Year In Review: Island politics — A gutter attack, an October surprise, a clear winner

It was a rocky year in politics on Shelter Island, from an anonymous, scurrilous attack on Amber Brach-Williams who was running for re-election as Town supervisor, to an extraordinary revelation during the final days of the election of a candidate’s aide calling on voters to reject their candidate for Town Board. 

But perhaps the major political story of 2025 was the emergence of Ms. Brach-Williams as one of the savviest vote-getters and powerful politicians in recent memory to take up the supervisor’s gavel at Town Hall.

In a re-match for Shelter Island Town supervisor from the race two Novembers ago, Ms. Brach-Williams again defeated Councilman Gordon Gooding in 2025. But this time she took a victory lap much more handily than the squeaker in 2023. When the polls closed at the school, the final tally from the Board of Elections had the supervisor winning going away, with 976 votes to Mr. Gooding’s 568.

The Republicans had the best of it in Election 2025 over the Democrats. Councilwoman Meg Larsen and Highway Superintendent Ken Lewis Jr. were both re-elected. Mr. Lewis defeated Democrat Michael Reiter by a final tally of 811 to 727. Ms. Larsen was the big vote-getter of the election, garnering 995 votes for one of the two open Town Board seats. The other seat was won by Democrat Liz Hanley, who got 890 votes to GOP candidate Tom Cronin’s 666 in his third bid for the Town Board.

In the race for Town Clerk, Democrat Shelby Mundy defeated incumbent Republican Amber Wilson by 812 votes to 726.

Democrat Greg Toner, who bowed out because of health reasons earlier in the campaign, but whose name was still was on the ballot, received 366 votes. 

Councilman Gooding was gracious in defeat. Asked if he would run for office again he said, “I’m done.”

A DISTURBING FIND

The Island saw one of the more disturbing signs — literally — that politics was taking a turn toward the gutter. In late June the Reporter learned that the Shelter Island Police Department was investigating political stickers posted in public calling for Supervisor Amber Brach-Williams to be indicted.

Words on the stickers posted at Crescent Beach and Volunteer Park on Bridge Street, both areas owned by the Town, alleged offenses, referring to sexual innuendo and “hush money,” which were unsubstantiated. The words and the stickers indicate they came from a group — whose members are unknown — called “Shelter Island for Accountable Government.” A check of the Suffolk County Board of Elections found no reference to any such group and an internet search revealed the same.

The stickers called for indicting Ms. Brach-Williams, using unproven charges that point to a $55,000 payment to former Town attorney Stephen Kiely. The Town Board acknowledged the payment and an agreement with Mr. Kiely, and made no further comment about it, saying the signed agreement prohibited comment from either side. Both he and the full Town Board agreed there would be no statements made about the settlement. The entire Town Board agreed to the payment and to the nondisclosure provision.

At the bottom of each sticker, individual words appear with sexual references, also completely unfounded.

“We are aware of the stickers,” Police Chief Jim Read said. He added that the department was looking into the matter and applicable statutes to determine what violations, if any, may have occurred. The message may be protected speech under the First Amendment to the Constitution. “But placing materials on public property in a way that could cause damage or defacing Town property is something we take seriously,” Chief Read said. 

Ms. Brach-Williams said of the stickers, “It seems the nastiness is starting.”

Republican Committee Chairwoman Julia Weisenberg said she didn’t believe the attack came from any active candidates, but the work of someone who simply doesn’t like the supervisor. Democratic Committee Chairwoman Cat Brigham said she encourages healthy debate in politics, but certainly doesn’t endorse that type of behavior.

Since the two parties announced their slates for November, there had been an open dialogue between the two party chairwomen, with both seeming to denounce and avoid negative campaigning.

The investigation of who had put up the stickers came up empty. 

OCTOBER SURPRISE

In an extraordinary email letter to some members of the Shelter Island Democratic Party faithful and others, the treasurer for the party’s candidate for supervisor verbally attacked the party’s candidate for Town Board and called for voters to reject her at the polls.

When the letter by Cathy Kenny, treasurer for Democrat Gordon Gooding’s campaign for supervisor, went public, Mr. Gooding responded by disavowing Ms. Kenny’s suggestions and calling for her resignation as treasurer.

Ms. Kenny then sent an email apologizing for her original views.

In the document emailed on Thursday, Oct. 23, two days before early voting, Ms. Kenny accused Elizabeth Hanley, candidate for the Board on the Democratic line, of trying to “undermine Gordon from the start.” She continued with serious allegations, which she later apologized for  and said the letter was sent “without the knowledge or approval of Gordon Gooding, or any members of our team, and my actions were entirely inappropriate.”

In her original letter, after attacking Ms. Hanley’s honesty and integrity, referring to her at one point as “sinister,” Ms. Kenny asked people to reject Ms. Hanley at the polls and instead vote for Greg Toner, a Democrat still on the ballot. Mr. Toner had notified the public that due to serious health concerns he would not take a seat on the Board if elected. “I’m asking you to vote for Greg Toner for Town Board,” Ms. Kenny wrote. “If elected, and he chooses to step down, then another person can be appointed.” 

This, presumably, would give Mr. Gooding a choice — if he became supervisor — of who would take a seat on the Board. In a statement, Mr. Gooding said: “I ask that we respect wishes of Greg Toner to not vote for him. I can’t control what others choose to post or how they choose to spin events, but I can control how I conduct myself — with honesty, accountability, and respect for our community.” 

The Reporter contacted Mr. Gooding and he seemed upset that Ms. Kenny’s message of accusations and strategy had been made public. He had sent an email asking for Ms. Kenny’s resignation as treasurer. 

“I want to make it absolutely clear that I had no input in that letter and did not authorize its distribution,” Mr. Gooding said. “I have great respect for Liz Hanley and support her candidacy. She is dedicated, capable, and committed to serving our community with integrity.”

Ms. Kenny, in her public apology, wrote that her “attacks” against Ms. Hanley “were misstated and exaggerated … I have stepped away from Gordon’s campaign and will ensure that my future actions reflect integrity and respect.”

Asked by the Reporter for a response, Ms. Hanley said Mr. Gooding had phoned to apologize. 

“Working in housing has given me a thick skin when it comes to attacks like this, or maybe it’s having three children,” she said, adding, “I can’t speak to Cathy’s motives, but suggesting that voters cast their ballot for Greg, who has publicly withdrawn from the race for health reasons, is irresponsible. In this age of hyper-partisan politics, I think many have lost the plot.” 

The Shelter Island Republican Committee pounced on their opponent’s troubles. In a statement, the Republicans noted that Ms. Kenny’s original letter’s “proposed plan to organize a vote for former Democrat candidate Greg Toner … in an effort to get him elected so that they could appoint a replacement, is monstrous and disgusting on a human level, and completely unethical on a political level … Does anybody else find it hard to believe Mr. Gooding didn’t know about the letter? … How could Gordon or his supporters be upset by this?  Perhaps they are upset because their plan leaked out and the reaction from the vast majority of Islanders has been abject horror.”

When the Reporter contacted Mr. Gooding early that Friday morning, the candidate said, “A human mistake should not be broadcast to the public.”

As said, Ms. Brach-Williams cruised to victory on Nov. 4.