Health & Fitness
The Spineless Supervisor?
Tom Nimick asks Mr. Gromack if he will have the spine to do the harder 'right' and reject the easy 'wrong' – or will he be known to himself, and to all of us, as the 'spineless supervisor'?
One thing I have learned from my time in politics is that if one party is shameless, the other party cannot afford to be spineless - Frank Lautenberg
In recent weeks the citizens of Clarkstown have suffered through the revelations of Sex, Lies and Videotapes followed by a manic press conference led by Clarkstown's Inspector Clouseau which resulted in a Nightmare on Maple Avenue. The "Brats", "Punks" and "Demented Uncles" are now engaged in what promises to be the first of many lawsuits while the average citizen wonders what has happened to the Code of Ethics in the Town of Clarkstown.
On August 20 in a public meeting to discuss changes in the Town's Code, Tom Nimick asked the Clarkstown Town Board if any of its members had considered referring the surreptitious recordings made by its $75,000 part-time Constituent Services Representative, Frank Sparaco, to the Town's Ethics Board for its review as to violations of the Town's Ethics Code.
Given that none had done so Nimick recommended that several items in the Ethics code be added and urged the Board to continue the public discussion to the next meeting when two absent members of the Board could be present to reflect on his proposals.
Councilwoman Hausner made a motion to close the public hearing; it was seconded by Councilman Borelli, and with the vote of Supervisor Gromack making up the majority of three, the hearing was closed.
Later in the evening Mr. Nimick was given three minutes for final remarks. He used this time to admonish the Board for its failure to exercise leadership on the ethical matters arising from the behavior of Frank Sparaco in making surreptitious recordings at the behest of Vinny Reda and Wayne Ballard and of the participants who participated in the conversations with Sparaco.
Here is the complete text of Mr. Nimick's remarks. Because of time limitations he referred the Town Board to the opening paragraph of the Code of Ethics rather than reading it to them but for completeness I shall include it here.
Closing Statement:
Let me read the opening paragraph of your Code of Ethics for the Town of Clarkstown:
- In a democracy, government should be open, accessible, equitable, and efficient. Democratic government requires that elected officials be independent, impartial, and responsible to the people. Government decisions and policy must be made through the appropriate channels of government structure. Public office must not be used or be perceived for personal gain. The public must have confidence in the integrity of its government. In order to strengthen the democratic operation of the Town of Clarkstown and to enhance public trust in that government, this Code requires disclosure of financial interests that may influence or be perceived to influence the actions of elected officials, covered employees or Town employees. Elected officials, covered employees or Town employees hold office for the benefit of the public, and their conduct must be of the highest standard. It is of the utmost importance that all individuals covered by that law must be seen to be acting solely in the public interest.
Take heed to how far you have fallen from your own standard. You started your service in an era of disregard for the Code of Ethics, of “accepted practices” that were not right, yet not questioned.
That era is no more. It is over.
We have questioned those practices – we have held them up to the light of your own Code of Ethics – there is no more hiding behind the fiction that they are “accepted practices” – “business as usual". You are being called to account: are these practices ethical or not?
Are you going to confront them or go along with them?
Abusive practices emerge gradually and grow. It has been comfortable to avoid confronting them, but that time of comfort is done. Your integrity, your ability to look at yourself in the mirror with respect is on the line.
Is the defense of these practices really worth selling your integrity?
So what about recent actions by Messieurs Sparaco, Borelli, and Malone? Is this the ethical standard that you own? Is this politics as usual? Whose politics? Mr. Sparaco’s? Mr. Reda’s? Mr. Axelrod's? Mr. Lettre’s? You fired Mr. Savino within hours? You have done nothing with regard to these three? Not even an investigation?
I have heard fear and guilt in response to our questions. Are you so far caught up in the practices that you cannot oppose them? Have you thought about that? Look around you. Do you not see the state of the Town? Do you not see the disgrace? Any claim to ethics – the high phrases of your Code of Ethics are empty – your Town is an ethical morass. Do you not see that it is now your disgrace, a blot on your character?
For you, Mr. Gromack, I have a special word.
As Supervisor you have responsibility for leadership of this Town. These practices have flourished under your leadership and each day they stain your integrity more and more. It is not just your public reputation, which you and I know is not of real importance – it is how you face yourself with the truth. You proclaim that you want to continue to lead – so this is a test of your leadership. Will you have the spine to do the harder 'right' and reject the easy 'wrong' – or will you be known to yourself, and to us all, as the “spineless supervisor”?
Prophetic words are not respectful – they call you to account. You are called to account – uphold your own ethical standards – own your actions and your decisions, before the community, before your families, but most of all before yourself.
Take heed!
Michael N. Hull is a retired senior citizen who writes opinion pieces on local political issues. He is a Director of Clarkstown Residents Opposing Patronage with Tom Nimick and Ralph Sabatini. Hull contributes periodically to the Facebook page Clarkstown: What They Don't Want You To Know.
