Get It Together

Infighting among government bodies over differences of opinion when it comes to legislation or even a general path forward for a community is to be expected — it’s a sign that there is a healthy diversity of views on a village or town board. In many ways, when it is productive and healthy, it informs debate rather than proving a distraction.

Unfortunately, that was not what Sag Harbor Village experienced at the first session of a new Village Board led by Mayor James Larocca. Just one week after the newly elected mayor took his oath of office, calling for unity after a village election that saw supporters on both sides of the mayoral race taking shots at both Mr. Larocca and former Mayor Kathleen Mulcahy, the wheels quickly fell off the collegial bandwagon.

At the heart of the disagreement was Mr. Larocca not offering a liaison or committee appointment to Trustee Bob Plumb, who did support Ms. Mulcahy, as did Trustee Aidan Corish, during the campaign. Community members questioned the decision to not give Mr. Plumb, a contractor, his previous role as liaison to the Building Department, let alone any committee assignment.

Mr. Larocca, who named himself the liaison to the Building Department, has every right as a new mayor to take over a committee assignment that he believes should get his attention more than most. That decision is appropriate. But to leave Mr. Plumb — a trustee who has done excellent work for the Village of Sag Harbor, and who clearly has community support, earning more votes than any other candidate in his bid for reelection — without any assignments is doing the village a disservice, and it reeks of the kind of punitive action that belies a promise of unity.

It is time for these sitting board members to put aside their differences when it comes to the election. It is not constructive to hold on to those grudges and does not support the important work that the full board has ahead of it over the next two years.

As mayor, it is incumbent on Mr. Larocca to set that tone, as challenging as that may be. He tripped coming out of the gates, but there’s plenty of time to find his footing. Finding a role for Mr. Plumb would be a good first step.