Letters

Last year, around the end of November and early December, a series of full-page ads appeared in The Southampton Press excoriating Supervisor Maria Moore, accusing her of a quid pro quo that went something like this: You get my financial support for your campaign if you push for the amortization of the sand mine in Bridgehampton. (Amortization is a zoning tool used to phase out nonconforming sand mines, and in this context an aquifer saving methodology.)

The public records show that the person who would most benefit from using The Southampton Press to malign Supervisor Moore and derail the amortization vote also has made campaign contributions to Cynthia McNamara.

A real battle pitting the two most prominent women public officeholders in Southampton Town, one against the other. I wish the men had stayed on the sidelines.

I got to know Supervisor Moore during the 2023 campaign. If there is anyone commensurate with Ms. Moore’s honesty, compassion and respect for process in politics today, I’d like to know who it is.

Wait. I do know who it is — it’s Tom Neely. (I hope you saw my earlier letter this year, wherein I describe Mr. Neely’s September 11, 2001, selfless actions, which spoke volumes to his love of country and compassion for his fellow citizens.) Tom deserves kudos for his recent contributions to this town, and I hope he gets to continue making contributions as a member of the Southampton Town Board.

The things that count, you know.

Returning my thoughts to Cynthia McNamara, whom I only know through the pages of The Southampton Press and a few anecdotes from those who interact with her: I cast no aspersion. I just think she’s somebody I disagree with and who belongs to a political party that I used to respect back in the days of Jacob Javits, Clifford Case, Charles Percy, Edward Brooks, Lowell Weicker and Everett Dirkson. Things have certainly changed.

If the two gentlemen I alluded to above chose a less prominent role in the sand mine issue, I’m guessing the amortization vote to protect our sole-source aquifer would have happened just the way it did. Both Maria Moore and Cynthia McNamara have demonstrated an ability to draw their own conclusions. One prioritized water quality in a just way, whereas the other had other thoughts on the matter.

I agree with the amortization vote, and I hope you do, too. Protecting our aquifer is a good thing — and Tom Neely is a good and decent man who deserves your support.

Mike Anthony

Westhampton

Anthony is a former chair of the Southampton Democratic Committee — Ed.