Reporter Letters to the Editor

Dangerous towers

To the Editor:
Aside from being an eyesore, the health and environmental hazards incurred due to electric and magnetic field radiation, although inconclusive and not legally applicable to the final decision [on whether to build a cell tower at the Manhanset firehouse], should still be considered. Why take this chance?

In crowded urban areas there isn’t much choice but to place them near residential areas, but I would hope there is a better option here. There is talk about adding more capacity to the existing tower at the Recycling Center. I would hope that if this moves to a formal hearing, that hard facts are given as to why adding to the existing tower is not an option and why a new tower needs to be near residential homes.

JAMES SEBOR
Shelter Island

Overkill

To the Editor:
I would like to express my deep concern about the plan that is being considered by the Shelter Island Fire Department Board of Commissionners to put a cell tower at the Cobbetts Lane fire station. The Fire Department believes that such a tower is needed in order to improve the department’s ability to communicate with one another so that the safety of the firefighters is enhanced.

I also think that the safety of the firefighters is paramount as well as a general improvement of the wireless signal on the Island.

But I think that placing a 120-foot monstrosity in the middle of a residential area is overkill.

I think that communication and weak wireless signal in certain areas on the Island can be improved in other, less drastic ways.

For example, we can look into maximizing the use of the existing tower at the Recycling Center to achieve this goal. I think the town should hire an independent engineering company to look for more aesthetically pleasing ways to deal with this issue.

One of the main charms of Shelter Island and what sets it apart from every other place is its lack of industry. I think that most people would like to keep it this way.

VERA CHAPLIN

Shame on the town … if

To the Editor:
I cannot believe the Town of Shelter Island is contemplating letting the dredge permit to expire at Merkel Basin.

Many years ago a fund was set-up to pay for dredging and repair projects similar to this. The funds come from the mooring fee’s the town charges and not from the taxpayer. I have used this basin numerous times over the years to launch a small boat from the landing. This is the only town landing that I know of on the shore until the Wades Beach area. The Town must have hundreds of thousands of dollars in this account and should use those funds to keep this basin open. It may be time for the town and South Ferry Hills to sit down and make a permanent fix to this.
Shame on the Town if they let this happen.

JEFF SIMES
Margate, Florida

What crisis?

To the Editor:
In the Reporter article last week, “Deer, ticks & the Island: An overview,” the sub-headline says it all: “Reports conflict on how best to confront the crisis.”

After reading it I came to a conclusion for the umteenth time since this experiment started in 2008 that what we have here between Cornell, Mike Scheibel, Jim Colligan, 4-poster committee, vector control, the DEC and the Town Board is super confusion and there is no end in sight to the unrelenting expansion of wasted money.

And lo and behold  there’s that word again, crisis, that I’ve been hearing since 2008. Of course nobody has died from a tick borne disease on Shelter Island, Suffolk County or New York State. I am old enough to remember what a crisis is and that was the 1963 Cuban Missile Crisis where we came within an eyelash of ending life on earth. Fortunately, cooler heads prevailed and we the people were spared from a nuclear exchange with the USSR. If the “tick nuisance” really qualifies as a crisis, perhaps the supervisor should call the president and urge him to order Strategic Air Command and our military forces to go on the highest level of alert and consider using B-52s to carpet bomb Shelter Island with a 1,000 percent solution of permethrin along with Agent Orange. We will even get a bonus out of this and knock off some of those pesky swans and owls that the DEC has been wanting to shoot.

I don’t know whether to laugh or cry over the idea that the above-mentioned groups and this paper call this a crisis but you see there is a logic behind this. It has to be called a crisis in order to give the 4 poster legs along with the committee and Mr. Scheibel’s vision of creating a wildlife manager/wildlife department. With the town running a deficit and considering selling/renting open space land, this comedy act is not funny anymore. It is time to bring the curtain down on the 4-posters and the DEC’s desire to shoot owls and swans. I urge the residents of Shelter Island to stop donating money to Mashomack until they end the insanity and to stop donating money to this ill-conceived  4-poster program.

Abolish the 4-poster now. It’s a bad comedy act.

RICHARD KELLY
President, The Coalition for Sustainable Fish and Wildlife Habitat
Shelter Island

Take that, Common Core

To the Editor:
Last week I was at our school, picking up my play tickets, when I happened upon a copy of the school newspaper, “The Inlet.” I read the entire paper and was wowed by the variety of topics and quality of the writing. The Inlet is 12 pages (no ads) of articles ranging from a thought-provoking review of a documentary film, to an examination of the fallout from the West Virginia oil spill. Along the way I also enjoyed profiles of some teachers, sports updates and original poetry selections. By any journalistic standard this document is a stand out. Praise is due the staff for their talent and energy, as well as to Devon Treharne, the teacher who advises them, and the administration that supports them.

“The play is the thing” and was it ever!  Two hours of music, laughter and sets that would make Broadway gasp. The genius of John Kaasik, the skill of Paul Mobius and the artistry of Peter Waldner never fails to impress and delight. Only on Shelter Island can you find a real choreographer (Laura Dickerson) and a lighting expert (Jeanette Payne) masquerading as library workers. How many real estate offices can boast a drama coach (Sue Cincotta) on their staff as well as a skilled and dedicated stage manager (Susan Binder). All this and a real orchestra!  (Thank you Mr. Brace and Mrs. Power.)

Our young thespians benefit in so many ways from this association with these talented and caring adults and the whole community benefits from the remarkable talent on that stage.

Common Core, take notes!  Education is alive and well on Shelter Island.

CHRIS LEWIS
Councilwoman, Town of Shelter Island

Kudos for Denise

To the Editor:
Just a brief note to say how happy I was to read the Reporter’s profile on Denise DiPaolo a few weeks back. Denise and her wonderful staff at the library do an amazing job. They go above and beyond being helpful, courteous and professional.

I have also thoroughly enjoyed the Friday Night Dialogues I have been able to attend, especially with authors Joann Piccozzi, Marina Gottlieb Sarles and BMI Music CEO, Del Bryant. Denise and her staff deserve kudos and I have been meaning to write this letter forever!

DAWN LoBUE
Shelter Island