Accusations Fly at Westhampton Beach Village Board Meeting [VIDEO]

A last minute resolution to re-hire former Westhampton Beach Village Clerk Kathy McGinnis to oversee the transition when Treasurer/Clerk Rebecca Molinaro leaves to take a new position prompted fierce debate among village trustees, as well as an outcry from audience members.

Trustee Hank Tucker presented the resolution in an effort to "make a smooth transition;" however, as he read the resolution, it became clear that it would face opposition.

Specifically, the resolution called for the hiring of McGinnis as a contractor at a rate of $60 an hour to train whomever takes over for Molinaro, who starts her new job in East Hampton Village on May 1.

Tucker also called for nixing the village treasurer/clerk position and creating a new position, a village administrator, who would act in the same capacity of a treasurer/village clerk, but be held accountable by the entire village board rather than just the mayor.

Mayor Conrad Teller, who says he interviewed at least seven people for the treasurer/village clerk position, has yet to make an appointment. He adamantly voiced opposition to Tucker's resolution, saying he wouldn't allow it to be walked-on and that the appointment of a village clerk belongs to him.

Trustee Ralph Urban also disagreed with Tucker's resolution and accused him of using "surprise tactics" and being "highly unreasonable" to expect trustees to vote on the resolution without any prior knowledge of it.

He said, "You are trying to act as if you are the mayor without being elected to that position."

Audience members let out a cry when the name of Kathy McGinnis was read, with former Deputy Mayor Toni-Jo Birk accusing Tucker of not ever "giving McGuinnis the time of day" when she was in office and said he tried to fire her at one point.

"You are despicable," Birk said, pointing her finger at Tucker.

Current Deputy Clerk Elizabeth Lindtvit then yelled out that she will quit if she has to work with McGinnis.

Tucker responded that he, like fellow board members Patricia DiBenedetto and Charles Palmer, are trying to be proactive, while also preventing any future accounting errors by having a stronger checks and balances system. McGuinnis, he said, was the one who originally caught and corrected a overpayment to village employees. It is a mistake that reared its head again in 2012, under Molinaro's watch to the tune of $22,000.

Molinaro has stated that she has fixed the mistake.

Despite the fix, Tucker, DiBenedetto and Palmer have stated that they believe there are other possible accounting errors and are waiting for an auditor's report. Tucker also went so far as to make an accusation that there were expenditures made without resolutions.

"I see $70,000 worth of troubling things," Tucker said. "The details don't add up. Everything will be pretty clear when we wrap up this audit."

Teller responded, saying that his office has made all of the books available and that Tucker can go in at anytime to see the checkbook.

Teller also pointed to a state report that said the village's books were sound.

After about an hour of debate, Teller called for a brief recess and consultation with the village attorney. When he returned, there were whispers among board members and Tucker's resolution, while brought to the floor in a 3-2 vote, was never voted on.

Related Reading:

• WATCH: Attorney Questions 'Discrepancies' in Report
• Village Clerk: New Payroll Schedule Needed to Prevent Errors
• Op/Ed: Trustees Must Be Mindful of Village Finances
• Special Counsel Appointed by Westhampton Beach Village Board

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