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Mayor Jesse Warren. DANA SHAW
The Southampton Village Board — Mayor Jesse Warren, in particular — received more than an earful of criticism during the board’s meeting last Thursday, August 12, over the treatment and, in some cases, firing of village employees.
Union members and former members of the Village Board joined the chorus calling for the board to abandon plans to fire a court officer and calling on the mayor to improve relations with village employees in general.
An early version of the agenda included a resolution to abolish the position of full-time court officer at Southampton Village Justice Court and to terminate the employment of that officer, Gregg Keghlian. The item was removed from the agenda before the meeting began, which Mr. Warren said in an interview the following day was so that the public would have some more notice before a vote was taken. He added that the plan is to keep Officer Keghlian on as a part-time court officer.
Mark Epley was one of the former village officials who spoke out at the meeting. He was the village mayor from 2005, when Officer Keghlian was hired, to 2017. He said to the crowded boardroom that those in attendance may not know that Officer Keghlian was a witness in an Equal Employment Opportunity Commission complaint against the same person who recommended firing him. That would be Barbara Wilson, the village justice.
Mr. Warren said Friday that he was unaware of such a complaint and that the reason for changing the position from full-time to part-time is because the court is “only open on Tuesdays” and does not require a full-time bailiff or court officer. He said this is something he has wanted to do for two years. He also noted that Officer Keghlian is also a part-time Village Police officer, paid from both the court budget and the police budget, and called the arrangement “clear cut double dipping.”
According to SeeThroughNY, Officer Keghlian received $71,197 as a court officer and $28,353 as a part-time police officer in 2020.
When called for comment, Officer Keghlian referred inquiries to the police command.
The resolution to eliminate the position stated that “Southampton strives to operate in an efficient and cost effective manner” and “there is a lack of work for this position.” However, Police Chief Tom Cummings disputed that there is a lack of work. The chief, who is retiring in September after Mr. Warren fought the renewal of his contract for months, made his case for retaining the full-time court officer position in an email on the evening before the Village Board meeting.
“Officer Keghlian has been a valuable village employee for the past 15 years and in effect terminating his employment with barely more than 24 hours’ notice is just not how employees should be treated even if ultimately you decide to go ahead with this unfortunate decision,” Chief Cummings wrote. “Officer Keghlian should have at least been given reasonable notice as he has a family to support. I know you think that this is just a good business decision for the village, but every village employee is a person, too.”
The chief outlined Mr. Keghlian’s responsibilities as monitoring all visitors to the court building — the court shares a facility with the police department on Windmill Lane — five days a week during business hours and providing information on court matters to visitors. Additionally, he handles arraignments, prepares court paperwork for the judges, guards prisoners and releases impounded vehicles so police officers can remain on patrol, and relieves the overnight jail guard. He also screens visitors according to COVID protocols and is a certified police officer who is “capable of handling any situation that may arise in the building lobby.”
Southampton Village Police Benevolent Association President Michael Horstman said Monday that Officer Keghlian had been kicked out of his office within the court as of four or five months ago and now sits at the front desk of the police department.
Mr. Epley also raised concerns over how Chief Cummings had been treated. “The treatment of the chief is unbelievable,” he said, also pointing out that a number of police benevolent associations have representatives in attendance. “The PBAs of the East End are here because they are fed up with your lack of support for law enforcement,” he told Mr. Warren.
He also said that Chris Talbot — the village’s building inspector until he recently accepted the same post in Sag Harbor — left because of a hostile work environment.
Mr. Epley said his phone rings every single day from employees, former employees, consultants and applicants complaining about how they’ve been treated, and he shared a story: “Two years ago, mayor, you and I had a conversation,” he said. “I said the job’s easy — it’s easy. All you have to do is walk around and pat the men and women of this village, working for this village, on the back and say, ‘You’re doing a hell of a job.’ That’s all you have to do, and they’ll do anything for you. … You know what your response to me was? ‘Aren’t they supposed to be afraid of me?’”
Asked on Friday to confirm whether or not that conversation happened, Mr. Warren said, “Of course not.”
Public safety dispatcher Daniel Farrell told the board that the quickest way to destroy trust and cooperation is to lay people off. He said the resolution to fire Officer Keghlian communicated that “This is not a meritocracy. We don’t care how hard you work, or how long you’ve worked here for.”
He said employees have to come into work every day afraid.
Village Police Sergeant David Dorchak also spoke to issues between the police department and the mayor. “After the election, you preached that we work together in unity,” he told Mr. Warren. “Since that time has happened, you have forced the chief out in the middle of summer, you’ve gone after a court officer, without discussing anything with us.”
He said the mayor refused to respond to requests for a meeting, and when he tried to speak to the mayor on the street, “You ran from me.”
“We have never had a Village Board that does not sit down and speak to us,” Sgt. Dorchak said. “... We want you to back us. We are not here to fight with you. We are here to work with you.”
He said that although the chief retires in September, he is away now because he has to use up his time off, and he pointed out that Captain Michael Ryan also recently retired. He said the department leadership is now two lieutenants, who are very capable, but “This is the busy season. … This is when the top leadership is needed.”
The acrimony between the police department and the mayor continues to be on display in the village, with red “Save Our Police” campaign lawn signs still standing many weeks after June’s election.
Mr. Warren said on Friday that despite the election, he is looking forward to working with the police union. “I’m very proud of our officers,” he said. “I actually sent handwritten letters to all of the offers hoping to schedule a time to meet with them so I can learn what’s important to them from a work perspective and their families.”
The mayor said the police department is in good hands with Lieutenant Chris Wetter and Lieutenant Suzanne Hurteau and that the Village Board will appoint an acting police chief once Chief Cummings retires in September. “That will allow us some more time to find the permanent chief of police,” he said, adding that the new chief will provide guidance on who the next captain should be.
“We’ve gotten a lot of good resumes, but we will be looking both internally and externally” for both the acting and permanent chief’s position, he said. “It’s a highly coveted position, so there is no shortage of great applicants.”
At the board meeting, Southrifty Drug owner Bob Grisnik urged the board to hire from within, naming both Lt. Hurteau and Detective Sergeant Herman Lamison as good candidates with 25 years of experience who “know the village inside out.”
Former Village Board member Kimberly Allen told the mayor that the village had a AAA credit rating, healthy reserves and outstanding auditor’s reports before he took office. She questioned how he could be “beating up people on their pay” when the village is doing really well.
“You have forced out or fired eight people already,” Ms. Allen said. “You’ve only been here for two years.”
She said she is really concerned that while some employees are being fired and long-time village employees are receiving nominal raises, new people have been brought in with no municipal experience and then given raises of 15, 25 or 56 percent within a year of being hired, and new positions are also being created.
“You’re sending the wrong message,” she concluded. “You need to do better. Everyone’s telling you that, and here’s your chance.”
Mr. Warren said on Friday that all of the new employees whom he has hired are earning less than their predecessors and that he has lowered taxes and cut overall spending.
Regarding the building department and Mr. Talbot’s departure, Mr. Warren said this in an opportunity to hire a master planner for the village to oversee the department. “We’ve actually never had that position, so it’s something that we should strongly consider,” he added.
