Huntington votes to release reports on investigations

The Huntington Town Board voted to release reports resulting from at least three investigations this year into personnel matters.

The reports, which will be made public in 2021, are tied to three resolutions approved earlier this year to hire outside counsel to conduct the investigations. Town documents say $77,000 was spent in lawyer fees for the investigations.

The reports will include the subject of the investigations and expressions of opinion by the investigator, but other information will be redacted, including the complainants, witnesses and any identifying information. Not all of the investigations have been completed, town officials said.

Republican Town Board member Gene Cook at Tuesday's meeting made the proposal to release the reports, which was unanimously approved. Cook said he was the subject of one of the investigations, but was falsely accused.

"We used taxpayer money to investigate a number of issues that we had to hire outside counsel," Cook said. "Because we used taxpayer dollars it’s my belief the public should see what people are accused of and how it was resolved."

Democrat Mark Cuthbertson seconded the resolution and said he too was the subject of one of the investigations.

"There was an investigation regarding conduct in connection with the director of public safety who resigned," Cuthbertson said.

Public Safety Director Peter Sammis resigned in February after he was suspended for writing an email that contained "vulgar" language about a female employee. Cuthbertson was among those who was critical over Sammis serving a two-week suspension in February, months after he wrote the email in November 2019.

Council members approved funding to hire outside counsel because the board became aware of "personnel issues and is desirous of investigating the matters to the fullest extent possible."

The release of the reports pertain to the following approvals:

• March 10: Cook proposed and Cuthbertson seconded a resolution that passed 5-0 to spend up to $20,000 for an investigation.

• April 21: Cuthbertson proposed and Ed Smyth seconded a resolution that passed unanimously to investigate two personnel matters at a cost of up to $20,000 collectively.

• May 20: Smyth proposed and town Supervisor Chad Lupinacci seconded a resolution to spend up to $10,000 collectively to investigate two personnel matters. It passed 4-1 with Cook voting against it.

• Dec. 15: Cuthbertson offered a separate resolution seeking $6,512.08 to pay final attorney fees for the investigation cited in Cook’s resolution. The measure passed 4-1 with Cook voting against it.