Bringing It Back

Mayor Jerry Larsen is justifiably thrilled with the work of the East Hampton Village Foundation, a nonprofit organization created in 2021 to collect donations and to use the money for various civic projects and events. At an Express Sessions event in East Hampton Village last week, Larsen and the foundation’s executive director, Bradford Billet, crowed about the various ways the foundation is “bringing it back,” as Billet put it — “it” being both a feeling of community and civic pride, and engagement via free activities, from concerts to yoga on the beach.

In the absence of a chamber of commerce, the East Hampton Village Foundation certainly has filled the void and is serving a similar role, and doing more than even the most active chamber is typically able to accomplish. Both residents and businesses in the village are enjoying the benefits. For that, both the mayor and the foundation deserve kudos.

And now comes the dreaded “however.” It’s twofold.

First, the creation of a parallel nonprofit organization to collect funds in the village’s name is an idea that burns hot enough to destroy any firewall you build between the foundation and Village Hall. There is simply no way to avoid the appearance of impropriety, at some point, when donors become applicants — for zoning variances, building permits, what have you. The foundation’s goal is creating harmless fun, but that fun is funded by real money. And money corrupts, eventually. It’s something to take seriously and keep a close eye on — both the mayor and taxpayers must stay vigilant.

Second, Larsen and Billet have every right to celebrate the many successes of the foundation — a healthy village has to be a place that’s attractive and inviting, and the stakes are even higher for a seasonal destination. But, as the Express Sessions conversation uncovered, the village’s concerns are many, and ultimately this administration should be judged primarily on its ability to succeed on one front: getting a sewer district established. It won’t solve everything, but it’s a necessary step that opens up new possibilities to move the historic village forward.

The mayor obviously knows that, and there are major obstacles to overcome. But if the goal truly is “bringing it back,” creatively solving the village’s biggest dilemma is the way to truly get it done.