Contractor Questions Trustees' Ethics Over Bidding Process

A dispute broke out at the meeting when Montauk excavation contractor Keith Grimes questioned the board's ethics after he was not awarded a bid he believes he deserved to get.

Grimes, who has been working to shore up the , had put in a bid to pay $66,000 for sand from Georgica Pond, which the board sells. Although Grimes’ offer was lower than the offer of Patrick Bistrian the board had originally decided to go with Grimes because they were in a hurry to get it done, and at the time it seemed like Bistrian was negotiating.

“Patrick Bistrian said he would pay us $77,000, but it seemed like it wasn’t a solid offer, and we were in a hurry to get it done, so we went with Keith Grimes,” said John Courtney, attorney to the trustees. Then the Bistrians criticized the board’s process, and Courtney advised the board should look into the matter further and not do anything.

Trustee chairwoman McNally had told Grimes that the board was researching their legal rights and decided not to give the contract to anyone. Courtney said he decided to put it off until October 2011 instead of January.

At Tuesday night’s meeting, Grimes questioned the board’s ethics, saying, “I didn’t want to call the ethics board because there’s people on this board I respect, and I know their families. But I’m leaving tonight not sure if what I’ve been told is factual. I think it’s unethical and quite possibly illegal.”

But Courtney said later, “I don’t blame Keith for being angry, but we may have jumped in too fast and we decided to wait until we get more information so this is done in a legally correct manner.”

Trustee John Gosman said he also understood Grimes’ anger. “His bid was the only one that guaranteed the removal of the sand,” he said.

Courtney added, “If we didn’t award it to anyone, how could it be illegal? My job is to protect the trustees, and that’s what I did.”

McNally said she thought the problem was mostly anger, and that “the ethics question is not justified.”

Talmage said the whole board only thinks of the environment and what’s best for it. "Out intent is always the same—in 2008 and 2009 we handled it the same way—one year Bistrian and the next year Grimes—it’s unfortunate they’re both upset,” she said.

In other matters, the board heard the .

The board is working on their Winter Flounder Project, to raise baby fluke and release them into the wild, near the old fish factory in Napeague. They are doing this in an effort to replenish the stocks.

The board also discussed the Hands Creek Water Testing project, where they are taking water samples from shellfish areas the DEC has closed, to test for things such as chloroform bacteria. This research will help determine the cause of shellfish problems.