Letters

An email titled “Save Our Village” recently found itself in my inbox, and I believe it’s doing the rounds throughout Southampton in support of Jesse Warren’s campaign and the two prospective challengers for trustees running against Andrew Pilaro and Mark Parash.

The email is from Ellen Scarborough, and for those who have received this email I believe it is important to correct some of the disappointing inaccuracies and misleading statements Ms. Scarborough has made in her bid to influence the voting residents of Southampton Village.

There was no inexplicable delay or opposition to installing a new village treasurer, as she states — it was up to the mayor to end the treasurer’s contract and to provide a new candidate. This didn’t happen until after last year’s election, contrary to her email.

The mayor, as budget officer, increased last year’s budget by 4.7 percent without conferring with fellow trustees. During COVID, the trustees were careful with spending; this led to the savings that you’re seeing in this year’s budget. However, to provide a 0.3 percent decrease in property taxes, there won’t be any surplus in 2021-22, which could be a big issue for this village.

I’m not sure why Ms. Scarborough would state that the Epleys are “running candidates” in this election. It is quite a reach, seeing as Andrew Pilaro and Mark Parash have not and never have been Epley candidates.

The case of the rumors regarding the Village Latch and Andrew’s involvement were addressed and refuted in full at the time in this very newspaper. Neither candidate is “in the pocket” of anyone. They have no need to be.

The chief of police has served this village for over 34 years with not one sick day, and he earns less than many other police chiefs on Long Island. It’s an absolute shame that the mayor’s personal issues with the chief should be extrapolated into attempting to bias a whole village election.

The fact that Ms. Scarbourough is complicit with and approving of the mayor’s shocking bullying of Trustee Joe McLoughlin in the Board of Trustees meeting she chose to highlight in her round-robin email is shameful.

Robin Brown, whom Ms. Scarborough describes as a “diversity” candidate, has never been registered to vote here. I’m unsure how that makes her “community minded,” as Ms. Scarborough stated.

I do hope those residents who have received Ms. Scarborough’s email will take the time to look at the points highlighted above and the many other statements she made and ask some relevant questions on her motivations in this election.

Here’s to a fair election on June 18 and with that hope I here state my support for Michael Irving, Mark Parash and Andrew Pilaro.

Tony Pilaro

Southampton

Mr. Pilaro is the father of Andrew Pilaro, a candidate for reelection to the Village Board — Ed.