The East Hampton Village Board will resume public work sessions after a vote at their meeting on July 6. They will be held the first Thursday of each month, at 11 a.m., at a historic location to be determined before each meeting. The first will be on Sept. 1 at Village Hall.
“I’m looking forward to doing that. I’ve thought about it for a long time. I think it will be a fun time for the public as well as the board,” said Mayor Jerry Larsen after the resolution was adopted.
“They’ll be held at a different historic location somewhere in the village. Hugh King, the village historian, will give a presentation about the location, whether it’s in the library or a historic inn. Also, the manager of that location will give us current events, or any other information that may be pertinent for us to know about,” he said.
Re-establishing the work sessions, which were discontinued last September, were one of the main themes of ex-Trustee Arthur Graham’s failed campaign for re-election. However, Carrie Doyle, and Sarah Amaden, who were sworn in as new trustees at the July 6 meeting, each supported adding back the work sessions, too.
“Carrie and I spoke to Jerry about reinstating work sessions during our campaign and he agreed that it was a good idea to bring them back. I’m looking forward to them,” Ms. Amaden said by text.
The work sessions will include the board and the village attorney, the village administrator, and whatever department heads are necessary. “This way we don’t have to have everyone at the work sessions, if it’s not really necessary,” said Mr. Larsen.
In an addendum to the agenda, the board voted unanimously to appoint Bradford Billet as village emergency manager.
“Brad has extensive experience with the New York City emergency management,” Mr. Larsen said. He said Police Chief Mike Tracey asked for Mr. Billet to be appointed to the role so that he could focus on his own role as public safety coordinator for the village.
To prepare for an emergency, the coordinator communicates with the Fire Department, ambulance, and Public Works Department. During an emergency, the public safety coordinator and emergency manager work together with all the department heads in an emergency management room, located at the Fire Department headquarters at 1 Cedar Street.
“It’s worth pointing out that my position is just an assignment,” said Chief Tracey, and it comes with no extra pay. “Brad Billet is without equal in terms of qualifications,” for the role, he said.
While Mr. Billet may be better known locally for his work heading the nonprofit East Hampton Village Foundation, he has extensive history with emergency management. Mr. Billet is one of two internationally recognized certified emergency managers in Suffolk County. For years he ran the New York City Emergency Medical Service.
“I’ve been in this world for a long time,” Mr. Billet said by phone. “I’ve done hurricanes, I’ve done floods, I’ve done building explosions and aviation disasters. I also served on the East Hampton ambulance corps for 10 years, so I have local emergency knowledge.”
