Shelter Island Reporter Letters to the Editor: April 4, 2025
Legitimate concerns
To the Editor:
I wish to commend Supervisor Amber Brach-Williams for telling a representative for the Gardiner’s Bay Country Club (GBCC) that he should respond to the letters from the Hay Beach Property Owners Association. This was at a regular Town Board meeting on March 17, 2025.
The GBCC has been notorious for ignoring the legitimate concerns of the property owners bordering the GBCC golf course and the property owners of the surrounding community of Hay Beach.
Hay Beach Property Owners Association (HBPOA) members have attended all the meetings concerning the planned cistern on the GBCC golf course. Both in audience and on Zoom, concerned members of the HBPOA, such as Bill Mastro, Dave Ruby and Steve Jacobs, rightly worried about water use and future water demands by the GBCC, and have brought attention to problems with the incomplete information provided by the GBCC.
Indifference and avoidance best describe the attitudes projected by the GBCC representatives in reaction to honest questioning by the HBPOA members. The preservation of the aquifer beneath Hay Beach should be a first priority for all residents of Hay Beach and also for those enjoying the amenities of the GBCC.
I sincerely hope that the GBCC officers and hired assistants show respect for the genuine and serious concerns of their neighbors. I sincerely hope that the Town Board of Shelter Island protects the aquifer beneath Hay Beach.
VIRGINIA SHIELDS WALKER, Shelter Island
Not a small group
To the Editor:
I was amazed at the letter written by Mark Mobius (“Use of political influence,” Feb. 27) concerning his resignation and blaming it on a small number of people with vindictive motivations. Did Mr. Mobius attend the many Town Board meetings at which many Islanders expressed their views on the Recycling Center?
The 500 petition signatures opposing Mr. Lewis’ policies and the jam-packed meetings at Town Hall to address them were not the result of a small group of Bowditch Road neighbors.
It was the result of a large group of people who for years had benefited from a commonsense re-use policy at the dump that was abruptly terminated. The people were unhappy with being denied an affordable and environmentally friendly method of recycling and reusing many hard-to-find items.
If the Democrats chose to cross endorse Mr. Lewis, or not endorse anyone, it would deprive all the people of all political views the right to voice their feelings in the voting booth. They instead chose to select a lifelong Islander who is familiar with its traditions and has made a career working for the Highway Department.
Thanks to the Committee for doing the right thing and giving the people the opportunity to express their desires.
TOM EICAS, Shelter Island
The true threat
To the Editor:
It is most harmful to our country the current vitriolic, inciteful and foul language used by elected Democrat officials to describe the current administration. It is also disheartening to read in the Reporter the unrelenting disparaging comments and cartoons about our president.
Before president Trump had even been sworn into office a “Resistance” was declared. Why, I ask? Why resistance to someone whose campaign promise was to help our country?
Elon Musk, legally appointed, serves without pay and audits, through DOGE, federal expenditures. Something Presidents Clinton and Obama said they would do but never did. (We have a $36 trillion debt.) Nonetheless, Musk, his company and the people who drive a Tesla are in harm’s way because of the hatred evinced by some of our leaders.
The Democratic Governor of Minnesota Tim Walz, who lost the vice presidency, held a rally gleefully applauding the fallen stock prices of Tesla. He was oblivious, or just did not care, that his state’s pension fund was heavily invested in Tesla. Texas Representative Jasmine Crockett, a Democrat, in between swear words, called for the take down of Tesla on March 29 as her birthday present. The above are just some examples of the unfettered vitriol expressed in our country. Much of it perpetrated by elected Democrats.
Perhaps the vociferous opposition to our president is the true threat to our democracy. Not our closed borders, deportation of violent criminals who have gained illegal entrance to our country or finding fraud and wasteful spending in our government.
It is through the much-maligned efforts of DOGE that we are saving our tax dollars to continue to fund Social security, Medicare and Medicaid.
True bravery and democracy would be for both sides of the aisle to work together to Make America Great Again.
KATHRYN CUNNINGHAM, Shelter Island
Yes, let’s do something
To the Editor:
Re: Letters, “Fill in the blanks,” and let’s do something,” Reporter, March 2O) I believe the majority of citizens did fill in the blanks by voting for Trump.
We the people are appalled by open borders allowing a migrant invasion leading to rape, murder, selling kids, drugs and destroying our statues, flag, stores and homes. The illegals are provided with schooling and our kids are sent home to learn. Food, housing and medical are provided to them while are vets and needy are abandoned.
They reject our history and values. The Democrats with their ‘catch and release’ and sanctuary cities validate these actions. And where is all the money to support this atrocity coming from? Our taxes, of course.
Talk about dictatorship. As author and missionary Ian McKerracher notes: “Compelled speech is fundamentally a step towards totalitarianism. If they control the words you say, they will move on to make attempts to control thoughts you think.” Sounds like the Democratic agenda to me.
Doing nothing is the same as approving it. So, yes, let’s do something. State and local elections will be coming up. Vote for those candidates who will preserve our freedom of speech, assembly, religion, and constitution and keep our country safe.
For God, country and Trump.
LINDA O’NEILL-PULS, Shelter Island
Editor’s Note: Numerous legitimate sources show that undocumented immigrants have a lower conviction rate than citizens, and are less likely to be convicted of homicide and other crimes.
Opposing ICE Agreement
To the Editor:
We, the leaders of the Democratic Party in eastern Suffolk County, are opposed to Nassau County’s new deal with ICE (287(g)). This agreement turns local police into immigration officers, which hurts public safety and our economy. It could also cost taxpayers millions in legal fines.
We must prevent this harmful program from coming to Suffolk County or the East End. We’ve seen this before — and it’s expensive. Suffolk County is already facing a $60 million fine for working with ICE during Trump’s first presidency. We now know that it is illegal for New York law enforcement to detain someone on behalf of ICE. Sheriff Toulon has warned that taxpayers can’t afford more lawsuits. He’s right.
Times are tough, and we need to use local police resources wisely. Officers should focus on keeping our communities safe, not doing ICE’s job. Federal agents are being taken off serious cases — like child trafficking, drug cartels, and money laundering — just to deport immigrants. We can’t waste our police forces on Trump’s cruel, illegal and misguided deportation plans.
If immigrants are afraid to report crimes, criminals will get away with more. Trust between police and our communities will break down, making everyone less safe.
Our economy depends on immigrant workers and business owners. On the East End, they make up over 20% of the workforce and 22% of small business owners. New York’s immigrants pay $3.1 billion in state and local taxes every year.
Harsh policies like 287(g) will only hurt our local economy. Thankfully, Suffolk leaders have promised not to turn police into ICE agents. We urge them to stand firm and reject Nassau’s dangerous example. The best way to protect our communities is to fight back now. We must keep Suffolk safe, fair, and welcoming for all.
East End Democratic Committees — Shelter Island, Southold, Riverhead, East Hampton, Southampton
Gardens instead of coops?
To the Editor:
RE: “Keeping chickens and being careful” (Reporter March 20), I am concerned at the idea of backyard chickens as a solution to bird flu and egg prices when wouldn’t it be safer to not have backyard birds there to catch the flu in the first place?
Shifting to a plant-based diet would actually solve the problem, and when you factor in eggs aren’t even good for us as research shows they cause cancers, heart disease, strokes, dementia not only would we be safer but healthier, too?
Just as more and more large-scale farms are shifting away from animals to mushrooms, micro-greens and other crops, why not have backyard gardens instead of coops?
We need to change our way of eating — our future depends on it.
SARA CRANE, Toronto, Canada
