Councilman apologizes to resident for words said during volatile meeting

Councilman Jim Colligan apologized to former Community Housing Board member Bob Kohn for words spoken at a committee meeting and a followup Town Board work session. His apology came at the July 7 Town Board meeting, where the councilman said his words could have been “more measured and less offensive.” At a June 29 meeting, Mr. Colligan had challenged Mr. Kohn to a fight.

At that meeting, where the Town Board voted unanimously to remove Mr. Kohn from the Housing Board — which is charged with exploring affordable housing options — Mr. Kohn had stated taxpayers shouldn’t be involved in providing housing for people who can’t afford to live on the Island. His only exception dealt with providing a means for volunteer firefighters and EMS employees. Mr. Kohn accused Mr. Colligan and Supervisor Gerry Siller of misstating his views and said they have no tolerance for dissenting statements. He said he made it clear to the Town Board at the time of his appointment to the Housing Board that he would be introducing ideas that were “out of the box.”

Mr. Colligan argued with Mr. Kohn’s views, and was told by Mr. Kohn to stop making a political speech. The councilman responded that Mr. Kohn couldn’t tell him not to speak and said they could take their argument outside, a statement Mr. Kohn said was a threat, adding that given the volatile atmosphere in a packed meeting room, violence could have resulted.

Mr. Kohn said while the state of the town is “excellent,” the problem is with the leadership, which is “guided by group think.”

In his statement of apology to Mr. Kohn, Mr. Colligan took issue with a claim that a survey conducted by the Comprehensive Plan group showed almost no support for affordable housing.

He said he listened to sessions at two forums the group held and consistently heard that a wide number of people support creation of affordable housing. The wording of the question on the survey was faulty because it asked respondents how important housing is to them. As people who already live on the Island, most had no personal concerns, but many had concern for others and for the desire to have a mixed community of residents, economically and ethnically.

Mr. Colligan said, in the future when the Town Board reconstitutes the Housing Board, it will seek people who share a vision for affordable housing.

Mr. Kohn issued an emailed statement after Mr. Colligan’s apology:

“The community needed to hear an apology from Mr. Colligan for his inappropriate physical threats in front of an angry mob, for being part of the mob, and for taking the occasion to give a campaign speech that only encouraged the unruliness of those assembled rather than helping control them. I thank him for at least acknowledging his mistake in making the physical threat to my person, especially under those volatile circumstances.”

Referring to those supporting affordable housing, Mr. Kohn called them “a vocal handful of town residents” who might be concerned with housing costs, but said Mr. Colligan’s responsibility is to ensure housing for Fire Department and EMS volunteers who need to be on the Island 24/7.

“Using taxpayer money to buy or rent housing for people who want it, but can’t afford it, will not fly in this town,” Mr. Kohn said..

He spoke about increased property taxes to make affordable housing more widely available. In fact, the plans being discussed by the town involve finding a contractor who would build the housing on town-owned land and function as a landlord, rather than town officials.

Other money could come from legislation that would enable East End town residents to act on a referendum that could allow half of 1% tax to be paid by those buying property on the Island in the same way the Community Preservation Fund provides money for purchase of open spaces and water quality improvements. With a restructuring of the exemptions on the tax, if it is adopted in a referendum, numbers show it would not increase what those buyers already pay, according to Assemblyman Fred Thiele Jr. (I-Sag Harbor), who sponsored the legislation.