Government

Southampton Town Supervisor Jay Schneiderman and Councilman John Bouvier have endorsed Suffolk County Legislator Bridget Fleming’s candidacy for the Democratic Party’s nomination to challenge Representative Lee Zeldin in New York’s First Congressional District.

The East Hampton Town Trustees approved a water quality assessment program proposed by Christopher Gobler of Stony Brook University’s School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences when they met via videoconference on Monday.     

Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo said last week that he will issue an executive order to expand absentee voting in the state’s June 23 primary elections.     

The East Hampton Town Board moved on Tuesday toward adopting community choice aggregation, in which a town, or group of towns, hires an administrator to issue a competitive bid and choose a supplier for electricity, natural gas, or both.

East Hampton Town’s government is calling on residents to wear coverings when venturing out in public, following federal recommendations, but also asked for donations of masks and gloves for grocery store workers.

A statement issued from Town Hall on Saturday morning referred to the federal Centers for Disease Control’s recommendation that people wear a cloth face covering to slow the spread of the Covid-19.

There were welcome hints of normalcy during the East Hampton Town Board’s meeting on Tuesday despite its five members’ remote participation via videoconference.

The East Hampton Town Board and residents are angry and dismayed by the State Department of Environmental Conservation’s March 30 issuance of a modified permit that allows an East Hampton mining company to expand a pit.

Southampton Town is weighing in on short-term rentals in light of the Covid-19 pandemic, with Supervisor Jay Schneiderman directing the ordinance enforcement division to crack down on illegal rentals during April.

East Hampton Town’s essential services are functioning, despite mandates to reduce staffing and implement the social distancing practices critical to controlling the now-explosive growth in COVID-19 infections in the tristate area. 

“We need to support those on the front lines of crisis, particularly the health care workers,” Southampton Town Supervisor Jay Schneiderman said. “None of us have direct experience with this, even in my 27 years of government experience I’ve never faced anything like it.”

Survey work for the proposed South Fork Wind Farm’s transmission cable route in Wainscott, which was to begin on Monday, has been put on hold because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Perry Gershon, who is seeking a Democratic Party primary win to challenge Representative Lee Zeldin in New York’s First Congressional District, has announced the suspension of his petition gathering and public events.