The Hampton Library’s annual budget vote and trustee election will happen on Tuesday, with voting from 2 to 9 p.m.
Trustees of the Bridgehampton library are asking voters to approve a 2020 operating budget of $1,486,100, an increase of $111,960 over this year’s. The biggest increase is in payroll and benefits, up $90,000. Kelly Harris, the library’s executive director, said an additional librarian is being hired and that clerks are getting a raise to meet the state-mandated $15 minimum wage.
For taxpayers, the increase means an additional $7.60 per year in library taxes, a total of $108.30 for a house assessed at $1 million.
The Hampton Library’s board is made up of nine people, three seats to represent Sagaponack residents and six to represent Bridgehampton. Bridgehampton residents will vote for the Bridgehampton trustees and Sagaponack residents will vote for Sagaponack trustees.
There is a challenge in the latter race this year. The incumbents, Sarah Stenn, vice president of the board of directors, and Tom White, its secretary, are seeking re-election; Robert Alexander Hulten, an attorney, is looking to unseat one of them. Mr. White and Ms. Stenn are both seeking their second three-year term.
In Bridgehampton, two trustees are running unopposed. Olivia Kotz, who was appointed in June to fill Matthew Rojano’s vacated seat, is running for her first term; Sandra Ferguson, who is finishing her sixth year, is running for her third three-year term.
Absentee ballots are available at the library.