Rep. Santos, Sen. Romney clash on House floor DeSena, Dems approve Santos resolutions

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mand for an audit by Nassau County Comptroller Elaine Philips

During a July 11 news conference last year, DeSena asked Philips to audit the town’s Building Department, which is currently ongoing.

DeSena said a “complete and thorough review” was conducted during the first six months of her administration last year ahead of calling for the audit, but reiterated her previous position Tuesday night that one in the form of a report does not exist.

“I did not create a report. A review includes conversations with department heads, hearing from constituents or speaking with experts,” DeSena said.

Lurvey, who asked for the details and documents associated with the review to be made available for the town board in July, said the resolution is to help see what issues she found.

“The reason for this is so we can know what problems did she identify and what issues need to be solved?” Lurvey questioned. “What problems do we need to assess as a board.”

DeSena, who voted against the resolution to provide a report, said she will comply but that doing so will tie up her staff.

In unrelated town board news, Dalimonte was presented with a proclamation from North Hempstead and the town board recognizing her efforts in helping manage a dangerous situation when a car traveling northbound on North Plandome Road crashed into a tree outside her house on Saturday, Jan. 21.

Dalimonte said once she heard the crash she ran outside in her pajamas, requested a nearby resident call 911 while helping direct traffic with others.

The North Hempstead Town Board con- gratulates Councilmember Mariann Dalimonte.

(Photo by Brandon Duffy)

“He hit a tree and from the tree, he bounced off and hit a telephone pole,” Dalimonte said. “The airbags were all deployed and what I was scared of was the gasoline that was spilled onto the road.”

Dalimonte said she grabbed a fire extinguisher to put out the fire and assisted in getting the driver out safely.

The next North Hempstead Town Board meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, March 14.

North Hempstead spokesman Gordon Tepper, who was appointed by the Town Board, said the Building Department’s initial response to the request was that it was outside the scope of the audit period and asked for clarification from the comptroller’s office.

“Subsequently, the comptroller’s office clarified by expanding their audit period so the documents could be provided, and they then asked for a multitude of additional documents,” Tepper said in a statement to Blank Slate Media. “The Building Department provided the requested documents on Tuesday, Jan. 31 — two days prior to the comptroller’s deadline. The Building commissioner actually responded within a week, despite the comptroller’s substantial expansion of the audit period.”

Wendy Goldstein, the comptroller’s spokeswoman, told Blank Slate Media that the audit scope has not been expanded and record requests are a routine part of the audit process.

Councilmember Veronica Lurvey, a Democrat, criticized DeSena for involving herself in the audit.

“I have great concerns over the appropriateness of the supervisor’s interference in the audit process. We expect an independent audit, and it would be deeply disturbing if the supervisor were trying to politicize or unethically influence the audit,” Lurvey said in a statement. “Politicizing the audit would be an unfortunate way for the supervisor to shift attention from her empathic endorsement of George Santos.”

At the upcoming meeting on Feb. 7, the Town Board will hold a hearing to consider a law requiring DeSena to turn over the “complete and thorough review” the supervisor said she conducted of the Building Department over the first six months of her administration before asking for an audit.

The Building Department, led by Commissioner John Niewender, has been frequently criticized by elected officials and residents for long delays in processing permits.

The comptroller’s office, which is headed by Republican Elaine Phillips, announced in August it would audit department operations from Jan. 1, 2020 to “present time” at the request of DeSena, who campaigned on streamlining government operations.

The request, made in July, was supported by Democratic Town Board members.

Last year, several pieces of legislation were passed by the Town Board intended to make the Building Department more efficient.

In 2007, five Building Department officials were indicted after a 16-month investigation by then Nassau County District Attorney Kathleen Rice for receiving favors and payments in exchange for granting permits without inspections.

All five were later convicted, including former Commissioner David Wasserman, who was sentenced to one year in jail in 2008 after pleading guilty to grand larceny and falsifying business records.