Letters

Four years ago, in 2019, I ran for mayor because the village had the highest vacancy rate in our community’s history, we had some of the most polluted lakes and water bodies in the entire state, we had no plan or blueprint for our community’s future, luxury condos and town homes were being built that did not fit the character of the community, we had a rising property tax rate despite rapidly increasing assessed values on homes, no momentum on a necessary sewer district, and a village that was losing its year-round working population.

Four years later, our downtown is more vibrant than before, having just finished a great Memorial Day weekend. We’ve made substantial progress improving our water bodies and have earned tens of millions of dollars in record grant money for clean water projects.

I’ve led the update on the village’s comprehensive master plan, we lowered the property tax rate over the last three years, we have completed the map and plan for the village’s sewer district, and not a single luxury condo or town home project has been approved or developed.

With all of this great progress, I am asking you, the village residents, for an opportunity to continue for a third two-year term, so that we can finish the great work that we have started.

We also have exciting projects for the future, which include a world-class park on Pond Lane, a beautification and landscaping plan for the downtown, and the first algae harvester in New York State. We will continue our goal to make Southampton Village the best place to live for everyone.

However, unfortunately, over the last nine months, village trustee meetings have eroded into personal attacks against me, only to intensify each and every week as the election becomes closer. Interestingly, the village and all its essential operations, including police, fire, EMS, Public Works and Ocean Rescue have never run better and more efficiently. This contrasts sharply with the trustees’ narrative about the affairs of the village. I could not be more proud of all of the great men and women who serve Southampton Village in each department. We are blessed to have incredible people working for the village, which is why our community is so special.

The future of Southampton Village is bright. I am looking forward to the opportunity to continue to serve you, so we can continue to make great strides for the betterment of all residents, while we welcome a diversity of opinions and thoughts to ensure that everyone’s voice is heard.

Jesse Warren

Mayor

Village of Southampton