Editorial: In brief, well, sort of
In keeping with the spirit of our new letters policy and recognizing that brevity is the soul of, well, clarity if not wit, here are some brief-ish comments, in no particular order, on various topics covered in this week’s paper.
Paranormal activity at Bug Light in Orient? Really? At a local tavern is more likely, although there could be other, more fluid spirits at play there. And why would any spirit take residence in a replica built decades after the original burned down? Come to think of it, why wouldn’t a spirit take residence in a tavern rather than in a cold, dark plywood shell? That makes much more sense.
New tuition deal between Greenport and Oysterponds? About time.
Greenport’s school superintendent also assuming responsibility for running the New Suffolk School? Why not? That entire district consists of two teachers and a handful of students, and the superintendent obviously has a good handle on running a significantly larger system. Plus there’s more than just a little truth to the old saying, “If you want something done, ask a busy person.”
The Greenport-Sag Harbor water taxi up and running? Great! Providing visitors with another fun thing to do is a great way to start off the summer. Now if we could only get them to launch a car-carrying water taxi between the South Fork and, say, New London that would really be great.
The town’s economic advisory group and Southold Free Library seeking to gauge the public’s state of mind through formal surveys? That’s an unusual step for a library, but it makes sense, especially in light of the defeat several years ago of a sizable library building expansion bond. Do folks like the library as is? Does it need additional offerings? Does it need additional space?
Brief discussions at the circulation desk don’t provide reliable input. If you live in Southold and get the survey, fill it out and send it on in. It’s your library, after all.
Regarding the economic questionnaire, we hope it doesn’t turn into a gripe-fest aimed at Town Hall. To be sure, there are many regulatory hurdles that must be cleared by new businesses that want to open or existing businesses that want to expand. But don’t blame the town for New York State building codes or Suffolk County health department requirements. No one on the Town Board deserves to be pegged as “anti-business.” But the days of making a few phone calls to a few people to get preferential treatment and skirt the rules are far in the past. If you’re filling out that survey, don’t make it a political statement. As TV’s Det. Joe Friday once said, “Just the facts, ma’am.”
Drunk driving and boating? How stupid is that? Don’t do it.
