New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo has approved legislation that will allow East Hampton Town to implement a voluntary separation incentive program for town employees. The legislation comes as an effort to reduce the size of town government without having to resort to layoffs, according to a press release issued by Assemblyman Fred W. Thiele Jr.’s office last week.
The legislation, which was sponsored by Thiele and New York State Senator Ken LaValle, will allow the town to implement the voluntary separation program and spread out the cost of that program through bonds over the next 10 years.
The East Hampton Town Board requested the legislation. How much the program will ultimately cost was unspecified.
For over four years now, East Hampton Town has operated under a $27 million budget deficit, according to an audit by the New York State Comptroller. The New York State Legislature has previously given the town the authority to issue $30 million of bonds to finance the deficit over a 10 -year period. The audit also indicated that the town should incorporate other cost saving measures, and as a result the town has looked at consolidating services and reducing the overall size of town government.
In order to achieve this goal in the next budget year and avoid direct layoffs, according to Thiele the voluntary separation incentive program was suggested.
“This legislation would allow the town to achieve a reduction in work force and realize an ongoing net savings through a plan that will be least disruptive to the employees and the provision of services,” stated Thiele in the release.
Similar legislation has been enacted in Nassau County in the past.
Future of Parrish Art Museum Building on Tap for Discussion
The Village of Southampton has announced that it will host a town hall meeting on Tuesday, August 30 at the Southampton Cultural Center at 25 Pond Lane to publicly present the results of a visioning process and discuss future plans for the historic 25 Jobs Lane property that now hosts the Parrish Art Museum.
The village has proposed the formation of a new cultural entity — The Southampton Center of the Arts — as a part of an overall plan to create an arts district in the Village of Southampton.
Last month, Webb Management Services, a firm hired by the village to help it develop a plan for the site, presented members of the public as well as the Southampton Village Planning Commission with four possible designs of varying sizes showing how the center could be laid out and what services it could provide if the village chooses to move forward with their plans.
The center was conceived to include not only classroom and gallery space celebrating the visual arts, but also performing arts space and an outdoor amphitheater. The village envisions a separate conservation organization would also be created, no matter which project is selected, aimed at preserving and improving the existing arboretum on the grounds.
“Southampton has the rare opportunity to restore and re-invent this historic property by creating a dynamic multi-disciplinary arts facility in the center of the village,” said Southampton Village Mayor Mark Epley in a press release announcing the meeting. “We view this as a vital, hundred-year decision and are committed to cultural use for this important village-owned landmark and its surrounding grounds. We are engaging the public and incorporating that feedback into the ongoing planning process to ensure that the outcome will serve all facets of our diverse community and firmly positions culture as the engine of economic growth in this village.”
In addition to Epley, other members of the Southampton Center of the Arts Founder’s Committee will also speak about the project, including Southampton Cultural Center Chairman Thomas Knight and Southampton Planning Commission Chairman Siamak Samii.
The Parrish Art Museum, which is in the process of constructing a new facility in Water Mill, will end its long standing lease with Southampton Village and move into its new home by next summer.
Thiele: Gas Prices Better, But Still High
New York State Assemblyman Fred W. Thiele, Jr. continues his crusade against high gas prices on the South Fork, this month submitting his second report to the New York State Attorney General detailing price gouging on the East End.
Thiele first started tracking gas prices locally after prices remained at $4.25 per gallon over Memorial Day weekend, while the Long Island average dropped to $4.08 and the New York average was $4.02.
In his August 20 survey, the most prevalent price of gas on the South Fork was $3.91 or lower at seven stations along Montauk Highway between East Hampton and Sunrise Highway. The lowest price was $3.87 and the highest $3.95. This represents a $0.08 decline since the August 7 survey, and is $0.04 below the Long Island average, $0.04 more than the state average and $0.08 lower than the average price in New York City.
“Gasoline prices are declining due to the drop in the price of a barrel of oil,” stated Thiele. “The differential between the South Fork and the rest of Long Island remains small with prices between East Hampton and Southampton slightly lower than the Island-wide average. The differential with the North Fork, which has the lowest gasoline prices on Long Island, was around $0.35 cents on the South Fork on Memorial Day. It is now about $0.10 cents.”
He added that his main area of concern remains in Amagansett and Montauk where prices are still more than $0.30 over the Long Island average.
“Amagansett and Montauk are clearly paying too much,” said Thiele. “This is why we need a stronger zone pricing law and open supply legislation.”
CAC Asked to Support Third Nathaniel Rogers House Grant
During Monday night’s Bridgehampton Citizens Advisory Committee Meeting, Bridgehampton Historical Society Director Dr. John Eilertsen asked the committee to write a letter of support to the Southampton Town Board urging them to apply for a third grant for the restoration of The Nathaniel Rogers House in Bridgehampton.
Dr. Eilertsen received unanimous support.
The restoration of the building will attempt to preserve both the Greek-style architecture Nathaniel Rogers wrapped around the original 1824 house when he remodeled the residence around 1840, as well as interior renovations completed by the Hedges and Hopping families for their Hampton House hotel following their purchase of the property in 1894.
The historical society is almost done with the first phase of the restoration project, which specifically addresses repairs to the foundation, new framing, a new roof and a paint job.
The historical society and the Town of Southampton have jointly pursued the restoration of the home, with the town purchasing the seven-acre parcel of land with money from the Community Preservation Fund in 2003. The historical society bought the house itself, but never took ownership of the residence, instead conveying the home to the town with an agreement that the historical society would remain stewards of the property.
If successful, this will be the third state grant the town has earned for the project, which in total is expected to cost about $5.5-to-$6 million, with about $2 million already raised.
Governor Signs Ethics Reform Legislation
Last week, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo signed the “Public Integrity Reform Act of 2011,” a new ethics reform law that establishes strict disclosure requirements and an independent monitor with broad oversight over New York State government.
In a press release issued by New York State Assemblyman Fred W. Thiele, Jr. on Friday, the Assemblyman said a lack of ethical oversight in the state has led New York to gain a reputation discredited by corruption. The Public Integrity Reform Act of 2011 aims to address that, said Thiele.
The law includes the requirement that financial disclosure statements filed with the new Joint Commission on Public Ethics from elected officials be posted on the internet and the practice of redacting the monetary values and amounts reported by the filer will not continue.
The Act also includes greater and more precise disclosure requirements of financial information, establishes a database of individuals and businesses appearing in a representative capacity before any state government entity, and expands lobbying disclosure requirements.
Under the Act, certain public officials who commit crimes related to their public offices may have their pensions reduced or forfeited in a new civil proceeding. Other penalties have also been increased for violating state ethics laws.
The new Joint Commission on Public Ethics will replace the existing Commission on Public Integrity with jurisdiction over all state officials, their employees and lobbyists.
on Aug 25, 2011