(The following letter to the Glenwood/Glen Head Civic Assoc. is printed here at the writer's request.)

I wish to thank you for June 2001 notice. I now have names to identify with the GW/GH Civic Assoc., Inc. I have read some of your exploits in the local papers, but, could not place a name with the association. After seeing the names of your board members, I see only one name that I am familiar with and that is John French whom I believe worked for the school system. I don't recognize any of the others.

I would like to know how you could claim to represent me, a resident, without my knowledge. As far as I know we have not voted for a change of government structure creating your association. In fact some years ago an attempt was made to incorporate and that was voted down by an overwhelming majority.

Your attempts to impose your ideas and agenda, a platform which we as a community have not had the opportunity to examine or vote upon, have been misguided in the past, ie. the stop signs that appeared and quickly disappeared from Glenwood Road and the attempt to redirect traffic from Mobil's depot which knotted up traffic on both Glen Cove Avenue and Glenwood Road, and continues in the present. I refer to your treatment of our new neighbor on Shore Road.

The Barker property, zoned for marine industry, sat vacant for many years. Recently a marine salvage operator purchased that site to use as a shore base for his operation; an operation that our elected town officials find to be in compliance with existing zoning requirements.

In cleaning up trash and debris left by the previous owner, he placed a dumpster on his property to remove said trash. You, in the your paranoia, accused him of running a waste transfer operation.

He hasn't even unpacked and you, again in paranoia, went to the town board claiming to represent residents of Glenwood/Glen Head and urged a moratorium against building for one year.

How dare you say you represent me!

We all know that we moved or remained here in this community because of the tax advantages provided to us by LIPA/Keyspan and Mobil. That vacant land now has a non-polluting owner waiting to contribute his share to our benefit, and, you've stopped him.

In my opinion, what you are doing shakes the foundation upon which this country was built. That is representative government. We fought an English king to get it.

If you get away with what you are doing to our new neighbor, who is next?

I am submitting this letter to both local papers for publication. I am including my name and address as I think that there are others in this community who feel as I do and perhaps working together we can stop you and your infringement into our lives.

Arthur Ehrich

(Ed. Note: The Record Pilot does not print addresses of letter writers.)