The East Hampton Town Board has appointed Russell Young, an ordinance inspector in the Code Enforcement Department since 2022, to be the new code enforcement director.
To do so, it had to "break" the Civil Service list.
"The town canvassed the existing list for this title," Patrick Derenze, the town's public information officer, said in a text. "There were not three willing acceptors off the list."
He added that no one else was offered the job. The town was then able to seek a candidate that meets the minimum qualifications for the title as established by the Civil Service, which led to the appointment of Mr. Young, who was an ordinance inspector from 2017 until 2022.
Mr. Young has yet to take the director of code enforcement Civil Service exam, so he has been hired only on a provisional basis. He will have to take and pass the exam the next time it is offered.
"I'm grateful for the opportunity to serve this community in this leadership role," Mr. Young said in a press release from the town. "Our department's work is about keeping East Hampton safe, well-maintained, and true to the character that makes it such a great place to live. I look forward to continuing to work with residents and my colleagues to keep our town strong and well cared for."
It has been a challenging year for the department.
Last winter it lost a well-respected director in Kevin Cooper, when a waiver that would have allowed him to continue receiving pension benefits (he is a retired New York City police officer) while working in the position was not approved by the New York State comptroller.
He was replaced by Marty Culloton in April, but Mr. Culloton was fired by the town just months later, on Sept. 16.
This means Mr. Young will be the department's third head this year alone.
A lifelong resident of East Hampton, Mr. Young graduated from East Hampton High School and in 2011 began work as a traffic control officer. Mr. Derenze said Mr. Young also runs animal control, but all told his $115,000 salary covers a 40-hour work week.
He has also served, since 2016, as a volunteer firefighter with the East Hampton Fire Department.
"Russell understands that code enforcement is about protecting what makes East Hampton special," said Supervisor Kathee Burke-Gonzalez. "From keeping neighborhoods safe to safeguarding our natural environment, this work has a direct impact on the everyday lives of our residents. We're grateful to have Russell leading this important department."
Cate Rogers, the deputy town supervisor, who serves as the town board liaison to the Code Enforcement Department, added in the release, "The Code Enforcement team is often on the front lines of community concerns. Russell's steady leadership and deep understanding of our town will help ensure that residents, visitors, and local businesses are treated fairly while we continue working to preserve the character and quality of life that define East Hampton."
