Board Puts Off Votes on Keeping Top Officials

Despite a new year and new face on Southampton's town board, it didn't take more than a meeting for the Republican-Conservative bloc and Democrat-Independence board members to butt heads.

At the board's first meeting of 2012, an organizational meeting consisting largely of housecleaning issues such as committee appointments and fee schedules, the re-appointments of and Town Comptroller Tamara Wright were not taken quite so lightly.

Resolutions to re-appoint the two were put on hold after Councilman Jim Malone, C-Hampton Bays, moved to table both until the board's next meeting on Jan. 10 to give Councilwoman Christine Preston Scalera — a Republican who was sworn in on Tuesday morning — a chance to talk with the two in the company of the entire town board.

Supervisor Anna Throne-Holst, a member of the Independence Party, and Democrat Bridget Fleming found themselves in the minority, both vocalizing their disagreement with the decision.

"These are two individuals upon whom I am dependent," said Throne-Holst, who mentioned Wright by name pointing out her "stellar professionalism."

"I express concern and disappointment that they do not know now what will happen next week."

Fleming went one step further, saying that the decision to not re-appoint the two was "putting someone's life on hold" while administrations across Long Island change hands and new positions fill up. 

Malone said he decided to move to table the measure — instead of Scalera — because he thought the supervisor would move to table it herself. Both he and Throne-Holst recalled a 45-minute conversation they previously had about the topic, where Malone gave his reasons why he wanted a full board discussion with the two before it decides whether to re-appoint Scarlato and Wright.

"My level of confidence in Tamara is almost blind," Malone said in an interview following the meeting. "And I spearheaded the team that brought in Tiffany ... I just think it's fair that every member of the board be present for a discussion."

Scalera said following the meeting that though she has spoken with Wright and Scarlato individually, "perhaps we would be in a better position to ask questions" with a full town board present."