Greenport Trustee Apologizes To Southold Police Chief, Discusses Welcoming Community Designation

GREENPORT, NY — Greenport Village Trustee Doug Roberts apologized to the Southold Town Police, as well as Chief Martin Flatley, at the Thursday night village board work session.

At the meeting, Roberts received pushback from the village board and the community about two resolutions he proposed on his monthly trustee report — one, suggesting that the board vote to designate Greenport as a "welcoming community."

The second resolution proposed disputing the March, 1997 stipulation settling the matter of the Village of Greenport and Mayor David E. Kapell vs. Town of Southold for discriminatory policing practices.

At Thursday night's meeting, Roberts said he'd withdraw the request for that resolution and said his aim was to speak to the Southold Town police commissioners — the Southold town board — and find resources to provide increased foot patrols and enhanced police service to Greenport.

"I want to say to our police chief and to our officers, this request has nothing to do with them and the execution of their duties," Roberts said. "They work hard, they keep us safe within the policies they've been given." His concern, he said, is with the town's police commissioners and how the town and village can work together to ensure the needs of village residents are being met.

"I"m backing off in requesting a dispute of the agreement because" as at least one trustee has said, that might be perceived "as an aggressive action," Roberts said. He added, "If the chief or any officer felt this was about how they do their job it's not my intent. I apologize to them."

His goal is to talk to Southold Town police commissioners about policy, strategy and resources, Roberts said.

Southold Town Supervisor Scott Russell responded after the work session: "I am always happy to meet with Mayor George Hubbard and the village board to discuss policing or any matter of mutual interest. I think that communication is a much more effective way to address these issues than grandstanding, which seems more about getting attention than solving the issues themselves."

Roberts also apologized to the village board before sending his monthly report to the media before some trustees had the chance to read the report themselves.

"The timing was not well thought out and I think it ended up being a distraction on my part — and I apologize," he said.

He then said he hoped the board would support his goal of designating Greenport as a welcoming community—an idea that did not gain traction with his fellow trustees.

Roberts said to do so would be a "symbolic gesture . . . calling out the fact that immigrants make up a significant portion of our economy." The resolution wouldn't deal with issues of legality; Greenport does not have its own police force and could not declare itself a "sanctuary," he said. "This would be a symbolic gesture, to say 'welcome,'" he said.

"I always thought we were a welcoming community," said Greenport Village Trustee Julia Robins. "I always thought that was what Greenport was always about."

Trustee Mary Bess Phillips agreed, saying she'd reviewed the Welcoming America website. "I understand that the federal politics of the moment has made everyone nervous — I think it's even made us nervous — but we are a community already. . . I always thought we were a community. When I hear someone being derogatory about another ethnic group I open my mouth. But do I think we need a resolution declaring it?" She asked if people were feeling afraid only after the recent political election on the federal level.

Robins agreed, saying most of the board members have lived in Greenport for many years. "I've always thought that was one of the great things about Greenport, the fact that we are a diverse and friendly place to live. I raised my son here." Her son, she said, has friends that represent multiple ethnicities, and she, herself, was married to man from El Salvador. "I think there's a lot of noise being made right now that's making people fearful but I don't see anything happening around us."

She added that she attended the recent Synergy Greenport event and said she appreciated what Southold Town Police Chief Martin Flatley for what he said and that he was "reassuring."

Roberts said the welcoming community designation seemed like "a very small ask."

"I believe this community has always welcomed people. It's a friendly place to live. I don't think people are afraid in this community," Robins said.

Roberts said there is fear mounting over national reports, one of a nursing mother being torn from her child has received widespread media attention.

"Sometimes you have to do a little work to find people who don't feel so great about what's going on," Roberts said. "They're worried about a mom just ripped from her children," he said. "The least I can do is say I'm part of a government and municipality that welcomes you."

Greenport Village Mayor George Hubbard said he's always stated that Greenport is welcoming to all, but said Roberts could put the resolution on and the board would vote next week.

Roberts said if the board agreed that Greenport is already welcoming, then, "Go ahead, vote against it. That would be an interesting thing."

He added that research shows that when people feel they are welcomed, and feel that their personal information is protected, except for during a due legal process situation, they are more likely to report acts of overcrowding or crime.

Village Attorney Joe Prokop said under the public officers' law much of that information is already exempt from disclosure, unless in the event of a subpoena or warrant.

Police presence

Roberts then discussed his report, which asked the board to consider grieving the former stipulation with Southold Town.

He agreed to pull back on suggesting that resolution; Hubbard said he'd reach out to Flatley and Russell for a discussion.

"Calling out the stipulation and saying, 'You've got 30 days to act' is over the top," Hubbard said. "I would rather have a discussion first."

Phillips said she'd had a discussion with Southold Town Councilman Jim Dinizio, liaison to the town's police advisory committee. "I think it would have been a better route to come here to the work session and have Martin Flatley come instead of bringing up the stipulation," she said.

She said the board needs to understand how the village is assessed in regard to the town's police budget. She added that she's seen an increased police presence in the village in recent years.

"I think it's our job to communicate," Phillips said, adding that she'd like Hubbard to reach out to Russell and report back ot the board.

Roberts said he'd like a joint meeting of both boards.

Phillips also said, of the stipulation, that it was a "tough time" for Greenport, and bringing up a time that had "split the community in half . . . opened an old wound. There are other ways of communicating."

Robins added that at Synergy, the way Roberts asked questions of Flatley was "a little aggressive and uncalled for. Let's have a conversation, keep it a mutual concern thing."

Roberts said residents have come to him, saying they do not feel they've been heard. Flatley, he said, "has come to one meeting," although he added the chief does respond to emails. He said residents organized a meeting with Flatley over a Peeping Tom situation that's had residents terrified.

"We all hear things," Phillips said, adding that the police have always tried to work with the trustees. "I agree we need to have a conversation, but I just would have preferred that we start as a board, united, to Southold Town. That's who we are — a board."

After the talk, Roberts said he did not want to move forward with the grievance resolution, based on the discussion.

Hubbard said he'd request a meeting with Russell and Flatley; Phillips asked that he suggest a village representative join the Southold Police advisory committee, if possible.

She added that the first meeting should be between Hubbard and Southold officials.

Hubbard added that Flatley cannot divulge where all his patrols are stationed at all times for safety reasons, but said Greenport has a sector that's manned all the time.

Public weighs in

Resident Chatty Allen said she didn't believe Roberts should have gone to the media, something that caused "the whole situation to be blown up out of proportion. Please take a step back and speak to the people around you before you take it to the public."

She added that she felt the village has adequate police protection.

Resident Bob Kehl said declaring Greenport a "welcoming community" would be as close to declaring Greenport a sanctuary "as you can get." He added that as a public official he wouldn't want his name on anything that could be misconstrued as obstruction of justice, especially with the federal government.

Of Roberts, he said, "Who died and made him king?" He added, "It's time for Trustee Doug Roberts to resign as trustee or be removed from office."

Joanne McEntee said she was distraught that Roberts had "gone over the mayor's head. It's disrespectful in many ways." She also alleged Roberts came to her house once without speaking to the mayor or board "saying he might be able to get us a variance for a three story building in a residential area for work force housing."

Roberts later said he wanted to correct that statement. "I did not offer" to help them, or tell anyone that he "could somehow circumvent the law and help them violate code. What I said was what you have to do is to apply for a variance. That’s a ridiculous untruth."

"That's a lie," McEntee said.

At the podium she asked if Roberts was "removed as trustee, what are the procedures and can there be a temporary replacement till the end of his term? I am asking for his resignation. . . I don't feel you are fit for this position with our village."

When asked after the meeting if he ever would resign, Roberts said, "No."

John Saladino asked what process or bureaucracy Roberts was talking about, that he felt was stopping housing from moving forward in the village.

Roberts said he wasn't sure what he was referring to; Saladino told him to check his Facebook page and read the comments.

"I can say two years ago, you said anything, and make that up. That's gas lighting. Telling people something that's not the truth," Roberts said.

Saladino, after the meeting, reached out to Patch to "set the record straight . . . The question I asked about the statement and position Trustee Roberts took about adding bureaucracy and added processes, that in his opinion is inhibiting building housing, was not made two years ago. It was made on his Trustee Facebook page less than two weeks prior to my asking him to explain.When an elected official takes a position and makes a statement on a fairly recent social media site, I don't think asking that official to explain it was unreasonable, or that the less than two week time span between him writing it and being asked about it should be considered 'gas lighting,'" he said.

Christian McShea, meanwhile, said he did not think Roberts deserved "to get his head chopped off" for his actions.

Dinni Gordon added, "I think this discussion about the welcoming community is really a much bigger one about democracy. I hope concerns about the stylistic matters of Doug Roberts' approach to this won’t distract from" the larger issue. "The welcoming Greenport idea is not defensive. It's not suggesting we have been unwelcoming. It seems to me that it's much more affirmative and goes beyond Greenport in its significance partly bc so many other comm are doing it a reminder of our immigrant heritage as a country."

To declare Greenport as a welcoming community, she said, "is really putting us on the right side of history."

Patch file photo by Lisa Finn.