Riverhead fires parks commissioner after admitting audit 'misrepresentation'

The Town of Riverhead fired its longtime recreation superintendent on Tuesday after he admitted preparing an audit that he initially said was created by an outside accounting firm, records obtained by Newsday show.

The town in February filed disciplinary charges against Ray Coyne, alleging he prepared a fraudulent audit of his own department's finances. Despite claiming the report had been created by an independent accounting firm, Coyne later admitted authoring the report himself with aid from artificial intelligence tools.

Attorneys for Riverhead said Coyne prepared the report in a bid to save his $8,000 stipend, which the town board was set to eliminate, a transcript of a disciplinary hearing shows. Coyne denied the charge and said the report was intended to show his department's success. Coyne, 52, has led the department since 2005 and earned $174,961 last year, according to town payroll records.

At a special meeting lasting just 10 minutes, the town board voted 4-0 to terminate Coyne, effective immediately. Councilman Bob Kern abstained.

Coyne, identified only by his employee code in public meeting documents, had been suspended without pay since February. Newsday confirmed his identity through payroll records.

Robert E. Draffin, the hearing officer, found Coyne guilty of misconduct and recommended his termination.

Coyne, Draffin wrote in his decision, "clearly has lost the trust needed to effectively work with the Town Supervisor and the Town Board."

Newsday obtained the charges, Draffin's ruling, and hearing transcripts through the state's Freedom of Information Law on Wednesday.

'I wanted to come clean' 

The town charged Coyne with insubordination and misconduct after he filed the audit, which was titled, "Independent Forensic Accounting Review."

During an April hearing, Coyne said he "felt horrible" about what he described as a "misrepresentation."

"I wanted to make the report have weight because all of the other reports authored by me ... it was ignored for the most part," Coyne said. "I quickly realized that was a mistake. ... And I wanted to come clean."

Coyne said he began preparing the report before learning he was set to lose his $8,000 stipend. He pointed out that revenue in his department had risen from $582,000 in 2006 to more than $1 million in 2024, according to a hearing transcript.

Riverhead Town Supervisor Jerry Halpin declined to discuss the charges publicly.

"As difficult of a decision as that is to make about anyone, I do agree with [the hearing officer’s] decision," Halpin said in an interview on Wednesday.

Attorneys for Riverhead also cited Coyne's prior disciplinary incidents, including allegations of "poor judgement," "failure to carry out directives," and a "confrontational attitude." He was suspended without pay for two weeks in 2019 after being charged with insubordination, records show. 

Interim leader

As the recreation department heads into its busy summer season, Halpin said the office would be led by Ashley Schandel, the assistant recreation superintendent.

Coyne has denied wrongdoing, but declined to comment further on Wednesday.

His attorney, Adam Weiss of Glen Cove, called the town's decision "unfortunate" in an interview on Wednesday and said his client plans to pursue legal action.

"We think that the decision is arbitrary and capricious," he said.

Town residents had pushed the board to reconsider.

"The decision you make today will not only affect one man’s future, but will also send a message about how Riverhead values loyalty, dedication and years of public service," Marylin Banks-Winter, of Riverhead, said at Tuesday's meeting.

Dwayne Eleazer, of Riverhead, submitted a petition with more than 200 signatures in support of Coyne on Monday. The petition said Coyne "has made a lasting impact in Riverhead, especially within the African American community."

Eleazer, who has organized the Stop the Violence Basketball Tournament for more than two decades, said Coyne had been a "pillar" of the annual event, ensuring there were park attendants and restrooms for the tournament.

"He has done everything for us. He took care of the ones that are left out in the town of Riverhead," Eleazer said in an interview on Tuesday. "What they did to him, I think is totally wrong."