I urge all Town of North Hempstead residents to take just 11 minutes to watch the following video segment of the Town Board meeting on the morning of Tuesday, June 11, 2024, when resident Eli Lefcowitz addressed the Board, to see what goes on regularly at our Town Board meetings: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ycCxiEANVa4 .
When our Town supervisor and councilmembers enter the Board chamber to listen to residents who take the time to appear before the Board to express concerns, their job is to check their personal, political, and frankly childish sensibilities at the door, and in the vernacular, “suck it up and take it” when criticism is offered.
Of course, they may respond to questions asked, make corrections when they believe something said was inaccurate and other appropriate responses to the substance of the resident’s comments. Nor should the Board members have to tolerate abusive language from a resident, but there was none from Mr. Lefcowitz, only from Councilman Dennis Walsh and Supervisor Jennifer DeSena in their interruptions and responses.
It is irrelevant what party the resident belongs to, who his employer is or was, how many and what campaigns (if any) he’s worked for, whether or not he’s there as part of a call to action or politically active, how often he’s appeared before the Board or who may be attending with him, other perceived motivations, or other issues which the resident didn’t raise (“straw man” arguments). As the mature Councilman Troiano wisely pointed out, all residents who come to Town meetings are entitled to respect, uninterrupted time, and civil responses to the points as they were articulated when exercising their rights of civic expression in a democracy, regardless of their politics and without obligation to reveal irrelevant personal details.
The contrast between Mr. Lefcowitz’s polite and civil speech and the treatment he received in response could not be more stark. Residents of both parties should have no difficulty in vigorously condemning the aggressive badgering, raised voices, nastiness, and bullying by Councilman Walsh and Supervisor DeSena on this occasion, which unfortunately is far from the first occasion and which has no place in our government. Such unbecoming behavior by the two Board members brings dishonor upon our Town, their offices, and themselves.
Robert Yamins
Great Neck
Well said! As a resident who regularly attends town meetings and often speaks at public comment, I have also been subjected to verbal abuse from Councilman Walsh on more than one occasion. In fact, at a recent town meeting in March, he had the gall to say out loud, “Nobody wants to hear from you!”
The behavior of our Supervisor and some of the council members is abhorrent, immature, and would not be tolerated on a kindergarten playground. It should not be allowed to continue in our town government.