SOUTHAMPTON, N.Y. — Residents of the city of Southampton will soon be heading to the polls to elect local representatives.
The race is in the run-up to Election Day, which this year is Tuesday, November 7.
Patch asked those running for office to answer questions about their campaigns and will post candidate profiles in the days leading up to the election.
Find out what's happening in Southamptonwith free real-time updates from Patch.
Margaret Friedlander, a Democrat, faces nine other candidates vying for five open Southampton Town Trustee seats. These candidates include Democratic candidates Theiakoronronthe R. Chavis, Joseph McLoughlin, Matthew Parsons and Daniel Van Arsdale and Republican candidates Mark Haslinger, Scott Horowitz, Richard Maran, Daniel Martel and Edward Warner, Jr.
Here's Patch's Margaret Friedlander's candidate profile:
Find out what's happening in Southamptonwith free real-time updates from Patch.
Name
Margaret Friedlander
How old will you be by election day?
61
What city or town do you live in?
Southampton
Party membership
Democratic Party of Working Families
Please complete this statement: The most pressing issue facing my constituents is _____, and this is what I plan to do about it.
Lack of information, transparency and community engagement by elected officials.
My roadmap for addressing this issue in my role as an administrator includes:
* Establishing a communication strategy for
a) Ensure we proactively engage our constituents in a collaborative two-way dialogue (eg, monthly meetings with civic organizations and/or CACs)
b) Establish transparency by leveraging various media channels (eg, social media and website content)
c) Make sure everyone in Southampton Town knows there is a Board and understands who we are and what we do on their behalf
* Ensure the public is clear about the operational aspects of the Board
* Build a positive and effective working relationship with the City Council
* Address and resolve open items related to the manager's budget, tax line and MOA
What needs to be done to address water quality issues in LI?
Many, if not all, of our waterways are located in areas where heavy use of landscaping chemicals is causing toxic algal blooms. There are sustainable management solutions to mitigate this issue. However, with a big picture and long-term perspective, we need to address the primary sources of this problem. If we want to do no harm, let us all:
* Improving groundwater and local waters by reducing the use of harmful fertilizers and pesticides
* Improve the health of people and pets by reducing exposure to harmful pesticides
* Taking steps to encourage a healthy ecosystem with biodiversity by planting native species
There has always been the landscape's relationship with water, but even more so with the escalation of climate change. We need to set new standards and educate landowners, gardeners and local makers about the real benefits of nature-based, toxin-free land care. Rethink what is beautiful.
What do you think can be done to improve infrastructure, highways etc.
A viable solution is to force the Long Island Railroad to make track and schedule improvements on eastern Long Island to make it more viable to travel either east or west. For those in the trade who need their trucks and equipment—there is no easy answer.
What are the main differences between you and other candidates seeking this position?
I am an active and knowledgeable environmentalist. I am an entrepreneur with 20+ years of results driven local advertising and marketing program management with a sweet spot for “too big to fail” initiatives.
Core skill sets include:
* Financial experience: Defined and successfully managed budgets up to $5 million. All programs come within scope, schedule and budget
* Building Consensus: Proven effective collaboration leading small and large (60+) cross-functional and culturally diverse teams
* Research-driven: Proactive deep-dive research, productive engagement with subject matter experts, and analytics inform my decision-making
And, BTW, I can also run lines and boats, on a 50' offshore fishing boat.
I am very proud to have been the person to alert my community in Hampton Bays to the residential zoning and legitimate environmental and public safety concerns associated with grid-scale lithium-ion battery energy storage systems (BESS).
Before I was asked, and accepted, to run for elected office, I proactively did my own research on BESS, which was not on my community's radar.
Decisions were being made by City Council members that endangered public safety and our environment.
Yes, I turned the lights on in Hampton Bays about BESS, but without the whole community coming together, educating and talking – the Canal Southampton BESS could have been greenlit. Instead, we have a moratorium. though I remain alert.
I am not a climate change denier, nor do I deny the need for “green neighbor” technology. However, it is imperative that the grid-scale BESS lithium-ion battery home zone be removed in the city of Southampton.
Great communities have at their core strong and inclusive citizen participation that harnesses the ideas and talents of all community members working together to secure the common good and make meaningful contributions.
As a trustee, I will continue to advocate and make meaningful contributions on behalf of the entire city of Southampton.
If you are challenging an incumbent, how has the incumbent failed the community?
I want to see a different Southampton Board that doesn't reflect an 'old boys club' mentality. A Board of Directors that stands behind the true spirit of community involvement and transparency. Why after all these years do the majority of people in the town of Southampton not know who the Trustees are and what they do? It is extremely important for all Board members to change this circumstance. Especially with the responsibility of an approved 2024 budget of $1,446,924 (our tax dollars). We must also establish and maintain a healthy working relationship with the new City Council, which may include former Board members.
What past achievements would you cite as proof that you can handle this job?
As I mentioned earlier, I am putting my Hampton Bays community on notice about residential zoning and the very real environmental and public safety concerns associated with grid-scale Li-ion BESS. This highlights my collaborative nature, communication and consensus building skills that make me a powerful motivator and influencer who can inspire a team (as well as a community) towards a common goal.
Is there anything else you'd like voters to know about you and your positions?
I am proud to be running for office for the first time. I am a lifelong learner and new experiences and challenges are my happy place. My goal as trustee is to work with my fellow bipartisan board members as we take action to protect and restore habitat, maintain public access to our waterways, engage and listen to our community, and collaborate with subject matter experts to implement solutions that will improve and protect our water quality.
If elected, I would be honored to serve as Southampton's city manager and support our community.
Get more local news straight to your inbox. Sign up for free newsletters and Patch notifications.
