Shelter Island Reporter editorial: A welcome change

The issue of formulating a plan for affordable housing on Shelter Island, and how to fund it, has been at the forefront of civic discussion for more than a year.

At the center is the Town’s Community Housing Board, which has had a tumultuous run, with the original chairman, a Town councilman, resigning when it was pointed out that as a member of the Town Board he was ineligible to serve.

This was followed by resignations reducing the membership to just two members, and then one member was thrown off the board because he had not complied with the stipulation that all members be in favor of finding solutions for affordable housing.

Reconstituted, the committee moved forward with vitriol-charged public hearings; constant accusations at full volume of lying; a Town councilman inviting a resident to step outside the Town Hall meeting room to fight; an order by the supervisor to a police officer to remove a resident from a public meeting (which he quickly rescinded); full-page paid advertisements in the Reporter; as well as numerous letters to the editor — some skirting reasonableness and getting close to the gutter in rhetoric; and, just recently, the committee chairman removed by the Town Board after it was alleged he had removed yard signs.

So, it was a with a sense of unreality, that a public forum on affordable housing, held the afternoon of Oct. 15 at the school’s auditorium, was a model of reasonable statements and quick moving discourse, where 19 Islanders were allowed to speak, and it all took just under two hours.

The main reason there was no contentious discourse was the committee made the wise decision to bring in a facilitator to lead the discussion. Professional communications specialist Mary Eisenstein was pleasant, informed, and had to only ask speakers to wind up their remarks twice.

One outburst from an audience member was quickly quelled by Ms. Eisenstein, and that was it.

Congratulations are in order to her and the Board, and more to the residents who showed up to listen, and to those who chose to speak, on both sides of the issue, for their mostly responsible remarks, and their quietly reasoned arguments as they made their points and expressed their hopes for the future of Shelter Island.

The debate is not over — one wonders if it ever really will be. But for one afternoon a community forum, where all points were aired with calm and respect, made us thankful, and brings hope that some solid foundation of civic behavior was laid.