East Hampton Town will have a town administrator for the first time, there will be new members appointed to the planning board, zoning board of appeals, and architectural review board, and a new chairman for the A.R.B. in 2024.
Those are just a few of the highlights of what's to come at Tuesday's organizational meeting, when Supervisor Kathee Burke-Gonzalez and Councilman Tom Flight will be officially sworn in for their first terms, along with Councilman David Lys, who was re-elected in November.
Rebecca Hansen will be appointed to fill the new position of town administrator. Ms. Hansen was the East Hampton Village administrator prior to becoming East Hampton Town's budget officer. The town applied to the Suffolk county Department of Civil Service to create the position. Ms. Hansen will report directly to the supervisor and will be responsible for preparing the town's operating budget, attending town board meetings and work sessions, supervising staff in Ms. Burke-Gonzalez's office and the division of finance, and researching and making recommendations to the supervisor and town board on various town matters. The resolution to appoint her lists her annual salary at $165,000.
In other changes to be approved Tuesday, Councilwoman Cate Rogers is to be appointed the deputy town supervisor for 2024. Jaine Mehring, an outspoken advocate for a revision of the town's zoning code to reign in overdevelopment, will be appointed to a five-year term on the zoning board of appeals, replacing Joan McGivern. Bruce Siska will be appointed to a seven-year term on the planning board, replacing Randy Parsons, who retired. Mr. Siska, an architect, previously served on the East Hampton Village Planning Board. Chris Britton is to be appointed to a five-year term on the architectural review board, replacing Esperanza Leon.
The chairmen of the planning and zoning board, Sam Kramer and Roy Dalene, respectively, will be reappointed. Chip Rae will replace Kathy Cunningham as chairman of the A.R.B. Ms. Cunningham will remain on the board, but has requested a leave of absence through the end of February. The new vice chairman of the A.R.B. will be Frank Guittard, and Denise Savarese will become vice chairwoman of the Z.B.A. Ian Calder-Piedmonte will continue as vice chairman of the planning board.
Tuesday's organizational meeting begins at 11 a.m. at Town Hall.
