Richard Li’s letter countering mine contradicts the very reporting in this paper—it was a sanitized one-sided version of last month’s board meeting.  Anyone attending could see there was a concerted effort to diminish a particular trustee and to keep him from drawing attention to development on Manhasset Isle.  There may be nothing amiss,  but if that is the case, why the concerted effort to immediately discredit him and stop any productive discussion?  The village government says they are transparent, but these actions show otherwise.

To be fair, I emailed the mayor before sending a letter to the editor asking why any one person can effectively shut down a trustee’s question about development and subsequently shut down a meeting.  Despite touting transparency, I never received a response.

In Li’s letter, I was referred to as the trustee’s “comrade” as if I have some nefarious business in showing any support for a trustee with whom Li doesn’t agree.  It makes me wonder why he is so invested in discrediting people.  

If the village supports transparency, they should welcome discussion including questions from trustees.  It is not the “Lone Ranger” who benefits from the chaos and dysfunction of the village government and board meetings. 

After all, it should not be unreasonable to discuss development and there does not need to be a motive to ask the question. Yet it seemed there were many people acting together to thwart this effort, including Li, and that makes me wonder why.  It would seem the people shutting down open discussion of major projects are the true beneficiaries of the chaos because in that environment there can be no discussion.  

I believe the current mayor has a good heart and can do better, but there are too many self-interested parties that do not facilitate good government, continue to be the loudest voices, and create scenarios where developments for better or worse are off the table for discussion.  

Francesca Zahner

Manorhaven