After months of discord, board to hear $11M armory proposal

A much-publicized deal for the firehouse property fell through in February, after three members of the board, which had appeared to favor selling it to Suffolk Theater owner Bob Castaldi, switched their stance. Mr. Walter then took to local media to voice his theory that the change of heart had resulted from caucus meetings, or closed-door gatherings among Town Board members all of the same party permitted under open meetings laws.

While only potential political impacts of votes are supposed to be discussed at the meetings, the supervisor has been alleging otherwise.

“What happens, is they make public statements about what should happen on camera,” the supervisor said Monday. “And then they go to these secret caucus meetings and change their minds. It becomes very difficult to manage a town when they go behind closed doors and make decisions.”

But board members, each canvassed separately, have said they want to see what other options are on the table — and how much those options would cost — before moving forward with any plan for the future of the justice court and police department — or any other department, for that matter.

“We have to see the numbers first,” said Councilman George Gabrielsen. “We have to get all these numbers.”

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Riverhead isn’t the only town in the area juggling real estate, deciding what to do with it and how it all fits into the community’s future. Over the past two years, the Town of Islip formed a space and consolidation committee tasked with assessing the town’s extra land — mostly undeveloped parcels such as parks department yards and public works lots — to bring in funds by getting the land on the tax rolls.

“The realization was a tremendous amount of surplus property,” said Islip’s deputy supervisor, Trish Bergin Weichbrodt.

The town completed appraisals for each parcel, put them up for sale and took in offers. Islip is currently in contract for $10 million in sales.

Similarly, Brookhaven Town leaders have sold over $2.5 million in excess real estate in the past year — all of it buildings in incorporated villages within the town’s borders.

“Within the villages, we should limit what we own,” said Supervisor Ed Romaine.

He said the town tries to line up buyers first, and then get an appraisal.

“As long as the offer meets the appraisal, that’s fine,” he said, explaining the process. “Are you willing to pay? OK then. It’s yours.”

In Southold, Supervisor Scott Russell said the town actually finds itself in an inverse situation from that of most others in Suffolk.

“The problem is we have fewer buildings than what our needs would be,” he said, adding that the town has been leasing space for several departments at a Capital One Bank branch in Southold.