Election 2025: The Suffolk Times’ endorsements: Southold Town Trustees
Every decision within 100 feet of Southold’s wetlands shapes the town’s future. The Trustees who regulate those shorelines and 2,000 acres of underwater lands hold the power to decide whether our bays heal or keep slipping away. The six candidates competing for three four-year terms face mounting pressures from development, aging septic systems, climate change and erosion threatening our bays and harbors.
Democratic incumbents Liz Gillooly and Eric Sepenoski seek reelection, while fellow Democrat Elizabeth Peeples is not running for another term. Joe Finora joins the ticket. Republicans Terri Boyle Romanelli, Nathan Andruski and Pindar Damianos comprise the GOP slate.
Mr. Andruski speaks with the authority of a lifelong bayman who has watched Southold’s waters decline. His commitment is genuine, serving as the Southold Baymen’s Association president, but passion alone doesn’t qualify someone for a position requiring technical knowledge of wetlands regulations and permit review. He offers no specific proposals for addressing the problems he identifies.
Ms. Boyle Romanelli brings diverse experience and a sharp mind. There is no doubt she has a love of the water, but her platform centers on making town code “more accessible” rather than strengthening environmental protections.
Mr. Damianos owns Pindar Vineyards, a name synonymous with North Fork wine since his father first planted vines here in the 1970s. His agricultural roots and years of service with the Southold Fire Department demonstrate deep community ties. But his emphasis on “property rights” alongside environmental protection raises concerns.
The Trustees exist primarily to protect public trust lands and wetlands, not facilitate private development.
Mr. Sepenoski’s family roots run even deeper, nearly as old as the soil itself after four generations of farming at Sep’s Farm in East Marion. A youth educator and doctoral researcher on North Fork land issues, Mr. Sepenoski has protected public shoreline access and worked to ensure protections survive property sales. His framing of the Trustees’ mission — helping residents understand their responsibilities to place and history — elevates the role beyond bureaucracy to stewardship.
Ms. Gillooly’s proactive leadership has included updating codes and improving transparency. As a USCG-licensed captain and waterfront professional, she brings technical knowledge and identifies specific solutions: buffer requirements, limited structures in vulnerable areas, upgraded septics and smart planning.
Mr. Finora offers exceptional credentials: 15 years as a waterfront engineer, commercial diver, USCG-licensed captain and Shelter Island town engineer. His vision of ensuring projects preserve “the culture and characteristics of the community” demonstrates understanding of the role’s strategic importance.
Southold’s waters need board members with technical expertise, legal sophistication and unwavering commitment to environmental protection. Ms. Gillooly, Mr. Sepenoski and Mr. Finora offer proven leadership and the knowledge to make difficult decisions in service of long-term protection.
The Suffolk Times endorses Liz Gillooly, Eric Sepenoski and Joe Finora for Southold Town Trustees.
