By Andrew Rudansky

Coach Meg Preiss stands feet from the pool, arms crossed, analyzing and dissecting each and every movement of the three swimmers in the water. Occasionally Priess tells the girls to straighten their arms, or keep up with the timing. She asks for near perfection.

In the water Shaina Preiss, Catherine Musnicki and Keriann Fitzpatrick and Audrey Sinclair, all members of the East Hampton Synchronized Swimming Team, practice diligently for their upcoming meet. A classical composition plays in the background as the swimmers display their aquatic acrobatics. Musnicki, age 15, a Sag Harbor native, says of the team that they are “not at a professional level yet, but they are definitely getting better all the time.” 

The three girls were practicing for the Synchronized Swimming East Zone Championships held last weekend at Salem University. This is not the first competition the “Synchro-Swans” have competed in; far from it, they have travelled across the country to places like Ohio, Indiana, Connecticut, New Jersey, New York and Washington. Later in the month they will be heading to Gainesville, Florida to compete in nationals.

Musnicki says that they are “hoping to place in the top four” at the East Zone Championships at Salem. Not all the girls are as certain as Musnicki however. Fitzpatrick, age 14, also a Sag Harbor native said, “It is very, very nerve racking.”

The synchronized swimming competition the team was heading to was adjudicated over by five judges. The judges sit on all sides of the pool and look for difficulty, timing and synchronism, deducting points for mistakes and touching the bottom or sides of the pool. The individual judges give a rough score out of 10, and after all the scores are compiled and averaged out, a final score of up to 100 is given for the performance.

“It’s probably a bit harder than a regular swimming race, because of the different personalities involved,” said Preiss. The swimmers not only have to be athletically competent but they need to swim in perfect synch; and to be a successful team, each of the members need to really know the other members of the team. Preiss said that team dynamics need to be pitch perfect to win.

Despite the pressure of the competition the team seems generally relaxed. They break into laughter when they talk about Knox. Knox is a hair gel used by the team to keep their hair from getting in the way while they perform. Fitzpatrick calls the gel “unflavored Jell-O,” and said that all the swimmers in competition use it. She laments that it is hard to get out of your hair but says it is worth it since it is “pretty much waterproof.”

Preiss has been coaching the synchronized swimming since the East Hampton YMCA RECenter opened in 2000, and in the past nine years she has seen the team evolve. The synchronized swim program was the first recreational program at the East Hampton YMCA RECenter and the coach said the program has seen “its ups and downs.”

Preiss has her team practice six days in preparation for competition.

“Effort? I couldn’t ask for more from these girls…I am very proud of my girls.” Beaming, Preiss says that any of the swimmers on her team who want to go to nationals have made it into the competition.

At Salem University the “Synchro-Swans” competed in both solo and team performances. Preiss said she is perhaps the most nervous of the group, adding, “We are a judged sport…and we need to ask ourselves after every performance ‘did I swim my personal best?’”

At last weekend’s event Keriann Fitzpatrick placed third in the solo competition, and sixth in figures. Catherine Musnicki and Audrey Sinclair placed fourth in the duet, and in the trio competition Fitzpatrick, Musnicki and Sinclair placed third.

Preiss said of the results, “They still have a lot of room for improvement before they swim at Gainesville, Florida at the end of the month.”

 

Popularity: 7% [?]

The new executive director for The Retreat on the effect of the economy on spousal abuse,rehabilitating offenders and the unfortunate need for his work.

How has your experience been at The Retreat so far?

It has been a very positive experience; the Retreat has a long, rich history of providing domestic violence services to the community. We have been providing domestic violence services to the community for over 20 years. It is such a valuable service to our community. If I could categorize our service I would say they would be transformative. The Retreat helps these women and children, in crises situations, leave with hope.

 

The budget for The Retreat is just over $2 million, your website says that over half of this is raised through individual contributions, how important are these individual contributions during the current economic recession and in the face of widespread state and local budget cuts?

What is important to say is that over the past 12 months we have seen an increase of about 40% in requests for services from women in crisis. We are seeing a drying up of local funding, and the money we fundraise from the community is so important. It allows us to continue offering these services to women and children in the community.

 

You said that you have seen an increase of about 40% in requests for services from women in crises. What services in particular have seen an increase in demand?

We have seen it across the board, what we have seen is that as the economic downturn continues we have seen domestic violence increase. When people are at risk of losing their jobs…it creates an environment conducive to family violence. The women that seek our services look for among other things counseling, legal advocacy and shelter.

 

There are a number of upcoming events to benefit The Retreat, how much financial support can be expected from these events?

I am glad you mentioned them; they are so important for us as an agency to allow us to sustain ourselves. What is coming up that is most exciting is the 14th Annual Artists Against Abuse event this June 27, our largest annual fundraiser, which will be hosted by Kelsey and Camille Grammer. It’s an art event and an art action, that’s held on the grounds of the Ross School. People can bid on art from local and renowned artists. All this information is on our web site.

 

SHARP (Structured Help Anti-violence Re-education Program) is a counseling service for men who have had a history of abusive tendencies, how important do you believe this counseling is?  

I think it is extremely important in trying to fulfill our mission. Part of our mission statement is trying to break the cycle of family violence. In order to accomplish this we need to provide some of our services to that part of the population. We try to work with them through support groups and counseling.

 

In your experience does this reform and rehabilitation prevent the possibility of repeat offenders?

Well you certainly see a large percent of offenders repeating, but we have seen some offenders stop. The program does work. These offenders can develop healthy, violence-free relationships.

 

Are there any unexpected challenges that you have come across in your new position?

I wouldn’t say it is unexpected, but the challenge we are always facing, and now in particular, is the severe economic crisis. We are facing a situation we have not seen since the Great Depression. This directly affects non-profits in a real, concrete way, when donations are down and funding gets cut…it is very scary to think about someone in a crisis situation getting abused who cannot get help.

 

 

Is The Retreat applying for grants from the Federal Stimulus Package recently passed by Congress?

We are applying for stimulus money. We have a couple of grant applications in to access funds.

 

What facet of The Retreat do you believe is the most important?

The most important is that we are the only domestic violence shelter on the East End. We don’t take one approach to domestic violence we take multiple approaches. It is important that we provide shelter, counseling and advocacy to people in crises.

 

The Retreat opened locally in 1987 and later expanded to cover the entire East End in 1995, as the new Executive Director do you see further opportunity for geographic expansion?

I think for right now we are a community based organization. Our focus right now is to provide comprehensive coverage to the East End. We are located out here and our real focus is to serve the people of our community. We do get referral cases from out of state, we get calls from other parts of Long Island. We do provide services to anybody in need.

 

Are there any new directions you would like to take The Retreat as Executive Director?

The services we provide are essential, but we need to find and secure funding for transitional services. On average people stay in our shelter for 90 days, once they leave…it’s very expensive to find a place and live on Long Island. We need to find funding for six-month transitional housing, and get them hooked up with vocational training. We need to help these women be more independent and live a life with less stress. Ninety days is really a quick time table and we need to find a time table that is a little bit longer. 

 

Popularity: 3% [?]

by Andrew Rudansky

The inability to get a parking spot on Main Street and Jerry Seinfeld are not the only things to return with the arrival of summer, this weekend saw the reopening of several farmers markets on the East End.

The farmers markets have in recent years gained much popularity, evident by yet another market opening up, allowing yet another opportunity for Hampton natives and seasonals alike to peruse through the various locally grown and cultivated foodstuffs.

The wind made even casual conversation difficult, but the weather did not keep people away from the Sag Harbor Farmers Market this Saturday morning. Throughout the day people stopped by and shopped around the fifteen-tent pavilion.

Michael Denslow, manager of the Sag Harbors Farmers’ Market, actively oversees the operation through a pair of dark sunglasses. Pointing to a nearby tent, Denslow said, “Everything you see on that table, that person grew.” Dressed the part of the suburban farmer, Denslow is confident that his first year as manager of the Sag Harbor Farmers Market will be a success. 

With shaky economic indicators and little hope for a quick end to the global recession, it is questionable if people will skip the grocery stores to purchase their food from the more expensive farmers markets. Denslow is unconcerned, saying that whatever increase in price, if there is any, is more than made up for by a number of attractive features found in a farmers market. Denslow said, “The most important thing is the preservation of local spaces; the farmers’ market helps facilitate that.” 

The vendors of the Sag Harbor Farmers Market stand by their wares, presenting products cultivated, harvested, and made in many cases by their own hands. Each vendor paid 20 dollars a week to set up shop at the Sag Harbor Farmers Market, a price that one vendor said, “Is not a big cost, but every cost is looked at.” 

Bette Lacina and her husband Dale Haubrich are two such vendors; by late morning they stand in their stand with what is left of their goods. They explain that they sold the bulk of their harvest fairly early in the day.            

Lacina and Haubrich own and operate a small organic farm in Sag Harbor on the Sag Harbor Turnpike; Lacina describes it as a real “Mom and pop business.” They have been involved with the Sag Harbor Farmers Market from its origins as an attraction at the 2003 Harborfest.

When asked about the economic difficulties facing small farmers, Haubrich says it is farmers markets like this one that help keep them in business.

“Direct sales are crucial to small organic farmers,” he said.

The pair maintain light smiles and sideways glances when Lacina said, “We have quite a following”

One point that Haubrich and Lacina make that is echoed by the other vendors at the Sag Harbor Farmers’ Market, is the need for a permanent location. The market, which currently sits near the Breakwater Yacht Club on Bay Street, has seen many changes in location. The organizers and vendors say that a permanent location along with permanent signage could really increase the profitability of the market.

Sag Harbor’s Farmer Market may be the first of its kind in the Hamptons but it is by no means the only one. 

The newest of these local markets to open on the East End is the Hayground Farmers Market located on Mitchells Lane in Bridgehampton. Jon Snow, the representative from the Hayground Farmers Market, describes how the Hayground School effectively uses the market to benefit the students. “There is an educational component here, we get the kids involved,” said Snow.

When asked about the expansion of available farmers markets out on the East End, Snow said, “One step at a time…we need to let it develop organically.” In relation to newly developed saving habits of East End residents Snow said, “It’s not about comparison shopping, it’s about community…a farmers market takes the anonymity out of shopping,”

Kate Plumb, organizer of the East Hampton farmers market for the past three years, is one of the first to agree. Plumb said she sees “exponential growth” in East End farmers markets. Citing the precedent of California with its hundreds of farmers’ markets, Plumb hopes to one day see a farmers’ market in every East End village.

Plumb said that the emphasis of the East Hampton Farmers Market is the importance of local business, “Farmers Markets allow small farmers to actually make a profit, we are struggling to help these small farmers…we should be tearing down the old malls.”

I got a chance to stop by one of these “old malls” to find out what people thought about the recent openings of these farmers markets. Outside of the King Kullen Super Market in Bridgehampton I asked one shopper about using a local farmers market as an alternative to one of the chains. “I didn’t know there was a farmers market around here,” the shopper said.

 

Popularity: 5% [?]

By finishing the 50-yard freestyle in 25.24 seconds and the 100-yard freestyle in 56.19 seconds last month, Pierson junior Yves Bourel has qualified for the Metro South Silver Championship at Ward Melville this coming weekend.

The 17-year old Bourel represented Pierson as an individual competitor in the county’s high school winter swim season and has competed regionally as part of the East Hampton Hurricanes (the YMCA/Recenter swim team) since he was 11.

The Metro South Championships this weekend are a USA Swimming-sanctioned event, attracting swimmers ages 8 to 18 from Connetquot, East Hampton, East Setauket, Farmingdale, Hauppauge, Huntington, Islip, Lindenhurst and Sachem.

Bourel, who lifeguards for East Hampton Town at Indian Wells Beach in the summer, is looking forward to next year’s winter swim season and the likely debut of an East Hampton-Pierson boys’ varsity swim team. His mother, Andrea Bourel, credited Pierson athletic director Bill Madsen as being an “enthusiastic catalyst” for the new sport.

Popularity: 8% [?]

By Benito Vila

Last Sunday was a day made for soccer as Southampton Youth Services hosted a high-school tournament indoors at its facility on Majors Path. Participating this year for the fifth annual Supervisor’s Cup were teams from Pierson, East Hampton, Southampton, Westhampton, Center Moriches and Longwood, East Hampton making off with the prize with a 2-0 win over Longwood

Pierson varsity soccer coach Donnelly McGovern was on hand to direct members of his team, reporting afterwards, “We bested East Hampton 1-0 in our opening match of the day, and we entered the knock-out phase as the number one seed. But anything can happen when it comes down to all-or-nothing and they [East Hampton] came out ahead in the semi-final 3-2 in a very exciting match.”

Coach McGovern said the event “allowed returning and potential varsity players to play against other high school players in a very competitive environment. It allowed me to see our players against players other than each other. We have been playing since the season ended outside two days a week, even in the snow, ice, and rain, and our players have also been utilizing the work-out rooms at Pierson to maintain their fitness.” Coach McGovern added, “it was great fun to see the boys in action against some quality opponents. We did a nice job defending collectively and creating some great scoring opportunites.”

In describing the play of the potential 2009 Whalers Sunday, Coach McGovern reported, “Tyler Gilbride, Jake Federico, and Christian Gonzalez worked very hard to create opportunities. They each scored goals that were definitely highlights of the day for me. Christian Bautista, Oscar Reyes, Oscar-Eduardo Reinosa, and Nico McMahon worked extremely well throughout the day as they generated many scoring chances. Other highlights included the play of Mark Mahoney. He was very strong and confident in the goal and made some critical stops in each match we played. Greg Rojano, Gavin Kudlak, Nicholas Gratto (a guest player from Eastport-South Manor) and Jefferey Schimmer were tenacious in the defensive third as they won balls and started our attack.”

 

More Indoor Soccer

SYS has indoor soccer leagues and clinics throughout the winter, the current sessions running into April. For more information, contact Joy Pariz at 287-1511.

The Hampton-South Fork Colonials, a semi-professional team playing in the Premier Arena Soccer League (PASL), closed out its regular season schedule at SYS on Saturday with a 10-7 win over Central New York United (Syracuse).

The Colonials will meet the New York Shockers in Albany this Saturday in a divisional championship final. Saturday’s winner advances into the PASL tournament, taking on champions from the league’s eight other North American divisions. For more information on the Colonials, visit arenaleague.com.

 

Popularity: 11% [?]

The new comptroller for East Hampton Town on the financial challenges the town faces, how our local banks will fare in the recession and why accounting is fun.

 

Considering East Hampton’s financial situation, which issue should be addressed first?

Firstly, we have to address the financial reporting requirements and implement the recommendations of the New York State Comptrollers Department and do an external audit. That is the most immediate issue. We have to get the books in order. I am not saying that they are not in any kind of order, but we need to get the financial statements complete. But, it will take time.

 

Are there any other financial problems the town will need to address in the near future?

I don’t really look at them as problems, but more as challenges. I think the town has grown and is perhaps going through a growing pains period. Now, the town needs to become more efficient and use technology a bit more effectively to enhance its operations.

Government is no longer a small organization anymore. They have a large revenue because people pay a lot of taxes, but the town really needs to update their operations to fit [larger government].

Making technology more efficient will probably be the biggest challenge. The more you use technology, the more money you save. When people embrace technology there is a large resulting costs savings.

My ultimate dream would be to have an almost paperless town government. There is very little need for paper in the workplace because of technology. If you need to look up a document it can be available through electronic means, and then someone can be at their desk and pull it up on their computer. All accounting reports, memos and forms should be put on computers. The corporate sector has already done this, but government is behind the corporate world in this respect. I have been in the private sector for a long time and they have embraced technology in public accounting and in banking.

But, it takes years to get this into place. We would have to implement this in steps. I have only been on the job a week, but that was my initial impression.

 

You have worked mainly for private banks, will it be easy to transition to a public office?

I worked for 15 years at Bridge Bancorp, Inc, which is a publicly traded company. As the Chief Financial Officer of Bridge Bancorp, I had a responsibility to the shareholders similar to the responsibility that I now have to the taxpayers of the town. Even though the private sector is profit driven, both banks and municipalities share the need for transparency in their financial reporting as well as the need for accountability and compliance with regulations and laws. They both also have a responsibility to their employees and the community as well.

At Bridge Bancorp, Inc., I did all of the financial reporting, and there is a difference with doing financial reporting for a municipality but they both mirror each other very much. When it comes down to it, accounting is accounting.

 

Do you think you were a more desirable candidate for the town’s comptroller position because of your background in the private sector?

I think the town really just needed an accountant. They really needed someone to do their financial reporting because financial reporting today is very complicated.

I don’t believe that East Hampton has ever had a comptroller; I think that I am the first. They had budget officers before, which is fine but as a town grows there becomes a need for a trained CPA.

 

How was the first week on the job?

A bit of a whirlwind but overall it was positive. The staff that I met with was very welcoming. I got a desk, set-up my computer, and email and also met with some outside accountants. It feels very rewarding to be part of the solution.

 

What is it about finances that interests you? Did you always know that you wanted to go into finances?

I started college as a horticulture major. I think I am a good role model for young adults just starting out, because sometimes it takes a few years out of high school to find your niche. After I left college, I went to night school for nine years to become a CPA, while I was also working full time.

Going to school at night wasn’t easy, but I love being a CPA.

Some people think it is boring, but accounting and finance provides the opportunity to learn about all sorts of different industries, meet amazing people and have fun. I think accounting gets a bad rap, but I have had so much fun doing my job. I actually encourage young people to go into accounting.

 

You were one of the founders of Georgica Bank, what need were you trying to serve by creating that bank?

Actually, I was recruited to work with Georgica Bank. The bank was conceived not by the management team but by its initial organizers, all of whom were important customers of the local banks and mostly local business people. They felt there was a need for a high touch, customer centric community bank. They felt that the other banks here were focused on expanding their branches westward.

 

I know you are a member of the budget advisory committee of the Sag Harbor School District and a member of the board of directors for the South Fork Breast Health Coalition, how do you manage your job, philanthropic work and personal life?

I have a great husband. We have a true partnership. I have three kids who are really independent and confident young adults. When you are a working mother, who is the CFO of a publicly traded cooperation, it teaches you the ultimate time management skills. Having a full slate taught me how to prioritize both on the job and in my personal life.

I have been on the budget committee for 14 years, and I was asked to join the SFBHC board in September, because giving back to the community is very important to me.

 

In light of the recession how do you think local banks will fare?

I think most of the problems we have seen to date are on a larger scale because most of the community banks were very careful and conservative in their investment and loan portfolios. In any recession it is difficult for banks. People lose their jobs, and maybe, their homes. Banks are a part of the community like any other business. This will have an effect, but a lot of banks out here did the right thing and took measured risks.

I don’t think anyone out here is going to be untouched by the recession. We need to get the economy moving so that people aren’t afraid to spend.

 

Popularity: 10% [?]

Although the East Hampton Wrestling team went to Harbor Fields on Saturday for the League V champions, and only one wrestler qualified for the county tournament, the East Hampton coach and the Pierson wrestlers on the team remain optimistic.

This season there were four wrestlers for the East Hampton team from Pierson. According to Coach Jim Stewart, all the boys are “very coachable” and they asked questions, which is a good indication that they want to learn to get better, the coach said.

“My assistant coaches and I are all impressed by these kids,” he added.

Kyle McGowan, a Pierson junior, did well, according to coach. He had 14 wins and 10 losses in his weight group at 140 pounds. 

“He is very talented,” Stewart said, and added he was “like his father,” who wrestled for him years ago.

Equally talented, according to the coach, is another Pierson junior Dane Riva, who has been competing at both the varsity and junior varsity level.

“He has great balance and a lot of what he does is natural balance,” Stewart said, “he winds up on top and in wrestling that’s the key.”

Christian Gonzales, a sophomore, has several kids in his weight class on varsity, so the coach tends to play him on JV so that the match-ups are a bit more equal. Stewart said that he is a “diamond in the rough.”

Sophomore Nico McMahon, does very well when he is wrestling a beginner, and he is a quick learner, according to the coach. Stewart said that McMahon is extremely strong, and has had some of the most interesting matches. During one, the coach said “everyone thought the match was over but Nico,” McMahon overturned his opponent right near the end of the match and came out on top.

“We look forward to seeing all these guys again, they are excited about their prospects,” Stewart said. “We are in a tough league, if they can stick with it, they will be at the top.” 

Popularity: 9% [?]

By Marissa Maier

No one can remember when East Hampton Town ever received a full assessment, but Supervisor Bill McGintee now says one is necessary. Prompted by the dramatic differences in property value assessments on the East Hampton side of the village, which the mayor said could wreak havoc in the village, The Sag Harbor Board of Trustees has decided to continue its role as an assessing board, delaying a local law which would have given the job to Southampton Town. The decision may also lead, for the first time, to a full town-wide property tax re-assessment by East Hampton Town.

During a special work session held on Wednesday, December 17, the Sag Harbor Village Board of Trustees held a public hearing on delaying the law, which sought to terminate the village’s “status as a separate property assessing unit for village real property tax purposes.”

Because the village of Sag Harbor lies between East Hampton and Southampton Towns, taxpayers either pay town taxes to East Hampton Town or Southampton Town depending on the location of their property. However, the town property tax assessments vary greatly between the two. Since 1992, Southampton Town has conducted a series of property tax reassessments, which assess properties in the town at 100% of market value. While in East Hampton a full, town-wide reassessment has never been conducted. Property and houses in East Hampton are usually reassessed when they are built, sold or renovated. This means that there is a huge discrepancy between the tax values for properties in East Hampton and those in Southampton.

To address the discrepancy, Sag Harbor Village has historically contracted with the Town of Southampton to assess both the Southampton and the East Hampton side of the village for taxes that are paid to the village. This assessment is only used for the village taxes and not taxes paid to East Hampton Town. Sag Harbor residents on the East Hampton side of the village, pay their town taxes based on the East Hampton assessment of their properties.

Last month, the village board passed legislation allowing it to relinquish its status as an assessing unit and to give this status over to Southampton Town. They did this to increase efficiency and avoid duplication between the village and the town. For example, when a resident, whose house is on the Southampton side of the village, wanted to appeal the real property tax value of their home they would have to first visit the Sag Harbor trustees and then the Southampton town board. By passing this legislation, which would have gone into effect in January, property owners would have had to appeal their case to their respective town only, and not the village.

Last month, however, it came to the attention of the village that if this local law went into effect they would not be able to use the property values, as assessed by Southampton Town, for village tax purposes for the East Hampton side of the village. Instead, the properties on the East Hampton side of the village would have to be assessed based on the East Hampton Town assessments. It was at this point that the village became aware of the implications the law would have had, considering the discrepancies in values on the East Hampton side of the village.

If the local law had been enacted, 63 percent of property owners would have had an increased assessment and 23 percent would have had a decreased assessment. Of the properties with an increased assessment, 47 percent would have seen their assessment increase by 50 percent or more, and 15 percent would have seen their assessment double. Of the properties with a decreased assessment, some would have decreased by 98 percent.

“Its scary,” said board member Tiffany Scarlato of these drastic discrepancies. She added that she has seen assessment discrepancies of some $20 million in the same area in East Hampton.

In a letter to East Hampton Town Supervisor Bill McGintee last week, Sag Harbor Mayor Greg Ferraris urges the town to do a complete and full assessment of the town to begin addressing the discrepancies.

“As you can see, these wide fluctuations of assessed value among properties with similar market values would create havoc within our Village,” wrote Ferraris.

The supervisor agrees.

“An assessment is long overdue. It is something that has to be done,” said McGintee in an interview this week. He cited a lack of political will and public resistance as the reason a whole town assessment has been shelved for decades.

“I think people fear that their taxes might go up … I can’t speak for past administrations but I believe a lot of elected officials are afraid of tackling [an assessment] because of political fall out … Many elected officials don’t seem to survive a reassessment,” McGintee added.

McGintee hopes to sway public opinion by educating them on the full implications of the assessment – including its good points. He believes, for example, an assessment would level the playing field for East Hampton taxpayers by evenly and fairly distributing the burden of property taxes.

Many residents already agree with McGintee, like Sag Harbor Board of Trustees member Brian Gilbride. Gilbride lives on the East Hampton side of the village and believes an assessment would help rather than hurt blue-collar families.

“Some of the Further Lane and ocean front homes pay less in taxes than some of the working class homes in Springs and Amagansett,” said Gilbride.

Board member Ed Deyermond, who is also the Southampton Town Assessor, estimates an East Hampton Town assessment could be completed in one year. Deyermond says the initial Southampton Town assessment included 50,000 homes – roughly double the number of homes in East Hampton Town – and was completed in two years. 

McGintee, however, is worried about finding funding for an assessment project. The 1992 Southampton Town assessment cost $1.8 million dollars to complete. Deyermond says that although East Hampton is a great deal smaller than Southampton Town, costs associated with conducting an assessment have increased since 1992. McGintee guesses that an East Hampton assessment would cost over $1 million. Although a portion of this money will be reimbursed by the state, East Hampton Town will be required to provide the up front payments for the assessment company.

McGintee plans to broach the subject of an East Hampton Town assessment at the second East Hampton Town board work session with the other members of the board. The meeting will be held in mid-January. He also would like to educate them on the process of an assessment. Meanwhile, McGintee plans to gather more information on exactly how an assessment will affect members his constituency.

Despite funding worries and possible public resistance, McGintee said, “We will find a way of getting [this assessment] done.”

Map above illustrates potential changes in assessments for specific property for specific properties on the East Hampton Town side of Sag Harbor Village.

 

Popularity: 6% [?]

Like flood insurance and a good lawyer, there are those things in life that we all hope we will never need, but are nonetheless glad to have nearby in the event that we ever find ourselves in a difficult situation.

The Retreat is another one of those things. As the East End’s only not-for-profit facility serving the victims of domestic abuse, The Retreat not only houses women and children escaping from an abusive home but offers legal advice and emotional support as well during their ordeal.

As of late, while many East End businesses have seen a decline, The Retreat, unfortunately, is experiencing no such shortage of customers — 2008 is turning out to be one of the busiest in recent memory. The shelter is full and calls for help on the facility’s hotline and requests for information and assistance have skyrocketed as a direct result of the inevitable stresses brought on working families by reduction in available work and rising costs.

And to add to the woes, The Retreat expects to see much of its public funding slashed severely as local municipalities struggle to get their own economic houses in order. This is funding that is crucial to the operation of the facility which gets the rest of its funding through private donations. Right now, The Retreat is looking at a $32,000 cut in county funding, $2,000 less from Southampton Town and the loss of its entire $10,000 in funding from East Hampton. On the private donations side of the ledger, The Retreat is down $100,000 and climbing.

While we know there are a lot of non-profit organizations facing funding cuts this go around, we are particularly concerned about those facing The Retreat. There are simply no other options available anywhere on the East End for those who need to escape from an abusive and potentially dangerous situations. So while municipalities may try to tell us that in this economic climate they simply cannot afford to fund The Retreat, we would like to counter that in this economic climate they simply cannot afford not to.

Leaving an abusive situation is an extraordinarily difficult thing for victims to do, especially if they are not financially independent. Imagine how much more difficult such a decision would be for a victim of abuse on the East End who could not count on The Retreat for shelter and support. What would happen to that person? You can only wonder.

Which is why we’re asking that all municipalities rethink their decision to cut funding to the valuable and critical community resource. We would especially ask that East Hampton Town, the very town where The Retreat’s offices are located, reconsider the devastating elimination of their entire $10,000 aid package to the center, and we implore our state representatives to do what they can to ensure state funding is not further slashed as the budget moves towards its third round of cuts.

After all, no one knows who among us might need The Retreat’s services next, and without it residents of five towns on the East End will be left out in the cold, with no where to turn away from the violence. 

Popularity: 5% [?]

By Karl Grossman

 Having substantially more helicopters fly to and from East Hampton Airport on a “southern route”—south of Long Island and over a strip of land which includes Georgica Pond—was a main theme at a meeting of officials last week at the field.

East Hampton Airport has been the biggest source of public complaints about noise generated by commercial helicopters taking people between Manhattan and the Hamptons of any airport on Long Island. Francis Gabreski Airport in Westhampton is the second most troublesome field for chopper noise complaints followed by the Southampton Village helipaid.

Earlier in the year, an agreement was worked out between Congressman Tim Bishop, Senator Charles Schumer and helicopter operators to change the flight paths of the choppers to reduce noise.

 “Now that we’ve had a season under our belt, what is clear is that the numbers of helicopters using a northern route”—one that has included the North Fork and Shelter Island—to and from East Hampton Airport “is 80 percent, while 20 percent have been using the southern route,” said Jon Schneider, aide to Congressman Tim Bishop, a participant at the September 30 meeting. “What can be done to get the numbers closer to 50-50?”

The situation now is “unfair to a lot of North Fork and Shelter Island residents,” said Mr. Schneider. “Ultimately, you have to look at what’s fair.”

The “southern route” would involve, said Mr. Schneider, choppers going to and from Manhattan and East Hampton Airport by flying over the ocean just off the south shore barrier beaches and over the Georgica Pond strip.

But a key issue in getting more helicopters to fly this route is dealing with space restricted to chopper traffic over and near John F. Kennedy Airport in Queens.

 “Tim Bishop and Chuck Schumer’s offices will have to do some lifting on this with the Federal Aviation Agency,” said Suffolk Legislator Edward Romaine of Center Moriches, who was also at the meeting.

Representing Mr. Schumer at the session was his aide Gerry Petrella.

How a route along the ocean and over Georgica Pond would be effective in reducing the noise of helicopters heading to and coming from East Hampton Airport was cited last year in a proposed “Master Plan Report” for the field done by the consulting firm of Savik & Murray of Ronkokoma. “One approach and departure corridor…was found to be substantially better than the existing routes,” said the report. s the report done by route would 

Choppers could, it noted, fly over the Atlantic and “branch off” to “over-fly Georgica Pond” and a thin strip of surrounding land. “This is the minimum sound track,” it said, “and adds little if any flying distance and flight time.”

But the report went on: “It would…expose residents in this area of high value real estate to much greater noise levels than currently exist.”

At the meeting, too, Legislator Romaine said he pressed for federal action to require manufacturers of helicopters to build them with substantially less-noisy engines, similar, he said, to federal mandates to build less noisy fixed-wing jet aircraft.

Among others at the meeting was Jim Brundige, the East Hampton Airport manager.

Popularity: 4% [?]