Needs and Wants
East Hampton
November 17, 2025
To the Editor:
The board of education of the East Hampton Union Free School District has completed three public forums to discuss the bond proposition that district residents will be asked to consider in May. We have placed the projects into two categories: Needs and Wants.
Our needs include items that are essential to the health, safety, and integrity of our structures, such as replacements for aging roofs and windows. Our needs also include those items that we must renovate in order to continue offering the existing range of classes and services our district provides, such as renovating our badly out of date high school auditorium and renovating bathrooms at the John M. Marshall Elementary School that do not meet contemporary standards for disability access. Our needs total about $36 million in work.
As we have discussed at our forums, we are able to present a plan of $64 million in capital work without impacting taxes; this is due to expiring debt that is about to come off our books. Thus, after accounting for our needs, we have about $28 million that can be spent on wants.
Items on our wants list have been suggested by members of our community, such as a new science research laboratory at the Middle School, a large multipurpose space at John Marshall, and new athletic facilities at the high school.
Our last public bond forum will be on Dec. 17 at 10 a.m. in the High School library. Between now and then, we encourage all residents to answer our survey, which seeks to have as much public input as possible as the board selects projects to include in the final bond proposal. Please visit our website for a link to the survey or go directly to https://forms.gle/YeeBeMs9yz4iaJ486.
Yours truly,
ADAM S. FINE
Superintendent of Schools
Plant-Based Feast
East Hampton
November 15, 2025
Dear Editor:
This year, more families are turning to veg Thanksgivings — and for good reason. A plant-based feast offers all the warmth and tradition of the holiday without all the cruelty or environmental costs. Tables across the country are filled with savory roasts, vibrant vegetable sides, and desserts so delicious no one misses the turkey.
Choosing a compassionate Thanksgiving honors the holiday’s spirit of gratitude. We can celebrate abundance while also celebrating life and reducing our impact on the planet. As plant-based foods become more accessible, it’s easier than ever to make this one small, meaningful change.
This Thanksgiving, let’s give thanks for the animals, for the Earth, and for the growing number of families embracing kindness at their tables.
Respectfully,
EDWIN HORATH
Profound Disconnect
Potsdam, N.Y.
November 13, 2025
To the Editor,
It is the time of year when the excessive volume of turkey consumption unfortunately reminds us of a grim reality. Judging from the dinner table’s centerpiece, most people have not given much thought to the process of getting a turkey there. This disconnect persists even though approximately 46 million turkeys are killed for Thanksgiving meals annually, with nearly 218 million produced in the United States each year. We are fed a hidden conspiracy about our food, seeing only packaging with happy farm animals, promoting meat with little challenge to the industry’s practices.
Ninety-nine percent of these birds are raised on factory farms, where they endure immense suffering. Domestic turkeys are selectively bred to grow so large — now twice the size of turkeys from a century ago — that they suffer from painful skeletal disorders and cannot even mate naturally, requiring forcible artificial insemination. They are slaughtered between 12 weeks and five months, despite having a potential life span of up to 10 years.
Turkeys are stripped of their natural behaviors, like foraging and roaming their territories of over 1,000 acres, and are instead forced into high-density confinement with as little as 2.5 cubic feet per bird.
Due to the extreme stress and aggressive behavior in these crowded, filthy conditions, farmers resort to physically damaging the birds without anesthetic. Turkeys are routinely debeaked, de-toed, and have their snoods sliced off.
Packed into large, windowless barns, often alongside their own excrement, birds suffer from high ammonia levels causing painful burns, lesions, and severe respiratory issues. This high-density confinement necessitates the overuse of antibiotics, which not only forces faster weight gain but also contributes to the alarming rise of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in humans, such as salmonella and listeria, frequently resulting in product recalls and severe illness.
The factory turkey industry carries significant environmental and ethical baggage. Turkey production contributes to CO2 emissions and creates massive quantities of untreated manure. The phosphorus in this waste pollutes waterways, fueling harmful algae growth and “dead zones” in aquatic ecosystems.
The birds are crammed onto trucks and shipped to the slaughterhouse. The current methods are brutal, as the Humane Slaughter Act does not apply to poultry. Turkeys are shackled upside down, often breaking their delicate bones, and run through an electrically charged water bath meant for stunning. Crucially, the stunning often fails. Birds can then miss the rotating throat-cutting blade and end up drowning in tanks of scalding water used for feather removal.
The institutionalized brutality extends to the workers, who face high production speeds that lead to frequent, severe injuries, including amputations, fractures, and head trauma, averaging 17 serious accidents per month in U.S. meat plants.
How ironic that we sit around the Thanksgiving table talking about gratitude while the centerpiece represents such profound disconnect and suffering. Turkeys are intelligent, social birds who form strong bonds and can recognize each other by their unique calls. Shame on us for the disconnect from the reality of these creatures.
RANDY JOHNSTON
Chair Aware?
East Hampton Village
November 16, 2025
David,
I’m curious why Jerry Larsen is so sure Kathee Burke-Gonzalez will be securing the Democratic 2026 nomination for town supervisor. Was the Democrat chair, Anna Skrenta, aware of his interest in becoming the party’s candidate? Now that he has formally announced his intentions, I’m sure he’ll have another opportunity to convince the screening committee.
I wish him the best.
DAVID GANZ
Not in the Least
Amagansett
November 15, 2025
To the Editor:
In the letter announcing his candidacy for town supervisor in last week’s Star, Jerry Larsen claimed to have “created a real sense of community pride” as mayor of the village.
I flashed on some memorable words of Jane Jacobs, who wrote of “a striking difference between presence and absence of casual public trust” on opposite sides of a city avenue — the old-city area, in which kind, supportive “eyes on the street” ensured the safety of everyone’s children, and the government-designed soulless apartment block on the other side, in which “anonymous children” ran wild.
What kind of “casual public trust” could Jerry Larsen ever create? His ragging and raging on the innocent ambulance corps volunteers, who rather accidentally got in between him and something he wanted, clearly suggests that anyone sitting next to Mr. Larsen at one of those events on Newtown Lane is likely to be a little afraid of him, or at least very careful. And the Flock surveillance cameras he installed in the village are not in the least sense what Jane Jacobs meant by “eyes on the street”.
I saw “Fiddler on the Roof,” starring Herschel Bernardi, circa 1965, and have never forgotten the line, “God bless and keep the Czar — far away from us.” May Mr. Larsen similarly remain safe, comfortable, and in the village.
For democracy in East Hampton,
JONATHAN WALLACE
Resident in Crisis
East Hampton
November 16, 2025
Dear David,
I have been aware of the heartbreaking and unacceptable ordeal Mary Mackey has endured through the town’s home improvement program. Mary came to me because she knows I am the mayor and a candidate for East Hampton Town supervisor.
No one at Town Hall would help her, not after years of asking, not after substandard work, and not after her home was left unsafe and incomplete. So, when last week’s East Hampton Star story brought her situation into the public eye, it confirmed what I already knew: The town’s handling of her case was a failure at every level.
Mary told me about her meeting with Supervisor Kathee Burke-Gonzalez this past May. After everything Mary had endured — unsafe construction, financial loss, and a house left in disrepair — the supervisor responded, saying, “We can’t just give you money.”
Give her money?
The town hired the contractor. The town paid the contractor. The town was responsible for the oversight.
Mary wasn’t asking for a gift. She was asking Kathee to take responsibility for the damage the town caused to her home.
Mary left that meeting disheartened and stunned that Supervisor Kathee Burke-Gonzalez would dismiss her so casually. When she came to me afterward, I was honest with her: Sometimes the only way to get incompetent leaders to come to the table and finally do the right thing is to shine a light on the truth. I encouraged her to speak with The East Hampton Star, and I commend her for having the courage to do so.
Supervisor Burke-Gonzalez frequently talks about her “love of community.” Yet when a resident in crisis needed help and accountability, that love was nowhere to be found. What happened to Mary is disgraceful, and no resident should ever be treated this way.
If anyone else has experienced a similar incident, please reach out to me confidentially at [email protected]. Our community deserves better, and together, we can make sure this never happens again.
Sincerely,
JERRY LARSEN
Mayor, East Hampton Village
Veterans’ Eligibility
Springs
November 10, 2025
To the Editor,
My name is Robert Rizzardi and I served in the Air Force during the Korean War. I was stationed overseas for three years, of which time I served in France, North Africa, and Korea. During my service I spent some time in the United States hospital in France and witnessed many of our soldiers who were badly wounded. Many of the soldiers were missing body parts.
Now, today in our East Hampton Town the elections are over, and it is time to remember our veterans and active military men and women serving this country. It however seems to me that we have forgotten how to honor their sacrifice.
My quest is to find out exactly where a veteran stands eligibility-wise in applications for town affordable housing. I discovered that not one of the town’s six housing applications mention that veterans have any kind of priority acceptance. I have been told instead that affordable housing is subsidized by the state and federal government, and that they are the ones responsible for dictating who is accepted.
We, the soldiers and veterans who were willing to give up our lives for this country only want to be recognized. God bless all those who made the ultimate sacrifice. They would cry seeing what is happening in our country today.
ROBERT V. RIZZARDI
Starts With Parents
Amagansett
November 17, 2025
To the Editor,
The good thing with archives is a key to the past. Months ago, in late summer, a name came across, and it was researched: Lauren Robert-Demolaize. Articles in The Washington Post and even Patch appeared quickly.
A child with autism, we can relate. We can relate more to the words she committed in a letter and her quotes in the article. We agree. These children experience the bullying from the adults and children alike. “What people need to realize is that when adults — especially other parents — make comments or pass judgment their kids are listening. It all starts with the parents.” We’ve seen our children bullied. We’ve been informed by other parents. We’ve seen how children treat them. We feel the eyes on us. Left out of birthday invites. Left out of events, that scarecrow competition forgets certain children every year.
In our experience, it is continued with the inexperience of staff as well. Perhaps not in actual care. It has been said some are just riding the cash cow to the end. Yes, we’ve been told this on more than one occasion, along with these children “don’t belong here.”
I just recently spoke with another local parent whose child has a disability. Yes, we do all find each other, yes there are networks, groups, and we are lucky to find organizations. This individual is thankful their hope and desire to send their own child to Amagansett School was never answered. That was for tuition; this is where we live, treated like lepers because a child has a disability. That’s called discrimination, not inclusion. Our family has endured harassment and bullying. “Advocate,” you are told. But actually speak? The spoken voice is dismissed and attempted to be silenced. Children face the retaliation.
In multiple Freedom of Information Law requests the Amagansett School has never produced an enhanced certificate for children with autism for its current superintendent — not when hired and not from this summer. I guess that requirement for superintendents in school board policy doesn’t exist anymore.
The simplest reason this is written now. Lauren Robert-Demolaize is working with our child this year. I just want her to know. Your experiences are ours. But again, not just from parents. We have it tenfold from multiple fronts. You don’t know this school had a history. That history changed, now the old way is coming true again. You’re finding yourself in the middle of it. We are tired of being silenced. To quote Ms. Robert-Demolaize, which we wholeheartedly agree, “I didn’t expect that intolerance and bullying from adults would be among the challenges we would have to endure.”
Still here,
JOE KARPINSKI
With Interest
Montauk
November 16, 2025
Dear David,
I read with great interest a letter written by Dan Briganti. His letter contained information that liberals would never want to read, not acceptable to them, as the truth does not exist in their vocabulary or perhaps not even in their entire way of thinking.
Kudos to you, Mr. Briganti, for an informative, honest, and patriotic letter. Thank you.
In God and country,
BEA DERRICO
We Deserve Better
East Hampton
November 14, 2025
Dear Mr. Rattray,
For the past year, chaos best describes how Donald Trump has run his administration. No sooner than the focus centers on one breaking story, when another takes its place. We go from international disputes ranging from tariffs to shooting alleged drug boats in international waters to the longest government shutdown caused by Republicans refusing to extend the Affordable Care Act subsidies — and now to the Epstein files that Trump wants suppressed. Given the track record, today’s chaos will become yesterday’s news.
We Americans deserve better. No one should go hungry, lack medical care, be homeless, or fear being snatched away by masked men. These are the crises that millions of Americans face. In contrast, according to a CNBC report this October, the top 0.1 percent saw their wealth grow by 10 percent over the past year. Since the pandemic, the top 0.1 percent, or those with a net worth of at least $46 million, have seen their total wealth nearly double to over $23 trillion. No wonder Trump celebrated all this wealth with his “Great Gatsby” dinner party for the top 0.1 percent at Mar-a-Lago while millions of Americans went hungry at their dinner tables.
SALVATORE TOCCI
Vitriol by Some
Wainscott
November 17, 2025
Dear David,
Last week’s edition of letters had me raise my eyebrows at the vitriol expressed by some. I wait to see if they applaud and condone Chuck Schumer’s 43-day blunder of shutting down the government just for a political stunt. Finally, several responsible Democrats voted to stop this!
A proposal to extend trillions in medical benefits to the millions that Biden let cross the border. Now the truth is coming out that his mental frailty was covered up. It is sad that so many suffer from this condition. Even his wife Jill ran him out there. The B.S.: “Someone has to be held accountable”? No, it should be, “Jail awaits you!”
I always felt he had the country’s interests were at the forefront, as hundreds of millions were affected. Forget the former barmaid word salad nonsense and, of the so-called Squad.
Now add in Gov. Gruesome proving he was clueless about the Los Angeles wildfire that was ignored. Was there an order to “stand down,” as some news reports state? As of today, not one cent has been delivered to those whose lives were devastated. Let’s not even mention the French Laundry family dinner during Covid.
For the first time in decades under several administrations, chaos and death existed in the Holy Land. It only took several months to get a fragile peace to stop the killing. I don’t agree with every policy, but results are some proof of some sound decisions.
Now, we have to witness the proposed destruction of New York City with a possible communist agenda. We have a shaky governor who flip-flops on a daily basis. Her mantra may be, “Here comes the taxes!” She has the chutzpah to run again? It’s not “God save the queen”; it is “God help us!”
Sadly,
ARTHUR J. FRENCH