New supe looks to revamp town committees, increase transparency

Supervisor Laura Jens-Smith has proposed establishing a downtown advisory committee to focus on downtown revitalization issues.

The new supervisor, who as a candidate was critical of the trajectory of downtown development and in the past has called for a moratorium on downtown development, said the new advisory committee would have representation from the Business Improvement District Management Association as well as the parking district advisory committee. Revitalization would be its “direct focus,” Jens-Smith told town board members at this morning’s work session.

“A lot of small communities use the Main Street approach. They set annual goals to pursue. How do we set ourselves up to be an attractive town on the list [for funding],” she said.

Jens-Smith made the proposal in the context of an overall revamping of the committees and advisory panels that serve the town. There are 15 committees, whose volunteer members deal with a diverse spectrum of issues and several statutory boards.

Jens-Smith distributed lists of the committees and boards which included the names of the citizens who serve on them and, where applicable, the expiration of their terms of appointment.

She also distributed a copy of the 2005 town board resolution that adopted guidelines for the town’s various advisory committees. The guidelines require each committee to develop a mission statement and a flowchart of its decision-making process. It also requires each committee to have a printed agenda distributed to all committee members one week prior to the committee meeting.

Jens-Smith asked the board to look at the guidelines for the purpose of updating them. The committee agendas, for example, should be posted on the town’s website prior to the committee meeting dates, she said. Doing so will provide notice to the public of the business to be undertaken and allow residents to decide whether or not to attend.

The supervisor said she will ask each committee chairperson to forward the committee’s mission statement so the board can review it.

She also suggested the board establish a grants committee, based on her meetings with department heads, who all expressed a desire to be able to pursue more grant opportunities.

Jens-Smith said she’d like to improve the town board’s monitoring of what’s going on with the various committees and boards, including the planning board and the zoning board of appeals. She suggested appointing a town board liaison to each of those boards, for the purpose of improving communication, she said.

Councilwoman Jodi Giglio said she gets information about the planning board’s and ZBA’s proceedings by calling the department head. Councilwoman James Wooten said he watches their proceedings on the Cablevision public access channel. Councilman Tim Hubbard said the department head provides updates at the department head meeting convened every Monday morning.

Jens-Smith and Councilwoman Catherine Kent both advocated advertising for committee and board vacancies.

“I really like the idea of advertsing for the positions,” Kent said. “A lot of talented people in Riverhead would come forward,”she said.

“Let’s hope,” Wooten said. “But I wouldn’t want to send the message to the current volunteers that they’re not appreciated.”

Civic leaders have in the past asked the town board to advertise vacancies on the planning board and ZBA, which both have long-serving members.

Supervisor’s staff changes

The supervisor’s pick for deputy supervisor has decided not to join her staff, Jens-Smith said in an interview. The search for a deputy is still on.

“She basically got a better offer,” Jens-Smith said.

Daniella Brown of Laurel, who was Jens-Smith’s campaign treasurer, is a manager at Modern Yachts in Hampton Bays.

Deputy Supervisor Jill Lewis has already committed to staying on for the month of January to facilitate the transition, Jens-Smith said.

Chief of staff John Marafino and legislative secretary Patrick Derenze both started work today. Also joining the supervisor’s office is Cindy Clifford, of Riverhead, who will work part-time and focus on communications and media. Clifford will work 15 hours per week and will not receive benefits, Jens-Smith said. Marafino, who will be paid an annual salary of $74,500 and Derenze, who will be paid $40,000 per year, will each contribute 15 percent of the cost of their medical, dental and optical benefits, according to resolutions that will be voted on by the board at tomorrow’s regular meeting.