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that we are all friends and neighbors and to conduct themselves
accordingly. If you'd like to submit a Letter to the Editor, send
your letter to
letters@bellport.com.
Letters are posted as soon as they are received, not just once a
week, so check back often!
The purpose of
Bellport.com's Letters To The Editor section is to encourage the
free exchange of ideas and experiences in our community. However,
the decision as to which letters to publish is solely at the
discretion of the Editor. While Bellport.com and its staff try to
make every effort to see that no libelous statements, inaccurate or
misleading opinions or statements, or "Fake News" appears on
Bellport.com we wish to make it clear that the opinions expressed in
the letters, articles, correspondence, etc. herein are the
responsibility of the contributor and do not necessarily represent
the views and opinions of Bellport.com and its staff. Accordingly,
Bellport.com and its staff accept no liability whatsoever for the
consequences of any such inaccurate or misleading opinions or
statements.
In regards to elections (national, state, local),
Bellport.com imposes a 48 hour “Blackout” period before Election
Day. In other words, assuming Election Day is on a Tuesday, any
letters from the candidates or members of the community that are
received after 5:00pm on the Saturday prior to Election Day, will
not be published by Bellport.com. We do this in order to prevent
last minute claims being made and “Fake News” that don’t give
sufficient time for which to respond.
I am happy to support this paper as it
has kept me going throughout this COVID experience. Not a week goes
by that I do not look to this paper for information on the virus and
the toll it has been taking on my fellow community members. Myself
and my family have been kept safe with the information on these
pages and I urge everyone to get vaccinated in order for us to beat
this thing.
Joann Neal
Bellport, NY
Kate Browning (D) is back and running for
her old seat as County Legislator in Suffolk's 3rd District, which
stretches from Bellport to Center Moriches. After serving honorably
for 12 years as our Legislator, Kate stepped down in 2017 under
Suffolk County’s term limit law, which states: "No person shall
serve as a County Legislator for more than 12 consecutive years.”
Note the word “consecutive.” Two elections for that seat have
taken place since Kate left office, which means she can legally run
in Suffolk's special election on Tuesday, May 25th.
The vacancy that Kate is seeking to fill was created when
Legislator Rudy Sunderman (R) resigned days after he pleaded guilty
in a plea deal with prosecutors. Suffolk District Attorney Timothy
Sini said in a statement. "As a result of today’s guilty plea, the
defendant is a convicted criminal who is disqualified from holding
the position of trust that he betrayed through his actions,"
Suffolk GOP chairman Jesse Garcia has claimed Kate Browning can’t
run because of the term limit law. This is nothing more than the
Republicans wanting to distract voters from their record of
corruption and knowing that they can't win on their own merits.
Again, the law reads: "No person shall serve as a County
Legislator for more than 12 consecutive years". If Suffolk’s voters
had wanted to prohibit a previously elected candidate from ever
running again, they would have specified that.
Kate Browning
has a record of controlling spending, holding the line on taxes,
cracked down on illegal housing and protected our precious
environment. Kate is proud of her two sons who are serving in the
military and her husband Steve, a retired NYPD decorated detective
and Army National Guard member.
Kate's return to the County
Legislature would bring back an honest and tireless champion for all
Suffolk residents. Please help ensure that this happens by voting
for Democrat Kate Browning in Suffolk's special election on Tuesday,
May 25, 2021.
Larry Tierney
Brookhaven Hamlet
Editor's Note: This letter is in response to our new "Pay-It-Forward, Give An Ad" Program for Small Businesses and Non-Profits in Our Area
Great idea! I can’t thank you enough for
coming up with innovative ideas to help businesses. This reminds me
of the old Cash-Mob days! Thank you for working with us to help the
businesses.
LuAnn Thompson
Vice President
Bellport Chamber of Commerce
Last Thursday night I, like many other
Village residents, watched the 5 hour ARB Zoom meeting to discuss
the cottage at 14 Shore Road. This topic was very important to me as
I grew up in Bellport, and now as an adult, have been drawn back to
raise my sons here. I, like so many others, love the charm and
quaintness that makes our Village unique. And to so many of us, this
cottage represents all that is Bellport—a combination of charm,
elegance, quaintness and history.
This cottage brings
happiness to walkers, ferry riders, kayakers—everyone enjoying the
marina area. Although most of us could only dream to own the
cottage, its very public location makes it part of the fabric of the
Village we all cherish.
It is not only the potential
destruction of the cottage that makes so many of us residents sad.
It is also the words used last night by some who support the
project. This cottage is so beloved, that a grass-roots effort
produced 50 letters and a petition signed by 330 residents to plead
with the ARB to ask the owners to reconsider their plans.
I
watched as some residents tried to call this "politicized."
Politicized?! I take personal offense to this, as I do not even know
the owners of the cottage, or any of the neighbors involved. I also
take offense to similar comments that the neighbors only care
because of their view. This is clearly not true as hundreds of us
who signed the petition can not see any water view from where we
live. I find these comments to be completely dismissive, and are
being used as tactics to discredit hundreds of us residents who love
this cottage. An email was even sent to one of the neighbors during the
ARB Zoom accusing him of being racist! How Horrifying!
I am
hurt that my thoughts, and the thoughts of hundreds of my neighbors,
are being discredited as politicized. There is no ulterior motive to
how hundreds of us feel. It is clear and simple.
I will
state it very simply below:
1. Almost everyone in this
Village loves this little cottage and does not want to see it
destroyed.
2. The proposed structure does not belong in this very
public space—both from a style and size perspective.
3. We feel
we need the ARB to help the owners and the neighbors work together
to find a compromise that maintains the character of the cottage and
repairs the Village-wide sadness this project has caused.
Hopefully, with a compromise, we can go back to being the respectful
Village we all love.
Cathy Wilson
Bellport Village
For over five hours last night we Zoomed
together with those in attendance at the Architectural Review Board
and listened to many letters re the efforts of Maria Alataris and
Vishaan Chakrabarti to build their house at #14 Shore Road.
My letter to the board was not read so I would like to share my
thoughts and questions here.
These do not concern the
physical appearance or construction of the building, which is an
unbelievably beautiful effort, but what might be the longterm-after-
effect on the ground it would occupy. This narrow piece of property
now houses an old, treasured, grownup sketch of a Bellport-type
cottage much beloved by many long-time residents as the meeting last
night indicated. (Our family has been here only 30+ years.)
In my letters to the board I stated I was more concerned about the
future of the land under the proposed building and its attributes.
There will be a swimming pool with the appropriate amount of water
and a semi-tower. There will be a car parked in the driveway. The
adjacent land of Osborne Park is vulnerable also as noted previously
in my letters.
So where should I send my concerns re this
proposed major change to a little plot of land now housing a little,
ancient cottage?
Barbara Knowles
Bellport Village
Editor's Note: This letter is in response to our recent Seen & Heard piece.
I saw one today outside IGA. It just made
me smile. Thank you! :)
Kim Taylor
East Patchogue,
NY
Editor's Note: This letter is in response to our recent Seen & Heard piece.
How refreshing!! I just read about Fairy
Doors and thank Pauline and Jim Hazard for their efforts to bring
some cheer and whimsy to...not only children in the area...but to
all those who are young at heart! I'm headed out for a walk and hope
to discover a bit of magic on my way! Thank you!
Kathie Dallin
Bellport, NY
…for a new week of comments in "letters@bellport.com”.
I start my week refreshed from reading the intelligence within them!
Barbara D. Knowles
Bellport, NY
Editor's Note: This letter is in response to our recent Editorial and Seen & Heard pieces.
My wife and I are long time Bellport
residents. We have never owned a boat or leased a slip from the
Village. But we're somewhat surprised that there are no terms and
conditions related to resolution of disputes regarding availability
of the leased slips. Most legal agreements specify how disputes are
to be resolved. Do you know what's in the lease agreements about
this?
Thanks for your efforts on behalf of Bellport and its
residents.
Paul Ames
Bellport, NY
Editor's Note: This letter is in response to our recent Editorial and Seen & Heard pieces.
I read your editorial regarding the
letter that was sent to the boat slip holders and then watched the
video that you posted from the January 25th meeting. I was really
disturbed at what I consider an attempt by Mr Moran to bully a
resident. As a former Mayor, I do understand how difficult the job
is and how frustrating it can be to navigate through controversial
subjects. That said...the Mayor and Trustees roles are to listen and
find solutions to legitimate concerns and should never allow the
Village Attorney or any employee for that matter to try intimidate
residents simply because they don’t like who or what is being said.
I don’t have a boat slip, I no longer live in the Village
and until now have not commented on how the current administration
manages the business of Bellport. I do know Mayor Fell and most of
the Trustees, I believe them to be honest, fair minded and decent
people. In this particular instance it appears as though there is an
attempt to avoid dealing with a very difficult issue by offering a
“take it or leave it” solution. From my experience, that plan simply
will not work.
Last comment, I would urge Mayor Fell and the
Trustees to do a better job of managing Mr Moran. He is after all
paid by the residents and if unwilling to represent himself in a
more civilized manner, then maybe it is time for a change.
Will Veitch
Brookhaven Hamlet, NY
I have only one comment concerning the
articles I agreed with about Rep Lee Zeldin... REMEMBER... BIRDS OF
A FEATHER FLY TOGETHER...
John D. Langfeldt
Palm
Beach Gardens, FL
Congressmen Zeldin,
I have read
your letter. I humbly submit that your thoughts are rubbish. For
four years, you and certainly many others, have enabled President
Trump to saturate the body politic with lies. On January 6, 2021 you
along with 120 House members and 6 senators were determined to
contest certified Electoral Votes. Your action and that of those who
joined you are inextricably linked to the violence that occurred at
our nation’s Capital. I say this because all 50 states had certified
their Electoral Votes. Moreover, there have been over 50 lawsuits
and 2 Supreme Courts that concluded that there was no fraud.
Additionally, former cyber security chief Krebs has gone on record
that the 2020 election was the most secure and fair in our history.
Yet, you and 126 other members of Congress decided not to accept the
overwhelming evidence cited ( briefly here ). Instead, your decision
to proceed with a totally political charade links you to the
insurrection on the 6th.
Your letter is inadequate. It
informs myself and many of my neighbors that your relationship to
the President has absolutely influenced your judgment. Like many you
have heard from I strongly urge you to resign.
Farrell Decker
Giovanna LaFace
Brookhaven Hamlet, NY
Last Wednesday was a shocking and tragic
day for all of us, as we saw mobs attack our beloved US Capitol and
threaten our legislators and our election. As if that weren’t
horrific enough, we then witnessed a minority of elected officials
side with the insurrectionists and persist in trying to overturn the
Electoral College vote.
Sadly, our own Rep. Lee Zeldin was
one of the naysayers who has sought, since the Election, to nullify
the results of our free and fair vote. He is complicit in
misinforming constituents, stirring division and hatred in our
community, and instilling unreasoning fear among his followers.
On the morning of the Electoral College vote, Senate Majority
Leader Mitch McConnell, one of the leaders of Mr. Zeldin’s own
party, made an impassioned plea saying, "If this election were
overturned by mere allegations from the losing side, our democracy
would enter a death spiral. We’d never see the whole nation accept
an election again."
But that didn’t stop the renegades. Even
after the mob violence and destruction of the US Capitol that
afternoon, Mr. Zeldin persisted in going on the floor to try and
subvert the Electoral College vote and defend Trump's repeatedly
discredited claims of fraud that have been repeatedly debunked by
the courts and state election officials of both parties.
Mr.
Zeldin must be held accountable. For the sake of unity that he now
professes to care about, he must declare Biden the choice of the
American people. He must urge his radical supporters to stand down
and tell them he was wrong. He must ask them to fully cooperate with
the FBI and law enforcement.
Sue Hornik
Bellport
Village, NY
Dear Congressman Zeldin,
Ever
since pledging your allegiance to Trump, you have clearly lost your
way and do not deserve to represent the constituents of
Congressional District One (or any constituents of a 21st century
democracy.)
You lost your way by voting to roll back
environmental protections that would improve the air quality in our
district, the worst in the state. You lost your way by voting
against the environment 86% of the time. ( League of Conservation
Voters.)
You lost your way by voting against universal
background checks for gun sales and by championing legislation that
would allow out of staters to pack their guns when visiting New
York.
You lost your way by voting to keep dark money in the
election process and voting against election reform. You voted
against equal pay for equal work, and against protecting seniors
from age discrimination.
You lost your way by voting against
lowering drug prices, against funding to combat the opioid epidemic,
against research and development to better respond to pandemics and
biological warfare, against promoting vaccinations and combating
anti vaxx misinformation.
You lost your way by voting for
draconian cuts to health and human services, education and labor and
against reducing methane emissions by oil and gas companies and
against investing in America’s infrastructure. I could go on and on.
But most egregious of all: You lost whatever moral agency
you could cling to on January 6, 2021 when, due to your absolute
fealty to Trump, domestic terrorists felt emboldened to storm our
country’s most hallowed halls. Many of the thugs who broke into the
capital were homegrown terrorists from our congressional district,
avid consumers of Trump’s authoritarian rhetoric and deliberate
disinformation that you parroted on your social channels and during
your FOX News appearances. Five have died.
Even more
remarkable, within a few hours of this attack on our democracy, you
joined fellow Trump zealots in the House and Senate and voted
against certifying the election results in Pennsylvania and Arizona.
A stunt that reveals who you now truly are : A hack partisan who
will do anything to protect his political power and political
future. Ironically, an official member of the “swamp,” Trump vowed
to drain.
Mr. Zeldin, you have lost your way. But be assured
that we, your constituents, will help you find your way back — out
of Congress and back full time to Shirley after your next campaign
in 2022.
Betsy Craz
East Patchogue, NY
Regrettably, Congressman Lee Zeldin
signed on to an amicus brief filed with the Supreme Court that tried
to invalidate the election results won by Joseph Biden. I’m appalled
that Zeldin would support a frivolous lawsuit that asked the Supreme
Court to throw out the certified voting results of Michigan,
Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Georgia (battleground states) to keep
Donald Trump in office.
The suit contained many false and
ridiculous claims, and didn’t present any credible evidence of voter
fraud in an election Joe Biden won by wide margins in both the
popular vote and Electoral College.
The Supreme Court
dismissed the suit, just as many lower courts rejected dozens of
other Trump court challenges based on crazy conspiracy theories.
Enough with the nonsense. It’s time for Zeldin to stop undermining
our democratic process and get to work responding to the needs of
his constituents.
Larry Tierney
Brookhaven Hamlet
Representative Lee Zeldin has recently
emailed a survey to at least some of his constituents asking them
whether they believe that Members of Congress should object to the
Electoral College results on January 6. This despite the recent
Supreme Court dismissal of a lawsuit that would have given one state
the right to object to the election process in another state and
numerous court decisions rejecting false claims of voter fraud.
Asking his constituents whether Members of Congress should
decide the election rather than the American people helps fan the
flames of delusion rather than the ideals of our democratic
republic. Not only does this offense to the Constitution border on a
violation of Mr. Zeldin’s oath of office, it tears at the social
fabric that has enabled our CD-1 community to exist, prosper, and
care for each other.
Phyllis Hartmann
Bellport, NY