Arrests made over charges of bribery within East Hampton Town

Arrests made after an investigation cloaked in strict secrecy and undertaken by the Suffolk County district attorney’s office, over charges that staffers were taking bribes to expedite permits, sent shockwaves through East Hampton Town last week.At the helm in that office at that time was former East Hampton Town Chief Building Inspector Joe Palermo, who was the first to notice — and report — what looked like unusual patterns: Building permits that should take weeks to process were being approved in a matter of days. His reports nearly two years ago ultimately launched an investigation by the district attorney’s office that ultimately led to two people being charged and indicted on five counts of receiving bribes, a class D felony, and five counts of official misconduct, a misdemeanor.Jack Motz reports on 27east.com that Evelyn Calderon, a suspended office staffer, and Ryan Benitez, a former building inspector, are now awaiting their next court date, which is slated for May 21.“We did such a huge volume in the Town Building Department — it's always, always busy,” Palermo said. “A mistake can always happen. But, usually, if something happens, you look into it and you make sure you correct it.”One example came where a pool was being constructed outside a double setback. The Building Department sent the applicant to the Zoning Board of Appeals, and Palermo realized that the permit was turned around almost immediately. Typically, such a permit would get logged in, and the total turnaround would be around four weeks.Palermo, at that time, began to get suspicious — and those suspicions were echoed elsewhere in the department. Others began to point out discrepancies.“That’s when I realized what was going on,” Palermo said.Palermo, who had been asking town officials what he should do, was told to observe and document — take notes, make copies — any actions that appeared suspicious, as his reports were being investigated.Suffolk D.A. spokeswoman Emily O’Neill said interviews with the people who are said to have paid Calderon is what ultimately unraveled the scheme. This is how the D.A.’s office got word that Calderon would allegedly send half the money to Benitez as part of the stated operation.The Suffolk County D.A. investigation did not involve working with the leaders of the local government. Investigations of that nature require strict secrecy, O’Neill said, to bring them to a successful conclusion. However, she said, the East Hampton Town attorney’s office did initially bring the stated issue forward, and a former employee in the Building Department was a “huge help and important resource.”***The group of five residents who are suing Southampton Village for following through with a land swap plan that would alienate Lola Prentice Memorial Park as part of a plan to build a sewage treatment plant have filed a petition for civil contempt against the Southampton Village Board. Dan Stark reports on 27east.com that the filing stems from a vote that the board took at its meeting on March 12 to support the passage of a pair of bills in the New York State Assembly and Senate — sponsored by Assemblyman Tommy John Schiavoni and Senator Anthony Palumbo — to alienate the park as part of the land swap. The plaintiffs have said that the board’s support of this, and involving the park in the plan, violates a 2019 Suffolk County Supreme Court injunction that ordered the village to use the park “for education or recreational purposes only.”In the petition, the plaintiffs argue that by voting for this resolution, the board “disobeyed the order” despite alleging that “each respondent had knowledge of the order prior to undertaking the above described actions…The aforesaid actions taken by the village and Village Board, collectively and individually, have impaired, frustrated and prejudiced each of the petitioners’ rights and benefits obtained by the order,” the petition reads.Southampton Village’s current plan is to acquire the property at 135 Windmill Lane, currently home to The Express News Group, demolish the building and turn it into a new dog park. The plant would be located on village-owned property behind the ambulance barn, while leach fields would be located underground at the current park.If a judge finds that members of the board acted in contempt of court, they could be subject to fines or possible jail time.The village is holding an information session about the sewer plan this coming Saturday, April 18, at Southampton Village Hall at 10 a.m. The meeting will also be streamed on Zoom, which multiple attendees lobbied for on April 9.***East End police officers will take part in the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee’s “No Empty Chair” campaign during the week of April 20, with enforcement and education efforts focused on teen driving safety. Denise Civiletti reports on Riverheadlocal.com that school resource officers and patrol officers will participate in outreach and enforcement aimed at reducing dangerous driving during prom and graduation season.The traffic safety committee’s message to teens is simple.“Be buckled up. Be a cell-free motorist. Be a sober driver. Be in your chair on graduation day.”The statewide campaign runs from Monday, April 20, through Friday, April 24.The campaign includes daily enforcement themes next week.· Monday, April 20: underage drinking and impaired driving· Tuesday, April 21: seat belts and child restraints· Wednesday, April 22: cell phone use and texting· Thursday, April 23: Operation Safe Stop· Friday, April 24: speeding in school zonesThe campaign is intended to raise awareness of highway dangers and promote safe driving habits among young motorists, police said. The release says New York State and local law enforcement agencies will increase patrols near high schools and focus on violations of the Graduated Driver Licensing law and other traffic offenses.For more information, visit trafficsafety.ny.gov.***State budget talks appeared revived yesterday by New York Gov. Kathy Hochul’s surprise pied-à-terre tax proposal — but several sticking points remain, including her pitches to implement protest buffer zones around houses of worship and to reform auto insurance. Vaughn Golden reports in THE NY POST that Senate Democratic Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins (D-Westchester) acknowledged “incremental progress” was being made in negotiations behind closed doors, including inching closer to a deal on new anti-ICE measures proposed by Hochul.The governor’s $263 billion state budget proposal was due for approval by April 1.Stewart-Cousins expressed optimism about Hochul’s pitch to slap multi-million dollar second homes in New York City with a new tax. “The pied-a-terre is something that we’d considered and pushed our house before,” she said.Stewart-Cousins said that the Legislature and governor have moved towards compromises on two major issues that were at an impasse – delays to the state’s controversial climate law’s mandates and new policies meant to further restrict local governments’ ability to work with federal immigration enforcement agents.The New York 4 All bill would effectively implement statewide sanctuary policies.Still, Stewart Cousins admitted there’s little hope of resolving talks ahead of the three-week-late mark next Tuesday.Hochul and lawmakers remain far apart on her proposed changes to liability statutes meant to change the definition of “serious injury” as to cut down on car accident fraud and thus theoretically lower insurance rates on everyday drivers.New issues are also starting to bubble towards the surface of the closed-door negotiations, such as resistance to Hochul’s pitch to restrict protests within 25 feet of a house of worship in response to antisemitic demonstrations outside of synagogues, including a particularly rowdy November protest outside the historic Park East synagogue in Manhattan.Lawmakers are set to vote again today on another stop gap spending measure to keep state workers paid.***The Riverhead Fire Department will host a recruitment event this coming Sunday afternoon, April 19, from 4 to 7 p.m. at department headquarters, 540 Roanoke Ave., in Riverhead…inviting community members to learn what it takes to become a volunteer firefighter. Denise Civiletti reports on Riverheadlocal.com that all are welcome to stop by and speak with department members and officers about joining the all-volunteer department, training requirements, benefits and the application process, Riverhead Fire Chief Pete Kurzyna said.The department is seeking new recruits at a time when volunteer fire departments across Long Island and New York continue to face recruitment challenges.“Once you get the feeling of getting on that truck and helping people out, you want to respond to every call,” Kurzyna said.To be eligible to join, applicants must be at least 18 years old, live within the Riverhead Fire District and possess a valid New York State driver’s license.Kurzyna said there is extensive training during a new member’s first year, but the experience is valuable.“Joining the fire service opens up a lot for your career, especially for a young person,” he said.The department provides training, gear and equipment at no cost, according to recruitment information posted on the Riverhead Fire Department website. Benefits include participation in the Length of Service Awards Program, a free gym membership, professional training and certifications, and opportunities for