East Hampton Supervisor Elect Outlines Transition Plans

EAST HAMPTON, NY — The new East Hampton Town supervisor-elect is ready to assume her new responsibilities — and this week, announced a transition plan for 2024.

Kathee Burke-Gonzalez, a Democrat, won last week’s election against Gretta Leon, a Republican, by a wide margin; both were vying to fill the position held by current Town Supervisor Peter Van Scoyoc, who opted not to run again.

"First, I wish to offer my sincere thanks to the voters of East Hampton for placing their trust and faith in myself and all of my colleagues on the Democratic line," Burke-Gonzalez said this week. "We understand that we have been charged with the protection of our community and sense of place by continuing to create affordable housing opportunities, updating the zoning code, working with service providers to fill wireless coverage gaps, protecting water quality, building coastal resilience, improving town-wide communications, and supporting our children and our seniors."

She added that meetings with fellow town board members-elect, Democrats Tom Lys and Tom Flight, who won the race, had begun and would continue through December.

"It is our goal to hit the ground running once we are sworn in at the organizational meeting on Tuesday, January 2," she said. "The new administration will establish a shared list of priorities and a comprehensive to-do list so we can make as much progress as possible in a short amount of time, knowing that things never seem to move fast enough in government."

Burke-Gonzalez said she will outline the incoming town board's vision in her state-of-the-town message at the organizational meeting and in the following weeks.

Burke-Gonzalez, an incumbent town councilwoman, also said her goal is to identify community members to serve on the appointed boards, the various citizen committees and the open seat on the town board.

"The engagement of town residents and stakeholders is critical to open, responsive government. We need qualified and dedicated people to fill numerous positions and we encourage all those who are interested to reach out and let us know," she said.

The incoming town board will be seeking to fill a number of positions in 2024 and has asked that those interested apply by December 1.

Those seats include:

1. The open town board seat
2. Appointed boards such as the planning board, zoning board of appeals, and the architectural review board, where a term is set to expire
3. Hamlet-specific citizen advisory committees
4. The Anti-Bias Task Force, Disabilities Advisory Board, Nature Preserve Committee and Energy Sustainability Committee

For a complete list of boards and committees, click here.

Anyone interested in serving should submit, by email, their resume and a personal statement describing their interest in serving the town to ServeEHT@gmail.com by Friday, December 1.

Burke Gonzalez added: "In forming a new administration, we stand in the shadow of formidable public servants who have led our town to where we are today, a beautiful and progressive place to live, work and raise our families. We thank Supervisor Peter Van Scoyoc and Councilmember Sylvia Overby for their many years of dedicated service and wish them a healthy and fulfilling retirement."