Hundreds Decry Montauk Weekend Mayhem

Hundreds of Montauk residents swarmed the Montauk Fire Department headquarters on Tuesday morning to express outrage over the behavior of throngs of partiers that have descended on the hamlet on weekend nights this summer.

The weekly Town Board work session commenced with board members pinned in the back of the fire truck bays by a wall of people that flowed out and across the firehouse’s parking lot.

Residents peppered the lawmakers with stories of people urinating in their backyards, parades of drunks blocking their streets, and thumping music that keeps them awake until dawn—and they pleaded with the Town Board to bring an end to the seeming free-for-all.

“In my 60 years here, I have seen a lot of change, and a lot of it has been very good—but this new influx of binge-drinking hedonists add nothing to our town,” said resident Bill Akin. He insisted that the bars that most frequent are not staffed with local workers, and that the taxes those bars pay fall far short of the costs the horde creates for the town. “This influx is a net loss for Montauk,” he said. “They are an invasive species, and we need pest control.”

Residents called for more enforcement of town fire safety codes to restrict the number of people who can occupy a given establishment, and for enforcement of parking regulations and sanitary codes. Others begged for accommodation to stem the negative impacts on the community and its environs—like more portable toilets at public beaches and outside crowded bars.

At least one, Bonnie Brady, said that perhaps Montauk should consider incorporating as a village again and set its own rules.

One woman encouraged others to file individual complaints about various bars and clubs with the State Liquor Authority.

Before the meeting, East Hampton Town Police Chief Michael Sarlo offered a bit of encouragement, but said that dealing with the crowds and violations is not easy, given the manpower available to the department. “It is a huge task that is at hand,” he said. “I sympathize with the citizens … and empathize with the concern that our community is out of control. What I witnessed last Saturday night is unacceptable.”

The chief noted that the department had 13 officers on duty in Montauk during the previous weekend—an unsustainable level of staffing for the 42-officer department that required all of its summer part-time reserves and off-duty officers called in. Officers issued 60 summonses, 40 parking tickets and made nine arrests in two nights.

“We’re working hard to manage our resources effectively and efficiently to change the tide here in Montauk,” the chief added. “We cannot do this alone through enforcement. We are stepping up the policing, but we implore business owners to step up, police themselves, be better neighbors.”

Chief Sarlo warned residents that the town would not be able to close down bars for basic noise and overcrowding violations, nor could they have their liquor licenses revoked for violations of town codes.

The Town Board did authorize Town Attorney Liz Vail's office to go to state Supreme Court to seek a temporary restraining order against a Montauk restaurant, the Harbor Raw Bar, for repeated violations of town codes.

Supervisor Larry Cantwell ticked off a list of possible legal and legislative steps that the Town Board may be able to take to start addressing the problems plaguing Montauk. He posed the potential solutions as questions for residents.

“Is it time to consider whether the laws on outdoor music need to be changed?” he asked. “Has the time come to ban amplified outdoor music? Is it time to ban the consumption of alcohol on our public beaches? Should we consider a rental registry? Should we consider a law, like one Southampton Town adopted, requiring compulsory termination of non-conforming nightclubs?”

After each question, Mr. Cantwell was met with a thunder of applause.

“What occurred over Fourth of July weekend was unacceptable to everyone,” he continued. “In some ways, there are competing interests fighting over the heart and soul of Montauk. My goal is to direct this energy for positive change.”

Some residents, angry at the mayhem, pointed a finger at the business owners and others who have cashed in on the demand for anything Montauk-related.

“The problem is not that there is lack of enforcement—we’re creating too much pressure on them,” said Henry Uihlein. “Never sell your soul for a buck. I believe that many people in this town are selling their soul for a buck.”