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Recap: Town Board agrees to rescind controversial ‘boo ban’

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Riverhead Town Board members on Thursday agreed to amend its recently adopted rules of procedure to take out a section that banned booing at board meetings.

The board will vote on a resolution next week to amend the rules and procedures to remove the ban, news of which caught nationwide attention last week.

“It’s over, we’re removing the boo ban,” Supervisor Sean Walter said during Thursday’s public work session. “We were famous; now it’s over.”

County Legislator Al Krupski (D-Cutchogue) also showed up at the meeting with a state Department of Environmental Conservation staffer to talk about deer management.

Mr. Krupski told Town Board members the DEC is allowing towns to take more of a role in deer management.

The DEC is also proposing a plan to relax deer hunting rules to allow hunting on Sundays and to allow bow hunting closer to residences.

The board was also joined by town finance director Bill Rothaar to discuss a recent state audit that took issue with the town’s controversial “administrative charge-back” policy. It was found the town directs too much money to its general fund from special taxing districts for services rendered.

Town Supervisor Sean Walter has said the town’s budget deficit could increase by $1 million to $3 million more as a result of the audit’s recommendation.

News-Review reporter Tim Gannon reported live from the meeting.

Click below to see what transpired:

 

March 14, 2013 – Agenda by rnews_review