Letters

Although my elected position as Southampton Town Trustee has not officially started, I have already jumped in feet first.

In my short time visiting the Trustees’ office, my observations of the environment have been of confidence, encouragement, optimism and poise, paralleled with the respect for and recognition of a significant transition. The employees have a level of patience and support that make me feel at ease, and I can recognize the dignity with which they are holding space for the outgoing board.

Ed Warner and Scott Horowitz have, without a doubt, left a legacy with their work on the Board of Trustees. I can speak for both Jimmy Mack and myself when I say that all of the outgoing Trustees, including Chip Maran, have been incredibly gracious and thoughtful with the changing of the guards during what many can understand might be a sensitive period of time. I am impressed by and thankful for the level of thought and care that has gone into establishing a sustainable board during this transition, which can be accredited to the longevity and dedication of the public servants who have led the board thus far.

There is a shroud of mystery that surrounds the Trustees, but it is a board steeped in history and selflessness. The Southampton Town Trustees exist, primarily, to allow access and egress for the freeholders of the town to our greatest assets: the beaches and waterways. These assets have turned Southampton into a multimillion-dollar tourist, food, sport, lifestyle and real estate industry, alongside a thriving local community.

The key importance is, however, that they are charged with protecting these assets and their public use. If the Trustees did not exist, the likelihood that the beaches, the waterways, our access to and from our boats and bays would have been purchased or negotiated off to other interests, by either homeowners, businesses or politicians, long ago.

I am excited and grateful to be stepping into this legacy of protection and stewardship, and to be not only supported by my voters but also by the standards established by the Trustees who sat before me. The thing that has stood out to me the most about the Trustees is the level of collaboration involved. During these shifting tides, I feel privileged to be on both the giving and receiving end of that collaborative effort, and I would like to extend my thanks to all involved.

Sara Topping

Southampton