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Democratic Southampton Town Board Candidates Release Action Plan Ahead Of Election

By: 
Erin McKinley
Publication: 
The Southampton Press
Sep
22
2015

The three Democratic Southampton Town Board candidates are calling for a one-year moratorium on new planned development districts as part a newly released election platform.

The seven-page action plan lists several points of focus for the trio—Southampton Town supervisor candidate Jay Schneiderman, and Town Board candidates John Bouvier and Julie Lofstad—if elected come November 3. The document focuses on five critical areas selected by the candidates, including preventing overdevelopment, protecting the environment, addressing traffic congestion, stabilizing the cost of living, and targeting overcrowded houses.

“There is a sense that we are losing the things we love about the Town of Southampton,” Ms. Lofstad said in the release. “It is our job to protect our quality of life.”

“Our promise is to work hard to protect the things we love, to restore the things we lost and to chart a course to a future that’s as bright as our 375-year past,” Mr. Schneiderman said.

Highlights of the plan include a one-year moratorium on planned development districts, requiring new wastewater treatment systems for new construction within certain proximity to waterways, creating more affordable housing opportunities through an accessory apartment program, promoting tourism in Hampton Bays, and alleviating traffic through more use of blinking traffic signals.

“Overdevelopment is not just impacting our roads, it’s impairing our waters,” Mr. Bouvier said. “But I’m confident that we can make significant progress in reversing the damage that’s been caused by restoring our water quality.”

The candidates introduced the new plan, which can be found online at teamsouthampton.com, at the opening of the new Democratic Committee campaign headquarters at 71 Hill Street in Southampton on Saturday.

‘Meet The Candidates’ Scheduled

Candidates endorsed by the Southampton Town Democratic Committee will appear at a meet the candidates event on Saturday, September 26, from noon to 2 p.m. at the Inn Spot on the Bay in Hampton Bays.

The event will feature Southampton Town supervisor candidate Jay Schneiderman, Town Board candidates John Bouvier and Julie Lofstad, Suffolk County Legislature candidate Bridget Fleming, town justice candidate Adam Grossman, and Trustee candidates Eric Shultz, Bill Pell and Tim Corwin.

The event is $20 per person and will include a breakfast station and cash bar. More information can be found online at SHdems.org, or by emailing info@teamsouthampton.com.

Debates Scheduled

Candidates in the Southampton Town Board, town supervisor, and Suffolk County legislator races will participate in several upcoming debates.

The Press News Group will host its annual Southampton Town debate on Monday, September 28, at 7:30 p.m. in the Southampton High School auditorium.

Town supervisor candidates Jay Schneiderman and Richard Yastrzemski, as well as Southampton Town Board candidates John Bouvier, Damon Hagan, Julie Lofstad and Christine Scalera, will square off in the debate, which will be moderated by Press Executive Editor Joseph Shaw. Reader questions to be asked at the debate can be submitted to mailbag@pressnewsgroup.com.

The Press also will co-sponsor the League of Women Voters of the Hamptons debate on Thursday, October 22, at 6 p.m. at Southampton’s Rogers Memorial Library, which also is co-hosting the event. Along with the supervisor and Town Board candidates, Suffolk County legislator candidates Bridget Fleming and Amos Goodman will go head to head.

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