schedules to be able to participate or they're

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listening on their phones, um I think simple courtesy, you knew it was going to be continued on Monday after the finance committee meeting. An update to the agenda might have been courteous. Um, and there's lots of other pieces to

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the budget besides what didn't get um, approved and a discussion could have occurred tonight for at least the stuff that that wasn't delayed. Thank you. >> Thank you. Any other comment from the

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public? See, anyone online have comment? Seeing none, uh, C chair Peak. >> So, uh, when I continue this, normally we continue things to 6:15, but I think we learned last time that you if we're

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not really planning to talk about anything other than this one item. There really doesn't make sense to do it to 6:15 because we just got a chew clock for 15 minutes. So, >> um I was going to suggest we do it for six unless are you aware of anything else we might

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need to discuss in that emergency that special meeting? >> Uh actually we do have to move one item of business. So, um that has just come to my attention couple of hours ago. Um so, we we have a

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item that needs to go to the property committee. So, we'll have to put that on the agenda as well. So, I think if you made it for 605 or we can do it afterwards. >> Let's just do it at 6. We can do the item. >> Okay. After >> next cuz we don't know how long it's going to take. >> Correct. >> If that makes sense to you.

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>> Mhm. >> Okay. I would make a motion to continue this public hearing until Wednesday, uh, June 24th at 6:00 in these chambers. >> Second. >> I have a motion and a second. Any

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further discussion? Seeing none. >> Oh, did you give the wrong date? >> Is the 23rd, not the 24th. >> The 24th is the full city council meeting. >> The 20 Yeah, the 24th is the the Wednesday.

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>> Okay. I thought I'm sorry. I thought >> Yep. So, the the finance committee is meeting on the 23rd, which is the Tuesday. >> Um, and city council is going to meet on the Wednesday the 24th at 6 p.m. in these chambers. >> Okay. Thank you. Uh, any other

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discussion? Seeing none, Maryanne. Uh, Felicia Jazzic. >> Hi. >> JP Guinski. >> Hi. >> Tom Peak. >> Hi. >> Tamara Smith. >> Hi. >> Jonathan Schmid. >> Hi. >> Amanda Newton. >> Hi. >> Nathan Marquee. >> Hi.

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>> Cam Jamro McUade. >> Hi. >> Connie Denim. >> I. So motion passes uh to uh continue this uh discussion uh regarding the budget to Wednesday, June 24th at 6:00

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p.m. in these chambers. All right, next item. Chair Peak. >> All right. Uh we now have a series of supplemental appropriations. Um the first one two that we're going to do are two that um we discussed at our last uh

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public hearing. There were some questions uh that people had from the city that we were not able to answer at that time. There are representatives from the city here. So I think we should be able to answer them. Uh so the first one is a $20,000 supplemental

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appropriation from free cash to uh Medicare and uh school Medicare and Medicare tax. Um, if I recall correctly, the question that we had was about what

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the um uh what the the budget uh I'm sorry uh what what what the budgetary implications of uh this would be since some of this uh there's like sort of this balloon that's um

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associated with this. Councelor Kinski, am I um well Councelor Pisinski, >> I I think the the basic question was we're going to have an expenditure for for taxes for next year the Medicare tax

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and it's going to be paid with this year this fiscal year's dollars if we do the appropriation. What implications does that have for the budget for next year? >> I think was one of the questions. uh

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since you'd be spending this money to in place of next year's money. >> Y I see Treasurer Johnson on the call. Treasor Johnson, would you like to answer that? >> Um yes, I would be happy to answer that. I apologize. I hope everyone can hear

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me. I am away at a conference right now for the MCTA. Um, and the BPW, the Board of Public Works, has just invaded my balcony right now as a very loud reception. So, I apologize if I'm not

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coming in fully. >> You're you're fine. >> Thank you. Um, so the Medicare is a 50/50. Um, 50% play paid by employees, 50% paid by us, um, the city. Um the balloon payroll is offered to teachers

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each year. They are able to take that as a payout before June 30th. So unless we were cutting jobs, that amount would not go down. Um my understanding, it is my first year as the treasurer here in East Hampton, my understanding is that we do

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do this appropriation each year. My goal is to reduce it each year. Um, so this one it's about I believe it's $12,000 for school and um the remaining $8,000 for city to cover the Medicare tax.

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Anything over that we don't spend out will close to free cash at the end of the year. >> Great. Thank you. And just to clarify, according to the appropriation, school is 14,000 and Medicare tax is 6,000. >> Thank you. Yes, that is correct.

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>> Yep. Great. Uh any questions that councilors have for treasurer Johnson? Councelor Kazinski, do you have a question? Just a general question as to why this wasn't and if this happens every year, why this

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wasn't anticipated as an expense that X number of employees would be taking this these funds and there would be $20,000 set aside in the budget for that >> as opposed to Johnson. Wait a second. Treasure

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Johnson. >> Yeah. So, we don't know the number that are taking the balloon payout until closer to the end of the year. They can elect to either continue their traditional payouts through the end of the school year or they can take the

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balloon payout for the summer. We don't know those numbers until closer to the end of May, beginning of June. >> Councelor Kisinski, do you have a follow-up? >> Do you know the amount that we're budgeting for next year for this item? It's a level service. So, we're

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budgeting the same amount. >> Same amount. >> Yeah. So, the same amount >> including the 20,000 we're asking for. >> Um, is that >> uh Treasurer Johnson? >> No, it's it's level serviced right now.

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A lot of it also goes to police outside detail. Um, when they work their overtime, they do have to pay on the Medicare tax. So, we level service it. Um, it was a level service budget. So, we're budgeting the level serviced and hoping that we're going to kind of come

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around the same numbers for next year. You satisfied? Good. Any other questions from counselors? Any questions from the public or comment from the public? >> Anyone online? Seeing none, uh, Chair Peak. All right.

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I'll make the following uh supplemental appropriation request in the form of a motion. Uh 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

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Medicare tax $6,000. The amount requested will be used for the following purpose to cover the remaining fiscal year required Medicare tax. >> Second. So, I have a motion and a second uh to transfer uh $20,000 for the

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remaining fiscal year required medical or Medicare tax. Um Maryanne >> JPinski, >> hi >> Tom Peak. >> Hi, >> Tamara Smith. >> Hi, >> Jonathan Schmidt. >> Hi, >> Amanda Newton. >> Hi, >> Nathan Marque. >> Hi,

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>> Kaam Jam McQuade. >> Hi, >> Connie Denham. >> Hi, >> Felicia Jazz. I great motion passes. Chair Peak. >> Okay. Uh the next one we have is a $10,000 appropriation from free cash to

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cover the remaining uh city attorney professional expenses. There were some questions about exactly what those expenses were. Uh Mayor Derby is here and can presumably answer those questions. >> Mayor Derby. >> Yeah. So I'll take everybody back a

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year. Um right at this time of year actually uh the budget was in front of the council. Um there was some cuts that were controversial and um one of the things the council did was they reduced the um attorney fee line as kind of a

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symbolic gesture with the intention of um the mayor having to come back to get legal fees um as part of that. Um and so we I believe have come back three times so far. um for appropriations to cover legal fees. Uh and these legal fees are

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any legal fees that are incurred by the city. Um you know, the council does have their own line item for legal fees. Um but pretty much every other department falls under the the budget of the mayor um for legal fees. So uh you know, for example, any impact bargaining we have

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to do, we have to call in an attorney if there's any personnel issues um you know, uh stuff that related to public's work projects. Um and uh our appointment uh attorney we do have a monthly small

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retainer. Um so it covers that. Um so you know basically this is pretty standard across the board. This is I think the fourth one. Um so and this is the last one. And I would say, you know, one of the things that we did try to do is like, you know, especially when we were looking at 32B

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insurance issues, when we went to the IA and were negotiating around um, you know, kind of offsetting the impact of the increase of health insurance, um, we did not have an attorney with us. So, one of the things that we did was we tried to bargain in good faith where we

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didn't need an attorney with us. Um, and so we were really mindful about the use of the attorney, I would say. And you know, it's not exactly apples to apples because over the last few years, there've been more intense union negotiations, but you know, we've averaged $103,000 a year in legal fees

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over the last 3 years. Um this year, with this $10,000 appropriation, it'll put us at 42,000. Um so this is significantly under um the average of the last 3 years. Uh and this should close us out. Um we have right now we have uh close to $4,000 of outstanding

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fees that we haven't been able to pay since the last appropriation um didn't go through. Uh and um we're anticipating uh June uh expenses from our labor attorney and then um 3 months of expenses from our standard uh city

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solicitor. Um so this should cover it. >> Questions from council? Uh, councelor Newton, >> I think one of the things we were wondering about last time, um, so it you could potentially not use the whole

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10,000. Is that correct? >> Yeah. If we don't, it will just close back to free cash. >> Okay. Thanks. >> Yep. >> Other questions? Any comment from members of the public? >> Great. Again, please state your name and

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address for the record. my caravine street. See, this was the problem. You don't get a detailed explanation when you get the bill. It's for X, Y, Z. I would think that like when you write in your checkbook or

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in your account that it's for AB, like just buying money or spending money, you identify what it's for before you just approve spending it. So, he goes over a bunch of whole bunch of things. Well, what's it for? Is it for all of it? I

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think that's the problem that the citizens have is you just spend money without a detailed account for the money. So, an explanation to say, "Oh, well, we used it for this bargaining." will if you want $3,000 for bargaining

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and say it was $3,000 for bargaining for whatever contract you're bargaining for. So at least the council will have the information as to what the money is being spent on, not just an arbitrary um that you were dealing with contract

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negotiations. It's time to start looking at each individual expense as to what it's for. It's not your money, it's the citizens money. You need to account for each line. >> Mayor Derby, do you want to respond? Are there any other details you would like

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to provide? >> No. Uh any other counselors, questions, any other comments from the public? Anyone online? Seeing none, councelor Pete. Okay. Um,

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so I'll make the following uh supplemental appropriation request in the form of a motion. Uh, request is hereby made for approval of the following appropriation. Amount requested, $10,000 to be transferred from free cash, $10,000 to be

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transferred to city attorney professional expenses, $10,000. The amount requested will be used for the following purpose to cover the remaining fiscy year city legal expenses. Second. >> Have a motion and a second. Any further discussion? Uh, councelor Peak or Chair

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Peak? I >> I just want to say because, you know, I I hear what uh Mike was saying there, but I you know, I I do think that there's an extent to which historically this is an item where we do provide the

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city with a budget and this year it was sort of a different situation. you know, if the if the city came to us, if the way that this worked is that there are things that the city comes to us, you know, and they say, "Hey, we want to do this thing. Should we do it

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or not? It's easier to do these things." When we get into these things where it's like, "These are bills that the city's incurred in the course of regular operation." I do get a little bit nervous about well I mean I think it's fine to go over these things with a fine tooth comb but at the same time I I do realize that a

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it's likely there are things in there that we do not want to be discussing at a public hearing you know's talking about disciplinary situations for instance we certainly don't want to be in a situation of saying here's who got disciplined you know um that could probably get us sued and then we'd have

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more legal expenses um the other thing is like I just don't feel like in these sort of situations that It's realistic that we could say the city in the course of their operations incurred legal expenses and now we're going to not pay them. So to me these feel I I I can

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appreciate why from a public perspective why it looks a certain way, but I just don't think that realistically we're going to say we're not going to pay these bills. >> Vice President Jazz. >> Uh thank you. I I agree with Chair Peak, but I do want to note and I think this

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is where maybe some of the public reaction might be coming from and I know certainly I'll speak for myself, this is where my comments at our last meeting came from around this particular item is I think there's a difference between paying bills that we have incurred that we are obligated to pay that we should

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be paying and anticipated expenses. And I think there's there's a fine line there and it can be a bit of a gray area because we're talking about yes, we know we're adding impact bargaining and meetings and we'll need to spend on that. But I do think that maybe for

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future when the mayor comes to us for these types of appropriations, there can be a little bit more detail provided for expenses that I have not already yet been incurred but that are we're looking ahead to because I think that's my sense of some of the the the stickiness of

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this is that these are um squishy numbers that we're asking that we are being asked to approve. So I just want to note that distinction. um because I agree with Chair Peak, but I think that there's two different types of numbers in this particular appropriation that

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we're really approving here. >> Councilwinski, >> uh to follow up on that, the issue to me is you anticipate expenses and you prepare

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for it. You come, the mayor comes to us, that is the council, and says, "I'm anticipating spending X number of dollars." So, I'm going to need an appropriation for $10,000. Here's what I envision uh before the money is spent and that

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that meeting take place with the council in advance that the money not be spent and it's a fail to come plea when you come to the council and say, "Geez, we we got bills for $10,000 and now we want

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you to pay them." There's a huge So, we need a process and I think it behoo would behoove each of us to think about what that process should be and how it gets operationalized. >> I see. Mayor, we're in discussion right now.

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>> Is it Would it be possible for me just to weigh in a little bit? >> One second. Did you have your hand up? >> I had. >> Yeah. Councelor Smith. Um >> I was going to ask for more information for that 10,000. how much of it has already been

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allotted that this is already owed versus what you're saving in case. >> So, uh, >> Mayor Derby, >> I'm sorry. Uh, 2,922 plus 1,830.

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>> Oh. Um, so yeah. So that 2,922 has been that we've been built already and we're behind. Um and then the rest is forthcoming. Um because like I said, we have three months of uh Bacon and Wilson

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bills that are on the way. Uh and we have uh the entire month of June for our uh employment uh attorney which we have used. Um and I will just say that um I I would caution

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um the the the direction that this is going in right now. Uh because what I'm hearing is I'm hearing uh legislative oversight of an executive function. Um and and I think that that's a dangerous ground to tread on even even

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theoretically. Um because you know when you're saying you need to tell us exactly what you're spending this money on before we approve it is can you imagine what that would look like across the budget? Is it is it just for the mayor's office that you would do that? is it? You know, because that is a

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burdensome proposition. And just to be clear, we keep track of every bill and what it's for. Um, we have all of the itemized bills and if you would like to see those, I think that that's fine, but I don't think it is appropriate for the

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city council to say we're going to decide whether this bill is worth paying. Um, that's not how legal fees in the city have ever worked. legal fees in the city has been a blanket appropriation. The the executive branch uses its discretion to spend those legal

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fees and if they need an appropriation, this is a very this is a very different situation than the city's ever been in before. Um, but I would just say using this situation to try to control what the executive branch is doing is a clear breach of the charter. So, I would be

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very careful um because that is ground we do not want to tread on. So, I just want to just make sure that that's really clear. >> I don't think I heard anyone saying we want to control. I think I think >> Well, I think I Well, what I did hear what I did hear from

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>> I didn't recognize you. Uh and please don't interrupt when I'm speaking. Uh I didn't hear anyone saying we're controlling. I think what we're trying to do is respond to uh a concern that residents are currently have and as has already been stated this is a unique

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situation where this was cut and as chair peak said this is something that typically does not happen. You have you have the uh uh the budget to be able to do this. Um and I think that we are just trying to be responsive given the nature

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of everything that is going on. We're trying to be responsive. Um, so I think that we're just trying to get a little bit of clarity so that we can ease the minds of residents who are uh obviously deeply concerned about spending within the city. So I I hear what you're

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saying. Uh, however, uh, I I I don't think it was about control. I think we're just trying to reassure the residents that we are paying attention to how funds are being spent. But I saw a hand over here. Uh, councelor Newton. >> Yeah. I just wanted to clarify. I think

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the the one thing that is like a little concerning, but it's fine, is that we're approving like an amount that may or may not be spent. I think like I would like to try to not send so

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much to free cash. Um because, you know, like it just goes into next year and gets spent in some other pot that wasn't for the legal expenses, you know. So that's what I feel uncomfortable about. >> Mhm. Can I >> I appreciate that. >> Uh, Mayor Derby.

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>> Um, I appreciate that and I think that, you know, as you look at the budget, there's going to be a lot of line items that are similar to that where they don't get fully spent. And, um, you know, I think we're going to try to do our best to budget as best as we can to get as close as we can. And and I think

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I just want to just clarify what I was responding to was I think um the the counselor was talking about approving what the legal expense was for and and maybe I misheard >> and and so and if I misheard then I apologize. I just want to make sure

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because what I what I if I did hear that that that would be a little bit scary um as in relation to our charter because the legislative branch does its job, the executive branch does its job and and the legislative branch shouldn't try to

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control. So I just if I misheard I apologize. >> Great. Thank you, Mayor Derby. Uh councelor Kinski, do you want to respond? Just wanted to say there is no intent in any way to uh tread on the mayor's administrative role here, but

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simply to have the legislative function and to know what's coming down the road and so that we can respond and know this is an a request that we have coming. So I would uh want to reassure you that that's the case. >> Thank you. >> Thank you, Councelor Kisinski. Chair

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Peak, you had your hand up. >> Sure. Um, I feel like I started this whole thing by making a comment when I could have just gone for the thing, but I I do think it's important to philosophically talk about through this stuff. Um, I think that we can all certainly um recognize that this was a

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particularly strange situation that resulted from the council uh making a a a choice under understandable circumstances, but a choice to

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zero out a operating line item that we knew for a fact was going to incur tens of thousands of dollars of expenditures. and that we were going to have to keep having these things. So, I think we and we've now got that item restored in the budget and it's restored at a lower

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level than it would be. And I am glad because the the amount of money we spent on legal expenses over the last few years is I think that the thing we can that I think a lot of us would would have liked to see reduced. So, I think that that that's good. Um, what councelor Kazinski did say that I I do

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think is just worth kind of repeating as we sort of move into this next fiscal year. Um I do think that over the last few years there's a habit that has um developed within some aspects of the

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city to spend and I'm not saying that's what happened here but I it is something that I've seen happen a number of times where money >> Hang on just one one second. Is this related to the motion? It's it is I think um

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>> where where money has been spent um and then after the money has been spent uh you know the city's come to us for an appropriation and I think that there's a question sometimes maybe not here because of the way that free cash was

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certified but sometimes about saying well could we have discussed this before these funds were expended so that we could discuss whether since they're not in the budget that and so I do think that that's something that just going forward broadly I take councelor

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Kisinsk's point and I want to point that out while also saying that I think in this specific case it's kind of a particularly weird thing that I'm sort of glad to have behind us and so >> yep >> um >> okay any other comments for discussion

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um thank you for that uh Maryanne pardon >> no you're good um Tom Beak >> hi Hi >> Tamara Smith. >> Hi >> Jonathan Schmidt. >> Hi >> Amanda Newton. >> Hi >> Nathan Marquee. >> Hi >> Kaam Jamro McUade. >> Hi

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>> Connie Denham. >> Hi. >> Felicia Jazzic. >> I >> JP Quisinski. >> Hi. >> Motion passes. >> Great. Okay. Next one up is a CPA supplemental appropriation. Um, this is

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for uh $135,000 uh from the CPA undesated fund for dog park construction. I see that Ava's here to talk about that. >> All right. Um, uh, Ava Gristle, uh, if you want to just state your name and your position for the city.

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>> Absolutely. Um, Ava Gristtol, CPA coordinator. Um, I have, uh, I have my available balance worksheet. Would it be helpful for me to have screen sharing so I can project it on your screens? >> Oh, you're a colorist. >> Oh, I am. Excellent. You beat me to it.

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Very good. >> Um, okay. So, I figured we could start here and then we can go specifically into the dog park. Um, but I want to call the counselors and the public's attention to the two lines. And before we do this before the order

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>> point of information is there any way to make it even bigger because to put it on the screen sounds great >> it's it's a little difficult for many people to read that's that's >> yeah for sure I will read the numbers into >> it's possible to get the other folks who aren't participating

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off the >> I'm trying yeah she's trying >> but that would be helpful I think to the public if you're going to talk numbers >> and you can click the X next to people do. >> Oh, yeah. >> Yes. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Awesome. Great. Okay. So, we're going to

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go into the specifics of our two supplemental appropriations um one by one, but I wanted to start with our available balances um for the counselor's information and for the public's information. So, um we're going to start with the orange line. Um and I will note that these these numbers are

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um preliminary to the extent that they have not yet been reconciled um as we have not yet reached the end of the fiscal year. So we're looking at our orange line which is the available balances before our pending FY26 appropriations which are in front of the

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um city council tonight. And so available balances before the pending FY26, we have 39,769 in the open space and recreation set aside, 27,751 in the historic preservation set aside,

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$1 remaining in the affordable housing set aside, 618,052 in undesated, which can be used for any of the four categories of CPA, open space, recreation, historic preservation, or affordable housing. and 30,877

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in the reserve undesated account. So that is our budgeted undesated account. It can be used interchangeably with the listed undesated account. Okay. And so that is where we are currently standing. Um and then I have the numbers in yellow

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um are what the balances would be if both projects were fully funded um at their requested supplemental appropriation amounts. Um would counselors find it helpful if I read those aloud or should we begin? Okay, great. So um in the open space and

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recreation set aside, we would have $1 remaining. In the historic preservation set aside, we would have 27,751 remaining. In the affordable housing set aside, we'd have $1. In the undesated uh in the undesated account, we'd have

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483,052. and the reserve um budgeted undesated account, we'd have 26,545. >> Great. Thank you. >> Excellent. Um and now we can go ahead and turn our attention specifically to the dog park. We do have um the

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applicants for the dog park here. Um would any applicant from the dog park like to just say three sentences about the dog park? >> Anyone from the dog park? Okay. Please state your name and um your

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address for the record. >> Joan Curts, 359 Main Street. Um I'm the president of Friends of East Hampton and I am glad I'm hoping this is the last time I have to get in front of the city council or CPA. >> We do enjoy you visiting. >> We're waiting for a a positive result

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and then we're going to go out and celebrate. So, um, appreciate all the work that Eva and the commission has done to get us to this point, city council for approving us from way back when, um, and the support that the city has shown us. So, um, I'm hoping to hear

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a positive vote. Thank you. >> Does anyone have any questions for um, CPA coordinator? I thought I saw a hand, but now I don't. Okay. So, anyone from the public have

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any questions regarding this? Uh, Julie, can you please state your name and address for the record online? >> Julie Tom, excuse me, Julie Thomas, fix Concord, precinct one. Um, just to really appreciate the balances on there. Thank you very much. That is very

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helpful for us in the community to see. Um, I did ask you, Councelor Denim, um, a couple of meetings ago in regards to how do we know what we started with and I know you were going to be looking into that and I was just wondering what the answer is for that and how we can get

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that answer. >> Yep. So, I reached out to the CBA coordinator Gerstool and I asked her to make those available on the uh, website. Um, and she put those up.

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>> Yep. So, if you go to if you search Community Preservation Act Committee, City of East Hampton, and you scroll down on the page to related documents under other committee documents, you will see our CPA uh, East Hampton CPA

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revenue as of 2025. So, there you can find all the revenue that the CPA committee has um, received from both state and local contributions. um from 2002 to present. And then just below that you can find my annual meeting 2026

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presentation which gives um a comprehensive overview of CPA over the last uh decade or so, two decades. We go back quite a ways um and you can look at different funding categories. And then I have that spreadsheet that preliminary

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unreconciled end of FY26 CPA funds available balance. Um, and I will just note for the public and for the counselors that we do expect those numbers to change um once they get reconciled. Um, they're based on projections. >> Great. Thank you very much. >> Perfect. >> Thank you. >> Great. Uh, anyone for a question

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regarding the dog park? Right. Regarding the dog park. Seeing none, Chair Peak. >> Okay. Um, I'll just say this is this has been going on just about as long as I've been a city counselor. So, it's uh it's

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exciting to actually get to read this. >> Um, even though I don't think my dogs will ever check >> even though I don't think my dogs will ever benefit from it because they're too crazy. Um, all right. Uh, I'll make the following uh request the form of a motion. Uh, request is hereby made for

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approval of the following appropriation. Amount requested $135,000 to be appropriated from CPA on designated fund to be appropriated to dog park construction. The amounts requested will be used for the following purpose. This project seeks to construct

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a dog park in Natuck Park. >> Second. >> I have a motion and a second for the supplemental appropriation of $135,000 for Eastampton dog park construction. Any further discussion? uh >> not really a discuss discussion but just

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wanted to point out that council >> Kazinski there would be significant funds that have been contributed by the friends of the dog park and significant funds by community members and we haven't made any mention of that tonight but I think this is a drop in the bucket

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compared to the rest of the funds so I would think that number being mentioned I think would help to inform the public that we're not building dog park with these funds, but these are being used to help leverage additional

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funds that have been placed for the project and are going forward. So, is there does anyone know that number? >> Yeah, thank you. So, I know that there was a $200,000 gift from a member of the community uh that went to support the

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dog park. Uh I believe that they've been doing some other fundraisers uh to support this uh not as much uh but they have gone to um to support this these efforts as well as well as I think it's important to note that the um uh the

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friends of the dog park have also been doing um some uh pet foods um uh fundraisers right so they've been doing a lot of inkind I I think uh work for the community to support um animal

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lovers in general uh and just given the uh challenging uh fiscal times that we live in. I think that they've uh been really working to support dogs, cats, a number of other things. So, they've certainly been doing uh a lot of work to

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um raise awareness about them supporting other individuals, but they they do have uh they did receive a rather large $200,000 gift to to to make this happen. Uh CPA coordinator Crystal, do you have any other comment regarding that? Um,

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the only other comment I'll make is that I know that the dog park committee um is responsible for uh some maintenance costs associated with running uh what we imagine to be a very beloved recreational resource. So, while um the matching contributions of $25,000

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um to this CPA appropriation of $135,000 are primarily from that substantial um donor gift. Um, I know the dog park committee is doing a lot of work to um, ensure the continued um, maintenance, success, beautifification of the dog park through the raising of additional

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funds. >> And with that as well, I think they've been uh, in close communication with director Mason uh, in regards to to that those arrangements. Great. Any other questions,

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comments? So, I'll just make uh same comment I made uh the other day. Just really appreciate all of the the dedication and work that you have uh put into this project. Um certainly as someone who owns two dogs uh and while

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they are a bit crazy, I hope that we'll able to to take them there uh and enjoy that. But certainly I think this is one more opportunity for people in the community to get to know their neighbors and to make connections. And it's not

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lost on me that we have a a number of seniors uh who have been working very diligently um to to make this this a an opportunity for them. And and this is a community that they would like to to create and to foster. Um, and it's it's

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a resource uh for um other individuals in the community who may or may not know that this is happening but will likely uh take advantage of that both now and um in the future. So again uh your hard

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work and uh most importantly um your persistence uh is is very much um appreciated. Um, so with that, uh, Maryannne, >> Tamara Smith, >> hi >> Jonathan Schmidt, >> hi >> Amanda Newton, >> hi >> Nathan Marquee,

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>> hi >> Ka Jam Rang McUade, >> hi >> Connie Denham, >> hi >> Felicia Jazz, >> hi >> JPinski, >> hi >> Tom Peak, >> hi. >> Thank you for that. Appreciate all of you. >> Um, Chair Peak.

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>> All right. Um, so the next appropriation that we have is another CPA appropriation. Uh, this one's for $44,100. Uh, most of that's coming from CPA reserve for open space, but of coming from the reserve fund. And this is for

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the Muttersfield uh, renovation. Uh, so for those who are not aware, Muttersfield is this great accessible uh, trail that's uh, right off of uh, East Green Street. um it actually connects like East Green Street to East

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Street and um it's very nice and it's uh but it's been around for a few years now. It's seen some wear and tear and it's also been completely overtaken with invasives um particularly over the the last couple years. So, >> um

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uh CPA coordinator Crystal, do you want to speak to this? >> Um certainly. So, this is a um a renovation project for ACPA acquisition um aided acquisition back in 2012. Um Muttersfield/Brookyard

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Brook is a beloved conservation area that is maintained um and owned by the Pasconic Conservation Trust. Um I know several of them are here um and they can give a couple words um that would be helpful on this. I think this is kind of a um it's a bit of a a of a basket of

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different um necessary renovations and rehabilitations to this conservation area. So, I'll just go through them really quickly so that the counselors know um where this appropriation is going to. So the the plan um is to replace a considerable amount of deteriorated wood edging along the

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accessible path um with a new material um with a more durable material that should last longer than the 10 years for 10 years it's been installed. Um, another substantial change is replacing the eroding um and and ecologically damaging uh stream crossing that's

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currently a culvert um with a drop to a uh a permanent aluminum and uh wood bridge pedestrian bridge at that location. Um, also a renovation and improvement of uh one of the access points um including removals of invasives and add addition of new native

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plantings um improving the signage, a new bench, all that good stuff. Um similarly, some additional plantings at a different location. This is one of our um one of the reasons that this conservation area is notable notable and um special in our city is that there's a

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lot of different access points to it and they are from directly from neighborhoods. So many people um have this conservation area on their regular walking paths because they can walk there from their houses and that's not just one neighborhood or one street. There's several locations where you can access this but with multiple entrances

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um comes you know multiple challenges around that and um yeah that that essentially that essentially so additional planting so really um replacement of the wood edging the bridge work and plantings removal of

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invasives um all very much in alignment with the CPA's goals of preservation of our open spaces and recreational resources. >> Great. Thank you. Uh questions from counselors. >> Uh councelor Smith. >> Thank you, Madam President. Um just wanted to follow up on a couple of

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questions that I hold the microphone closer to you. >> I wanted to follow up on a couple questions that I had at uh the finance committee meeting just to see if there's any additional information. Uh first and foremost was if you had any further info about the type of material being used to

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replace the the wood that uh has deteriorated. >> Uh yep. Please state your name and uh role for the city. >> Marty Klein, Seven Stone Path Lane. Um I'm on the board of Pasoma Conservation

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Trust. I have been for 25 plus years. Um, and I've led a couple major projects over these years and have basically um devoted unqualtold thousands of hours in the cause of conservation in East

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Hampton over that time. Um, yeah. So, we created this trail. Um, it it opened in 2016 and we we used uh a trail in Hadley, the Ki Refugees.

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um Fort River Trail as a model. So we they weren't allowed to um dig into the ground to construct their trail and we ran into a similar issue because of state historic commission blah blah. Um

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so we constructed it above ground using pressure treated along the sides of the trail to hold it in place. um pressure cheated when it's in contract with the ground is good for about 10 years. So that's breaking down now and that's the

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reason that u this project is needed. And the other part of it is um constructing a um removing a culvert on the east street end and replacing that with a 30foot uh bridge to go over that

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section. um a meeting with an engineer on uh Friday to go over that part of it and um we have a potential contractor for the the trail section of it. And I had heard

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through our president Diane uh regarding um speaking with you the other night your concerns about microlastics. Um the material we'll be using is a composite. Um and there's a couple of choices. We

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haven't settled on which one. Composite is going to be composed of basically it's like sawdust um mixed with some kind of resin on the inside and then it's does have a plastic coating on the outside. Um cutting of

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the boards will be done offsite at the contractor's um facility. So if you're concerned about microlastics there, um it's not really an issue. Um

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and I I was curious. I mean, when I look at the new construction that's going on in the city, we've got Sierra Vesta Commons, we've got the condos on Pleasant Street, there's a fair amount of plastic being used in those

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facilities. and what kinds of concerns do we have about that? So, I don't think that we don't we're not um going to be adding um pollutants in the course of this project, but I'm happy to answer

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any questions you might have. >> Uh councelor Schmidt, follow question. >> Yeah. Um first of all, I'll just start by saying I I spent a lot of time at this particular um park and the surrounding trails. I'm super appreciative of the fact that it's there and of the connection that it has to the

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local neighborhoods. Um I think it's a gem specifically because of his residential um placement. Um couple things that uh I would say I I'm especially curious what um the material is regardless of the vote here tonight.

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Um that's something I would be interested in following up on um just so I know kind of what what is being used out there. Um, I'm glad to hear that the the work will be done offsite to cut the boards. That was by far my primary concern because when you're cutting

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those boards, you are spewing plastic bits uh into, you know, your surrounding area if you were not doing uh an extensive effort to vacuum them up immediately. Um, and so my concern was, you know, it's obviously, uh, the the park abuts, you know, a natural habitat,

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a freshwater stream that then leads to other freshwater, uh, in our city. Uh, and so I wanted to be sure that, um, during the construction, none of those the the plastic detritus uh, was making its way into the water. Um and so I

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would further just you know if if there is any work that ends up being done on site I would just once again really implore uh to make sure that there is vacuuming that is happening with the tools that is doing the cutting just to make sure that it's getting sucked up. Um the composite material is as far as I

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understand uh for the industry as a whole recycled plastics. Uh that's kind of what a resin is. Um, and uh, as I've tried to read up, I couldn't find um, as mentioned that uh,

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that you're possibly going to use uh, boards that uh, fisheries and wildlife are using that are approved at the state level. Um, I couldn't find any anything. I'm not surprised that they're not advertising what kind of boards are going into their project necessarily.

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Um, but >> it's a federal project. >> Hang on a second. Whoa, whoa, whoa, Mr. >> Con. Uh, la last thing I'll say just regarding, you know, the the boards are sealed when they're cut that does create an opening into the board and my understanding is that uh some of um some

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of what leeches out of them can come out of those cut sides. Uh I believe there are uh like caps that are sometimes put on uh the boards um on those cut ends. I don't know if that's a part of the plan or not. Um but I would recommend looking

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into it. Um, and so again, I'm not looking to hold up the project. I I see the work that needs to be done and I appreciate everything that's been done there for the community already. Um, I just want to make sure and and to your point, you know, I see all of the plastic that's coming into our city. Uh, this is just happens to be one thing

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before us that I can raise some concerns about. Um, but I I'm very much concerned about the other projects as well and what they're bringing. >> Mr. fine. >> Um, yeah, you probably didn't see any information about the Fort River Trail. It's a federal project. That's if you're

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looking at state, you wouldn't see it. So, um, look, we're going to make every effort to u mitigate any possible contamination at the site because that's that's not what we're about at all. Um,

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we're all about conservation and protecting the environment. So, whatever we can do within reason, we will do. >> Great. Thank you, Mr. CL. Any other questions? I saw uh councelor Smith first and then

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>> what is the difference in how many years the composite wood will be good for compared to the 10 years of the pressure wood? >> I'm sorry, I didn't hear all that. Mhm. So, the composite wood that will be replacing the pressure uh treated wood

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on the trail, how many years is that usually good for compared to the 10 years of the pressure treated? >> Mr. Klein, >> um 30 plus. >> Yeah.

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>> So, I I don't know. Somebody mentioned, oh, we should just use pressure treated again, but that's only good for 10. and then we don't want to come back to you again in 10 years. >> We'd rather come in 40 years. >> Councelor Smith, follow up.

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>> I would just like to make a comment about this particular park. Um when I had my father with me during the pandemic who had Parkinson's disease and was wheelchair bound. This was one of the very few parks that he felt that it wasn't going to overwhelm him to get

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into the park. And so his his ability to go outside was very fleeting. And this is a really important resource in East Hampton for someone who can really only have 15 minutes, for example. So for example, going into Nanatuck Park and

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going around that big loop was he just saw that as completely overwhelming by comparison. And another thing that I really enjoyed about that park was that while I was able to be walking with my father, my kids were able to explore the trails in the wood. And I'm actually

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really grateful that that one section where my little ones would have a harder time getting up will actually have that path there because it really is a wonderful intergenerational space in East Hampton. >> Thank you. Thank you. Mr. Mr. From the

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day it opened, I think there've been a mix of users there from people who are rehabbing from injuries to um elderly people like myself to um uh people with strollers

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um and and just people who want to be out in a a nice natural space. Um we have lots of benches there, picnic tables. Um it's very welcoming to >> the entire community. >> Thank you. Uh councelor Marquy.

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>> Uh thank you, President Denham. Um I uh live relatively close to Muttersfield along with um Councelor Schmidt and Councelor Peak also. We all live in precinct 3. Um in fact, I think it's almost the meeting point between councelor Schmidt's house and my own.

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and um almost I think councelor Schmidt might be a little bit closer, but um regardless um yeah, that's I feel I will be voting yes on this. Um and I feel that it's a kind of a hidden gem. Like I

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really encourage um members of the public who have not been to Muttersfield because it is a little bit hidden out there to definitely um take a walk around it. There's a circular loop and then there's some trails that kind of go off it to Mount Tom Avenue I believe and

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even I think what's that farm that um butts up against it and stuff. There's some trails out there stuff. I try to frequent it about once twice a week and um yeah, I think it's a I think it's a great place. But that's all I have to say. >> Uh councelor Kazinski,

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>> I just had a quick question regarding when should this be approved this evening? Should the project be completed approximately when can the public expect to see the newly renovated uh accessible uh walking trails?

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>> Mr. Klein. >> Uh well um I spoke with our potential contractor for rehabbing the trail this afternoon and he thinks he'll be able to get started in August.

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um the uh engineer with that I'm meeting with uh later this week thinks that he could help us um with plans and then noi um probably early September. So I would

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say this fall is a what do you think? Yeah, is a reasonable estimate of when we'll be done with this. So >> councelor Quizinski followup. >> So right around the time of the fall foliage season, this would be fabulous

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for East Hampton and for everyone who takes advantage of the park. This is truly I'll I'll reiterate >> an accessible park. I come from the other side of town and I I'll I'll go there. Park the car. There are nice parking spaces and go for a lovely walk.

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It's a gem, as folks have said. get out there and give it a give it a look. >> Great. Thank you, Councelor Kisinski. Uh comment from the public. >> Thank you, Mr. Klein. Appreciate you.

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Um anyone online with comments? Uh Chair Peak. >> All right. I'll make the following request in the form of a motion. Request is hereby made for approval of the following appropriation. Amount requested $44,100

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to be appropriated from CPA reserve for open space $39,768 CPA reserve fund $4,332 to be appropriated to Muttersfield renovations $44,100. The amount requested will be used for

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the following purpose. This project proposes renovation and improvements on the trails at Brickyard Brook Conservation Area uh uh between East Street and Mount Tom Avenue/ East Green Street. >> Second. >> Second.

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>> I have a motion and a second for CPA appropriation for $44,100 for Muttersfield renovation. Uh any further discussion? Um I just want to um acknowledge all of you in much the same way that the dog

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park uh you know worked to uh in their case kind of create a new space. Obviously, you all have been working on this for a number of years, and it's because of residents like you that the rest of us are able to um kind of enjoy

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uh uh spaces, right, that you've worked to preserve in in East Hampton. Um and I think a lot of people um are unaware of who works very hard on those. And so I I very much appreciate that we're able to

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see so many faces here tonight um of the people who have been uh dedicated not just to conservation but dedicated to future generations of people who can um access these spaces. So thank you so very much for all the work that you've

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done on this. And I see CPA Gerstow wants to make a comment. Yeah, just one more comment which is just to say in addition to the countless hours of work, um the Piscamic Conservation Trust has contributed 35,200 of matching funds. So this is a $44,100

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appropriation request that's being matched by 35,200. >> Awesome. Thank you. Uh again, thank you for your dedication. Um Maryanne >> Jonathan Schmidt, >> hi >> Amanda Newton. >> Hi >> Nathan Marque. >> Hi >> Kaam Jam McQuade. I

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>> Connie Denham. >> Hi, >> Felicia Jadzik. >> Hi, >> JP Quisinski. >> Hi, >> Tom Peak. >> Hi, >> Tamara Smith. >> Hi. >> Motion passes. Congratulations. Thank you so much. >> Thank you. >> Great. Thank you. Thank you, Chairp.

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>> Okay. Uh we now have a series of uh DPW related appropriations coming up. Um, the first one is a $50,000 appropriation from Enterprise Retained

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earnings to purchase 10 fire hydrants and associated uh installation couplings. So, just for the benefit of anyone on the public or anyone new to the council who doesn't know, enterprise retained earnings is like the enterprise version of free

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cash. It's the surplus that gets generated from the water and sewer bills minus all the expenses that go into water, sewer, wastewater treatment. Um, and so like free cash, it goes through the count, but you know, these funds are

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set aside. So, yeah. Um, uh, but it's 10 fire hydrants. That's what I got. >> Great. Uh, is Director Nettleman on the call? >> Uh, yep. I'm here. Good evening, everyone.

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>> Yep. Director Island, do you want to add anything? >> Um, no, I don't really have much to add. We just This fire the cost for these have gotten to be, you know, too the cost has gotten too great for us to just handle it in our own end budget. Um, you know, remember when I started in this

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business, a fire hydrant is about $1,800 and now we're paying over $4,000 for for one hydrant alone, let alone the parts we need to install it. It's just gotten more and more challenging to fund on our onm budget as the city infrastructure ages. >> Great. Thank you for that, Director

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Nelman. I see uh councelor Marquee has a question. >> Um yeah, thank you, President Denham. Um I guess my question is are these fire hydrants going to re be replacing existing fire hydrants or are there going to be new locations for fire

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hydrants? >> These are exist They're replacements for existing hydrants. >> Okay, that's it. think >> well five of them will be installed immediately the other five will be in stock at the water department >> uh councelor Kazinski >> basically the same question but I did

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want to follow up with so it's my understanding then that any fire hydrants that may be needed in a development project are the at the expense of the developer is that correct and not on the city >> director >> yes uh yes absolutely any any new

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construction they're they're installed uh towards specification by the developer. >> Great. Thank you for that. Any other questions by CH Councelor Smith? >> Great question. >> Just out of curiosity, how long is the life of a higher fire hydrant?

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>> Uh Dman, >> that's that's kind of tough to answer. You know, it depends on the manufacturer. We'll see fire hydrants that'll last a very long time. Um, other brands, uh, they will, uh, they'll kind of age out quicker or be or they'll

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become obsolete. We can't get parts for them anymore. Like my guys, uh, the crew over there at the water department is very, very good at keeping old fire hydrants in service because it's usually a lot cheaper to fix them than replace them. Uh, a lot easier. But, uh, we have just some of them across town that they just can't be fixed anymore.

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>> Other questions from counselors? Uh, councelor Schmidt. >> Thank you, Madam President. Um, Director Nelman, I I'm hearing that there are five that you're kind of currently planning on replacing out of out of this bunch. Um, I don't expect you to know

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the location of every single defunct uh in need of repaired fire hydrant, but I wonder if you have a have an idea of the spread kind of across the city just thinking about, you know, kind of different precincts being, you know, getting similar care. >> Director,

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>> sure. So, we have about nine. Oh, >> go ahead. So we have about 900 fire hydrants across the city. Um currently five are out of service that need to be replaced. I don't have exact locations for them in front of me. I can get that for you. But um anytime we have one out of service, we call that into um to the

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fire department public safety dispatch and uh make sure that there is a one, you know, in close proximity that is still 100% operational. If it's not, if there isn't one that is able to be accessed quickly, we can we will replace it, you know, significantly faster,

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usually within 48 hours if we can get out there. >> Councelor Marquee, >> because I can't resist, will one of these fire hydrants be located at the top? I I withdraw I withdraw my question.

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>> Okay. Um, any other questions from counselors? Uh, anyone from the public have comment regarding the fire hydrants questions? Um, seeing none, uh, councelor Peak.

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>> Okay. Uh, I will make the following supplemental appropriation request in the form of a motion. Uh, request is hereby made for approval of the following appropriation. Amount requested. $50,000 to be transferred from enterprise retained earnings. $50,000 to be transferred to uh fire

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FY26 fire hydrants $50,000. The amount requested will be used for the following purpose. This funding will support the purchase of 10 fire hydrants and associated installation couplings. >> Second motion on a second for the supplement of appropriation of $50,000 for the purchase of 10 fire hydrants.

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Any further discussion? Only comment I'm going to make is uh Director Nman certainly appreciate all the hard work that you all do. uh to ensure that the um city remains safe and um secure. So, thank you so much to you

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and your staff. Um Maryanne >> Amanda Newton, >> hi >> Nathan Marque, >> hi >> Kayam JM Robin Quaid. >> Hi >> Connie Denham. >> Hi >> Felicia Jazzic. >> Hi >> JPinski. >> Hi >> Tom Peak. >> Hi

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>> Tamara Smith. I >> Jonathan Schmidt >> I >> motion passes. Uh Chair Peak. >> Okay. Uh next up we have three uh free cash appropriations. All of which were for things that just increased in their cost over the course of the year. So we

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need a little there's uh a request to for some free cash to make these accounts hold. Um so the first one is a $3,500 request from uh free cash to recycling. uh related to uh hazardous waste

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disposal prices that have increased in FY2026. >> Great. Uh any counselors have question? Um Director Nettleman, do you want to speak to this? >> Um I I can to also paper recycling and

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the cost associated with emptying all the recycling dumpsters at city buildings and the uh uh recycling center at the highway department. So >> great. Thank you for that. Um, anyone from the public wish to speak on this?

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None. Anyone online? Seeing none. Chairp. Okay. I'll make the following request in the form of a motion. Request is hereby made for approval of the following appropriation. Amount requested $3,500 to be transferred from free cash $3,500

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to be transferred to recycling $3,500. The amount requested will be used for the following purpose. Hazardous waste disposal prices have increased in FY2026. As such, uh we are requesting $3,500 to be transferred from free cash to cover this shortfall.

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>> Second motion and a second for the supplemental appropriation of $3,500 to recycling hazardous waste disposal. Any further discussion? Seeing none, Maryanne >> Nathan Marquee. >> Hi. >> Cam Jam R McUade. >> Hi.

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>> Connie Denham. >> Hi. >> Felicia Jadzik. I >> JP Guazinski Tom Peak. >> Hi, >> Tamara Smith. >> Hi, >> Jonathan Schmid. >> Hi, >> Amanda Newton. >> Hi. >> Great. Motion passes. Chair Peak. >> All right. This next one is a $55,000

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appropriation from free cash to fuel. Um, there was a shortfall in the budget for fuel for, again, this is the single budget for all city vehicles. I think we can all kind of sympathize with this one. I think if I had uh specifically budgeted an amount that I thought I was going to be spending on gasoline this

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year, it would have been less than what we ended up spending because we got into a stupid war. We didn't need to and jacked up our fuel prices. So, um yeah, I don't have much else to say. This this these are the sort of things that are often tricky to budget, you

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know, at the start of a fiscal year because you just don't know where the prices are going to go, >> right? Okay. Uh, councelor Newton. >> Um, what part of this 55,000 is for heating oil? >> Um, I I don't think this is

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>> it is >> that is that is in fuel budget, but I'd have to ask director. >> Uh, director Nuttleman, >> that's a number I'd have to get. You know, a question like that I really need to get in advance of the meetings so I can pull that together. Do you know which buildings are

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difficult to say with where we're at with with what's coming in for invoices? We have to look at what we've spent and then what we anticipate to come in for invoicing on deliveries um from the you know for June. So you know June obviously heating oil will be a little bit lower and had that question been

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asked in advance of the meeting I could certainly have that data available but I don't at this time. >> Um councelor Newton >> uh which of our buildings are still using heating oil? Um, Director Nleman, >> um, the Center Street School that we

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still have to heat to keep the sprinkler system up and running. Um, few buildings at the wastewater treatment plant. Uh, I think that's about it for for now at this point. Anyway, >> council followup.

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>> Yeah, I would just say I would just encourage um to look into not using heating oil at this time, you know, going forward. Right. Thank you for your comment. Uh, councelor Kisinski, question. >> Just a kind of a point of information

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for uh, our departments. It's not always possible to anticipate questions. Sometimes they do arrive at the table. Sometimes it does and we're happy to get pass that along to all the department uh, members who would be responding, but

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this is a public hearing. So if the questions that are brought up here were brought up by members of the public, I wouldn't expect that the members of public would give us advanced notice necessarily. So it it it's important just to make that known.

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>> Thank you, Councelor Kisinski. And uh Director Nettleman. >> Oh certainly. and I and I fully respect that. But the um that question did not come from a member of the public and I would greatly appreciate um something of that nature coming in before the meeting to have that data available. It just

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would get everybody the information they're looking for uh more efficiently. >> Thank you, Director Nelman. Uh any other questions from Great. Anyone from the public? Please state your name and address for

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the record. >> My ter line street, this is the same situation she ran in with the with the lawyer. Um $55,000. We've only been at war for 14 weeks. Gas prices have only been high for approximately 14 weeks.

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And you're asking for $55,000. And I'm not doubting the fact that they used it. Okay. But what I'm also wondering, excuse me, I get nervous sometimes. >> That's okay. >> How much of that was diesel? How much of that was gasoline?

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How much of it? And this is where I think a structural situation needs to to be answered. The DPW director needs to answer for every department using fuel, how much of that $55,000 is used by the police department. Maybe the police

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department should be answering why they used more fuel than necessary. Or maybe the fire department needs to answer why they use more fuel than necessary. He has to answer why he's using all this fuel when he may in his department may not be answering it. So I think that

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this is where each department should be broken down. Each vehicle should be under that department. Each vehicle in that department logs in when they get gas and that can be tracked. So maybe you guys can ask the fire chief or the

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police chief, not the DPW director. That's a structural situation. And like I said, it's we've only been at war for 14 weeks. So if you think about that, what's that? 55,000. Say it's $5 a

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gallon. You do the math. So, we've used that much fuel at a higher price for 14 weeks or what did we pay for it prior to the war? That's all I'm saying. And why

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since then are we paying a high price? I didn't know, but I thought maybe he can correct me. Is that doesn't the DPW purchase fuel at a bulk pricing? Did that change and how much did it change? These are questions that I think that

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you all should probably have and to be and he probably may have those or he may not right now, but these are questions that that's what I'm saying. The same issue with the with the lawyer. They just give you a a $55,000 request and

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say, "Oh, prices were high." And you just roll over and go, "Oh, sounds good to me." Well, again, I think the questions need to be asked. And I think in the answers need to be available to you. >> Great. Thank you, Mike. Uh, Director

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Nuttleman, is there a way of tracking how much fuel departments use? >> Uh, yeah, absolutely. We can track all that in our fuel software. We do track that. Um I don't have it in front of me as to you know who used which department did use what but I can tell you that we

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uh purchase a quota based on the we do this in coordination with the procurement office. So we uh we have to commit to purchasing x amount of gallons every year and we do that amount of time that is always advantageous in the fuel market. So we did that um for this year.

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I'm just looking at some information I do have here. Um, we had to purchase we we agreed to purchase 15,500 gallons of diesel fuel and we've been build this is as of Monday uh 20 for 20,000

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20,195 gallons. So we went over that quota a little bit. Um, you know, obviously right now it's not a very advantageous time to u sign on to a fuel commitment yet for next year. So we Mike and I have been talking and watching um kind of what happens and you know u

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internationally to see u you know if if a better time to agree to that quota is on is on the horizon. So um our agreement u required us to purchase uh 32,000 gallons of gasoline. As of May 29th we were at about 31,000 with uh you know the whole month of June

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to go. So >> great. And is there >> we just do the best we can. >> Go ahead. Finish what you're saying. Director say we just have to we just do the best we can to uh estimate what the city's going to need to get through the end of the fiscal year.

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>> And uh also to not agree to purchase, you know, more fuel than we think we're going to need because then we do have to purchase it. And um it's it's it's a not a perfect science. >> And is is there a a difference an increased difference between diesel and

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gasoline? Um, I don't have all of that right here. Um, I can see that the the price jumped from 280 to 440 to a gallon for gas. >> All right, great. Thank you, uh, Councelor Newton.

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>> Yeah, I I really appreciate how hard it can be to answer questions on the spot. Um, I think I really I'm gonna pick a little more about the difference between vehicle fuel and heating oil because usually when Tom presents us with the

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numbers at these meetings, he usually has a breakout of the different things that that is being spent for. So it'll like for example the Medicare one when it was read it was read as $14,000 for teachers, 6,000 for whatever else it was

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for. Um, so I think I when I'm looking at these, I'm anticipating that um, sorry, counselor Peak is going to break out those two things for us because that's usually how it is. Um, I don't feel very comfortable about

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I I wish that they could be broken out. >> Okay. Uh, Director Nelman, >> they certainly can be. I just need I need time to for us to have to be able to pull that information together. So maybe that's something that we can uh work on in the future. Obviously, this

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isn't the the first time that we've done this and we've often just received uh a larger or kind of uh sum. Um, but again, I think that just given the nature of uh residents being more and more uh

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fiscally concerned about fiscally aware of city spending, uh, Director Nettleman, maybe there's a way for us to work with you to uh, kind of break those numbers down a little bit more so that we can be more informed with the public. But I see councelor Peak has his hand

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up. >> Thank you, Madam President. Um, yeah, just to to clarify a little bit. So, first of all, I'm always a fan of as much detail as we can possibly get so I can understand the situation because sometimes we approve

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these appropriations, but they also come with suggestions. Is this something you could look into? It seems like this is going in a weird direction. Is that something we could talk about? you know, so I always do appreciate the detail, but just to be clear, like when there's more detail than this on the

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appropriation request, the reason is because that funding is going to multiple accounts. We have one account for fuel for the whole city >> that is then used on various types of fuel and for various departments.

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>> I think that in general that is a good idea and sort of similar to what we do for procurement. So the idea is that we will make a broad guess for what we're going to need citywide for these various things. Then the city has those funds

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and then the city is in a position of saying as conditions arise perhaps one department needs a little bit less than they thought perhaps one needs a little bit more. We don't have to be worried about making interdep departmental transfers back and forth to make to

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cover that. Now, in terms of what's the level of detail that this council would like to see in appropriation requests, I'm sort of a maximalist. I would I you know I'd always like to see as much as we can do as much as we can as much as people have really I guess like um you

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know but I will say at the same time that you know there's frequently times where there's information that is included in writing in the packet that on the bench those same questions are asked so often I do feel like there is abundant

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information in in this case it's quite a high level thing but I I just um I I just if we're going to be getting into this thing, I would say that the first thing that we could do to have those conversations would be to deeply read that aspect of the packet um before

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these hearings. Um but um that being said, like I don't think that there's anything inappropriate with the way that this appropriation is scheduled because it is all going to a fuel account. Now, if we want to have a broader conversation about the city's fuel use,

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whether that's appropriate, and whether we as counselors or members of the public might have some suggestions about things that the city could be doing differently, then I think that's entirely appropriate. But in terms of the fact that

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what they say that the uh that the price of gasoline for the last 25% of the year almost doubled. like it's not surprising that this was there was a cost overrun here and I feel like um I'm

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>> personally comfortable um funding that. >> Uh councelor Marque. >> Um thank you President Denham. Um I just want to say I do drive a diesel vehicle. I'm almost fairly certain that all of

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the city vehicles besides police cruisers or smaller vehicles are going to run on diesel fuel. Diesel fuel has trended over the past few years a dollar to a dollar and a half more than regular gasoline. Um,

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bigger trucks do not get the mileage that gas powered vehicles get. There's different setups within the engines. I'm not going to get into it. Um so I am also comfortable with um moving forward on this. I just do have the question of

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I don't know if this is an appropriate question but what was the um budgeted fuel cost for the fiscal year? >> Uh Director Nettleman, do you have that number in front of you? >> And >> I can pro I can find it fairly quickly.

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I don't I I don't want to give you bad information. Just give me a second. I can see if I can >> um while you're looking for that, I see a resident has a comment. So, please state your name and or a question uh name and address for the record.

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>> Uh Kathy Wisinski, Overlook Drive. Um one of the things I would just want to say is that some of these questions would have already been answered had the city responded to some of our records request about expenditures this year. Um the message we got back was we don't

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need to respond um because of a format issue. So I'm following up on that um but um we would have all this information already and not be asking as many questions had the records request been followed up on. Um, and I think our

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encouragement, and you guys have grace, thankfully listened to it, and I really appreciate it, is for you guys to ask more questions and do greater due diligence rather than just rubber stamping, and and that certainly has been different the last few meetings, and we really do appreciate that.

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>> Thank you. >> Thank you. Uh, Dr. Nottleman, >> I'm still looking. >> Okay. Uh, I mean, actually, Thanks, Councelor Smith. >> Um, first I want to say that I I'm in

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agreement with Councelor Newton that this particular charge seems really big. And the reason that I would want more information on this one is because of the electric fleet that we have um in a

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lot of our department cars. So, I'm just wondering what the big gas guzzlers are and what is what are they going to be used for in June that would make this necessary at this juncture?

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>> Director Nelman, >> I mean, one thing I' I'd like to add to that is I can count on one hand the number of fully electric vehicles we have in the city fleet, >> which is why we're asking these questions.

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So, so what was I'm sorry. What was I'm trying to do two things at once. What was what was the actual question? So, I think that councelor Smith is uh inquiring about the number of um

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electric vehicles in the fleet as well as um perhaps some of the hybrid vehicles that we have and just trying to understand the correlation between uh moving towards those particular vehicles

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but also continuing to experience these high fuel costs. So, councelor, >> director Nelvin, you want to >> respond to that? >> So, are you are you asking if are you asking if we should if if I feel as though we should be seeing a reduction

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in the amount of fuel we use based on the hybrid electric vehicles in our fleet at this point? >> Councelor Smith. I'm asking this because of the top question I get from constituents regarding fuel is how much fuel are we

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saving with our electric cars? And at the same time with some of the older vehicles that we have, how much extra fuel are those costing us because they're old and not fuel effective. So, while I can appreciate this is not a

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question that you're anticipating, given that we are in unique times and that our constituents have been asking us this information, I do believe that this at the public hearing would be the appropriate time to ask these questions.

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And if that isn't available right now, then perhaps um either voting no or asking to wait for the vote until there's more information would be appropriate. Well, that you're not on, >> you know,

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uh, with all due respect, that that's a very broad question to to answer as vehicles that we either have parked or um, you know, to prepare for surplus or some are repurposed. So, it's it would take a dec

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to to kind of pull that number together. I mean, I can tell you we um took a 3/4 ton truck out of the wastewater treatment plant fleet and put a a electric hybrid Ford Nickel. Um, did something similar in the parks

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department with a hybrid Ford Maverick? So, but it's just a it's a very broad question to answer with a degree of accuracy in a public hearing. >> Great. Thank you for that, Director Nettleman. Um perhaps this is um

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something that will uh a couple of counselors perhaps can look into to try to better understand this. This is obviously a concern of residents, but uh I see chair peak has a comment and then I also see a comment

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from resident. >> Yeah, just to um because I know director Nelman's doing a bunch of things at once. I just pulled it up on my phone. the last the budgeted amount for FY26 was $22,000. So,

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you know, when you think about we've got extra usage from our big gas cozling vehicles or, you know, with the snow removal and then you've got a full quarter of the year where gas prices were just about doubled. that kind of tracks with me to be a pretty

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pretty reasonable amount. It's just my thought. >> Mhm. Um I see uh >> I care Line Street. Um I'm not doubting the fact that they used the fuel. Okay.

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Again, all I'm trying to bring forward is the fact that the more information you have, the better you can make the decisions. And I don't see in the short time I'm relatively new to getting involved here.

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um that there's very uh the communication between departments and the you folks on the council from IC just in the information and I've been attending the finance committee

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meetings and um a lot of stuff is just just given to you and without enough information. a question for maybe the director. You can ask him, but how many vehicles are in the water department and whether or not the fuel for those

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particular vehicles could that because I know that the enterprise fund is strictly for water and sewer. So if those vehicles are assigned to water and sewer specifically, can that again going by department, can the fuel for those particular vehicles

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come out of the enterprise fund as opposed to just coming out of, as you guys like to say, you know, free cash. >> Um, so that was just a question he may be able to answer. It may not be legal. It may not be right. I don't know. Um,

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so it was just a question that came up in my head and he's absolutely right. Diesel is more expensive and that's why you all should have the breakdown because I I based that 55,000 at $5. You're right. Diesel is more and so $5.

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But gas might have been $420. Diesel might have been 520. But how much diesel did we buy? How much gas did we buy? And I know contractual we have vehicles that go out of the city and how does that affect the amount of gas being used? So

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just I'm just looking at ways to better organize a structure to account for the the uh city's taxpayers money. Great. Thank you, Dr. Nuttleman. Does this any of these funds come out of

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um enterprise fund to pay for these vehicles for the water and sewer department? >> Yeah. Yes. We provide the city auditor calculation of um fuel costs that went into wastewater sewer department, water department vehicles, and then that is then charged back from the enterprise fund.

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>> Yep. Great. Thank you, uh councelor Schmidt. >> Thank you, Madam President. I I just wanted to clarify uh the information that was offered by councelor Peak earlier. Uh there are two sections in the budget that reference fuel. There's a top level kind of like fuel section that has gas, oil, and lube. That was

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the 200,000 amount. Uh there is a second line, there's another line under the building operation section that refers to heat and fuel. Uh and I'm going to guess that that's what we're talking about here. I just wanted to clarify that. um understanding uh and if my

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understanding is correct, that amount uh adjusted for 2026 was $146,400. Uh and I did want to note that the amount requested in that line in the with override budget is $100,000. And so we're actually anticipating based off of

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that a decreased amount paid. Uh and I'm not sure if that is in fact in line with what we are seeing here. Director Ottoman. >> Yeah. So that um as for heating uh city buildings um we've had some significant

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failures with the heating system at the Pepin school as we as that disposition of that property worked through the the process and had to turn the heat and fire sprinkler system off to that building um last winter and it uh we're working through a path forward with

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getting that building uh up some type of temporary heat or other um situation for next year where where be the river. It just kind of remains with the heat off and no spring push system. That's something I'm working with the fire chief on. So that there's a very good

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posility that that building will no longer be heated until it is uh uh sold off in that in that disposition process. >> But it sounds like there's two separate line items or two separate account numbers. But councelor Schmidt follow-up

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question. >> Thank you. Yeah, I was just going to say that that definitely makes sense. I appreciate that context. Director Nettleman, >> um can you clarify since we're talking about this line that is for heating and fuel, uh is that line that I'm looking at within the budget operations line,

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the line that we are talking about for this appropriation here tonight, which would appear to be yes. Well, I believe that with the way that we procure fuel and our fuel contract commitment and that it comes from the one account that this appropriation is

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sending the funding to. >> Do you have a followup, Councelor Schmidt? >> Possibly. I'm wrapping my head around it though. >> Councelor Marque, >> um I uh took the liberty Thank you, President Denham. Um, I took the liberty

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of looking at the fuel cost for June of last year. Um, and it was, I believe our fuel in East Hampton peaked around $450 for regular gasoline. Um, and it was about $3

405
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a year ago. And I did not account for the number councelor Schmidt just put out, but I did um do some basic percentage, but it looks like about a 25% increase from the $22,000

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number. Um, all of that being said, I know fuel has increased and again I want to reiterate that I am comfortable with moving um this forward because fuel prices certainly have steadily increased over the year and I have definitely felt

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it in my budget and I'm sure the Department of Public Works has also um I also know that fire engines, the city trucks, etc. or I'm fairly confident all of these run on diesel fuel which is going to be more expensive and get very

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very low mileage per gallon. >> I think this is raising a lot of questions for me at this particular point. Um but I don't think that these are questions that I feel like I need to have answered at this particular moment.

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Um but are there other questions that counselors have comments? Chair Peak, >> I will make the following supplemental appropriation request in the form of a motion. Request is hereby made for

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approval of the following appropriation. Amount requested, $55,000 to be transferred from free cash $55,000. I'm sorry, what? >> I wasn't speaking to you. >> Okay. Well, you were speaking next to me. It was distracting me. Um, so $55,000 to be transferred to fuel

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$55,000. The amount requested will be used for the following purpose. We have experienced a shortfall in the FY26 budget for fuel for the city vehicles fleet and heating oil. We are requesting $55,000 to be transferred from free cash

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to the city fuel account to finish out the fiscal year. Uh this account pays for all city vehicles, not just DVW. >> Second. I have a motion and a second for the supplemental appropriation of

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$55,000 to fuel for vehicles and heating oil. Any further discussion? >> Councelor Schmidt. >> Thank you. Um I guess you know I I don't want to hold up the vote necessarily. Um, I'm just going to continue to to

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communicate my own uncertainty about kind of the the division of lines here just because, you know, I'm looking at what was, you know, actually spent to date in these lines. And I know, you know, in the budget that was presented that that information is going to be

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kind of old. Um, but in either case, um, neither was, you know, that far beyond kind of half spent, uh, at the time. I I think that's probably with about half the year to go. But um I think I'm inclined to to I'll

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just say I'm inclined to I think abstain just for uh not feeling totally like I'm understanding. Um and that's that's okay. >> Other comments, >> council. >> Yeah, I'm also going to abstain for the

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same reason. >> Any other comments? All right. Uh, Marian >> Caim Jam Rob McUade. >> Hi. >> Connie Denham. >> Hi. >> Felicia Jadzik. >> Hi.

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>> JP Kuisinski. >> Hi. >> Tom Peak. >> Hi. >> Tamara Smith. >> No. >> Jonathan Schmidt. >> Amanda Newton. >> Nathan Marquee. >> Hi. >> So motion passes. Um I do think that

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again I think that because we have a lot of questions and for some of us who might be new uh this is just it's a new process and it's new information and just given the state of the budget I I think there's some opportunity for counselors if these are concerns then I

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really strongly encourage you to uh work together to uh coordinate with uh directors department heads to uh try to um think about how to get uh those questions uh answered. Um so I think

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that residents uh would be very appreciative. Uh director or I'm sorry uh chair peak I didn't call you mayor. >> Okay. Um, so the next one we have is um

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a $2,917.69 uh appropriation from free cash for the landfill uh account. Uh it says that the account the cost associated with monitoring and compliance reviews at the two former landfills uh has increased

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and they are ask the DPW is requesting these funds to uh cover the shortfall. >> Thank you. Director Nettleman, do you want to add anything? Uh >> sure. I mean we we did have a change in

424
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vendor there um that that led to some higher pricing. You'll you'll note in the 20 FY20 27 budget that there is a stronger line item for uh professional services for landfill required to do. Uh we have perpetual maintenance

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obligations for the two uh closed landfills that the city owns, Oliver Street and uh Wville Road. questions. See anyone from the public? Anyone online?

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Seeing none. Uh, council or chair peak. >> Uh, okay. Uh, make the following request in the form of a motion. Request hereby made for approval of the following appropriation. Amount requested. $2,917.69 69 cents to be transferred from free

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cash to be transferred to landfill. Amount requested will be used for the following purpose. The cost associated with monitoring and compliance reviews at the former Oliver Street and Ladville Road landfills have increased in FY2026. We are requesting $2,917.69

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to be transferred from free cash to cover this shortfall. >> Second motion and second for the supplemental appropriation of $2,917.69 69 cents for former landfill monitoring and compliance reviews. Any further discussion?

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Seeing none, Maryannne. >> Connie Denim. >> Hi. >> Felicia Jazzic. >> Hi. >> JP Quisinski. >> Yes. >> Tom P. >> Hi. >> Tamara Smith. >> Hi. >> Jonathan Schmidt. >> Hi. >> Amanda Newton. >> Hi. >> Nathan Marquee. >> Hi. >> Cam Jamro Mcuade.

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>> Hi. >> Motion passes. Chair Peak. >> Okay, this one's a little weird. Um, so it's from free cash. Not weird in like a bad way, just weird in a I've never seen anything quite like this, but it sort of makes sense when you think about it way. Um, so it's an appropriation from free

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cash of $198,95.69. Um, and it is going to be transferred to a diff fund revenue. Um, and so for Okay, we talked about this a little bit in the fall,

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but some of you weren't there. Diff is district improvement financing. It's the idea is that you basically set up a there's a special taxation situations in certain cases where there's big infrastructure related redevelopment going on. Um, we have a setup like that

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that was approved uh 2018 2019. Um right uh regarding uh the uh uh ferry street redevelopment project. Um probably at that time we should have set

434
02:00:41.760 --> 02:00:58.960
up an account to receive that money. Uh the city never did it. It never came before the council. Um, and so what that's meant is that these funds that have been coming in, uh, have just gone to the general fund and then,

435
02:00:58.960 --> 02:01:15.760
you know, they're not part of any budget items, so they just don't get spent. They get rolled over into free cash every year. So, we've just had this pot of money that kind of just keeps rolling over year over year into free cash. Um, and now the city's hoping to capture it

436
02:01:15.760 --> 02:01:32.320
in a fund, uh, all these back funds, they're hoping to capture them in into a single revenue fund so that we can be clear as we start spending money on some of the infrastructure projects, uh, around that redevelopment that

437
02:01:32.320 --> 02:01:49.599
uh, that we're that the money that's being spent is equal to the money that was captured. um which really should probably have been how it went from the start, but uh it's good that it's happening now. And um so this amount is what the city

438
02:01:49.599 --> 02:02:07.840
calculated they have received to date from FY21 to FY25 uh in diffund revenue. I believe the FY26 diffund revenue is going now into

439
02:02:07.840 --> 02:02:24.400
this account as will all future diffund revenue. So it's we only have to do this once but it's just to to move money into the account where it probably should have always already been if that makes sense.

440
02:02:24.400 --> 02:02:42.480
>> Director Emanuel, do you want to make comment regarding this? Uh, no. I I thank you, Councelor Peak. I think you summed it up pretty well. It's It's a bit of a complicated

441
02:02:42.480 --> 02:03:00.560
thing to summarize briefly, but >> but you did a great job. Thank you. >> Great. Thank you. Uh, councelor Jan McQuade. >> Thank you, Madam President. Um I I think I know the answer to this question, but just for clarification, um I'm I know

442
02:03:00.560 --> 02:03:17.040
that there is a borrowing aspect to the diff setup as well to fund some of this work as well. Does this appropriation of funds affect the amount that the city has to borrow in the future or would this be paying back the money that we're

443
02:03:17.040 --> 02:03:34.719
borrowing over time? >> Director Emanuel, do you want to respond to that? >> Yeah. So our intention uh was to you use the funds that we have accumulated to pay as much of the costs

444
02:03:34.719 --> 02:03:54.560
for the infrastructure project as we can to limit the amount that needed to be borrowed. But moving forward the revenue will pay off the debt service. answer your question, councelor Jamar

445
02:03:54.560 --> 02:04:11.920
McQuain. >> Yep. Okay, great. >> Yes. Thank you. >> Yep. Sorry, there was a delay. Sorry. Uh, any other questions? >> Councelor Kazinski, >> I was just thinking. Sorry. I >> The hand is always halfway.

446
02:04:11.920 --> 02:04:29.760
>> Well, it was kind of halfway up because >> when one processes, uh, it's >> coming to fruition. Thank you for the long and very wellput explanation. I think we understand it. It sounds to me just to clarify for me

447
02:04:29.760 --> 02:04:45.440
if you would if I could summarize it and then I'll know that I understand it at the very least. The monies for the diff were paid in by the developer. I presume the developer paid to the city. The city put it in

448
02:04:45.440 --> 02:05:02.080
eventually it goes into a general fund. Then it goes into free cash. So now it's sitting in free cash. We have a calculation of $198,95 total I presume. So that's one question total in that fund in in the general in

449
02:05:02.080 --> 02:05:17.760
the free cash that we could take out and separate this and establish another fund which probably should have been set up originally. >> Yeah. >> But it wasn't for a variety of reasons and that may lead to other questions. I

450
02:05:17.760 --> 02:05:34.560
don't know. But for now, here we are. We're simply uh not spending free cash. We're taking what was brought into free cash. What really was diff funds and putting it into a diff account. Does that make sense? >> Chair Peak,

451
02:05:34.560 --> 02:05:49.520
>> I would say yes. These funds probably should have never closed to free cash. They should have probably done what they're going to be doing going forward, which is for them to land in a designated account so that we don't spend money thinking that it's it's

452
02:05:49.520 --> 02:06:05.040
really not free cash. Like the idea of free cash is that we have a surplus that is not spoken for by any particular budget item. So, we can we can theoretically we can either save that money or we can spend it on one-time

453
02:06:05.040 --> 02:06:25.360
projects. this money really was spoken for and should probably should not have been uh floating through the free cash world for all these years. Um we can make that right here though. So, >> Director Patel, >> just just to add to this, um,

454
02:06:25.360 --> 02:06:42.079
oh, sorry, Hop Patel, city auditor. Um, back in 2018, there was an agreement that building three will go up and building 7 will city will do a borrowing. with COVID

455
02:06:42.079 --> 02:06:58.639
and the delay in the construction, it ended up being to the point that we didn't start till 20 21 and we did not borrow money till the believe fiscal year 26. So until we were not ready for that

456
02:06:58.639 --> 02:07:14.400
building seven, we were collecting money since 2021 in two ways. One was the pilot agreement with the city and in turn state was giving it to us. So there were two funding sources were

457
02:07:14.400 --> 02:07:30.239
coming from uh one from developer one from the state which went to the general fund because we didn't had this building 7 up or going to be up um till this year. So

458
02:07:30.239 --> 02:07:44.880
we have 21 to 25 all the revenues went in to the general fund. Now since we have these building I don't know where the building starts but now we have this agreement

459
02:07:44.880 --> 02:08:04.800
finalized um this is the time when we borrowed the money that's where um planning department came to ask for if the and this year we are send putting all the monies into directly into that

460
02:08:04.800 --> 02:08:20.239
account. However, whatever close to free cash belongs to the funding, that's why we are asking for this appropriation. Does that give a little more clearer answer? >> Yes. Thank you, Director Patel. Any

461
02:08:20.239 --> 02:08:37.440
other questions from Director Patel again? Can you provide the balance for free cash after this? >> Yes, I can. Let me know, Ben. >> Yep. Can you provide? Can you

462
02:08:37.440 --> 02:08:59.119
>> Yeah. $221,521.90 >> cents. >> Can you give that one more time? You broke up. >> Oh, there it is. >> 221 21. >> Yep. >> 521 96. >> Great. Thank you. Uh, councelor

463
02:08:59.119 --> 02:09:14.880
Kuisinski, >> just to clarify, this is after this proposed transfer or before. >> This is after the transfer. Director Patone. >> Um, after all the appropriations are

464
02:09:14.880 --> 02:09:31.440
approved. >> Yep. Great. Thank you. Any other questions from counselors? Uh, comment from the public. Again, please state your name and address for the record. I know you know the routine, but

465
02:09:31.440 --> 02:09:48.560
>> I do. >> My caribou line street. Um, my question is twofold. One, who controls the this new account? >> And what's your second question? >> Um, will any expenditures out of that account have to come to the finance

466
02:09:48.560 --> 02:10:04.800
committee or to the city council through the finance committee to be expend to be spent? Or is it just somebody decides to spend it? >> Great. Thank you for that. >> Yep. >> Uh, councelor Peak. >> Uh, >> oh, Chair Peak,

467
02:10:04.800 --> 02:10:22.239
>> are am I >> Do you want to I mean, do you Would you like to answer that question or >> uh Yeah, I'd actually like a little bit of clear. I mean, I I know that that the planning department controls the account. Um in terms of whether funds spent out of I mean funds spent on

468
02:10:22.239 --> 02:10:39.840
that well perhaps >> director >> director director Emanuel. >> Yeah. So I I mean I would say it's a collaborative effort between planning um auditor and treasurer

469
02:10:39.840 --> 02:10:54.880
on on this one with the borrowing being involved. Um, so the diff was, as you mentioned, adopted in 2018. These accounts weren't set up. You actually need a a diff plan that also was not done in 2018.

470
02:10:54.880 --> 02:11:13.599
And so that fund can only be spent on projects contained in the DI plan. Mhm. >> And being spent on demolition to make way for public parking here.

471
02:11:13.599 --> 02:11:31.040
>> So if there's expenses, those will come to city council for approval. >> No, >> I don't believe. >> Great. >> Um, hey, correct me if I'm wrong. >> No, you're right. Mhm. >> Um this would not come to the city council, but we we will literally have

472
02:11:31.040 --> 02:11:47.920
very limited big dollar amount bills we have to pay. Um so but I can always provide city council the detailed report once we start expanding out of this account. >> Yep. Great.

473
02:11:47.920 --> 02:12:09.320
Uh other questions from the public? No one online. Uh, Chair Peak. >> All right. Request is hereby made for approval of the following appropriation. I'll make this in the form of a motion. Um, uh, amount requested $198,95.69

474
02:12:09.440 --> 02:12:26.000
to be transferred from free cash to be transferred to defund revenue. The amount requested will be used for the following purpose. to request an appropriation to transfer revenue collected from FY2021 to FY2025 related

475
02:12:26.000 --> 02:12:44.400
to defund revenue. >> Second. >> Have a motion and a second for supplement appropriation of $198,9569 to defund uh revenue fiscal year 21 to uh fiscal year 25. Any further discussion?

476
02:12:44.400 --> 02:13:01.040
Uh, seeing none. Maryannne, >> Felicia Jadzik, >> hi >> JP Kazinski. Hi. >> Tom P. >> Hi. >> Tamara Smith. >> Hi. >> Jonathan Schmidt. >> Hi. >> Amanda Newton. >> Hi. >> Nathan Marquee. >> Hi. >> Cam Jamro Mcuade. >> Hi. >> Connie Denham.

477
02:13:01.040 --> 02:13:17.760
>> I. Motion passes. Uh, Chair Peak. >> Okay. This one's fairly simple. Um it's a request for $650,000 to be transferred from enterprise retained earnings which we were talking about earlier enterprise free cash res

478
02:13:17.760 --> 02:13:34.480
to enterprise stabilization which is the reserve account. So um it would basically just take part of the their operating surplus and put it in reserve so they can then spend it on capital improvement projects uh related to enterprise uh at in a future point.

479
02:13:34.480 --> 02:13:54.880
>> Great. Any questions from counselors? Any questions from the public on Please state your name and address for the record. Kath Wizinski, Overlook Drive. Um, I'm

480
02:13:54.880 --> 02:14:13.119
just wondering how much of the sewer and water increase will go into retained earnings and other um the other lines within the enterprise fund and how much do we anticipate the

481
02:14:13.119 --> 02:14:28.960
um increase to generate for income for the enterprise fund. Thank you. Um, I don't know if Director Nuttleman has those projections available. >> Director Nettleman, are you still on the call?

482
02:14:28.960 --> 02:14:44.880
>> Uh, yeah. I'm still Might take me a second to pull up that projection >> for our uh retained earnings for FY26. We don't have that until the um we don't have an exact number until it closes, but I do have have um some from the rate

483
02:14:44.880 --> 02:16:20.480
hearings that I can uh can access fairly quickly here. Just Looks like our net revenue projection for FY26 is $528,170. >> Income.

484
02:16:20.480 --> 02:16:36.760
>> Great. Thank you for that, Director Nettleman. And Just trying to get the other question. >> How much do we anticipate the increase? >> How much do we anticipate the increase to generate for income?

485
02:16:38.000 --> 02:17:03.200
>> Increase income >> in the water rates. >> Huh? >> In the water sewer rates. >> In the water sewer rates. Trying to look at the best num number to to give to answer that question. >> Yeah, >> looks likeund looks it's like 108%

486
02:17:03.200 --> 02:17:28.000
would be our revenue to expense ratio if that answers the question. I'm not sure that it does. U so our net our net revenue with the wage oh I'm sorry here. So, it's $323,563. >> Okay, great. Thank you.

487
02:17:28.000 --> 02:17:48.800
>> Any other questions from the public? >> Seeing none. Uh, Chair Peak. >> Okay. I'll make the following supplemental appropriation request in the form of a motion. Request is hereby made for approval of the following appropriation amount requested. $650,000

488
02:17:48.800 --> 02:18:05.359
to be transferred from Enterprise Retain earnings to be transferred to Enterprise Stabilization. The amount requested will be used for the following purpose. This funding will remain in the enterprise stabilization account to support capital improvement projects in the water, sewer, and wastewater treatment

489
02:18:05.359 --> 02:18:20.800
divisions. >> Second motion, a second for the supplement appropriation of 650,000 from enterprise retained earnings to enterprise stabilization. Any further discussion? Seeing none, Maryanne. >> JP Guazinski.

490
02:18:20.800 --> 02:18:34.800
>> Hi. >> Tom Peak. >> Hi. >> Tamara Smith. >> Hi. >> Jonathan Schmid. >> Hi. >> Amanda Newton. >> Hi. >> Nathan Marquee. >> Hi. >> Ca Jamro Mcuade. >> Hi. >> Connie Denham. >> Hi. >> Felicia Jazzik. >> Hi.

491
02:18:34.800 --> 02:18:52.240
>> Motion passes. Cheer Peak. >> Okay. This next one's an interdep departmental transfer. Um this is one that we have to do semi-regularly and it's uh basically with uh with e media

492
02:18:52.240 --> 02:19:07.840
we don't they're not a city department but we collect their revenue on behalf of them through the peg access agreement that we have with spectrum and then we have to periodically transfer that money over. Um, so for a while we were doing

493
02:19:07.840 --> 02:19:27.200
that quarterly and this it looks like we there was a change to the cadence of it. So now this is uh this is a bit of a larger one. But uh we're uh that's what it's $161,3749 that we've collected on behalf of them

494
02:19:27.200 --> 02:19:42.160
and we just need to transfer it over. >> Great. Thank you. Uh Director Patel, are you on the line? Yes, I am. >> Uh, Director Patel, can you just uh give the public a little bit more understanding of why this number is as

495
02:19:42.160 --> 02:20:02.720
large as it is? >> Yes. So, I was helping uh mayor's office to figure out this appropriation and uh notice that back in October of 2025

496
02:20:02.720 --> 02:20:17.359
um the appropriation was never brought to the city council. though and since then I think the appro the way the charter is coming through has been changed and

497
02:20:17.359 --> 02:20:33.439
it's I think any >> I can't >> so when mayor's office to receive this appro uh this money from >> okay the reception yeah the reception is bad >> maybe maybe if she cut off >> yeah can you turn your camera off

498
02:20:33.439 --> 02:20:52.080
>> I think it's everyone but I think it's Can you >> Okay. Would this help? >> Yes, that's better. >> Okay. So, I'll start a little again. Sorry. Um, but I was help helping mayor's office to do the appropriation.

499
02:20:52.080 --> 02:21:10.479
Um, I noticed that back in October of 2025. So what we did is we add added that that appropriation amount for approval the current amount which we received from the

500
02:21:10.479 --> 02:21:26.080
charter for I think I'm pretty sure it's annual we received that annual payment um last month is total of this month the the annual

501
02:21:26.080 --> 02:21:42.560
amount and an appropriation which should have happened back in October. >> Great. Thank you so much. Uh so I just want to be clear that there was an appropriation that was missed but was distributed to um uh uh e media, but

502
02:21:42.560 --> 02:21:58.720
this is basically paperwork catching up to to what was distributed to them. So that's why this number is particularly large. So, I just wanted to acknowledge that so the public understands that they're not going to be receiving an annual amount in this in in this amount

503
02:21:58.720 --> 02:22:13.520
typically. So, I just want to acknowledge that. Chair, does any are there any questions from the public? >> Oh, uh um councelor Marquee. >> Um just for transparency's sake, um I do

504
02:22:13.520 --> 02:22:30.160
sit on the board of directors for e media. Um I believe that the um charter they changed their structure of payment. Therefore the city receives it at a different time. So the amounts will be larger amounts. >> Um I think they're doing it at annual

505
02:22:30.160 --> 02:22:47.120
now instead of quarterly. Um charter is now distributing their payments. Also I believe I should abstain on this vote because I sit on the board of directors for e media. >> Great. Thank you for that. Any other count? Councelor Schmidt. >> Uh thank you madam president. um also serving on the board of directors of E

506
02:22:47.120 --> 02:23:03.359
Media will also be abstaining from this vote, but if we are providing information um I do want to clarify I don't believe that this money has been distributed to e media yet uh and that they have been waiting it the city has received it from Spectrum um but the city has not passed it on to the

507
02:23:03.359 --> 02:23:16.479
organization >> right uh I think the October amount is was distributed but not these group >> um did I see someone's hand go up It it was >> director Patel

508
02:23:16.479 --> 02:23:33.439
>> me I just wanted to give the yeah sorry >> go ahead >> I'm all set I was going to >> say what um President Dunham said that the October payment was distributed not the

509
02:23:33.439 --> 02:23:49.600
annual payment which we received a month ago or so. >> Okay great thank you. Uh anyone from the public? Seeing none, uh, chair peak. >> Okay. Uh, request I'll make the

510
02:23:49.600 --> 02:24:08.319
following request in the form of a motion. Request is hereby made for the following appropriation. Amount requested 161,3749 to be transferred from revenue PEG access account to be transferred to expense PEG access account. The amount

511
02:24:08.319 --> 02:24:23.040
requested will be used for the following purpose. uh to approve spending from the PEG access account receipts reserved account for cable related purposes consistent with the franchise agreement. >> Second. I have a motion in a second for

512
02:24:23.040 --> 02:24:40.720
the interdep departmental transfer of 161,3749 from revenue to peg access to expense peg access for cable related purposes. Um any further discussion? Seeing none. Um very end

513
02:24:40.720 --> 02:24:56.880
>> Connie Denim. >> Hi >> Felicia Jadzik. >> Hi >> JP Guisinski. >> Hi >> Tom Peak. >> Hi >> Tamara Smith. >> Hi >> Jonathan Schmidt. >> Abstain. >> Amanda Newan. >> Hi >> Nathan Marque. >> Abstain. >> I am Jamrock McUade.

514
02:24:56.880 --> 02:25:13.680
>> I. >> Motion passes. Chair Peak. >> One last one. Um this was pretty small. at $288.58 uh from veteran supplies and material to uh I'm sorry, what?

515
02:25:13.680 --> 02:25:28.720
>> No, I think someone hit the microphone. >> I hit the microphone. Sorry. um to uh veterans cash benefits. Uh basically the veterans benefits account is $288.58

516
02:25:28.720 --> 02:25:45.200
short and there is enough money in the supplies and materials account that they'd like to transfer some of that money over to make it whole for the remainder of the fiscal year. >> Okay. >> Any questions from counselors?

517
02:25:45.200 --> 02:26:03.280
Any comment from the public? Anyone online? Seeing none. Chair Peak, I'll make the following request in the form of a motion. Request hereby made for the approval of the following appropriation. Amount requested $288.58

518
02:26:03.280 --> 02:26:17.920
to be transferred from veteran supplies and materials to be transferred to veteran cash benefits. The amount requested will be used for the following purpose. This transfer will fund the June 2026 veterans benefit payment of

519
02:26:17.920 --> 02:26:39.520
$15,36543. The current balance in the veterans benefit account is $15,76.85. >> Second. Have a motion a second for the inter departmental transfer of $288.58 from veterans um uh support material or

520
02:26:39.520 --> 02:26:55.439
supplies materials to veterans cash benefits. Any further discussion? Seeing none, Maryanne. >> Felicia Jadik. >> Hi. >> JPinski. >> Hi. >> Tom Peak. >> Hi >> Tamara Smith. >> Hi >> Jonathan Schmidt. >> Hi >> Amanda Newton.

521
02:26:55.439 --> 02:27:10.319
>> Hi >> Ethan Marque. >> Hi >> Ca Jamro Mcuade. I >> Connie Denham >> I motion passes. Um that's all of everything we have for the public hearing. I will take a motion to >> move to close public hearing.

522
02:27:10.319 --> 02:27:26.000
>> Close public I have a motion and a second to close the public hearing. Any further discussion? None. >> Yeah. Okay. >> Uh JP Kazinski. >> Tom Peak. >> Hi. >> Tamara Smith. >> Hi. >> Jonathan Schmid. >> Hi. >> Amanda Newton. >> Hi. >> Nathan Marquee. >> Hi.

523
02:27:26.000 --> 02:27:41.200
>> Hi. I'm Jamro Mcuade. >> Hi. >> Connie Denham. I >> Alicia Jazzic >> I. >> Great. Motion passes. Um, do people need a break? >> Yeah, >> that would be correct. >> Um, so I will take a motion for a fivem

524
02:27:41.200 --> 02:27:57.439
minute recess. >> I have a motion and a second for uh a fivem minute recess. Um, any further discussion? None. Uh, Maryanne >> Tom P. Hi >> Tamara Smith. Hi >> Jonathan Schmidt. Hi >> Amanda Newton. Hi >> Nathan Marque. I

525
02:27:57.439 --> 02:28:17.040
>> Cam Jamrock McUade. >> I >> Connie Denham. >> Hi, >> Felicia Jadzik. >> Hi, >> JPinski. >> Hi. >> A motion passes. Uh, so please, five minutes. >> Um, >> all right. So, we are back together. Um,

526
02:28:17.040 --> 02:28:34.319
moving on on the agenda. Items for immediate attention. City Council action request for a city council resolution opposing a proposed cell phone tower at one Cook Road, Southampton, Massachusetts. Um, uh, Councelor Smith, I will turn it over

527
02:28:34.319 --> 02:28:51.680
you to you to, uh, provide context for this and then I will ask if folks want to move this to committee. But can you for now provide context? >> Um, sure. There was a planning a Southampton planning board meeting that

528
02:28:51.680 --> 02:29:06.960
took place at 7 o'clock on June 3rd, which was at the same time as our last city council meeting. Um, and at the time we had written a letter opposing the location of the cell phone tower and

529
02:29:06.960 --> 02:29:22.319
just following up with a um resolution. One of the things um since ironically East Hampton Media records city meetings for Southampton as well. We could go back and look at the um recordings for

530
02:29:22.319 --> 02:29:40.080
it. And my main concern is that the planning board um is saying that in the city of uh in Southampton uh it can't over it can't be over 100 ft on the perimeter when you're on a public

531
02:29:40.080 --> 02:29:57.520
access road in Southampton. So it meets that. But if you look at a public access road in East Hampton, it absolutely um does not follow that same principle. So concerned that the um that this is very

532
02:29:57.520 --> 02:30:12.640
unsightly and extremely close to precinct 5 residents. And so the text of the resolution, uh I'll go ahead and read it into the record now. >> Yeah. Just wait one second. Does anyone

533
02:30:12.640 --> 02:30:30.160
want to send this to committee um without reading or taking immediate uh action or immediate uh consideration for this? >> Uh Chair Peak, >> given that it directly relates to the functions of a multi-member board and an

534
02:30:30.160 --> 02:30:47.040
adjacent community, I do think that the most appropriate thing would be for it to go uh to rules and government relations um to just make sure that we have all the relevant information. Um before we do anything on this. >> Great. Uh

535
02:30:47.040 --> 02:31:02.960
Councelor Smith, do you know the timeline for the that committee's next vote? >> Uh believe the next meeting is going to be on July July 8th. >> Okay.

536
02:31:02.960 --> 02:31:22.160
>> Okay. Um, so I will take a motion to send this to um rules. >> A second, Tom. >> I have a motion and a second to send this to uh rules. Um,

537
02:31:22.160 --> 02:31:38.160
any further discussion? Seeing none, Maryannne, >> Tamara Smith, >> hi. >> Jonathan Schmidt, >> hi. >> Amanda Newton, >> hi. Nathan Marquee. >> Hi. >> Caam Jamrock McUade. >> Hi. >> Connie Denham.

538
02:31:38.160 --> 02:31:53.280
>> Hi. >> Felicia Jadzik. >> I. >> JP Kuisinski. >> Hi. >> Tom Peak. >> Hi. >> Uh, motion passes. Um, communication for motion. None. Correspondence. Seeing none. Mayor communication. Is the mayor

539
02:31:53.280 --> 02:32:08.720
on the line? Uh, he is not. Uh, president and vice president communication. Uh just want to acknowledge that June 17th is the birthday of East Hampton. So um happy

540
02:32:08.720 --> 02:32:25.359
birthday to our lovely community. Um and Vice President Dad's like right if you didn't notice, it says it right there. But >> you have eyes at the back of your head. >> I was informed earlier. Um thank you,

541
02:32:25.359 --> 02:32:41.359
President Denim. So I'd also like to acknowledge a few things. So first um on Friday it is Junth. I want to say a few words about this. Um this this acknowledgement uh Junth is also known as freedom day. The purpose of it is

542
02:32:41.359 --> 02:32:57.280
that it commemorates June 19th 1865 which is the day that enslaved African-Americans in Galveston, Texas finally received word of the Emancipation Proclamation over two years after it was signed. So, I think I would

543
02:32:57.280 --> 02:33:12.319
like to just have us all acknowledge this because it's not a holiday if you have the day off. It's not a day to have fun necessarily. It's a day of both celebrating freedom, yes, but really about reflection, about reflecting on our history, reflecting on um the

544
02:33:12.319 --> 02:33:28.000
inequities that still exist today, the contributions of black Americans to our country and our society, and really, I think personally, a chance to recommmit to equality and equity, which is something I believe we should all be striving for. So, I encourage everyone to use this time, whether you are

545
02:33:28.000 --> 02:33:43.280
working or not working, to really reflect and further educate yourself. Um, you may also wish to participate in local community events, of which I'm sure there are many around. Um, I guess also on that note, uh, Friday also represents the start of the Millside

546
02:33:43.280 --> 02:33:59.439
events that are happening, the summer concerts and soccer matches that are happening. So, that is, uh, something that's happening concurrently. Um, there are a number of events happening, but Friday and Saturday, I believe, are the first two days in that. So, please, if you are interested in joining together

547
02:33:59.439 --> 02:34:14.560
around soccer and music and community, that's happening right in Milside Park. Um, I'd also like to note really briefly that the East Hampton Fire Department is partnering with Bay State Health donor program and they're hosting a blood drive on the 29th of June um from 9:30

548
02:34:14.560 --> 02:34:31.040
to 1:30 at the fire station. And so, folks can make an appointment or you can just show up and donate blood, which is a really important thing. And then finally, um just in my ongoing, uh series, I guess, of highlighting different committees and commissions that are looking for members here in

549
02:34:31.040 --> 02:34:47.920
East Hampton, um I'm going to highlight today the Commission on Disability, uh which is looking for members to join them. They have open seats. Uh the Commission on Disability in conjunction with the Americans with Disabilities Act is focused on bringing East Hampton into compliance with all the various rules and regulations that are related to

550
02:34:47.920 --> 02:35:02.880
disabilities and disability access here in the city. And that's all I have to offer. >> Great. Thank you. And I just want to echo your um acknowledgement of Junth. I hope everyone has a a happy celebration for that. And um please take advantage

551
02:35:02.880 --> 02:35:18.160
of the community events that may be happening in in the community or neighboring communities uh and use that as an opportunity to kind of educate ourselves, but as well as celebrate uh history. Um councelor Kisinski, you have a question. Just a follow up on

552
02:35:18.160 --> 02:35:33.840
councelor Jadzik's uh information for those who may not have the information. Maybe you can help if anyone's watching this streaming. Uh how does one get into the mill? Do you just walk up to millside? Are there tickets? Are there

553
02:35:33.840 --> 02:35:50.720
places to register? Is there a process? How do you how do you go? >> Yes. Thank you, councelor Krinski. That is a great question. Um, I believe that the mayor has requested that people pre-register to attend. It is completely free to attend, but my understanding is

554
02:35:50.720 --> 02:36:08.479
that to allow for headcount and um understanding what kind of crowd sizes we'll be expecting, folks are being asked to register in advance. But I think there will also be a way to register on site if you are not able to register in advance. And there is a website associated with this event

555
02:36:08.479 --> 02:36:24.720
series which is milids summervents.com which is where you can go and register there but there will also be I believe a kiosk on site at milside park if you don't have access to the website or you are not able to do that in advance. >> That's great. Thank you. >> Thank you.

556
02:36:24.720 --> 02:36:40.240
>> Thank you councelor Marquee. >> Yes. Thank you President Denim. Um 2441st birthday of East Hampton. Um, summer reading signups begin for all ages. I want to say that again. For all ages

557
02:36:40.240 --> 02:36:56.319
next Monday, June 22nd at the East Hampton Public Library. Kids, teens, and adults will have a chance to win awesome prizes with the time they spend reading. And the library will have have fun,

558
02:36:56.319 --> 02:37:12.640
enriching events scheduled all summer long. Stop by the library for more information or visit them online to see their full calendar of events at east hampton librarymma mma.org. That's it. Thank you. >> Great. Thank you, councelor Smith. Thank

559
02:37:12.640 --> 02:37:28.960
you. I wanted to give a brief um update on the bees committee just that if if you are out by Millside Park um Mil Pond if you look a little further down on if you're going on the trail so further

560
02:37:28.960 --> 02:37:45.600
down towards Daily OP in that direction um there is a new pollinator garden and I just wanted to recognize Girl Scout Troop 64944 4, which is our East Hampton troop. They

561
02:37:45.600 --> 02:38:00.560
um really have worked to bring this to fruition and a few of the cadets were actually uh doing this project to receive their silver uh silver badging, a silver badging or silver, it's a it's

562
02:38:00.560 --> 02:38:17.520
an award um at the Girl Scout level. And so this really required a lot of civic engagement as well as environmentalism to be able to be eligible for this award. And um the pollinator garden has been brought by a Massachusetts plant

563
02:38:17.520 --> 02:38:32.399
something beautiful grant. And so just wanted to make sure if people notice the new plants out by the uh millide that's where that's why they're there. And also just wanted to say that the bees

564
02:38:32.399 --> 02:38:50.240
committee is uh trying to put together an evening uh firefly walk and that would be um coming up on June 26th or 27th. So during our next city council meeting on Wednesday, I'll just verify

565
02:38:50.240 --> 02:39:08.160
the actual date of that. >> And that's concludes. >> Great. Are they still doing their invasive species kind of clean up, I guess, so to speak? >> Do they need on a particular day? >> They have they have not um they have not

566
02:39:08.160 --> 02:39:23.200
made that date known yet. So hopefully I'll have that next time. >> Okay, terrific. Great. Thank you so much. >> Um standing committee reports, finance chair peak. >> Thank you, Madam President. Um, so we uh

567
02:39:23.200 --> 02:39:39.439
>> Oh, sorry. Actually, uh, councelor Jamar McQuade, did you have an announcement? >> No, I'm I'm good. >> Okay, great. Sorry, Council J. >> Uh, thank you, Madam President. Uh, we,

568
02:39:39.439 --> 02:39:55.359
uh, have met a whole bunch of times. Uh, I I don't even know a lot of times, but yeah. Uh we uh so we we discussed the budget which we'll be discussing further next week. I already covered that. Um we discussed all these appropriations which

569
02:39:55.359 --> 02:40:11.600
we just voted on. Uh the one there's two remaining things that we haven't discussed that I would like to bring forward tonight to talk about. Um, one of them is uh the adoption of Mass

570
02:40:11.600 --> 02:40:28.880
General Law chapter 60 section uh 3D to establish a neighbor in need fund which is something that the mayor had brought to us. Uh, and the other was a review of Mass General Law chapter 59 section 5 clause 41A to allow qualifying seniors

571
02:40:28.880 --> 02:40:46.160
to delay payments on all or part of their property taxes. Um so we met to uh talk about both of these items uh and we voted uh three to zero to recommend both of these items to full counsel. Um, I

572
02:40:46.160 --> 02:41:03.840
think that there was a a good deal of discussion and a certain amount of um I think broadly if I were to characterize it from my perspective um a sense with both of these that um it's a little unknown how big the impact would be but

573
02:41:03.840 --> 02:41:21.520
that certainly um you know the idea of implementing these programs and and then um you know seeing how they do and and what we can do to improve them is probably uh better because it's just really hard to get uh

574
02:41:21.520 --> 02:41:37.680
like any of the data to really know really well in advance sort of how a lot of this is going to play out. But um so uh I uh I guess let's start with uh the MGL chapter 60 section uh 3D the

575
02:41:37.680 --> 02:41:56.000
neighbor and need fund. Um is there anyone from the city who'd like to talk about this at all? I mean I can summarize what I uh was there but I somebody else might >> um I don't see anyone so why don't you go ahead and do that chair peak

576
02:41:56.000 --> 02:42:11.920
>> sure um so the uh okay great I was thinking there might be somebody Okay um yeah I'll do my best uh So

577
02:42:11.920 --> 02:42:28.880
the idea of of establishing this fund is that it would allow uh individuals to um pay additional uh funds um on their like over and above what they

578
02:42:28.880 --> 02:42:45.200
would normally pay in property taxes. And that would then provide uh tax relief for uh individuals who are um having a tough time. Uh I believe that this in this particular fun

579
02:42:45.200 --> 02:43:00.640
Dan could you do you remember this? This is the particular fund that this is um because there were two funds I'm sorry a lot has happened. Um, one of these funds was specifically, one of these funds could just be implemented

580
02:43:00.640 --> 02:43:16.080
without the city council. The other one didn't. One of these funds had a specific like one of these was specifically for like low-income seniors and the other one had a a broader uh group around it.

581
02:43:16.080 --> 02:43:32.560
>> Uh, yeah. Uh, can you please state your name and rotonic board of assessors? >> Yeah. And let's just focus on chapter 60 section 3D. >> Yep. Uh this one I believe we have to you have to accept this as it's a state chap state statute and it allows for a

582
02:43:32.560 --> 02:43:48.399
check off on the tax bill where taxpayers can donate from a dollar up to however much they want >> and then that goes into a fund that people could apply for tax relief. There's specific guidelines.

583
02:43:48.399 --> 02:44:04.960
Uh, and then there's a committee that would be set up, myself, the treasurer, and three other East Hampton residents that would review the applications. And the ones that met the guidelines, they would we would decide

584
02:44:04.960 --> 02:44:20.560
the amounts depending on what came in. >> Great. And uh again, is this is this cash in hand or is it a a fin how is this distributed to

585
02:44:20.560 --> 02:44:36.160
to someone who receives these funds? Uh I believe that the committee would appro it would become not really an abatement but the amount would be taken out of the cash that we have in hand in the account

586
02:44:36.160 --> 02:44:51.600
and it would go as a payment on their actual tax bills. So there wouldn't be any cash going out into the public. It would just be a reduction of their bill and it would be made up by this fund. >> Okay, perfect. Thank you so much. Um,

587
02:44:51.600 --> 02:45:09.040
any other questions from counselors? Uh, uh, councelor Jam McQuade. >> Thank you, Madam President. Um, I just had a quick question about whether the donations are taxdeductible coming from

588
02:45:09.040 --> 02:45:25.120
the the tax they're opting in. >> I believe they are. Mhm. Yep. Uh, councelor Kuzinski, >> I had a question regarding process of how the individuals are selected, the

589
02:45:25.120 --> 02:45:39.279
three members of the community. Are they selected by the >> counsel or chair peak? >> Yeah, they'd be like any other committee. They'd be appointed by the mayor and confirmed by the city council. >> Good.

590
02:45:39.279 --> 02:45:56.960
>> Other questions from councilors? >> Anyone from Oh, actually, this isn't a public hearing. It isn't >> uh cheer. >> Sure. Yeah. And I'll just say um I've had I think two constituents reach out to me over the course of this whole

591
02:45:56.960 --> 02:46:13.920
override conversation saying, >> "Hey, I'm doing pretty well. I feel for folks I'd like to chip in more. How do I do that?" And you know, I do I think that there's hundreds of people in the community like that. No. But it would be nice to give some mechanism for the

592
02:46:13.920 --> 02:46:30.560
people who do feel that way to be able to um act on that impulse. I think >> so. Um I would make a motion to adopt Mass General Law Chapter 60 section 3D to establish a neighbor in need fund.

593
02:46:30.560 --> 02:46:47.120
>> Second. >> So we have a motion and a second to adopt MGL chapter 60 section 3D to establish a neighbor in need fund. Any further discussion? Um just through this process um you know the opposite is also true

594
02:46:47.120 --> 02:47:04.640
where people have been wanting to be very generous and um kind of give. Uh we've obviously seen a number of seniors who have been increasingly anxious about the uh cost uh of this override uh to

595
02:47:04.640 --> 02:47:21.200
them personally and concerns about their ability to continue to leave in these tamins. So, um, you know, hopefully, uh, this will be an opportunity to help some of those individuals, uh, navigate, um, the financial situation that they may

596
02:47:21.200 --> 02:47:38.880
find themselves in. So, um, Maryanne, >> uh, yes, Jonathan Schmidt, >> hi, >> Amanda Newton. >> Hi, >> Nathan Marque. >> Hi, >> Ca Jamrock McUade. >> Hi, >> Connie Denham. >> Hi, >> Felicia Jazz. >> Hi, >> JPinski. I

597
02:47:38.880 --> 02:47:52.479
>> Tom Peak >> I >> Tamara Smith >> I >> motion passes. Councelor Peak. >> Thank you Madam President. Um >> so the this the second uh item is the uh

598
02:47:52.479 --> 02:48:08.160
SE chapter 59 section uh five and that is uh something we've already adopted. Um, and it actually turns out in the process of researching this that um, a prior council that I think only one of

599
02:48:08.160 --> 02:48:25.200
us uh, I think JB you were the only one there had actually previously voted. So there were two things we were going to >> let me back up. Um, so this is something we already adopted and what it broadly allows somebody to do is to

600
02:48:25.200 --> 02:48:41.600
defer some or all of their taxes up to like half the value of their home, I believe. Um and uh then at the point that that home is sold or the point that they pass

601
02:48:41.600 --> 02:48:58.560
away um those uh taxes are then due with a certain with some uh with some interest rate. So ideally the idea is that when the house sells some of that b essentially there's like a lean placed on the house and um when

602
02:48:58.560 --> 02:49:16.160
the house sells that would come off. Um but uh the idea is that there there there'd be some potential value in this. In the case of some individuals who have very little income but have a good deal of value in their house um depending on

603
02:49:16.160 --> 02:49:33.520
you know their specific situation. Uh there are a few uh sort of levers that we can pull when it comes to sort of customizing this policy under Mass General law. Um, the first one is the interest rate, um, which I believe can

604
02:49:33.520 --> 02:49:48.960
go as low as 4%. Um, but the default is 8%. It turns out that a previous council has already reduced it to 4%. So, we we're already at 4%. Um, the other thing, the default amount income limit

605
02:49:48.960 --> 02:50:05.840
for it is $20,000, which is like obviously there's a very, very, very limited number of people who would qualify for that. A previous council did raise it to $30,000. What where we really started talking

606
02:50:05.840 --> 02:50:21.359
about this was in the idea of should we raise it more and we thought that we should. Um there was some question about how much we should raise it. Um we can raise it up to the circuit

607
02:50:21.359 --> 02:50:37.439
breaker. uh whatever the the amount like the income limited for the circuit breaker is, which I believe right now for a single person is $75,000 and for a household is $112,000. Uh no municipality in Massachusetts has

608
02:50:37.439 --> 02:50:55.279
done that yet. Um so we thought that a good first step um would be to double it from $30,000 to $60,000. um as sort of a first step and then um

609
02:50:55.279 --> 02:51:11.680
see how that goes for a year and and consider where to go from there. But I'm open to feedback because I don't think that any of us had like a very strong feeling about what the number should be other than that it should probably be

610
02:51:11.680 --> 02:51:27.840
higher to make this accessible to a broader group of people. comment. Uh, councelor Newton. >> Uh, thank you, President Denim. Um, I I was hoping for the senior circuit

611
02:51:27.840 --> 02:51:44.800
breaker as the level that we were going to go up to. That was kind of my preference. >> Uh, so just to clarify those numbers for a single individual, it's 75,000. For um not a head of household, it's 94,000.

612
02:51:44.800 --> 02:52:02.080
And for a head of household, oop, sorry, not 75,000 for not a head of household, 94,000 for a head of household, and 112,000 for a married individual. Married individuals filing a joint return. So just there's that clarification.

613
02:52:02.080 --> 02:52:19.520
Other comments? Uh, councelor Jam Mcuade. >> Yeah, I have a couple things to say. In general, um I want to express my support for this

614
02:52:19.520 --> 02:52:34.560
measure. Um I think that making it more accessible to households and and just being realistic about the income um and the need in our community um is a good direction to go in. Um, I guess I just want to speak to and I have similar feelings about the the previous

615
02:52:34.560 --> 02:52:51.040
motion as well about how this doesn't really address the structural issues uh that I think the city is facing and about um the potential burden this put on future generations and um the the

616
02:52:51.040 --> 02:53:08.640
disincentive to to use this tool. Um, and I think just to that, I think that that we're in a we're in a bind where our housing market and that, you know, I'm preaching I know I'm preaching to the choir a little bit here, but our housing market um is is really broken

617
02:53:08.640 --> 02:53:23.439
and and has not fulfilled the needs of of our housing can anyone giving people option but to age in place. Um, you know, some people want to, but some people aren't given the choice. Um, so I think that this

618
02:53:23.439 --> 02:53:42.000
is a tool um that allows people to defay some of those costs and also allow them to stay in their homes. We've all been discussing over the past month. Um, so you know, it's it's bittersweet to see that this like I'm happy to see that

619
02:53:42.000 --> 02:53:57.680
this pool exists. It's bittersweet for me to see that this is needed in the community um to to address some of those less progressive parts of our our tax system. Um so I just wanted to get that out out there. I fully support um the

620
02:53:57.680 --> 02:54:13.520
efforts and I fully support raising it raising the the income limits. Um but yeah, thank you. >> Great. Thank you, Council Jamar McUade. Uh, councelor Kazinski, >> it would seem that it would be quite appropriate to raise the amounts, to

621
02:54:13.520 --> 02:54:28.880
raise them significantly, to make it available to people, those who would choose to live in their homes and feel that their budget just can't accommodate actual payments to the city. That being said, if we set the interest rate today

622
02:54:28.880 --> 02:54:45.120
at 4%. If it is at 4%. Can that be changed subsequently? Should interest rates go to 18%. Say, let's say, let's be serious about it, go to 13 14%, which we see

623
02:54:45.120 --> 02:54:59.680
we've seen in the past. Is that available to us to change the interest rate to some other amount in the future? >> Mr. Donic, uh, please state your name and role for the city. >> Dan Sadonic, board of assessors. Uh,

624
02:54:59.680 --> 02:55:16.160
it's 4% right now. You can change it at any point in time. If you change, if you leave it at four now, it's 4% for fiscal 27. We would only charge 4% for 27 going out forward. If in fiscal 28, you need

625
02:55:16.160 --> 02:55:31.439
to go back to the 8%. >> From 28 forward would be 8%. Or whatever interest rate you would want to charge. >> The reason for the question is you don't want to make it so attractive that oh geez, I can get money for nothing and I'm still have a decent, you know, a

626
02:55:31.439 --> 02:55:46.880
decent income. Okay. So when we talk about raising the the the the amount of money that somebody can earn and the rate, that's why I was I was bringing it up. Didn't want to make it so attractive, but I think we need at this

627
02:55:46.880 --> 02:56:03.040
time to go to a much higher rate. And I would I would definitely endorse the 60 and could be persuaded to go to a higher higher amount for income. >> Uh uh Mr. Zadonic, do you have more to say? Uh, no. I'm just waiting in case there's anything.

628
02:56:03.040 --> 02:56:17.120
>> Oh, okay. Okay. All right. It looked like he wanted to say something, so I wanted uh Councelor Schmidt. >> Thank you, Madam President. I did want to clarify one thing real quick, which um forgive me if I'm misreading a potential miscommunication, but in terms

629
02:56:17.120 --> 02:56:34.800
of uh it being uh appealing to folks, that 4% is if if I can clarify that 4% is coming back to the city. uh it would not be going to the individual uh who would be deferring their payment. >> Uh Mr. Zen,

630
02:56:34.800 --> 02:56:51.040
>> uh yeah, the 4% gets added to their payment and it's 4% simple interest. It's not compound. Right now, people that don't pay their taxes for the first three years are paying 12%. Compounded and then after it goes into through the

631
02:56:51.040 --> 02:57:05.840
treasur's office and it gets take well tax taking is filed. We don't actually take the property. The interest rate drops to 8%. The state recently lowered uh tax taking interest from 16% down to

632
02:57:05.840 --> 02:57:22.880
eight. >> Uh councelor Newton, >> do people have the option to defer part of what they owe? So, let's say people want to defer the $1,200 that they're now going to have to pay, you know, average. Can they do that and

633
02:57:22.880 --> 02:57:39.439
pay the rest of what they've been affording or does it have to be the whole thing for the year? >> Yep. Uh people can defer any amount. I'm sure they wouldn't want to defer a dollar or $10, but if the override for a person is $1,200, they

634
02:57:39.439 --> 02:57:54.560
could defer $1,200 and basically pay the same amount they were paying. >> Council followup. >> Yeah. And I I think that's why I'm kind of thinking about raising it to the senior circuit breaker levels because I think there are a lot of people out

635
02:57:54.560 --> 02:58:11.520
there who are probably having income around the 75,000 but expenses are so high right now and they're probably, you know, getting by, but to add another $1,200 onto their plate, I think is going to be really difficult for a lot

636
02:58:11.520 --> 02:58:26.640
of those people and especially seniors who have huge medication bills. They're just getting higher. You know, hospital, PT, like I know I saw it with my dad. Um, it's you can have money coming in and it

637
02:58:26.640 --> 02:58:42.160
still be very expensive to live as a senior. So, I I do think 60 is low. >> Thank you. >> Any other comments from counselors? >> Uh, councelor Schmidt. >> Thank you, Madam President. Um,

638
02:58:42.160 --> 02:58:56.560
couple things. First, I want to echo what councelor Jamro McUade said. Um, that, you know, this is this is very much not something that's going to magically fix this. And in fact, I I see it very much

639
02:58:56.560 --> 02:59:14.640
as a last resort tool um that folks can can tap into when they're in their most dire straits. Um, as a result, we don't see um a huge number of people taking advantage of this. Um I did just want to state in case it's useful for um other

640
02:59:14.640 --> 02:59:30.960
folks. We were we did have some information shared with us at uh the finance level when we were discussing this. Um there are currently zero people taking advantage of this in East Hampton. Um uh none of the communities that were included in the list that was

641
02:59:30.960 --> 02:59:47.600
sent to us had more than 10 people except for Boston had a whopping 27. Um the next highest was Framingham at eight and they had a they had this set at $60,000. Um I also just wanted to state if we go to that 60,000 uh in terms of

642
02:59:47.600 --> 03:00:02.720
surrounding communities we will be um essentially setting the pace uh in a lot of ways. Uh what we looked at has Northampton at 40,000, Ammeris at 40,000, South Hadley at 20,000. No wonder they have zero people taking

643
03:00:02.720 --> 03:00:19.600
advantage of that. Westfield at 55,000. Um, and so I just wanted to kind of provide some of that context. Um, I think there was definitely a willingness uh on the part of our committee to, you know, we we wanted to recommend something higher. Um, but we were kind of taking some of these other communities into account and and

644
03:00:19.600 --> 03:00:36.479
recognizing that we would be quite a bit higher than a lot of them. Uh, and and also noting that we can uh, as was mentioned, you know, uh, revisit this in the future too um, as we see how people start to use it or not. Thank you, Councelor Kazinski. Uh,

645
03:00:36.479 --> 03:00:53.520
>> and I appreciate what councelor Schmidt has said. However, if we look at how much people are going to be earning and what it's worth today and what that 75,000 is really going to mean next or or 60,000 will mean next year or the year after or the year after somebody

646
03:00:53.520 --> 03:01:08.399
says, "I just can't take it anymore. I've got to uh defer my taxes." we're going to be behind the curve. Again, setting ourselves to the max to the allowed amount. I think sets a standard.

647
03:01:08.399 --> 03:01:23.760
It sets a standard that can help a lot of people, but they have to want this help and this will give them the opportunity to take advantage of it. 20,000 was ridiculous. 60,000 I'm not sure will catch the attention of enough

648
03:01:23.760 --> 03:01:38.960
people. I think the 75, this is something I really have to think about. Okay, I got to do my income. Hand in whatever forms there. I'm sure there's all sorts of forms they hand in to prove your income and do this or that. I think we'll be making the right move. And I

649
03:01:38.960 --> 03:01:55.439
don't think given what we've looked at for other communities that they're going to we're going to be flooded with folks who are going to be taking advantage of this plan and the city's going to be waiting for the funds. >> That's my take. >> Vice President Jadzik.

650
03:01:55.439 --> 03:02:10.960
>> Thank you, President Denim. Um yeah, I just want to echo I'm quite amanable to raising this to the circuit breaker levels. I think for all the reasons that other counselors have shared, I think also just from an accessibility standpoint, why not give people like let

651
03:02:10.960 --> 03:02:25.680
them make the choice that they need this? I would hate to have someone who's making $61,000 be locked out because we didn't raise it to a higher level. um $75,000 today is not the same $75,000

652
03:02:25.680 --> 03:02:43.600
that it was 5 10 20 years ago. And so I think that especially because it's limited to senior citizens, it's not going to be for every single resident in East Hampton, I do think that um I would like to see us set a standard in this area. Great. Uh councelor or Chair Peak,

653
03:02:43.600 --> 03:02:59.040
is that your hand? >> Yeah. Um so I'm really open to the uh circuit breaker. There's just a couple things that I just wanted to make sure that we talk through first because I do think that it's there's some things the the first one is um

654
03:02:59.040 --> 03:03:16.160
just uh this is something allowable but out of 351 m municipalities just nobody's ever done it. So I do think that there is an extent to which like if we were to do it like I honestly have some questions about

655
03:03:16.160 --> 03:03:32.720
like how exactly do I make that motion? But the big I I could make a guess at it. Um I think that the the bigger question I have is like I think that there one thing that is relevant is like am I just setting it to the amounts that are currently in the circuit breaker or do I say I am setting it to the circuit

656
03:03:32.720 --> 03:03:48.960
breaker and airgo when the circuit breaker changes our eligibility requirements change or is this something that we would need to revisit annually to figure that out. So that's that's a thing that I'd want to understand better. Um, and I do think that it's

657
03:03:48.960 --> 03:04:04.960
worth saying like there is in the short term I don't think it's going to be big, but there is some amount of liability related to this. If you actually look at the population of people who are living in East Hampton, who are homeowners, who are senior citizens, who have lived in

658
03:04:04.960 --> 03:04:22.640
their houses 10 or more years, and who have incomes under the circuit breaker, it's a pretty substantial portion of people. If all if a I don't think that a substantial number of those people would use this program for various reasons, but should they? It would potentially

659
03:04:22.640 --> 03:04:38.720
lead to a you know a not insignificant amount of revenue that we we'd be getting at some point but not this fiscal year. And so, um, I'm again, I'm not opposed to that,

660
03:04:38.720 --> 03:04:54.240
but I want to make sure that we, if we're going to be considering that we understand that there is some risk that this program is in fact like widely used, and that leads to a small shortfall in our revenues from what we

661
03:04:54.240 --> 03:05:12.560
anticipated in the short term. Now, again, we do get all that revenue back in the long term, but in terms of funding this particular fiscal year, nobody else has ever done this. So it's hard to really know how widely it would be uh used. I mean the like like Boston

662
03:05:12.560 --> 03:05:29.040
has Korm. Do you do you remember the B do you have the Boston number up? >> Yeah. >> Wealthiest city in you know >> I think there was only one that did circuit breaker and the rest were a fixed number. >> They didn't even do circuit breaker. They just did there was one city that

663
03:05:29.040 --> 03:05:46.000
did this is for a household a single person. This is for a household. Um um Dan >> Dan Zedonic board of assessors uh Walpole had levels of 61 and 92,000 >> right >> and they granted one.

664
03:05:46.000 --> 03:06:03.359
>> Mhm. >> So maybe it's just fun. >> Councelor Newton, >> thank you. I just think that if we can capture even like one person, it it is worth it. And there's not really any skin off our back, you know? I just feel

665
03:06:03.359 --> 03:06:20.800
like it's okay to be the first ones to do something. Like somebody has to be the first to do something in everything. And I think that's fun. Like Yeah. And and we could always just change it next year if it's catastrophic, but I don't think it's going to be. just going to be

666
03:06:20.800 --> 03:06:36.479
there just in case there is someone who needs it. >> Uh, councelor Kasinski, >> I agree with councelor Newton. Uh, if we change it, I would suggest that we

667
03:06:36.479 --> 03:06:54.000
give ourselves some kind of I'm going to call it a little bit of elbow room by saying we not attach it to the circuit breaker, but that we go to the circuit breaker amounts that are current. And that way we we know, okay, this is kind of stable and we know what the figure is. We know

668
03:06:54.000 --> 03:07:10.560
what the numbers are. Okay, that's with the current circuit breaker numbers, not airgo. If they become future numbers, they change. Now we're bound to that. I don't know. It leaves something out of our control. This leaves it within our control. That would be my suggestion.

669
03:07:10.560 --> 03:07:26.319
>> Councelor Jam McQuade. >> I have a couple questions um that I think maybe uh Dan could answer. My first question is in terms of timeline, if

670
03:07:26.319 --> 03:07:42.479
I is there an urgency to pass this tonight or if we pass this, is there a significant runway um until a resident could apply and actually see a reduction in their bill? >> Dan.

671
03:07:42.479 --> 03:07:57.920
>> Yep. Dan Sadonic, Board of Assessors. uh you have to adopt any changes for fiscal 27 would have to be adopted by the end of June. So basically it's tonight's meeting. >> Applicants could come in

672
03:07:57.920 --> 03:08:14.399
>> as early as July 1st and apply and it would take it would take a while to go through the deferral but it would still it would be retroactive back to July. >> Council Jammer Wade followup. Uh yeah, my my other question was just

673
03:08:14.399 --> 03:08:31.920
related to like if we do go higher um and then we have to come back if if there's a potential consequence that that we didn't foresee and want to come back and and lower it again. Um, I guess I would just be confused at how as the

674
03:08:31.920 --> 03:08:49.560
the money that they have already deferred stays deferred and they just pay that off and then they can't reapply for it or >> that would be the case. >> Do they owe all that money back all at once or >> uh Mr. Sadonic?

675
03:08:49.760 --> 03:09:06.960
I've had only one person take advantage of this in my entire career and they did it twice. They had to take and pay off their entire balance so they could transfer the property to their kids and they kept the life estate and then they put it in

676
03:09:06.960 --> 03:09:23.760
for a year after that and then they ended up selling it. So they they had to pay that back. people if if you defer if somebody were to defer their fiscal 27 that's deferred until they choose to pay it off at 4%. They could turn around for

677
03:09:23.760 --> 03:09:40.800
28 and say I want to pay the full amount. >> Um councelor Peak I saw or chair Peak I saw your hand. >> Yeah, I was basically just going to say what said. Um I you know I I it's true we could always change it back or lower it if it became a big thing.

678
03:09:40.800 --> 03:09:57.359
>> I'm open to doing it. I just think that you know It's just all it we'd be in uncharted territory. So, it makes me a little nervous, but I'm open to it just given the circumstances and it seems like that's the way that this council is

679
03:09:57.359 --> 03:10:14.640
drifting. So, I'm I'm I'm fine moving forward with that if that's the way that people want to do about it. >> Great. Any further comment from counselors? >> None. Uh chair P. Oh, >> actually I have one more thing. uh just respectively the one thing is if we're

680
03:10:14.640 --> 03:10:28.640
going to do the circuit breaker amount I would sort of want to just set it at the circuit breaker amount simply for the reason that councils one thing that I have found is that if there's one thing that I think

681
03:10:28.640 --> 03:10:44.479
city councils are very very bad at it's manually keeping up with inflation. I mean we had last year we talked about um like parking ticket amounts that hadn't been changed

682
03:10:44.479 --> 03:11:00.319
since the 80s like you know so I do think that like you know I'm sure that when when the initial council said this and said 30,000 that seems reasonable like 30,000 was a different amount of money you know um but it just like these

683
03:11:00.319 --> 03:11:16.000
things can change faster than you think and if you don't pay attent like the one thing I the one the thing that makes me a little bit nervous but I'm I'm okay going for with with the circuit breaker is just that the population of people who's eligible to this is so far expanded over

684
03:11:16.000 --> 03:11:32.800
what's been what's been seen before that it is like I just don't know what that actually looks like and what that population how that population responds. But I'm I'm open to giving it I'm open to trying it. But what I like about that is the idea that we're not going to go

685
03:11:32.800 --> 03:11:49.359
20 years and then suddenly be like, "Oh, setting it at 75,000." But like Social Security doesn't cover 75,000 now cuz of all of the whatever nonsense happens between now and then. >> So that that's that's how I would prefer

686
03:11:49.359 --> 03:12:04.560
prefer to to make the motion. >> Great. >> Okay. Do you want to make the motion? >> Oh, uh, Vice President Jadz, >> thank you. I just had one final clarifying question just to make sure I'm totally clear on this. If we set the um the income limits at the circuit

687
03:12:04.560 --> 03:12:21.840
breaker or some similar number, can we change that in the future? I heard we could do that for the interest rate, but we can do it for the income as well. >> In either of these things, we can change any but it but whatever we set is the next fiscal year. >> Okay, got it. That makes me much more comfortable because if we see an

688
03:12:21.840 --> 03:12:38.640
explosion of people coming in this coming fiscal year, then I think that'll give us a lot of good data that we can adjust as needed in the future. >> Thank you. >> Um, Mr. Saddonic, >> one one clarifying point, the income, it's not taxable income, it's gross

689
03:12:38.640 --> 03:12:55.120
income, it's gross receipts. So, somebody has $50,000 in taxable income and $50,000 in taxexempt income. It's that would be 100,000, not 50. >> So, anybody that's got a large taxexempt

690
03:12:55.120 --> 03:13:10.479
income stream is probably not going to qualify for this, >> right? >> Great. Thank you for that. Uh, councelor Schmidt. >> Thank you, Madam President. Um I just want to clarify I recall from our finance meeting the discussion of u

691
03:13:10.479 --> 03:13:26.960
tying it to a uh an external figure came up and it's my recollection that we said that that was not an option for this um in the way that it was uh when we tied uh some recent numbers to cola increases

692
03:13:26.960 --> 03:13:43.920
for example. Um, and so I just wanted to to bring that up, see if test my own memory and ask for clarification from the other folks that were there or from the board of possessors. >> Um, chair peak. Yeah, this is an element of this that's continues to genuinely

693
03:13:43.920 --> 03:13:59.520
confuse me and I've read like the MGL and I still don't get it because well for reasons but um I what's not it says up to the circuit breaker amount but what is not clear to me

694
03:13:59.520 --> 03:14:15.600
exactly yet is whether that means that if I set it at the circuit breaker amount then what the town should do is to then say every year, whatever the circuit breaker amounts are to update that or if that just means that that is

695
03:14:15.600 --> 03:14:31.200
the highest amount that I'm allowed to set it at, but that what is being set is a dollar amount. That continues to confuse me. What I know for sure is that we can set it at that amount now. And if

696
03:14:31.200 --> 03:14:47.920
in fact it's the latter and we have to manually adjust it every year, then we can do that. But we can get that clarification on the back end because I don't think either one would not change my basic stance towards this. But I continue to be confused about that exact

697
03:14:47.920 --> 03:15:05.040
mechanism. >> So there's two things. One, we can find that information and vote next week. Or we can do this and instead of saying the circuit breaker, can't we just set the numbers? >> Sure, we can. I'm just saying which the

698
03:15:05.040 --> 03:15:21.120
the whatever the answer is there wouldn't actually change how I vote. >> So I'm fine to just do that and then figure it out. Um >> but I am a little curious. I just think that this is going to be a learning experience in a lot of ways. But I want to

699
03:15:21.120 --> 03:15:36.960
>> I want to do what I can to help folks who are genuinely in a tough situation. So I'm I'm open to do that. >> Okay. >> Councelor Marquee, >> I just um Thank you, President Denim. I just want to um say that I agree with um councelor's peak of his assessment of

700
03:15:36.960 --> 03:15:52.560
setting as 75k versus the circuit breaker >> number to avoid confusion in the future. >> Great. Uh chair beak. >> Okay. I would um

701
03:15:52.560 --> 03:16:10.880
make a motion um in regards to our adoption of Mass General Law Chapter 6 uh 59 section 5 clause 41A to increase the income eligibility limit up to the circuit breaker amount.

702
03:16:10.880 --> 03:16:30.479
>> Second. Uh so we have a motion and second uh in regards to our passage or our adoption of MGL chapter 59 section 5 clause 41A to allow qualifying seniors A65 to delay payment of all or part of their

703
03:16:30.479 --> 03:16:46.880
t uh property taxes uh by increasing the um uh the eligibility limits to the circuit breaker amount. >> Mhm. Um any further >> for clarification purposes for us to all

704
03:16:46.880 --> 03:17:04.319
understand what those amounts are. Could we just review what the amounts are that I understand 75 94 for head of household if 94,000 and 120 112,000 for married filing jointly.

705
03:17:04.319 --> 03:17:20.880
Gross uh gross receipts. >> Gross receipts. >> Correct. >> Not net income. >> Any further discussion? Seeing none, Marian. >> Amanda Newton. >> Hi. >> Nathan Marquee. >> Hi.

706
03:17:20.880 --> 03:17:39.200
>> Kam Jam Mcquade. >> Hi. >> Connie Denim. >> Hi. >> Felicia Jazzic. >> Hi. >> JP Kazinski. >> Hi. >> Tom Peak. >> Hi. >> Tamara Smith. >> Hi. >> Jonathan Schmid. >> Hi. >> Motion passes. Great. Thank you.

707
03:17:39.200 --> 03:17:57.520
Chair Peak. Uh, public safety. Uh, uh, Chair Newton. >> Thank you, President Denim. Um, we have not met since our last meeting. Um, and I think I need to request an extension

708
03:17:57.520 --> 03:18:13.120
for the ebike regulations. Um, I actually think we can just do a 30-day extension. So, I move to extend by 30 days. Second. So we have a motion and a second to uh extend the amend

709
03:18:13.120 --> 03:18:29.279
general ordinance to include ebike regulations and use by 30 days. Um any further discussion? Seeing none >> Nathan Marky >> I cam Jim Ruquade >> I

710
03:18:29.279 --> 03:18:44.720
>> Connie Denim. >> Hi >> Felicia Jazz. >> Hi >> JP Guisinski >> Tom Peak. >> Hi >> Tamara Smith. I >> Jonathan Schmidt. >> Hi, >> Amanda Newton. >> I >> Great. Motion passes. >> Um, and then I also noticed that on the

711
03:18:44.720 --> 03:19:00.319
agenda again, the part that has the end date for review of language in the traffic rules and orders. Um, oh, that one. Okay. I need to extend that one by 90 days. >> I think we we just took care of that

712
03:19:00.319 --> 03:19:16.479
because that's a ongoing thing, correct? >> No. See, that's the thing. I thought it was, but for some reason it's back there again. >> No, I know it's back, but we already reviewed that and this was like an ongoing. >> I know, but why is there an end date?

713
03:19:16.479 --> 03:19:31.520
>> That was just that was an air. >> Okay. >> In the with the clerk that was just an air. >> Okay, so that concludes. >> Great. Uh, appointments. Chair Smith. >> Uh, thank you, Madam President. We have not met since our last city council

714
03:19:31.520 --> 03:19:49.279
meeting, but I would like to extend the two items on the docket for 60 days. >> Second. >> Great. I have a motion and a second to extend the ongoing agenda item request for board committee vacancy review, recruitment, and the proposal for mayor and clerk to create an appointment

715
03:19:49.279 --> 03:20:06.000
committee handbook by 60 days. >> Mhm. >> Um, any further discussion? No, that's not right. >> Seeing none, Maryannne. >> Caam Jamron McUade. >> Hi. >> Connie Denham. >> Hi. >> Felicia Jadzik. >> Hi.

716
03:20:06.000 --> 03:20:22.000
>> JPinski. >> Hi. >> Tom Peak. >> Hi. >> Tamara Smith. >> Hi. >> Jonathan Schmidt. >> Hi. >> Amanda Newton. >> Hi. >> Nathan Marquy. >> Hi. >> Great. Motion passes. U. Before we get to ordinance, um, Chair Jammer, real quick, would you mind just turning off

717
03:20:22.000 --> 03:20:39.200
your camera? you've been a little bit uh garbled. So just hoping this can help. So uh ordinance uh chair jammer mcuade >> uh yes uh thank you madam president. Uh I don't don't have a ton to report. Uh

718
03:20:39.200 --> 03:20:56.080
the committee has not met since uh the last full councilman for the creation of a cannabis equity ordinance to facilitate business participation. Um and I would like in the form of a motion to request an extension

719
03:20:56.080 --> 03:21:12.080
for uh 60 days. >> Second. >> Great. So I have a motion and a second uh to extend the creation of a cannabis equity ordinance to facilitate business participation by 60 days. Uh any further discussion? Seeing none, Maryann

720
03:21:12.080 --> 03:21:26.880
>> Connie Denham. >> Hi. >> Felicia Jazzic. >> Hi. >> JP Quisinski. >> Hi >> Tom Peak. >> Hi >> Tamara Smith. >> Hi >> Jonathan Schmid. Hi >> Amanda Newton. >> Hi >> Nathan Marquee. >> Hi >> Ka Jamrock McUade. >> Hi.

721
03:21:26.880 --> 03:21:43.920
>> Great. >> And that's concluded. >> Great. Thank you. Uh property chair Kuisinski. >> Thank you. >> Sorry. Uh Chair Newton or councelor Newton. >> Uh thank you Madam President. Am I allowed to go back because um we

722
03:21:43.920 --> 03:22:03.279
actually do need an an extension. The one that we needed an extension for is the review of language and the traffic rules and orders. >> The one that we took the thing off from was the road rate roadway infrastructure and pedestrian safety items. >> Okay, I got you.

723
03:22:03.279 --> 03:22:18.960
>> They sound a lot the same. >> All right. So, >> okay. So, I'll make a motion to extend by 90 days. >> Second. So, we have a motion, a second to review to extend the review of language in the traffic rules and order by 90 days.

724
03:22:18.960 --> 03:22:35.840
>> Second. >> I'm sorry. >> So, sorry. >> Uh, all those in favor? >> Sorry. Any further discussion? >> Seeing none. Uh, Maryanne. >> Okay. Felicia Jazzic. >> Hi. >> JPinski. >> Hi, >> Tom Peak.

725
03:22:35.840 --> 03:22:50.560
>> Hi, >> Tamara Smith. >> Hi, >> Jonathan Schmid. Hi >> Amanda Newton. >> Hi >> Nathan Marquee. >> Hi >> Kaam Jamrock McUade. >> Hi >> Connie Denham. >> Hi. >> Great. Thank you for that. Apologies. Uh

726
03:22:50.560 --> 03:23:04.479
property chair Bazinski. >> Thank you madam president. Just wanted to keep you updated with the regard to the town lodging. The walkth through that's mandatory for anyone interested in the RFP is June 24th. Uh that's

727
03:23:04.479 --> 03:23:21.200
proceeding smoothly. Uh July 2nd is the day for having any questions be submitted to the city. Uh July 13th is the date for any responses back from the RFB to come to the city and be opened.

728
03:23:21.200 --> 03:23:36.479
So that's moving along smoothly. This concludes uh property. >> Great. Uh Chair Pazinski, rules and government relations. Uh we will be scheduling either next week or the following week a meeting to discuss the

729
03:23:36.479 --> 03:23:53.359
cell tower resolution. Uh and I would like to be sure that we coordinate with councelor Smith that she'd be available at that time representing the district involved. So we'll be letting us know letting folks know that information shortly.

730
03:23:53.359 --> 03:24:09.359
>> This concludes. >> Great. Thank you, Chair Krosinski. Uh there's no old business. Uh new business. Vice President Jzik. Jadenzek. >> Yes. First we have a city council action request um regarding council committees. Um with regards to chair appointments.

731
03:24:09.359 --> 03:24:26.720
Uh the request is that no council member shall simultaneously serve as chair of more than one standing committee. And I'd like to refer this in the form of a motion like to refer this request to the rules. >> Second. So, we have a motion and a second to send the city council action

732
03:24:26.720 --> 03:24:42.880
request regarding council committees uh chair appointments to rules. Any further discussion? Seeing none, um Maryanne >> JP Sinski, >> hi >> Tom Peak. >> Hi, >> Tamara Smith. >> Hi, >> Jonathan Schmid. Hi, >> Amanda Newton. >> Hi,

733
03:24:42.880 --> 03:24:58.479
>> Nathan Marque. >> Hi, >> Kaam Jamro McUade. >> Hi, >> Connie Denham. >> Hi, >> Felicia Jazzac. >> Hi. Um, Vice President Jadzac. >> Um, second, I have a memo from the treasurer and mayor regarding request resend the balance of the bond

734
03:24:58.479 --> 03:25:14.080
authorization for Old Town Hall in the amount of $2 million. I'd like to refer this to the finance committee. We have a motion. >> Second. >> So, we have a motion, a second to send the memo from treasurer and mayor regarding request to resend the balance of the bond authorization from Oldtown

735
03:25:14.080 --> 03:25:30.640
Hall in the amount of $2 million uh to finance. Any further discussion? Seeing none, Maryanne. >> Connie Denham. >> Hi. >> Felicia Jadzik. >> Hi. >> JPinski. >> Hi. >> Tom Peak. >> Hi. >> Tamara Smith. >> Hi. >> Jonathan Schmidt.

736
03:25:30.640 --> 03:25:45.200
>> Hi. >> Amanda Newton. >> Hi. >> Nathan Marquee. >> Hi. >> Caam Jamron McQuade. >> I. >> Motion passes. Uh, Vice President Jadzac. Finally, I have a memo from the treasur and mayor regarding a request to resend the balance of the bond authorization for building upgrade of

737
03:25:45.200 --> 03:26:01.840
indoor air quality in the amount of 5 million $20,36 and I'd like to refer this in a motion to finance. >> Second. So we have a motion and second to send the memo from the treasurer and mayor regarding request to resend the balance of the bond authorization for

738
03:26:01.840 --> 03:26:17.600
building upgrade of indoor air quality in the amount of 5,20,036 to finance. Any further discussion? Seeing none, uh, Maryanne, >> Felicia Jiadzac, >> hi. >> JP Guazinski, >> hi. >> Tom Peak, >> hi

739
03:26:17.600 --> 03:26:32.319
>> Tamara Smith. >> Hi, >> Jonathan Schmidt. >> Hi, >> Amanda Newton. >> Hi, >> Nathan Marquee. >> Hi, >> Ky Jam McQuade. >> Hi, >> Connie Denham. >> Hi. >> Great. Motion passes. Uh, before we adjourn, just want to remind folks that

740
03:26:32.319 --> 03:26:46.960
we have a public hearing next Wednesday at 6 p.m. um in these chambers. Additionally, the next city council meeting um regular city council meeting will be on the third Wednesday of the

741
03:26:46.960 --> 03:27:01.680
month, which is July 15th, uh 2026. Um so, just want to make sure everyone's calendars are accurate in that regards. Um we have finished everything on our agenda, so I will take a motion to

742
03:27:01.680 --> 03:27:20.560
adjourn. So, move >> to do more public speak. Oh, more public speak. I forgot a lot more public speak. Sorry. Uh, yes, public speak. >> I apologize. I should have done that >> much sooner. >> I apologize.

743
03:27:20.560 --> 03:27:36.720
>> Public speak open. >> Yes, it is, sir. >> My caribou line street. Again, I'm going to go uh to it is the fact that this building, the Citizens of East Hampton's building needs to be open five days a

744
03:27:36.720 --> 03:27:52.960
week. Perfect. This 3-day weekends should go by and buy. The citizens should be able to access the citizens house 5 days to conduct their business. I don't know if you guys have you folks have the power

745
03:27:52.960 --> 03:28:09.760
to do that, but I think it's time to open it up. And I think that a lot of you may have been hearing from your citizens after the override. They're not happy. And I think it's going to get worse the more they see their money

746
03:28:09.760 --> 03:28:25.279
being spent and their taxes going up and this building closed every Friday. So please, if you can open the building 5 days a week for the citizens, it's their building. It's not the

747
03:28:25.279 --> 03:28:41.920
employees building. They pay the taxes. They pay the salaries. They should have access 5 days a week. >> Thank you. Anyone else for public speak? >> Great. Please state your name and

748
03:28:41.920 --> 03:28:58.160
address for the record. >> Uh good evening. Uh, my name is Don Puland. I currently reside on Ashley Circle. I grew up on Brig Street around the corner. Um, I've been a lifelong resident of this town, now city. Um, first of all, sitting here for almost

749
03:28:58.160 --> 03:29:14.720
four hours, it reminded me of my four years on the school committee and an appreciation for how complex and detailed the issues are you deal with. So, I just want to say I appreciate the work you do. Um, I came here tonight because I thought it was a budget hearing. So before you settle the budget

750
03:29:14.720 --> 03:29:31.520
with regards to the 2 and a half override, I would like for you to reflect upon the fact that 48 48.5% of your citizens voted against that override and you should govern for the entire city. I would also like to state that less than half of the registered

751
03:29:31.520 --> 03:29:48.080
voters in this town in this city voted. I would say that most of those people are not engaged in the process. Certainly, if you were a yes vote, you're highly engaged. Likely um you need to govern for them as well, but likely they would have been no voters.

752
03:29:48.080 --> 03:30:03.359
I'd also like to say that in my opinion, had it not been for some distasteful things in my opinion on the no side and some confusing information on the yes side, this vote could have easily gone the other way. Once again, a reason for

753
03:30:03.359 --> 03:30:20.239
this board to govern for the entire city, not just the yes vote. To me, a reasonable compromise would be that you not race to the entire override amount, that you do make some cuts, that you let the mayor and the superintendent

754
03:30:20.239 --> 03:30:36.319
earn the money that you pay them, uh, and they are highly compensated to do these jobs. I think you only have to reflect upon some of the statements you've made tonight, councelor Peak, in terms of the huge amount of senior citizens that fall into your um rescue

755
03:30:36.319 --> 03:30:52.160
plans. Let's say you're talking about circuit breakers. The seniors I know growing up on Brig Street are living on 30 to $40,000 a year. They're not likely to take advantage of your programs because they're they're awfully proud of themselves to stand on their own two feet. I mean, Councelor Smith, I think

756
03:30:52.160 --> 03:31:08.560
you just have to look at the results in your district to realize that this town is split and there are people really struggling. And I'm sorry if I'm getting a little emotional about this, but I've been here my whole life and I've never seen the town split the way the town is split. Now, the last thing I would just

757
03:31:08.560 --> 03:31:23.600
like to bring to your attention, and I'm not here to litigate this, is uh Massachusetts court law, case law in the case of Anderson versus the city of Boston. I'll finish up. Thank you. um that and the clarification from the

758
03:31:23.600 --> 03:31:39.920
mass office of campaign and political finance. I think if you look at those two things and you reflect upon the override vote and how the campaigns were run, I think you would have a hard time um consciously saying that the town complied with that case law in regards

759
03:31:39.920 --> 03:31:56.080
to how municipalities should behave on ballot questions. Thank you for your time. Uh again from uh sincerely thank you for the work you do here. I think you can tell I feel like there should be a reasonable compromise where there are still some cuts to get this budget in

760
03:31:56.080 --> 03:32:13.040
shape while still taking some of the override money but maybe you go up half instead of the full amount that I think would be governing for all the citizens of Steven. Thank you. >> Great. Thank you very much. I just want to acknowledge that uh I apologize. Um

761
03:32:13.040 --> 03:32:29.359
we had a number of appropriations. Normally I like to provide opportunities for opening the public speak after we finish the uh uh uh public hearing. So I just want to

762
03:32:29.359 --> 03:32:44.640
acknowledge that um uh I will do better. Uh, I normally do it that way, but I just there were so many items today that I just >> it was important not for me to stay. >> Yeah, I know that, but I I want to acknowledge that I appreciate your time.

763
03:32:44.640 --> 03:33:01.760
>> Um, any other comment for the public? Seeing none, um, I will take You have a question, Council? I have a question outside of the public and outside of a motion to adjourn just for clarification

764
03:33:01.760 --> 03:33:18.479
purposes regarding the rules and government relations meeting that we're going to schedule to be sure we handle it correctly and properly. We voted tonight to send this to committee because we thought that the committee even could report and get back to the

765
03:33:18.479 --> 03:33:34.080
council and there could be a response presumably before the planning board in Southampton. Is that my sense of that is correct? If we're not going to meet again until the 15th except for the special meeting on Wednesday,

766
03:33:34.080 --> 03:33:50.560
I have some concerns about that happening and just wanted to be sure that we clarified what the expectations were and what we could come back with because otherwise the 8th of July is the date that councelor Smith I believe said

767
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was the next meeting for the planning board in Southampton. >> Mhm. So >> correct, >> just looking for some direction here. >> Um well uh chair or councelor P requested

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that we send it to committee. Um if that wants to hold then I don't know that we have any other option um beyond that. uh unless the committee in Southampton doesn't

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vote at their next meeting and they also extend that out. Um I guess there's opportunity for counselors to uh individually um send letters. Um but as a collective body, I don't know that we we can um

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unless they extend that beyond that. So if if we want it to be able to have impact, I don't know that it will do that. >> The only other option that I could see is that if we had a Monday or Tuesday meeting for the rules and government

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relations and then uh brought this matter before the special meeting, but that would require it being on the agenda for the Monday or the Tuesday and for the special meeting. That's why I brought it up at the end of this meeting >> to see if we could coordinate that if

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that was the will of the council or whether >> how how they wanted to advise rules and government relations to proceed. >> So I think what needs to happen is you all need to schedule a meeting and then you need to confirm that with Maryanne

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before she sends out that meeting agenda. >> The 22nd The 22nd is Monday since there's finance on Tuesday. >> Okay. So, we have our march we're not

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going to call them marching orders. It's Monday or it's not. >> Right. >> Thank you very much. We'll do our best. >> All right. So, great. >> Uh any other Okay. Uh so I'm I'll take a motion to adjurnn. >> Second. I have a motion and a second to

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adjurnn. Uh Maryanne. Okay. Uh JPinski. >> Hi. >> Tom Peak. >> Hi. >> Tamara Smith. >> Hi. >> Jonathan Schmidt. >> Hi. >> Amanda Newton. >> Hi. >> Nathan Marque. >> Hi. >> Hi. >> Jamro Mcuade. >> Hi. >> Connie Denham. >> Hi.

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>> Felicia Jazznik. >> Hi. >> Great. Oh, motion passes. Um, we have a lot of things to sign, so please stick around for that.