For members of the town board, however, how best to manage the town’s waste is a subject of lively debate. Since last year, the board has explored the idea of privatizing waste management operations, or in other words hiring a private company to run the town’s trash disposal service. Privatization could be the key to lowering costs associated with the town program and ease its deficit. However, some members of the board are weary of the plan and believe privatization might fail to accomplish this goal.

In December of 2008, the town hired Cashin Associates, a business consulting firm, to conduct a comprehensive study on current operations of the town’s waste management system and the viability of hiring a private company to take over the reigns of this town service.

“Historically, the town has run its [waste management] operations as a traditional governmental service rather than as a business that must balance its costs and revenues. This approach, in conjunction with providing a high level of service for a relatively limited number of users, has contributed to operational inefficiencies and a general imbalance of income and expenditures within the Department,” wrote the consulting firm in its opening comments. At a work session held Friday, July 10, members of the board estimated the department’s deficit at around $2.8 million, but comptroller Tamara Wright added that this figure was based on unaudited financials. Kabot added that the town is waiting for the year end 2008 numbers, but said “waste management is in deficit condition.”

Based on Cashin’s analysis, around 11 to 14 percent of the town population use the town’s waste stations, however, councilman Chris Nuzzi argued these figures were debatable. Although the number of participating locals may be small, the costs savings are substantial for residents who take advantage of the program. Cashin estimated the average household paid $215 annually for disposal of their household trash at the town waste site. The average annual price for a private trash hauling company was estimated at $521. However, larger families who live farther from waste stations see only 17 percent savings compared to private hauling services.

In recent years, the town has experienced success with its green bag and bulk waste program. Cashin estimated this leg of the waste management program garners an annual revenue of around $819,000, while the expenditure for the green bag and bulk waste service is approximately $790,000. In addition to positive revenues for these particular services, the waste management department has also worked to cut down on expenses. Closing the Westhampton and Sag Harbor stations one day per week has helped lessen costs.

However, Cashin claims the amount of waste disposed at a town facility steadily decreased from 2004 through 2008. They pointed out that the department has almost 25 employees and over the next eight years will need to pay around $4,000,000 for new equipment and vehicles.

Based on their findings, Cashin advised the town to issue request for proposals, or RFPs, “to gauge vendor interest in taking over transfer station operations, handling transport and disposal of most of its solid waste stream.”

Cashin theorized the town could potentially save money by leasing or selling their equipment. The report added that based on prevailing New York State wages, a private contractor could potentially pay around 10 percent less than the town for labor and staffing.

“In recent years, Southampton had experienced a marked improvement in its overall solid waste management operations, including and especially control of labor costs, better tracking of expenses and interdepartmental charges, and phased upgrades to the North Sea Transfer station …,” the report determined. “[T]his study found that the town-run transport and private disposal of green bag and bulk waste currently costs the town approximately $141 [per ton]. This number is substantially higher than what most other Long Island municipalities pay for similar service. Therefore the major recommendation of this Privatization Study is the town of Southampton issue a request for proposals RFP.”

Both Nuzzi and town councilwoman Anna Throne-Holst were reluctant to entertain bids from private companies before the town receives fully completed and solid figures on the waste management’s financial status.

“I still have a lot of analysis to do,” contended comptroller Wright.

Throne-Holst held firm on waiting for the financials before deciding to privatize the waste management program.

“We are having this discussion without the numbers,” argued Throne-Holst, and it appeared the board was at an impasse again on the viability of privatization.

 “Cost Cutting Mode,” is how Southampton Town Supervisor Linda Kabot describes the current state of the town, and cost cutting is just what was happening at Southampton Town Hall this past Tuesday, July 14.

“There is more work to be done, everyone has to tighten up the belt,” said Kabot. The board passed a resolution to amend the 2009 budget by a vote of five to zero. In total the board cut $1 million from their 2009 operating budget.

Across the board the town was looking to slash operating costs. Some of the budget cuts include a $2,500 decrease in microfilming from $5,000 to $2,500; a $50,000 decrease in legal fees from $1,050,000 to $1 million; a $27,000 decrease in vehicle purchase from $27,000 to $0; and a $100 decrease in land management photography from $100 to $0. However much of the money comes from the reduction, or in some cases freezing, of overtime pay, which may total over $500,000.

These cuts were the result of an operating budget that was structurally balanced on the assumption that mortgage tax revenues coming into the town would total in the neighborhood of around $7.5 million. This assumption was made on November 20, 2008 before the full gravity of the recent economic recession was fully realized.

House prices have fallen, which in turn has decreased the revenue from the mortgage tax. In the first half of the fiscal year only $2.5 million has come in from mortgage tax revenues, over $1 million less than projected. If this trend continues, which the town board believes it will, it would leave a $2 million shortfall in the general fund.

“We expected $7.5 million in mortgage tax,” said Kabot. “We are going to get $5.5 [million] if we are lucky,” she further explained that the Community Preservation Fund was hoping for $30 million in revenue from the two percent real estate transfer tax and would be “lucky to get $14 million.”

The amended 2009 budget includes a $342,265 cut from the general fund, $237,921 cut from the police fund and a $72,161 cut from the highway fund, among others. The board said the decision on budget cuts was made with input from various members of the different departments.

Councilwoman Sally Pope said “I appreciate having the extra time to consult with people in town hall.”

 “I know for myself and most of my colleagues, we spent the last two weeks, if not longer, spending time with various department heads working on this,” added councilwoman Anna Throne-Holst.

“This is one small step in the right direction,” Kabot said. “We need to move forward in 2010 with $2 million of further cuts…with personnel changes if need be.”

The budget cuts were followed by a slew of grant applications from various community organizations. Kabot believes these relatively small grant applications, while serving good causes, are part of the fiscal problem Southampton Town faces. Despite her concerns most of these grants, including a $1,000 human services grant for a basketball program and a $1,000 special events interfund transfer for a church block party in Riverside, were passed unanimously. Kabot said that in 2010 the town would consider putting a hold on these small grant applications.

“Every year [grant seekers] ask for more pie, and there is no more pie,” said Kabot.

After winning an uncontested election nearly two weeks ago, North Haven Village trustees Jim Smyth and Jeff Sander were sworn in during the monthly board meeting on Tuesday, July 7. The elections were relatively calm, but the village board faces a number of issues moving forward, including the adoption of a flood prevention law, handling of abandoned boats on Sunset Beach Road and noise complaints.
For the past few months, municipalities large and small have drafted new flood prevention laws in response to the updated flood maps produced by Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and North Haven Village is very close to adopting a law to correspond with the new maps. On Tuesday, board members were presented with a 60-page draft of the proposed legislation, prepared by the village attorney Anthony Tohill.
Georgia Welch, the village clerk, informed the board that a copy of the draft was sent to both FEMA and the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) for New York State. FEMA responded to the village in a letter and tacitly stated that the draft law includes all of the new requirements, reported Welch. Although, North Haven is still waiting for a response from the DEC, Welch said Tohill was certain the board could move forward and adopt the law at the next meeting on Tuesday, August 4. Welch noted that the law must be adopted before the end of September to continue North Haven resident’s eligibility for federal flood insurance.
In order to tackle a long-standing problem of local residents abandoning their boats and seafaring apparatuses on the beach near Sunset Beach Road, the village board passed a local law on Tuesday giving them the power to dispose of unpermitted boats or boats left on public beaches after the summer season ends. The law was first introduced last month and was swiftly adopted after a public hearing elicited no comment from community members. Now that the law has been passed, however, the board struggled with how to implement it.
“We have to set up a program to handle these boats … Who will take them off the beach, where will we put them … what about implementation?” asked trustee James Morrissey.
Although the board failed to voice a solution to Morrissey’s first couple of questions, they did agree to post a sign at the public beach alerting the public to the new law. Sander said the sign could stipulate that sea craft storage on the beach is allowed only in the summer and by permit only.
As the board seemed to settle one village issue, another undesirable situation was brought to their attention. Both this summer and last, residents of Maunakea Street have complained about a renter on their block. The Maunakea residents claim the renter regularly hosts several dozen guests and holds parties in the wee hours of the evening. Village building inspector Al Daniels acted as intermediary between the property owner, Joe DeSane, his renter, and an adjacent neighbor, Frank Pintauro, during a meeting held on Friday, June 19.
“DeSane took responsibility for his tenant … [but] I think Mr. Pintauro tried to communicate to the tenant that this year he wasn’t going to just go talk to him [if there was a problem]. This year he will call the police,” reported Daniels.
The next weekend on Saturday, June 27, Pintauro lived up to his word and phoned the police some time after midnight to file a formal noise complaint. Village mayor Laura Nolan reported that she had spoken with an officer out of Southampton Town Police as to what possible repercussions could be brought against the tenant. Nolan said that if three or more neighbors signed an affidavit of a noise summons, then with each noise complaint the tenant could be slapped with a fine as high as $1,000 per incident. The members of the board and Daniels agreed to speak with Tohill about finding a legal means to calming the situation.
“I think we have to do some research,” added Daniels.

“I and other members of the town board have been calling for a second opinion … but what we really meant was a transitioning to a new auditing team,” explained Kabot of the new hire.

AVZ worked as the town’s external auditors from 2004 to 2007, when several errors occurred within the town’s capital fund, causing an overstatement of the town’s general fund by around $8 million. When completing their audits for the town, AVZ failed to notice discrepancies in the general fund and the capital fund.

Last week, FTI Consulting was brought in to begin a forensic audit of the town’s reconciliation of the capital fund. According to Kabot, FTI was hired to validate the information already gathered by the town’s financial team.

Nawrocki Smith, a Melville based firm, first interviewed with the town regarding the reconciliation of the capital fund. Both Kabot and town comptroller Tamara Wright said they were impressed with Nawrocki Smith’s qualifications, but opted to hire Manhattan based FTI consulting for the forensic audit of the capital fund. FTI consulting, however, isn’t an auditing firm and cannot certify financial statements for the town.

This Monday, Nawrocki and Smith started the audits for the 2008 financial statements with AVZ helping during the transitional period. One of Nawrocki Smith’s chief duties at the moment is to restate the 2008 year-end financial conditions – to reflect the reconciliation of the capital fund.

Wright said Nawrocki Smith and FTI Consulting predict they will finish the restatement of the 2008 financial reports and the certification of the capital fund database by July. She added that it is imperative for the two firms to work cooperatively in order to finish these projects.

Kabot added that East Hampton Town recently retained the services of Nawrocki Smith as their transitional external auditor. She said the transition to a new auditing firm was based on recommendations made by Wright, the town services administrator Richard Blowes and the town attorney Dan Adams.

The town is also in the midst of wrapping up an audit of the Community Preservation Fund, but because of state law the town was required to hire an additional auditing firm – BST advisers – to complete this audit.

Councilwoman Anna Throne-Holst thanked Wright for her part in bringing in the new auditing firm.

“It hasn’t been easy piecing together this puzzle and trying to keep everyone doing what they are supposed to be doing … There is a real thought process here that will bring the history in order and certify this history,” said Throne-Holst.

“We have been discussing this idea back in the fall. We are trying to protect the village shoulders,” said trustee Lisa Duryea Thayer, who serves as a liaison between the village board and the architectural and historic review board. “We have taken damage on many roads from construction sites.”

In the law, the village board stipulates that “all [construction] vehicles should be parked and maintained on the parcel where the contractor is performing work. The purpose of this local law is to require submission of an off-street parking plan [prior to] issuance of any building permit.”

The building inspector will also be provided with a list of cars to be used for the project.

Thayer said the law was of imminent importance as four buildings, out of a five lot project, will be up for building permit approval in the coming weeks.

Local resident Bruce Kaplan, a Sagaponack property owner since 1972, was in support of the law and said construction vehicles had destroyed the corner of his road, Sagg Dune Court. He also believed that the lines of cars on a road near a construction site impeded road access for emergency and police vehicles.

Although the law received full board approval, some members would like to see further amendments made to it in the future.

Deputy mayor Lee Foster pointed out that certain pre-existing homes undergoing renovations don’t always have the space to accommodate all of their contractors’ vehicles and in certain instances vehicles carrying special equipment will not fit through the home’s entrance.

“If you have construction vehicles parking on site, it could mar the lawn or push over a bush or ruin the driveway,” said Foster.

Village clerk Rhodi Winchell referenced a construction site on Crestview Lane, where the contractor found parking for his workers at a different site and shuttled them to the construction area.

“That works for vans and laborers, but we are talking about heavy equipment,” said trustee Alfred Kelman of Winchell’s suggestion.

“It seems that would be a situation where a bond has to be put into place,” added Kelman of an idea the board has recently been discussing that would require developers to take out a maintenance bond if any damage to the road is incurred during the construction of homes. This provision would need to be satisfied before the developer was given a certificate of occupancy.

“We need to refine the language. I think it has to include the concept of a bond and include the concept of van transportation. Efforts should be made to keep vehicles on site, but in the instance of heavy trucking, a contractor should be subject to a bond [if the road is damaged],” said Kelman.

Winchell said she would discuss drafting amendments to the law with village attorney Anthony Tohill.

Election season has also hit Sagaponack Village with both Kelman and trustee Joy Seiger running for re-election. The pair, however, are running unopposed and Foster offered some premature congratulations.

“Alfred and Joy are continuing on, for which we are most grateful … I would love to congratulate you both,” said Foster.

Winchell added that the polls will be held on Friday, June 19, from noon to 9 p.m. at village hall on Montauk Highway.

Young Vets Get Benefits of Affordable Housing
In a previous Southampton Town board meeting, the resolution giving military veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan first priority on certain affordable housing properties received criticism from the public. Some said it was unfair to single out one particular group of veterans to benefit from the program, though councilman Christopher Nuzzi, who sponsored the legislation, said all income-eligible veterans are included in the general lottery. During Tuesday’s board meeting, however, town residents came out in support of the legislation.
“This law was inspired by several non-profit housing organizations looking to do something good for returning veterans. These young people who go off to war often have to delay a career,” said former town supervisor Patrick “Skip” Heaney, the current county economic development and workforce housing commissioner. Heaney added that the law piggybacks a similar one passed by the county.
“This is aimed at first time home buyers,” continued Heaney.
Daniel Stebbins, a 43-year-old veteran, said housing prices in the town are prohibitively expensive for young residents, forcing them to move elsewhere.
“It would be a shame if in 50 years, there were no vets here,” noted Stebbins.
The board passed the legislation becoming the first town within the county to do so.
“It is great to have Southampton be the model. We hope other towns will meld this into their own code,” remarked Kabot.

Town to Buy Pike Farm, Waiting for County
In a partnership with the county, the town plans to buy the development rights to a 7.4 acre farm on Sagg Main Street in Sagaponack, where the Pike Farm Stand operates. The rights will be purchased from the Peconic Land Trust for around $6.4 million. Suffolk County has promised to pay 70 percent of the purchase price.
“This is a community treasure — that is why you see the county stepping up to the plate,” said Kabot, but added that the purchase was contingent on the county partnership.
Mary Wilson, the town’s community preservation fund manager, wasn’t sure if the county’s recent plan to use their main open space funding source to abate county property taxes would affect the purchase of the development rights. During a later interview, county legislator Jay Schneiderman said open space projects are now on hold until the county votes on this legislation, which is expected to be up for a vote in the coming weeks.

Southampton Town residents might soon see town employees whizzing down the streets of Southampton in electric Mini Cooper cars. Councilwoman Anna Throne-Holst, who drives a Mini Cooper herself, was first approached by the company, owned by the BMW group, to participate in their “Mini E” pilot program, allowing the town to test the endurance of the electric versions of these characteristically compact vehicles.
During a special board meeting on Friday, June 5, Throne-Holst informed the board that the Mini Cooper company offered the town the use of up to five electric cars for one year. The town in turn would pay a $120 annual lease for each car, but Throne-Holst added that the company would oversee the maintenance for the vehicles. According to the company, the cars travel between 100 to 150 miles on a single charge.
“If we participate as a municipality, we could add some cars to our fleet and [perhaps] take other cars off the road,” said Throne-Holst. “This will help us see how we can move this kind of technology forward.”
“Would [the company] give any consideration to loaning these five cars to cash strapped residents to do the same type of program?” countered Councilman Chris Nuzzi.
Throne-Holst explained that Mini Cooper is targeting municipalities to participate in this program because of the extensive liability insurance held by government bodies. If the town signs onto the project they will follow the lead of several other municipalities, including New York City, which added 10 “Mini E”s to their fleet in January.
“We shouldn’t do this as an advertisement for mini … This will help reduce our costs for this year,” said Throne-Holst, noting the cost savings associated with the project.
“We do have a few cars in our fleet used by various department heads that ought to be replaced. Some have 150,000 plus miles on them,” said Throne-Holst during a later interview. “This way we could put the ‘Mini E’s to use instead and delay the purchasing of new vehicles.”
She added that town comptroller Tamara Wright is going to conduct a cost savings analysis on the project. The town has a signed memorandum of understanding, said Throne-Holst, and she expects the cars will be delivered sometime this month.

Discussion of the Mini Cooper pilot program offered a much needed lighter note to a meeting dominated by discussion against a proposed piece of legislation coming out of Suffolk County. The county is looking to divert funds from the County Drinking Water Protection Program, which is one of the county’s main revenue sources for land preservation said legislator Jay Schneiderman, to use for property tax relief in the coming three years.
“This legislature determines that in assessing the difficult choices that must be made to maintain the county’s fiscal stability, this legislature cannot treat any program as a ’sacred cow,’” reported the county in a draft of the law.
According to town supervisor Linda Kabot, in 2007 county residents voted to continue using funds from this program for land purchases until 2030.
“This is ill advised and breaking faith with the voters. We stand in opposition,” declared Kabot.
“This program is the main way we purchase land,” reported Schneiderman. “We are one of the most vital areas for preservation in terms of critical habitat.”
The legislation would have a direct impact on the town’s purchasing power. Recently, the board has discussed focusing their CPF monies on debt repayment and the creation of a rainy day fund. Additional land purchases in the town will most likely have to be made in partnership with the county.
“If the county doesn’t have any money to buy land then it can’t partner with the town,” noted Schneiderman, during an interview.

As election day nears, the mayoral and village trustee race in Sag Harbor Village is heating up, but over in neighboring North Haven Village, this year’s election season promises to be quiet as current trustees Jeff Sander and Russell “Jim” Smyth are running unopposed. Sander, a local business owner, is currently wrapping up his first term as trustee and was named as village deputy mayor in 2008. Smyth is a 47-year resident of the village and is entering his third term as trustee. Before becoming a trustee, Smyth served for eight years on the village planning board.
In the coming years, Sander would like to see the village acquire more property for open space preservation. He pointed out that the village recently purchased a 2.2 acre plot of land.
“I hope we continue to use whatever funds are available to buy parcels. This is one of the most important [projects] for the village,” noted Sander.
Although Sander has taken a keen interest in acquiring additional open space for the village, he added that it’s imperative for the village to remain fiscally conservative as the East End faces an uncertain economic future.
“One of our biggest challenges right now is continuing to manage our funds in a responsible way,” explained Sander. “All villages including ours are being impacted by the economy. Revenues are down in part because of decreases in the fees collected for building permits and other permits, though our costs continue to rise. This year we had to replace the heating system in village hall.”
Smyth concurred on the need to preserve open space and practice fiscal responsibility, but added that the board needs to continue keeping the village’s deer population at bay and beautifying various points in the village, similar to the recent round-about beautification project. Over his last term, Smyth said the village has worked on updating its website and improving office operations, and will continue to do so over the next couple years.
“I don’t foresee anything new confronting the village,” reported Smyth. “We just want to continue the work we have been doing. Most of the village projects are things we have been continuing for years and years.”
“The deer is always something in the back of our minds and we are always dealing with waterfront and dock issues,” continued Smyth, who added that the village is relatively small and primarily residential with only one commercial business in North Haven.
Overall, Smyth noted that the current North Haven village board has established a certain rhythm that he would like to see continue in the future.
“We have a strong group of people on the board who have been working together for a while,” said Smyth.
“I can provide some expertise and some good judgment to village politics. I enjoy working on the board,” added Sander of his forthcoming candidacy.
“They are great trustees. I am glad they are rerunning,” said current village mayor Laura Nolan. “They have certainly been an asset in helping me on the board and I am happy there isn’t a contested election this year.”
In fact, the Village of North Haven hasn’t seen a contested election since 2007.

According to Sag Harbor Village Police, Rolanda Stephanos, 29, of Sagaponack was charged with driving a vehicle without a registration, a misdemeanor, on Tuesday, May 26. Police say they stopped Stephanos at the corner of Madison Street and Susan Street, for having an expired inspection sticker, but police say they also discovered that the vehicle was suspended in September 2008 for an insurance lapse. Police report that Stephanos presented police an insurance card that had expired in February 2009.

On Wednesday, May 27, Sag Harbor Village Police arrested Bonilla Esteban, 34, of Bridgehampton, for alleged aggravated unlicensed operation in the third degree, a misdemeanor. Police say they stopped Esteban on Hampton Street for a traffic violation. Police say they discovered that Esteban’s license was suspended in December 2006 for failing to answer a summons.

On Thursday, May 21, Nancy Mone, 50, of Sag Harbor was arrested and charged with aggravated driving while intoxicated, a misdemeanor. Southampton Village police stopped Mone while she was driving her Mini Cooper on Old Town Road for allegedly running into a curb while attempting to turn onto Wickapogue Road.
Hector Mora, 27, of Hampton Bays was arrested by Southampton Town Police on charges of aggravated unlicensed operation in the third degree, a misdemeanor, on Friday, May15. Police say Mora was stopped for failing to wear his seat belt in North Sea. Police say a driver license check revealed that Mora’s license was suspended for failing to pay fines out of Queens in May 2007 and April 2007.

Southampton Town Police arrested George McBride, 58, of Hampton Bays on Friday, May 26. According to police, McBride was seen driving on Montauk Highway in Bridgehampton with a trailer attached and no license plate or working brake lights. Upon a stop, police say they learned that McBride’s license had been revoked for failing to submit to a chemical test. McBride was arrested on charges of aggravated unlicensed operation in the second degree, a misdemeanor.

On Saturday, May 27, Southampton Town Police arrested Claudio Lliguin, 22, of Hampton Bays for alleged aggravated unlicensed operation in third degree, a misdemeanor. Police report that Lliguin was seen driving in a dangerous manner on the Sag Harbor Turnpike. When stopped, police say they discovered that Lliguin’s license was suspended for operating a vehicle without insurance.
Southampton Town Police say that a Southampton Town resident beach permit was removed from a parked vehicle at Sagg Main Beach on Saturday, May 30.

William Zawacki, 17, of Sleepy Hollow, N.Y. was arrested by Southampton Town police on Saturday, May 23, in Noyac. According to police, Zawacki was arrested after throwing a water balloon from a moving vehicle. Police say Zawacki was a passenger in the vehicle and threw the balloon onto the windshield of the vehicle behind him. The victim told police that the balloon hit the driver’s side of her windshield and shattered it, causing damage in excess of $250. The victim told police that she wanted the perpetrator arrested. Zawacki was charged with criminal mischief in the fourth degree, a misdemeanor.