Letters

How unfortunate it is that one of the most beloved citizens of our village is under attack, in Letters to the Editor and, in fact, by The Press, in your choosing to highlight her purported “violations” on the front page [“Southampton Village Ethics Board Finds Trustee Robin Brown Violated Code With Attendance at Fundraisers,” 27east.com, December 6].

There is no question that Robin Brown, who is our only female trustee, has tirelessly worked on our beaches and our lakes and with our fine police and with all of her other responsibilities. In return, she is targeted for attending two events with fellow residents.

Trustee Brown’s first mistake, according to her detractors, was to attend a Metropolitan Opera performance with Peter Marino, who has literally paid for and renovated the long-empty library, and who then filled it with his own artwork. Mr. Marino should be celebrated for his unequaled generosity to our community, rather than to be dragged into these political hits.

The complaints are not justified, as your article states that the Browns were at the opera with the Marinos, who are their friends, and they were there to celebrate another friend’s 90th birthday. Their attendance was therefore not a violation. Had anyone on the board checked, they also would have found that tickets can be had to the struggling Met for as low as $35.

The other ruling against Ms. Brown stated that she should not have attended an event that was held to clean our water. Actually, that is the kind of fundraiser that all of our elected representatives should have been at, as they need to be informed and involved with everything that is going on in Southampton.

I stand with Trustee Robin Brown, as do the majority of Southampton residents, and I thank her for all of the time that she gives to this special place.

Walter Deane

Southampton

Tickets to the opera fundraiser in question were $2,500 each — Ed.