
Jay Jacobs, the applicant behind a plan to create a seasonal day camp in North Sea, is suing two of the project’s most vocal critics, seeking $65 million in damages, claiming that they defamed him in a flier about the project.
The two individuals, John Barona and John Gorman, are president and vice president of the Little Fresh Pond Association, a group of neighbors who have mobilized with other groups in opposition to Mr. Jacobs’s plan to create a summer children’s day camp on about 17.3 acres of land along Majors Path in North Sea. Traffic, noise and potential pollution to neighboring Little Fresh Pond are at the heart of their concerns. The camp could eventually boast an enrollment of 350 to 400 children, and about 60 counselors who would live on the grounds.
On Monday afternoon, Mr. Jacobs, chairman of the State Democratic Committee, said the contents of the flier were “defamatory and malicious,” and that it included misstatements about his project, particularly in regard to its sewage flow. The flier states that the project would “dump 35 percent more sewage into North Sea’s watershed than Suffolk County’s limits,” among other assertions. It also alleges that Mr. Jacobs has been “hiding these harms and lying his way to get exemption.”
“What I would like is, I want them to apologize,” Mr. Jacobs said. “I believe they have to undo the damage they have done, in that I’d like them to take an ad in the same newspaper that I’ve been taking out full-page [advertisements] in, and at the first level state that they have no reason to believe, and no evidence of, any lying on my part, that they apologize for accusing me of it, and then that they admit that they have been exaggerating the facts.”
When reached on Monday, Mr. Barona said he believed Mr. Jacobs’s lawsuit, which was filed on Friday in State Supreme Court, was an act of desperation. He said his group’s lawyers plan to countersue Mr. Jacobs.
“I personally see it as Jay Jacobs feeling like he’s on the losing end of the battle here and he’s a desperate man,” he said. “I think he’s trying to silence us and intimidate us so that he can go forward with his project. But I think it’s going to really work to his disadvantage, because I think he’s shedding a different light on himself, and the town officials are going to stand up and notice what kind of intimidation tactics he’s taking in the neighborhood here. I don’t think this a good thing.”
In a press release sent out on Monday afternoon, Mr. Gorman denounced the suit. “This is a sad day for Southampton,” he said, “that a resident expressing their legitimate opposition to a developer’s plans is sued for tens of millions of dollars for what’s in a flier.”
The same statement, e-mailed by North Sea resident Foster Maer, claims that Mr. Jacobs’s lawsuit was a “Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation,” or SLAPP lawsuit, an action taken by a developer designed primarily to quash local opposition to a project. New York State has an anti-SLAPP statute.
Mr. Jacobs emphasized that his lawsuit was not intended to do that. “Let me make it clear that we have a good number of people opposed to our project,” he said. “I respect them. I respect their opinions. I disagree with them … however, I cannot allow someone to defame me, malign me personally, and I cannot let that pass.”
Mr. Jacobs added that he is changing his project once again, reducing the amount of septic flow from 6,600 gallons of sewage to 5,100 gallons, to come in line with current Suffolk County Department of Health standards, rather than claiming the higher amount as a grandfathered right. He is proposing to do so by reducing the number of people living on the grounds by 20, bringing the total number of counselors to about 40. “And that way we are now going to be exactly in compliance with every possible standard every person in the [Little] Fresh Pond area would have asked for,” Mr. Jacobs said.
The lawsuit was filed just one day after approximately 100 angry North Sea residents packed into a Southampton Zoning Board of Appeals meeting last Thursday night, October 20—following a protest on the steps of Town Hall—to deliver an emphatic message to members of the board, that they don’t want the day camp. About 30 people spoke at the meeting, including Mr. Jacobs.
The group of neighbors is asking the ZBA to rule on their challenge of a determination made this summer by Chief Building Inspector Michael Benincasa that Mr. Jacobs’s plan does not constitute an expansion or change in use from what currently exists on the residentially zoned site, and that he only needs site plan approval from the Planning Board, instead of a variance from the ZBA.
This is simply a (common) ploy by a wealthy predator to clobber critics into submission by compelling them to spend thousands of dollars (or more) defending themselves against a specious suit. Mr. Jacobs has no ...more hope of prevailing but, even if this action is dismissed for want of cause by the trial judge, the respondents will have to spend big bucks.
Governor Cuomo has interesting friends. There was the revelation less than a year ago that a "friend" of his, a lobbyist, was advising him on NYS medicare regulations to the benefit of his client hospitals. Now comes Mr. Jacobs, another "friend" who bashes small fry with legal thuggery by virtue of his enormous wealth.
The Town Council should deny Jacobs' application and send him back to Albany. Southampton Town already plays host to enough "friends" of his type.
lawsuits because they seek to stifle legitimate political expression. Citizens are allowed and encouraged to comment on land use and environmental matters - thats why there are public hearings. A lawsuit of this type if only meant to scare people into not commenting. Jay Jacobs should be ashamed.
It was clear in the debates that she hadn't bothered to check out readily available background on Southampton issues, and kept referring to her up-island experience in a series ...more of patronage jobs with Nassau County, Oyster Bay, and Brookhaven (yes, Brookhaven!).
She claims that she and her husband live in Water Mill, but they also have a Syosset address -- he works full time for Oyster Bay Town. She's only voted in Water Mill for the past two years, and he's never voted there, voting instead in Syosset for the last 10 years. Southampton Republican? I think not.
I know this isn't your point, and as I said, you may have one, but let's try for a little accuracy, too.
This is why the neighbors are so upset! Would you like more traffic and Majors Path to be widened? Would you like school buses going up and down Major's Path, Mary's Lane, North Sea Mecox Road? The camp charges about $8000.00 per child per summer - It is not for local children - It is sad to see this happen to one of the areas of the town ...more where the local people live - It is not South of the Highway but guarantee that is who this camp will have as participants! So So So sad......,
"...inequities are what drive the OWS protests. People don't want handouts. It's not a class uprising and they don't want civil war -- they want just the opposite. They want everyone to live in the same country, and live by the same rules. It's amazing that some people think that that's asking a lot."
However, why such a grand scale? The size proposed is ridiculous for the site, IMO. Must everything in "The Hamptons" be excessive, and gargantuan?
Oh, wait, I almost forgot the personality type we're dealing with...
As to the topic at hand, the developer is overplaying his hand and has turned public opinion against him personally and by default, the whole project. Town Board members, approve this at the risk of your career in local politics.
These people don't play by the same rules. If you wised up, maybe you'd notice.
And, there is no intentional "swing". Just sharing with goldenrod, and it's an A-B conversation, so C your way out...
Mr Jacobs give out many scholerships to alot of local kids in East Hampton,Sag Harbor,and surrounding areas.I want to thank him and his great staff for another great summer learning how to cook,sports,use cameras
and many new friend from all walks of life more things that are offered at camp.
It is the same old story of not in my ...more back yard,would you reather the kids hang out on the street cornor,if we can"t help all kids what"s next.
How can Jacobs be a real Deomkrat? I thought they were anti-capitalism after they backed the FLEABAGGERS.
You have to be the most short sighted fool I have ever encountered when it comes to establishing a sustainable society.
By taking what you feel entitled to, you don't really earn what you deserve, and thus broker millions into unemployment, and poverty.
You are not only an oligarchist at heart, but a fiscal anarhist in theory.
Former Federal Reserve Chief Alan Greenspan, is that one in a billion a**hole, who made America ...more the dissembling mess it is today."
~ Matt Taibbi, Griftopia (2010)
Welcome to the forum.
It will lead you to the 1960 Democratic National Convention address he delivered on July 15, of that year.
Do yourselves a favor, and delineate the crux of his speech, then compare ti to the "modern day".
What I thought was, "My, how little things have changed...".
"We" can start by creating total, complete separation of personnel in the employ of the SEC and Wall St. You are either a cop, or you aren't. You don't switch sides to work for the highest bidder. No more centralized "too big to fail". Lots of little banks, are safer, ...more and BETTER for the economy. More competition. You're not afraid of that, are you?
Next, a serious revampment of conflict of interest in the banking industry. A fiscal entity like Citigroup WAS illegal, became lawful ex post facto, and should not exist. The sharing of information in such an institution may as well be insider trading.
The biggest step of all, serious fiscal limits on lobbyists, or their complete elimination. They not only denigrate the voice of the people, they spend countless MILLIONS every year influencing policy. Almost 250 members of Congress are millionaires, and they most likely didn't do it on 170k a year. The purchase of influence, and VOTES must be put to an end.
That's my top 3, and all the time I have for the moment, but remember this:
Be careful how grandiose your delusion of self worth becomes. What you cannot, or choose not to do in society, must fall to someone else, and that doesn't mean they are worth significantly less than you. It takes ALL of us to make this planet work, and there are those who have not the ability to be more than a street sweeper, but, what would we do without that guy?
In the end, it has nothing to do with a "worker's paradise", and everything to do with everyone playing by the same rules. Honestly, I really found the Communist Manifesto to be wordy, and poorly thought out.
However, I'm MORE than sure you've read it, and even Bastiat, Voltaire, Anthony, Thoreau, Douglass, Huxley, Asimov, well, you get the picture...
The earth will most likely turn for 2.5 billion more years, and the sun will be a burnt out husk of iron in about 4.5. Sure, that's going to happen no matter what.
No society, corporation, or even goverment functions properly with the burden squarely on one man's shoulders. Anything producing "success", on a grand scale requires a team. One man, cannot do everything success on a large scale not only requires, but normally demands.
If ...more you think we are going to "make it", as a species, as we are, you are HIGHLY mistaken. If we truly are of only a handful of sentient species in the galaxy, or even the universe, it would be a travesty should we wink out of existence.
It's interesting how our society can so well covet rare things, but takes for granted how rare "We" are...
"Although anyone who speaks publicly has the responsibility to be truthful, lawsuits that limit free speech are not appropriate. It is particularly important when community members have concerns about environmental impacts that they should not be afraid to speak out. I am hopeful that some of the emotion will be ratcheted down and that the lawsuit will not be ...more pursued, but that the application will be considered by the appropriate boards, on the merits, with free and open comment by all stakeholders."
I still don't think the rich are the problem , but we'll have to agree to disagree on that for now.
The problem is disparity, or income inequality. Our infrastructure is in the toilet, but no one wants to pay taxes, because our government is a failure at regulation, enforcement, and responsibility at the Federal, and State level. Why, in a country so "great", do we get a D- score on bridges, and highways.
One part of the problem, is the low value placed on the "common man", by the "elite". Sure, there should ...more be a "bottom" to start at. But when it's so far to the "top", well, look at the last decade. "We" fell pretty hard...
Unless someone is mentally challenged, there's no reasonnot to succeed.
No disputes the neccessity of paying taxes, the rub comes when OUR MONEY is pissed away on worthless programs and redundant beuracratic departments, eg. department of education, federal and state. We are over regulated, I agree with you on that point too.
GREED.
Those programs are the recourse that remains, when the "elite" wholly undervalue the people that make their existence possible.
Your intellectual prowess, is simply STUNNING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Everything in nature is about balance. I could lecture on, and on, ad infinitum about balance. However, that would not be succint. You are correct about a "motivating factor", and hardship is a good one. The most endearing, and educational part of History, is "daily life". Not just facts, events, names, and dates, but how society lived through the centuries.
To read about ...more an empire of the past, and delve yourself on just how the "plebian" existed, well that's not just reading...
Oh, well. You pick the vernacular.
GREED.
Sheer ignorance, on your part, to not have wised up to that by now...