Government Briefs 01.10.13

East Hampton Town

Tax Day Descends

    Payments of the first half of 2012-13 East Hampton Town property taxes are due today and can be made in person at the town tax receiver’s office on Pantigo Place in East Hampton until 4 p.m.

Payments can also be made, using a credit card, online at officialpayments.com, or by phone, using a number provided on the town Web site, town.east-hampton.ny.us.

    Payments must be made whether or not a property owner has received a bill. New bills can be provided by the tax receiver to those who visit the office in person, or furnished to property owners by fax or e-mail.

    Bills were mailed out between Dec. 14 and Dec. 19 by a company hired by the town for that service, according to Len Bernard, the town budget officer. Each year, a number are returned by the post office as undeliverable, due to incorrect addresses on file, expired forwarding addresses, or the like.

    This year, several property owners who have previously received tax bills at their regular address have reported not receiving the current bill. Mr. Bernard said that every year the town works to correct and update its tax roll information and those situations will be analyzed, but that there does not appear to be a particular problem this year. “There has been no noticeable difference in receipts compared to last year at this time,” he said.

Taxicab Hearing

    The town board will hold a hearing next Thursday night on proposed changes to licensing regulations for taxi companies, designed to address problems caused largely by out-of-town companies operating here during the summer months.

    A new law passed last year required taxi operators to obtain licenses from the town clerk after providing proof of insurance and driver’s license information. Modifications would add a requirement that taxi companies have an office in the town, and subject license applicants, both proprietors and drivers, to fingerprinting and a criminal background check. Fines for unlicensed cabs would be increased, and a taxicab license review committee formed.

    The hearing will begin at 7 p.m. at Town Hall.

Board Appointments Delayed

    At its annual organizational meeting last Thursday, the town board put appointments of new members to several other boards on hold, largely because some town board members were unfamiliar with the nominees.

    A vote on appointing Elaine Miller to the zoning board of appeals for a five-year term was tabled over the objections of Supervisor Bill Wilkinson and Councilwoman Theresa Quigley. Richard Gerardi Jr.’s proposed appointment to the licensing review board was also postponed.

    The board suspended votes on reappointing Don Cirillo as the vice chairman of the Z.B.A., on appointing Jacques Franey to the ethics board, and on appointing a chair and vice chair of both the architectural review board and the licensing review board. Appointing a new member to the A.R.B. was also put on hold.

    However, with unanimous votes, Ian Calder-Piedmont was appointed to the town planning board for a seven-year term, and Nancy Keeshan was appointed vice chairwoman of the planning board, replacing Diana Weir.

Aerial Deer Survey a Go

    An answer to the vexing question of just how many deer reside in East Hampton Town will be forthcoming, enabling the town board to make future decisions about deer management techniques. With a vote on Tuesday, board members agreed to hire Visual Air Research to conduct an aerial population survey using infrared technology. The cost will be $13,000, or $16,500 if Gardiner’s Island is included. The survey is the first step in adoption of a town deer management plan.