New Town Council Sworn In

The East Hampton Town Council organizational meeting on Wednesday night was as much a reason to gather and celebrate a new council as it was to conduct business.

Though most of the celebrating in the town hall meeting room might have been left to the Chatham Party, which took control of the council by winning four seats in Tuesday night’s election, there was reason for all residents to be optimistic. There was much talk of moving the town forward and a new era. All three parties campaigned on working together, unity and/or restoring trust in town government. That message - and hope - was there Wednesday night, though the vote for council chair might have sent a message of a different sort, but more on that later.

“I know you’ve all worked hard to get to this point and I wish you all the best as you work together to bring the town into a new era,” Acting Interim Town Manager Anne McKinney said to the new council. “I hope that your vision is unclouded and that you will look in all directions before making any decisions, for all four points of our compass is needed to give truly a clearer direction. I wish you all the best of luck.”

Support for the Chatham Party appeared to be diminishing since it first took control of the council in 2005. Only Sue Weintraub was elected in 2009. Then the police chief controversy struck in June 2010. Chief Matt Reimondo was abruptly fired and the position of chief eliminated altogether. The council, and then-Town Manager Jeffrey O’Keefe, soon came under fire for their handling of it and Weintraub and the Chatham Party seized the issue. Together they led a drive to get the police chief matter put to a referendum and Reimondo was, by an overwhelming vote, reinstated. That police chief-related issues have remained in the news since couldn't have helped. Residents were apparently fed up, their confidence in the two major parties at best shaken, and on Tuesday night they let their voice be heard.

What their voice said was, it was time for a change, and just as in 2005, the Chatham Party provided it.

Elected were Weintraub, Glenn Suprono, Derek Johnson and Kyle Dostaler of the Chatham Party, Democrats Barbara Moore and George Pfaffenbach, and Republican Ted Hintz Jr. Moore was the only other incumbent besides Weintraub elected. Four council members chose not to seek re-election.

“We [the Chatham Party] obviously have the majority on the town council and that is a big responsibility and we will treat it as such to move the town forward,” said Weintraub, the top vote-getter.

There was some business to be accomplished during the short meeting, including that vote for council chair. After the swearing in of the council, Weintraub was elected chair and Suprono vice chair. The vote for Weintraub was not unanimous, however, falling along party lines at 4-3. A sign of things to come? We'll see.

“I’m honored I was voted in by my fellow council members,” Weintraub said. “It will be a different role for me because the town chair is really responsible for the parliamentary procedure, how the meeting runs. It will be a new challenge for me but I’m looking forward to learning and doing my best job.

“To have an effectively-run meeting will only help us get to where we want go more effectively and more efficiently.”

In the past 24 hours, Weintraub says she has gotten a lot of positive feedback.

“I look to engage everybody,” she said. “I’m very excited. It’s a new page, a new chapter for this town.”

The appointment of two town meeting moderators was postponed till the next town council meeting.