Hempstead Town officials release ex-Supervisor Donald Clavin's salary, job title in new role
Hempstead Town Supervisor Donald Clavin during a town board meeting July 1. He abruptly resigned Aug. 5. Credit: Newsday/Howard Schnapp
The Town of Hempstead on Wednesday released Donald X. Clavin Jr.’s new title and salary, three weeks after he was appointed to the position following his abrupt resignation as town supervisor.
“Clavin's title is Community Services Representative, and his salary is the same as his salary was as Supervisor: $179,375,” town spokesman Brian Devine said in an email Wednesday.
After Clavin, a Republican, resigned at a town board meeting Aug. 5 — and before former Nassau County Legis. John Ferretti was appointed to replace him that day — the board appointed Clavin to a new position within the department of planning and economic development, according to town officials. Clavin is running in November for a county judgeship.
Clavin’s appointment was not mentioned by the town board, nor did it appear in the town’s meeting materials posted online. The only clue in the public record was an increase of $179,375 in the salaries budget line for the department, the same salary he earned as supervisor.
For three weeks, town officials refused to identify Clavin’s title or salary. Last week, Ferretti, a Republican, told Newsday that Clavin’s salary would be released, but subsequently Devine declined to provide that information.
On Wednesday, Devine said that Ferretti had instructed him to release Clavin’s salary and job title.
In response to written questions Wednesday, Devine said in an email that "Don Clavin works out of the Nassau Road office of the Department of Planning and Economic Development." Newsday reported in 2020 that that office in Roosevelt had been closed for renovations and according to the town website Wednesday, it still is. On Monday the office was locked, its shades drawn and white paper covered the glass entry door. A sign in the window said to call a phone number to make an appointment.
"As this is a noncompetitive title, the position was not advertised, as there was no requirement to do so, and Don has a wealth of institutional knowledge that made him the ideal in-house candidate," Devine said in an email.
Community service representatives are listed on the town website as liaisons between Hempstead Town and civic groups.
On Tuesday, Ferretti had refused to disclose Clavin’s job information during and following a news conference regarding a town animal control program. Devine said Tuesday that the town would respond to a Freedom of Information Law request submitted by Newsday for details of Clavin’s hiring. “You will get it, there’s a process,” Devine said at the time.
That process is supposed to take up to 25 business days, but the town frequently delays the release of information by weeks or months, citing staffing shortages and the complexity of information requested.
Under New York State Freedom of Information Law, municipalities and other government agencies are required to maintain, and make publicly available, lists of payroll that include names, salaries, and titles and office addresses of employees and officers.
On Monday, Ferretti’s Democratic opponent this November, former Queens prosecutor Joseph Scianablo, sued the town for alleged violations of New York State Open Meetings Law in how Clavin and Ferretti were appointed on Aug. 5.
On Wednesday, Scianablo said in an interview that Clavin had gotten "a cushy taxpayer-funded gig" that was a waste of taxpayer money.
"It's the same old, same old political insiders taking care of themselves and forgetting the people," Scianablo said. He added that the delay in disclosing Clavin's job details "just kind of shows the people that there's stuff that they're trying to hide."
In response to Scianablo's comments, Devine said in an email that Clavin is "focused on issues about which he is passionate."
"His 25 years of institutional knowledge and governmental expertise is a benefit to the Town," Devine said.
On Tuesday Judge Gary M. Carlton ordered a hearing on Scianablo's lawsuit on Sept. 9. The lawsuit seeks to nullify Ferretti's appointment and to compel town officials to undergo training on state open meetings law.
As of May 1, records show that the town had two community services representatives: Steven Rofrano in the parks department with a salary of $119,340; and Zahid Syed in the department of general services with a salary of $161,393.
