RECAP: Longtime Planning Board member fired; salaries set

The Riverhead Town Board has fired longtime Planning Board member Lyle Wells from the post he’s held since 2002.

During its 2015 organizational meeting Tuesday, the Town Board appointed George Nunnaro, owner of gam company Prest-O-Peconic and Service in Riverhead, to the position instead of Mr. Wells.

Councilwoman Jodi Giglio said of Mr. Nunnaro: “He has a background in real estate and a familiarity with the town.”

Mr. Nunnaro is also a former member of the town’s Empire Development Zone at the Enterprise Park at Calverton.

Mr. Wells, a farmer whose family has farmed the area for more than 300 years,  said in an interview after the meeting that he was never informed he wasn’t being reappointed and wasn’t happy about  the Town Board’s decision.

“They fired me on my birthday,” he said. “No nothing. Not a word.

“Typical of Mr. Walter’s administration.”

Supervisor Sean Walter said the Town Board wanted all appointees to reapply for their positions. Since Mr. Wells didn’t reapply, Mr. Walter said he assumed he wasn’t interested in serving anymore.

The supervisor acknowledged he didn’t directly contact Mr. Wells, but said the Town Board did the appointment process with the Zoning Board of Appeals position. The ZBA incumbent, Frank Seabrook, did reapply for the position and was reappointed Tuesday in a split vote.

The agenda for the annual organizational meeting, attached below, also includes the salaries of every town employee or official.

To read what else happened at the meeting, click below to read a recap of News-Review reporter Tim Gannon’s live blog from the meeting.

January 6, 2015 – Agenda by Timesreview

January 6, 2015 – Packet by Timesreview