Last week, I announced my candidacy for mayor of Southampton Village. While there are a number of priorities I hope to address, transparency and public input must be at the center of village government.
That starts with restoring public comment at all Board of Trustees meetings.
When I was first elected as trustee, one of my first suggestions was that public comment should be allowed at all Board of Trustees meetings, and it should be in a format that allows for the exchange of ideas.
Whenever new laws are being proposed or projects that affect all the residents are being planned, these should be clearly noticed and brought to the public’s attention so that a dialogue can occur before a vote is taken.
As a former decade-long member of the Planning Commission, I also believe we must better utilize this resource. The Planning Commission is a think tank of talented, civic-minded residents who care deeply about the village. They should be consulted in advance of major zoning changes, infrastructure projects and policy shifts.
Take, for example, the large solar awning recently installed in our historic district. I’ll make sure residents are informed and have a voice in shaping the future of our community.
The Freedom of Information Law process must be improved so that requests can be answered in a timely and comprehensive manner.
I’ll be sharing more ideas over the coming weeks, but at the heart of my campaign is this: Our village belongs to its residents, and they should always have a seat at the table.
Ed Simioni
Trustee
Southampton Village
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