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Friday, August 6, 2021
Vol. 9, No. 32
BEST OF NASSAU COUNTY
PORT’S SOUNDVIEW THEATER TO CLOSE
POLS DEMAND CUOMO QUIT
PAGES 19-62
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A plea to keep Butera as superintendent Manhasset’s Rosemary Johnson issues defense at Board of Education meeting BY S A M U E L E PETRUCCELLI A top Manhasset school official on Tuesday urged her own Board of Education not to oust Superintendent Vincent Butera as she claimed “bad actors” had thrust the district’s leader into a sexual-harassment scandal. Rosemary Johnson, the deputy superintendent for business and operations, issued an impassioned defense of Butera at an extraordinary school board meeting where four other people stuck up for the embattled superintendent, who went on leave in May after he was found to have violated the district’s sexual-harassment guidelines. Johnson rose from her seat next to Acting Superintendent Gaurav Passi to speak as a 29-year Manhasset resident during the meeting’s publiccomment period, calling Butera an educational visionary with an unblemished career. She then argued that a personnel change had led to Butera’s sexual-harassment scandal.
“The result of this inexplicable action with questionable timing was, in my view, that the complaint, and the nature of the investigator’s findings with respect thereto, were twisted completely out of proportion,” Johnson said. “I cannot discount the deliberate actions of several bad actors, with thoughts of retribution for decisions made, and with intent to do Dr. Butera and the district harm. I believe they have succeeded in their mal intent.” “Yes, during his tenure, Dr. Butera has had to make difficult decisions, including personnel decisions,” she said. “I believe that two of these decisions triggered certain events that contribute to where we find ourselves today.” Johnson did not provide further details of who the alleged bad actors were or specific evidence for her claim that personnel decisions sparked the scandal. When questioned on specifics, Butera redirected Blank Slate Media’s inquiry to Johnson. Continued on Page 66
PHOTO BY SAMUELE PETRUCCELLI
Between last week’s wake and funeral, clergy estimate 5,000 attendees paid their respects to Manhasset brothers James and Michael Farrell. They were laid to rest at Nassau Knolls Cemetery in Port Washington.
Thousands mourn 2 Manhasset brothers BY S A M U E L E PETRUCCELLI Six days after being pronounced dead at the scene of a head-on car collision in Quogue, Manhasset brothers Michael and James Farrell were laid to rest at Nassau Knolls
Cemetery in Port Washington. Attendees waited for hours inside The Archangel Michael Church to pay their respects to the decorated collegiate lacrosse players and well-known graduates of Manhasset High School at last Thursday’s wake. After a funeral service the next
day, a Suffolk County Sheriff, Suffolk County Police and Port Washington Police motorcade led the procession up W Shore Road for a private burial. Between both the wake and the funeral, clergy estimated there were 5,000 mourners. Continued on Page 67
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