Editorial

Reporter Editorials: Thank you, Mr. Thiele

REPORTER FILE PHOTO Assemblyman Fred Thiele Jr. wants to use some Community Preservation Funds for clean water initiatives.
REPORTER FILE PHOTO
Assemblyman Fred Thiele Jr. wants to use some Community Preservation Funds for clean water initiatives.

These days politicians are rated at about the same level as thieves.

There are a lot of reasons why the profession is disparaged, some of them having to do with American voices that are most proud when putting on a wised-up attitude telling everyone out of the corner of the mouth that government is a rigged game. This cynicism has seeped into American life for decades now.

But it’s not only a hipper-than-thou attitude that makes people revile politicians — many of them deserve contempt for being corrupt, but also for doing nothing, running from any new idea that might solve problems toward the nearest pollster and staking out decisions that go nowhere.

That’s why we applaud Assemblyman Fred Thiele Jr. (I-Sag Harbor), who has recognized a crisis and is working on fixing it. Mr. Thiele is the champion of the Community Preservation Fund, a law that taxes new real estate deals and dedicates the funds collected to acquire and preserve open spaces.

Mr. Thiele, recognizing an approaching crisis of polluted water supplies, has an idea to take part of that CPF money for clean water projects on the East End.

From all reports, just 10 percent of CPF money collected for water would be an enormous boost, funding sewage treatment systems and upgrading septic systems.

It’s time to seriously consider this new initiative. A tip of the hat goes to Mr. Thiele for thinking about his constituents’ needs and putting plans in action to solve problems.

LET THE SUN SHINE IN
Whether it’s an intentional flaunting of New York State’s “Sunshine Law” or a lack of understanding, there are too many instances of Shelter Island boards and committees failing to do the public’s business in public.

Most recently, it happened at a Waterways Management Advisory Council meeting, when a member phoning in from another venue was allowed to vote on a recommendation to the Town Board.

The New York State Committee on Open Government has decreed that a member not present, but phoning into a meeting, can participate in the discussion, but not vote. To allow a vote, there must be a video linkup and the address from which that member is participating must be pre-advertised so anyone in that area can join the member there.

Another practice all too prevalent here is members of committees making a statement during meetings and then asking that it be kept off the record. Comments made during public sessions are, by their very nature, on the record. It’s at the discretion of the reporter whether or not to use those statements, and a responsible reporter will only use them if they are germane to the discussion.

The regulations set forth by the state are online at dos.ny.gov/coog/. Robert Freeman, executive director of the Committee on Open Government, is willing to travel and speak to any group with questions about what is and isn’t legal.

Shelter Island elected and appointed officials would be well served by inviting Mr. Freeman here for a discussion.