In a special election, East Hampton Town Councilman Ian Calder-Piedmonte, who was appointed in January to fill the town board seat vacated when Kathee Burke-Gonzalez was sworn in as town supervisor, is running to keep the seat for the remaining year of Ms. Burke-Gonzalez’s term.
Although Hy Mariampolski will be on the ballot as his Republican challenger, Mr. Mariampolski is not running an active campaign. His name remains because he made the decision too late to have it taken off the ballot, the East Hampton Republican Committee chairman, Manny Vilar, said last week.
“I love the job, and I want to keep it,” said Councilman Calder-Piedmonte. “I’m generally proud of my contributions to the board. I’m not a single-issue guy. I want to participate in everything that comes up in a productive way.”
As the board liaison to the Springs Citizen’s Advisory Committee, understandably, Councilman Calder-Piedmonte touts the role he has played on moving that hamlet’s projects forward. The Old Stone Highway culvert and bridge repair, stalled for years, will be complete by the spring. “The biggest deal for me was the application for the New York Forward Grant. We haven’t won it yet, but it was a really satisfying experience quickly having a robust conversation with the community and submitting an application.”
He has also met some difficult conversations head-on, such as one involving Springs Park, a.k.a. the Springs Dog Park. “I feel like we need to have civilized conversations. That one hasn’t been perfect, but not backing away is important. Otherwise, people who just shout win.”
When he’s not at Town Hall, Councilman Calder-Piedmonte, who is 44, can be found at Balsam Farms, where he is a co-owner. “I’m a busy person, but I believe I’ve been able to balance it.”
Going forward, while he acknowledges it’s a difficult topic, he wants to make progress with creating more affordable housing. “I’ve enjoyed working with the Housing Department and the community housing advisory board. It’s an exciting time to be around the community housing fund. That whole world is not without its challenges, but the quality of the work has been good.”
If Mr. Calder-Piedmonte wants to keep his job after 2025, he will have to run for a full four-year term next year.
