Politics & Government

Mayor: No Plans to Replace Village Clerk Yet

Westhampton Mayor Conrad Teller can't say when he will appoint a replacement.

The Village Westhampton Beach needs a new clerk with Village Clerk Rebecca Molinaro taking a new gig in the Village of East Hampton; however, Mayor Conrad Teller said he is not quite ready to find a replacement.

"We are hot in the budget season," said Teller, a week after the Village of East Hampton announced that it hired Molinaro, who acts as Westhampton Beach's chief budget officer, as its new village administrator, effective May 1.

Teller said he is sorry to see Molinaro go, but could not say when he plans to appoint a replacement.

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"Right now, we are doing nothing," he said. "In all probability, we will start a discussion sometime this week."

He said he would reserve further comment for a later date.

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Molinaro, who has a master's degree from SUNY Stony Brook and previously worked for Assemblyman Fred Thiele, leaves the village after serving for three years.

She leaves amidst a cloud of controversy as village finances are being questioned by three village trustees.

The trio have voted to hire an outside attorney and extend the services of the village's auditing firm to investigate questions they have about finances, including an $22,000 overpayment of 40 village employees, including the mayor.

Molinaro has stated that the error, which she said has been fixed, was due to a payroll schedule and has suggested that the village move to a 24-week payroll schedule to prevent further mistakes. Mayor Conrad Teller, as well as Trustee Ralph Urban, have stood behind her, both praising her at a recent meeting.

East Hampton officials are ready to welcome Molinaro with open arms. East Hampton Village Mayor Paul F. Rickenbach has stated that he and the rest of the board were not put off by the situation in Westhampton Beach.

"We were aware of some circumstances in Westhampton Beach, but at the end of the day, it had no bearing on our decision, and we made the right decision," he said.

Related Reading:

  • Westhampton Beach's Village Clerk Makes a Move to East Hampton

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