HomeMy WebLinkAbout03/21/2022 SQU.THOLQ TQ1NN_ANTI-BIAS-TASK_FORCE_CO.MMIT.LEE_
MEETING MINUTES: March 21,2022
Hybrid: In Person and Zoom Meeting
PRESENT IN PERSON PRESENT ON ZOOM ABSENT/EXCUSED
Valerie Shelby,Co-Chair Laura Held Sonia Spar,Co-Chair
Emily Geiger Councilmember Louisa Evans Carolyn Peabody
Cynthia Smith Councilmember Brian O.Mealy Marjorie Day
Sylvia Daley
Jean LePre
Eleanor..Lingo.
Michael J. Domino
David Shultz
LeRoy Heyliger
Chief Martin Flatley
Sandra.Benedetto.
1) Meeting called to order by Co-Chair,Valerie Shelby at 10:06 am
2) Approval of February 14,2022 ABTF Meeting Minutes Efn,�Ilu"J- fft.*70,
• V:Shelby asked'ABFTto review minutes.
• S. Benedetto moved to approve minutes;S. Daley seconded.All in favor. Minutes are approved.
3) Since this meeting was the first meeting since covid to take place in person,V.Shelby asked
members to introduce themselves by name.
4) Discuss Incidents report from Southold and Mattituck School
• Mattituck HS incident—V.Shelby asks Chief Flatley to report: matter is under investigation,
therefore cannot discuss in detail. There was a physical altercation over text message sent via
social"media'to student.Student who received'text fought with student who allegedly sent text.
Origin of text and identity of sender are still in question.School Resource Officers(SRO)
reported incident,working with school personnel, parents and students involved. Chief will
follow up with ABTF on investigation results
• Southold.Pr_om_Theme—V.:Shelby.asked.Chief.Flatley toreport:. it_is.a.school.matter.,•not_under
law enforcement jurisdiction.
• Discussion among task force asking if name has been changed; is there an update from the
school meeting that took place after the newspaper report?No one on ABTF knew result of
follow up from Southold HS meeting and if prom theme remains or changed. M. Domino will
follow up with school to inquire on status. M. Domino also praised the young man who
defended student concerns over prom theme.
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5), .Mattituck_Laurel..Civic.Association_.Bill.Lynch.M.emoxial_Run_
• L. Heyliger reports on MLCA sponsorship of 5K Run/Walk to honor Bill Lynch and provided an
overview of Bill Lynch's connection to Southold Town, his history and legacy of service, both
locally and as Deputy Mayor, under Dinkins NYC Administration.
• Event will raise money for two scholarships to be issued by_Mattituck School District.
• ABTF members who wants who want to volunteer to help on event,should contact Dr.Anne
Smith or Jim Underwood.
• Regisftation.to.participate_in-run/walk.atwww.elitefeats.com
6) Erase Racism Training for Historical Society
• V.Shelby reports that Southold and other Historical Societies in Southold Town, have repeatedly
skewed-or-misrepresented-historical•accountswh-ewit-cornes,turace: This-hay recently°eorne-up-
again,and so V. Shelby and S.Spar are working with historical societies to bring in Elaine Gross,
a trainer who conducts Erase Racism seminars. Elaine is highly recommended by other ABTF
members. An invitation for this training was offered by ABTF to historical societies pre-covid,
but never took place due to pandemic. Invitation is being reissued. S.Spar is coordinating with
historical societies. No date has been set at this time for the training.
• S. Daley states that it is the role of the ABTF to educate organizations like the historical societies
so that are made aware of the use of language and how to be more thoughtful in creating
documents. Additionally,S. Daley suggests that,given the recent racial incidents and lack of
awareness d"emonstrafed'in Mattituck and'Southdid'High S-cfiools,that the ABTFshould'considbr
using our budget to invite Elaine Gross to conduct Erase Racism seminars in our high schools.
There was no formal vote taken, but other members verbally supported that idea.
7): Report on Beach Permits
• M. Domino and E.Geiger met as sub-committee on Wednesday, March 9,2022 to discuss beacg
access and residence requirement. B. Mealy and S. Benedetto could not attend. Determined to
contact Town Clerk to get clarification only requirement and enforcement guidlelines.
• S. Benedetto spoke to Town Clerk Denis Noncarrow to inquire about official wording of
ordinance because she could not find it on the Southold Town website. D. Noncarrow followed
up on Friday, March 18 to say the residency requirement did not appear to be codified.And that
it was implemented under covid regulations by Town Supervisor as a way to discourage
residents from other towns coming to Southold beaches during the pandemic.
Chief Flatleyadded•this was his.understanding,as well-and-that,police-officers were-not-
enforcing
ere•notenforcing residency requirements on beach,and officers continue to monitor parking permits
only.
• However,ABTF has received reports from residents and from two ABTF members,who have
been questioned about residency. All reports come from People of Color who appear to be
singled out and questioned.
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�- The.AB.T.F,..concern.ab_aut-the.enfo_r-cement,of.thiscov.id..re�lation.Js.multi-fold.-,1)..T,here is..a- pt `
disparate and biased enforcement of the regulation'Ad Southoltres�ents are being harassed
.due to their race/ethnicity—even people who walk on to the beach and are not using parking
spots; 2)what training was given to beach parking lot monitors to ensure equitable application
of this regulation? It appears they are questioning residents based their own personal bias; 3)
the responsibility of enforcing this ambiguous regulation is being placed on beach parking
monitors,who are often teenage kids with no proper training.
• E.Geiger raised questions about the necessity of this regulation. Now that covid regulations
around NY state are being lifted or eased,why is Southold Town requiring walkers or bike-riders
•to•s#pow-pr-oof.of-residencyto-usethe•beaeh? It isthe-AB-TFunderstanding-that South-hold-Town•
always restricted beach parking and required resident stickers, but that everyone was welcome
to walk or bike to and use our town beaches.
• L. Heyliger noted further that in NY state the beach is public to everyone from the water line to
the high tide mark,and people cannot be prohibited from being on that section of the beach.
However, "access"to the beach can be limited but this access is what is precisely in question.
• B. Mealy indicated the March 29 Town Council Working Session will address this concern,and
invited members of the ABTF to be present at the meeting and to take testimony from the two
ABTF members (an African American and Latina)who were stopped on the beach and
questibned'abouYtlieir residency.
• M. Domino, E.Geiger, L. Held and S. Benedetto will meet as a sub-committee to prepare for the
March 29 Town Council working session.
8), Follow up on racial slurs on Town Zoom January,4,:2022
• S. Benedetto raised and there was a discussion in group on process and procedures for reported
hate/bias incidents and/or crimes—whether to initiate investigations or go on record. We
believe there is a procedure and hierarchy for reporting known by S.Spar and C. Peabody and
request they review with the entire task force at April's meeting.
• S. Benedetto reported on questions/recommendations raised in a meeting she attended with an
attorney who has associates at the US Dept of Justice. 1) Recommend ABTF report incident to
Suffolk County and NY State Human Rights Commissions—if done who handled and how was it
reported?2) Recommend ABTF also file a report with the Suffolk County DA Crimes Unit,in
.additionato-our•-request-that Southold•Town•law,enforce mentfile-a-report to•initiative-ars=
investigation by SCDA Hate Crimes Unit. 3) Recommend ABTF file a report to the local FBI office;
because incident took place on public online town meeting,the FBI may have some jurisdiction
over investigating. At the very least,a report should be filed with them. (S. Benedetto contacted
FBI and they informed her where/how to send incident report They requested description of
incident and copy of screen shot.)
• V.Shelby believes#1 above were done. Will confirm with S.Spar and C. Peabody and
report.
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•- S..Benedetto.waited.to.,present.#&.FB.report option=to-ABTF and.asked:for input.on.nextsteps..
D. Schultz and other members expressed reluctance to submit FBI report without
informing/receiving permission from Town officials. But general consensus was to file a report
with FBI on Jan 4th incident.ABTF under auspices of Town Council and ABTF members are
appointed by same.S. Benedetto stated she strongly wants to build bridges and alliances, but
that the ABTF role is to make sure accountability and follow up is ensured and it has been over 2
months since Jan 4 incidents,there is no update on investigation (by this time in meeting Chief
Flatley had to leave, before his departure he said he had nothing further to report)or response
from Town Council on the other request for taking administration and technical steps to prevent
s-uch•incidents-in-t-he-future: Theonly-step-was•to-stop-all•chat on=town meetings=.
• S. Benedetto made a motion for a 3`d letter to be written to Town Council and Police Chief to
request follow up on update on 1) investigation and 2)town precautions,and 3)to inform them
of FBI report option and ABTF's recommendation to submit such report.The motion was
seconded by S. Daley and all in favor. S. Benedetto was assigned responsibility to write this
letter.
• S. Benedetto asked for sub-committee to review/edit this letter was told to have S.Spar, C.
Peabody, E. Geiger and L. Held to review.
9)' Po.5sible ActivitJesfor,up-ccvm-ing-year-2022'
• April Youth Synergy Zoom
i) Establish date in April for zoom engagement between Southold Town police and youth.
Further planning by Committee,V.Shelby, Chief Flatley,S. Spar and C. North
• Juneteenth 19
i) V.Shelby asked ABTF for ideas to commemorate and honor
• August 13 Community Picnic
i) Date set at Peconic Recreation Center, need to request town to apply for permits,All ABTF
members organize and participate. More to planning to come.
• Helen Prince Award Fall 2022
i) Discussion on date in Nov or Oct?It should coincide with United Nations World Teacher's
Day,which is Wednesday, Oct 5, 2022. Further planning needed.
10)•-Reports
• Police Department: No report other than Chief's comments above
• Youth Department: No report
School`Reports
Council Member B. Mealy informs group they can find out about specific school district meetings by
going to the district website. He encourages ABTF school liaisons to attend meetings.
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I W Q. stet onds:..C_.Peabo
y p dy,- No.report.
• Greenport:C.Smith-No Report
• Southold:M.Domino-No Report other than issue discussed above re Prom Theme, he will
follow up on incident
• New Suffolk: D.Schultz-No Report
• Mattituck:L. Heyliger-attends budget meetings,report on MLCA 5K run and will request
Mattituck school administration sponsor one or two students to participate in event.
• Fishers Island:S. Benedetto-contacted Julie Arcelus from Fishers Island schools, no report
T1)`New,Btasiness/Comments-
V.Shelby asked each member for additional business/comments
• LeRoy Heyliger reviewed Bill Lynch 5K,his plan to contact school board attendance and
request student sponsorship,distributed flyer to ABTF and encourage all to participate
•= David-Schultz•acknowledged,meeting•time•under 2-hours and•expressed•glad•to•be•meeting-
in person to see everyone.
• Mike Domino notes mission statement on website is different from statement in newly
printed ABTF brochure. He read from website. Sylvia Daley says website is more
comprehensive and descriptive and we should leave it.
• Eleanor Lingo says she is very glad to be back at meetings.
• Jean LePre says she is equally glad to be back at meetings.
o (neither member could participate by zoom during the pandemic)
• Cindy Smith notes reading agenda encourages her on the work the ABTF had done and
continues to do.
• Sylvia Daley says she is glad to be here. In a very troubled world,the ABTF is a great grass
roots organization for good.
• Sandra Benedetto expresses need for procedures on rapid response issues that must be
addressed.between•meetings,She requested-if such..procedures-exist•.they,be reviewed-with,
the group. If they don't exist,the ABTF should create them.Guidance is needed for taking
action between monthly meetings.
• Emily Geiger is glad to see Jean, Ellie and LeRoy
• Council Member and Justice Louisa Evans encourages our attendance at the March 29 town
board working session,and is impressed by the engagement and topics of ABTF meetings.
• Council Member Brian Mealy is glad to be a part of the group and to welcome back
important members.
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