Letters to the Editor: 09.22.16

Thank You, Ruth

East Hampton

September 19, 2016

To the Editor,

I felt it was important to send a thank-you to Ruth Appelhof, who has retired as director of Guild Hall, in that her kindness, hard work, and dedication in the circle of events within the community have been very positive and appreciated.

Thank you, Ruth, for being you. Thank you for inviting the Calvary Baptist Church Youth Choir to sing at Guild Hall many times.

Thank you for letting the Long Island Black Artists from Hempstead exhibit its work that was displayed in the education room many times. The luncheons were delicious.

Thank you for treading the Montauk Green with Ralph Carpentier, judging the many artists’ work from different states and counties for the Montauk Artists Association.

In summer, 2015, thank you for bringing in the Staples Singers. Mavis Staples said that she told her band, “I can’t believe we are in East Hampton!” From the audience, I shouted back, “You are in East Hampton!”

Thank you, Ruth Appelhof, for everything you have done. Enjoy your well-deserved retirement.

ROSA HANNA SCOTT

Maintaining Open Space

East Hampton

September 12, 2016

To the Editor: 

As you may know, many of my neighbors opposed the proposed local law to amend Chapter 193, Open Space Preservation, noticed for public hearing on Sept. 1. I have owned a home in the Town of East Hampton for almost 50 years. I opposed the town’s proposed amendment to the open space preservation law for many reasons. Most important, I am opposed to this proposed amendment because it is designed to benefit a specific property, instead of serving the public interest as a whole. Serving the public interest is the primary purpose of town government and the primary role of each of the town board members as our representatives.

Open space and density reduction are two of the main goals of the East Hampton Town Comprehensive Plan. This proposed amendment of our law is in direct contradiction to the goals of maintaining open space and of density reduction, because it allows increased density and does not create open space. (A scenic or conservation easement is not the same thing as open space.) The requirement for open space was put in place for specific reasons and with the intention and goal of benefiting the entire community and to contribute to the quality of life from which all of the town’s residents can benefit. This amendment is designed for and benefits one property owner, not the community at large.

This amendment, if adopted, would permit subdividing a 5.6-acre parcel on Georgica Pond to allow two homes, with their accessory swimming pools, pool houses, and tennis courts, and without required open space and without the clear benefits and purpose of open space preservation being served. Georgica Pond frontage is in A-5 zoning. 

There is no public benefit to this legislation. This is simply a proposed amendment of our law to benefit one property owner. It goes against the most important duty of this, the town board — the duty to serve the public good.

The town board, and Supervisor Cantwell in particular, showed that a good government prevails. We applaud the town board in turning down this egregious spot-zoning attempt.

Sincerely, 

JOYCE MENSCHEL

What Montauk Can Be

Montauk

September 19, 2016

Dear Editor, 

In your lead editorial last week titled “Hamlet Studies May Not Suffice,” you suggest that larger town issues may be overlooked. In the case of the Montauk study in particular, the “larger issues” received considerable, and well-deserved, attention by those involved.

Of all the areas in our town, Montauk had the largest commercial concentration bordering the waterfront, in both downtown Montauk and Montauk Harbor. The flood overlay maps designed by Dodson and Flinker for the Montauk charrette last week showed the potential impact of rising water levels on businesses and seaside properties. This in turn led to serious group discussions on topics ranging from relocation of commercial sectors to adaptive zoning changes over a period of years.

The Montauk hamlet charrette also engendered considerable conversation on quality-of-life issues, including surface and groundwater contamination, traffic congestion, and opportunities for passive and active recreation. Here again, these deliberations proved fertile ground for such concepts as working with the M.T.A. to make the Montauk train station a transit hub, fostering sewage treatment plants in select locations to protect Lake Montauk and Fort Pond, and designing traffic turnabouts in congested areas to ease traffic flow.

The public sessions in Montauk were a unique opportunity for citizens here to begin to think long range about what Montauk can and should be in the years to come. While it was disappointing that there were not more members of the Montauk business community involved in the series of meetings, those who did attend got a firsthand glimpse into key elements of comprehensive community planning.

It has been said that in the past, if the powers that be did not like the conclusions of a particular study, the findings were quietly shelved for future consideration. The questions and creative concepts brought forth in Montauk over the past week are too important to ignore. 

Sincerely, 

PERRY DURYEA III

Structures on the Beach

East Hampton

September 16, 2016

To the Editor:

We have seen the Army Corps of Engineers, their work on the beach at downtown Montauk, the opposition before and during its progress, and the undoing of at least some of it a few weeks ago by the effects of a hurricane that didn’t really come close to Montauk. A few things are clear. One, that has been said time and time again locally, often in your own pages, is that hard structures protect hard structures but tend to undermine beaches. This is pretty much an accepted fact of life on the shore. Two, there are two different purposes for proceeding with the work: to protect the beach, or to protect the commercial structures constructed essentially on the beach system (if we include the dunes, which we must) and the village of Montauk, the center of which is largely constructed on very low-lying land that could be inundated by a truly major storm. 

If we add this all together we come up with a simple fact that has rarely been articulated: The various motels and restaurants are themselves hard structures constructed within the beach system. So protecting the commercial structures will inevitably undermine the beach, either sooner or later, and inevitably someday the village will be, at least temporarily, under water. 

But how does one move the structures on the beach and the whole low-lying part of Montauk? 

FRED KOLO

They Would Prefer

Sagaponack

September 19, 2016

Dear Editor:

I spoke with the rockweed, earthworms, and goldenrod, and they would prefer the area known as East Deck Motel to become a natural park.

JEREMY GROSVENOR

Their Name Is Listed

East Hampton

September 13, 2016

To the Editor:

Make sure the person to whom a handicapped tag is issued is in the car with you. The name is listed at the Police Department. If you drive the car and use the tag without the person it was issued to, you are subject to a fine of $250 plus. The handicapped person loses the tag.

This happened to my neighbor. Think before doing this.

JULIA KAYSER

A New Superintendent

Springs

September 15, 2016

Dear Editor,

Here’s hoping that the Springs School Board of Education will wise up and find a new superintendent with vision, energy, and long-term commitment to a deserving Springs community. It’s time to leave the BOCES recyclables in the bins where they belong.

Sincerely,

TERRY S. MILLER

Perfect School Setting

Springs

September 17, 2016

Dear David,

Watching the East Hampton Town Board’s Montauk work session recently as they licked their lips and salivated over the building that is presently a school to take it over for their senior citizen community center for a cool $2 million or so upgrade, when Springs School should walk in tomorrow with probably a $100 clean-up fee and move its third or fourth-grade classes to flourish in that perfect school setting.

Instead, the Springs School Board would prefer to build the Liz Mendelman addition for the cost of $20 million or $30 million, passing the buck on to the citizens of Springs, who already have the highest taxes, and probably pushing many homeowners on fixed incomes, who won’t be able to handle the increase, out of the East End to one of those southern states. This is truly a tragedy. Poor Springs!

Their lawyers told them to forget it because the State Education Department will not allow them to use a building that is not in their district. The Springs School Board never enlisted the help of our legislators, Fred Thiele or Ken LaValle, to pursue this end. And we have to wonder how can they look the citizens in the eye and say we are able to put the pre-K classes off-site at Most Holy Trinity but cannot figure out how we can get the C.D.C.H. site to alleviate our school population problem.

What a tragedy. Poor Springs!

PHYLLIS ITALIANO

Get a Move On

East Hampton

September 19, 2016

To the Editor:

Food pantry relocate to C.D.C.H.? What a great idea! The food pantry already has its own walk-in freezer, indoor freezer, and six large storage tubs. Electricity, hot and cold running water, storage space for dry foods, and prep space at the C.D.C.H. would meet the immediate needs of the food pantry. With the town board’s approval, it would be ready to go. 

I ask the town board to immediately  meet with Family Residences and Essential Enterprises of Old Bethpage, who own the building, and get a move on. As we continue to rapidly grow, let’s meet our year-round community’s needs now!

Compared to Springs-Fireplace Road, the C.D.C.H. location is much easier to enter and exit. Let the community know what steps we have to take to make this a reality now! Go East Hampton Town!

LALLY MOCKLER

There Will Be Fallout

East Hampton

September 12, 2016

To the Editor,

As with any attack (your editorial “Airport Tipping Point”), a “nuclear option” cannot be had without devastating consequences and fallout. And there will be fallout.

Most of the people who live here like the airport, and they appreciate that it’s the only entity in the Town of East Hampton that costs the taxpayers nothing. Most people in general have a fascination with flight, and have or have had, however fleetingly, the dream of learning to fly. Even David Gruber (who doesn’t live here but is one of the leading airport complainers) tried to become a pilot, although he failed.

If that dream is evaporated, there will be fallout. When people realize that their dream was compromised to appease a few aggressive people trying to capitalize on discounted property that they bought near the airport, there will be fallout. When people realize that taxes will be raised to pay for the closure of this self-sustaining facility to bolster the windfall of these profiteers, there will be fallout. When taxes are permanently raised further still, to support the infrastructure of whatever the airport is to become, there will be fallout. When the loss of open space and the watershed is threatened, there will be fallout.

The East Hampton airport is and always has been open and available to everyone. I own an airplane for less than many, if not most, people own a car. I routinely fly to ports in New England for less than it costs to drive to Greenport. When I, on occasion, need to go to New York City, I fly, because I can’t always afford the bus. Flying is the most efficient, environmentally friendly way to reach beyond this part of the Island. 

A private flying lesson costs less than a private surfing lesson. For about a tenth of college tuition you could teach your kids to fly. If they’re not college-bound, BOCES now has an aviation program.

I am at the bottom of the local financial spectrum. If the airport closes there will be no fallout from my no longer being able to live here. The fallout will come when the people on the other end of that spectrum can’t get here and the airport complainers on the bus are wondering what happened to their windfall.

MATT NORKLUN

Misses the Mark

East Hampton

September 16, 2016

Dear David,

 On the front page of The Star’s commentary section in the Sept. 15 paper, there’s a cartoon that I take issue with. It depicts a bayman steering his boat. On the back of the boat is the word “deplorable.” It was probably meant to be humorous, but I feel it vastly misses the mark.

In my mind, it’s directly implying that Hillary Clinton was calling hard-working workers, in this case fishermen, deplorable.

That is definitely not the case. She was calling out people who are anti-Muslim, anti-Mexican, anti-foreigners. She was in no way demeaning hard-working men and women. It is the bigotry that she is calling out, as we all should.

Some politicians are now misconstruing what she said and telling their audiences that she’s calling a large part of the U.S. population “deplorable.” That is also lying about what Hillary Clinton did say about bigotry and trying to make her anti-American. 

I am stunned that it should appear in The Star. The Star prints all points of view in your letters to the editors and that’s great, but the cartoon represents the paper, not a citizen. All the media should be held to a high standard and not allow a word Hillary used against bigotry to be used in a deplorable way.

Respectfully,

LARRY SPECTOR

Trump Is Right

Sag Harbor

September 10, 2016

Dear Editor:

This morning I read the latest comments from Hillary Clinton. I am so angry she believes half of Trump’s supporters are in a basket of deplorables. It begs the question: What does she think the other half of Trump’s supporters are? I can assure you that as a Trump supporter I am not a racist, sexist, homophobic, xenophobic, or Islamophobic, nor do I know any Republican who is.

How dare she make such insulting remarks about millions of Americans who are fed up with the way the Democrats have been running this country into the ground, while her supporters drink the Kool-Aid. I love America and all it stands for. Personally, I came up the hard way. I went to college at night for eight and a half years to get my degree and worked no less than 60 hours a week for almost my entire life. I have never taken a handout and worked hard to earn what I have. I have seen firsthand how corrupt unions are, and I have traveled to over 50 countries, many in the Middle East, and lived in several countries as well, including Saudi Arabia. I have met many people in the Middle East, and believe me, they all want America burned to the ground, no matter how nice and courteous they appear. Even so, I am not an Islamophobe. As to the other categories in her deplorable basket, I am none of them either.

All this Trump-bashing makes me sick, not the least of which come from the biased left-wing media who constantly take Trump’s actions out of context and print lies. How threatened the media must be to print such petty articles. Trump is a businessman who lives in the world of reality, not fantasy land. Sure he is brash, politically incorrect, and insulting at times. So what? How refreshing! He has the courage of his convictions. We need a tough leader who knows not only how to make tough decisions, but also live by them. Demo­crats live by a creed that is ruining America. To get a factual understanding of this, everyone should look at the recent film “Hillary’s America” to understand the reality of the Democratic Party and the damage they have done and are continuing to do to America.

I could go on, but after Clinton’s recent lies attacking the character of millions of Americans, I had to set the record straight. It is clear that she believes she is above the law and she can get away with anything as a protected species. Slipping by scandal after scandal, all of which are ignored by the protective media, proves that. Trump is right in describing her as “crooked Hillary.” It is beyond my comprehension why millions of Americans support her.

This election is so important. If corrupt, crooked, and lying Hillary Clinton is elected, America will continue to decline in a downward spiral.

THOMAS R. METZ

I Made the ‘List’

Hampton Bays

September 19, 2016

To the Editor, 

It looks as though I got onto another list. I made the “list of deplorables” who support Donald Trump, our next president.

The only thing I feel, she fits all the terms she lists about us, plus a few others we could list about her, such as hypocrite, liar, better than thou, etc.

Her elitist husband, along with the elitist Barack Hussein Obama, has done a fantastic job of dividing our country.

This latest holier-than-thou diatribe reminds me of an episode that happened to me about 10 years ago. I attended a seminar in Charlotte, N.C. There were a few speakers, one being quite intellectual. However, at some point, the gentleman and I got engaged in a very interesting conversation. At some point he asked, so what college did you attend? I commented, I went to the School of Hard Knocks. At that point, Mr. Better Than Me made an abrupt about-face and moved on to someone of greater intelligence.

That is how I feel about the Clintons, I got the impression they think their you-know-what doesn’t stink, but their fumes give them away.

Oh well. Thank you again for letting me be I.

Yours truly, 

JOHN PAGAC

Deplorables

Montauk

September 16, 2016

To the Editor:

I noted Peter Spacek’s rowboat cartoon in last week’s edition, and I was reminded of Trump supporters wearing “Deplorable” T-shirts.

I don’t understand the bragging. Given the lies, bigotry, lack of transparency, and hatred drummed up as part of Trump’s campaign over the past many months, Hillary Clinton was right — there are deplorables as part of the Trump camp. 

Sincerely,

PAT LUKASZEWSKA

Far From Being Lazy

Springs

September 13, 2016

Dear David,

A writer has sent a letter or two calling Lee Zeldin lazy, claims he has lazy logic and supports Donald Trump. Let me say Congressman Zeldin has done more for his constituents in his first term than Bishop did in all the time he was in office. Mr. Bishop has one thing on Congressman Zeldin, he received a lot of money for favors. 

Last I heard, we live in the U.S.A., which gives us the freedom to pick our own choice for those who run for political office. If Congressman Zeldin backs Donald Trump, that’s his right. He stepped into a job poorly run by Bishop and has stood up to the tasks, far from being lazy. Oh, did I hear President Obama call Americans lazy? That’s where this statement came from, the man who apologizes for America wherever he goes, but lives high on American taxpayers’ money.

In God and country,

BEA DERRICO

Deplorable Disaster

East Hampton

September 13, 2016

To the Editor:

Trump degrades our military and its generals; he degrades our State Department, he degrades our past and present secretaries of state, beats up on and denies the citizenship of the president of the United States, supports the strength of Russian President Vladimir Putin and his policies, forms a charitable trust for tax-reduction purposes, then never personally contributes to it but uses the donations of others to redistribute their contributions as if they were his; uses funds in his Trump Charitable Fund for improper and illegal personal expenses, deliberately lies about making contributions to charities that he never made, and then has the temerity and chutzpah to call his opponent dishonest.

Donald Trump is a charlatan, a pernicious liar, and a fraud who calls for a massive deportation of undocumented aliens, the theft of Iraqi oil, and the building of a joke of a wall. If all American voters lived in New York City, they would know what we see: a deplorable disaster of a hateful man seeking to dupe them and, so far, succeeding.

RICHARD P. HIGER

The Law of Karma

East Hampton

September 14, 2016

To the Editor,

All the education that one needs is the following: The father uses the law of karma to perfect his love in us. Each path is as different as your face is from mine.

ANTHONY J. COLETTI