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VOTE For a
Better Island for All

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Our Position on Affordable Housing

Access to affordable, year-round housing is critical, essential to the future of our Island and school.  It should be defined as a priority. We refer you to our ad addressing affordable housing that appeared in the October 5th issue of the Reporter.

NEW LEADERSHIP 
For Shelter Island
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Albert
Dickson

Town Board

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Benjamin I.
Dyett

Town Board

Shelter Island Democrats  
WHO WE ARE

Cat Brigham 

Greg Toner 

Barrie Silver 

Vice-Chair, Shelter Island Democratic Committee (Current) 

Shelter Island Democratic Committee (Current)

Shelter Island Democratic Committee (Current) 

Liz Hanley 

Treasurer, Shelter Island Democratic Committee (Current) 

Shelter Island Democratic Committee (Former)

Bill Mastro (Mastrogiacomo)

Mark Mobius 

Kathy Gooding 

OUR PLATFORM 

1. Democratic Process 

  • The Committee should follow a democratic process for all decisions.

  • Candidates and decisions should be voted on and decided by a simple majority.

  • Leadership should respect the outcome of votes and not make decisions outside the committee.

  • Most critically: all candidates should be interviewed, vetted, and voted on by the whole Committee.

  • Once a vote has been called the Committee should be 100% committed to supporting their decision.

  • The Committee represents ALL Democrats on Shelter Island- the Committee should support candidates chosen by voters.

  • Committee members are welcome and encouraged to have their point of view.

  • When representing SIDC, Committee members should support the consensus/vote of the Committee and the choices of SI Democratic voters.

  • Disagreements, which are inevitable and part of the process, should be handled with mutual respect and maturity.

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**Currently:

  • *In the most recent cycle: A candidate for the Town board seat was designated (put onto a petition) by the current chair with no vote or conversation with the committee.

  • At the same time a candidate seeking endorsement was not given the opportunity for a full committee vote to gain this endorsement.

  • *Expressions (by the chair) in public spaces, including newspaper letters and advertisements, have expressed personal viewpoints instead of a voted position of the Committee.

2. Forward-Looking & Open

  • The Committee should work proactively to develop and support prospective candidates- striving to make the process accessible to more people.

  • The Committee should closely follow local, County, State, and National issues to more robustly support potential and current candidates. 

  • The Committee should have open meetings for registered Democrats to be involved in the process and give input at least once a quarter.

  • Current and potential candidates should be encouraged to participate. 

  • All party business including financials, petitioning, County processes, etc, should be shared with the Committee and Democratic voters as requested. 

 

**Currently:

  • *There is no plan for candidate development and multiple suggestions / potential frameworks have been dismissed by the current chair.

  • *No meetings are open to ALL registered Democrats. Interested parties are told not to attend and in the previous Fall election cycle, access has been refused to candidates to SIDC meetings.

3. Fiscal Responsibility

  • The Committee should be responsible for accurately reporting income and expenses so that there is a clean record for donors (current and potential) and avoid legal trouble with the NY Board of Elections. 

 

**Currently:

  • SIDC lost access to funds or their bank account as a result of setting up bank accounts improperly- the County is involved to help them resolve this.

  • Fall 2023 donations had to be returned because they were improperly received.

  • The Suffolk County office is covering the cost of an accountant to fix approximately ten years of incorrect filings- with thousands of dollars in donations unreported to the Board of Elections.

  • There is no sign of embezzlement or fraud- just gross negligence. 

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WE ALL...

  • want trust in our local government restored.

  • want to listen to other members of the community with respect.

  • want to see impartial experts retained for guidance on protecting our water and wetlands.

  • want to see alternatives to the controversial wastewater treatment plant properly pursued.

  • want affordable housing seriously pursued.

  • want to protect the character of the island and promote BALANCED development.

  • want to keep preserved land PRESERVED.

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