[00:00:01]
THAT POINT.BUT IN THE MEANTIME, PEOPLE CAN BUY THEIR STICKER AND PARK THERE SOCIALLY DISTANCE AND ENJOY, UH, THE SCENERY AND OR, UH, YOU KNOW, FAMILY ACTIVITY.
UM, SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE THAT CLEAR BECAUSE THERE WAS A MESSAGE THAT WAS POSTED BY US LAST SEPTEMBER WHEN THE BEACH CLOSED.
AND, UM, THE MESSAGE WAS WE CLOSED FOR THE SEASON.
WE'VE TAKEN IT DOWN, BUT, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES THE FIRESTORM STARTS WHEN, WHEN WE DON'T, UM, FOLLOW THROUGH WITH EVERYTHING THAT WE NEED TO DO WITH OUR COMMUNICATION.
SO, UH, JUST TO CLEAR THAT UP, UM, UH, THE PARK IS OPEN AND, UM, IF ALL GOES ACCORDING TO PLAN, WE'LL HAVE, UH, THE WATER OPEN, UH, IN EARLY JUNE.
MY SECOND ANNOUNCEMENT, MY SECOND ANNOUNCEMENT IS, UM, ONE I'M VERY PLEASED TO MAKE, AND THAT IS SHANNON REKY AND, UH, EVERYBODY KNOWS HER AS SHANNON Z, UM, FROM OUR DEPARTMENT, A PART-TIMER, UH, CLOSE TO 30 YEARS SERVICE, UM, ONE OF THE MOST DYNAMIC, UH, PEOPLE YOU'LL EVER MEET, UM, AND DOES WELL FOR OUR DEPARTMENT, OUR COMMUNITY OR FAMILY, ET CETERA.
ANYWAY, UH, MAKE A LONG STORY SHORT, I, I NOMINATED HER FOR A STATEWIDE AWARD WITH THE NEW YORK STATE RECREATION AND PARK SOCIETY.
THE NAME OF THE AWARD WAS THE, UM, ABOVE AND BEYOND THE CALL OF DUTY AWARD, AND, UM, UH, AGAIN, A STATEWIDE AWARD, A LOT OF COMPETITION.
SHE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE, YEAH, SHE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE PRESENTED WITH HER AWARD IN WESTCHESTER.
UM, BUT THE CONFERENCE WAS CANCELED DUE TO THE COVID CRISIS.
BUT, UH, AS I TOLD MY LIAISON SEAN CONNELLY, THAT WE'LL MAKE SURE WHEN, WHEN, UH, THINGS GET BACK TO, UH, SOMEWHAT NORMAL, WE'LL MAKE SURE WE HAVE A, A LOCAL CEREMONY TO HONOR HER FOR, UH, THIS PRESTIGIOUS AWARD.
UM, I'VE GOT ONE MORE THING, JIM, AND THAT IS I'D LIKE TO RUN BY THE BOARD ONE MORE TIME.
UM, THE, UH, REQUEST WE'VE HAD FOR CONNECT LIFE TO DO A BLOOD DRIVE EITHER IN OUR GYM OR IN THEIR MOBILE UNIT THAT WE COULD PARK IN THE PARKING LOT.
UM, WE HAVEN'T SET A DATE, SO I WILL, UM, IF, IF YOU, UH, THE BOARD WOULD GIVE ME YOUR BLESSING, I'LL ASK THEM TO SET A DATE AND THEN I CAN PUT IN A FORMAL RESOLUTION BECAUSE I THINK THEY'RE GONNA ASK FOR A FEE WAIVER.
SO, UM, WITH THAT SAID, IF THE BOARD COULD JUST LET ME KNOW IF I SHOULD PROCEED OR NOT, UM, I WILL DO SO.
I, I THINK IT'S ALRIGHT, MARTY, I, SEAN, WHAT DO YOU SAY? WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS, UM, A LITTLE BIT IN THE PAST AND, UM, THIS, THIS GROUP, YOU KNOW, DOES IT DAY IN, DAY OUT SO THEY KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING.
YOU KNOW, MARTY AND HIS CREW, UH, HAS A REALLY GOOD HANDLE ON HOW TO DO EVERYTHING IN A SAFE, EFFICIENT MANNER.
THERE'S A REALLY BIG NEED IN THE COMMUNITY, UM, BASED ON WHAT'S HAPPENED.
UM, SO I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD, UH, SUPPORT, UH, HELP FACILITATE, UM, AS BEST WE CAN.
YEAH, I, I THINK YOU GOT A GREEN LIGHT FROM US, UH, MARTY.
I'LL, I'LL HAVE A FORMAL RESOLUTION READY FOR THE NEXT MEETING THEN.
UH, CHIEF, ARE YOU WITH US? I'M HERE.
HEY, HOW ARE YOU? I'M DOING GOOD.
HOW ABOUT YOU? I'M FINE, THANKS.
UH, FIRE, WHAT DO YOU TELL US? WELL, I JUST, UH, ON SHANNON'S, I'VE HAD THE PLEASURE, UH, TO DEAL WITH SHANNON AT REC AND THAT'S A WELL-DESERVED AWARD, SO CONGRATULATIONS TO HER.
UM, AS FAR AS THE PD GOES, UM, WE ARE READY AND, UH, RARING TO GO FOR PHASE ONE, UM, AT, UH, ANY GIVEN TIME.
AND, AND CHIEF, UM, WE WERE TALKING A LITTLE BIT EARLIER IN THE, IN THE, UH, MEETING REGARDING THE SECURITY OFFICER THAT WE BUDGETED FOR, UH, TO HAVE THIS GENTLEMAN WORK AT THE HAMBURG TOWN BEACH.
IS IT THE SAME, IS THE SECURITY OFFICER THE SAME GENTLEMAN WE USED AT WOODLAWN LAST YEAR? DO YOU KNOW? I DON'T KNOW.
WHEN WAS, WHEN WAS HE APPOINTED? WELL, WE DIDN'T APPOINT HIM, UH, YET.
YEAH, WE WOULD HAVE TO TAKE ACTION AND APPOINT HIM, UH, AT OUR, AT OUR NEXT MEETING.
NOT BECAUSE THE BEACH IS GONNA OPEN UP ON THE SIXTH,
[00:05:01]
WE'D LIKE TO GET SOME OF THESE DOWN THERE.WE GOT HIM WORKING ON AN EMERGENCY PAF PRIOR TO THE EIGHTH, SINCE THE BEACH IS GONNA OPEN ON THE SIXTH, GOING DOWN THERE WITHOUT BEACH, UH, WITHOUT PARKING PERMIT STICKERS.
UM, CAN YOU TALK TO ME ABOUT WHO YOU WANNA PUT ON FOR THIS 20 HOUR A WEEK JOB? I HAVEN'T, YOU KNOW, I, WE HAD GREG GEY LAST YEAR WHO WAS DOING IT.
I DON'T KNOW IF HE'S STILL AVAILABLE.
UM, I I CAN LOOK INTO IT IN YOU BACK.
WOULD YOU TALK WITH ME TOMORROW ABOUT THAT
ANYTHING ELSE, CHIEF? NO, SIR.
UM, FOR ALYSSA, AND I BELIEVE IT WAS, UM, KATE, I HAVE EMAILS FOR ALL THE MEMBERS OF THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, UM, BOARD, UH, THE VETERANS COMMITTEE AND THE REJUVENATION COMMITTEE.
SO, UM, IF YOU WANNA MAIL OUT THOSE, UM, THOSE POLICIES, I CAN GIVE YOU THOSE EMAILS, SO THEY'LL HELP YOU WITH THAT PART.
UM, I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH, UM, WITH ROGER TRYING TO GET HIS PERMITS OUT THE DOOR AND, UH, WE'VE BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL WITH THAT AND ALSO WITH MARTY AND, UM, THE FISHERMEN.
AND FRIDAY WE ISSUED 17 BOAT LUNCH PERMITS, WHICH MAY NOT SEEM LIKE MUCH, BUT FOR US IT IS
UM, ALSO WORKED WITH A NEW ASSESSOR TO GET THE ASSESSMENT ROLL UP ON THE WEBSITE.
AND, UH, WE'VE BEEN TAKING THE MAIL TO THE MAILING HOUSE, UH, TO MAKE SURE EVERYTHING GETS, UM, GETS DONE, GETS DONE TIMELY.
YOU HAVE THE NEW ASSESSOR, DAN, ARE YOU WITH US? GET HIM PLUGGED IN TO KNOWING THAT, UH, WHEN WE MEET REMOTELY AS A DEPARTMENT HEAD, HE SHOULD BE ON, ON THE CALL.
UM, WE ARE, WALTER RUTH IS GONNA BE WORKING ON THE CONTRACT TERMS THAT WE'LL ENTER INTO WITH THE TOWN OF ORCHARD PARK PURSUANT TO THE RESOLUTION THAT WE ADOPTED A FEW WEEKS AGO.
BUT DAN HAS BEEN HERE AND HAS BEEN IMPRESSING US WITH HIS KNOWLEDGE, BUT I THINK WE'VE GOTTA PLUG HIM IN, KATHY, TO THE IDEA THAT, UH, UH, HE SHOULD PARTICIPATE IN THESE BOARD MEETINGS.
I'M NOT SURE HE IS FULLY CLEAR ON ALL OF THAT.
UM, SEAN, UH, UH, WHAT ABOUT YOU, SIR? WHAT'S NEW? GOOD EVENING.
OH, UM, WELL, UH, THE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT SIDE, WE'RE STILL PLUGGING AWAY COMPLETING OUR PROJECTS FROM THE, UH, OCTOBER, UH, 2019 STORM.
WE'VE BEEN MAKING SOME GREAT HEADWAY ON THAT AND BEING TO THE POINT WHERE WE CAN START TO REALIZE SOME REIMBURSEMENT.
UM, TALKED TO KAMI AND GOT HER SOME PARTICULARS ON THE, THE, UH, PROJECT THAT YOU HAD HAD ASSIGNED TO HER.
SO I THINK WE'RE GONNA BE, UH, TAKEN OFF WITH THAT VERY, VERY SOON THIS WEEK.
UM, THE ANTIBODY TESTING THAT I SPOKE OF, UH, MAYBE A MEETING OR TWO AGO THAT HAD GOTTEN PUSHED OFF A LITTLE BIT NOW, UM, DID GET RELEASED THIS THIS AFTERNOON.
UH, SO WE'LL BE HOSTING AN ANTIBODY TESTING AT THE, UM, FAIRGROUNDS IN THE EVENT CENTER ON SATURDAY, MAY 30TH, AND IT'S FROM 10:00 AM UNTIL 6:00 PM AND PEOPLE WHO DESIRE TO GET THE ANTIBODY TESTING CAN CALL THE EIGHT FIVE EIGHT TWO NINE TWO NINE NUMBER TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT.
UH, DISPATCH GOES, UH, WE SAW AN UPTICK IN CALL VOLUME WITH THE BEAUTIFUL WEATHER.
SO WE HAD A LOT PEOPLE OUT AND ABOUT AND, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, REACHING OUT TO US FOR SOME CALLS FOR SERVICE.
SO, UH, I THINK THAT THE, THE WEATHER DOES IMPROVE AND WITH THE PHASE ONE COMING, WE'RE GONNA START TO REALIZE SOME MORE CALL VOLUMES.
SO, UH, BUT WE'RE HERE FOR IT.
I, I, I, I READ WITH INTEREST ABOUT THE PHASED OPENINGS AND I DUNNO ABOUT THE REST OF YOU FELLOWS, BUT I, I, I'VE BEEN VERY KEEN TO FIND OUT WHEN BARBERS OPEN UP
I DON'T, I DON'T HAVE THAT SAME PROBLEM, SIR.
UH, UH, TED CASEY HIGHWAY, UH, HI JIM.
UM, WORKING DILIGENTLY ON POTHOLES IS THE SEASON AS WELL AS DOING BRUSH.
AND, UH, WE'RE ALSO INTERNALLY WORKING ON OUR OVERALL PAVING PLAN, WHICH, UH, I ANTICIPATE BEING ABLE TO SHARE WITH FOLKS, UH, IN THE, UH, NEAR FUTURE.
WHEN, UH, WHEN DOES THE FORMAL, UH, UH, PAVING SEASON, WHEN DO YOU, WHEN DO YOU GET THE, UH, THE OPERATION UP AND GOING NORMALLY? WELL, FOR, UH, FOR PATCHING,
[00:10:01]
WE DO COLD PATCH THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.ESSENTIALLY, WE GO TO HOT PATCH, UH, REALLY, UH, SOMETIME PROBABLY THIS WEEK OR NEXT WEEK BASED UPON THE WEATHER MM-HMM
AND, UH, OUR ABILITY TO PAVE, UH, AS A RESULT IS, YOU KNOW, ABOUT FROM NEXT WEEK UNTIL, UH, INTO THE FALL.
UH, I'M SORRY, JUST GETTING OFF MUTE.
UM, I, AS WE TALKED ABOUT IN THE WORK SESSIONS, I'M JUST DRAFTING A SAFETY PLAN, UH, PROTOCOL FOR ALL THE BOARDS AND COMMITTEES.
UM, THAT'S GONNA MIMIC THE ONE THAT WE USE AT THE TOWN, JUST SO VOLUNTEER, UM, RESIDENTS AND MEMBERS THAT ARE ON THESE COMMITTEES KNOW THAT THE PROTOCOL HAS TO BE CONSISTENT AND TO KEEP EVERYBODY SAFE, AND SO THAT WE CAN, OF COURSE, CONTACT TRACE BACK IF A COMMITTEE MEMBER IS ALSO SICK.
UM, AND THEN ALSO JUST WORKING ON THE CHILD WITH IMPAIRMENT APPLICATION.
I'M LOOKING TO, UM, HAVE THAT BE AN ONLINE APPLICATION AND ALSO, UM, WORKING WITH THE CLERK'S OFFICE TO SEE IF THAT'S SOMETHING WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO TRACK YEAR TO YEAR THROUGH SOME OF THEIR PROTOCOLS.
UH, WALTER RUTH, LAST AND NOT LEAST, WE'RE CLOSING ON, UH, MADNESS AVENUE TOMORROW.
SO TOMORROW I SHOULD HAVE A CHECK IN HAND FOR ABOUT $79,000.
UH, AND, UH, WE'VE GOT A FEW OTHER LAND TRANSACTIONS THAT, UH, I'VE BEEN WORKING ON, SO, UH, WE'LL PUT THAT BEFORE THE BOARD IN THE NEXT THREE OR FOUR WEEKS.
UH, ANYTHING ELSE? WALKER? NOPE.
AND I THINK WE MAY SEE, I MAY FORGET SOMEBODY, BUT, OH, SARAH DEJA.
OKAY, WELL, THAT ENDS, THAT ONE.
UM, I CAN'T THINK OF ANYTHING ELSE.
UH, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, UH, SUPERVISOR, I HAD SOMETHING TO BRING UP TO THE BOARD THAT I DIDN'T HAVE A CHANCE BECAUSE WE'RE SO BUSY IN WORK SESSION.
IF I CAN GO, IF I COULD GO FORWARD WITH THAT.
SO, UH, IN LIGHT OF THE ARBITRATOR'S, UH, UH, RESPONSE TO THE CASE IN REGARDS TO RAYMOND PAWLOWSKI, UH, I WANNA TELL THE, UH, TOWN ATTORNEY TO FIND A REQUEST FOR QUOTES FOR A THIRD PARTY INDI INVESTIGATION INTO WHAT HAPPENED IN THIS WHOLE PROCESS.
AND I'D LIKE BOARD MEMBERS TO GO ALONG WITH THIS, UH, COMPEL THE TOWN ATTORNEY TO HAVE THAT READY FOR OUR NEXT BOARD MEETING.
WELL, YOU CAN MAKE THAT REQUEST, UH, AND YOU CAN, UH, YOU CAN ALSO, UH, GET A PRETTY GOOD HANDLE ON WHAT WENT ON, UH, BY READING HIS RATHER LENGTHY, UH, DECISION.
I CAN SAY SOMETHING TO YOU, UH, ONE, I DON'T KNOW THAT WE WANNA SPEND AN AWFUL LOT OF MONEY FINDING OUT WHAT WENT ON, BUT I CAN GIVE YOU A PRETTY GOOD, UH, TWO MINUTE SUMMARY.
UH, WHEN I, UH, CAME INTO OFFICE WITH YOU AND BETH, THE OTHER TWO FOLKS ARE NO LONGER WITH US.
IN LATE JANUARY OF 2018, I CONFRONTED A SITUATION WHEREIN MR. PAWLOWSKI WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF A 60 DAY SUSPENSION, SIX COUNTS OF INSUBORDINATION AND TWO OTHER COUNTS OF SOME OTHER ALLEGED MISDEEDS.
WE MADE A DEAL TO HAVE HIM PLEAD GUILTY TO FOUR COUNTS OF INSUBORDINATION AND BROUGHT HIM BACK TO THE PAYROLL AND RESTORED MONEY HE LOST.
AND THE ONLY CONDITION HE HAD TO FULFILL WAS TO, UH, BEHAVE IN AN APPROPRIATE MANNER.
UH, GOING FORWARD FOR A PERIOD OF A YEAR.
NOW, WE HAD A LOT OF DIFFICULTIES, UH, FOR THE FIRST THREE OR FOUR MONTHS, FEBRUARY, MARCH, APRIL, AND MAY.
BUT IN TRYING TO MAKE THIS COMPROMISE WORK, AND IN TRYING TO MAKE THE, WHAT I THOUGHT, THE MAGUS GESTURE THAT I EXTENDED TO HIM WORK FOR HIM AND THE COMMUNITY, I HELD OFF ON ISSUING REPRIMANDS OR MORE DISCIPLINE IN THE HOPE THAT THINGS COULD GET BETTER.
IN JUNE OF 2018, EMPLOYEES CAME TO ME TO LET ME KNOW THAT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT IN THE TOWN OF HAMBURG WAS CONDUCTING AN INVESTIGATION REGARDING POSSESSION OF STOLEN PROPERTY, THEFT OF PROPERTY, ET CETERA.
[00:15:01]
THAT POINT IN TIME, I INFORMED THE BOARD THAT I WOULD CONDUCT AN INVESTIGATION MYSELF.SO I UNDERTOOK THAT AND I NETWORKED WITH THE STATE POLICE CAPTAIN AND WENT TO A RATHER RIGOROUS EXAMINATION.
BUT HERE'S THE MISTAKE I MADE.
I'M NOT GONNA PASS THE BUCK OR BLAME ANYBODY ELSE.
THERE ARE SOME FOLKS HERE THAT HAVE SOME ANSWERING TO DO, BUT THAT'S FOR ANOTHER DAY.
SO WHAT I DID IS I BEGAN TO ACT AS A PROSECUTOR, A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER, GATHERING EVIDENCE TO BUILD A CASE.
AND IT APPEARED TO ME AFTER THREE, FOUR MONTHS OF INVESTIGATORY WORK, NETWORKING WITH THE, UH, STATE POLICE AND WITH EIGHT OR NINE DIFFERENT EMPLOYEES, THAT THE ALLEGATIONS AGAINST HIM WERE FAIRLY SIGNIFICANT.
NOW, I THEN WROTE A MEMO TO THE TOWN BOARD AND GAVE IT TO YOU ALL ON THE 3RD OF OCTOBER, 2018.
AND I ASKED YOU IN THAT MEMO OR YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS, COMMENTS, QUESTIONS, OR CONCERNS.
I DIDN'T HEAR FROM ANYBODY ON THE 12TH, AFTER NINE DAYS, WE HAD A MEETING, AT WHICH POINT IT WAS TERMINATED.
NOW WHAT I SHOULD HAVE DONE, WHAT I SHOULD HAVE DONE, AND I THINK IT'S MY MISTAKE, BECAUSE I WAS OFFENDED BY HIS CONDUCT AND WHAT I THOUGHT WAS HIS DISREGARD FOR, FOR THE GRATUITY I EXTENDED TO HIM.
WHAT I SHOULD HAVE DONE IS I SHOULD HAVE CONDUCTED THIS WITH REGARD TO DUE PROCESS CONSIDERATIONS, A RIGHT TO HI, UH, FOR HIM TO, UH, DISCUSS THINGS WITH ME, BRING IN OTHER WITNESSES A FACT FINDING EXPEDITION IS WHAT I SHOULD HAVE DONE AS OPPOSED TO A PROSECUTION.
AND I REALIZED AS I READ THE, THE REPORT OF THE, OF THE ARBITRATOR, THAT HE SAW MY WORK NOT AS INVESTIGATORY, BUT AS PROSECUTORIAL.
IN OTHER WORDS, SAYING THAT, SHAW, YOU HAD MADE A DETERMINATION IN YOUR OWN MIND.
HE DIDN'T SAY THIS, BUT I IMPLIED IT FROM READING HIM.
YOU MADE A DETERMINATION IN YOUR OWN MIND THAT THIS GUY'S BEHAVIOR WAS SO BAD AS TO JUSTIFY A TERMINATION.
YOU SHOULD HAVE GIVEN HIM MORE RIGHTS TO CONFRONT YOU AND EXPLAIN AWAY HIS BEHAVIOR.
IN ANY EVENT, I ACCEPT THAT RESPONSIBILITY.
I UNDERSTAND HAVING SERVED IN MANY CAPACITIES IN GOVERNMENT AND IN PRIVATE PRACTICE, WHEN THINGS GO WELL, YOU TAKE THE BOWS WHEN YOUR INVESTIGATION OR YOUR PROJECT DIDN'T WORK OUT, YOU TAKE THE RESPONSIBILITY I DON'T GIVE A DAMN ABOUT IS PARTY AFFILIATION, WHO WE CONTRIBUTED TO, WHETHER THOSE ES DISCLOSE THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS OR WHETHER HE DID THIS OR WHETHER HE DID THAT.
I GO BACK WITH PAWLOWSKI MANY, MANY YEARS.
I HAVE A PRETTY FIRM CONVICTION OF THE KIND OF PERSON HE IS.
BUT IN ANY EVENT, THAT'S ESSENTIALLY IN SHORT FORM WHAT HAPPENED.
YOU CAN BRING ANY MOTION YOU WANNA BRING AND, UH, I, UH, I'LL NEVER SHRINK FROM TELLING THE TRUTH.
SO ANYWAY, IS THERE ANY MORE? WELL, THAT'S WHAT I'D LIKE TO SAY IS I THINK WE NEED A THIRD PARTY INVESTIGATOR TO GET ALL THE PEOPLE YOU TOOK THEIR WORD FOR.
AND IF YOU MADE THAT DECISION, UH, THEY WEREN'T SO TRUTHFUL, AND WHO'S GONNA PAY THE PRICE FOR ALL THE MONEY? THE TOWN OF HAMBURG TAXPAYER IS GONNA HAVE TO PAY FOR THIS CASE.
I NEED SOMEONE UNBIASED, NO PARTY AFFILIATION.
I DON'T WANNA SPEND THE MONEY.
BUT TO GET TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS SO THAT IT'S RESOLVED, HOW THIS CASE HAS GOTTEN TO THIS POINT AND, AND REALLY HURT YOUR, ONE OF YOUR GOOD TOWN EMPLOYEES AND VIOLATED HIS DUE PROCESS RIGHTS.
I THINK WE OWE IT TO THE TAXPAYERS TO GET AN ANSWER.
I DON'T, AND I'LL TELL, WELL, I'LL GIVE YOU MY ANSWER.
UH, I'LL TELL YOU WHY I DON'T, FRANKLY, WE'RE BETTER OFF SOMETIMES PUTTING HARD FEELINGS AND POLITICAL ILL WILL BEHIND US.
AND NUMBER TWO, THE COST TO PROSECUTE THIS CASE ARE THE COST
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TO PROSECUTE THIS CASE.YOU REALIZE HOW MANY ARBITRATIONS WE'VE HAD IN THE PAST TWO YEARS, HOW MANY GRIEVANCES, HOW MANY LAWSUITS WE'VE HAD.
THE LAST THING I WANNA DO IS APPORTION BLAME TO WITNESSES.
THERE WERE SO MANY WITNESSES IN THIS CASE, ALMOST 25 WITNESSES TESTIFY.
AND I'LL TELL YOU SOMETHING, MIKE, STORIES CHANGED FROM EMPLOYEE TO EMPLOYEE.
THERE WERE ACCUSATIONS MADE ABOUT, UH, SUBTERFUGE DURING THE TWO YEAR, A YEAR AND A HALF PENDENCY OF, OF THIS THING.
THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS, WHEN WE WIN LAWSUITS, WE WIN.
WHEN WE LOSE LAWSUITS, WE PAY.
THERE'S NO APPORTIONMENT OF BLAME.
I'M NOT LOOKING FOR A WI A SALEM WITCH HUNT.
SO YOU WANNA BRING, UH, A MOTION, YOU DO WHATEVER YOU WANNA DO.
UH, I'LL TAKE MY LUMPS, TAKE MY RESPONSIBILITIES AS A BIG BOY AND SUGGEST THAT WE MOVE ON.
SO HAVING SAID THAT, YOU DO WHATEVER YOU WANNA DO.
IS THERE ANY OTHER BUSINESS FORWARD? THEN LET ME ASK THE BOARD MEMBERS IF THEY AGREE WITH ME.
MAY I PUT YOU THIS WAY, PUT IT IN A MOTION AND THEN WE'LL ADDRESS IT.
IT DOES TO GET, GET THIS GOING.
AND YOU WANNA CHALLENGE ME ON THAT? YOU CAN CHALLENGE ME.
WE NEED A RESOLUTION AND I'M NOT INTERESTED IN SPENDING MORE MONEY AND CAUSING MORE HARD FEELINGS.
THE GUY GOT BACK TO WORK AND HE GETS RESTORED, HIS FULL PAY BENEFITS, UH, AS ANYBODY WOULD WHO HAS, HAS BEEN, UH, ON THE WRONG SIDE OF A DECISION AND AN ARBITRATION.
OKAY, SO WHAT, WHAT DOES THE BOARD SAY? I MAKE THOSE, I RUN THE MEETING.
SO I'LL ASK WHAT THE BOARD SAYS.
YOU WANNA BRING A MOTION, A RESOLUTION? YOU GO AHEAD AND DO THAT.
UH, ANYTHING ELSE? LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, YOU WANNA CHALLENGE MY RULING? GO AHEAD AND CHALLENGE IT.
UH, ANYTHING ELSE? WELL, TO ME, YOU, YOU, YOU SHOULD PROBABLY NOT BE, UH, INVOLVED IN THIS CONVERSATION.
WELL, QUITE FRANKLY, YOU SHOULD RECUSE, YOU SHOULD RECUSE YOURSELF IN THIS CONVERSATION ABOUT THIS INVESTIGATION TO YOUR CONDUCT DURING THE PROSECUTION.
SO I'M ASKING THE OTHER BOARD MEMBERS IF THEY THINK THAT WE SHOULD HAVE A THIRD PARTY.
TAKE A LOOK AT THIS WHOLE CASE.
IT'S VERY SIMPLE AND I THINK IT HAS REQUIRES A FORMAL VOTE OF THE BOARD.
SO, WALTER, LET'S HEAR IT FROM OTHER PEOPLE.
ANYTHING ELSE? I DON'T WANNA WALLOW IN VINDICTIVENESS ANYTHING ELSE? I GUESS THE, MY ONLY COMMENT REGARDING THAT WOULD BE THAT I HAVE CONCERNS GOING FORWARD IN TERMS OF HOW IT AFFECTS OUR EMPLOYEES.
SO, UM, AN INVESTIGATION, OR HOWEVER YOU WANNA CALL IT, UH, MIGHT YIELD INFORMATION IMPORTANT BECAUSE I, MY CONCERNS LIE WITH THE, WITH, UH, EMPLOYEES AND HOW CERTAIN PROCESSES ARE FOLLOWED AND, AND GOING FORWARD, AND THE IMPLICATIONS IT MIGHT HAVE FOR OUR EMPLOYEES IN GENERAL GOING FORWARD.
THE LAST THING WE NEED TO DO IS TO EXACERBATE THE HARD FEELINGS THAT EXIST AMONG CERTAIN ELEMENTS WITHIN OUR EMPLOYEE BASE.
THE LAST THING WE NEED TO DO IS TO HAVE PEOPLE POINTING FINGERS AT EACH OTHER AND ACCUSING EACH OTHER OF LYING.
WHEN A CASE ENDS, WHEN A CASE ENDS, IT ENDS.
NOW GO ON AND TALK ABOUT, WE'RE GOING TO PURGE THE, UH, UH, FOLKS THAT LIED OR DETERMINE WHO DID LIE OR WHO DID THAT, OR WE'RE GONNA RETAIN A THIRD PARTY TO CONDUCT THIS INVESTIGATION.
UH, ABSOLUTELY PROLONGS, HOSTILITIES, CHURNS, ALL OF THE WATER GETS THINGS CONTINUALLY MESSED UP.
SHOULD WE GET INTO AN ACCUSATION ABOUT ETHICS? SHOULD WE GET INTO AN ACCUSATION ABOUT WHETHER YOU AND PETRI ON THE 12TH OF OCTOBER SHOULD HAVE RECUSED YOURSELF FOR VOTING? BECAUSE EACH OF YOU WERE THE, WERE THE RECIPIENTS OF CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS, PETRI, FOR 500 BUCKS IN 2017 AND YOU FOR SEVEN 50, SHOULD YOU HAVE DISCLOSED THAT? SHOULD YOU HAVE RECUSED YOURSELF? IT'S IN, IT'S IN MY WRITING.
BUT AGAIN, HOW DO WE, HOW DO WE HAVE TOWN EMPLOYEES AND ELECTED OFFICIALS DO THINGS THAT I CONSIDER TO BE SHADY AND WE LET IT GO UNACCOUNTED FOR WHAT? SHADY MIKE, WHO'S GONNA ACCOUNT WHO'S GONNA, THAT'S PRETTY LOOSE TERM.
WHAT IS SHADY, MIKE? WHAT? THAT'S WHAT I'M TRYING TO KEEP IT THAT WAY TO WHAT NOT IMPLICATE SOMEONE IN THE PUBLIC EYE AND LET A THIRD PARTY WHO HAS NO DOG IN THE GAME TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE EVIDENCE THAT CAME THROUGH AND GIVE A
[00:25:01]
DETERMINATION.BECAUSE
AND I'VE INDICATED TO YOU, I'VE INDICATED TO YOU THAT I, WHERE I THOUGHT I FELL DOWN.
YOU NEVER BOTHERED TO DISCLOSE THE FACT WHEN, BEFORE YOU VOTED THAT YOU RECEIVED THE CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTION.
SO WHAT YOU NEVER ASKED, IT'S PUBLIC RECORD.
IT'S NOT MY JOB TO ASK WHEN THERE'S A CONFLICT OF INTEREST OR AN APPEARANCE OF IMPROPRIETY.
LEMME GET THIS STRAIGHT, LET ME THIS STRAIGHT.
SO I GOT A CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTION AND THE REASON WHY I VOTED TO NOT TERMINATE PAWLOWSKI, WHO WAS FOUND CLEAR OF ALL EIGHT CHARGES THAT WERE THROWN ON HIM IN A DISTINCT WAY.
NO, I THINK WHAT CLOUDED MY JUDGMENT IS THE CONDUCT OF THE BOARD AND SOME TOWN EMPLOYEES IN THIS MATTER.
YOU'RE NOT, YOU'RE NOT GONNA HAVE ANYBODY GET PUNISHED, ANYBODY BEING CALLED ON THE CARPET FOR THIS.
WELL, LET ME, LET ME SAY THIS TO YOU.
UH, WHEN YOU ENTERED THAT VOTE ON THE 12TH OF OCTOBER, YOU HAD AN OBLIGATION TO DISCLOSE AN APPEARANCE OF IMPROPRIETY.
WHETHER YOU WERE CASTING AN OBJECTIVE NEGATIVE VOTE, OR WHETHER YOUR VOTE WAS TARNISHED BY THE FACT THAT HE WAS A POLITICAL ALLY WHO MADE A CONTRIBUTION, YOU HAD A DUTY TO DISCLOSE THAT YOU WERE THE ONE THAT BLOWING THE SCREEN HERE STOPPED.
I TOOK LESS, I TOOK LESS MONEY FROM EVERYBODY IN THIS TOWN FROM MY CAMPAIGN THAN YOU TOOK FROM ONE PERSON.
SO WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? MONEY.
HOW MUCH MONEY DID YOU RAISE IN YOUR CAMPAIGN? $40,000 OR SOMETHING? COME ON LOW AND SMOKE.
I DIDN'T, I FAIL TO DISCLOSE IT AND I DIDN'T VOTE.
AND OF YOUR, MY ETHICAL RESPONSIBILITY.
ALRIGHT, LOOK AT LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, YOU CAN TELL ME WHAT YOU WANNA DO AND THAT'S FINE.
AND WE'LL MAKE A MOTION TO END THIS MEETING.
I THOUGHT, AT LEAST BEING GRACIOUS AND ADMITTING WHAT, UH, THE MISTAKES I THOUGHT I MADE, UH, WAS A PRETTY GOOD GESTURE.
BUT OBVIOUSLY THERE'S A LOT OF FOLKS WITH A LOT OF AGENDAS HERE.
UH, ANYBODY ELSE? YOU'VE HAD YOUR CHANCE? ANYBODY ELSE, MR. NEL? I KNOW, I KNOW.
I GUESS I CAN SPEAK FOR A LITTLE BIT HERE.
UM, APPRECIATE WHAT, WHAT MIKE'S SAYING IN TERMS OF, UM, YOU KNOW, HOLDING PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE AND MAKING SURE WE'RE, YOU KNOW, WE ALWAYS GET TO THE BOTTOM OF THINGS AND MAKING SURE WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, INDEPENDENT PEOPLE LOOK AT OUR EMPLOYEES AND MAKE, YOU KNOW, FAIR AND RIGHT DETERMINATIONS.
UM, AND I HAVE IN FRONT OF ME 121 PAGES THAT I BELIEVE, AGAIN, KAREN AND I ARE KIND OF NEW TO THIS, UM, BECAUSE WE WEREN'T INVOLVED IN ANY OF THE, UM, GO GOING ONS WITH KLOWSKI BEFORE.
BUT FROM MY UNDERSTANDING, IT'S BEEN OBVIOUSLY AT LEAST FIVE MONTHS, UH, PROBABLY, UH, SEVERAL YEARS IN THE MAKING.
AND THERE'S BEEN, LIKE MR. SHAW SAID, 25 WITNESSES, UM, TENS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS SPENT.
AND AN INDEPENDENT ARBITRATOR IS ABOUT AS FAIR AND, UH, UNBIASED AS YOU CAN POSSIBLY GET.
AND SO TO GO THROUGH ALL THAT TIME, ALL THAT EFFORT AND ALL THAT MONEY TO COME UP WITH 121 PAGE COMPREHENSIVE REPORT, I THINK, UH, IS WE HAVE DONE WHAT WE NEED TO DO IN TERMS OF INVESTIGATING THIS, YOU KNOW, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT.
AND I FEEL THAT TO THE TAXPAYERS, WE HAVE A BIG OBLIGATION IN THIS FISCAL, UH, ENVIRONMENT WE'RE IN.
TO BE SMART WITH OUR MONEY AND TO TAKE OUR TIME AND OUR EFFORT AND SOLELY DO WHAT WE FEEL THE RESIDENTS OF HAMBURG WANT US TO DO.
AND IN TALKING TO PEOPLE OVER THE LAST DECADE, I THINK IT'S VERY SAFE TO SAY THAT THE MAJORITY OF THE RESIDENTS AND THE TAXPAYERS OF THIS TOWN DO NOT WANT US TO HAVE MORE LAWSUITS.
TRUE, NOT WANT US TO HAVE MORE INVESTIGATIONS.
THEY DO NOT WANT US TO BE MORE POLITICAL.
AND I THINK WE'VE DONE AN OUTSTANDING JOB, UM, SO, SO FAR THIS YEAR IS TO WORK TOGETHER,
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TO GET ALONG, TO DO WHAT WE ALL FEEL IS IN THE BEST INTEREST.AND WHEN WE DISAGREE TO DISAGREE IN AN AGREEABLE MANNER, TO RESPECT EVERYONE AND TO TRY OUR BEST, ALWAYS FOCUS ON WHAT'S GONNA BE BEST FOR THE RESIDENTS.
AND AT THIS POINT, I DON'T SEE ANY POSITIVES OF STARTING ANOTHER INVESTIGATION AFTER WHAT WE'VE JUST GONE THROUGH.
AND I SENT RAY, UH, AN EMAIL, UH, TODAY RESPONDING TO HIS FROM YESTERDAY SAYING, WELCOME BACK.
MORE OR LESS, CONGRATULATIONS.
HE'S SOMEBODY THAT WE WANNA WORK WITH.
IT'S SOMEBODY THAT IS, IS NOW ON THE PAYROLL.
IT'S SOMEBODY THAT CAN CONTRIBUTE AND, UH, HE WON THE LAWSUIT.
WE NEED TO BE RESPECTFUL OF THAT, AND WE NEED TO PUT THAT IN THE PAST AND DO ALL OUR BEST TO WORK WITH HIM, HIS DEPARTMENT, TO HAVE IT WORK GOING FORWARD, TO HAVE HIM CONTINUE TO BE A GOOD EMPLOYEE FOR THE TOWN, HAVE HIM BE POSITIVE, AND TO DO ANYTHING OTHER THAN THAT AT THIS POINT, I THINK WOULD BE TAKING THE TOWN BACKWARDS.
AND I THINK THE LAST DECADE WE'VE BEEN GOING BACKWARDS, I, I FEEL WE'RE IT'S READY FOR, YOU KNOW, IT'S TIME FOR US TO GO FORWARD.
UM, AS YOU KNOW, WE WERE NOT SERVING ON THE BOARD DURING THE TIME OF THESE CHARGES, UH, OR THE DISCIPLINARY ACTIONS.
UM, I
AND I UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, MIKE'S CONCERNS THAT HE EXPRESSED, UM, ABOUT LOOKING FOR A THIRD PARTY INVESTIGATION.
WE, WE STOP BEING REACTIVE AND WE BECOME PROACTIVE.
WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY HERE TO COLLABORATE AS A BOARD, TO REEVALUATE AND IMPLEMENT STRONGER POLICIES AND TANGIBLE GUIDELINES TO DEAL WITH ISSUES THAT COME UP LIKE THIS IN THE FUTURE.
UH, TO CLARIFY DOCUMENTATION, STANDARDS AND DISCIPLINARY PROCEDURES SO THAT WE CAN SUPPORT DEPARTMENT HEADS AND WE CAN SUPPORT EMPLOYEES WHO FACE THESE CHALLENGES SO THAT WE CAN AVOID DRAWN OUT SITUATIONS LIKE THIS.
UM, AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, THAT WILL SERVE OUR RESIDENTS BEST.
UM, I DO UNDERSTAND THE CONCERN, BUT I THINK CHASING DOWN AN INVESTIGATION WHEN IT'S ALREADY BEEN DETERMINED THAT THIS EMPLOYEE HAS GOTTEN HIS JOB BACK WOULD BE A WASTE OF TAXPAYER MONEY.
UM, AND I THINK WHAT WE OWE TO THE RESIDENTS IS TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO COLLABORATE, TO HAVE A MORE CONCRETE POLICY TO PASS ALONG TO OUR DEPARTMENT HEADS SO THAT THEY HAVE GUIDELINES, HOW TO DOCUMENT INCIDENCES OR ALLEGED INCIDENCES WHEN THEY ARISE.
WELL, IT LOOKS TO ME LIKE, UH, UH, EVEN IF I RECUSE MYSELF, YOU GOTTA GET THREE VOTES.
SO I DON'T KNOW WHETHER THEY'RE COMING.
UH, HAVING SAID THAT, IS THERE A MOTION TO, UH, ADJOURN? MOTION TO ADJOURN? YES.