Resolving Police Department Issues a Priority for Council

The East Hampton Town Council met Tuesday night and as with its last meeting on Dec. 1, the proceedings were cordial and respectful.

The fireworks from their first official meeting on Nov. 22 appear to be a thing of the past, which is good news for residents. There is work to be done, such as finding a permanent town manager, the high school renovation and resolving  issues within the police department, among others, and the council gave every indication it was looking forward, not back.

The agenda was lengthy. As a result, so too was the meeting, which lasted about two hours and 45 minutes.

The council continues to look at drafts as they consider what qualifications they are looking for in the next town manager. They also agreed to hire a facilitator for a town meeting in January to discuss the hiring process with residents and to get their feedback.

Among the smaller matters tended to was an agreement to close town hall at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesdays and agreeing to pay the Congregational Church up to $3,000 for maintenance and snow removal of its parking lot, which has been used for many years by residents using Center School, the post office and other businesses in the Village.

There also was a lot of discussion about long-term and short-term priorities.

Among the short-term priorities raised by Kyle Dostaler was the need for a timeline concerning the high school expansion.

“I think it’s important that the town manager and the [school] superintendent get together to create a timeline,” Dostaler said. “At the board of ed meeting [Monday] night there was a discussion about there being a referendum in spring 2012 regarding the high school facilities science lab. If that’s to be done, we need a hard timeline.”

Dostaler believes a timeline would improve communication between the board and council to help move the project forward.

An emergency operations plan also was a short-term priority rasied by Council Chair Sue Weintraub. A meeting is scheduled for Dec. 20 at 4:30 p.m. at the town hall in an effort to note and eventually take action on what the town can do better to prepare for, and respond to, storms such as Hurricane Irene and the October snow.

George Pfaffenbach then brought up the need to address the issues plaguing the police department, calling it a serious short-term priority.

“We have to get that police department straightened out,” Pfaffenbach said. “We have to get this resolved. It’s detrimental to the whole town.”

Weintraub agreed the issue needed to be addressed, saying “I think we definitely need to have closure.”

Police Chief Matt Reimondo has provided a response to the 15 concerns raised by then-Acting Interim Town Manager Anne McKinney. His reply numbered about 90 pages, but council member Ted Hintz wasn't satisfied.

“Out of a whole list of items, to have not one shortfall … It’s not all cut and dry because he sends us a 90-page document and everything is perfect,” said Hintz, who added where there is smoke there usually is fire.

Said Weintraub: “What we’re looking for is facts and if the facts back up what was written then that’s what I need to go by. We need to address it and we need to have closure.”

Interim Town Manager John Weichsel indicated he has not discussed with the union its grievances.

“At no time has the police union given me a list of what their specific grievances are,” he said. “To say there is waste, fraud and corruption … I’ve heard that since I got out of diapers. What I need is something specific. This occurred, this occurred, that was wasteful, then I can respond. I’m not going to chase a phantom. There is nothing in my office even saying this was the vote."

A explaining the vote, however, was delivered to Reimondo, who reports to the town manager, on Nov. 28. Nonetheless, Weichsel had this to add.

“If you’re in contact with them, tell them my door is always open," he said. "Come in with specifics and I will go into it with you and the Chief.”

During public comments, former council member Chris Goff took issue with Weichsel's to the council on Nov. 29 suggesting they ignore the police union's vote of no confidence in Reimondo.

"The directive to 'ignore' this complaint of the gross mismanagement of departmental resources and taxpayer dollars," said Goff, referring to one of the complaints contained in the union vote, "would be nothing but neglect and dereliction of duty on the parts of both the town manager and the town council and is not in the general welfare of the town."

The council is not scheduled to meet again until January.