Just Do It

Southampton Town Supervisor Jay Schneiderman missed a golden opportunity to reassure residents of Hampton Bays that he was serious when he recently spoke of a “fresh start” in the effort to revitalize the hamlet.

The effort has been mired in controversy. Legislation to create a downtown overlay district was overturned in state court last year after resident Gayle Lombardi filed an Article 78 lawsuit successfully pointing out deficiencies in the law and in a state-required environmental study of the proposal. The town appealed the decision.

Lombardi was not alone in her dissatisfaction with the overlay district — it faced continued vocal criticism from residents who felt their opinions on the future of the hamlet were disregarded.

Then, earlier this year, in an effort to resurrect the overlay district, the town hired the consulting firm Nelson Pope Voorhis to prepare a revised environmental study. But a contract with the company included a section written by a subcontractor that spoke of muffling public opinion and “neutralizing” opposition. The firm has since withdrawn from the work.

In response, Schneiderman and other members of the Town Board apologized for the language of the contract, saying they regretted the effect it would have on the public’s trust, and spoke of starting over in developing a revitalization plan that wouldn’t include the overlay district. Public meetings were held and the supervisor has had listening sessions with local residents to gauge their interests and preferences in a development plan.

But perhaps he didn’t listen hard enough when the residents urged him to withdraw the town’s appeal to the Article 78 decision. Although he and a majority of Town Board members — including Cynthia McNamara and Rick Martel — have said they favor dropping the appeal, they have taken no action. The board was expected to take up the matter at a private executive session meeting last week, but have made no statements about the status of the appeal since.

Schneiderman, oddly, in an article about the appeal last week, said a decision to drop it was “tricky,” while musing at the same time that the town would have “a good shot” at winning the appeal if it went forward. Neither statement does much to reinforce his desire to repair a shaky relationship with the public still reeling about the language contained in the outrageous contract with the environmental firm — and a successful appeal would mean the Hampton Bays DOD is back in business, which is counter to the “fresh start” rhetoric from Town Hall.

The supervisor, if he truly desires a fresh start, must build up confidence in community members that the Town Board has their best interests at heart and will seek to build a downtown that will meet the needs and desires of current residents and business owners. The DOD looms as a zombie effort to force a failed plan on Hampton Bays.

There’s only one clear direction forward when it comes to withdrawing the Article 78 appeal: Just do it.