Reopened wound

To the Editor:

I would like to begin by saying that this is very hard for me to even discuss, as I have expended a great deal of energy in trying to forget and keep this very painful issue private. However, now that this information has been made public to the entire Island, via Facebook and the article published in the Shelter Island Reporter, without my parents knowing, I would like to take the opportunity to really paint a picture of what this experience has been like from a different perspective.

On the morning of October 28, 2005, I was working for a family helping to care for their children when I received a call that something was very wrong with my parents and that the Chequit was being raided. Immediately, I alerted my boss that there was an emergency and rushed to the Heights to see what could possibly be going on. As I pulled up, I saw a number of black undercover cars surrounding the Chequit, a place that has served as a second home for me throughout most of my youth and into adulthood. I remained on the outskirts of the action watching as my mother and father feverishly gathered records for the IRS. When my brothers arrived we struggled to understand what was occurring, while our parents tried, to no avail, to remain calm and convince us that everything was alright.

The IRS refused to give us any insight into what was going on, including my parents. They sat my parents down and began to interrogate them as my brothers and I watched. The only element that I remember from this moment was my mother turning to one of the IRS members and quietly whispering, with fear taking over her voice, “I don’t know what is going on, but please do not arrest me in front of my children.” This comment made by my mother, as trivial as it may sound to someone else, are words that I will remember and will bring back the pain of that day for the rest of my life.

After hours of what felt like torture, the IRS decided to leave, still without revealing any information as to why they were there. When we entered our home, every drawer, cabinet and piece of furniture had been rummaged through by the IRS as they were following through on a tip provided by a fellow Islander that we were “hiding millions.” There were pieces of red tape, which read “evidence,” covering each and every item that the IRS had searched. The feeling of violation that we had experienced in that moment, words cannot begin to express. We sat that night as a family comforting each other and whispering our thoughts, in fear that our home had been tapped, still unaware of why this was happening. I feel that I can speak for each and every member of my family when I say that this was certainly a day that we would never want to relive. This day was only the beginning of a five-year battle that my family would face trying to defend their actions, which, may I add, were not nearly as horrific as this article makes them sound.

Finally, this wound, which had repeatedly been ripped open over the years since this terrible day, had begun to heal and this chapter of our lives was coming to a close. That was true until Sunday, May 1, 2011, when I was alerted that people were posting links to the Shelter Island Reporter online article titled “Eklunds Indicted for Tax Fraud” on Facebook. Now more than five years later, another Island resident has reopened this wound by informing the local paper as a way to hurt my family. At that moment, I felt like I was reliving that terrible day all over again. I immediately alerted my parents who were completely unaware of this article and the enjoyment of this beautiful spring Sunday came to a screeching halt.

Often times in life people act before they think, failing to consider what their actions may do or mean to another person. I genuinely believe that this is such an action. Do you truly believe that these two people, who have done nothing but continuously give to this community, would do something that warrants such treatment? The people who are receiving this negative attention, are the same ones who, just to name a few, have allowed their places of business to be safe havens to families in need, who have opened their home to people who have experienced significant tragedy and had no place to live, who have employed many of you, your children or other family members at some point or another, who are active volunteers of many Island organizations, and all done without desiring anything in return.

This letter may be considered by some to be a conflict of interest, for I am undoubtedly biased in this situation. However, I cannot sit back and allow this to go unnoticed and I believe that very few, if any, could argue that these are two very good people who, if asked, would help anyone in need. We have already been through the battlefields with this issue in ways that most of you can’t imagine and here we are again.

We will continue to move on from this, regardless of the additional stress that others have and will continue to add. It is in moments like these that you have to put what is important in life into perspective. We are blessed with a loving and supportive family, something that nobody can take away from us and can never be broken. My brothers and I are proud that we get to have James and Linda Eklund as our parents. They are the best people we know.

LIZ EKLUND, SHELTER ISLAND

School Vote

To the Editor:

With the school budget election around the corner, the Board of Education has asked me to give voters a brief outline of the procedures they need to follow in order to take part in the election.

The most imPportant step to vote is being registered to do so.

To be eligible to vote you must be:

• A citizen of the United States

• At least 18 years of age

• A primary resident of the school district for a period of at least 30 days prior to the vote

There may be only one residency for the purposes of voting in a national, state, local or a school district election.  Merely owning property within the Shelter Island school district is not sufficient to justify registration as a qualified voter.

One’s domicile must reflect one’s permanent residence (where one votes in national, state and local elections; where one registers his motor vehicle; where one cites residence on his/her address on a driver’s license; where one cites residence on his/her state and federal tax returns, etc.). One may not possess two residences for purposes of voting in two separate locales.

If one, for example, possesses a residence in New York City and votes in national, state and/or local elections based upon that New York City residence, one would not be qualified or entitled to vote within the Shelter Island school district election.

I trust that the above explains the entitlement of an individual to register as a qualified voter for the Shelter Island school district election.

DEBBIE VECCHIO, DISTRICT CLERK, SHELTER ISLAND SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD OF EDUCATION

Self-reliance

To the Editor:

Shelter Island throughout its history has been comprised of people who know how to take care of themselves and who are willing to help a neighbor in need. I have been the Chief of Police for the past 13 years now and have seen this quality over and over again in many difficult situations. Our ability to unite and take care of our own community is simply amazing.

Over the past 10 years, our world and country have seen many horrific natural disasters. Emergency management has learned from each disaster and has tried to improve its ability to respond more efficiently to the next disaster whenever and wherever that may be. The public expectation that the government will have and will execute a plan has only grown over these same years. Shelter Island town has not taken the responsibility lightly, and we have worked with local, county, state and federal officials to develop and modify our plans.

Preparing for disasters includes sheltering our residents in many different situations, such as approaching hurricanes and winter ice storms to name two, where power could be out for extended periods. After careful review of the available buildings within the town, the school was designated as our primary shelter for the following reasons: it is centrally located, outside of flood zones, it is a sound brick structure, it has ample space, a kitchen, handicapped accessibility and other protective factors to handle the needs of our community.

Currently the backup power supply for a portion of the building is a Korean War-era generator. This generator has served us well for many years but its location in the building, our ability to service it, and its reliability no longer meets our needs.

In order to replace the current generator, changes to the building’s power supply have to be brought up to code. The current generator, housed within the building, has to be removed and the new one placed outside the building closer to the primary electrical feed. Emergency lighting has to be installed in each classroom and the hallways, all of which are included in the bond proposal, which is being presented on May 17 for an Island-wide vote.

I don’t have to tell you how important a generator is to a shelter when the power is out for an extended period of time. Our town’s emergency management team wants to be able to provide our residents with the best service that we can offer in a time of disaster. I am asking you to vote on Tuesday, May 17, and to please support Bond # 2 to replace our generator, so that we can continue our history of self-reliance in a time of need.

If you have any questions about this specific bond issue, please give me a call at 749-0600.

JAMES READ, CHIEF OF POLICE, EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT COORDINATOR, SHELTER ISLAND

No time to celebrate

To the Editor:

The death of Osama bin Laden gave many Americans a sense of satisfaction as the mastermind of the 9/11 terror attacks was brought to justice.

This is no time to celebrate.

While Americans gratefully recognize the professional work of our Special Forces and intelligence officers, bin Laden’s death is far more symbolic than substantive.

By 2002, Osama bin Laden’s role as a commander of al Qaeda was diminished as his biggest challenge was simply staying alive. In recent years, bin Laden served al Qaeda as recruiter, fund-raiser and propagandist. Egyptian radical Ayman al-Zawahiri assumes control of an al Qaeda today that is splintered into several regional offshoots.

Bin Laden’s death is not the turning point in America’s ongoing war on terrorism.

Protecting Americans from global terrorism will take more than dedicated teams of Navy SEALS.

Published in 2004, the bi-partisan 9/11 Commission Report outlined practical policy recommendations to protect Americans from future terror attacks. Seven years later, not all of these common sense steps have been implemented.

As we approach the 10-year anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks, this administration and this Congress must put aside years of foot dragging, hand wringing and political games. It is time that we finally adopt effective counter-terrorism policies.

JAMES M. STAUDENRAUS, SHELTER ISLAND

Kindest woman

To the Editor:

I read of the passing of Hilda Murphy, Shelter Island’s long-time resident. Hilda was my mother-in-law for 18 years. She was many things, but mostly she was one of the kindest women I have ever met. She had the unique ability to make anyone she encountered feel special, at home in her company. When I first met her, I was a shy young girl and she embraced me, took me under her wing and taught me things that helped me become the woman that I am today.

During the course of her illness, she showed a brave front to everyone in her life. She never complained, always took her treatment and setbacks in stride. Her family and friends were so blessed to have this angel on earth in our lives. She will be sorely missed by all of the people she touched during her lifetime.

God bless her family. May they find comfort and joy in their memories of this most spectacular woman.

KERRI ANN MURPHY

ATLANTIC BEACH, NEW YORK