Shelter Island Reporter Letters to the Editor

Save the date
To the Editor:
During my 12 years on the Town Board, I frequently heard the following requests concerning public hearing dates:
•    Don’t hold in the winter because people aren’t around
•    Don’t hold in the spring because full-time residents are busy working 16 hour days getting ready for the summer
•    Don’t hold in the summer — no one wants to spend a beautiful summer evening at a crowded meeting plus there are too many cocktail parties on Friday nights
•    Don’t hold in the fall because baymen can’t go due to scalloping.

That doesn’t leave much time for the board to conduct business!

Town government is a year-round operation and public hearings are scheduled once a proposed change in code is polished enough for prime time.

And remember, the purpose of a public hearing is for elected officials to hear from you. Whether made in person, by snail mail or email, your comments become part of public record. On controversial issues involving code changes, the board will rarely act that night but use the public’s comments as a tool in refining the proposed code.

Public hearings need to be scheduled when the topic is ready; they can’t all be saved up for a certain page on the calendar.
PETER REICH
Shelter Island

House a Buck
To the Editor:
The Hamptons Collegiate Baseball League no longer has seven teams, but now has six. Montauk lost its team because it could no longer house its players.

I’m not suggesting that we’re on the verge of losing our Bucks, but reminding all of us that housing players is the absolute key to maintaining the Bucks on Shelter Island, and being able to watch those many games that we’ve come to look forward to and enjoy.

Last season, a number of people commented to me that they wished they’d known the schedule sooner; they would have planned their summer differently. So I’m reminding you now, that yes, housing a Buck is both fun as well as Island-wise.

To review some facts: Housing a Buck is not an arduous task. You’re not required to do anything but provide him with a place to sleep, a small space in the fridge and if he has a car, a place to park.

If you want to invite him to dinner, of course you can, but players rarely get back from games early enough and if it’s a home game, they’re fed afterwards. Many of them are out early, hitting the gym before practice. You can set whatever rules you wish about guests. I’ve had a player every season and must confess I love hearing them downstairs going over the day. But that’s me. I repeat, you can set any reasonable limit you need. And they’re responsible for their own transportation. If it sounds easy, that’s because it is.

The players arrive Memorial Day weekend and the season runs through the first week in July. If we’re in the playoffs, add an additional week. Because the players usually are eager to get back home for some time off before their fall school term starts, they’re usually out of here within minutes (literally) of the last game.

If you have questions I haven’t answered, please feel free to call me at home. My number is (631) 749-0802. I’ll be glad to talk with you. Often, questions are specific to a given family, so I may not have addressed them sufficiently here. In the meantime, on behalf of the team and the Bucks Executive Committee, thank you so very much for your ongoing support.

Soon we’ll sing the Star Spangled Banner together and hear someone shout, “Play ball!”
CAROL GALLIGAN
Member, Shelter Island Bucks  Executive Committee

What a week
To the Editor:
What a great week! First, the Shelter Island School cross country team had their get-together/awards night.

What an honor to be a parent of a team member this year. This is a team coached by three wonderful, motivated and caring men.

The slide show that they put together was a great reminder of the team spirit and fun that they shared all season. A special thanks to Coaches Gallagher, Green and Knipfing. This was such a fun season and we can’t wait until next year Way to go, SIXC!

Second, thank you Reporter staff for acknowledging a wonderful teacher, leader and friend as your Person of the Year — Janine Mahoney. As I have had the pleasure of knowing Janine for many years through our children and as a friend, I am truly happy for her. Janine has such a love for her students, and her Girl Scouts and just life in general. It couldn’t happen to a nicer person.

Congrats again, Janine!
GINA SHERMAN
Shelter Island

Preserving the Island
To the Editor:
Just as short-term rental supporters weekly repeat their classified ad in the Reporter, so it should not be held against those of us who continue to fight on the other side.

To use just some of the points made, such as time restrictions being of the utmost importance and fear of “radical alteration of our unique place on the East End” in a letter from James Murphy last week; and “if Shelter Island has no legislation covering short-term rentals and other East End towns do,” of course we will “suffer a consequential and negative impact,” as stated in Peter Munson’s letter of the same issue (“Your Letters,” January 5.)

I whole-heartedly agree with these asssesments and totally disagree with the Supporters of SI Rentals’ claim that short-term rentals would “positively increase your property values,” “take away the livelihood of landscapers,” among others, etc.  I’m sure homeowner residents — not only landlords or investors — will continue to pay taxes, but also use their homes full-time or on weekends and vacations, they will use local landscapers, plumbers, restaurants, markets, etc. and support our economy — legally — as they have in the past, and our home values will remain stable or increase without the commercial enterprises in residential zoning! And let’s stop kidding yourselves, short-term rentals are a money making commercial endeavor!

Just think how traffic on, and to and from Shelter Island, the ferry lines at both ends, and the congestion on our beaches in the summer, will impact those residents who bought homes here just to avoid such situations that often existed in areas they left to come here and stay here, not for a short-term rental, but for good (in more ways than one)!

When the greed — not necessity — of income from short-term rentals subsides with proper restrictions in place, Shelter Island will still stand a chance at being the idyllic Island that drew most of us here in the first place, not so we could rent our homes, but to enjoy them, as well as the immense natural beauty, clean fresh and salt water and law-abiding neighbors who truly care about Island and its preservation as we know, love and will fight to protect it!
BARBARA ALLEN-LIEBLEIN
Shelter Island