Letters

Southampton Village Mayor Bill Manger recently staged what he grandly called a “work session.” Instead, it was nothing more than a regular board meeting on a table dressed up with a royal blue-colored tablecloth. Same room, same resolutions, same combative tone from Manger (civility?) — just moved from the dais to a folding table. Of course, public comment was still prohibited.

Residents showed up hoping to raise concerns about traffic, an issue on which Manger continues to deflect. But they were shut out. Instead, they witnessed a bizarre display of performative government and fiscal irresponsibility.

At one point, Trustee Rob Coburn asked what a $17,404 expense was for. Manger stared blankly at his agenda, while Trustee Len Zinanti replied, “I don’t know off the top of my head. We have to ask the treasurer.” Manger voted to approve it anyway.

This is how the mayor of a $37 million village makes decisions, approving tens of thousands of dollars without knowing what it’s for. Imagine running a local business this way? You wouldn’t last a season.

Then came a discussion about raising Building Department fees — again. Instead of a reasonable, square foot-based formula used by places like Southampton Town, Manger’s approach is based on a percentage of overall construction costs, which one trustee correctly noted resembles a tax more than a fee. The reality is that Manger is looking for revenue anywhere he can find it to support his reckless $3.2 million increase in spending.

In the end, this “work session” was just more of the same: tone-deaf leadership, rubber-stamped approvals and no accountability. A change of furniture won’t fix what’s broken at Village Hall.

David Rung

Southampton Village