Letters

This Friday, June 16, I will be asking you and all village residents for your vote for another two-year term.

I would like you to know that the village is in great shape right now, and that progress is visible for all to see. Our beaches are pristine and better than before as a result of increasing the frequency of beach raking and cleanups. The community is extremely safe — we’ve increased the police presence on Main Street, so that law enforcement can be more visible, and updated our emergency management plan for the first time in years.

Our downtown is more vibrant and active than in years past, and we have created a public-facing downtown crew to assist with additional trash pickup, power washing and cleanliness. Our water bodies are showing signs of improving, and we have raised a record amount of grant money to address this.

Also, over the last three years, we have lowered property taxes while improving services. We’ve paid down over $2 million of debt and have record unrestricted cash surpluses. Resident services have improved significantly. We have increased code enforcement efforts and rolled out a quality-of-life app called SeeClickFix.

We have updated the villagewide comprehensive master plan plus created an Arts and Culture Overlay District, which will help save the movie theater. And we have addressed traffic issues in a way that prior administrations have not.

All this is due thanks to the excellent efforts of the hardworking men and women of our police, fire, EMS, building and public works departments, as well as all administrative employees. I am grateful for their service to the village, and I could not be more proud of them.

However, the job as mayor is not an easy one. At times, I have had to make decisions that I believe were the best for the overall community, but often in contrast to the majority of my board. Having a difference of opinion is a good thing, particularly when it leads to the right decision being made or provides the public with more transparency on issues.

This election, village residents will get to choose whether or not they will elect a 5-0 super-majority or, conversely, a more well-rounded board with different opinions and ideas. It is important to note that if reelected with our slate of trustee candidates, Greg Centeno and Palmer Hudson, we will return to work with the same positive and optimistic mindset and work collaboratively and together with the rest of the board who still keep their seats.

This election will be over, and it will be time to bring everyone together, which is something that all village residents can agree on.

Jesse Warren

Mayor

Village of Southampton