Police dialed when resident becomes vocal at Town Board meeting
The Rotterdam Town Board meeting on Wednesday, May 25, ended with flashing lights outside Town Hall.
As the meeting was nearing an end, Deputy Supervisor Robert Godlewski called town police to intervene after resident Kelly Rhinesmith called Supervisor Frank Del Gallo a colossal liar during the privilege of the floor and continued to make accusatory statements toward individual board members. Del Gallo told Rhinesmith to leave, at which point, Godlewski walked off to make the call. The incident lasted only about three minutes from Rhinesmith’s initial remark until she stopped talking. Police arrived after the meeting concluded, and no charges were filed.
When Rhinesmith confronted Del Gallo, Godlewski told him she was `out of order with those type of comments` and urged him to call the meeting back to order. Godlewski then told Rhinesmith the board didn’t have to listen to her `rude comments.`
Rhinesmith’s outburst was prompted by the Town Board’s handling of the ambulance service contract vote on Wednesday, May 11. She said Del Gallo did not follow through on a promise to wait for Nicola DiLeva before voting to award Rotterdam Emergency Medical Services the contract. However, the 3-0 vote in support of REMS would have remained unchanged no matter how DiLeva voted.
Two minutes into Rhinesmith’s comments, some board members started to talk among themselves about how to resolve the situation. She continued to address the board as Godlewski left the room to call the police.
Before Godlewski returned, DiLeva requested to adjourn the meeting, at which point Rhinesmith stopped addressing the board. Shortly after DiLeva’s request, and as Godlewski was returning to his seat, the meeting ended.
`She was asked to leave and she left, no charges were filed,` said Lt. Jason Murphy on Thursday, May 26.
A total of four police cars responded to the call, arriving shortly after residents started leaving Town Hall. Rhinesmith did approach police and talk to them before driving off the property.
After the meeting, Rhinesmith said no responding officers asked her to leave the meeting or public parking lot outside of Town Hall, and she left on her own will.
`I left on my own volition, but I was under no obligation to leave unless I did something illegal, which I did not, and confronting board members with their own statements doesn’t count. The police therefore had no legal grounds to force my departure, and I’m sure they understand this, just as I do,` said Rhinesmith Friday, May 27.
Town Attorney David Devaprasad said there are not many options for the board to pursue in such instances, but he noted residents are allotted four minutes to speak.
`Generally speaking, there is not a lot you can do,` said Devaprasad. `If at that point, if you don’t want to listen and they keep going, you can have the person removed from the meeting.`
Devaprasad said Godlewski calling the police was an effort to restore order to the forum.
`There is a certain amount of respect that goes into any forum,` said Devaprasad.
Del Gallo said after the meeting that he did not think it was necessary to call the police.
`I think you just let them blow their steam off,` said Del Gallo. `She is entitled to answers. You can say the same thing without getting way out of line.`
Del Gallo said the reason DiLeva was not part of the EMS vote was because the May 11 meeting started late and the resolution for the vote was at the end of the agenda. During the May 25 meeting, Del Gallo said DiLeva should have put in writing that she wouldn’t be able to attend the meeting until later due to a prior engagement. DiLeva had notified the board that she had a prior engagement on May 11.
`We are not responsible for each other’s schedule and timing,` said Town Board member Matthew Martin in response to public comments at the May 25 meeting.
DiLeva said she rushed through her engagement, where she made remarks, and was on her way to take part in the ambulance vote, but Diane Marco called her shortly before 8 p.m. to tell her the vote was done.
`I never heard (DiLeva) tell me she couldn’t make it that night,` said Del Gallo, which spurred Rhinesmith’s comments.
DiLeva said she was not happy police were called.
`I just think it is a very sad situation,` said DiLeva. `I was very disturbed; it is still disturbing.`
She also said Del Gallo wasn’t truthful about claiming she never told him she had a prior engagement ahead of time, however Rhinesmith shouldn’t have called Del Gallo a colossal liar at the meeting.
`I’m sorry, he did lie,` said DiLeva after the meeting.“