Letters

I’m compelled to add my name to the increasingly expanding list of Southampton Village residents who’ve rebutted much of what has been written in these pages by our former mayor, Jesse Warren.

In one of his letters, Mr. Warren contended that the village has entered into an agreement to “inject bacteria” into Old Town Pond. From what I understand, this is patently false. What the board did approve was a company’s request to seek, at their own expense, the necessary state and federal permits that would be required if a trial were ever to move forward.

To restore these bodies of water, specifically Old Town Pond, two steps are critical: First, reducing the pollutants entering the lakes, and then addressing the toxic sludge that has accumulated over time.

The village is actively working on the first front. Our current trustees have installed bioswales to capture runoff and funded a permeable reactive barrier at the north end of Lake Agawam to intercept pollutants from the business district’s aging septic systems. Ultimately, a sewer system for the business district would be the most impactful solution, which the trustees recognize and are working on diligently.

On the second front, both Lake Agawam and Old Town Pond are contaminated with several feet of sludge from decades of runoff. Dredging it is neither affordable nor feasible, given the disruption it would cause. But Mr. Warren is nonchalantly dismissing the revolutionary technology that apparently is the only viable alternative to dredging, along with a potential solution to removing sludge at a fraction of the cost.

Of course, “potential” is the key word here: I understand a trial is underway in Sands Point in Nassau County, with promising results, but it’s only a year in. Of course, more data is needed, and more research must be done, and it would be gross negligence if our officials refused to even explore promising solutions.

Further, for Mr. Warren to claim the village is recklessly deploying unproven science isn’t just wrong but also comes across as only his latest attempt to undermine an administration that voters overwhelmingly chose to replace, along with the chaos and dissension that prevailed on his watch.

If I’m not mistaken, Mr. Warren recently shared his excitement in a letter over the imminent arrival of his first child. I’m one of many who disagree with the opinions of our former mayor, and how he’s handled himself of late. But I’m confident all will join me in extending best wishes to him and his young family, as we urge Mr. Warren to focus his time and energy on them, and not the opinions page of The Southampton Press.

Tom Murray

Southampton