Letters

After speaking with many of you about the issues affecting our community, I’ve heard you loud and clear: You want village government to address lifetime health care benefits for former board members once they leave office. Under the current plan that was put in place in the 1980s, the mayor and trustees are vested after five years of service.

There is no doubt that this current plan places a burden on Southampton Village taxpayers. For the board’s current makeup, the plan is expected to cost the village approximately $6.7 million. In particular, almost $5 million of that $6.7 million price tag will go toward benefits for Mayor Jesse Warren, due to his young age.

The board fully recognizes that change must occur. To that end, we recently retained outside municipal consultants to review our compensation and benefits plan. These objective consultants will make recommendations that will not be self-serving and ultimately will create a new policy.

My utmost priority will always be to protect the pocket of every Southampton Village taxpayer. In that spirit, at the most recent board meeting, I put a resolution on the agenda to waive my rights to lifetime benefits after five years of service. I was proud to take this step toward greater fiscal responsibility in the village. The resolution passed.

I was glad to see that Mayor Warren followed my lead by asking the village attorney to draft a similar resolution for him to be walked on at the end of the regular agenda. The resolution for the mayor to waive his rights to lifetime benefits after five years of service also passed.

Of course, there is much more discussion to be had with the public surrounding this issue. For now, I promise to you that I will continue to protect the Southampton Village taxpayer throughout these conversations.

I would be honored to represent your voice in Village Hall as your next mayor. I humbly ask for your vote on Election Day this Friday, June 16, from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. at the Southampton Cultural Center, located at 25 Pond Lane.

Bill Manger

Southampton Village