Letters

This letter is written out of love for our neighborhood, to promote understanding and empathy for all the school’s neighbors, and to express my concern for the lack of process over the last few weeks around the Marsden Street properties.

The people around the Marsden Street lots that are currently for sale have been aware of Pat Trunzo’s desire to profit from the property. Many of us attended village meetings over the previous year and saw that, consistently, he submitted houses that were inappropriate for this historic neighborhood.

That process worked the way it is supposed to: expert and public comment, transparent input, discussion. Mr. Trunzo was invited to return with an appropriate set of houses, but he chose not to.

We all had hoped that the Community Preservation Fund would be used for a public park. No one was aware of the closed-door negotiations until the day the school district announced its intentions to buy some of the lots, both on its own and with CPF money.

Despite our proximity to the school, and our personal happy history with the school, no one called, wrote to us or thought it worthwhile to include us in planning this major change to our historic neighborhood and how we will live. Nor were our neighbors, some current students, other alumni, all paying taxes, called or contacted.

Your local neighbors have cheerfully put up with student drivers, school events, lots of noise and occasional trash because caring for the school is how townspeople care for each other. Indifference to this care is not how small-town democracy should work. You could say, well, we are putting this up to a vote — but, again, we are not even asked to an informational meeting.

This vote has been set in place too quickly. It is unclear whether the school district needs a field like the published drawing, and I know there are many other pressing needs in the district.

As a person deeply involved with local families, the data are clear: Many Sag Harbor kids and parents are struggling with serious unmet mental health needs, chronic food insecurity and precarious housing. We cannot attract teachers for lack of rental housing or affordable first homes. This area is in crisis. Let us do something about it — I will be your first volunteer.

So, I beg you, slow down this process — cancel the November 3 vote. Set priorities for our Sag Harbor children in a public and transparent manner, and begin talking in public meetings with the neighbors, your faculty, our Sag Harbor parents, the park board and village trustees. Real dialogue engenders real change.

There is enough for everyone, if we decide to work together.

Leah Mason Oppenheimer

Sag Harbor