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Q1: Your Motivation to Run ?

Q1: What is your motivation to run for office? What do you hope to accomplish?

Jim King

Jim King, Trustee Candidate: I am running for a fifth term as a town trustee to continue my efforts to improve water quality and maintain a non-political and common sense approach to administer the three town codes the trustees are responsible for i.e. wetlands, coastal erosion, and boats, docks and wharfs.

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Bob Ghosio

Bob Ghosio, Trustee Candidate: I have been Southold Town Trustee since 2006. I have a fair amount of time invested, and, by and large, the people have a fair amount of money invested, in my learning the codes, laws and the ins and outs of daily government protocols as it pertains to the role the Trustee plays in local government. I am running for re-election because I have enjoyed doing my part to help keep our wetlands healthy (since I believe our local economy is predicated on a healthy wetland and estuary), protect people’s property rights, and influence changes to benefit those I represent. I hope the people believe they’ve made a good investment in me and that I’ve been a valuable member of the Trustees and will want me to continue in that role. Currently I am working with the town, County and NYSDEC to get Klipp Park Beach, aka Gull Pond, in Greenport dredged to recreate the beach as it was in the 1970s and to get depth needed for swimming during low tide. Over the years, the beach has moved into the water and at low tide you can be at the swim areas marking’s most seaward point and only have water to your knees. I hope to get this accomplished during my next term. I would also like to start considering or offering the use of monopole dock construction methods with composite piles. They last longer, have less environmental impact and are, in my opinion, visually pleasing.

Bill Ruland

Bill Ruland, Council Candidate: It is my desire to continue to serve the community I was born and raised in. I hope to continue working with the other members of the Town Board to set policies and develop codes that are in the best interest of all the people of the Town of Southold.

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Scott Russell

Scott Russell, Supervisor Candidate: Actually my motivation to seek re-election is due to my desire to see some projects initiated by my administration completed. The most significant of which is an update to Southold’s Master Plan. We have accomplished a great deal on this plan but lots of work still remains. My top priority, if re-elected, is to see this comprehensive document completed.
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Jill Doherty

Jill Doherty, Council Candidate: My Motivation to run for Town Board is to bring to the Town Board what I have been doing as a Trustee. Which is, balance the rights of the property owners with the Environment, updating the code making it less cumbersome on the applicant while being financially responsible. The “Environment” on the Town Board level is financial responsibility while giving the people of the town the services that are needed. I hope to continue on the same path of the current Town Board by
maintaining a budget for the people. Being creative in these economic times is essential. I have cut the Trustees budget 4 years in a row without cutting services.
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Steve Brautigam

Steve Brautigam, Trustee Candidate: I have over 22 years experience in working for town and village Governments. I know how to act on policies, produce results and provide services to the tax payer. I want to streamline/standardize the permitting process. This would include stopping/limiting the duplicating review and discussions with the Town trustees and other agencies. Because I have been handling these types of issue in my career I bring new expertise to the table. Please excuse any typos in this response.

If elected as a Town Trustee I will bring expertise and new ideas on how to address many aspects of managing the town’s salt and fresh water frontage, wet lands, bays, creeks and surrounding areas. I currently work for an ocean front village and meet with DEC, local towns and villages, FEMA, army core of engineers, fish and wild life and a fact similar CAC organization on a regular basis. This knowledge and group understanding is a must in order to keep up with the changing rules. Then you will have the foundation of how these rules can help or hurt the property owner and the town and possibly change them to your needs. The more agencies on board with the idea the easier it will be for the individual tax payer to get through the permitting nightmare that currently exists and can take over a year. However, I am not a one man team and will need support.

Bob Meguin

Bob Meguin, Supervisor Candidate:For the past six years, the current administration governing the Town of Southold has failed to adopt any clear vision for the future of the town. After years of study after study, they have yet to adopt and enforce a comprehensive master plan as a guide to the local economy and the development of the town. The Town of Southold had three years of operating deficits from 2006 to 2008, then operating surpluses in 2009 and 2010 largely the result of a decreasing payroll resulting from early retirement incentives. Yet in 2012 a tax increase of 2.79% is proposed following a 1.6% tax rate increase in the general fund in 2011.

The tax base has declined since 2008 by 13.1%. The current administration points to the housing market decline, mandated costs of paying retirement benefits, health insurance and rising fuel costs. However, the role of effective local government is to anticipate such dynamic changes, rather than to simply explain them after the fact. The task is to lead and advocate: not just supervise. The current group of elected officials have not aggressively sought to generate other non-tax sustainable revenues and has over relied upon diminishing mortgage tax revenues as secondary non-tax revenues to finance government operations.

My goal as Town Supervisor would be to grow the tax base commercially by aggressive support of farming, agriculture, vineyards and tourism. To accomplish such a goal in the future requires a defined vision of Southold for the next decade. The key component is to adopt a viable regional transportation plan. Moreover since our town has a substantial senior citizen and retiree population their needs must be addressed. A stable tax rate by all government levels including school districts is absolutely essential. I intend to advocate for all Southold residents by partnering with school and special districts within the town to try to
lower the total tax bill, not just the town portion.

Overall government spending must be decreased and be measured to meet the affordable capacity of our residents. The 2012 proposes spending more, not less: an increase of 1.32% over last year. These are the tough decisions which the current administration has failed to make.
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UNRESPONSIVE CANDIDATES

Repeated calls for answers from the following candidates were not answered by press time:

Council Candidates Nick Deegan and Marie Domenici
Trustee Candidate Lynn Summers

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Go to question 1: Your Motivation to Run
Go to question 2: Waterfront Views
Go to question 3: Buildable Land
Go to question 4: Coastal Stewards
Go to question 5: Storm Damage
Go to question 6: Bluff Protection
Go to question 7: Qualifications
Go to the Main Elections Page: Candidate Bios

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