Shelter Island Reporter Letters to the Editor: April 20, 2023
Protecting ecosystems
To the Editor:
Looking at the effort of town government to address water quality, what can be seen are two separate initiatives.
First, is the public debate to identify the ideal septic system. Second, after a three-year lapse, the town is taking steps identified in its “Ground and Surface Water Management Plan” and discussing with public water suppliers the engineering and financing of water systems.
These initiatives together reduce nitrates entering the aquifer, and bring safe drinking water to Center homes. A lot is accomplished with a multi-faceted approach.
Even more is possible when one pauses and considers the impact of these initiatives upon one another. With the introduction of community water in the Center, the key obstacle cited of well proximity to I/A systems no longer exists, because a community water system would replace wells in conflict with septic systems.
The school can immediately move forward to treat the largest source of effluent. Understanding that the performance differences between properly installed and maintained I/A systems and a central plant are negligible.
Over $1.4 million, the cost of piping effluent to Manwaring Road, can be reassigned to piping clean drinking water to residents.
The impact of clear cutting 1.4 acres of forested property on Manwaring Road across from Sylvester Manor is avoided, reopening the possibility for community housing on this site.
Beyond the less harmful impacts of this common sense approach, and the benefit of providing safe water to Center residents, are the scheduling implications. The school can move forward with its project without delay.
Other aspects of the project can be phased over time as funding sources become available, with the advantage of key components coming online to stop untreated effluent from entering the aquifer.
A lot can be accomplished when we come together to find common ground to protect the Island’s fragile ecosystems.
MICHAEL SHATKEN, Shelter Island
Cure the situation
To the Editor:
Shelter Island has a water problem and being reactive instead of proactive, as in trying to address each problem as it occurs, is not productive, will be more expensive and will not prevent the situation from getting worse.
Improperly treated household wastewater is causing the nitrates in our drinking water to reach toxic levels. Providing other sources of clean drinking water, which will then be run through our faulty plumbing and filtration systems, will only increase the plume of tainted water in our groundwater. That will result in an even greater number of households and businesses requiring an outside source of potable water.
The cesspool and septic systems currently being utilized by most of the structures on Shelter Island need to be replaced with updated onsite systems, or some sort of centralized treatment facility. This Island body requires a more holistic approach to this problem and not mere palliative care that will only treat the symptoms and not cure the situation, which will persist and fester.
BILLY GERAGHTY, Shelter Island
Polarized world
To the Editor:
As a Shelter Island resident, I wanted to express my profound gratitude to Supervisor Gerry Siller.
In an increasingly politically polarized world over the past few years, I have tended to vote a straight party ticket, checking the box for Democrats at each election. Supervisor Siller has helped me recognize the profound mistake of this behavior. Given his Luddite views, his bullying of opposing viewpoints, his clear words and behaviors that reinforce how he truly doesn’t care about consensus or collaboration, and actions that feel motivated by self-dealing and grandiosity, I’ve been hugely regretful of my previous vote for Siller.
That won’t happen again. Blind party loyalty is out. Put me in the “anyone but Siller” camp this year. I’ll be doing everything I can to ensure he’s soon a dark footnote to our town.
CHRISTOPHER ENGLE, Shelter Island
Proper disposal
To the Editor:
There are about 60,000 people living on the streets of New York City. When one of these unfortunates begs for money for their next meal, the authorities call it panhandling and they are treated with disdain.
When wealthy people beg for money, they hire people to do it for them and give them the lofty title of Grant Writer.
Our Town Board is hard at work soliciting various and sundry outside organizations, begging for money to finance a ridiculous, grandiose waste management plan being promulgated by our duplicitous consultant and his sycophant town engineer.
It is a sorry day for society when the residents of one of the wealthiest towns in New York are compelled to beg for money and fully expect some outside party to pay for perhaps the most rudimentary of all social responsibilities of a civil society — the proper disposal of their own excrement.
DAVID OLSEN, Shelter Island
