East Hampton Trustees Begin Democratic Era

Three hundred and thirty years after the East Hampton Town Trustees were established by the Dongan Patent, an apparent new era began at a meeting on Tuesday when the Democratic majority elected in November instituted sweeping changes. 

The trustees overrode the “no” vote of Diane McNally, who had been the clerk, or presiding officer, since 1991, to elect Francis Bock, a former two-term trustee. Mr. Bock had been the clerk for one of his previous four years on the panel. Over the objections of Ms. McNally, now one of just three Republicans on the nine-member board, the trustees also created a second deputy clerk, selected a new attorney, and decided to meet in a new place at different dates and times. 

In a move that the new majority said would save money, the clerk will have a part-time position, which represents a significant salary reduction. The existing deputy clerk position will have a boost in compensation in keeping with the pay of the second deputy. The counsel will also see a sizable salary increase.  

After Pat Mansir, a former member of the town board and the planning board, was elected deputy clerk, replacing Stephanie Forsberg, who did not seek re-election, Mr. Bock discussed the position of second deputy clerk. A full-time clerk’s position, he said, “is very difficult to fill when people have full-time jobs. We have exactly that situation, so we’re proposing to spread those responsibilities around, and we feel it would be more efficient.” 

“There’s a variety of expertise on the board as well,” said Tyler Armstrong, who was elected in November. “It might be good to split up those powers.” 

As clerk, Mr. Bock said his annual salary will be $22,300, with each deputy paid $18,199. These salaries are paid in full by the town, with no contribution from the trustees’ budget. The other trustees are paid $7,747 annually.

“It’s my understanding you’ve discussed this with the town budget officer,” Bill Taylor, who would soon be elected the second deputy clerk, said to Mr. Bock. “I did,” Mr. Bock said. “There are no issues with this. . . . The budget officer and town clerk both had conversations with the comptroller yesterday.” 

At that point, the tension in the room ignited. “So we had this all settled before we sat down at the table this evening,” Ms. McNally said angrily. “Nice to know.” She charged that the changes were self-serving. “Because you don’t have someone that can take on the role of a full-time clerk, this is the alternative that has been decided on.” 

Ms. McNally and James Grimes, a Republican elected in November, voted against creating a second deputy clerk but were outnumbered by the six Democrats. Timothy Bock, a 10-year incumbent Republican, was not present. 

The trustees then resolved, over Ms. McNally’s objection, to hire Richard Whalen and his firm as counsel. The majority agreed that the trustees would pay Mr. Whalen’s firm $14,000 a year, with an additional $28,000 paid by the town. The total represents a significant increase over the $15,000 paid to John Courtney, the trustees’ former attorney, who had served for many years. 

Ms. McNally objected to both Mr. Whalen’s hiring and his proposed compensation. Ms. Mansir defended the increase, and said it would be offset by the decrease in the clerk’s salary.

“I think we’re at a turning point,” Ms. Mansir said, citing water quality among the issues that require urgent attention. Mr. Whalen, she said, “is also a planner. When it comes to some of the documents that we need to refer to . . . Rick wrote them. There are aspects that I expect to happen soon where I’m going to need Rick’s expertise in terms of planning and logistics in this town.” 

Ms. McNally’s indignation reached a crescendo when the new majority discussed moving the trustees’ twice-monthly meetings from the Lamb Building in Amagansett to Town Hall, and from Tuesday to Monday. The larger venue, Mr. Bock said, would better and more safely accommodate the public. Many of those attending the board’s 2015 meetings, unable to fit into the small meeting room at the Lamb Building, strained to hear the proceedings while standing in the hallway. As for changing the date, it was explained that the town’s zoning board of appeals uses the Town Hall meeting room on Tuesdays. 

“So this board, being a 300-year-old governmental entity, is going to change its meeting format for the Z.B.A.?” Ms. McNally said. “Did anyone consider asking the Z.B.A. to move?” 

“When I was on this board,” Mr. Bock said, “we met once a month at Town Hall. . . . When the trustees first came into existence, they met in the town meeting place. This is not that. The town meeting place is Town Hall.”

The growing chasm that characterized last fall’s election campaign, as incumbents and candidates debated jurisdiction and recognition of agencies such as the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, also came into sharp relief. “We don’t want to be independent,” Ms. McNally fumed, indicating that she thought the Democratic majority would just go along with the town board.   

Brian Byrnes, a Democrat, spoke up. “Diane,” he said, “I find it very difficult, how difficult you’re being. It’s out of character for you.”

“It is out of character for me,” she agreed, “and I apologize.” 

“Let’s work together,” Mr. Byrnes said. 

“I would love to but this is being put in front of me for the first time this evening. . . . This is just . . . caving in to the pressure. . . . I want to put that on the record,” she said.

“There shouldn’t have been one meeting with people standing in the hall,” Mr. Taylor said, arguing that Town Hall can better accommodate both the public and LTV’s video equipment. (The lack of video-production infrastructure at the Lamb Building required LTV, which began recording the trustees’ meetings for broadcast last year, to send a remote truck to each meeting.)

The panel also reappointed Lori Miller-Carr as secretary during the meeting. She will receive a $135 weekly stipend from the trustees in addition to the salary she receives as a town employee. In a unanimous vote, the board also re-designated The Star as its official newspaper. 

Mr. Byrnes, who is beginning his second term, said that Ms. McNally had “been a tremendous help to me, and I’m still learning. Diane, I thank you for all your time you served as clerk. After tonight, we’ll be back to being good friends, and I’ll be asking you questions. Thank you.” 

“Anytime,” she answered.