Bill Goggins does not nominate himself for awards. No, the nominations come spontaneously, he said, when a satisfied patron may happen to call this or that organization on his own behalf. READ
Tag: Bill Goggins
Tuesday is Election Day nationwide and voters in Southold Town will be asked to choose a supervisor, two council members, two trustees, a town justice and assessor.
MLSI PHOTO | Attorney William Goggins hopes to construct two apartments and an office into this Mattituck building.
Southold Town Justice candidate William Goggins is planning to construct two apartments and an office within an existing Mattituck building, according to applications filed with the town’s building department.
This is Mr. Goggins’ second attempt to renovate the structure, located at 13200 Main Road in Mattituck. In March 2012, he received approval from the planning department to construct three apartments within the building. However, the Suffolk County Department of Health struck down the plan.
“Originally it was supposed to be three apartments but the health department wouldn’t give me the sanitary flow I needed to have those apartments,” Mr. Goggins said. “Because of the limitations I could only do two apartments and that small amount of office space. There’s a disconnect between what the health department will allow and what the town’s master plan is.”
Even with the amended project, Mr. Goggins, an attorney, is still hitting snags on the road to construction.
In June, the town denied his building permit, citing violations to town code. The proposed apartment would make up more than 40 percent — the maximum permitted — of the principal building, according to the town’s building inspector.
Mr. Goggins is seeking a variance from the Zoning Board of Appeals to move forward with the site plan as is.
The design calls for an 850-square-foot office, two 600-square-foot apartments and 12 parking spaces to accommodate a future business and residents.
Since the project is still in the development phase, Mr. Goggins said he isn’t sure how the office will be used.
“I don’t have anyone looking to rent it yet,” he said. “It could possibly be a law office.”
The public will have a chance to weigh in on the plan when the issue goes up for public hearing before the Zoning Board of Appeals at 10:45 a.m. Sept. 5 in the Town Hall meeting room.
BETH YOUNG FILE PHOTO | Longtime Republlican Southold Town Justice William Price may receive the nomination to run as a Democrat this year.
To the editor:
William (Bill) Price, after having served for 32 years as town justice, has been kicked to the curb by the Southold Republican committee. The committee selected Bill Goggins as the Republican nominee for town justice.
GOP chair Peter McGreevy stated, “While no one doubts that (Judge Price) has served this town well, the committee thought it was time for a change and acted upon it.”
Bill Goggins is quoted as saying Judge Price “has been there too long, has lost touch with the committee and the voting public and it was just time.”
Those kinds of comments reek of political favoritism.
Justice Price has served this community well, not only as a judge but as a citizen. He quietly has supported and volunteered for many local causes, because he believes it is the right thing to do.
Mr. McGreevy is quoted as saying, “I don’t think you can flip from a Republican judge to a Democratic judge and keep a straight face.”
I’ve always believed that justice was supposed to be apolitical. People are supposed to be judged impartially, regardless of political affiliation.
It’s clearly apparent that Bill Goggins believes that keeping in touch with the Republican committee is a crucial requirement to sit on the bench in Southold Town. I don’t think the voting public would agree.
Bob Feger, Mattituck
To read more letters to the editor, pick up a copy of this week’s Suffolk Times or click on the E-Paper.