Shelter Island Democrats are fighting each other:  Charges of mismanagement spur rift

Signs of a split in the Shelter Island Democratic Committee during the last election season emerged into a full-blown battle this week, with a letter to the editor to be published Thursday from Catherine Brigham announcing she would be leading a team of six others to oust long-time Chairwoman Heather Reylek.

Ms. Reylek has countered with her own letter to the editor.

Ms. Brigham, the current Committee vice chairwoman, now seeking the top spot, has charged the present leadership with a lack of transparency and financial mismanagement. The party has “a lack of appropriate governance” that “undermines the integrity of the process and, more significantly, the trust of the voters,” Ms. Brigham said.

She is calling for “open meetings for registered Democrats” and transparent business deals. On this note, Ms. Brigham said there had been a lack of financial integrity, and a need for clear and accurate records to avoid legal entanglements and ensure accountability to donors.

A new Democratic Committee treasurer has identified a history of financial mismanagement, Ms. Brigham said, adding that the Committee’s bank account access was revoked because of an improper account setup, and donations received had to be returned in the fall of 2023 because they had been improperly received.

“An accountant is now tasked with rectifying a decade’s worth of incorrect filings,” she said, noting that, “No malfeasance is suspected.” But a lack of proper oversight raises questions about governance and transparency.

Ms. Reylek opted not to directly respond to Ms. Brigham’s charges, but in her letter to the editor (see page 9) wrote: “Regarding the treasury … There’s a decades old discrepancy to be resolved. It worsened once a new treasurer was appointed by the New York State Board of Elections, as requested by the Shelter Island Democratic Committee. Once aware, we promptly began the process of rectifying the issue assisted by a CPA. … Steps are being taken to resolve everything.”

She is calling on Democrats to come together to support party candidates in November up and down the ballot.

Other candidates for committee seats with Ms. Brigham are Committee Treasurer Elizabeth Hanley, Committee member Greg Toner, former committee member Bill Mastro, Kathe Gooding and Mark Mobius.

Ms. Reylek joined the local committee in the 1990s. Ms. Brigham said if she becomes chairwoman she will not serve indefinitely. “We’re not trying to usurp power,” Ms. Brigham said. But she is vying with Ms. Reylek for the top spot this year.

At issue for her team are three major concerns, including that all decisions, including the choice of candidates, should be subject to a vote within the committee and represent all Island Democrats. Ms. Brigham said Bert Waife, who had been a candidate for Town Board before losing a primary to carry the Democratic banner into the general election last November, was “unilaterally” tapped to seek the vacant Town Board seat. Ms. Brigham also said candidates for the Democratic Committee were added who had only recently registered as Democrats.

She further charged Ms. Reylek ignored and dismissed a request from Gordon Gooding, the Democratic candidate who lost a close race for supervisor last November, to meet with and be considered by the committee as a candidate for the empty Town Board seat.

Mr. Waife lost his primary bid in 2023 for a Board seat, and Mr. Gooding defeated former supervisor Gerry Siller in the primary. Mr. Gooding, Albert Dickson and Benjamin Dyett ran in the Democratic primary and general election under the banner of “A Better Island for All (ABIA).”

This group was, by far, the best-funded group of candidates in either party. According to the State Board of Elections, ABIA had total contributions of $42,263 from 66 contributors, 27 of whom gave $500 or more, with the Democratic Committee contributing $1,500 to ABIA.

Acknowledging the challenge to candidates for the Committee who will be facing off in primary races in each election district, Ms. Reylek said the official Shelter Island Democratic Committee “has worked very hard over the years to support our core democratic values and build up our enrollment.”

To ensure positions in the Island’s election districts, candidates need to submit petitions, and Ms. Reylek is calling on Democrats in each district to support the slate of John C. Cronin Jr. and Glenn W. Waddington in ED 1; Ms. Brigham and Susan L. Jones in ED 2; Ms. Reylek and her husband, Robert F. Reylek in ED 3; and Barrie Silver and Katherine A. Doroski in ED 4.

Signing a petition doesn’t represent a vote, she noted. It simply enables the candidates to appear on the primary ballot in June.

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