In the race for East Hampton Town Justice, the way the candidates have spoken of each other in debate is disheartening and the pluses and minuses of their other attributes would seem to cancel each other out.

Both Catherine Cahill and Robert Savage have impressive backgrounds in the court system as assistant district attorneys. Justice Cahill has several strikes against her this time around from persons who found her actions on the bench questionable. Of course, the same might be true if Mr. Savage had been the one elected two years ago. We don't know if any of the accounts of poor judgment involving Ms. Cahill are legitimate, but they are there.

Ms. Cahill is a Springs School parent, who is said to understand the problems of youngsters who frequent the court. We honestly cannot judge which of the candidates would serve justice better. Ms. Cahill showed open hostility during our interview, while Mr. Savage is less confrontational. But they are seemingly cut from the same cloth, agreeing on alternative sentencing.

While we'd usually be guided by the premise that if candidates are doing good jobs they should be re-elected, we find the Cahill-Savage race a tossup.

That premise works in other East Hampton Town races, however. We see no reason to look beyond the incumbents in the contests for Town Clerk, a position now filled in a helpful and friendly manner by Frederick Yardley; or for Highway Superintendent, where Chris Russo has shown some willingness to listen to criticism about his disregard for roadside aesthetics, although we'd like to see him take a leadership role in pursuing funding to solve the biker-blader problem on overcrowded roads. His opponent, James G. Bennett, is a likable man, but we don't think he would bring any more expertise or sensitivity to the job. For Town Assessor, Fred Overton, with three terms and a wealth of experience, seems to be doing a fine job.

For the Town Board, we endorse Peter Hammerle for re-election. Here is a man who has grown in office and who, during debates, has shown himself to be thoroughly immersed in the tasks still ahead. He is believable when he says he is able to work in the spirit of bipartisanship, having done so two years ago with Republican Town Councilman Len Bernard to defuse a politically loaded debate over the recycling and composting center. This is the model other Town Board members should follow, and that goes as well for Supervisor Lester.

As for the remaining Town Board seat, we respect Nancy McCaffrey for putting herself on the line again this year after being defeated two years ago, but do not think she is the kind of leader needed to get us through the next few years, when innovative thinking, especially in creating the new comprehensive plan, will be paramount.

Her Republican running mate, Diana Weir, 56, and Mr. Hammerle's Democratic running mate, Lisa Grenci, 36, bring some of the same qualities to the table. Both are extremely energetic, no-nonsense, business-minded women, who understand the importance of bringing the town's technology, in which it is regrettably lagging, up to par.

Ms. Weir, former chief of staff to Representative Michael P. Forbes, would also lend the board a broader perspective. She has not only an insider's knowledge of how things work in Washington, but, presumably, valuable contacts there.

Recently, however, she stained an otherwise straightforward campaign by referring to the Town Board's Democrats as "vermin." She was talking about an attempt by former Democratic Supervisor Tony Bullock to get her fired from the Bank of the Hamptons, she explained later (he denies it). But the remark came straight from the hip; more even-handedness is expected of a Town Board member.

The last time Ms. Grenci ran for the Town Board, in 1997, we said her record could not match either Job Potter's or Pat Mansir's, both of whom won election. Since then, she has worked across party lines as an appointee to the Housing Authority, helping it pull away from the brink of bankruptcy and get on with its mission. She speaks with concern about housing for low-income and seasonal employees and her determination to bite whatever bullet comes along has kept her in the public eye.

In the end, though, while Ms. Weir's harboring old grudges is worrisome, her practical experience as a business woman and a founding member of the Hispanic Advisory Committee give her the edge and our endorsement.

The Republicans have pointed correctly to weaknesses in the administration of Town Hall; should Supervisor Lester and Councilman Hammerle be re-elected, they would serve with Democratic Councilman Potter and Republican Councilwoman Mansir. Ms. Weir would help Ms. Mansir provide a strong, and we hope productive, minority.

Overall, the Southampton Town Republican incumbent Trustees are an impressive lot, although their opponents have found weaknesses in their handling of dock applications and in their unwillingness to fight Golf at the Bridge, which could affect Trout Pond. We support Scott A. Strough, a real estate broker who acts as chairman, Edward J. Warner, a Hampton Bays bayman, and Jon Semlear, a Noyac bayman, without hesitation. Peter Corwith of Water Mill is another good incumbent, who has worked for public access.

As in East Hampton, however, the Democrats have fielded a number of good candidates. One is Julie Penny, who would bring a committed environmental voice to the board. Another is Kelly King, who presents his concerns about public beaches and docks very reasonably.

Marietta M. Seaman has our vote for re-election as Southampton Town Clerk as does William Masterson Jr. for Highway Superintendent.

It must be a bit nerve-racking for chefs, but the intense restaurant competition on the East End is a very good thing for customers.

Twenty years ago, even 15, the handful of mediocre eateries here had no incentive to improve their food because they were the only game in town. Diners grumbled, but it did them no good. Now, if the food is bad, word gets around quickly: Either it gets better fast or there's a For Rent sign in the window by the end of the season.

This volatile scene is interesting for a reviewer in that a bad meal one month doesn't necessarily mean a bad one the next - because chefs seem to move around like a river of quicksilver.

Good Food, Again

A case in point is 95 School Street: Good at first, it descended into a gully of pretentiously bad food last year from which it has, I am happy to report, emerged like Lazarus from the tomb. It is to be hoped that the present chef, Isaac Lucero, has dropped anchor for a while.

My other complaint about 95 School Street - the noise - has also been addressed to some extent. The acoustics are still as sharp as knives, but there isn't a blare of third-rate music any more. Thank you, thank you, thank you. We ate in the quieter room to the right of the bar and those of you who don't like noise should request a table here when you make a reservation.

Prices on the small but well-chosen menu are upper middle: $6 to $12 for appetizers, $16 to $29 for entrees. There is a well-priced choice from among nine diverse wines by the glass, including two Long Island wines, from $4.50 to $7.

Amazing Caesar

There is a prix fixe menu for $23 that includes an appetizer, entree, dessert, and coffee. Good, good value. Service is upbeat and efficient.

I always respond viscerally to the arrival of the breadbasket. If the bread is good, the omens are good for the meal. I think it's a throwback to my English childhood where, if you had the nerve to request bread at all, they would bring you a piece of sliced white bread neatly cut into quarters. Don't even ask about the food that followed.

Anyway, the excellent bread at 95 School Street bore out my theory. It was followed by a Caesar salad that must have had Caesar Cardini weeping tears of joy in his Tijuana grave. This is one Caesar salad you'll remember, I promise. I wouldn't swear to it, but it tasted as if there were coddled egg in it, as there should be, but in any event it was divine.

Delightful Antipasto

The endive, frisee, and warm goat cheese salad ($10) was almost as good and one of our guests, who had eaten there a couple of weeks earlier, had great things to say about the arugula salad with shaved Parmesan ($9).

But if you have the Caesar salad, that means you'll have to miss out on the antipasto plate. Antipasto. The word sends a chill down the spine, doesn't it? It means two green olives, two black olives, a slice of salami, a mouth-puckering artichoke heart, and three hot peppers pickled in acid.

Not at 95 School Street. Here you get delicate prosciutto, the sweetest red peppers, a first-class breseola, and possibly the best mozzarella I've ever tasted.

By the time the entrees arrived, we were all smiles.

The prettily presented calf's liver dish ($20) came with a meaty smoked bacon, excellent mashed potatoes, and a pile of tart balsamic onions to cut through the richness.

Dessert To Die For

Iacono's free-range chicken ($22) has always been on the menu here and it was as good as ever, though the diner who ordered it said that on an earlier occasion it had been even better.

The grilled strip steak ($29) was delicious, particularly in combination with its fruity red wine sauce, though there were quite a few gristly bits left on the edge of the plate at the end. The gratin potatoes arrived cool and were sent back, but they soon returned piping hot to much acclaim.

Do leave room for dessert. I'm lukewarm about them in general, but the banana Tatin here is enough to make one melt on the floor in a pool of caramelized bliss. And the petit pot au chocolat is that rare Hamptons creature, a chocolate dessert that does not threaten to kill you with sugar shock. It's just sweet enough to make it a dessert, which enhances the flavor of the chocolate.

I advise getting to 95 School Street before the summer rush.

Energy experts predict home heating costs will rise upward of 50 percent this winter, thanks to the havoc caused by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita on the Gulf Coast, the nation's number-one energy-producing hub.

The Energy Information Administration Web site maintained by the United States government predicts chilling increases across the board. Households heating with oil can expect to pay approximately 32 percent or $378 more this winter. Those using natural gas can expect to pay about 48 percent or $350 more, while propane users can expect to pay 30 percent or $325 more.

The households that will be least hit use electricity for heating. They can expect a modest 5 percent increase, or about $38 more.

To prepare for the impact, some homeowners and renters have begun to outfit their living spaces with products to boost energy efficiency. Karla Faloon, a design consultant at Janovic Plaza in Wainscott, said interest in energy-saving window treatments "has never been stronger." Honeycomb shades, which are available from several manufacturers, offer the highest in energy conservation, she said.

According to Ms. Faloon, their "beehive structure" prevents heat from escaping while at the same time keeps cool air from coming in. Forty percent of all heat inside the house escapes because heat naturally moves toward cold surfaces such as glass windows, she said.

"The cells of a honeycomb shade actually trap cold air, decreasing its temperature as it enters the room," according to Ms. Faloon, "and this helps cut down on the amount of heat that goes out your windows."

For Bob Cummings, a sales consultant with North Shore Window and Door in Wainscott, addressing the root of the problem is key. "Marvin windows are the best." Consumers who want "the best" can expect to spend $700 to $800 per window. According to Energy Star reports, these windows are twice as efficient as an average window produced 10 years ago.

"People are more conscious of rising heating costs this year," said Mr. Cummings. "Marvin's are definitely expensive, but in the long run they are worth it." The windows are made to order and take anywhere from six to eight weeks to arrive.

While high-end windows may not be in everyone's budget, covering old ones with plastic will cut down on drafts. "The plastic really works. It keeps air from coming in," said Herb Kiembock, the owner of Amagansett Hardware.

Experience has shown that most customers react like the grasshopper versus the ant when it comes to buying products to boost energy efficiency. "They're never prepared," Mr. Kiembock said. "The time people will think about conservation or energy saving is the first day of a cold spell."

Mr. Kiembock said consumption tends to trump conservation but that he anticipates East Enders will do more this year than last to prepare for the cold. He ticked off a few items like insulating kits and portable heaters that he predicts will be strong sellers.

Dave Browne, the East Hampton Town fire marshal, advised those who use portable heaters not to skimp on price. "The more expensive the unit the better your chances of buying a quality product. Also, you want to make sure there is a tip-over, shut-off valve. Consumerreports.org is a good resource to check for recalls before buying."

"Kerosene heaters can be a fire hazard," he said. "Do not try to refill these heaters when they're hot, as sparks could start a fire."

"Demand is on the rise," reported Michael Clark of Riverhead, a wholesaler and retailer of firewood. "I hear a lot of guys want to get in on the business, but they don't have access to seasoned firewood."

Cliff Kalfaian, the manager of the Sag Harbor Fireplace showroom, said, "There's been a lot of interest in wood now because of the instability in home heating fuel costs. We've seen a big surge in wood stoves."

Wood stoves can be freestanding or installed in an existing fireplace. This application will increase the fuel efficiency of a fireplace to 70 percent or better. "Today's wood stoves are much different from the old clunkers of the 1970s. New models are better for the environment, burn much less wood, and their emissions are a fraction of what they were three decades ago."

"The easiest way to evaluate the most efficient heating option is to find the common denominator," said Michael Bailis, a sales consultant at Flanders Heating and Air Conditioning. "We advise customers to look at how many British thermal units are produced for a buck."

A gallon of Number 2 home heating oil will produce 41,000 B.T.U.s, versus 98,000 B.T.U.s for a home equipped with a geothermal heat pump. The pump moves heat from inside the earth's core to the house, and the energy produced can also be used for cooling. Consumers can expect to see a return on their $10,000 to $20,000 investment after five to seven years of use, said Mr. Bailis.

A new furnace is an obvious option to reduce heating costs. Replacing an old heating system with an average, up-to-date standard oil or gas hot air furnace will save homeowners 10 to 20 percent, while a deluxe liquid propane or natural gas furnace will save 30 to 35 percent.

As the adage goes, not only does it take money to make money - it appears it takes money to save money.

Riverhead Town Supervisor Phil Cardinale said yesterday that a new town board composition following the election could provide an opportunity for the Shinnecock Indian Nation to present a plan to offer casino gambling at the Calverton Enterprise Park.

Mr. Cardinale said the Shinnecocks approached the town about such a proposal in 2004, but that, besides himself, only one board member, Ed Densieski, said he would be willing to hear their pitch. The others said they would not even consider hearing the idea.

John Dunleavy, who has indicated that he would be open to talking about a casino, was elected to the town board on Nov. 8. He will begin his term in January.

A call to Mr. Dunleavy was not returned by press time. Beverly Jensen, a spokeswoman for the Shinnecocks, said they would not comment about the possibility of a casino in Riverhead or about the previous overture to the town.

Mr. Cardinale said he had not discussed the idea with Mr. Dunleavy, but that if his reported statements were true, it would at least signal that a plan could be discussed "if one was in the offing."

Jon Schneider, a spokesman for Representative Tim Bishop, said Mr. Bishop's stated position that he opposed a casino at the Westwoods site in Hampton Bays had not changed. He said Mr. Bishop continued to support alternatives that would help the Shinnecocks financially without the detrimental effects of casino gambling.

One such alternative would be to place a wind farm on the reservation. But Mr. Schneider said that the Shinnecocks rejected the idea immediately.

Assemblyman Fred W. Thiele Jr. said an idea for a hotel and convention center was also offered for discussion, but rejected by the Shinnecocks. He said the tribe had been approached two or three times about different ideas presented by both the congressman and State Senator Kenneth P. LaValle, but had said no.

"Their single focus is on a casino. I haven't detected any interest in other alternatives."

Mr. Thiele said a change in site, from Southampton to Riverhead Town, would not change his position. While he respects Riverhead's home rule authority, he said, he has also opposed casinos in Buffalo, Niagara Falls, and the Catskills, as he would on Long Island.

In general, he said, he was "opposed to casinos as a tool of economic development in the State of New York" and would vote against a Shinnecocks' casino if it came up in the Legislature.

County Executive Steve Levy said through a spokesman that it would "certainly be less of an objection if a locality was in favor of it, but casinos are not going to produce the kind of high-quality jobs that will help families take root in Suffolk County." Other types of businesses at the Calverton site would do that more effectively, he said.

Although the Shinnecocks have not been recognized by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, they were recently given federal recognition in a decision by Federal District Court Judge Thomas C. Platt.

United States Senator Charles Schumer has called upon the bureau to reject the ruling and continue with its review of the Shinnecocks' petition, which was granted active consideration in 2003. Before the Shinnecocks could qualify for gambling rights and other federal privileges, the bureau would still have to add them to its list of recognized tribes.

Mr. Schumer thinks the judge's ruling will "help grease the skids for a misplaced casino effort," according to a press release issued on Monday.

While it is also Mr. Bishop's position that the tribe cannot build a casino without the bureau's approval, Mr. Schneider said, they certainly have the "right to approach the folks in Riverhead" about the idea.

Mr. Cardinale said that, without hearing the Shinnecocks' proposal, a benefit might be a reduction in property taxes brought about by fees that the town would collect from the tribe. There might also be some overall economic benefit to the downtown area, he said.

"The negatives are the usual negatives generally associated with the development of the [Calverton Enterprise Park] site," he said, such as traffic and added pressure on the town's infrastructure. With the addition of gambling, there would be concerns about increased crime, the need for more police, and an overall change in the character of the community.

Even if a proposal came forth, "we would have to study it carefully," Mr. Cardinale said.

The site is near Exits 68 and 69 of the Long Island Expressway, and use of that access, while desirable from a business perspective, is adamantly opposed by the Long Island Pine Barrens Society.

"It would be a difficult and long issue to resolve," Mr. Cardinale said. "At this moment, it would be a long shot."

Mr. Cardinale said there were other proposals for the site, which includes the former Grumman Aerospace Plant, for both the "planned industrial park district" and the "planned recreational park district" zones into which the site is now broken down.

But there are "several thousand acres still available," he said.

"Limelight"

A Memoir

Helen Gee

University of New Mexico Press

$50 cloth;, $19.95 paperback

Way back in the 1950s, when I was young, poor, and good-looking, I worked for a New York photographic agency called Rapho-Guillumette. It was run by a diminutive Hungarian named Charles Rado, whose soft-spoken good manners and many facial tics hid a steely, tortured, and obsessive nature.

But he adored photography and his agency's roster and photographer-friends included names such as Brassai, Robert Doisneau, Bill Brandt, Man Ray, Henri Cartier-Bresson, Sabine Weiss, Sanford Roth, Fred Lyon, and Ken Heyman, among many others.

Working at Rapho-Guillumette was my photographic apprenticeship. Handling what are today considered masterpieces on a daily basis for some six years, and meeting the agency's photographers gave me a love of and insight into the medium that has only increased and deepened with time.

Pretty Blonde

Another and equally seminal apprenticeship in those years was Limelight, the first ever photographic gallery and coffeehouse in New York.

Limelight, in the early '50s, was something of a phenomenon - a phenomenon wrought by a slim, extremely pretty young blonde, mysteriously named Helen Gee.

Not only did Helen Gee stage ongoing photographic shows of real substance and artistry, but she veritably helped in putting photography as an art form firmly on the map.

Beyond Snapshots

Her extraordinary sensitivity and keen judgment offered a public deeply disdainful of photography the opportunity of seeing works that went way beyond the mere recording of mundane, snapshot images.

Here were works of genuine personal expression - deeply felt records of individual visions produced with passion and dedication. Her exhibits consisted of names that have long since entered the canon of the "greats": Robert Frank, Berenice Abbott, Ansel Adams, W. Eugene Smith, Paul Strand, Edward Weston, Minor White, Dan Weiner, Elliott Erwitt, Brassai, Robert Doiseneau, Sabine Weiss, Alvarez Bravo, Harry Callahan, Imogene Cunningham, Lisette Model, Gordon Parks, as well as already established masters such as Alfred Stieglitz and the earlier Julia Margaret Cameron (her closing exhibit in 1961).

Trendy Clubs

But Limelight was more. Located in the heart of Greenwich Village, the place was today's equivalent to one of the city's chic-est and trendiest clubs or nightspots.

It was a large, well-lit space consisting of many tables, room to walk around in, and, toward the rear, a well-designed gallery where people could look at the photographs and mingle. It was really more than a coffeehouse, serving real food deliciously prepared by Fong, the Limelight's Chinese chef.

In short, it was unique.

Comforting Presence

At the time living on nearby Bleecker Street, my wife, Jane, and I visited Limelight countless times. Often we'd see Helen Gee sipping coffee at one of the tables and usually talking (most often listening) to one photographer or another.

She was a cool and comforting presence in what was usually quite a mob scene. Indeed, Limelight was the quickly acknowledged meeting place of the city's photographic community, which would include such "important" personages as Edward Steichen, the director of the Museum of Modern Art's photography department and Jacob Deschin, at the time the photography critic of The New York Times.

But then, artists and personalities of every persuasion could be seen and wanted to be seen at Limelight - it was the "in" place to be.

Deepest Love

The woman behind it all was neither wealthy nor well connected when she opened Limelight. Married to a young, talented, and troubled Chinese painter, Yun Gee, and the mother of their daughter, Li-Lan, Helen Gee held various jobs in the city to help support the family.

Eventually she became a re-toucher of color transparencies, working for major magazines and earning enough money to venture into the highly precarious waters of storefront rentals and enterprises.

It had been her deepest love of photography that drove her to it, and "Limelight" is her account of how it all happened, how it endured, and how it all ended.

Slow Rise

Told with admirable simplicity (Ms. Gee's prose is mercifully devoid of photo-jargon), the story of her venture, at once pioneering and poignant, is also the story of the slow rise of American photography as an activity meriting the greatest attention and respect.

In her quest to make this happen, Helen Gee encountered endless setbacks, many financial crises, dealings with the underworld, and coping with the vagaries of "artistic" temperaments.

In her tale, candid as well as informative, she offers wonderful portraits of the photographers she championed - the young, disheveled, unpredictable Robert Frank, the aging and rather lecherous Steichen, the "suicidal" Eugene Smith, the stubborn and outrageous Lisette Model, the impossibly messy and vociferous Weegee.

Most important, in the telling, Helen Gee reveals a moment in the history of photography that saw some of the country's most gifted artists subsisting on practically no money at all - where a print sold at Limelight might fetch the grand sum of $25 or less - and where even showing a few prints in a group show constituted a major breakthrough.

Gifted Artists

It took courage and it took a kind of daredevil spunkiness that Ms. Gee possessed in abundance to build a serious and genuine home for photography.

But build it she did, and some of the greatest names in photography owe her a debt - a debt that eventually paid off and brought glory to the art form and, one hopes, to Helen Gee herself.

John Gruen is a writer and photographer who divides his time between Water Mill and New York City.

A felony hate crime charge brought against a Montauk man for allegedly attacking a Latino man in April was all but dismissed last Thursday by East Hampton Town Justice Lisa R. Rana.

Mark Dombrowski of North Fleming Court, a former New York City firefighter and transit police and corrections officer, received an adjournment in contemplation of dismissal on the single charge of assault in the third degree as a hate crime.

The charge could have carried up to four years of imprisonment since the misdemeanor is sentenced under felony guidelines.

According to Justice Rana's decision, the charge will be dismissed if Mr. Dombrowski does not commit a crime for six months. In May, the case will be revisited and formally dismissed should Mr. Dombrowski stay out of trouble, Robert Clifford, the spokesman for the Suffolk County district attorney's office, said on Tuesday.

Mr. Dombrowski was accused of punching and kicking Luis Ochoa while yelling racial slurs. Mr. Ochoa is a native of Colombia, a former hotel maintenance worker, and president of Sola Latino Americana Outreach Center, a Latino advocacy group, as well as a eucharistic minister at St. Therese of Lisieux Catholic Church in Montauk. The incident stemmed from a road-rage incident involving the two men moments before the alleged attack on North Farragut Road in Montauk.

According to Mr. Ochoa, several Latinos witnessed the incident and made statements to the police that painted a picture of an unprovoked attack by Mr. Dombrowski.

"The D.A. and police did a very thorough investigation into what really happened," said Gordon G. Ryan of Montauk, Mr. Dombrowski's attorney. The incident was based on a civilian complaint, not on what an officer saw, he added.

Mr. Clifford said that the district attorney's office could not make the charges stick because it could not prove that Mr. Ochoa had any physical injuries. He added that the office had been forced to subpoena Mr. Ochoa's medical records from his doctor in Montauk. Those records showed a "sore arm" and a "neck pain complaint." Mr. Ochoa claims to have pictures of his injuries from the day of the alleged attack.

Mr. Clifford did not address questions itness statements had come into question.

Mr. Dombrowski has maintained since his arrest that he acted in self-defense after Mr. Ochoa threatened him with a rock and "poked" him, according to Mr. Ryan. "It's ludicrous he's being called a racist," the attorney said yesterday.

Upon his arrest 11 days after the incident, Mr. Dombrowski was arraigned on the misdemeanor charges and released on $1,500 bail. At that time, he submitted to a drug test and was found to be drug and alcohol-free, Mr. Ryan said last Thursday.

He then enrolled in an anger management class and Stop-Bias, an anti-bias program that is "mandatory for those defendants convicted of a bias offense," Mr. Clifford said. Mr. Dombrowski completed the class during the summer.

The district attorney's office did not comment on whether the classes affected the court's decision to adjourn the case.

Last Thursday, Mr. Ryan asked for the charges to be dismissed in their entirety.

Justice Rana did not dismiss the charges completely and did issue a temporary order of protection to Mr. Ochoa, extending to May 10. Mr. Dombrowski was ordered by the court not to contact Mr. Ochoa directly or through a third party.

Mr. Ochoa appeared in the courtroom but did not speak. On Tuesday, he said in an interview that he "wasn't shocked" at the outcome of the hearing but added that he "has absolutely never seen anything like this."

"The laws here are not for immigrants, but only for Anglo-Saxons," he said through a translator. He added that he has been "more psychologically affected by the court's decision than by the attack itself."

Mr. Ochoa said he plans to file a civil suit against Mr. Dombrowski in order to create a "higher profile" for his case and to raise awareness of the judicial system, which he says appears to be "picking and choosing the people it prosecutes."

Mr. Dombrowksi refused to comment, but Mr. Ryan said they were expecting a civil suit. "Bring it on," he added.

Ronald Lauder has applied for permission to revegetate his Wainscott Pond property, East Hampton Town Trustees were told during an abbreviated monthly meeting on Oct. 14, but wants to dredge the site first, in order to assure that phragmites - reeds - do not return.

Mr. Lauder has asked the Town Department of Natural Resources for advice. Trustee James McCaffrey, who lives in Wainscott, said he would talk to Larry Penny, the department's director, about the matter.

Mr. McCaffrey will take a look at the property, too; he does not think dredging will do the trick.

The Town Shellfish Hatchery has begun machine-seeding clams at Sammy's Beach off Three Mile Harbor in East Hampton. John Aldred, director of the hatchery, has informed Trustees that markers will clearly identify the seed lots.

Mr. McCaffrey has asked Mr. Aldred for a report on the oyster-growing pilot project Trustees allowed to take place in Napeague and Three Mile Harbors. Phase one of the Napeague program, which began in 1994, is due to be completed soon.

Participating baymen asked Mr. Aldred for more time to complete the growing, and he in turn advised them to talk to the Trustees.

Mr. McCaffrey noted that while Trustees were careful about crossing the line between a pilot project and a commercial enterprise, he would be in favor of letting the baymen finish their growing. The oysters are said to be terrific.

It was also announced last week that bid specification forms for supplying a marine sewage pump-out boat to the Trustees will be available through Tuesday at Trustee headquarters on Bluff Road, Amagansett. The boat is being purchased with the help of a Federal grant.

Monthly meetings of the Trustees will begin at 6 p.m. from now on. This goes for the regular meeting on the second Tuesday of each month at Town Hall, and for the work session held on the third Tuesday of each month at Bluff Road.

Georgica Pond in East Hampton was let to the ocean by order of the Trustees today, and should be running strong by this afternoon.