Council Meeting Reveals 'Black Cloud' Over East Hampton

The East Hampton Town Council meeting on Tuesday night started out cordial enough and somehow managed to stay that way despite some sharp comments from residents on issues old and new.

With the municipal elections less than a month away, last year’s police chief controversy and its aftermath temporarily took center stage. As town council candidates and parties talk about working together or restoring trust, this meeting showed how difficult a road that might be.

Newly appointed Acting Interim Town Manager Anne McKinney talked about the need for respect and moving forward, but just two week’s into her role, the challenge is clear.

McKinney has been meeting with town employees to compile a list of issues that are serious or of importance and then intends to meet with department heads in an attempt to resolve those issues.

“I wanted to meet with all the town employees on a one-to-one basis,” said McKinney, who added that a lot of very wonderful people work for the town. “They had an opportunity to not come. They had an opportunity to come with their union member if they don’t feel comfortable coming alone. They had an opportunity to come with HR or whomever.”

McKinney used an analogy to describe how those meetings have gone.

“It felt that there is a black cloud hanging over us and the barometric pressure had been so great that everybody feels it, even if they hadn’t been directly involved,” she said. “I hope that we can start to push that cloud away from East Hampton and start working together to go forward.”

McKinney also spoke of the importance of openness, and to stress that point, read a letter sent to the town by Leon M. Rosenblatt, the attorney for Police Chief Matt Reimondo.

“I understand that Anne McKinney has been appointed Acting Interim Town Manager,” the letter read. “Please know that if she uses her position to cause injury to my client, Chief Reimondo, she will be a defendant in a lawsuit in short order. I trust you will advise her accordingly.”

Said McKinney: “I want everyone to know here that when I accepted this position, I did not come in here to hurt or harm anyone. This is my town. I am very proud of our town, but I am saddened by some of things that have occurred.”

McKinney didn’t elaborate, but did say she has received a couple of other threats as well.

The meeting began with public comments. Because the investigations into Sgt. Michael Green were not on the agenda, comments about that issue were allowed only during the initial public remarks portion of the evening.

After appreciation being expressed to the council for its work the past two years, the tone for the night was quickly set.

Officer Michael Salafia, the president of the local police union the past two months, added another signature to the petition he submitted at the previous council meeting, bringing the number of signatures to 10 of a possible 13 in support of Sgt. Michael Green and in support of what is going on at the police department, which Salafia described as not right.

“What’s going on is not right down at the police department,” Salafia said. “When you look at the internal affairs investigations and what’s going on to certain people, and you look at the whole picture, you’re all going to see that this isn’t right. Guys are afraid for their careers, for not doing anything. If you’re going to run us down, if you’re going to cut us short, you got to cut us some slack. You can’t use that against us. That’s what’s happening to Mike Green. That’s what’s happening to other officers. We’ve just had it. We are tired of it. We are together on this.”

Janice Cavanaugh followed by taking aim at the Chatham Party and Reimondo. Cavanaugh questioned why there were rallies last year in front of town hall by people in black T-shirts – a reference to the Chatham Party - to oust former Town Manager Jeffrey O’Keefe, and not one this summer to remove Sgt. Garritt Kelly.

“I have watched Sue Weintraub and the Chatham Party stand out there and rally for the removal of O’Keefe but I haven’t seen anything for the removal of Kelly,” she said.

Cavanaugh also referred to Reimondo as a loose cannon, citing Salafia’s fear of retribution and Reimondo “zealously” going after O’Keefe while his “right-hand man” got away with a suspension.

“Do we have a loose cannon here in the police department?” she asked. “I think we do."

Cavanaugh summed up her comments by blaming the Chatham Party for the turnover the council will experience this election. Four of the seven council members are not seeking reelection.

“Sue Weintraub and the Chatham Party, because of their behavior, has rid this town of many good council members because many of you won’t be back because of what they did. It’s a real detriment to the town because we’re losing people that gave a damn. … I’m scared for the town of East Hampton and I’m disappointed that we’re losing so many good people.”

Lori Weech wanted to clarify that it wasn’t the Chatham Party rallying in front of town hall.

“It wasn’t the Chatham Party standing out front with the black T-shirts,” she said. “I believe those T-shirts said ‘Take Back Our Town.’ It was a group of people, it wasn’t just five people. You can stand there and say the Chatham Party, the Chatham Party, the Chatham Party, but this entire town was taking back their town. It was most of the people in this town that voted the way they did.”

The vote Weech was referring to was the referendum held last November, when Reimondo was reinstated, 3,701 to 1,617.

Pete Brown spoke next, commending the council on a “good job under some very trying circumstances over the past year.” Brown went on to compliment the council on its “leadership role” with O’Keefe.

“You got a lot of flack over the payout,” he said. “We subsequently learned after three investigations from outside sources, there was nothing there. Can you imagine what Mr. O’Keefe would [have] coming [from] this council in a lawsuit had you followed what the Chatham Party had been yelling and screaming with absolutely no proof? … I want to compliment you for standing your ground.”

Brown continued: “I wholeheartedly support the police department. Now, I don’t know what’s going on down there, but I do know this, when a member stands up and takes a stand, whether he is a union person or not, he’s a police officer first. He cares about this town. And it took a lot. I think something should be done.

Fran Klein praised the police department for its politeness whenever she has dealt with them and spoke in support of Reimondo.

“The last council meeting, Chief Reimondo followed the law. He followed procedure,” she said. “Do not judge anyone before due process is adhered to. Because if you lose that, we lose everything.”

Klein’s comment got a response from Council Chair Melissa Engel.

“I absolutely applaud what you say about due process,” Engel said. “I just feel that Mr. O’Keefe never got it. So, I have mixed feelings when you say that to us about this. Trust me, we will let that happen because we know it’s the right thing to do. It did not happen a year ago.”

After listening to the comments from the council meeting and from her own meetings with town employees, you would think McKinney would have a hard time staying positive. Not so.

“I am here to try to move forward,” she said. “If we don’t move forward, I don’t care who is sitting up here or in my seat, we are going to continue to be at a stalemate. At some point we all have to start with the olive branch and I hope I can at least pick it so somebody else can pass it.”

There will remain some doubters, though, at least for now.

“Anne, I like what you said tonight, but for the last 10 years I have watched the hatred that has gone on in this town. It was here tonight,” said Mary Flannery, who was raised in town and remains a taxpayer. “Everything is the Chatham Party, the Chatham Party. Well, I have met these people and there is nothing wrong with them. There is good and there’s bad in every single one of these parties. Until that stops, you’re never going to have anything other than what you heard tonight and what you hear in the newspaper.”