East Hampton Town Trustee

The candidates for East Hampton Town Trustee, Lisa Stewart, the Democrat, and Joe Holmes, the Republican, are vying for the unexpired term of the late Gordon Vorpahl. In spite of some petty politicking by others, they have proved themselves sensible, down-to-earth candidates.

They take the role of the Town Trustees seriously and would work hard to protect it. Both understand that the Trustees have a remarkable opportunity to help preserve the East Hampton they have known and both would seem to be able to work without partisan concerns.

They agree on most issues. Both support a strong role for the Trustees in the Local Waterfront Revitalization Plan and in any environmental review affecting beaches and waterways, in guaranteeing public access to beaches and waterways, and in maintaining the Trustees' authority before the State Department of Environmental Conservation. Both support no-discharge zones, the seeding efforts of the Town Shellfish Hatchery, and dual review, by the Trustees and the Town Zoning Board of Appeals, of waterfront applications.

Neither supports a totally unregulated fishery, carte blanche beach driving rights, or a laissez-faire approach to aquaculture on public bottomland, although Ms. Stewart seemed somewhat more enthusiastic about the future of the latter. An organizer of the Boys Harbor fireworks in Three Mile Harbor for years, she supports the event; Mr. Holmes, who said it has polluted the harbor, said he had seen an improvement and was no longer opposed.

We believe whichever candidate wins will do well in office, although we think Ms. Stewart has the edge for being the more analytical of the pair. Whoever loses should continue, as both do now, to attend Trustee meetings and should run for a Trustees' seat the next time around.