Southampton Town Supervisor Jay Schneiderman is announcing a series of “listening sessions” in Hampton Bays to get a better understanding of where consensus lies within the hamlet as to whether downtown revitalization is sought, and, if so, what elements should be incorporated.
The sessions will take place from 4 – 6 p.m. every Thursday in the new Multi-Purpose Room in the Hampton Bays Community Center, located at 25 Ponquogue Avenue, Hampton Bays, starting on October 6, and continuing through October 27.
“I want to create a comfortable setting for constituents to voice their opinions on the subject of revitalizing Hampton Bays,” said Schneiderman. “Standing up and speaking before hundreds of people at a public meeting might be intimidating to some, so I’m offering a more intimate, less formal atmosphere in which views can be shared. I invite anyone to stop by, say hello, and let me know what ideas you have.”
Town Council members will also be participating, but one at a time, as any more than two Board members in one meeting would constitute a quorum, and therefore would have to be noticed as a public meeting of the Town Board. Staff from the Town’s Planning Department will attend as well.
Concurrent with the listening sessions, Town planning staff has been asked to compose a new community survey in order to capture the latest data on the hamlet’s ideas on revitalization. More information on the survey will be available shortly.
“I want us to go back to basics, to build consensus without pre-conceived notions,” said the Supervisor. “My hope is that these listening sessions, along with the survey, will give everyone a clear blueprint as to what the community envisions for its future.”
