Candidate Profile: David Talmage For East Hampton Town Trustee

East Hampton NY

03 November, 2019

9:22 PM

Description

EAST HAMPTON, NY — Suffolk County residents will be hitting the polls soon to elect local representatives. The race is on in local town and village races leading up to Election Day, which, this year, falls on Tuesday, November 5. Patch asked those running for office to answer questions about their campaigns and will be publishing candidate profiles in the days leading up to the election. David Talmage, 60, of East Hampton is a Republican also running on the Conservative, Libertarian and Independence lines seeking election as an East Hampton Town Trustee. His opponents include Francis Bock, Bill Taylor, Susan McGraw-Keber, Richard Drew II, Benjamin Dollinger, Tim Garneau, John Aldred, Mike Martinsen, James Grimes, Susan Vorpahl, Michael Havens, Fallon Nigro, Dell Cullum, Stephen Lester, and Rona Klopman. His son Taylor is an attorney lives in Maine with his wife Emily and two sons, William and David. His son Christian is an engineer who lives in San Francisco with his fiancee Robyn. And his son Courtland is a senior at Bowdoin College pursuing a degree in economics. Talmage has a B.A. in history from Norwich University; and an M.S. in computer technology from L.I.U. at C.W. Post. He has been retired for 12 years from his career as a computer programmer and is also retired from the U.S. Army. In the past, he served two terms as an East Hampton Town Trustee and one term as a Springs school board member. Check out Patch's full Q&A with David Talmage below. Patch: The single most pressing issue facing our community is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it. Talmage: There are a number of issues I could pick here, but I would have to say water quality heads the list. Working to minimize the areas closed to shellfishing is a good place to start, and requires a multi-pronged approach. This would consequently provide other benefits as well. Projects such as dredging would increase water flow, improve the flushing action, and would help in navigability. Limiting, restricting, or outright banning the use of fertilizers on property abutting water bodies would also assist a great deal in combating algae bloom. An aggressive shellfish seeding program is certainly helpful. Road runoff and drainage abatement should be a primary focus as well. Encouraging the use of the newer environmentally sensitive waste disposal systems, especially in proximity to water bodies, is essential. P: If you are a challenger, in what way has the current board or officeholder failed the community? T: It seems the trustees are making a habit of dealing with issues at the last minute, and not in a timely manner. I believe they are following the town board's lead here, and in turn, they appear to be taking too much direction from the board, as well. The trustees are an autonomous organization, and they need to remain so. Information relevant to trustee issues is being disseminated selectively, or at the last minute, both among the trustees themselves, and the public as a whole. The transparency and openness of their actions is also questionable. P: What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?: T: Perspective, experience, background, and values. P: Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform: T: Aside from the water quality issue cited above, access is a major category as well. This would include dredging for navigation. Too many of our harbors have restricted, or impaired access due to shoaling, and insufficient dredging. Protecting and defending our public access points to our beaches and water bodies is also of the utmost concern. Following and adhering to NY State's Open Meeting Law and providing the public with the maximum opportunity to express their views is critical to good government, and an objective I have always pursued aggressively. Seeking a solution and method in reestablishing eel grass in our harbors is also a goal that should be actively sought. Eel grass contributes to the health of our waters and marine life, in particular scallops. P: What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job? T: My previous experience as a trustee, including as assistant clerk, and as clerk. P: The best advice ever shared with me was ... T: "Fix the problem, not the blame." P: What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions? T: Endorsed by: The Republican Party The Independent Party The Conservative Party The Libertarian Party The EH Fusion Party The EH Reform Democrats