Happy New to you all. I am well into my first month in office and busy getting familiar with all of the departments and personnel in Town Hall.
As I begin the year, I wanted to start by thanking all of you for your support during the campaign and for your confidence on election day. Campaigning is tough, tougher than I realized. But, your support carried the day for me and I am deeply grateful. Cliche' it may be, but now the real work begins.
I also want to thank all of you for the many well wishes I received since the beginning of the year and for the active role many of you have and are playing in Town government. My sense is that we can turn a very important corner in Town government in the months ahead toward a more transparent and inclusive Town Board and Town Hall in general. Your continued support will be essential toward that end.
Of course, there is no shortage of important issues. I will commmit to you to giving each of them all of my energy and concern. Please feel free to contact me with any questions, concerns, or suggestions you may have.
Gratefully,
Anna
January 17, 2008
September 28, 2007
ISSUES OF IMPORTANCE
* Bringing a new standard of cooperation and concern to Town Hall.
Town Hall has for too long been controlled by a climate of confrontation and political bickering. I would like to put my inclusive management style and experience to work in replacing this negative and unproductive reality. I would like to see the Town employees and the people who look for leadership from our town government be treated to respect and inclusiveness. Town workers need to be given the room to the work they have been hired to do and to put their expertise to work without fear of reprisal or interference and micro management. Town Board meetings, as well as the hearing and deliberation process, need to be guided by a more carefully instituted and inclusive protocol, and where the current brand of infighting, divisiveness and inclusiveness be stopped This behavior and poor leadership has lessened the credibility and the effectiveness of the Town Board with the end result of undermining the democratic process. Results of the recent Republican primary and the defeat of the incumbent Supervisor underscore the voters concerns for this issue. I want unity and inclusive leadership in Town government not division. I want to help bring a new era of cooperation and concern in Town government while demonstrating leadership through an open door, ears to the ground, sleeves soled up approach. I will work hard to represent proactively, inclusively and effectively, and with consistent attention to the issues the people of Southampton truly care about.
* Bringing sound financial management to Town government
I would like to see to the cost and size of our Town Government be reduced and to carefully scrutinize the reasons for why the town budget has doubled in the last six years ($40 - $80 Million). Is this increase warranted? Has any effort been made to help us understand why we need such a large budget or government? Are we noticeably better served? For example, has long lacking code enforcement been improved? Are our local roadways better maintained? Have people seen an overall increase and improvement in Town services? These are examples of questions that need to be addressed as we undertake a review of the state of Town government and the current budget. As a manager of mot-for-profit organizations, I have the experience and the habit of knowing how and why every dollar is generated and how it is spent. I would see that a similar fiscal responsibility and discipline be exercised in Town Hall, Furthermore, the people of Southampton have, as a result of this brand of mismanagement and poor governance, been subjected to a disastrous and widely felt property tax reassessment. One of my main goals will be to insure that future reassessments are done properly and will include the following:
· a more sound and a more appropriate planning process,
· accurate and reliable assessment rate and tracking methods,
· more timely notification and education procedures,
· a much improved and streamlined grievance process, and,
· finally, and importantly, assures a reassessment of the commercial properties in Southampton.
* Bringing a comprehensive and sustainable effort to addressing the current lack of affordable community housing opportunities in Southampton.
People who make up the backbone of this community and who would also like to live, or continue to live, in our town must be given the opportunity to do so. The affordable housing crisis must be addressed. The lack of political will and effort within this are must be reversed immediately. I would propose a three step housing plan to help meet that goal which would include the following:
· a comprehensive and strategic assessment process
· the development and introduction of systems to support and facilitate this process, and
· incentives for both builders and buyers to benefit from the program.
Our Town has the foundation for, and is well situated to, successfully address and solve this problem. My plan would build on flourishing models already in place in other areas around the country and would include programs such as fast track review and permit process for affordable housing projects, the establishment of a housing trust fund with both tax diversions and not-for-profit support, tax incentive for land and homeowners wanting to sell into the housing trust, financing and planning support for the first time owners to name a few.
Bringing a proactive program for the protection of the environment and the local character of our Town and an aggressive sustainability effort to conserve our energy resources.
First, Town government should follow the guideline set forth in its Comprehensive Plan. This document has become little more than a paperweight referred to infrequently and casually. It should be regarded as the seminal planning document for the Town. In particular, the Town should regularly revisit the specific goal set out in that plan, establish benchmarks for each of those goals and annually reassess its progress and the effectiveness of strategies currently being employed.
For example, the land acquisitions made using CPF funds and/or the number of affordable work force housing units available can hardly be regarded as adequate progress towards the goals for these efforts stated in the Comprehensive Plan. Without specific, target annual goals, any progress can be deemed adequate no matter how minimal.
Second, we need to be sure that all members of town boards such as the planning board or the conservation board are fully qualified to sit on these boards and appointments should be free of political affiliation. In this regard I would recommend the creation of non-partisan environmental watchdog committee comprised of members of town agencies and existing, well respected environmental group to safeguard against any special interests that unduly influence decisions.
Third, we must establish a water protection and management plan both for the various waterways and estuaries throughout our town and for the various aquifers within and adjacent to town borders. Such a plan need to be the the result of the combined efforts of the planning department and the town’s Trustees and the trustees of the various villages within the town. This kind of collaborative efforts will assure balance for both the burden and the benefits of these kinds of protective plans.
Finally, we must adopts the LEEDS standards as a component of our building codes, establish a “green’ policy for all municipal and non-municipal construction and aggressively seek out and use alternative energy sources. Such efforts will not only protect the environment but will also provide leadership in this vital area and ultimately result in cost savings.
Town Hall has for too long been controlled by a climate of confrontation and political bickering. I would like to put my inclusive management style and experience to work in replacing this negative and unproductive reality. I would like to see the Town employees and the people who look for leadership from our town government be treated to respect and inclusiveness. Town workers need to be given the room to the work they have been hired to do and to put their expertise to work without fear of reprisal or interference and micro management. Town Board meetings, as well as the hearing and deliberation process, need to be guided by a more carefully instituted and inclusive protocol, and where the current brand of infighting, divisiveness and inclusiveness be stopped This behavior and poor leadership has lessened the credibility and the effectiveness of the Town Board with the end result of undermining the democratic process. Results of the recent Republican primary and the defeat of the incumbent Supervisor underscore the voters concerns for this issue. I want unity and inclusive leadership in Town government not division. I want to help bring a new era of cooperation and concern in Town government while demonstrating leadership through an open door, ears to the ground, sleeves soled up approach. I will work hard to represent proactively, inclusively and effectively, and with consistent attention to the issues the people of Southampton truly care about.
* Bringing sound financial management to Town government
I would like to see to the cost and size of our Town Government be reduced and to carefully scrutinize the reasons for why the town budget has doubled in the last six years ($40 - $80 Million). Is this increase warranted? Has any effort been made to help us understand why we need such a large budget or government? Are we noticeably better served? For example, has long lacking code enforcement been improved? Are our local roadways better maintained? Have people seen an overall increase and improvement in Town services? These are examples of questions that need to be addressed as we undertake a review of the state of Town government and the current budget. As a manager of mot-for-profit organizations, I have the experience and the habit of knowing how and why every dollar is generated and how it is spent. I would see that a similar fiscal responsibility and discipline be exercised in Town Hall, Furthermore, the people of Southampton have, as a result of this brand of mismanagement and poor governance, been subjected to a disastrous and widely felt property tax reassessment. One of my main goals will be to insure that future reassessments are done properly and will include the following:
· a more sound and a more appropriate planning process,
· accurate and reliable assessment rate and tracking methods,
· more timely notification and education procedures,
· a much improved and streamlined grievance process, and,
· finally, and importantly, assures a reassessment of the commercial properties in Southampton.
* Bringing a comprehensive and sustainable effort to addressing the current lack of affordable community housing opportunities in Southampton.
People who make up the backbone of this community and who would also like to live, or continue to live, in our town must be given the opportunity to do so. The affordable housing crisis must be addressed. The lack of political will and effort within this are must be reversed immediately. I would propose a three step housing plan to help meet that goal which would include the following:
· a comprehensive and strategic assessment process
· the development and introduction of systems to support and facilitate this process, and
· incentives for both builders and buyers to benefit from the program.
Our Town has the foundation for, and is well situated to, successfully address and solve this problem. My plan would build on flourishing models already in place in other areas around the country and would include programs such as fast track review and permit process for affordable housing projects, the establishment of a housing trust fund with both tax diversions and not-for-profit support, tax incentive for land and homeowners wanting to sell into the housing trust, financing and planning support for the first time owners to name a few.
Bringing a proactive program for the protection of the environment and the local character of our Town and an aggressive sustainability effort to conserve our energy resources.
First, Town government should follow the guideline set forth in its Comprehensive Plan. This document has become little more than a paperweight referred to infrequently and casually. It should be regarded as the seminal planning document for the Town. In particular, the Town should regularly revisit the specific goal set out in that plan, establish benchmarks for each of those goals and annually reassess its progress and the effectiveness of strategies currently being employed.
For example, the land acquisitions made using CPF funds and/or the number of affordable work force housing units available can hardly be regarded as adequate progress towards the goals for these efforts stated in the Comprehensive Plan. Without specific, target annual goals, any progress can be deemed adequate no matter how minimal.
Second, we need to be sure that all members of town boards such as the planning board or the conservation board are fully qualified to sit on these boards and appointments should be free of political affiliation. In this regard I would recommend the creation of non-partisan environmental watchdog committee comprised of members of town agencies and existing, well respected environmental group to safeguard against any special interests that unduly influence decisions.
Third, we must establish a water protection and management plan both for the various waterways and estuaries throughout our town and for the various aquifers within and adjacent to town borders. Such a plan need to be the the result of the combined efforts of the planning department and the town’s Trustees and the trustees of the various villages within the town. This kind of collaborative efforts will assure balance for both the burden and the benefits of these kinds of protective plans.
Finally, we must adopts the LEEDS standards as a component of our building codes, establish a “green’ policy for all municipal and non-municipal construction and aggressively seek out and use alternative energy sources. Such efforts will not only protect the environment but will also provide leadership in this vital area and ultimately result in cost savings.
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