Featured Letter: Wife defends husband’s appointment to Town Board
To the Editor:
I am writing in response to Troy Gustavson’s opinion piece in last week’s issue of The Suffolk Times. I would have thought that Troy’s working so closely with Jim Dinizio on Greenport’s “Let There Be Light” project would have given him some insight into the type of person Jim is.
Perhaps time and age have dimmed his memory and he needs a refresher course. First and foremost, Jim is no one’s puppet — never has been, never will be. To say that “more likely he’ll be voting lock step with the GOP majority” is an outright falsehood. The first fact you failed to mention was that it was a Democrat (Supervisor Frank Murphy) and his Town Board that brought Jim into town government as a member of the Zoning Board of Appeals approximately 25 years ago.
At the meeting where Jim was appointed to the Town Board, even Democratic chairman Art Tillman didn’t have a problem with the choice the board made. Art was even quoted as saying, “I like the guy.” As a member of the Conservative Party, Jim has supported both Republicans and Democrats in their bids to hold elected office within the Town. He has shown that he can work with both parties. Jim will do what he has done for the past 25 years and that’s to do what he thinks is best for Southold Town and its people. To try to persuade your readers to think otherwise is doing them, as residents of the Town of Southold, a disservice.
Secondly, Jim is honest — extremely honest. People sometimes may not like the answer he gives when asked a question, but they can walk away knowing it is a truthful one.
There are few, if any, within town government who know the Southold town code better than Jim. He can take the knowledge he learned as a Zoning Board member to help enhance operations at Town Hall.
How do I know so much about Jim? I’ve been a part of his life for the past 44 years — the last thirty-six as his wife, so I’d venture to say it’s fact that I know him better than you.
There’s a quote that states, “Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak and to remove all doubt.” Quite honestly, Troy, you should have kept silent.
Joan Dinizio, Greenport
