Politics & Government

Election 2011: Eric Shultz, Incumbent Southampton Trustee

Trustee President Eric Shultz is vying to keep his seat.

Incumbent Southampton Trustee Eric Shultz, 56, of East Quogue, is running for for re-election. He has served the Board of Trustees for the past 16 years and was the youngest person appointed to the town's conservation board at the age of 17. He was also the youngest person appointed to the town's planning board at the age of 27 and served for 13 years before becoming a town trustee in 1982.

Shultz, who name will appear on the Republican, Democratic and Working Families ballot lines, is a horticultural graduate from SUNY Farmingdale and is  retired from the New York City fire patrol. He is a former vice president of the uniformed fire patrolman's union.

Shultz is a former Scoutmaster from East Quogue and a former assistant chief of the East Quogue Fire Department and is now a benevolent member.

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Shultz in his own words:

While in High School and taking a class in marine biology, I became interested in the water bodies of our town. My father had always educated me in ecology and the waters became particularly interesting to me. I jumped at the opportunity to be appointed to the Town Conservation Board when I heard there was an opening. Since the Conservation Board advised all the other boards, I learned all the aspects of town government and was asked to join the Town Planning Board. 

The Trustees is the perfect job for me because it requires planning for the future and conservation of our resources and both of my former positions uniquely qualify me to serve as trustee. Now that I am president of the board, I can use the relationships that I have built with other officials to best represent the interests of the town. 

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The most important issue that this town faces is the potential loss of access and use of the beach. I have fought and will continue to diligently fight all attempts of the shore-front owners to limit your use of our most precious resource. The proudest moment in my career as trustee is the winning of the court decision against the state-imposed fishing license. My research and lobbying the other six towns led to a successful outcome. 

I would appreciate your support this election since I still have a few more things I would like to accomplish.


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