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Councilwoman Cynthia McNamara cast the sole dissenting vote on the appointment.
Tom Neely was appointed to the Southampton Town Planning Board.
With the Southampton Town Board appointing Tom Neely on Tuesday, January 25, the Southampton Town Planning Board is now seated with a majority of members registered with the Democratic Party.
“A single-party quorum of highly political individuals” is how newly elected GOP Councilwoman Cynthia McNamara put it before casting the sole dissenting vote.
The appointment troubles her, she said. “I do not think the appointment of Mr. Neely to the Planning Board at this time serves the best interests of our community as a whole,” McNamara said, noting that she likes Neely personally.
The lawmaker referenced recent changes to the town code that permit a one-party quorum on land use boards, while prohibiting an appointee from simultaneously serving on a land use board and as an officer on a town political committee.
“The argument made during the public hearing for these changes was that while we shouldn’t be limiting ourselves from appointing individuals based solely on their political affiliation, we also shouldn’t be appointing highly political individuals,” McNamara reminded.
Planning Board member Robin Long ran unsuccessfully for the Town Board on the Democratic ticket alongside Neely, who was defeated in a run for highway superintendent in November.
GOP colleague Councilman Rick Martel said that while the prospect of a single-party quorum concerns him and the issue should be discussed “down the road,” he believes Neely is the right person for the job.
Supervisor Jay Schneiderman agreed that land use boards must serve the public and do it in an unbiased way, so members should be apolitical. “They serve such an important role, and we are delegating such important power to them,” he asserted. He said he appreciated the concerns raised, but had “tremendous confidence” in Neely.
“I put his name forward because I believe he will be a good member of the Planning Board and provide a particular expertise that I think could really benefit that board,” the supervisor said, making note of Neely’s work on transportation issues for the town.
Councilman Tommy John Schiavoni noted Neely’s service to the town started with the Planning Department. “So he does have a background in planning, and I think he will be an excellent addition,” he said.
John Zuccarellli, whom Neely will replace, was term limited and ineligible for re-appointment. Members of the Planning Board can serve three four-year terms. Potentially shaking up the board further, Chairwoman Jacqui Lofaro’s third term expired in December 2021. She helmed the board’s January 13 meeting. As of Wednesday, January 26, with a Planning Board meeting on tap for the following day, there had been no Town Board discussion of her replacement yet, according to McNamara.
“At the moment, she is in holdover status,” Schneiderman affirmed. “She can stay until we appoint someone else.”
The board’s vice chairman, Dennis Finnerty, contacted The Press on January 27 to report he is registered blank. According to an email from the long term board member to the Press, “I have never had an affiliation or participated in activities with any political party.with no political affiliation.”
Questioned, McNamara emphasized that she had said the “quorum” of the board would all be members of one party. A quorum of the seven-member Planning Board is four. Like Finnerty, LoFaro and member George Mootoo are registered blank.
