HIGHLAND, NY — Sullivan County Sheriff‘s Deputy Justin Dawson had to intervene in a heated argument between town supervisor John Pizzolato’s husband, Roswell Hamrick, and council member Kaitlin Haas’ mother, Mell Carney. The intervention came during a January 7 public hearing on Highland’s purchase of the building at 564 State Route 55, adjacent to the town hall. The argument began after Carney objected to the town’s purchase during the public comment period and town supervisor Pizzolato responded to the comment. 

“I just want to comment on that,” Pizzolato said when Carney finished speaking.

“John, John, you’re either going to respond to everybody or nobody,” town attorney Javid Afzali advised.

“No, just her because… I’m just glad I don’t live in the awful dark-world town you create meeting after meeting after meeting. If we lived 

in this awful place, you continually lie and degrade this board and myself,” Pizzolato continued.

“Did you just call me a liar?” Carney asked.

“He did; he just called you a liar,” Haas, her daughter, responded.

“You just called me a liar?” Carney said to Pizzolato.

“You are a liar; that is not factual information,” Pizzolato responded.

At that point, Afzali interrupted, saying, “John, I need a two-minute adjournment.”

“Sure,” the supervisor said. “Did you want to speak to the full board?” 

“No, just you,” Afzali responded. They walked out to speak privately. 

In the meantime, Carney continued talking with another board member about providing evidence of the supervisor’s alleged unpaid taxes. At that point, Hamrick, the supervisor’s husband, told Carney to “mind her own business.” 

“It is my business,” she said.

“No, it’s not,” Hamrick replied to Carney, standing up.

Carney and Hamrick stood a few feet apart, narrowing the gap as they went back and forth. The deputy positioned himself in the space between them, putting a hand on Carney’s shoulder and urging her back.

The Sullivan County Sheriff’s office told the River Reporter that there was no physical altercation but that the deputy had felt the tension rising and positioned himself between Carney and Hamrick as they inched closer to each other. When the meeting readjourned, resident Gerry Finn suggested letting the citizens of the town vote on the purchase.

A referendum procedure

Afzali explained the option of a permissive referendum, i.e. a process by which members of the public can petition the town board to hold a public vote on certain matters. He said that after the board votes on the purchase of the property, the Highland electorate has the ability to trigger such a vote if five percent or more sign a petition for the action. If the petition is successful, the purchase would be put to a special referendum in the town. The board is then required to follow the outcome of the vote.

Councilwoman Laura Burrell said she is in favor of the purchase and that owning the property will give the town more ability to provide for its residents than if it were purchased and developed by an outside developer.

Haas expressed skepticism about the site plan presented at the public hearing. She said the parking spots are not outlined, nor has there been consultation with the Sullivan County Department of Public Works about the number of spots permissible and the Americans with Disabillities Act requirements, which is necessary as the property is located on State Route 55, which is maintained by the county.

Pizzolato said that he does not think the town is in a rush to develop the property if and when it’s acquired, and spoke about applying for state and county grants to help the town pay for the development of the property for parking spaces.

The board’s vote on the purchase was scheduled for Tuesday, January 14 at the full board meeting, which occurred before press time. 

Editor's Note: This story has been updated to correct the spelling of Mell Carney's name and attribute the information about Peck's Market parking to the supervisor as of January 11 at 4:59 PM.