First post-election Bayville meeting civil

The first Bayville village board meeting after last week's election of a write-in trustee candidate was markedly civil, a sharp contrast to the shouting matches of the last meeting.

Mayor Doug Watson two weeks ago had attempted to adjourn immediately into executive session, which excludes the public, but grudgingly let a handful of residents speak. At Monday's meeting he took public comment until all had exhausted their questions.

"Well, that was a quiet and civilized meeting," trustee-elect Harry E. Pinkerton III said afterward.

Pinkerton on June 19 won with more votes as a write-in contender than the three incumbent trustees on the ballot.

He takes office July 2. He said he hoped that future meetings would also run smoothly.

"I'm willing to listen to everybody," he said. "That's what we need to get things done."

Pinkerton, 62, was in the audience of more than two dozen residents Monday but did not speak publicly.

Ten residents spoke before the board on everything from water quality to the new insignia on a Bayville street. Most listed several concerns.

The public comment period lasted 45 minutes, three times as long as the regular meeting.

Stuart Lewis tried to talk about the bitter election, carrying to the lectern a campaign mailing from the incumbents that decried Pinkerton backers as "puppets," but Watson stopped him.

"That's a political mailing, this is business," Watson said. "It's a weird relationship. It would be inappropriate."

Lewis asked when it would be appropriate to discuss the race.

"Call me personally," Watson said. "Meet me for coffee and tell me all about it."