Letters

I am writing in support of Terie Diat’s and Chris Fiore’s candidacies for the North Haven Village Board in the municipal election on June 15. Terie is running for reelection to a seat she won in September 2020. Chris is running for a seat that is being vacated by Trustee Jim Laspesa.

As president of North Haven Manor Association — the largest private homeowners association in North Haven — I have known Terie as both a neighbor and as an exemplary secretary of our association board. Terie has been a resident of North Haven Manor for 31 years. Her husband, Jon, is a lifelong North Haven resident who writes the fishing and nature column for The East Hampton Star.

When Terie ran last year for an open seat, it was the first contested election in North Haven since 2013. This meant almost a decade in which no independent candidate mounted a race for the board and won. The reasons were various, but there is little question that Terie’s victory, and her addition as a trustee, have been a win for North Haven.

She brought her experience from a 37-year career as a finance executive at Colgate-Palmolive, managing complex projects and budgets. In her nine months as a trustee, she has helped improve communication and transparency between the village and residents by way of a new monthly email newsletter; she has helped initiate a redesign of the village website; she has put in many hours on improving permitting processes and procedures and helping to revise local codes for docks, clearing and shoreline protections.

Chris is also a great asset to our community. He previously served as an appointed trustee for a year and presently serves on the Village Planning Board. A 44-year veteran of the retail business, he has, among other things, worked hard with Mayor Sander during the last year to acquire the Lovelady Powell property on Sunset Beach Road, which we hope will become a 4-acre community park and walking path. He is also putting his creativity to the challenge of improving North Haven’s terrible cell reception without a tower.

As with many towns in our area, North Haven faces a growing list of complex issues and challenges that our board must anticipate and meet if we are to maintain our island’s unique character and way of life.

Terie and Chris have the experience, intelligence and common sense to help lead North Haven Village into the future. As evidence of these traits, they are cross-endorsing each other from their respective parties.

I enthusiastically endorse Terie Diat’s and Chris Fiore’s candidacies and urge voters to elect them both as North Haven Village Trustees.

Susan K. Reed

President

North Haven Manor Association