Town Justice 2017 Endorsement: Eileen Powers

For Town Justice, we endorse Eileen Powers to fill the seat of retiring judge William Price. Her experience as the town attorney in Southampton and current village attorney in Belle Terre, prosecutor in the Suffolk County District Attorney’s office and defense attorney supports her bid for the job. She has a future in Southold Town government; we should be glad for that.

Ms. Powers’ opponent is Robert Meguin, a Southold attorney and the vice chairman of the town Democratic Party. The Democrats this year did not challenge the seats for town clerk or Fishers Island justice. Mr. Meguin stepped in when the party needed a candidate for Southold Town justice.

Mr. Meguin ran unsuccessfully for town justice as a Democrat in the mid-1990s. In 2011, he ran unsuccessfully against Scott Russell for Southold supervisor. In that race, too, he stepped in when no one else sought the Democratic nomination. Even after the party selected Mr. Meguin to run, party chairman Art Tillman said he would continue to interview other candidates for the position.

The choice here is simple: Ms. Powers for town justice.