A draft of the Town of East Hampton’s $15.1 million proposed capital budget for 2023, released last week, was notable for what it did not include. The line item for a new senior citizens center on Abraham’s Path in Amagansett was left blank in the presentation that Rebecca Hansen, the budget officer, made to the town board at the Feb. 14 work session. The funding level is yet to be determined, as the project has yet to go out to bid.
It’s a big omission: Councilwoman Kathee Burke-Gonzalez has noted in public meetings that the anticipated price tag for the seniors center would be at least $25 million, and perhaps up to $28 million — almost twice the entire capital budget for 2023, which includes more than 100 proposed projects on the books through 2025.
Ms. Hansen identified a three-year capital plan total of $24.5 million so far. The 2022 capital budget was $15 million.
Other line items to be filled in were “some funding gaps that were approved in 2022,” she said, as bids on a couple of projects — replacing the Y.M.C.A. East Hampton RECenter’s roof and heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning system, and the third phase of renovations at Second House in Montauk — came in higher than anticipated, or even much higher. According to the capital plan, the town had to borrow $880,000 for the HVAC replacement after budgeting $275,000 for the project last year.
Ms. Hansen also brought up a funding gap for the replacement of the Highway Department’s salt barn, which was budgeted at $1.2 million for 2023, even as the town has $300,000 “currently in account” for that project, according to the draft document.
To offset costs, Ms. Hansen said the budget office was aggressively seeking grant opportunities, “especially for the senior center.”
Some noteworthy proposed capital outlays for 2023 include the purchase of two drones for the town’s Police Department — one equipped with thermal sensors and nighttime capability, the other for general use in Montauk.
On the “big expenditure” front, Ms. Hansen highlighted that a Marine Patrol boat would be replaced at a cost of $450,000, along with other equipment upgrades for that division totaling nearly $800,000. She said money from the federal American Rescue Plan Act could offset the purchase of the new boat.
The board typically votes on adopting the plan in March.
The 2024 capital plan in the works under the harbormaster, public safety, and ocean rescue heading includes $4.6 million for work in Montauk to replace the pier at Edward V. Ecker County Park and renovate the West Lake Drive commercial pier.
Being considered for town police is over $1 million for body cameras and Tasers, along with the purchase of in-car video systems and license plate readers. That line item was partially offset by a $120,000 state grant. The Police Department is also looking to replace gas masks ($40,000) and buy bulletproof helmets ($12,000) and night-vision goggles ($14,000).
And as the town seeks to modernize its vehicle fleet to meet its net zero emission goals, the Planning Department will buy an electric truck to replace its 2002 four-wheel-drive Dodge ($80,000), and the next town supervisor may also be driving around in a new hybrid vehicle budgeted at $60,000, pending board approval.
