Sometimes the hardest thing is to acknowledge when you need a little more help — and to figure out the most cost-effective way to get it.
Last week, the Sag Harbor Village Board said it was planning to hire a planner to work with its regulatory boards, rather than relying solely on outside help via contracts. It’ll seek proposals for “professional planning, engineering and on-call consulting services.”
There’s no reason to think this is necessarily a reflection on the job being done by Nelson Pope Voorhis, the planning consulting firm from Melville that is contracted frequently by South Fork municipalities looking for planning advice. But having planners on staff, the way both Southampton and East Hampton towns do, is a step toward being less reactive toward the proposals coming through the door of Village Hall, and taking more of a step toward providing a big-picture strategy.
Both the mayor, Tom Gardella, and Village Board member Ed Haye suggested that the move actually could save the village money, as well as creating a more efficient, responsive government at all levels. A staff planner can see proposals in context and help the regulatory boards not just read the letter of the law but interpret it to create a consistent vision for growth — at a time when growth is constant and significant.
That will require hiring the right person, or people, certainly. The village is in a position to test the waters by seeking proposals and see who is out there who might be the man or woman to help guide Sag Harbor Village into the future, while maintaining the character that makes it special. Meanwhile, the regulatory boards will have a steady presence to support their decisions.
It’s a good, proactive move by the Village Board and mayor — fingers crossed that it brings a solid hire.
