Holdout keeps E. Hampton hearing open

More than 30 families agreed to chip in to cover the cost of bringing their private street off Springs-Fireplace Road in East Hampton up to town standards, and the town board agreed to bond the work, do the job and recover from the families the $945,000 cost of paving and installing drainage on 1,700 feet of Pennsylvania Avenue, West Drive North and the unnamed street connected to them.

All that was required was a formal public hearing and the signing of an agreement on the repayment schedule.

But, after the town board held the hearing on Thursday night, there was one little catch: One family, who was not named, had not agreed to the reimbursement plan.

The town legally can do the upgrading, provided the private homeowners along the road agree to have their taxes increased to cover the cost of the bonds.

So, instead of closing the hearing and voting to approve the job, the town board had to leave its hearing open for written comment. Town officials suggested that the homeowners hold another meeting among themselves so that every property owner agrees on a repayment plan for the 20-year bonds.