During the 2023 Southampton Village election cycle back in the spring, the issue of whether or not elected officials should be entitled to so-called “benefits for life” was a debate that came up frequently during meetings at Village Hall.
Former Mayor Jesse Warren, who ultimately lost his reelection bid to current Mayor Bill Manger, pressed the trustees time and again on the issue, stating his desire to repeal the current policy in the village, where elected officials who serve for five or more years are entitled to health care benefits for life upon leaving office.
Manger, who was a trustee at the time, and the other three trustees agreed that they wanted to compare and contrast the policies of other village governments before making a decision, and voted to hire an outside consulting firm to do that work for them.
The results of that work were shared at the latest Southampton Village Board work session on Tuesday, September 26, by Patti Dwyer of Sourced Municipal Solutions. Dwyer’s firm collected data and information on terms of office, compensation, and health insurance plan participation for elected officials from more than 50 villages throughout Suffolk, Nassau and Westchester counties.
When it comes to the issue of providing health insurance benefits for elected officials after they retire, Southampton Village proved to be an outlier in many ways. While only a slight majority of villages surveyed said they did not provide lifetime benefits for elected officials, the vast majority of those that do require a longer vesting period than five years, and also require mayors and trustees to contribute something to the cost of health insurance both while they are serving and post service — which Southampton Village does not.
Dwyer’s firm recommended allowing elected officials to participate in the village’s group health insurance during active service if they do not have access to health insurance from another employer, and if they make premium contributions in accordance with the village’s organizational practices that require employee contributions.
At minimum, the recommendation stated, contributions should be aligned with the requirements for other officials and department heads, which is currently 20 percent of premiums or 5 percent of salary, whichever is less.
When it comes to participation after active service, Dwyer’s firm recommended that former elected officials participate in the village’s health insurance plan only if they do not have access to health insurance from another employer, and that if they do participate, it should be in accordance with the terms of post-service plan participation for other village officials and department heads. That includes a minimum number of years required to be served, and contributions toward plan premiums made on a sliding scale basis, with those who have served more years with the village paying a lower percentage than those who served less years.
Village Administrator Announces Retirement
Southampton Village Administrator-Clerk-Treasurer Charlene Kagel-Betts announced at the meeting that she would be retiring effective November 1. Kagel-Betts, who was the chief auditor of East Hampton Town before coming to Southampton Village three years ago, said she felt that in her three-year tenure, the village made “great strides, especially in fiscal responsibility.”
The mayor and trustees praised her for her work and service to the village, with Trustee Len Zinnanti, who was part of the Budget and Finance Committee before being appointed trustee, calling Kagel-Betts “an extraordinarily professional person.”
Manger said Kagel-Betts will stay on with the village post-retirement as a part-time treasurer.
Village Will Hire Outside Firm To Review Traffic Study
In a walk-on resolution, the board unanimously agreed to hire VHB Engineering to review the traffic study of Pond Lane that was recently completed and presented to the public by engineering firm Nelson, Pope and Voorhis.
The study was commissioned to examine the effects of traffic on Pond Lane because the Lake Agawam Conservancy is proposing a plan to close the road to vehicle traffic to create an extension of Agawam Park and install bike paths, walking trails and an extensive public garden that would be designed by famed landscape architect Peter Marino. Many residents have expressed opposition to the closure of Pond Lane, and have asked for an independent review of the study.
Cailin Riley on Sep 27, 2023