Into a Meadow
East Hampton Village
August 10, 2025
Dear David:
I took a personal interest in the article from July 24 titled “Massive Lawns Say Owners ‘Don’t Care’ ” about the would-be golf greens that adorn and surround so many Hamptons homes. With the help of my landscaper I have turned what was a generous swath of lawn behind my home in Georgica into a meadow. It took two years of patience for the changeover to “take,” and now behind my house all sorts of low-growing green stuff is thriving, dotted with little blue, yellow, white, and pink flowers. It requires no mowing or other costly routine maintenance, no applications of herbicides or pesticides. The only concession I make is an annual spray for tick prevention which I am considering eliminating; we never walk in the meadow area. There are also more birds and butterflies on my property than I ever remember.
I’m bringing this to your attention and that of our readers, the members of ChangeHampton, and, I hope, our mayor, Jerry Larsen, because I think of my meadow every time I drive into the village and see the “massive lawn” just east of Town Pond. Simply seeded with wildflowers and left to do what they will, it would set an excellent example.
Most sincerely,
FLORENCE FABRICANT
An Old Saying
East Hampton
August 9, 2025
Dear David,
During this extremely busy and chaotic time here I’d like to suggest to everyone an old saying. Please think of it while you are in a pickle driving: “Slow is pro.”
Be safe,
TIM GARNEAU
Try Something New
East Hampton
August 7, 2025
To the Editor:
Friday, August 22, is World Plant Milk Day — a perfect time to try something new and kind!
Most people don’t know how cruel the dairy industry is to cows. Baby calves are taken from their mothers, and cows are forced to make milk until they can’t anymore. It’s sad and unfair.
But the good news is we don’t need to drink cow’s milk. There are so many tasty plant-based milks to choose from like oat, almond, soy, rice, and coconut. You can pour them on cereal, use them in coffee, or bake with them just like dairy milk. There are also plant-based ice creams, yogurts, and cheeses to try!
Trying plant-based milk is a simple way to be kinder to animals and still enjoy all your favorite foods.
Let’s use World Plant Milk Day to make a change that helps animals and the planet. Give it a try — you might be surprised how good it tastes!
ELIJAH HANNESBURG
The Springs
Springs
August 5, 2025
To the Editor,
I asked Google the temperature in Springs, East Hampton. In its reply it stated the temperature in “The Springs. . . .”
It’s understandable why this might be confusing or even a little frustrating, especially given the history of our community’s name. The name “The Springs” is more than just a label — it’s a reflection of the community’s identity, which has endured despite attempts to change it.
FRANK RIINA
—
Springs and the Springs have been variously used to describe the peninsula roughly northwest of Accabonac Harbor for the better part of two centuries. In old letters and other records, it appeared to have generally depended on the formality of the document. Ed.
Protect the Trees
Springs
August 10, 2025
Hi David,
Thank you for giving so much editorial space to our friends the trees. Along with infestations of the southern pine beetle and the resulting wildfires, they face so many other obstacles.
For instance the septic replacement program. According to another editorial on the same page, the septic replacement program was “conceived as a way to reduce the amount of nitrogen reaching surface waters such as ponds and bays,” but “evidence of specific nitrogen reduction remains elusive.” I’m all for reducing the amount of nitrogen in our bays, but it’s also true that the new septic systems frequently require removing one or more trees from the yards and the whispering woods.
Trees live in communities. Their roots communicate. When old growth trees are removed from the community, the root systems are disrupted, and any trees that aren’t destroyed will feel the impact and frequently die. This should be considered along with the effectiveness of the new systems.
Also, can we talk about the abuse that is leveled at our trees by the power companies and communications companies? Take a look at the beautiful trees that have been disfigured in order to accommodate more and larger power lines. The crews that are sent out to trim back the trees are not arborists. Once you start to notice this butchery, you will not be able to stop looking.
Why can’t a wealthy community like East Hampton afford to bury the power lines? I’m sure it’s expensive, but so is the constant manpower necessary to repair the lines that go down in the storms, not to mention the long-term effects of killing the trees.
When I hear that a friend or neighbor is about to cut down trees in order to improve their view, I feel it like a punch in the gut. I always plead in favor of the tree, but I’m seldom successful.
I will end my thoughts with a shout-out to the Ladies Village Improvement Society. We need more wetlands and protected nature preserves, but we also need to protect the trees that live along our streets and in our yards.
MARY LAMBERT
Memorial Plaques
East Hampton
August 11, 2025
Dear East Hampton Star,
I write to correct unfortunate inaccuracies in your front-page article on recent efforts to research and catalog the various memorial plaques located at the base of trees throughout the village.
Thanks to the caring and careful attention of L.V.I.S. and the 25 (not 40) members of its tree committee, L.V.I.S. assiduously maintains a database that documents each of the more than 750 memorial plaques in the village, recording the identity of the people honored on each of the plaques, the exact location of each of the plaques, the species of tree at each location, and the condition of each tree. Anyone seeking the location of a particular plaque can contact the L.V.I.S.
Having recently spoken with members of the L.V.I.S., I know that the L.V.I.S. is profoundly grateful that the intern is seeking to gather biographical information about those honored on the plaques, and would be delighted to add such information to the existing database while any online app is being created.
Those of us who call East Hampton our home are so grateful to the L.V.I.S. for its vigilant stewardship of the village’s majestic treescape as well as its attentiveness to our storied history.
In gratitude to the L.V.I.S. and all who care for our environment,
JOHN and MICHELE ALLMAN
Misleading
East Hampton
August 11, 2025
Dear David:
We are writing to correct several inaccurate and misleading statements that were made in your front-page article titled “Memorial Plaques Are Education on Local History,” dated Aug. 7, 2025, for which neither the village administration nor the L.V.I.S. was contacted to fact-check or contribute to prior to publication.
The L.V.I.S. tree program is one of the oldest public-private partnerships in the country and we are extraordinarily proud of the work that we accomplish together. The village receives requests from residents looking for information on a plaque that memorializes their loved ones, which led to a summer project to collect and archive this important local history.
The L.V.I.S. Tree Committee has 25 members who maintain approximately 750 memorial plaques (not 492 as stated in the article) throughout the village. Each tree and plaque is documented in a dedicated database, maintained by the L.V.I.S., that records the tree species, street location, year, and inscription.
The committee identifies existing trees available for “adoption” or locates appropriate sites for new plantings for individuals interested in purchasing a plaque. Olivia Brooks, the committee chairwoman, meets personally with each donor to understand their reasons for purchasing a plaque and to explain the process — whether adopting an existing tree or planting a new one. These meetings are often personal and heartfelt, as many plaques are dedicated in memory of loved ones. Meaningful connections and longstanding friendships often form throughout this process. Once a site is selected, the committee collaborates with the donor on the inscription and oversees the plaque’s fabrication and installation.
Committee members are assigned to specific neighborhoods, where they are responsible for cleaning plaques and monitoring the health of the trees and the condition of the plaques. They report their observations to the committee chairs, who determine any necessary follow-up actions.
L.V.I.S. and the Village Department of Public Works, along with many experienced local arborists, work collaboratively to ensure proper tree care and maintenance. Plaques are repaired or replaced as needed to preserve their integrity and meaning.
The oldest plaques date back to 1937, and, while the L.V.I.S. has personal connections with many of the families who have donated plaques, working jointly to collect this important local history is something we look forward to sharing with the community. For more information regarding memorial and dedication plaques, please visit lvis.org.
Sincerely,
MARCOS BALADRON
East Hampton Village Administrator
RACHEL COOPER
Executive Director
The Ladies’ Village Improvement Society of East Hampton
Proof
Amagansett
August 10, 2025
To the Editor,
It is amazing how some individuals need no proof to believe a lie. Yet those same individuals demand endless proof to accept the truth.
Still here,
JOE KARPINSKI
Special Interest Groups
Springs
August 11, 2025
To the Editor,
I found several articles in last week’s edition of interest, as they show the significant influence of special interest groups. Your editorial about the recent community preservation fund purchase near Georgica Pond would also seem to be another example of this problem — is land really worth over $10 million an acre now in that area given the environmental problems with that body of water?
It’s encouraging that tests for lead contamination have been done at the gun club, even though the results aren’t good — just another reason to make sure that the outdoor part of this facility remains closed and that either the members or the town remediate the problem. In 2025, there is no reason for the entire 97-acre town-owned parcel to be leased to the gun club. Perhaps a small indoor range and the clubhouse might be able to exist on 10 or fewer acres? There is no need though for an outdoor shooting range in a town that doesn’t even allow hunting with rifles.
Moreover, there are many other uses for that land to benefit the entire community: community solar, affordable housing, and new parks or a nature trail. In fact, a combination of all of the above would make a great deal of sense. Selling even as few as 10 acres for much-needed housing could provide the town with millions in new revenue and create more affordable housing than has been possible in the past decade.
In addition, hundreds of thousands a year in lease income could be generated from solar leases, which could also help reduce local residents’ electric costs. More important, this would help the town take a small step toward its sustainability goals that, quite frankly, it has done nothing about in over a decade. What is the gun club offering? $1,000 a year.
I was also interested to read that the town has finally updated its plans for dumping more sand on a little more than 2,000 linear feet at Ditch Plain. At $2.5 million just for the town’s contribution, along with another $2.5 million from the state, this seems like an expensive way to protect perhaps a few dozen homes — it’s hard to know though since the town has never made this clear.
The town had said that this could possibly be funded by a special tax assessment for the few who would benefit from such a move as is done in the much larger Sagaponack and Bridgehampton beach replenishment program. There is no mention of this now. Perhaps most disturbing, the town is committing itself to another losing fight, as it did in downtown Montauk. With projections for sea level rises of 7 to 10 inches in the next several decades, along with the likelihood of much stronger storms as the seas warm, these projects will have to be redone far more often than is projected.
Does anybody believe that the new sand dump, no matter how high or expensive, will survive a nine-foot storm as stated? This reminds me of the statement made recently by the State Department of Environmental Conservation that all the dead trees on the ground wouldn’t burn. Given the serious fire risk posed by the 40,000 dead pine trees in town, perhaps some of this money should go to fixing that situation?
As someone who has been going to the town for over three years now trying to get it to spend even as little as $100,000 a year on a 4-Poster machine program to help reduce the serious tick-borne disease problem (something called a health crisis by our local state assemblyman), it’s hard to watch the town needless waste either money, or valuable resources, with so little to show for it. It sadly reminds of the senior center situation, which is another boondoggle.
BRAD BROOKS
Disappointment
Montauk
August 11, 2025
Dear Editor
As a 30-year full time resident in the Town of East Hampton, I must express my disappointment with a situation that was presented to a young local family and how it was handled or, should I say, not handled by the town.
The family purchased a home in Springs. At the time of the purchase everything was in order: surveys, certificates of occupancy, title. After closing and living in their home, the new owners were notified that their property was over-cleared and the plantings that were put in place prior to the purchase were not native to the area and had to be removed. And additional revegetation was necessary to satisfy the town’s requirements. The expense for this project was in excess of $22,000.
The certificate of occupancy for the property was issued based on a survey that the Town of East Hampton accepted prior to the purchase. After the purchase and transfer of the property, the town determined that the survey it accepted was either incorrect or incomplete. Although the new owners had all the documentation to show that there were no changes to the property since they took ownership, the town flagged their C.O.
After many discussions with the Building Department and Department of Natural Resources the only answer was that “the town is holding the current owner responsible” for the mistakes made by the Town of East Hampton, the surveyor, and the previous owner. How can anyone think this is acceptable?
Following this determination, I felt it was only fair that our town supervisor be aware of this situation. I have tried to contact the supervisor. A few emails were sent, a phone call to the supervisors office leaving my telephone number and contact information, two visits to the supervisor’s office and again left my name, number, and email, and I also tried the old fashioned way, a letter addressed to Town of East Hampton Supervisor Kathee Burke-Gonzalez. It has been a few months and, as of this time, I have heard nothing from the supervisor’s office. I understand the supervisor is a busy person, but not even the courtesy to acknowledge my numerous requests to address this situation.
I wonder how many other residents have been in a similar situation?
Sincerely,
THOMAS G. STAUBITSER
Why, Town Board?
East Hampton
August 8, 2025
Dear David,
It has been brought to my attention by current senior center members (I recently resigned) that the town installed surveillance cameras in the current, dilapidated senior center even though no incidence of theft, bullying, or harm has been reported to the administration.
Why, East Hampton Town Board? Taxpayers are owed an explanation and to be informed of the cost of the work in a building that will be torn down in the near future if the board’s promises hold true.
Ironically, the town rents the senior center to Alcoholics Anonymous. Do you see a problem? Because the town board is so isolated from reality, they simply don’t recognize the irony of their surveillance decision.
If you are 60-plus. If you are an alcoholic. If you are an East Hampton taxpayer. If you do not want the town board to have taped records of you exercising, eating, or meeting in the center or for any other reason without your written permission, then this November vote against each and every incumbent board member with a write-in vote for the most outrageous living person you can conjure. Your vote counts no matter who you choose.
Your participation against board members whose time is up in 2025 will demonstrate your disgust that you weren’t allowed by this arrogant board to vote “for” or “against” the board’s preposterous, disproportionately humongous new senior center, which won’t be up and running until long after most of us will be dead! By the way, no other senior center in America or Canada match its proposed size.
If the current, free-spending, uncontested town board disgusts you, then make your disgust known to our self-satisfied, Trump-like board. Are they “true” Democrats or wannabe Republicans? Ask their slick, new-hire public relations guy. He can turn anything into a “Wow!”
Who will be Kathee Burke-Gonzalez’s/nee Peter Van Scoyoc’s “Elon Musk” after the November election? They’ve gotten rid of legally elected dissenting board members before! They have a disgusting track record of making duly elected board members’ lives so miserable that they choose to leave public service altogether.
Have you asked yourself how much the senior center under construction will actually cost, as opposed to how much will be kickbacks to board members, “contractors,” “consultants,” and underhanded “sweetheart” deals? The gap between the original budget of $40,000,000 and the current estimated price of $20,000,000 is highly suspect.
Why would anyone invest one more taxpayer dollar in the current dilapidated senior center? After all, last year the town finally started to replace the rotted exterior cedar siding; however, the work was never completed. Where is the balance of the money allocated to that incomplete project?
Town workers started repairs on the rear of the building first, where the siding had rotted through to the interior leaving it exposed to outside elements for many years. Next, they very slowly moved on to the east side (facing the woods).
The front of the center has an unsightly, unwelcoming entrance with rotted siding, peeling paint, and a worn-out storm door. Neither the front nor the west side of the building has ever been touched! As may be expected, where there is no accountability in government it is not a surprise that the stack of unused cedar siding boards mysteriously disappeared from the property. Maybe surveillance cameras should be on the exterior of the building.
It is imperative that the town board fund a forensic audit for the past 15 years. The public must demand one immediately to stop the board’s persistent unaccountability.
NANCY R. PEPPARD, Ph.D.
By Their Behavior
Amagansett
August 8, 2025
To the Editor:
David Saxe and Mitchell Agoos again asserted in their letter last week that bombing, shooting, and starving the people of Gaza is not genocide, but merely “unfortunate” collateral damage. This is appalling enough within its four corners, but for context, consider the people Mr. Agoos invites, or draws to, and shakes hands with and hugs at his Sunday counterprotests in Sag Harbor: The man who stepped out of the middle of Mr. Agoos’s group last Sunday to harass a passing Muslim-American family, including a woman wearing a niqab, shouting at her to “cover up more.” The Israeli man who yelled at us as he walked over to Mr. Agoos, “We are just getting started in Gaza!” The acolyte who tracked several of us down after the protest, sitting at a picnic table elsewhere in Sag Harbor, and said repeatedly, “Have you read the Koran?” Not to forget Mr. Agoos himself, who once said through his bullhorn, “Turn Gaza back into a sandlot!”
Ye shall know them not by their Star letters, but by their behavior and words in Sag Harbor on Sunday afternoons.
For democracy and equality in the Hamptons,
JONATHAN WALLACE
Promises Empty
North Haven
August 11, 2025
Dear David:
Aren’t we better than this?
The gullible mob who voted for Trump must have believed he was a business genius and knew what he was doing. Perhaps they had a vicarious excitement knowing his womanizing without consequences and his lust for vulgar luxury. Perhaps they had the same bad taste and secretly wished to steal without consequences — as he does. Perhaps they wanted to support him by storming the nation’s Capitol? But now?
It’s finally becoming clear to almost everyone here and abroad that this man is more than a compulsive liar, a greedy criminal, and a cheat. He’s a complete incompetent at almost everything he claims to be able to do. He has no ability to safely run the largest and strongest country in the world. He’s ruining health care, education, research, the economy, democratic legal process, civil rights, and international respect. He is a nasty bully to the weak, but a pathetic weakling to the world’s worst tyrants.
Trump is nothing more than a pawn in the Project 2025 attack upon our democracy by radical right-wing puppeteers funding him and advising him. He is their public relations tool of the day, distracting us by shooting his fire hose of absurdities, lies, and accusations, while scribbling hundreds of “executive orders” that actually have no real enforcement value — as long as Congress fails to act on the constitutional powers they already have.
It is urgent we seek and vote for new and honest candidates for the House and Senate who will actually fight to restore our democracy.
Trump’s fortune throughout history always depends on conning people out of their money. His real estate claims depend on sleazy deals, often with the mafia, and not paying for the labor he hires. His promises are empty. No end to the wars in Ukraine or Gaza. He’s an obvious coward, unable to actually confront Putin or Netanyahu.
No health care plan, either. Nothing but “you’re fired” and unlawful arrests and militarization of our civilian communities. His sworn oath to uphold the Constitution is violated daily. He just imposed martial law on the nation’s capital. The courts are a joke to him.
During his second term he can do nothing more than steal money from the public and pay it to his friends with massive tax relief. Anyone who thought he was a genius is now feeling pain from the damage he is doing to our government that actually had been serving them reasonably well. They are now hurting at home, on the job, and in the bank.
In the end, his incompetence may be what brings him down. Those who labor for their money have very little respect for theft, unfair taxation, B.S., and incompetence — especially when it comes to the few dollars they and their family have to enjoy life.
If Democrats have any useful fight left, they will stop talking about every tiny issue and learn how to focus on the big issues that need our immediate attention. Our democracy is being destroyed; our economy is being destroyed; our health care is being destroyed, and our education system is being destroyed. If that isn’t bad enough, our law-abiding residents and citizens are being locked up without due process. Some of our residents are honest, long-term immigrants and need to have a legal path to staying here. This idiot president prefers to rough them up and send them to a gulag in authoritarian countries.
Trump does not seem to realize that many of his supporters also come from the law-abiding immigrant community and are beginning to see what a disaster he is.
ANTHONY CORON