On The Beach Blog

Updated 02/04/2010 – 02:45 pm

...require discussion at this evening's West­hampton Beach Village Board meeting... as­suming, of course, that the bashful troika don't see a full room and decline to attend.

Foremost will be the results of the meeting the Trustees, led by Oberstgruppenführer Joan Levan, wanted to reschedule with Village Labor Attorney Richard Zuckerman to determine whose view of the police situation is the correct one.

The troika's opinion is that they've officially declared the Suffolk County Police Internal Affairs report is irrelevant, and directed Chief Ray Dean to put suspended Officers Michael Bruetsch and Joseph Pesapane back "on the street."

Mayor Conrad Teller's carefully researched view is that once leveled, only the Police Chief has the authority to rescind the charges and make the suspensions "go away."

(For his part, Chief Dean is disinclined to let the matter drop without a disciplinary hearing, and seems to have Village Law dating back to 1964 in his corner.)

It's a thorny issue, because not only is the matter causing Village taxpayers a substantial chunk of money to have two non-productive Officers on restricted duty within the station house essentially duplicating the duties of the police dispatchers... who already duplicate ser­vices provided by the Southampton Town 911 system... but it has led to a certain disorder and uncertainty within the department.

The PBA, led by P.O. Jeff Speer, is grieving the fact that P.O.s Bruetsch and Pesapane are not eligible for overtime, and to pick up the slack caused by the necessarily limited activity of P.O.s Bruetsch and Pesapane, the two plain­clothes Detectives have been ordered back into uniform to pitch in on patrol.

(As might be expected, neither Detective appears pleased with this decision.)

And the DWI trial of former Southampton Town Supervisor Linda Kabot is still to come.

In the rest of the country, "it's the economy, stupid!"

In Westhampton Beach, it's become the Police Department, and how the Trustees, variously three or four, are acting to the detriment of the Village.

OtBB is eager to learn how this matter has progressed.

Will Mayor Teller reintroduce his resolutions to:

• Rescind Resolution Re: Withdrawal of Police Disciplinary Charges
• Rescind Resolution Re: Reinstate­ment of Police Officers
• Appoint Hearing Officer to conduct a hearing of Police Disciplinary charges
• Approve transcription/stenographic ser­vices for Police disciplinary hearing
• Authorize suspension of employee pending hearing Re: disciplinary charges
• Authorize suspension of employee pending hearing Re: disciplinary charges
• Rescind Resolution Restricting Inter­actions with Labor Attorney

If he does, will be get a second?

If so, will Trustees Levan, Jim Kametler and Hank Tucker allow any of the motions to carry?

Updates this evening!