Shelter Island Reporter Letters to the Editor: May 17, 2025
INVOLVED ON A DAILY BASIS
To the Editor:
In regards to any controversy changing membership of the Water Advisory Committee from seven to five members, the WAC was originally set up as a five-member board. And it is only an advisory board to the Town Board.
It was originally made up of persons in the water business — plumbers, water plant operators, water system directors – people who had knowledge and expertise of drinking water. Over the last 20 years, the Town Board started to appoint people who were not that knowledgeable on the makeup of our aquifer, but probably learned it from the internet — not the same as being actively involved on a daily basis.
I was chairman of the WAC for over 25 years. During that time we originally set up rules and regulations for swimming pools and lawn irrigation systems. Our goal was, and should be, the conservation of drinking water, thus the regulations to get as much water back into the aquifer for future use.
One of our consultants was Gus Guerera, head chemist at the Suffolk County Water Authority, who told the committee that we didn’t need public water, but the water supply (aquifer) and use of water, had to be controlled by the Town Board, which is given to them by the State, and was never really done.
Saltwater intrusion is one of the basic problems on the Island, especially for houses that abut our shores. USGS gives the town the height of many monitoring wells on the Island. That gives us how much water is really in the aquifer and if one area is in need of conservation during periods of drought. Having the wherewithal to tell someone not to use water unwisely is a function of the WAC to the Town Board.
Someone, such as a code enforcement officer could be utilized for all the regulations enacted by the Town.
JOHN W. HALLMAN, Shelter Island
A SUGGESTED APPROACH
To the Editor:
The editorial of May 8, 2025, was accurate. The third to last paragraph states, “New Councilman Gordon Gooding gave his colleagues hell for what he said was a lack of action on the issue, but voted to slow or stop action important to progress.”
Mr. Gooding referred to drinking water and wastewater issues related to municipal facilities in the Center and his criticisms began about one hour into the Town Board work session of March 4. Slipping from the councilman’s recollection was that his supporters plagued the past administration with reasons why approaches being pursued were inappropriate, effectively stymieing progress.
I support hearing oppositional opinions in a democracy. Consensus often builds good solutions. With that in mind I prepared an outline of a “Needs Assessment” approach and sent it to Councilman Gooding in an email on March 5. I suggested he personally undertake the necessary work to resolve what he claimed was insufficiently done by his Town Board colleagues and the Town prior to his arrival. I even suggested that among his supporters he might find the necessary talent to provide help. Lastly, I suggested that he could accomplish the outline in about 160 person-hours of effort.
I received confirmation from the Town email server that my message had made it to his inbox. 160 person-hours were up on April 1. Not a peep has come from Councilman Gooding on his work product since.
My correspondence was not intended to make the “Town” do something. It was a suggested approach to resolve something about which he and his supporters have spent years complaining. Sadly, his lack of response as well as the more recent WAC revisions are nothing more than red herrings from him and his supporters for a position that public water and centralized municipal facility sewering will cause them negative impacts.
JOHN C. CRONIN, P.E., Shelter Island
A SPECIAL TIME
To the Editor:
On behalf of the Board of Directors, I would like to send a huge thank you to everyone who came out to support the Island Gift of Life Foundation, Inc.
A special thank you goes to the Shelter Island History Museum for offering the amazing venue; Vine Street Café; Isola, the Chequit Hotel and SALT Waterfront Bar & Grill for a wonderful array of hors d’oeuvres; Lenz Winery; Peconic Bay Vineyards for the best selection of wines; and Tom and Lisa Hashagen with David Wexler, for creating the perfect backdrop of music for the evening. You are all part of the fabric that makes this island so special.
And lastly, thank you Gardiner’s Bay Country Club for your silent auction donation. It got the highest bid of the evening, and Gina Kraus for all your help. You are the best cheerleader any organization could ever hope to have.
Thank you all!
LINDA EKLUND, Treasurer, Island Gift of Life Foundation, Inc.
