Mar 21, 2012 9:20 AM
A Springs resident called for East Hampton Town Councilwoman Theresa Quigley’s resignation at a Town Board meeting last Thursday, claiming she called some residents “Nazis” at an earlier meeting this month.
After a public comment period at a March 1 Town Board meeting, Ms. Quigley could be overheard complaining about the behavior of Springs residents who appeared before the board to complain about illegal overcrowding in their hamlet.
“This is Nazis. This is disgusting,” she said to Councilman Peter Van Scoyoc. Her comment was picked up by the audio equipment of LTV, which broadcasts board meetings.
“I’m not a Nazi,” Springs resident Fred Weinberg told the board last Thursday night. “No one on the Springs Concerned Citizens committee is a Nazi. The Springs Concerned Citizens group does not use Gestapo methods. No one in Springs spies on our neighbors. We don’t have to. Their violations are in our face. They are apparent.”
He continued, calling Ms. Quigley’s comments “appalling and denigrating.”
“I call on you, Ms. Quigley, to resign now … Prior to doing so, you must apologize to the Springs Concerned Citizens committee, to the people of East Hampton, to the town supervisor, to our fellow board members. Ms. Quigley, you must resign. Then and only then can we move on.”
Ms. Quigley did not respond to the comments at the meeting. When reached on Monday evening, Ms. Quigley declined to comment.
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She shouldn't resign, but should be given the Erwin Rommel Option. Only then will Mr. Weinberg's bloodlust be satisfied, and everyone be able to get past Ms. Q.'s shocking utterance..
Tell us about the part where she (doesn't) say anything about it "needing to be investigated."
And so what if they are watching... neighborhood watches exist in communities around the country... THIS IS A GOOD THING.
It was interesting to hear the statistics cited at the end of the public comment period. It sounds like some action is being taken by the town but the perception by the residents and maybe reality of the magnitude of the problem (perception wise at minimum) continues to be a concern as the code violation appear to persist.
Thanks to Springs Concerned Citizens and Town Code Enforcement, over 100 housing cases in Springs have been opened, 94 have gone to court and over 974 violations have been issued. Doesn't that prove to you, Board Watcher, the seriousness of the illegal overcrowding issue in Springs?
Be grateful, ...more Board Watcher. Better yet, help with the Unoccupy Springs Movement, instead of ridiculing it. Be part of the solution.
And it goes beyond complaining about overcrowding when you characterize "those people" in a negative way that creates the perception that "they" are threatening to others. It is very disturbing to here such language. The person you referred to is Steve Gaines and he has stated that he is appalled at ...more what is going on. I think if you really listen to Steve you will see he was really saying that it was nice to see the Town Board was not being attacked. My problem is attacking with a broad brush a group of people - most of whom are legal and hard working - in a way that pits them against us. It was that attack that Councilwoman was reacting to because she was offended for those people being attacked and she had every right to be offended.
The house on the corner was bought ten years ago and the owner soon moved people into the basement, with a sliding door entrance,and while he lives on the main floor, another family lives on the second floor. Instant 3 family home! And guess what, they recently started putting in a cesspool without permits! I know because I reported it and this was confirmed.
There are at least ten other examples like this in my little sub-division in Springs.When I walk my dog I have to deal with visitors speeding up and down the cul-de-sacs and main road. Empty cans, bottles and used condoms on the street. Strange cars idling in the middle of the night in front of my house.
I challenge you or Gaines to rent or buy in my neighborhood in Springs and retain the opinion you have on what we live with.
The other side needs ...more to stop assuming that those that are on the other side of the argument are racist or narrowminded. Just because someone is concerned, does not automatically make them a bigot. If you do, then you are participating in stereotyping, of which you complain about others doing.
Maybe we could accept that people might be at odds on this issue, but still be coming from a place of concern for their community.
Is she listening and understanding how people on both sides are looking to the town board for some help?
It is time for her to apoligize and resign. With her ego I doubt she will do either.
One word I have never heard come out of the mouth of any of the Unoccupy Springs group is assimilate. I hear enforce, prosecute, ...more remove the problem, gather information, and many other aggressive statements about getting rid of those people. I never hear about assimilation. At the summit they are calling for, does the Unoccupy Springs group plan to invite members and leaders of the latino community? Do they plan on inviting people like attorney Steve Grossman who has a group trying to assist latinos? Are they going to invite latino religious leaders? Is the summit's goal to develop a plan to deal with housing and the right of legal aliens to live in our community, or is the goal to rid the town of "those people"?
You're not hearing the word "assimilate" because the misrepresented argument is that this is about race... it's not. It is about illegal housing. Why would latinos and latino leaders ...more be invited to an illegal housing summit??? They would be welcome to attend just like any other. IF the residents of the illegal housing are predominantly latino, that's not the fault of the concerned citizens of Springs. But are we now giving special consideration to latinos just because of their race, as if they check a box on their ethnicity, and Town Code does not apply?
Thank you Mo - what you are saying makes sense to me. It is absolutely true that adding more code enforcement did not eradicate the "problem" during McGintee's reign. It seems to me that the Budas and some other people calling to get the "illegals" out have personally experienced living next door to "problem" neighbors. While I can sympathize with them, stepping up code enforcement under the current laws is only a SMALL PART of any solution to ...more the Springs tax and density issues, it will not solve them. It seems to me that Springs School Board president Chris Kelley started a diversionary campaign to shift the "tax problem" Springs School has away from the Board and onto the Town Board's shoulders when he wrote an open letter to them to get rid of the "illegals" - housing, that is. And Trail Mix and Reality 101 - i challenge you to call them when you see them . . . I completely agree! But there absolutely was a person who used the term "Julio" at a Town Board Meeting. Carol Buda, at another Town Board meeting, unequivocally called on "Latino leaders" to educate "their community" - as if Latinos are not a part of OUR community - and Chris Kelley was quoted as saying that the Springs School recognizes its obligation to educate "immigrants", and in the same breath states that there has been an influx of "Spanish" to the school. So let's get rid of the illegal housing and Springs School will miraculously have lower taxes and less kids in each classroom? Nice. What is happening here, in my opinion, is there is a mix of "facts" and an undercurrent of bigotry and racism in the community that is not a pleasant sight to see. And Zaz, calling me "unneighborly" really adds nothing to this discussion, does it? " Jan 27, 11 6:59 PM
Theresa Quigley's remark, made in an unguarded and private conversation with a fellow board member was not planned and showed her utter disgust with some of the language of my fellow Springs residents at that Town Board meeting. Many in our community feel the same disgust as Theresa, and as an example at Most Holy Trinity Mass yesterday, the Deacon's homily expressed his disgust at the troubling spectacle made by some in our community at that Town Board meeting. His impassioned homily asked "what kind of community are we turning into" when our fellow neighbors talk about spying on one another and advocate taking unauthorized pictures of their neighbors. Yes, there is a problem but there are laws that deal with illegal housing. File a complaint. There is an adjudication process that deals with these issues and taking pictures and spying are not currently and thankfully part of the law.
And this nonsense about asking Theresa to resign. You liberal Democrats out there. How many times have you deliberately referred to Republicans as Nazis? I know you have because I have been called that very name a number of times just because of my party affiliation. Just Google Bush and Nazi and see what comes up. As one who has a number of friends whose parents were Holocaust survivors, I find that term absolutely reprehensible. But a slip of the tongue happens and to ask for a public servant who has served this town with extraordinary competence and passion to resign is political posturing at its absolute worst. So we need to cut the crap and solve this problem of illegal housing through legal methods.
And show a little gumption people. Start using your real names.
Springs want to (may have already?) publish the addresses and take pictures of "suspected violators". This is scary, scary stuff with a very POLITICAL base and agenda, and being openly driven by self-proclaimed "Code Enforcer" David Buda, and pandering to very specific "neighbors" who may or may not like theirs - for whatever reason. The "reality" is that Code Enforcement is (finally?) doing its job in a professional, lawful manner as is evident ...more by the number of complaints/investigations/ltown labor that has been mobilized to address the specific complaints (lists and all) submitted by Springs residents, as compared to what went on for 6 years (!!) prior to the reorganization of that department. School taxes are a "big problem" in Springs. Those who try to tie the two together -- or think there is a direct corrolation - do not have their facts straight. Voting "NO" to pierce the tax cap is a good way to start making the School Board clean up a major part of the angst felt by taxpayers in Springs. Town-wide reassessment of properties may be another .... and Springs being held to a $25,000 per pupil contract by EHHS is, to me, a greater problem than all those "illegal" children in Springs. Three, four or five different issues that absolutely SHOULD NOT be played party vs. party - or "race based".
I am anxious to see all those local bubs in Springs that own houses with illegal rental situations like Mr. Buda promises. I also ask Mr. Buda to attach a list of all the houses his group turned into Code Enforcement that resulted in no action. I'm sure those people want to know they have been under the microscope. Alas, I doubt ...more he will do that because he might get sued. Alas, I am finished with this comment.