East Hampton Council To Consider $593,400 Capital Reserve Transfer, Ambulance Equipment Funding

EAST HAMPTON, CT — The East Hampton Town Council will consider transferring $593,400 in unanticipated revenue to the town's capital reserve fund and using opioid settlement money to replace a failed mechanical CPR device when it meets Tuesday, Sept. 8.

The council will also receive a draft of East Hampton's updated Plan of Conservation and Development, consider an Eversource easement at the Lakewood Estates subdivision and discuss potential changes to the town's Water Pollution Control Authority ordinance.

$593,400 Proposed For Capital Reserve

The council is scheduled to consider final approval of an additional $593,400 appropriation to the Capital Reserve Fund.

The money comes from unanticipated fiscal 2026 revenue and would be used to offset the cost of projects planned for fiscal 2027.

The Board of Finance has recommended the appropriation. According to the council's agenda materials, the transfer is part of the town's fiscal 2026 year-end closeout and requires approval from only the Board of Finance and Town Council. Additional year-end financial action is expected in October.

Ambulance Association Seeks Opioid Settlement Funds

The East Hampton Ambulance Association is asking the council for $15,444.25 from the town's opioid settlement fund to purchase a Stryker LUCAS 3 mechanical chest compression device.

The association operates three ambulances and previously maintained a LUCAS device in each. Chief of Service Chris Wherry said in a letter to town officials that the oldest device, about 11 years old, recently suffered a mechanical failure and was permanently removed from service.

Of the two remaining devices, one is about 8 years old — the manufacturer's recommended maximum service life — and the other is about 3 years old, according to Wherry.

The replacement has a list price of $19,204.20. A $4,000 trade-in credit for the failed unit would reduce the cost, with another $240.05 for shipping and handling, bringing the requested allocation to $15,444.25.

LUCAS devices provide automated chest compressions during CPR. The town currently has approximately $110,000 in opioid settlement funds, according to the agenda materials.

The town has previously used some of those funds for smaller Police Department purchases connected to overdose responses. Town officials said settlement money must be used for activities or purchases related to the opioid crisis.

Draft Town Plan To Be Presented

Representatives of the Plan of Conservation and Development Steering Committee and Town Planner Juliet Hodge are scheduled to present a review draft of the town's updated POCD.

The Planning and Zoning Commission received a similar presentation Sept. 2.

The council is expected to consider scheduling the plan for additional discussion at its Sept. 22 meeting, when council members and residents could submit comments and questions for the steering committee and Planning and Zoning Commission. Town officials could conduct that session as either a formal public hearing or an informal comment period.

That step would begin an official written comment period running through October. Planning and Zoning review is expected in November, followed by a formal public hearing in December and possible adoption afterward.

Eversource Easement Proposed At Lakewood Estates

The council will consider granting an electrical utility easement to Eversource at the Lakewood Estates development.

The proposed easement would cover property that will become Freya Lane and the frontage of property expected to be owned by the town. It would allow Eversource access to install electrical utilities within the subdivision and on adjacent developer-owned property.

Town staff recommends approving the resolution authorizing execution of the easement.

Council To Discuss Future Of WPCA

Council members will also discuss potential revisions to the ordinance governing the Water Pollution Control Authority.

The council has recently taken on the WPCA role and is being asked to provide direction on how it wants the authority structured as officials prepare a revised ordinance. No specific ordinance changes are proposed for approval at the Sept. 8 meeting.

The council is also scheduled to consider minutes from its Aug. 11 regular meeting. At that meeting, the council voted 7-0 to approve a temporary $3.19 million September budget for the Board of Education because the fiscal 2027 school budget had not yet been approved by referendum.

The Sept. 8 council meeting begins at 6:30 p.m. in the Town Hall Council Chambers at 1 Community Drive.