Shelter Island Reporter Letters To The Editor: Aug. 8, 2024
TOTAL AGREEMENT
To the Editor:
I could have written two of the Aug. 1 Letters to the Editor myself, word for word. One from Maury Laspia on the Recycling Center, the other from Linda Zavatto about the IGA and the Reporter, expressed my feelings exactly.
• Why in the world would the Town Board be so anti-recyling? It makes no sense. Our residents need and want to recycle. And so does our world. (And why in the world is the Goody Pile area closed from noon to 2 p.m., peak hours for most of us?)
• And our town also needs and wants our Reporter, which is struggling to survive due to low revenue. We hope the IGA, our only local grocer, will reinstate making the Reporter available.
MARGARET KOLLER, Shelter Island
ODD
To the Editor:
In a piece in last week’s SIR much praise was given to the “brainchild of Julia Weisenberg, a member of the Shelter Island GOP,” for securing the agreement of the two major parties and the independent candidate to not to post political signs until after Labor Day.
Odd that.
That has always been the tradition. I wrote a letter only last year about this when the GOP candidate violated this unwritten rule. Once my letter was published last year, Tommy Cronin, the GOP candidate, wrote his own letter to apologize for ignoring this rule and promptly took down his signs. So, you can understand why I find this Kumbaya moment — for lack of a better word — strange, moreover, to what purpose? Politics makes strange bedfellows, I guess.
I present the letter here in its entirety to jog everyone’s memory:
A tradition observed on the Island from time immemorial that should be maintained is that political lawn signs are not displayed until after Labor Day and are taken down within 24 hours after the election.
This unwritten agreement between the two major parties was made in consideration of other Island organizations that wished to advertise fundraisers, events, etc. in the summer. It was agreed that cluttering the landscape with more signs would be a distraction and unnecessary.
Be assured that the Democratic candidates — Gordon Gooding for supervisor and Benjamin Dyett and Albert Dickson for Town Board — are going to observe this unwritten tradition. We’re sorry to see that the Republican candidates have disrespected this agreement and bucked the tradition.
Our signs will be displayed after the holiday. Enjoy your Labor Day Weekend.
CATHY KENNY, Shelter Island
MISSING THE POINT
To the Editor:
Really? An article and an editorial in the Aug. 1, 2024 Reporter complaining about a one-week delay for the Town Board to begin consideration of the Comprehensive Plan? Missing the point!
In fact, there has been more than one multi-month pause, and now the Comprehensive Plan Task Force is again rushing the Plan. What’s more, residents will have no opportunity for public comment – other than a single hearing months after the Town Board has considered the almost-200-page draft plan.
The prior Town Board, which included both the current supervisor and deputy supervisor, released the first draft of the complete Plan in September 2023. Following that, over 100 residents attended a public meeting. While respecting the significant work that went into the Plan, many of the spoken and written comments, posted on the big boards, thoughtfully questioned some of the data, the process, the analysis, and the conclusions.
After the Suffolk County Planning Commission made critical comments on the unchanged draft, the Comprehensive Plan Advisory Committee (CPAC) resumed work at breakneck speed with six meetings in December-February. Then a pause from February to the end of April. After a CPAC meeting on April 29, the community waited patiently —months passed before the new draft was released in mid-July.
The supervisor had said that a public work session would be held on each of the plan’s 11 chapters. Back to rush mode — the Board plans to go through all 11 chapters in six sessions in August/September.
The April 30 Reporter stated, “a series of public hearings will be scheduled where Islanders can have their voices heard.” Apparently, this is not happening. Islanders will not be allowed to comment at any of these upcoming Town Board work sessions, and must wait for a single public hearing that the supervisor says will take place late in the fall.
Is this the best process to complete the blueprint for our island’s future?
NATASHA STOWE, Shelter Island
Editor’s Note: Supervisor Amber Brach-Williams has never said the public input to the Comprehensive Plan would be limited to one hearing. She indicated a potential date for the first public hearing, but did not preclude there could be subsequent public hearings if they are deemed necessary.
REPORTER CRITIC
To the Editor:
Your most recent “Our View” editorial opined that Councilman Dyett’s request for a one-week delay in commencing the Town Board’s review of the Comprehensive Plan “… appears to be a stalling tactic.” Then it asks, “What could be the motive if this is the first of ongoing delays?” and “…why any Town Board member is trying to slow the process for no discernible reason?”
You conveniently neglected to mention that Mr. Dyett was away from Shelter Island last week (and so was Town Attorney Kiely), and that it was he and others who for months were asking Councilwoman Larsen for the revised September 2023 draft and that Councilman Dickson also asked for more time to review this 199-page, 116-goal plodding treatise.
How about asking Ms. Larsen why she slow-walked for nine months the revision of September 2023 draft, which you yourself observed did not change that much? Was this a stalling tactic and what could be her motive? I did not observe this newspaper questioning this delay even once. Could it be that you are misleading the public as to who was slowing down the process and who has suddenly ramped it up now to a breakneck speed and for what purpose?
And what about stating that “no one is pushing to adopt the new CP …” then hysterically making a huge issue about a justified one-week delay? It seems that you are pushing the Town Board members now to rubber-stamp this draft CP or be accused of stalling tactics. It is not hard to figure out on whose behalf and for what discernible purpose you are doing this.
This is not the first time this newspaper was called out for peddling biased conspiracy theories and pushing partisan agenda. It deserves its “Shelter Island Distorter” popular moniker.
JAN SUDOL, Shelter Island
PROPER CONTEXT
To the Editor:
Sometimes the things I write in Letters to the Editor haunt me. I go over and over what I wrote, looking to see if I need to recant, reaffirm or relax. I have ruined many a weekend that way.
Saying that “most politicians are liars” is one of those things. Whether literally true or not, it is probably a somewhat counterproductive observation in the absence of the proper context.
What I do know is that most of the elected people with whom I served were not politicians in the worst sense of the word. Shelter Island Town Hall is pretty much a political pre-school.
Generally, the liars in politics are either dedicated to a particular agenda or to their own success to the extent that they see the truth as acceptable collateral damage in pursuit of broader aims.
We could help by not always insisting that they tell us what we want to hear, but we probably won’t. That’s democracy, really. Sing for your supper or go without. We the People call the tune.
PAUL SHEPHERD, Former councilman, Town of Shelter Island
GRATITUDE
To the Editor:
Thank you to the North and South ferry crew and captains.
Ive been riding the ferries for 60 years and they are always polite and efficient. The service is impeccable even with long lines.
If you know anyone who works on the ferries, it’s not an easy job dealing with the growing population and maintaining these boats so that we are able to ride them. Even in emergencies they are always available.
Next time you take either ferry, take the time out to thank the crew and captain. A little gratitude goes a long way .
BARBARA VEKASSY D’ORIO, Shelter Island
SAVING LIVES
To the Editor:
On behalf of the Town of Shelter Island, I want to extend a big “Thank you” to everyone who helped make the 8th annual summer blood drive at the Community Center on July 19 a huge success.
A big shout out to the 16 first time donors! If not for you, our goal of 58 pints would not have been met.
Because of your generosity, 65 pints were collected. As you know, each pint helps to save three-to-five lives. So you were able to help up to 325 patients.
Whether you booked an appointment or were one of the 32 walk-ins, your time and donations are greatly appreciated. Joan Tehan was so grateful for everyone who came in to support her.
Thank you, Bethany Ortmann, for allowing the drive to take place in the Community Center once again. It is a great location. Donors and staff were very comfortable.
Thank you to the Shelter Island Reporter, Shelter Island Fire Department, South Ferry Company and North Ferry Company for getting the word out. A special thank you to Slice for once again sponsoring the drive.
Please remember that blood donors are continually needed to ensure that blood is available year-round. Hope to see you in January!
JUDY MERINGER,Shelter Island
