Online, Anonymous Code Complaint Form Launches in Greenport

NORTH FORK, NY - Greenport residents sick and tired with quality of life concerns and egregious neighbors now have a way to fight back anonymously through an online code complaint form.

Residents are able to notify village officials about violations including noise, transient rentals, property maintenance, zoning and other issues.

According to Village Clerk Sylvia Pirillo, the code complaint form mirrors a template introduced in November in Southold Town; the village's online form went live on Thursday. "We didn't want to reinvent the wheel," she said.

The village did expand a bit on the section where residents can give a "brief description" of their complaint, she said; they offered additional characters so people could give a little more detail.

The anonymous form is a way for residents to let their concerns be known, she said.

Greenport Village Trustee Doug Roberts asked where the complaints went and who would be able to read them as they come in; he believes the complaints, while anonymous, should be available to the board of trustees so if a constituent asks about the status of a complaint, board members will be able to give an update.

Pirillo said they'd go first to her and then she would disseminate the information to parties including Village Administrator Paul Pallas and code enforcement officer Ed Ward, as well as the mayor. Currently all complaints have been going to Deputy Mayor Jack Martilotta via email.

Roberts asked that a policy be created so the whole board could read the online complaints.

"I'm uncomfortable if only one person" sees the complaints as they arrive, he said. "We're all elected to represent folks" and all five board members should see the issues as they arise, he said.

Mayor George Hubbard said a monthly report would be generated about all complaints and how they were handled.

Roberts said he didn't believe trustees should have to wait a month to see the issues; he'd rather be apprised on a day to day basis, with a "strict policy not to act."

Trustee Julia Robins asked Roberts why village residents would ask him about complaints, anyway; such concerns would go to the village or to code enforcement, not to a trustee, she said.

"Sometimes people feel they don't get adequate response from the village so they come to the elected officials. It's part of my job, as I see it," Roberts said.

Hubbard said the reason for the change was that all complaints had been sent to Martilotta's email address and it was felt that staff should handle the incoming issues.

"It's all a work in progress," Hubbard said.

Roberts, however, asked for checks and balances.

Martilotta agreed that residents do ask about issues.

Hubbard asked why someone who'd filed an anonymous complaint would then go to a board member with a question about the status of the issue. "That's why they're filing it anonymously. They don't want a phone call," he said.

Pirillo said as it stands, people call in and ask not to identify themselves when they have a code complaint.

Residents who have issues can access the online form 24/7.

Resident Bill Swiskey agreed with Roberts and said there was no reason the board couldn't all examine the complaints as they were submitted.

Meanwhile, in Southold Town, Supervisor Scott Russell said, "The new platform is working very well. We have seen an increase in complaints being filed as people are more comfortable bringing these to the town with the understanding their complaint will be kept confidential."

So far, he said, there hasn't been a need yet to dispatch the police to address a complaint. "Our new code enforcement officer works nights and weekends as need be and has been able to address these," he said.