Featured Story

Shelter Island Reporter Letters to the Editor: Oct. 6, 2022

Get screened now

To the Editor:

As we are now into October, please remember that October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

As many of you know, my wife lost her battle with breast cancer 11 years ago this month after a two-year battle. This is a cause that we should all join in, since we all know someone who has been touched by it.

If you or a friend or family member hasn’t had your mammogram recently, please schedule it. As we have just seen Katie Couric recently diagnosed with BC, we’re reminded that postponing screening is not a good idea, since many cases are caught early and have better treatment results. For those without insurance, there are still options to get screened; lack of insurance is not an issue these days.

If you’re lucky enough to have a “Pink Ribbon” that were so kindly made by the Island school kids and painted by many volunteers some years ago, please display it near your front yard/roadside as a reminder to get screened for the month of October.

I will once again be walking the Shelter Island Fall 5K on Oct. 15 in support of women and the three great charities that aid them in the fight against women’s cancers. Please join me and “TEAM FLAMINGO,” either by walking, running or making a donation in support of the team and their efforts to raise funds again this year.

If you’d like to donate, simply call me at 631-749-1662 and I’ll come by and pick up any donation. Or mail it to me at Box 1198 S.I. Heights, NY 11965. Checks should be made to NFBHC (North Fork Breast Health Coalition).

Thank you all. See you at the 5K!

TOWNY MONTANT, Shelter Island

Unfair burden

To the Editor:

I am writing to add my two cents to Allison Woodward’s insightful letter to you (“A ‘no’ vote,” Sept 29).

First, I ditto her praise of Lily Hoffman’s valiant efforts to have the Comprehensive Plan reflect the values of our entire community. We should be thankful that — unlike the two housing boards — the Comprehensive Plan Advisory Board has some independent voices. Unfortunately the Comprehensive Plan is tightly controlled by the CP Task Force, which is controlled by two Town Board members. It seems the CP Advisory Board has no real power.

Second, even if the housing referendum is defeated, the Town Board seems intent on adopting its “housing plan” anyway. If they do, it may become “an element” of the Comprehensive Plan. But State Law allows the Comprehensive Plan to contain other elements that affect housing on the Island, such as zoning laws.

For example, the Comprehensive Plan could and should call for a zoning law that no new residential buildings may be constructed on Town-owned property.

That’s important, because no property taxes are collected on Town-owned property. That means all other property taxpayers would be paying for the Town services (e.g., police, fire, EMS, school, highway maintenance, etc.) for all the people living, but not paying property taxes, on that Town-owned property. To remain affordable, their rent will hardly cover the maintenance and operating expenses of these units. It’s entirely unfair to burden property taxpayers with higher taxes, especially to support “affordable” households of three or more persons earning as much as $181,860 per year.

I also like Ms. Woodward’s idea of the Comprehensive Plan banning all housing subsidies to any member of the Town Board or the two housing boards for seven years. Entirely sensible. Let’s hope the CP Task Force will make that part of the Comprehensive Plan.

BOB KOHN, Shelter Island

A better plan

To the Editor:

Apparently our housing consultant has recommended that we build  20 to 40 affordable rental units over a 10-year period. This indicates the consultant has determined there are up to 40 families that are in need of housing assistance.

The housing committee and Town Board are proposing a plan that would build eight to 10 units on a valuable piece of publicly-owned property, the prospective tenants to be determined by a lottery. These units would be built and managed by some kind of government bureaucracy, which has yet to be defined.

This grandiose plan is flawed.

Needy families should not have to wait one to five years for assistance  and should be selected by need, rather than lottery. Furthermore, the taxpayers have yet to be provided with any estimates of the cost of the rental units nor any projections of income from the proposed new tax.

Perhaps we might consider the other side of the affordable housing equation. Instead of subsidizing the rent, we supplement the income of the needy families. By sending them a check each month we could provide each of the families financial aid for their housing needs from day one. This would eliminate the need for several committees, a lottery, useless consultants, and another government bureaucracy. The Town Board  would not have to search for another parcel of land to proceed with the next phase of the plan.

We are one of the most wealthy communities in the state. If we are as compassionate and benevolent as we claim to be, we should be very happy to provide for all our needy neighbors.

DAVID OLSEN, Shelter Island

Deja vu

To the Editor:

Last year, Gardiner’s Bay Country Club (GBCC) pursued a plan to construct a 40-room dormitory and six separate housing units for the club’s seasonal employees in an area zoned AA-Residential. The Town supervisor reportedly was supportive, apparently not objecting that the proposal was barred by zoning and raised serious environmental issues. GBCC ultimately mothballed its proposal in the face of a public outcry.

Now, GBCC is requesting that the New York Department of Environmental Conservation allow it to draw an additional 6.1 million gallons a year from the aquifer to irrigate new fairways, a new driving range, and a new practice area. This, despite the fact that over 15 years ago, the DEC cautioned GBCC that its request for an even larger amount of additional water would cause large-scale saltwater intrusion into private wells in Hay Beach.

GBCC’s proposal runs afoul of Section 82-7 of the Town Code, which unmistakably prohibits GBCC from irrigating new areas by using well water from the aquifer. 

Yet, the Town appears to be seeking a “win/win” with GBCC that seems destined to circumvent the carefully structured provisions of the Code and would threaten the aquifer. That would be a big loss for the Town, Dering Harbor, and nearby residents in particular.

We strongly encourage the Town Board to publicly make it clear that the Town Code will be enforced, thereby protecting the aquifer. The Town should not accommodate GBCC, regardless of its position as a powerful player, when doing so would violate the Town Code and create untenable environmental risks. The Town should just say “NO.”

PATRICK CLIFFORD, STEPHEN JACOBS, BILL MASTRO, Shelter Islanders for Clean Water
and Responsible Zoning, LLC

A good first step

To the Editor:

Peter Miedema should get a standing ovation for taking the decision to ban cellphones in his classroom, including collecting them at the door.

The buzz of a text or WhatsApp message being received is almost as distracting for a student as looking at/using the phone because of the phenomenon of FOMO (Fear of Missing Out).

The use of cellphones in schools as well as in places of business has gotten way out of hand, particularly in retail or restaurant environments. How many of us have tried to get the attention of store employees or waitstaff only to see that they’re more interested in their phones than their customers?

Parents must also provide some rules and set an example, e.g., no phones during meals. I recall sitting at a restaurant counter and a father and his son had obviously just come back from Little League practice and decided to have lunch. There was no conversation as Dad completely ignored his son since he was busy scrolling on his phone. The little boy looked forlorn, staring into space with nothing to do and nobody to speak to.

Younger people are losing their ability to communicate face-to-face which is really a severe handicap in the workplace. Banning cellphones in a class is a good first step in the right direction.

CHRISTINE HOUSTON,Shelter Island