Government Briefs 03.26.15

East Hampton Town

C.P.F. on the Upswing

The Peconic Bay Region Community Preservation Fund has raised more than $1 billion for open space, farmland, and historic preservation in the five East End towns since its inception in 1999, and revenues this year are on an upward swing. According to Assemblyman Fred W. Thiele Jr., the fund, which receives the proceeds of a 2-percent real estate transfer tax, had $15.3 million in income during the first two months of this year, a 4.9-percent increase over the same period last year. Over the last 12 months, the transfer tax has generated $108 million.

The revenue to date, from January through the beginning of March, for East Hampton Town was more than $4 million, a close to 14-percent jump from 2014. Southampton Town saw the most proceeds during January and February — $9.7 million — while Shelter Island and Riverhead Towns both reaped $360,000. In Southold, the transfer tax raised $680,000 in the first two months of this year.

Extend Air Traffic Contract

A contract with Robinson Aviation, which has been providing air traffic control services at East Hampton Airport, was extended through 2015 by a vote of the East Hampton Town Board on March 17. The control tower hours will be reduced this year. It will operate from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. from May 21 until Sept. 13, at a cost of $399,162.

The Cost of Snow Removal

The winter took its toll on East Hampton Town’s Highway Department budget, in which $338,449 had been set aside for the costs of snow removal in 2015. Given the repeated snowstorms this year, that wasn’t enough, and the town board voted last week to transfer a total of $235,000 from other highway budget lines to cover the additional snow removal costs.

A Driver Is Suspended

Also last week, the town board suspended Dennis Snyder, a driver for the Human Services Department, without pay, pursuant to pending disciplinary charges against him. Eileen A. Powers, an attorney who was appointed as a hearing officer, will prepare findings and recommendations for the town board.

Seek to Unify Election Dates

Following a request from Southampton Village Mayor Mark Epley, the town board voted last week to support an initiative to set one unified election date for all of the special election districts on Long Island, such as library, fire, water, parks, and sanitation districts. According to a resolution passed by the board, there are more than 900 different taxing entities making up Long Island’s local governments. Calling voters to the polls on one date, versus varying dates for the special district elections, “will focus media and voter attention on relevant issues, increasing the likelihood that the public’s interest is served,” along with voter turnout, the resolution says.

The resolution will be forwarded to state officials, and town officials will work with groups focused on voter reform issues, such as the League of Women Voters, to “enlist their assistance in raising public awareness and developing an educational campaign” to gain support for the unified election date idea.

Land Buy Hearings

The town board will hold hearings next Thursday on several proposed land purchases. In Montauk, property at 169 East Lake Drive, both upland and underwater land, is on the list. If approved, the town would use money from the community preservation fund to buy .77 acre of upland and .55 acre of underwater land from Lawrence and Roslyn Saltzman for a total of $1.3 million.

A second hearing will center on the proposed purchase from Suffolk County of a .12-acre lot at 57 Lincoln Road in Montauk for $2,091. It would be used for municipal purposes. The hearings begin at 6:30 p.m. at Town Hall. 

Federal

To Replace Old Diesel Engines

The United States Environmental Protection Agency is providing $1.18 million to help two organizations in the New York metropolitan area replace boats’ old diesel engines with less-polluting models. The projects will cut emissions of, among other pollutants, nitrogen oxides and particulate matter, which are linked to asthma, lung and heart disease, and premature death.

The Connecticut Maritime Foundation will use a $600,000 E.P.A. grant to replace two engines on the Cape Henlopen, which is in the Cross Sound Ferry fleet operating between New London and Orient Point, with new and cleaner E.P.A.-certified engines. The project is expected to reduce nitrogen-oxide emissions by 24.4 tons per year and particulate matter by 0.94 tons per year, in addition to conserving 12,400 gallons of fuel annually.

The New Jersey Clean Cities Coalition will use a $589,025 grant for new E.P.A.-certified engines on five cruise and excursion vessels and two tugboats that operate out of New York Harbor. The project is expected to reduce emissions of nitrogen oxides by 55.4 tons and particulate matter by 2.85 tons per year. More than 184,000 gallons of fuel are expected to be conserved annually.