Serving Roslyn, Roslyn Heights and Old Westbury
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Friday, June 23, 2017
Vol. 5, No. 25
RICE JOINS TRUMP SUIT, SUOZZI DOESN’T PAGE 6
Gerard Terry’s power in town a source of debate
CONFLICT OVER QUEEN OF PEACE
POLICE TAKE DOWN ALLEGED GANG MEMBERS
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DOWN THE HALLS
Ex Dem leader had influence over jobs and used clout as a club: sources BY N O A H M A N S K A R The Town of North Hempstead usually cuts paychecks for its employees and contractors on Fridays, but sometimes Gerard Terry couldn’t wait. Terry, who worked as the attorney for the town’s Board of Zoning Appeals and a special counsel in the town attorney’s office until last year, occasionally came to ask for his check on a Wednesday or Thursday, said Angelo J. Ferrara, a former deputy finance commissioner. “He would come into my office and say, ‘I guess they don’t know who I am,’” said Ferrara, who was fired from his post in 2013. He is not related to Angelo P. Ferrara, the Republican town councilman. That line from Terry reflects the influence he wielded, or attempted to wield, in North Hempstead’s government as an unelected figure who was never a full-time town employee, according to interviews with four current
and former town officials. In addition to his legal work with the town, Terry, 63, was the chairman of the town Democratic committee in North Hempstead, one of the party’s few strongholds in Republican-dominated Nassau County. He resigned in early 2016 following revelations of having more than $1 million state and federal tax debt, and has since been charged with state and federal tax crimes. Terry, an East Hills resident, appeared in federal court Tuesday and is scheduled to appear in state court on Friday. His attorneys have said they hope to resolve both cases. Terry’s role in the town gave him considerable influence over who was given town jobs that are not subject to civil service requirements, positions often called patronage jobs, the four sources told Blank Slate Media. Terry also used his clout, Continued on Page 58
PHOTO BY AMELIA CAMURATI
Roslyn High School graduating senior Ben Perez high-fives East Hills Elementary School students during the district’s inaugural Senior Walk. Members of the class of 2017 returned to their former elementary schools East Hills and Harbor Hills Tuesday in their cap and gown to serve as an inspiration for the younger students and express their gratitude to their former teachers.
Write-in candidate wins again in O. Westbury Susan Schmidt-Chorost, a write-in candidate, will keep her seat as village justice after Apparently, being the only defeating Albert Khafif Tuesname on the ballot isn’t enough day. She is the fourth write-in to secure an election win in Old option to win an election in Old Westbury since 2015. Westbury.
BY A M E L I A C A M U R AT I
Village officials said on Wednesday the vote count would be posted to their website by Thursday morning. Schmidt-Chorost said she believes her campaign win was Continued on Page 57
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