Help Us Understand
North Haven
October 13, 2025
Dear David:
The Hamptons International Film Festival screened numerous big-celebrity commercial films as expected; however, this year several magnificent documentaries were also premiered that I was fortunate to see.
The animal rights group showed “Trade Secret” that exposed deception by the World Wildlife Fund and corrupt nations that enable continued hunting for pleasure and decorative use of the polar bear and other endangered species.
The film “Natchez” showed the difficult transition of that small tourist-dependent city from a culturally blind yearly celebration of Antebellum Plantation history, to a more inclusive recognition of how important slavery was in building their culture.
The powerful film “All That’s Left of You” was a valuable portrait of a Palestinian family’s experiences from their removal from their home and land during the 1948 creation of the state of Israel, throughout generations of exile to the present. A better understanding of how the conflicts in the Middle East developed was an important eye-opener.
A more entertaining film was “Newport & The Great Folk Dream” that showed the Newport Folk Festival during three dynamic years: 1963-65. The music, the musicians, and the participants all worked together as social conditions were rapidly changing. Excellent clips of a wide variety of artists were seen, many now quite famous, some only vaguely remembered, or not at all. The audiences showed the developing enthusiasm for civil rights and antiwar sentiment at the time.
These films, among others, are rather small and may have difficulty getting wide distribution. It is a real treasure that HIFF includes these important films in an otherwise celebrity-showered event. We are so lucky here in the Hamptons. Many of these films can help us better understand our heritage and even become motivated to better protect it.
Respect and improved human decency become more treasured during this current onslaught of international political terror. We can appreciate opening our eyes and ears to these many issues that need to be heard. Thanks to HIFF for all its hard work presenting this.
ANTHONY CORON
The Broken Hart
Sag Harbor
October 11, 2025
Dear David,
Mark Segal’s Oct. 11 Star article on “Blue Moon” at the Hamptons International Film Festival should certainly prompt many to see the sad story of a famous musical divorce and the broken “Hart” behind it.
A fierce fan of songs by Richard Rogers and Lorenz (Larry) Hart, I must correct Mr. Segal on one key point: Oklahoma was not the first collaboration of Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein. Far from it.
In fact, Google reveals Hammerstein worked with Rodgers first in a 1919 amateur musical comedy titled “Up Stage and Down.” It included the song “There’s Always Room for One More,” re-used in the 1920 Columbia Varsity Show, “Fly With Me,” otherwise mainly by Rodgers and Hart — making it the first production in which all three had a hand.
The Hammerstein lyric, meant for an avid, young ladies’ man, was surprisingly saucy for the eventual master of high-minded anthems and romantic ballads. For example: “My heart is an airy castle filled with girls I adore/ My brain is a cloud of memories of peaches galore/ There was Jane and Molly and Ruth and Sue, Camilla, Kit, and Patricia too/ My heart is filled to the brim with you, but there’s always room for one more.”
The preternaturally talented trio collaborated again on “You’ll Never Know,” the 1921 Varsity Show, with Hammerstein as director of production.
I was given the scores to both those old shows by the Rodgers and Hammerstein organization for performance (by others) at a reunion of my own Columbia class (1963) — a triumph, I thought. But barely half a dozen classmates and their wives paid attention. Sad.
Frankly, I prefer my Rodgers with Hart and my Hammerstein with the composer Jerome (“Show Boat”) Kern, of whom the late Sag Harbor novelist, critic, and music historian Wilfrid Sheed wrote, “Kern’s music leaves one feeling not just good but noble.” (See his 2008 exploration of the Great American Songbook, “The House That George Built — With a Little Help From Irving, Cole, and a Crew of About Fifty.”)
DAVID ALPERN
Get Vaccinated
Springs
October 7, 2025
Dear David,
I was very happy to see your front-page article encouraging people to continue to get vaccinated. Despite what our current public-health “leaders” want you to think, vaccines are safe and they work! While I would love for Covid-19 to be a thing of the past; it, sadly, is not, and the implications from things like long Covid can be greatly reduced with continued vaccination.
While mask mandates have gone away, wearing one, especially when sick, continues to be a way to take care of yourself and your community. With our public health system in true mayhem, it is more important than ever that we find ways to keep ourselves and our communities healthy.
Best,
MATTHEW MILLER
Safe for Everyone
Sag Harbor
October 9, 2025
To the Editor:
My favorite part of our East End community is the people. We are diverse, and we are caring. We have worked hard at addressing the opioid epidemic and its subsequent overdoses. While preliminary figures show opioid-related deaths declining on Long Island, we must be aware that racial disparities are growing. Hispanic or Latino, Black, and Native American overdose mortality rates have increased the most rapidly. Systemic barriers to health care, a deportation crisis, and a disproportionate criminal justice population are contributing factors.
As a graduate social work student and future social worker, I am ethically obligated to advocate for policies to help address this problem. We need to look at who Good Samaritan laws in New York actually protect so that all of our citizens feel safe dialing 911 in the case of an overdose. We need to look at the implementation of medication-assisted treatment in our jails and prisons so that people are being rehabilitated and re-entering our communities successfully.
It is up to us to protect our wonderful, diverse population. Racial disparities in overdose deaths impact us all. Please join me in focusing on this social problem through coverage of related policy and community advocacy aimed at keeping our home safe for everyone.
JENNIFER GOLDFARB
Not the Answer
East Hampton
October 12, 2025
To the Editor,
Although I am totally confused about the new rules and regulations for accessory dwelling units, or A.D.U.s, in the Town of East Hampton, I do know this: Many people who bought houses over the years were very happy with the strict no-accessory dwelling unit rules.
Now that there is a change and the A.D.U.s are allowed, the properties near or next to A.D.U.s have big problems. Not only will they have more people as neighbors coming and going, more transient renters, more noise, but their houses will be worth much less than before.
The town is also changing the car rules and allowing five vehicles per lot. What a nightmare for the next-door neighbors. Affordable housing may be a problem, but this A.D.U. change is not the answer!
When people buy houses and then the rules change drastically, not for the better, homeowners are negatively affected. So many people bought houses in the Town of East Hampton because they felt guaranteed that accessory dwellings were not allowed.
The new A.D.U. rules are unfair to the many taxpaying residents. Why not put this on a ballot for a vote? The owners, the taxpayers, should have a say. Why protect and think about affordable housing and not protect and think about the taxpayers and their quality of life?
JANE ADELMAN
Flipping the Blame
Montauk
October 13, 2025
Dear David,
There is love at first sight, which appears as a spark that dances brilliant, ephemeral, and destined to vanish quickly and then there is the kind of love that is an ember that glows deep, enduring, and long-lasting. That same dichotomy can also apply to an appreciation one has for people and situations outside of romance; for instance, one’s evaluation of government officials.
Cate Rogers, if you’ve watched her operate as a councilperson the last few years, you’ve had to have developed a deep appreciation for her dedication to pursuing what’s good for our town, our community, and the needs of the ordinary folks who live and work here year round. In her position as town board member, her work has taken root quietly, nourished by research, watered by empathy, and tended by perseverance. Unfortunately, many love stories can lead to heartbreak. Lurking in the shadows of this tale there are the baddies who because they feel their personal interests are being threatened, use specious arguments to attack our heroine.
You see, Cate, in one of the many beneficial town policies that she’s pursued, antagonized a powerful faction in our community. She led a task force whose mission it was to address the out-of-control scale of houses proliferating in our town. That irritated those who have always fought against any efforts to limit the scale and size of houses because the bigger the house the more they profit. To them, if young people, year-round workers, and moderate-income citizens are priced out of where they live or where their children would like to remain, that’s too bad. Their personal self-indulgence comes first.
Here’s the irony: those same people who are supporting unbridled scale and size of houses that only the very wealthy can afford are running a campaign against Cate where they claim that the zoning code change adopted by the town board that reduced the house sizes relative to lot area will hurt local moderate-income families the most. They’re flipping the blame.
In fact, the formula change was specifically crafted so that it has the most effect on the high-end luxury-size homes and it purposely minimizes the impact on what can be built on smaller lots. For example, you can still build a 4,000-square-foot house on a quarter-acre lot, counting the basement and garage. Don’t let yourself get bamboozled by this slick dealing from the bottom of the deck card trick that is meant to unfairly smear an honest and dedicated, hard-working representative of the people of East Hampton.
Cate Rogers is smart, data-driven, a protector of the natural beauty of this piece of heaven, and a champion of our citizenry. If you know her, I know you will vote for her. If you haven’t gotten to know her yet for whatever reason, look into what she’s done. Be mindful, though. The more you get to know her, the more likely you’re going to love her deeply — and then please go out and vote for her.
LOU CORTESE
Cate Stepped Up
East Hampton
October 13, 2025
Dear David,
Cate Rogers is a born leader. I knew this the moment I met her many years ago as she spoke to a large group of people at a meeting about our town’s environment and water quality. And since she was elected to the town board, Cate Rogers has been leading our community in the right direction. She continues to consider all of the facts and all of our concerns as she addresses the many pressing issues we face in East Hampton. I support her candidacy. She should be re-elected in November.
As an East Hampton resident of several decades, I have been a licensed broker, and I was honored to be elected to serve as an East Hampton Town trustee for three terms. So, I understand that it is possible to promote the economy and to protect the community and the environment all at the same time.
As an East Hampton Town trustee, I was dedicated to the preservation and protection of our environment for the purpose of generations to come. Water quality has always been a paramount concern for the trustees, for our fisheries, recreational activities, and our residents.
As a consistent “top producer” real estate broker, beginning with Allan M. Schneider and Associates, I once sold the most-expensive property in the Hamptons. The sale made the front cover of New York magazine. I’m familiar with zoning and planning codes, and I know the tremendous profits real estate brokerages, agents, and homeowners derive from the “Hamptons” market.
I once lived on Meeting House Lane in Amagansett as we built our home in Northwest Woods. Today, I don’t recognize “the lanes” — gone are the traditional “cottage” style homes, replaced now with over-size structures and gravel and hardscape where once there was grass and trees.
Let’s be honest. We needed real action by the town board to take a step to ensure that ongoing development is better balanced with the needs of our community and our fragile environment. It was Cate Rogers who stepped up to take on the issue, to hear the entire community and lead that process for rational change.
But now the opposition candidate running for town board says that “much of the community is hurt by” the recent code changes. He is incorrect.
He’s saying that “large” luxury homes that displace regular-size, year-round family homes and “sit vacant for most of the time” are a really good thing because, in his mind, they are primarily a funding source that educates our children, paves our roads, etc. This is false.
The opposing candidate then goes on to say “small houses put more strain on housing.” This statement defies logic and truth. The house we built decades ago is a “small” house on an acre. How is our small house a “strain on housing?” We don’t need or desire a large luxury home, and are grateful we built a livable, small house.
Has this candidate considered that for every modest home purchased and demolished and replaced by an outsize luxury building by corporate investors and those interested solely in maximizing profit margins, it forever eliminates a stable home for a local family and their school-age children? If the candidate really understood the facts and the issues, he would be telling you that this is the thing that hurts much of our community.
Let’s talk about large-home designs: every additional bedroom means more people occupying the house. And the more people there are inside the house means the more sewage and greater flow of other contaminating effluents coming out of the house.
But we rely on clean drinking water from our wells that comes from East Hampton’s single aquifer. Our septic systems handle waste that flows underground in plumes — those change daily, weekly, monthly, flowing toward water: harbors, ponds, the ocean, and perhaps our wells. Clean drinking water isn’t a luxury; it is literally life.
We need homes that are affordable and ample for our local working families and their children. How many of our children are able to remain in, or return to, our town as adults? Very few. The opposing candidate knows why our young people and year-round community members have left and continue to leave East Hampton. We all know why. Look at the ads in the papers. There is not one listing today that any local person or family can afford.
Question: When the local population is pushed out due to excessively large houses and overdevelopment, who will mind the shops, restaurants, and hotels; who will work in our local government offices, teach the children in school (if there are any children to teach), and who will provide the service-oriented jobs needed: plumbing, heating, electric, landscape care, parks, sanitation, highway department, septic maintenance, firefighters, ambulance members, etc.
As a successful licensed real estate broker for nearly 30 years, I rented and sold houses to people of all ages and means, and everyone prospered. I understand the market dynamics. I assure you: the new code was a step in the right direction — no one is hurting because of it.
Instead of hurting the community, as the opposing candidate claims, the new code considers our town’s residents and economy first and foremost. That is good governance and sound leadership. This is what Cate Rogers has and will continue to deliver. Vote for Cate.
Sincerely,
SUSAN MCGRAW-KEBER
Foster Stands Out
Amagansett
October 12, 2025
Dear David,
In a world where leadership often feels distant and disconnected from the community it serves, J.P. Foster emerges as a beacon of hope for East Hampton. His 13 years as a member and president of the East Hampton School Board have not only honed his decision-making skills but have also instilled a deep understanding of what it means to lead with integrity and compassion. Throughout his tenure, he has successfully supervised 375 employees working for the East Hampton School District, fostering an environment of collaboration and excellence. He has also served on the town planning board and LTV board, for which he is now its chairman.
I am writing to express my support for J.P. Foster as he runs for a seat on the East Hampton Town Board. Having served in numerous pivotal roles, J.P. has demonstrated exemplary leadership and decision-making skills essential for our community.
J.P. understands the unique challenges we face in East Hampton. His experience in education has equipped him with a profound understanding of effective governing and the importance of collaboration. He emphasizes fairness and inclusivity, valuing all voices in the decision-making process. This approach is crucial, especially in today’s politically charged environment.
One of J.P.’s key strengths is his focus on practical solutions. He recognizes that leadership should prioritize the basic functions of our town, ensuring that essential services operate efficiently. His commitment to improving our town’s staffing issues and enhancing the services provided to our residents showcase his dedication to making East Hampton a better place for everyone.
Moreover, J.P. is a man of integrity who is not afraid to voice his opinions, even when they challenge the status quo. His willingness to pause and reconsider projects like the senior center reflects his understanding of the community’s needs and desires. He advocates for functional solutions rather than just aesthetically pleasing ones, which is precisely the kind of mind-set we need on the town board.
In a time when our local government faces numerous challenges, J.P. Foster stands out as a candidate who can navigate these complexities with a balanced approach. I urge my fellow residents to support him in the upcoming election on Nov. 4. Let’s elect a leader who truly represents the interests of East Hampton and is committed to fostering a community where everyone’s voice is heard.
RONA KLOPMAN
Took This On
Amagansett
October 13, 2025
Dear David,
I’m a full-time resident of East Hampton, and I engage across an array of community issues: the near-absence of economically accessible homes for individuals and families who want to pursue a livelihood and make a life in this town; the protection of our environment, water quality, natural resources, and scenic beauty; the preservation of our dwindling and at-risk historical resources, and the need for balanced land use regulations that comport with livability, sustainability, and resilience of this place.
I work on ideas and problem solving as a volunteer member of several town committees as well as not-for-profit community organizations. Most times however, as a concerned individual, I stand up in public at the podium to speak in front of the town board, sometimes commenting on their proposals, other times suggesting ideas or advocating on behalf of a greater swath of the community, urging board members to take actions, some of which, as cautious politicians, they might be reticent to do.
And as part of this ongoing engagement, I am not just speaking, I am also watching. I watch boards, and I watch elected board members — closely — their decision-making and thought processes, what they say and what they don’t say, and what they do or don’t do. Of course, my closest focus is on the East Hampton Town Board, but I am also a keen observer of the workings of the East Hampton Village Board and those of surrounding Southampton, Sag Harbor, Southold, and Riverhead.
And in my years now doing all this speaking and watching, I can say I have not spoken to or seen a board member across the East End as qualified, as logical, and as effective as Cate Rogers. And that is why I am voting for her re-election to the East Hampton Town Board this November and urging fellow townspeople to do the same.
Pragmatic but proactive. Analytical and aware. Tactical and strategic. Listener and leader. Champion for change as well as consensus builder. Cate works for outcomes that will have a tangible impact while always considering potential unintended consequences. She is commercially and economically minded, but never wavers that it is our environment and our year-round local community that are and must remain East Hampton’s foundation to ensure the sustainability and resilience of the economy and this place.
No matter how strong her individual opinions, before final decisions are made, she insists that legitimate points of view across varied perspectives and interests be heard and considered via a transparent process. This collaborative method provides to the board and the public well-rounded knowledge and underpins her confidence to fight for effective solutions.
Nowhere were these attributes more apparent than across 2023 into 2025, as Cate shepherded the complex, and sometimes fractious, process to review and reassess the town zoning codes that guide development across the town.
For several decades, addressing zoning codes, or more specifically, tackling the dynamic of ballooning house size and ultra-luxury-only development has been considered the third rail of local politics in places like East Hampton. Board members here and there have placed their hands now and again on the hot stove of code change, but have pulled back quickly, experiencing the burn of powerful and entrenched real estate interests that will accept nothing to modulate the pace or magnitude of their ever-deeper profit mining. For example, in 2016, a prior East Hampton Town Board put forth a proposal for meaningful reduction of the maximum gross floor area house size allowances, but that got slapped back to an immaterial tweak.
When I started to speak up in public in 2021 to ask the town board to consider revisiting the zoning code to address the multiple impacts of overdevelopment on our environment and community, I was cautioned by a couple of then-councilpeople that making a real change couldn’t be done, that it had been tried and failed before, that it would never be possible.
But early in her first term, understanding that there were hundreds if not thousands of residents who were disconsolate about the overdevelopment trends ripping through their neighborhoods, Cate made the announcement that she wanted to take up the issue and lead a full, public process for assessing construction patterns across the town and assessing what, if any, zoning code changes would be beneficial to sustaining environment and community.
Cate took this on not because of a personal view or because one person or faction pushed her into it. From my experience observing her, she had no pre-determined outcome in mind. It was clear from her words and actions that she took this issue up and dug in and led a robust, transparent, near-two-year process because we all needed to understand how accelerating, seemingly unchecked land use trends were impacting livability, quality of life, across all of our neighborhoods, town infrastructure, what is left of the supply of moderate housing stock and year-round rental housing options, and if and how recent development trends undermine our natural resources and environmental imperatives.
Only after study of trends and collection and analysis of much data, only after evaluation of myriad ideas and alternatives for their potential benefits as well as their possible unintended consequences, only after hearing from and seeking the opinions of many from across all five hamlets and directly from the trades and industry most economically vested in development here in town — only after all that did she and the town’s zoning code amendment working group come forward to the board and the public with recommendations. And only after well more than a dozen public work sessions and three public hearings were town board votes taken and decisions made.
That is good governance and sound leadership. This is what Cate Rogers has and will continue to deliver across all the work she does and the varied issues she takes on. I often say we are a small town confronting big world problems. Cate is the experienced, principled, brave board member we need. She should be re-elected. Please cast your vote for her in this election.
Sincerely,
JAINE MEHRING
A Thumbs-Up
Springs
October 15, 2025
Dear David,
We are writing in support of Michael Hansen for town clerk. After carefully reviewing the credentials of the two candidates, we give a thumbs-up to Michael, who is a proven professional, one who has the educational and work experience to handle the demands of the position. Technical expertise should be an essential and primary qualification for upgrading the operations of this office. Michael is the candidate who can do it.
We ask everyone to look over the qualifications of each candidate and choose the person who is best able to handle this position. Michael Hansen has our vote!
Thank you,
TINA and MAX PLESSET
What Really Matters
Montauk
October 13, 2025
Dear David,
When it comes to local elections, it’s easy to get caught up in the candidates’ lawn-sign design and location. But what really matters is whether a candidate has the right experience for the job we are “hiring” them to do. Matching experience and qualifications to responsibilities of the position should be at the heart of how we vote — especially at the local level, where decisions impact our everyday lives.
Serving as an elected official in the Town of East Hampton isn’t about just making promises; it’s about understanding our local laws and regulations, balancing budgets, supporting community services, and planning for our community’s future. It takes more than electioneering promises; it takes a detailed understanding of how things work and an incredible work ethic with relevant work experience to be effective. Moreover, one needs a willingness to work as a strong team member to best serve our hamlets — each with their unique set of challenges.
That’s why we are supporting Cate Rogers and Ian Calder-Piedmonte for re-election to the town board and Michael Hansen for election as town clerk.
Cate Rogers’s many years of service to the Town of East Hampton demonstrate her deep caring for our community with both a depth and breadth of experience that is exemplary. Prior to her current service on the town board, she spent nine years on the zoning board of appeals, seven of those as vice-chairwoman. She’s already done the difficult, detailed work of balancing growth with protecting our environment and quality of life. She is dedicated to helping our community retain its unique character and ensure that the external development forces threatening our community can be challenged and transformed positively for everyone’s benefit.
Ian Calder-Piedmonte grew up on a farm and has worked hard with his partners to build Balsam Farms into a thriving local business. He previously served 12 years on the planning board and now, having been appointed to the town board, brings both practical insight into agriculture and planning systems and a proven track record of local stewardship.
Michael Hansen offers over 20 years of professional experience in website development, administration, and project management. His technical expertise is especially relevant to the town clerk’s office, which needs to modernize its operations, digital systems, and constituent services. Accuracy of records and data management is key to the position, and Michael’s systems knowledge is uniquely suited to the job of town clerk.
All three are committed, capable, and contributing to the community. They don’t need on-the-job training — they’re ready to serve the town on day one.
In short, these candidates stand out not because they are the loudest voices on social media, but because they bring the right kinds of experiences for the roles they seek. We urge everyone to evaluate the candidates by how well their backgrounds align with the duties of the office and to cast your votes accordingly.
Sincerely,
JENNIFER and RICH IACONO
Skills Were Essential
East Hampton
October 13, 2025
To the Editor:
I had the pleasure of working with Michael Hansen for years in connection with a project to provide fact-based information regarding the benefits of renewable offshore wind energy to the East Hampton community.
Because of the senior status of the project’s board members, we quickly realized we needed someone with technological skills to join the team. We reached out to Michael, who stepped up and created a website and advised and assisted us in using that website to inform our members as well as the general South Fork community. He also enabled the website to raise funds online and assisted us in communications with the various local, county, state, and federal governmental officials. His technological skills were essential to the success of the project.
Michael earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Miami (Florida) and a master’s degree in early childhood education from Bank Street College of Education. For nine years he was employed at Bank Street College as a website developer, designer, and trainer, managing all aspects of its primary websites. Michael now owns and runs a successful website development company with numerous South Fork clients.
Michael Hansen lives in Wainscott and is an active member of the East Hampton community, including service on the Wainscott Citizens Advisory Committee from 2017 to 2020; East Hampton Town Planning Board, from 2020, and East Hampton Energy and Sustainability Committee, 2018-20.
One focus of the town clerk going forward is to maintain, organize, and preserve all town records and make them accessible to the public. This preservation project has already started but so far, the earlier records have only been scanned and not digitized in a format that is searchable. To make the records useful to the public it is important that they be in a searchable format.
Michael Hansen is the only candidate for town clerk who has the relevant education and professional technological experience to bring the Town of East Hampton into the 21st century. Please vote for him on Nov. 4. Early voting starts on Oct. 25.
JEREMIAH MULLIGAN
Spoiled Fans
Plainview
October 9, 2025
To the Editor,
The only consolation and “cure” for spoiled Yankees fans who feel disappointed, deprived, or disgusted that their team now hasn’t won a single World Series for 16 straight years has only won one, single World Series over the past quarter-century (25 years), and “only” five World Series during the past 40-plus (actually 47) years, would be to somehow go back in time to their (exactly) 40 glory years between 1923 and 1962 when they dominated baseball by winning fully half (20!) of the 40 World Series played.
RICHARD SIEGELMAN
Real Leadership
East Hampton
October 13, 2025
To the Editor,
I don’t often write letters about politics. My work with local environmental and community groups usually lives outside campaign season focused on what unites us: clean air and water for our children, a healthy town, and a future where local families and residents can thrive for generations. I gladly collaborate with anyone on the town board who shares those goals.
But every so often, someone in public life stands out, someone whose steady presence reminds you what real leadership looks like. For me, that’s Cate Rogers.
Whenever we’ve worked together on composting, native plantings, or sustainability projects, Cate’s first question is always, “How will this affect working families in the town?” That’s her compass — rooted in empathy and compassion, focused on local families and small businesses rather than profits for large corporations.
It’s easy to talk about values; it’s harder to live them. Cate helped deliver clean, local energy through the South Fork Wind Farm, generating the win-win solutions she always fights for. Officially opened only 19 months ago, money from the wind farm has already funded the dredging of Montauk Inlet, benefiting commercial fishermen, public safety, and coastal resilience. Cate has also helped restore dunes and strengthen water-quality protections.
She has championed affordable, energy-efficient housing and supported balanced gross floor area limits so teachers and first responders can remain part of our community for generations to come. Those limits also protect trees, groundwater, and the natural character that defines East Hampton.
As town board liaison to the sustainability committee, she has expanded composting and waste-reduction programs, helping me start East Hampton Compost. With the help of high school students and community volunteers, we’ve removed more than 23,000 pounds of food scraps from the waste stream, helped dozens of households start composting at home, and raised awareness of the importance of caring for our soils — soils that grow healthy produce both in home gardens and on our local farms, which provide jobs and attract visitors.
She has encouraged native landscaping that restores biodiversity and resilience to our community. In everything she does, Cate goes above and beyond, conducting careful research and consulting with local stakeholders to find common ground and lasting solutions.
It’s not just that she loves trees. Cate knows that native oak trees support more than 500 species of butterflies and moths, forming the foundation of our vital pollinator food web. In turn, pollinators are responsible for about one out of every three bites of food we eat. I’d say our oak trees are worth fighting for.
Cate often says, “Our people and our environment are the backbone of East Hampton.” East Hampton needs leaders who understand that protecting our environment and supporting our people are not opposing goals. Cate sees the beauty and promise of our community and the power of coming together to protect what matters.
I stand with Cate because she stands for all of us.
With my regards,
GLORIA FRAZEE
Better Community
Amagansett
October 12, 2025
Dear David,
In a few weeks when all the votes are counted, Kathee Burke-Gonzalez likely will be re-elected town supervisor — and well she should be. In an imperfect world where progress is often difficult to measure, Kathee can take justifiable pride in her accomplishments that have strengthened the community we love.
As supervisor, Kathee has modernized the way the town conducts business, improved public safety, increased health and recreational opportunities for everyone from youth to seniors, supported professional development opportunities for town employees, and delivered year-round programs and services for the community. She has worked aggressively to bring in state and federal dollars, leveraged community housing fund money to expand affordable housing opportunities, and leveraged community preservation fund dollars to protect water quality and our environment — all while maintaining East Hampton’s strong Aaa bond rating, which underscores the town’s exceptional financial health. And on a daily basis she has championed addressing the needs of the most-vulnerable members of our community. Thank you, Kathee, for that.
Years ago, I learned a very important, six-word lesson in life: “Perfection is the enemy of good.” Kathee is not perfect. Who is? But in a job that is much more demanding and difficult than most people realize, Kathee has done a good job, in fact, a very, very good job. And much as I respect her for her work promoting programs that benefit all residents of East Hampton, I respect Kathee even more for the good, caring, and compassionate person she is. If there were more competent and committed people like Kathee serving in government today, our world would be a better place. Here in East Hampton, we are a better community for Kathee’s service; she has earned our support in November’s election.
Sincerely,
JIM LUBETKIN
Part of the Team
Amagansett
October 12, 2025
To the Editor,
Schools should have meetings that are of a 50-50 nature with parents who have children with disabilities. After all, the parents are allegedly part of the team.
Some of the new rules, as posted in the Special Kids Advocacy Agency for the school to take full control. Which we know personally from experience:
“1. We all will take turns. Until I interrupt and take over as chairperson.
2. We will stay student-centered, until I (school) tell you the rules of our program.
3. We will all collaborate. Until it increases services. Then it’s my (school) decision.
4. I (school) will make all the rules.”
By the time you read this. We will be at Amagansett School up against 12 people as its jury, some of whom will include people who have no educational contact with our children, like their attorney. That is even listed on the Department of Education website as an aggressive move for a school to initiate, meaning an attorney is present to protect the district, not do what’s best for a child’s education, safety, or well-being.
Message sent and received, Amagansett School. I’m glad I can quote your security guard from our last group meeting, July 21: “Everyone against you is in that room.” Thank you for also telling me, “there’s a bigger group behind you.” Problem is that the alleged group is more silent than an anechoic chamber.
Still here,
JOE KARPINSKI
Struck by the Blindness
Amagansett
October 10, 2025
To the Editor:
I write in response to Louis Meisel’s shrieking invective in last week’s letters column against a friend of mine, whose letter he called “ignorant, uneducated, twisted, distorted, prejudiced, lying” and “antisemitic” and whom he accused of having “the sickest mind ever.”
Actually, the person he is attacking, whom I have gotten to know well in the past two years through our mutual participation in the Sunday Sag Harbor vigil, is one of the most compassionate, ethical, and committed people I have ever met, personally outraged, as am I, by the insensate Israeli violence in Gaza, including the mass murder of civilians, the destruction of not only all hospitals and universities but all structures whatever, and the weaponization of famine and disease.
I am old enough to have demonstrated against wars in Vietnam and Iraq, as well as for many other causes, but — very sad to say, as a proud Jewish person — I have only ever seen this kind of screaming where Israel is concerned. On Sundays, when people come up to me and shove their phones in my face, intoning statements like, “Meet Hasan, the terrorist of Sag Harbor” or, when I tell them I am Jewish, call me a traitor, self-hating, or a “fake Jew,” I am most struck (as I am with Mr. Meisel) by their blindness, dread certainty, and their conviction they are a higher life form, entitled to bully and threaten anyone who disagrees with them. Not only is this a highly unattractive set of qualities in any human, it is not the personality on which a threatened democracy can be restored. Instead, this mentality and vocabulary are also evident in the very people who are pulling apart our democracy these days, from the president on down.
Something which gets ignored a lot in all the rhetoric, and even in thoughtful analysis of, and pedagogy about, our plight: Democracies can survive only if a majority of their voters have democratic values. The person Mr. Meisel insulted radiates the qualities of thoughtfulness, heart, and courage I would wish to see in other members of any polity or organization to which I belonged. Mr. Meisel, if his letter truly represents him — perhaps he was just having an extremely bad moment — does not.
For democracy in East Hampton and everywhere,
JONATHAN WALLACE
Lying to Us
East Hampton
October 13, 2025
Dear David:
Why are Congressman LaLota and the G.O.P. Congress lying to us?
Essentially one central issue forms the battle over the government shutdown. Democrats are insisting that the $1 trillion cut to Medicare and Medicaid benefits slashed in the Trump tax bill be restored. In addition, they are fighting to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits (set to expire), available to those who fall below a certain income level.
Republicans oppose these requests based on a single lie: They claim that the Democrats’ plan would extend Medicare and Medicaid benefits to undocumented immigrants. Nothing could be further from the truth. It was President Reagan who signed a bill that affords very limited medical care to the uninsured, including undocumented aliens. This bill affords only emergency medical care to such people, nothing more. And the Democrats’ plan does nothing to change this. And the cost of this care amounts to a paltry .04 percent of all Medicaid reimbursements.
The tax credits that make A.C.A. health care premiums affordable for many Americans don’t expire until December. But Democratic lawmakers want to see them extended before enrollment begins Nov. 1, and they have made that a condition of voting to reopen the government.
This is not just a battle over political messaging. This impacts real health insurance marketplaces where real people — 24 million of them — buy coverage.
A poll conducted by KFF, a nonpartisan health research organization, found that more than three-quarters of people across the political spectrum are in favor of Congress extending the enhanced A.C.A. tax credits. Voters don’t want to see people losing their health insurance.
It is projected that more than 11 million Americans will lose health care protection because of steeply escalating costs if the tax credits are not extended. When researchers at KFF analyzed 2026 insurance filings, they found that premiums will increase by 114 percent (essentially double) if these tax credits expire.
Shame on Congressman LaLota and shame on the G.O.P. for turning their backs on Americans’ need for affordable health care. Bob Wick was right a few weeks ago when he urged that voters shun every G.O.P. candidate that has not stood up and fought for their constituents. And that includes those candidates running this November in East Hampton.
Sincerely
CAROL O’ROURKE
Extraordinary Example
East Hampton
October 10, 2025
Dear David:
The Nobel Prize Committee has given Donald Trump the cold shoulder. The committee bravely resisted Trump’s juvenile bullying and awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for 2025 to Maria Machado for her efforts to keep the flame of democracy burning amidst a growing autocratic darkness.
Ms. Machado received the peace prize for her work to promote democratic rights for the people of Venezuela and for her struggle to achieve a just and peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy.
Venezuela has evolved from a relatively democratic and prosperous country to a brutal, authoritarian state that is now suffering a humanitarian and economic crisis. The machinery of the state has been directed against the country’s own citizens. Opposition has been systematically suppressed by means of election-rigging, political prosecution, and imprisonment. Sound familiar?
As the leader of the democracy movement in Venezuela, Ms. Machado is one of the most extraordinary examples of civilian courage in recent times. Ms. Machado has galvanized a political opposition unified in its demand for free elections and a representative government. This embrace lies at the heart of democracy: Democracy demands a shared willingness to defend the principles of popular rule, even though we disagree. At a time when democracy is under threat, it is more important than ever to defend this common ground.
Ahead of the election of 2024, Ms. Machado mobilized thousands of volunteers trained to ensure a transparent and fair election. These citizens held watch over polling stations across the country. The opposition publicized the vote counts that showed that the opposition had won by a clear margin. But the regime refused to accept the election result and clung to power.
What Mr. Trump fails to grasp is that his administration has propelled America toward the same authoritarian fate. This did not go unnoticed by the Nobel committee and was not going to be rewarded.
Democracy is a precondition for lasting peace. Hewing to this principle, the Nobel Committee has long honored brave women and men who have stood up to repression through peaceful resistance. Democracy depends on people who refuse to stay silent, who dare to step forward despite the risk, and who remind us that freedom must never be taken for granted, but must always be defended — with words, with courage, and with determination. Maria Machado meets all three of these criteria. Trump meets none of them and instead stands as anathema to the principles of the peace prize.
In spurning Mr. Trump by championing the democratic work of Ms. Machado, the Nobel Committee also has issued a clarion call for everyone under the thumb of a wannabe autocrat to stand up and support the democratic ideals Ms. Machado embodies.
Sincerely,
BRUCE COLBATH
Facing the Crowd
East Hampton
October 9, 2025
Dear Mr. Rattray,
On Jan. 30,1956, someone tossed a homemade bomb into Martin Luther King’s home in Montgomery, Ala. Facing a group of armed Blacks who were seeking revenge, King told them, “Don’t get your weapons. If you have weapons, take them home. He who lives by the sword will perish by the sword. We are not advocating violence. We want to love our enemies.”
On Sept. 21, people gathered in Glendale, Ariz., at a service for Charlie Kirk. Facing the crowd gathered to honor the memory of her husband, Erika Kirk said, “The answer to hate is not hate. The answer we know from the gospel is love and always love. Love for our enemies and love for those who persecute us.” Facing the same crowd, Trump said, “I hate my opponent and I don’t want the best for them.”
Reverend King and Erika Kirk realized that a world full of love and forgiveness leads to a world void of hate and anger. Trump doesn’t get it and never will.
SALVATORE TOCCI
Here We Are
East Hampton
October 13, 2025
Dear David,
Christian theologian Reinhold Niebuhr’s formulation was, “Man’s capacity for justice makes Democracy possible, but Man’s inclination to injustice makes Democracy necessary.”
For clear illustration of this point, contemplate the cages for human beings in the Everglades, popularly known as Alligator Alcatraz. Thirty-two humans crammed into each cage, 100-degree heat and high humidity, teeming with mosquitoes, maggots in food, with one open toilet prone to clogging such that there have been reports of having to clear the feces with their bare hands. I can’t imagine an American political body voting for that. I once would have said Americans would never stand for that, but here we are. A dictator can do what he wants.
Those who still buy the lie that these prisoners are rapists and murderers must have televisions that show only one channel. Most are guilty of nothing beyond crossing a border in search of work and pay to feed their families. They built and cleaned our houses, picked and cooked our food. The dictator himself found them useful in hotels, casinos, and golf courses. Some have been here doing that peacefully for so many years that their sons and daughters have served America in foreign wars. The country looked the other way because we liked the cheap labor. It was a tacit exchange for mutual benefit that both political parties winked at and condoned for decades. The dictator calls them “vermin” so we will look away, so we won’t recognize it as man’s inhumanity to man.
The dictator’s language and actions are not limited to immigrants. He now tells us we should fear “the enemy within,” and is sending men with masks and big guns into cities run by his political opponents. He’s pushing the Justice Department to indict politicians who oppose him. He has called Democrats scum, vermin, animals, and enemies of the people. He says, “We pledge to you that we will root out the communists, Marxists, fascists, and radical left thugs that live like vermin within the confines of our country.” Oh. And Democrats. And journalists. And scientists. And statisticians counting jobs and economic growth. We all are now eligible for his club for vermin.
The government shutdown now in progress is over one issue: Democrats are insisting on preserving the subsidies that enable millions of working Americans to afford healthcare coverage. Estimates predict that eliminating those subsidies will result in 50,000 people dying per year from treatable problems. To prevent that, some of our taxing and spending priorities would have to change. We have done that before. But the dictator, his billionaire friends, and complicit leadership of the Republican Party will not agree even to sit and negotiate. To put it another way, they will not agree to address the impasse using democratic method. Dictators dictate and clear the vermin out of the way. It has begun.
There will be peaceful demonstrations nationwide against the dictator on Saturday, locally at 11 a.m. in front of East Hampton Town Hall. The gatherings in thousands of American cities are expected to collectively break records. The dictator calls it the Hate America Campaign. We don’t hate America. Those among us most evolved in spiritual wisdom don’t even hate the dictator. I make no claim to be that wise, but I do realize he is afflicted, his brain boiled by nature and nurture in a bubbling marinade of his own hatred and grievance for anything opposing his dominance, glorification, and graft. This blinds him to the slightest dram of human kindness and love, so pity might be more appropriate than hate.
Organizers are calling it The No Kings protest. I might quibble that nobody wants to be king anymore. It is so old school. President is cooler, even if, to get elected, you need goons to disrupt voting in the places you would lose. A despot by any other name is still a despot.
DON MATHESON