We Mark Our Ballots for Southampton Village Trustee

Candidates in the upcoming Southampton Village election would be forgiven for having a touch of post-traumatic stress disorder: In recent years, the village races have been no-holds-barred melees, with money from outside groups funding broadside attacks, and a battle royal atmosphere.

This year, it’s been a bit more civil — at last week’s debate, sponsored by The Express News Group, one candidate, challenger Josh Belury, even took time to offer accolades to the two incumbents he was facing, and called for a friendlier tone. Which, honestly, might be a bit of an overreach, but it’s a nice thought, and welcome.

When the dust settled, a few things were clear. A few grenades were lobbed: Challenger Ed Simioni, who had been unceremoniously dumped from the Planning Commission by the new administration, came prepared to attack Deputy Mayor Gina Arresta for being spendthrifty and less than transparent, and Arresta countered with a broadside against Simioni’s attendance at the aforementioned Planning Commission.

It made for decent political theater. But sifting through the rest of the night’s conversation, it was hard to come to a conclusion other than that Gina Arresta and Len Zinnanti have earned the right to remain on the board.

Which isn’t to suggest that Belury and Simioni are lesser candidates. They are from different molds: Simioni, who is a bit more reserved, toiled for years on the Planning Commission, while the energetic Belury is a community asset whose enthusiasm for his many volunteer efforts is infectious.

And there is value to their key campaign message — a 5-0 board is not a healthy one — and their criticisms about a lack of transparency cannot be easily shrugged off. Certainly, there are disgruntled votes in the village looking for a place to put their support, and while neither challenger has clearly articulated any particular measure or cause, they have something to offer beyond mere friction in the gears of government.

A side note: Simioni’s pledge to decline any benefits and to donate his salary as a Village Board member if he is elected is admirable and charitable — but it’s hardly a fair criticism to suggest that the men and women who are elected and serve shouldn’t be compensated. There’s no shame in accepting a salary for a job well done. Taxpayers might well decide they get what they pay for.

In their time in office, both Arresta and Zinnanti have earned their paychecks. Arresta is an active board member and, as deputy mayor, she deserves accolades for taking on the not-so-sexy job of advocating for maintenance of village properties — pushing off that spending to polish the bottom line often ends up costing more in the long run. Zinnanti, meanwhile, has a financial acumen that the village desperately needs, and he has moved from an advisory role to a seat at the table nimbly.

There is room for improvement from both elected officials, and from the board in general, but both are dedicated and committed, and they deserve to continue in their roles.