Election '98

Almost everywhere we look, the mood of the election is dispirited. The Starr investigation and the public's knowledge of how limited and disappointing those it has elected can be has taken the wind out of many sails. Despite the fact that Tuesday's balloting will result in several crucial decisions, the parties and the electorate hardly seem engaged. We should be thankful that it is not a Presidential election year.

At the grass-roots level, however, the picture is anything but dispiriting. The East End has a rare opportunity to protect a significant chunk of its remaining open space by approving the fourth proposal on Tuesday's ballot, the Community Preservation Fund. And the race for one vacant seat with the East Hampton Town Trustees presents two candidates, Joe Holmes and Lisa Stewart, to make East Hampton proud.