A Hampton Bays Native Bids Farewell To Position On School Board

Michael Dunn will say goodbye to his hometown this week, and with it his position on the Hampton Bays Board of Education. The Hampton Bays native, who’s lived in the hamlet for 45 years, announced in April that he would not be seeking re-election for a second three-year term on the School Board. He expects to relocate to Cooperstown with his wife, Kathy Dunn, and their three daughters, Taylor, Lindsay and Carly. Newcomer Anne Culhane won Mr. Dunn’s seat in May and will join the board on July 1. “It’s very bittersweet,” Mr. Dunn said on Thursday, June 28. “I feel fulfilled with what I did.”In citing his accomplishments on the board, he pointed to his participation in the Hampton Bays School District’s decision to file a notice of claim against Southampton Town earlier this year, which detailed plans to sue the municipality for more than $10.6 million. The claim—the first step toward a lawsuit—cited the town’s failure to enforce laws against long-term residential use of hotels and motels in the hamlet, leading to a strain on the district as residents add to the school population with a corresponding increase in property tax payments.“What I did to protect the taxpayers from what I feel is a lack of attention from the Town of Southampton—I’m very proud of that,” he said.As president of the Concerned Citizens of Hampton Bays, Mr. Dunn took a stance against the hamlet’s motels, particularly the Bel-Aire Cove Motel on Shinnecock Road, calling it the main contributor to pollution in Penny Pond Canal.Together with Vice President Robert Liner, he argued that the motel’s septic system was designed for seasonal use only, meaning the motel’s current year-round use exceeds the septic’s capacity.Apart from that, Mr. Dunn coached the Hampton Bays girls softball and basketball teams, and was the co-chair of the Hampton Bays Citizens Advisory Committee from 2012 to 2015.Mr. Dunn also co-owns Dunn Development and Construction Corporation in Quogue, which he plans to maintain with his brother Joseph Dunn. He added that there is a chance the construction company may expand to include a second location upstate.And while he will spend the majority of his time upstate, he stressed that he plans to make frequent trips to Hampton Bays, especially during the summer. “I’m still going to be part of the community,” he said. On Thursday, Superintendent of Schools Lars Clemensen bid farewell to his colleague, calling him a “lifelong Bayman.”Hampton Bays Board of Education President Kevin Springer also took time to wish Mr. Dunn well.“Mike is a lifelong friend whom I’ve had the pleasure of working with on many occasions,” he said on Thursday. “His passion, intuition and attention to detail will be sorely missed on all fronts.”