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Friday, September 30, 2022
Vol. 7, No. 39
PortWashingtonTimes Washington GUIDE TO MINEOLA STREET FAIR PAGES 25-36
DeSENA ENDORSES SANTOS
SUOZZI ENDORSES ZIMMERMAN
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Dems block DeSena’s ethics picks Appointment of 3 board members voted down along party lines BY B R A N D ON D U FF Y Town of North Hempstead Democrats voted to block appointments to the Town’s Board of Ethics and table resolutions on dates for public hearings on the town budget to discuss dates that work for all seven members during the Sept. 22 meeting. The five-hour meeting saw a resolution to authorize the execution of an agreement with the law offices of Leventhal, Mullaney and Blinkoff, LLP for legal services tabled on a vote of 4-3 along party lines. Resolutions to set public hearings in October on the tentative town budget were tabled to the Sept. 28 meeting to make sure all seven members can agree on dates. Resolutions appointing Francisco Vazquez, Melissa Slobin and Derek Chan to the ethics board were voted down 4-3 by the Democrats, who hold a majority. Without specific counsel to the Board of Ethics, the town attorney’s office will act in that capacity, which currently also serves the town board. There was no discussion during the vote to table, except questioning by Republican Supervisor DeSena before her vote. “Why are you moving to table this?
This is something we have talked about for months. Mr. Leventhal would provide counsel to our ethics board, he’s very well-known and basically wrote the book on ethics,” DeSena said. “We are in a situation where our ethics board that’s supposed to be rendering decisions possibly on the town board is being advised by the town attorney, who also represents the town board.” “The appointment of Mr. Leventhal as special counsel to the Board of Ethics is not being requested by the Board of Ethics. This is yet another instance of overreach by the Supervisor, and frankly a waste of taxpayer funds. Democratic Councilwoman Veronica Lurvey said in a statement to Blank Slate Media outside counsel can be called when needed. “The Board of Ethics can request the appointment of outside counsel as the need arises. Indeed, I’m told that they have appointed outside counsel — including Mr. Leventhal — in the past,” Lurvey said. “I see no need to change that arrangement just because the Supervisor wants it. ” DeSena said in a statement the votes a tactic to prevent investigations. “The Town attorney has a legal responsibility to represent his clients, Continued on Page 51
PHOTO COURTESY OF PORT WASHINGTON SCHOOLS
Cheerleaders at Friday’s Pride in Port Pep Rally. On Saturday, the 33rd annual Port in Pride was held against the backdrop of a crisp fall day. See story on page 2.
Little change in state rearrest rates BY R OB E RT PE L A E Z New York’s bail reform laws, enacted at the beginning of 2020, have not resulted in significant changes in rearrest rates, according to a new
report from the state’s Division of Criminal Justice Services. Statistics showed that outside of New York City, rearrest rates in 2019 were 16%, followed by 23% in 2020 and 21% in 2021. The city’s 2019
rearrest rate was 19%, followed by 22% in 2020 and 20% in 2021, according to the statistics. Additionally, roughly 80% of suspects who were arrested throughContinued on Page 50
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