Francis Bock, the clerk of the trustees since Democrats assumed a majority in 2016, is seeking his fifth term on the board. A lifelong town resident who lives in Springs, Mr. Bock has worked as a community development housing technician, conducting Section 8 inspections for the town’s office of housing and community development for the last 12 years. He previously worked as a painting contractor for 30 years and has been a member of the East Hampton Fire Department for nearly that long.
He served two terms previously, before another successful bid four years ago. “I think we made a lot of great changes, and there’s a lot more work to do,” he said.
The trustees used to meet in a small room at their office on Bluff Road in Amagansett, which lent to a feeling of “back-room dealings,” he said. Now, they convene at Town Hall with live broadcasts of the meetings on LTV. “I think it’s made a tremendous difference on this board,” he said, pointing to the open forum at the start of the meetings and open dialogues with those who bring concerns. “It’s led to some very long meetings, but I feel it’s important.”
The South Fork Wind Farm is the main reason Mr. Bock would like to keep his seat. “We’re deep into it now. I think probably within a year, they are going to have their permits, whether we like it or not. Our concern is we get the best we can for the community.” He would like to see the wind farm’s export cable come ashore at Beach Lane in Wainscott so that the trustees can maintain jurisdiction over its landing site, “or all this time we have spent has been for naught.”
“I don’t think anybody can stop it,” he said of the wind farm, adding that the trustees could allocate money from the developer’s proposed community benefits package to water quality issues and to help with the local fishery.
Mr. Bock said the trustees have “a good group of smart people who have their specialties, and I think it’s served us well.” He hopes the board will be able “to maintain that and be ready for the next thing that comes.”
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