DiBenedetto, Tucker Seek Re-Election

Westhampton Beach Trustees Patricia DiBenedetto and Hank Tucker have announced that they are seeking re-election.

The pair ran together in 2011 winning seats in a heated three-way race against Dean Speir, who lost his bid for a trustee seat with 204 votes. DiBenedetto received 257 votes and Tucker garnered 242 votes.

DiBenedetto and Tucker are making their latest bid for election under a cloud of controversy over finances in the village that started when it was found that an accounting error resulted in the overpayment of several village employees.

Clerk/Treasurer Rebecca Molinaro, who leaves the village in May to take a position in East Hampton, has stated the error has been cleared up.

Over the last several months, DiBenedetto and Tucker, along with Trustee Charles Palmer have launched an investigation into the village's finances, hiring an attorney and regaining services of an auditor.

The contents of the audit has not yet been made public; however, Tucker has made references to it, stating that there are discrepancies in the finances.

Mayor Contrad Teller has stood his ground, saying the village's finances are sound. Trustee Ralph Urban, who initially voted with Tucker, Palmer and DiBenedetto to hire an attorney, sided with Teller after an informal state audit was conducted. 

In a joint statement, DiBenedetto and Tucker said they are running to "finish what they started."

They wrote, "During the past year, we have encountered much resistance in our quest for truth. We have been questioning and insisting on justifiable answers, along with total accountability for all spending;spending that equates to your tax dollars. We have some unfinished business. It's time to give the village back to the hands of our residents. We need a government that is 100% transparent, 100% of the time. We will continue to do what's right - it's what expected. There's no other choice."

This will be DiBenedetto's second run for office and Tucker's fourth.

As of this week, it remains unclear if anyone will challenge DiBenedetto and Tucker, who are running on the Lightning Party; however, village residents have until May 17 at 5 p.m. to submit petitions to run to the village clerk's office.

The election will be held on June 21 from noon to 9 p.m. at village hall.