Gordon Heights votes challenged
Town says three nonresidents voted in fire district election
11 comments below
West Bartlett Road in Middle Island is split into two fire districts, Middle Island and Gordon Heights. Town and fire district records show three Middle Island Fire District residents of the street were permitted to vote in a Gordon Heights fire commissioner election that was decided by just three votes.
Three voters, all residents of West Bartlett Road in Middle Island, were listed in the Suffolk County Board of Elections sign-in book and allowed to cast votes in the hotly contested election in which Carter Brown secured a seat on the five-member Board of Fire Commissioners. Mr. Brown defeated Maryanne Owens, a proponent of the dissolution of the fire district, by just three votes.
In a 1995 document supplied by the district to the Suffolk County Board of Elections, establishing its boundaries, even-numbered houses between 62 and 124, and all houses above 124, on West Bartlett Road fall into the Gordon Heights Fire District. The odd-numbered houses where the three residents in question live are not included in the district boundaries.
The residents' 2008-09 tax bills, which were provided by the office of Brookhaven Town Assessor James Ryan, also indicate they pay fire taxes to the Middle Island Fire District. Town spokesman Kevin Molloy said it's unlikely there's a mistake in the town's record.
Lillie Crowder, who lives at 91 West Bartlett Road and is one of the three voters who has come into question, deferred questions to her husband, Clarence Irving. Mr. Irving, 85, acknowledged that the couple's home is located in the Middle Island Fire District. He said he did not know why they were listed as eligible to vote in the Gordon Heights Fire District and did not know how, if at all, an error could have occurred. Mr. Irving, a longtime resident, took aim at proponents of the dissolution of the fire district, including Rosalie Hanson, the woman who organized the petition drive, claiming she was "opening up a can of worms" in the community.
Charles and Alton Womack, who live down the street from Ms. Crowder at 123 West Bartlett Road, also cast votes in the election, according to the district's voter sign-in sheet.
Vicki Robinson, clerk for the Middle Island Fire District, said the homes in question are both located in the Middle Island Fire District, according to her map, but that the residents of the homes are not listed in Middle Island's voter sign-in book, and therefore would be ineligible to vote in Middle Island without a tax bill proving they are a resident.
When contacted for comment Wednesday, Jeanne O'Rourke, deputy commissioner at the Board of Elections, said, "The Board of Elections will take appropriate steps to advise the clerk of the Gordon Heights district of any instance that has been pointed out to the board where the voters may have been misflagged to the district."
Gordon Heights resident Claudette Price said she brought the discrepancy to the attention of Diana Brown, the fire district's secretary, prior to the election and Ms. Price was told she should notify the residents herself, an interaction Ms. Brown confirmed.
Ms. Brown, the wife of Carter Brown, said that it is the assessor's office who gives the names to the Board of Elections. She said she could not remove the names from the book without the residents coming down themselves with a tax bill as proof that they do not belong in the district.
"I called the Board of Elections and they said it was the voters' responsibility," Ms. Brown said.
James Kelly, chairman of the Gordon Heights Board of Fire Commissioners, took a similar stance on the issue of removing the residents from the book.
"If they are in that book, they have the right to vote," he said.
Ms. Hanson said it is unlikely anyone will file a lawsuit, but instead claims that she has filed a complaint with the Public Integrity Bureau of State Attorney General Andrew Cuomo's Office.
Paul Sabatino, the attorney handling the petition to dissolve the fire district, said the scenario is a prime example of why there needs to be more oversight on special-taxing districts. Mr. Sabatino said that if it is officially verified that the residents were ineligible to vote, then the residents could ask the district to reconcile the election or hold another election.
peggy@northshoresun.com
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11 comments found
: 1/19/2009
I am shocked that the Chairman of the Board of Fire Commissioners is taking this so lightly. How can he say "if your name is in the book you shoul;d be allowed to vote". Doesn't he have any pride in running a fair and honest election?
Taxes but More : 1/18/2009
I get SO infuriated everytime I think about this issue and the other day it COMPLETELY dawned on me why. Of course I really really hate waste and I hate to be overcharged for anything especially taxes, but the heart of the matter is that we are having our freedom denied - it is as simply as that. When taxpayers speak through the signing of a petition our government should respond - the brick wall hoping this goes away behavior from our elected officials is very bad for our democracy. When we tolerate voter fraud and intimidation of voters and citizens especially from our front line defense people this is very very bad. We are fighting not only for our homes and community BUT FOR OUR GOD GIVEN FREEDOM AS AMERICANS!!!!!!!!!!!!
Gordon Heights : 1/18/2009
Diana Brown as District Clerk and Chairman of the election is considered to be a professional. I ask her where is the paper trail of her conversation with the Board of Elections. Who did she speak with at the BOE, what time and what date? As a professional and for her records she should have asked for a letter from the BOE stating that it was the "residence responsibility to remove their names from the list". Until she can produce this letter II can only assume that her failure to correct her records was a deliberate attempt to encourage a dishonest election
a disgrace : 1/17/2009
how can this happen. In this age of honesty I guess it pays to try to beat the system. It's time that ghfd had a lot of explaining to do both financially and in this election.
: 1/17/2009
To open a metaphorical can of worms is to examine some complicated state of affairs, the investigation of which is likely to cause trouble or scandal and which you would much prefer was left alone.
LITTLE ERRORS CAUSE BIG DESTRUCTION : 1/17/2009
This case of ineligible voters should not be dismissed o easily. If it not right then stand for the right. Though not their fault their vote should not be allowed to stand as too many eligible voters livelihood is affected by it ; not only today but years ahead. Whenever or however wrong is discovered it is incumbent upon those who were appointed to guard the public's trust to step up and do the right thing..EVEN IF IT MEANS OPENING A CAN OF WORMS. I F YOU WINK AT INJUSTICE TODAY WHAT WILL YOU CLOSE YOUR EYES TO TOMORROW...CORRUPTION?. "A LITTLE LEVEN LEVELS THE WHOLE LUMP ."
GHFD : 1/17/2009
Get rid of the ridiculous WASTE OF TAXPAYERS MONEY!
: 1/16/2009
Opening a can of worms translates uncovering the truth.
: 1/16/2009
It is ludicrous to me that the GHFD is willing to break the law in an effort to continue to have residents who should not be funding their fire department. Our forefathers founded this country on the premise of taxation with representation. Having people from outside the district vote to elect officials who then decide how our taxes are levied flies in the face of this basic tenet.
Gordon Heights votes challenged : 1/16/2009
Only in the Township of Babylon do you get such passing the buck. The election should be redone and this time the election officials need to pay attention to the facts! Why can't we get honest cooperation form the Townboard members
GHFD Fraud : 1/16/2009
If they knew that these folks were not part of the district and they were allowed to vote that speaks volumes regarding their lack of integrity. It is frightening to think that these folks are on the front line and responsible for our safety in a case of an emergency. Finally, what are they trying to hide (can of worms) that they resent Ms. Hanson for uncovering????? That is the real question.
