Letters

Until my family moved out here full time a few years ago, I would have been hard-pressed to tell you what the village trustees did, how many there were, or what their terms consisted of. But tune in to your first Village Board meeting, and you will quickly see that these four elected officials are important stewards of our environment. From weekend leaf blower regulation to garbage collection on our streets and beaches, cleanup measures for our lakes, oceans and ponds, public works, parades, sound land use policies, our tax dollars, and the example they should set for civil discourse and fair government, they are the invisible hand, impacting our shared story for better, or worse.

Gina Arresta and Bill Manger Jr. are worthiest of our trust in this regard. Gina has been a model of calm and grace under pressure, while always giving village residents the facts about spending and management. With an eye on cutting back wasteful practices, she has kept her campaign promises by lowering our taxes, and voting in a modest rainy day fund to protect us from hikes in the future. The creation of a capital budget, software allowing it to be tracked, and her sponsorship of new revenue streams is moving the village forward.

Government service, especially in times of polarization is hard. We are lucky that Bill, a former well-respected trustee with a proven track record, seeks to return to service in village government. His interim statewide roles have only served to increase his knowledge and perspective.

They both deserve our support on June 17.

Willa J. Bernstein

Southampton