Letters

Near the end of Friday’s meeting in Steinbeck Park, Nada Barry made an impassioned appeal for all to pay greater attention to the tireless work that our appointed boards take on.

The past year has challenged our Sag Harbor Village volunteers to adapt and advance, and, with the help of Zoom, they have. But while this technology has allowed the business of the village to move forward, it has also given individuals an opportunity to be intimately present in the conversation.

A couple of years ago, while remodeling a property in the village, I attended many of these meetings, but while waiting for my agenda item to be called the ongoing business in the front of the room was too removed to see or hear.

The Zoom version of the Board of Historic Preservation and Architectural Review has become my new “must see.”

At first, I felt a little creepy watching with no vested interest, but it has provided an education and insight into the fabric of the village and a greater sensibility for what should and shouldn’t be.

The agenda items cover a vast array of topics from sign color to total gut renovations. While some might consider the board’s concerns as an obstruction to personal freedom, I believe that my project and neighborhood benefited from their observations.

It’s so much better than HGTV, and the local context and color adds to the interest.

This past Thursday’s agenda included an application by LT Burger to extend its awning. The question came up as to what the height from the sidewalk is or might be. Carrie Garypie peered out from the second-floor Building Department window and was able to offer, “There is a pretty tall guy standing there right now, and it’s pretty high above his head.”

While I appreciate the increased level of difficulty that the Zoom age has inflicted on our committees, I personally will be saddened by the return to in-person meetings and the possibility to be “in the room where it happens” disappears.

David Florence

Sag Harbor