Letters

I am writing to alert my Southampton Town neighbors and fellow voters to the upcoming special election for Town Council this March 18. I suspect that if you are reading the letters section in the newspaper, you are already aware of the election, but perhaps you have been turned off by the very harsh letters on both sides of the candidate selection issue, or because of the very critical letters of one of the candidates.

There are two sides to every story. Instead of arguing process or personalities, let’s focus on what is best for the town at this very moment, and what impact this election will have on our town’s future. In short, who is the best candidate?

Rick Martel, the Republican candidate, served on the Town Council in the past. I have met Rick, and he is a lovely gentleman. But his tenure in office is unremarkable; in fact, I can’t think of a thing that Rick championed for the town that could be attributed to his work as a council person.

I also know John Leonard, albeit much better than I know Rick. I know John from his volunteer work, first in Sag Harbor and then Hampton Bays. I know John from his professional work and legal advice before I knew his connection to the various municipalities and nonprofits. I know John as a neighbor and friend, and, through many dinner conversations, I know personally of John’s passionate commitment to causes, neighbors, principles, and larger communities, both local and national.

In all these roles, I know John as a fighter for the higher ground, as a principled activist who always wants to leave the table with a win for the organization he is supporting. I know John as a committed town resident who is aghast at the inequities that surround us, the unfairness of the systems, the incompetence of some leadership, the disinterest of so many.

In short, when I think of our town, and whom I would want to lead us into the future, a time of incredible change, and potentially harmful policies filtering down from the national level onto the state and local municipalities, I am more convinced than ever that we need the strength, energy, intelligence and commitment that I know John will deliver.

I urge you to evaluate your vote by thinking of our town’s future, We need to support our new supervisor and her accomplished team with someone who brings to the table all she needs to enact her agenda of fairness, transparency and intelligence when it comes to evaluating and deciding on any town issue.

I am voting for John Leonard, and I am voting early.

David Glazer

Shinnecock Hills