Time For Unity

There was no mistaking the division in Sag Harbor Village during this year’s village campaign. Much of the acrimony was not stoked by the candidates themselves but by their supporters, who lobbed unfounded innuendos — largely on social media — about both Jim Larocca and Kathleen Mulcahy, the candidates for mayor, in an effort to swing votes.

Perhaps an echo of the current national political climate, it was destructive, however well-intentioned those individuals believed their efforts were. The sense of divide was palpable on Main Street leading up to Election Day.

At a swearing-in ceremony in Steinbeck Park on Tuesday, Mr. Larocca, a sitting trustee who narrowly bested the incumbent, Ms. Mulcahy, called on members of village government and the community to put those divisions aside. He asked people to come together, saying, “The matters facing this village are too big, too important, for anything less than a unified community and a unified purpose” — to preserve, protect and nourish Sag Harbor Village now, and for its future.

Mr. Larocca could not have delivered a more important message. Despite the contentious campaign season, the reality is that Sag Harbor Village has a strong Village Board, with members who bring a diverse set of talents to the table. That includes incumbents Aidan Corish, Thomas Gardella and Bob Plumb, and its newest member, Edward Haye, a qualified candidate with deep local roots who was appointed by Mr. Larocca to complete the remaining year in his unexpired trustee term.

The village also has a strong group of volunteers on its regulatory boards, which ultimately weigh and discuss development, and have the potential to shape the village as it continues to evolve. Sag Harbor also is stacked with an involved and local group of business and civic leaders. There is a lot of good to work with, but not if this remains a community divided by thoughts of “us versus them.”

Mr. Larocca has made a declaration for unity, and we expect him to hold himself to that standard. For it will only serve outside interests if the divide on the Village Board continues to be pervasive. Disagreements are common and healthy in the work of local government. But when they turn toxic, no one benefits.