Town of East Hampton
Town Council Special Meeting
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Eaton E. Smith Meeting Room – Town Hall
Minutes
Present: Chairperson Melissa Engel, Vice Chairman John Tuttle and Council Members Chatham Carillo, Thomas Cordeiro, Christopher Goff, Barbara Moore and Susan Weintraub. Also present were Interim Town Manager Robert Drewry, Recording Secretary Cathy Sirois, members of the press and citizens.
Call to Order
Chairperson Engel called the special meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. in the Eaton E. Smith Meeting Room at the Town Hall.
Executive Session – Discussion of Pending Claims and/or Litigation
- a. Klein v. ZBA – Docket #MMX-CV-10-600336S
- b. Reimondo et al v. Town et al – Docket #MMX-CV-10-6003363S
- c. Work Environment Complaint by Garritt A. Kelly – Internal Complaint
- d. Town and Local No. 524 (Police Officers) – Labor Complaint to CT State Board of Labor Relations
- e. Shepard v. O’Keefe – CHRO Docket #1140107
- f. Shepard v. Town – CHRO Docket #1140106
- g. Reimondo v. Town Council et al – Docket #FIC2010-444
- h. Hintz v. Weintraub – Docket #FIC2010-617
- i. Dickinson v. Town – CHRO Docket #1140171
- j. TD Bank, N.A. v. James Downey – Docket #MMX-CV-10-6003178S
- k. Reimondo v. Town, Tuttle, O’Keefe, Engel (4 CHRO Complaints) – CHRO Docket #1140141, 1140142, 1140143, 1140144
A motion was made by Mr. Tuttle, seconded by Mr. Goff, to enter Executive Session at 6:00 p.m. Voted (7-0). The Council members, Robert Drewry and Attorney Jean D’Aquila were present in Executive Session. Attorney Glenn Coe was present via speakerphone for Item C.
Council member Weintraub recused herself from Item A due to family connections with the lawyers handling the case.
Executive Session ended at 6:43 p.m.
A short break was taken and the meeting resumed at 7:00 p.m.
Public Remarks
Angela Sarahina, 37 Old Middletown Avenue, suggested the Council explore other options for a town manager such as a retired interim town manager.
Dale Maynard, Quiet Woods Road, congratulated Chatham Carillo on her appointment to the Town Council. He also commented that he doesn’t want a permanent town manager hired until after the next election.
Kyle Dostaler, 56 William Drive, commented that the Town Council should not oversee the hiring of the new town manager. He noted it would be a dis-service to the community to hire a town manager prior to the next election.
Ruth Tegge, 5 Nile Street, commented that she doesn’t agree with hiring a town manager by July 1st. The Council should hire a retired interim town manager. She also asked why the town is still paying Jeffery O’Keefe and where are those funds coming from.
Mary Ann Dostaler, 56 William Drive, commented that she has concerns with hiring a town manager prior to the next election. She suggests the Council seek the advice of ICMA to find an interim town manager. She noted the town manager position needs to be de-politicized.
William Dinunzio, 40 Spice Hill Drive, suggested the Town Council create a multi-disciplined sub-committee made up of Town Council members, town department members and the community to determine the best course of action in hiring a new town manager.
Laurie Wasilewski, Hog Hill Road, agrees that an interim town manager should be hired until after the next election.
Pete Dombrowski, Wildwood Lane, commented that the past needs to stay in the past and the town needs to move forward.
Fran Klein, Bellevue Street, commented on the process for hiring a new town manager. She feels there should be a plan with specific criteria and to include a variety of the population. She wants a town manager that can say they are not political, they are analytical, are process oriented and well qualified.
Discussion and Possible Action on the Search Process for a New Town Manager
The Council discussed the search process for hiring a new town manager. Discussions included whether the process should take place now or following the next election and the possibility of hiring a long-term interim town manager. The Council decided to wait on the hiring of a permanent town manager and seek assistance from the International City/County Management Association (ICMA) for recommendations and draft Request for Qualification (RFQ) documents for an interim town manager.
A motion was made by Mr. Goff, seconded by Mr. Cordeiro, to have Robert Drewry work with ICMA to draft an RFQ for an Interim Town Manager. Voted (7-0).
A motion was made by Mr. Cordeiro, seconded by Mr. Tuttle, to adjourn the meeting at 7:35 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Cathy Sirois
Recording Secretary
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