Village Board Spins Through Agenda

Mayor Paul F. Rickenbach Jr. noted, as the East Hampton Village Board gathered on Friday, that spring would officially begin that evening. With yet another snowstorm looming, however, the few members present read through a quick agenda.

An unfinished new house on the Gardiner home lot, at 36 James Lane, drew attention as the board agreed to advertise for bids on its relocation or demolition. The house is behind the timber-frame house that was built in 1750. Bids will be opened on April 13 at 2 p.m. at Village Hall.

After a request from the village board, the town purchased the Gardiner home lot last year from Olney Mairs Gardiner, using money from the community preservation fund. The parcel also contains the historic Gardiner Windmill, which dates to 1804.

“It was always the intent to remove that new building,” Robert Hefner, a historic preservation consultant, wrote in an email, “in order to restore the agricultural land and setting of the mill and mill cottage.” The hope, he said, is that someone will move it offsite. Failing that, it is hoped that its windows, doors, and other usable components will be recycled prior to demolition.

The board also announced public hearings to be held at its April 17 meeting that would amend sections of the village code by instituting new fees for violations. Fines pertaining to beaches, garage sales, noise, peace and good order, peddling and soliciting, solid waste, streets and sidewalks, and zoning would increase after failure to pay for 30, 60, and 90 days.

The amendments, said Rebecca Molinaro, the village administrator, would also allow the village to prosecute a summons in instances when someone failed to appear in court; it would previously have been dismissed. This, Ms. Molinaro said, would provide the village with the ability to follow up on unpaid summonses, which it cannot do now. The proposed fee structure and procedure is identical to that followed by the town, she said.

While there were no outward indications of the spring to which the mayor had referred, one sign of warmer weather appeared in a budget item on the agenda. The purchase, for $11,495, of tickets for the machines in the Robert G. Reutershan and Barns Schenck parking lots was unanimously approved. Parking between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. in the two lots is limited to two hours from May 1 through Dec. 31.