July 25,
2008
Hello Friends of Local Views,
In the recent attempts to view and copy financial disclosure
statements from the Town Board members, this writer; while running an
obstacle course, has had to extract compliance in baby steps from the Town
Board members and members of the Ethics Committee. Only after making public statements at board meetings
ultimately broadcast on Cablevision and www.localviewsonline.com; appealing
to public officials' better judgment and extorting them to comply
with the Law, have I inched along in this quest.
At this point one is still not able to get copies, although the
Freedom of Information Law (already 25 years old and tested many times in
court) is conclusive in the matter of public information.
Documents can be viewed and when requested can be copied. One would most
likely believe that a Town Government or a Regional Government would be in
compliance with the Law. It is their duty; oaths are sworn to uphold the Law of
the Land and the Law of the State. Why
the difficulty in not allowing copies to be made of redacted
documents that are open to the public is a mystery and when there is a mystery,
there is supposition. What can we
believe they are hiding?
At my most recent encounter with Ethics Board member Howard
Knispel, I spoke of the exchange and of my displeasure (the speech is posted
online). The Smithtown News picked
up the story and although they agreed with the serious nature of the
wrongful refusal of my requests by the Town of Smithtown and it's agents,
their story also distracted from the issue by offering untrue commentary
from Mr. Knispel by the editor/reporter who never verified the facts with
me. Rather than get into a
petty conversation, I offered Mr. Ambro a copy of the
conversation made during the meeting with Mr. Knispel.
Perhaps this is surprising to some but in all events we, as
we step forward in this quest, must protect ourselves from any
discrediting. This tape would not have been made public otherwise. The
unfortunate result of passing the tape to the Smithtown News is that
I assumed he was a first class journalist and could recognize
the truth when he heard it. And he would print a truthful facsimile of
the exchange and verify that what I said ( shouting..) was in fact true.
To put it to you simply...he said that my voice was
inaudible....yet he heard Mr. Knispel clearly. And he heard my
husband Ira say "no".
Well, I sat next to Ira and Mr. Knispel was on the far side of me from
the recorder. Think about this.
Ira, who was closest to the tape was heard, I was the person next
closest, the inexpensive recorder didn’t pick up my voice when it was
normal in volume (but my voice was heard by Ira and Mr. Knispel) yet the
farthest voice; Howard Knispel, was recorded quite audibly on the tape.
The inexpensive and simple recorder picked him up because he
was shouting. I will provide access to the tape should anyone
wish to hear the exchange so as to clear up any doubt or misconceptions. There is more that was written
that is reproachable but basically it was a discredit to
the Newspaper to deliberately write a story distorting what was obvious. I am old enough not to be a
fool and have been there before and know a cheat when I
encounter one. Fact of the matter: I
was a Camp Director, I know shouting when I hear shouting.
Last, Larry Gray has written a piece that lets Mr. Ambro know that
he is not fooling anyone anymore. I thank him for his support.
Ira and I will continue to keep a watchful eye.
Sincerely,
Lenore Cernitz