Levy, Islip Town officials bicker over movie in park

Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy directed the county police department not to provide the mobile van and Police Athletic League representatives it had promised for Friday night's movie showing in Timberline Park in Brentwood - after a dispute over how the event was planned and who should get credit for it, county and town officials said Friday.

Police provided security as they would have at any such event, county spokesman Mark Smith said Friday.

Town officials and a local neighborhood watch group said the movie night, which town officials said drew a crowd of more than 500 people, was organized by the Islip Town constituent services office and the Suffolk Police Athletic League, which pledged to provide snacks.

But Suffolk Chief Deputy County Executive Ed Dumas and Islip Town Supervisor Phil Nolan said that Levy decided to withdraw some participation after a program for the event listed Rep. Steve Israel (D-Huntington) and state Sen. Brian X. Foley (D-Blue Point), both running for re-election, as possible speakers along with Levy and Police Commissioner Richard Dormer.

"The event was completely hijacked by the town and made into a political rally," Dumas said.

Nolan, a Democrat, dismissed the charge, saying the event was public - not political - and designed to celebrate Brentwood and Central Islip community members who rallied as violence swept through the area.

Levy's decision came after a dispute over where Levy's name would go on a flier advertising the event, Dumas and Nolan said. According to an e-mail obtained by Newsday, Dumas instructed Nolan's chief of staff, George Hoffman, to list Levy's name first on the flier.

The town did not comply with the request and subsequently issued a news release for the event omitting Levy's name.

"This is the county executive being retaliatory with public assets - which is absolutely reprehensible in this case - because he didn't get top billing," Nolan said.

Dumas said the idea for the movie night came from Levy himself, in response to comments from a committee Levy formed after a series of public forums about the violence.

Felix Adeyeye, Islip's deputy director of constituent services, said he proposed an idea for a movie night to his superiors. When Community Oriented Police Enforcement unit officer Charles Ross called to pitch such an event, the two joined forces, Adeyeye said. Earlier this month, Adeyeye said, police said it would provide the mobile van and a PAL-staffed snack table.

The Police Athletic League dropped off the food it pledged Friday but did not participate, Dumas said.

Doris Davidson, a sector captain for Northeast Neighborhood Watch who distributed the fliers, said she was disappointed by the county executive's decision.

"The Suffolk County Police Athletic League, the Town of Islip, they've all poured their hearts and souls into this event. And this is what Steve Levy does? How sad is that?" she said.