Shelter Island Reporter endorsements for Election 2025

Early voting begins Saturday, October 25, and continues through Sunday, November 2, with Election Day on Tuesday, November 4. 

Your vote is your voice.

Here are the Reporter’s endorsements for Election 2025

Amber Brach-Williams for supervisor

Supervisor Amber Brach-Williams faces challenger Councilman Gordon Gooding, who provided distinguished services to Shelter Island as chairman of the Community Preservation Fund Advisory Board and earned accolades for the permanent preservation of Island properties, including the Artists Lane Preserve, an acquisition that opens 21 acres of land to the public for passive recreation.

This represents Mr. Gooding’s second run for supervisor. Two years ago he ran a close race against Ms. Brach-Williams. Since being elected to the Town Board as a councilman, Mr. Gooding has demonstrated an appetite for hard work and long hours that the position demands. His dedication is an inspiration.

Ms. Brach-Williams has learned much in her first term as supervisor, vastly improving the tone of meetings and increasing transparency that voters require and deserve. She has the financial expertise to handle the complexities of budgeting, but despite long hours, it’s clear she has yet to find a way to balance that work with all aspects of the supervisor’s responsibilities. Voters needed a change in tone from the previous administration, but they also need a supervisor unafraid to exercise strong leadership.

She has a strong track record in Town government, serving as a councilwoman and as a deputy supervisor. Her calm, informed leadership during the COVID pandemic was exemplary. 

When we weigh Mr. Gooding’s inexperience with her knowledge, we believe residents would be best served by re-electing Ms. Brach-Williams.

Ken Lewis Jr. for Superintendent of Highways

Two able candidates seek to be elected as Superintendent of Highways, Michael Reiter, a newcomer to elective politics and incumbent Ken Lewis Jr. Both have years of experience working for the Highway Department.

Mr. Reiter is a member of an illustrious, hard-working Island family that, after caring for each other, always put its home town first in its priorities. He has run a sound campaign, and we credit him for focusing on issues.

As Mr. Lewis discovered in his first year on the job, there is a difference between working for the department and being an effective leader. 

No doubt it was a rocky time, with neighbors calling him to task for opening the gate onto Bowditch Road and then closing down the “pickers” area where residents could retrieve items without charge for projects on which they were working.

There were also complaints about the popular Goody Pile, now reorganized.

If his early efforts rankled residents, we believe he handled the difficult issues in a serious, well-balanced way, looking for compromises in the face of contentious criticism. Some changes he’s made have resulted in a safer, more effective department.

Ken Lewis Jr. gets the Reporter’s endorsement for a second term.

Margaret Larsen, Elizabeth Hanley for Town Board

Deputy Supervisor Meg Larsen and Community Housing Board Chairwoman Elizabeth Hanley will be the most effective choices to fill two Town Board seats. 

Tom Cronin has proven to be a steady hand and clear-sighted public servant with many Town departments. He twice sought election without success, despite his wide knowledge of the Town and its institutions. With his ongoing service to the community, we believe he can best serve in the roles he takes on for the betterment of residents.

Prior to being elected, Ms. Larsen gave advice to the community about water quality and septic issues that never became a sales pitch for the family business. She has led the Comprehensive Plan Task Force, keeping the group focused on drafting, editing and moving the plan close to completion.

Ms. Hanley has been a dedicated and energetic leader of the CHB, bringing her financial knowledge to the table while reaching out to other members whose knowledge of law, real estate and other aspects of housing are moving this initiative forward.

She has been a leader of the effort to provide a full six hours a day to the Town’s youngest students in the wake of the loss of the Pre-K program due to budget cutbacks.

The Town Board will be most effective with the knowledge and energy these women possess.

Amber Wilson for Town Clerk

Two highly qualified candidates face off for Town Clerk. There is no doubt that whichever young woman wins election will be highly capable of handling the job professionally and responsibly, ably serving the community.

Amber Wilson has acquitted herself well as Town Clerk and based on performance, deserves another term.

Both women have stressed the need for improved technology and Ms. Wilson asked for funding for needed equipment.

Ms. Mundy has taken on a difficult job backing up the supervisor as financial clerk. We would hope she would continue in that role if not elected Town Clerk.

Catherine Stark for County Legislature

In the race to represent the 1st district in the Suffolk County Legislature, Catherine Stark is seeking re-election and is challenged by Southold Town Councilman Greg Doroski.

Mr. Doroski is an attractive candidate and dedicated public servant, who has described himself as a “subject matter expert” on a variety of local issues such as short term rentals, zoning updates and open space preservation.

Ms. Stark’s experience working in government from both sides of the political aisle, as a legislative aide and adviser to both Republican and Democratic elected representatives, and as an elected official herself, speaks to her sense of bipartisanship to get things done on two critical issues facing the East End — clean, potable water and preservation.

She was with Gov. Kathy Hochul at the signing of legislation that increases Suffolk County’s funding for grants to replace aging septic systems with state-of-the-art systems. And Ms. Stark was with County Executive Ed Romaine at the signing into law of the Working Waterfronts legislation, which will protect the county’s maritime economy.

In a race between two able candidates, our choice is to re-elect Ms. Stark.