Town Board discusses watershed, Vella and new TV

The Town Board continued to look at its Watershed Management Plan at it’s work session Tuesday. The board has methodically been revising the plan at the last several work sessions making recommendations to improving conditions. With a plan in place and recommendations made, the funding process to mitigate or improve problem areas can begin.

In a recommendation for a pet waste law, Councilman Peter Reich suggested it be written for town property only. Councilwoman Chris Lewis said education was important on the issue and recommendations should be in the town handbook. On sanitation systems, education again was encouraged by Councilman Paul Shepherd so residents can understand how to keep septic systems properly functioning. Supervisor Jim Dougherty noted that Southampton had recently passed a law providing a “modest” financial incentive for building new septic systems. On addressing storm water runoff for marinas and fueling stations, Mr. Reich noted that most of the regulations were covered by Suffolk county. “Let’s not reinvent the wheel here,” he said.

In other business:

• Zach Vella’s ambitious plan to expand and improve Herrmann’s Castle was on the agenda again. Kieran Pape Murphree, a Sag Harbor Attorney for Mr. Vella, had written a letter that agreed with most changes the board had requested, which has scaled down the project considerably. The board had some additional requests that Ms. Murphree said she would convey to the owner. A new site plan application will be filed by Mr. Vella.

• Mr. Reich reported on a plan that was agreed to by the board to purchase and install a new TV system for the board’s meeting room. It will include a 70-inch monitor that will have wireless connection for all Apple devices and will be a significant upgrade to the present system. The total cost of the system will be somewhere in the range of about $2,200 and board members agreed there were funds in the budget to cover the cost.

• Mr. Brown said the Emergency Medical Services Committee had reported  there had been 70 calls over the past three months and four new trainees have come on board.

• Mr. Brown reported that he and Mr. Dougherty had met recently with town accountants Cullen & Danowski, and had discussed streamlining processes. Mr. Brown said the town would be getting summary reports monthly that will now give percentages of how much departments have spent, plus detailed reports that used to come in annually will now be reviewed quarterly.