Letters

The April 17 front-page article in The Southampton Press highlights The Express Sessions discussion about the expansion of the village historic district, a pet initiative that Southampton Village Mayor Bill Manger proposed but failed to pass 25 years ago, when he was a trustee [“Latest Express Sessions Event Explores the Push and Pull Between Preservation and Property Rights in Southampton Village,” 27east.com, April 15].

Notably, Manger was absent from the event, despite this being a signature priority. Perhaps that’s fitting. Much like his approach to government, this process has been marked by a lack of transparency, community engagement and fairness.

Let’s be clear about what inclusion in a historic district actually means for residents. It’s not just a label — it’s a legal designation that comes with serious restrictions.

Homeowners added to these zones must go through additional bureaucratic hurdles to undertake even the most minor property improvements. Painting your home, replacing windows, modifying your porch or updating landscaping may now require Manger’s administration’s approval, delaying projects, raising costs and stripping residents of autonomy over their own properties. It’s a one-size-fits-all regulation that benefits his political agenda.

If it wasn’t for The Express Sessions event, most residents would remain in the dark. Just months ago, residents in the Hillcrest Avenue community were blindsided by this decision and met to protest their inclusion in the district. Hillcrest Avenue, Windward Way and Miller Road residents already pay disproportionately high taxes because of an outdated and inequitable property tax assessment system, another issue Manger has failed to address. Meanwhile, Manger’s wealthier supporters continue to benefit.

His effort to expand the historic district to include your home is just the latest example of an administration that prefers control over openness. Residents should be on high alert. Manger has repeatedly sidestepped the state’s Open Meetings Law, ignored Freedom of Information requests and operated in a way that evades public scrutiny.

Residents deserve to know what’s being done. And they deserve a mayor who tells them the truth.

David Rung

Southampton Village