Patch readers had a lot to say this week on two articles posted about Southampton Councilman Jim Malone and accusations that he didn't pay a contractor and a consultant for work on his Hampton Bays home.
Of an accusation by Paul Cataldo, a consultant from Sound Beach, that Malone failed to pay $3,850 for architectural drawings, Malone said Cataldo drafted a host of different sketches, like anyone bidding for a job would, but his home renovation did not require architectural plans.
The accusation by Cataldo came on the heels of Anthony Prosano, a contractor, going public with a story claiming Malone refuses to pay him for $8,000 worth of labor at the same Anderson Road house and when he served Malone with a lien. Malone refused to comment on that accusation.
Readers were quick to offer thoughts.
One commenter accused Malone of being a "bully" and said he is "abusing his power."
Another, Roger Blaugh, wrote, "What did I say? 'Where there's smoke, there's fire'? This is the second guy alleging Malone bilked him and Patch even saw the guy's plans in our own Building Department in where Malone works. Is there no shame?"
Blaugh's comment was followed by a question, "I wonder why didn't this contractor come forward sooner? It is far too easy to take shots at someone when they've done something outrageous, admittedly like with Prosano, but it is far harder to prove it in court. Also, why doesn't Cataldo sue?"
Cataldo jumped in himself: "I worked very hard to produce a set of construction drawings for Malone, but it is just not worth my time and does not reside in my skill set to file a mechanics lien. Come forward sooner? Exactly what does that mean? I told everyone who would listen and a few people who wouldn't. I would have to stop all the things I was doing to take the fight to this guy and its just not worth it. I spoke now in response to the previous article. Is that piling on? People should know that Malone's behavior to this contractor was NOT an isolated incident."
Another reader piped in with this: "Primary residence or not, he is totally sustained and enriching himself with public money. Is he a Socialist, or what...? Surely there is someone out there more worthy of a government loan to fix up his property. However, this is all beside the point of his holding someone against his will. For that he should resign -- IMMEDIATELY."
Readers had lots to say about the alleged Prosano incident.
One wrote, "People in power positions need to be put in check. If your job is high and mighty — it is just that, your job. When it crosses over into personal aspects you need to be taken down a peg or two. Also, it is nice to know that public tax payer salary and resourses were being spent to handle Malone's personal conflicts (police time, office time to detain Prosano)."
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