Newest Member of the East Hampton Village Board Sworn in

Philip O’Connell, the chairman of the East Hampton Village Planning Board, was welcomed as a member of the village board at a work session last Thursday, replacing Elbert Edwards, a longtime board member who died last month. 

Mr. O’Connell is a member of the village planning and zoning committee and the village liaison to the town’s community preservation fund advisory board. 

“We applaud the initiative and acceptance of this challenge by Mr. O’Connell,” Mayor Paul F. Rickenbach Jr. said after a swearing-in ceremony. 

  “I think he’ll bring a new breadth and dynamic to the board which will be beneficial to all the residents that we continue to serve.” 

Mr. O’Connell’s term expires on July 5 and he will stand for election. “My goal in becoming a trustee and in seeking election,” Mr. O’Connell said on Monday, “is that I love the village and want to make sure it’s run in a good fashion, which I believe the mayor and the trustees have done. I’m hoping to continue that tradition.

In his place the board named Mark Butler as chairman of the planning board and Obron Farber its vice chairwoman. They also appointed Arthur Graham and Karen Collins to the board.