Shelter Island Reporter Letters to the Editor: Sept. 5, 2024

Passing the torch

To the Editor:

It has been my pleasure to represent the Town of Shelter Island both as a Suffolk County Legislator and as a Member of the State Assembly. 

Much has been accomplished over the years to protect the Island’s unique quality of life. I have been blessed to work with a dedicated group of town supervisors, Town Board members, and School District officials over the years. We made a lot of progress on important issues such as land preservation, protection of Peconic Bay and our drinking water, as well as affordable housing. My thanks to all the people of Shelter Island who I’ve gotten to know. 

After nearly 30 years, I will be retiring from the State Assembly at the end of the year to begin a new chapter of my career. It is important that we build upon the accomplishments of the past to make a better future. 

That is why I am supporting Tommy John Schiavoni to take my place in Albany. I have known Tommy John all his life. His dad was my youth baseball coach in Sag Harbor. His experience in local government and his work in the East End community make him uniquely qualified to represent us. 

He knows that our environment is our economy and that today’s challenge is affordability for our local families. 

I urge my friends on Shelter Island to continue the legacy of protecting our community by voting for Tommy John Schiavoni for State Assembly in the First Assembly District. 

FRED THIELE JR.

Assemblyman, First District

Calls for apology

To the Editor:

Ken Lewis owes Maury Laspia an apology.

I worked for the Highway Department and recycling center for almost 30 years. We always took pride in our jobs. It’s sad to see what is becoming of the place now. The changes are unnecessary. It was a workable situation just as it was. Everyone worked together, the employees and the community.

Ken Lewis is creating a division that was never there. He is creating problems for everybody involved and the Town Board is at fault for not stepping up and doing the job they were elected to do.

I worked daily with Ken Lewis for years and he repeatedly told me he was going to shut down the picking at the recycling center as soon as he got in office. So for him to blame Maury Laspia is wrong. Everyone knew he was planning to close the place before the situation with the propane tank ever happened. When he says this is all about the insurance he is not telling the truth. He called the insurance company to get them to support his plan.

I go to the recycling center every day. It is an important community center just like the Senior Center, the Legion Hall, the Fire Hall, the Library, and the School.

We have over 500 signatures from the community who want the system to go back to the way it was. The town board needs to reinstate the picking or put up a referendum for a vote.

Rob Gorcoff

Shelter Island

Election signage 

To the Editor:

I was pleasantly surprised in one of your editions to read that there had been an agreement (quite unusual in these times) among Democrats, Republicans and an independent candidate to forgo outdoor signs on properties during this election cycle. I couldn’t agree more with all the reasons cited. Bravo!

However, this last weekend as we drove out to the Island, I was equally dismayed to see that a house on North Ferry Road belonging to a longtime resident had totally disregarded this “agreement.” It is amazing to me the total disregard for any agreements on the part of those who support, in this case, the Democratic party.

I guess since this was merely an agreement among various parties on the Island there is no consequence for disobedience. I will say that since this person apparently will not remove their sign in conforming to the agreement — or maybe they didn’t get the memo — I have no choice but to put up my sign as well to at least give equal time to opposing candidates.

Such a shame, but what a lesson.

Barbara Katsos

Shelter Island

Clearing
muddied waters 

To the Editor:

Last week’s reporting on Shelter Island’s proposed septic system change-out requirements heavily highlighted a realtor’s comments on the community-wide value of installing advanced treatment technology, based on an incomplete study underway in Cape Cod.

Readers should know that Cape Cod, despite many similar water quality problems, remains years behind Suffolk County in developing a viable strategy for replacing its failed and outdated onsite wastewater disposal systems. 

In contrast, Suffolk County has spent more than a decade developing the most comprehensive regional wastewater management plan that’s been adopted on Long Island in over 45 years.

Suffolk County has examined the causes of our region’s declining water quality, identified the groundwater and surface water implications of nitrogen from wastewater, studied available technologies for nitrogen removal, modeled over 100 sub-watersheds to calculate nitrogen reduction goals, and created a very valuable financial incentive program to help homeowners defray the cost of system replacement. Thousands of Suffolk residents have already benefited from these incentives.

In its final plan, Suffolk County prioritized addressing the majority of the East End’s old and failing on-site septic systems through the installation of well-proven and locally tested advanced treatment technology. Sewers are far more expensive and can induce unwanted growth and development. 

With its present proposal, Shelter Island is striving to implement this objective, and we support the effort as a meaningful approach to the necessary and proven clean water action that is essential to the region.

The ongoing public hearing process is an important place for residents to raise questions and help direct the Town Board’s attention to specific issues, but the matter of whether advanced treatment systems provide community-wide value is a well-settled policy in Suffolk County.  

Bob DeLuca 

President, Group for the East End, Southold