Freeport Village News
August 2002

MAYOR GLACKEN: That’s your opinion. That’s incorrect. These decisions were made at public meetings... They were done in an open forum. For you to say anything to the contrary is untrue.

MR. LILKER: You didn’t make the agendas public before the meetings.

MAYOR GLACKEN: They were on the agenda and people are free to come to these meetings.

MR. LILKER: This wasn’t a secret. You knew when this was going on the agenda. Do you expect the people to believe that five minutes before the meeting you decided to put this on the agenda. Quite frankly Your Honor, that’s bizarre. I wouldn't expect that anybody with a reasonable amount of intelligence would believe that.

MAYOR GLACKEN: It is no secret. We made these decisions in public. We made one of them the night we made the Community Development Block Grant. You were here for that ...

MR. LILKER: You had every opportunity to advise the public about what you were going to do and every opportunity you had to do, you didn’t.

MAYOR GLACKEN: That’s what you say. It’s not true.

MR. LILKER: Well, when did you advise them? Why don’t you tell us?

MAYOR GLACKEN: It was public knowledge. We have open meeting every week, practically.

MR. LILKER: When did you put it in the Freeport News Letter that the village was taking $20,000 dollars of Freeport Community Development Funds and ear marking them for that site? When did you advise the community of that? Did you do that in your Freeport Report?

MAYOR GLACKEN: After there was a hearing on various applications.

(Catholic Charities application was never spoken about or made public and the village’s monthly newsletter was silent).

MR. LILKER: What did you do to advise the community that you had done this?

MAYOR GLACKEN: (no answer)

MR. LILKER: The issue here is that nobody knew what was going on, unless you happened to show up.

MAYOR GLACKEN: You say nobody knows what was going on. I say everybody knew.

MR. LILKER: You never told them [the workers] if they spoke about this project, you would can it? You never told them that? That the project was in jeopardy if anybody spoke about it? That’s what they told me. That’s what I wrote. That’s what Newsday knew. And Newsday told me they ran out of space for that.

MAYOR GLACKEN: I never said that.

MR. LILKER: So the workers are lying?

MAYOR GLACKEN: I don’t know what they told you. And I also don’t know if what they told you is what you’ve written.

MR. LILKER: Well, I’m telling you, that what they told me is what I printed. What they told me is what I told Newsday.

MR. LILKER: I believe that everybody should have right to work and I believe that you do too.

MAYOR GLACKEN: That’s very good of you.

MR. LILKER: I have a card in my hand that I received from the village a week or so ago, reminding me that my taxes are due. I have to pay taxes in order to live in this community and avail myself of its services. I’m not opposed to anybody working. When I asked Catholic Charities, if they were going to make sure that the contractors were licensed and that the contractors collected social security, withheld workman’s comp... I was told they were not they IRS. I’m a little confused about that. Maybe you could help me, because I believe that if these folks want to work, they should be able to work?

MAYOR GLACKEN: Yes.

MR. LILKER: I want to know, number one. What is the village doing to make that the contractors that hire these employees are licensed contractors? Number two -- That the contractors that hire these employees collect social security, pay workman's comp, pay health benefits. I want to know, what this administration is doing to make sure that when one of these day workers get hired, that we know where they go, because I asked Catholic Charities what happens to a day worker who is out on a job and doesn’t come back. Do you know where they went? They said that is not our responsibility.

MAYOR GLACKEN: And it’s not.

MR. LILKER: I want to know what you’re doing to make sure that taxes are paid, that contractors are licensed and that the workers are legal and if they’re not legal, what you are doing to get the INS and whoever is needed to help them become legal. And if you’re not willing to do that, I have no more questions.

MAYOR GLACKEN: It is the responsibility of the immigration and naturalization service to keep track of people who come into this country. That is not a village responsibility. It is not a village function.

MR. LILKER: Have you asked them for their help?

MAYOR GLACKEN: I have just answered your question?

MR. LILKER: Have you asked them for their help?

MAYOR GLACKEN: It is their responsibility. Why would I ask them for their help?

MR. LILKER: Because we need help sometimes. What are you doing about the taxes?

MAYOR GLACKEN: That is the responsibility of the Internal Revenue Service, the NYS Department of Taxation and Finance.

MR. LILKER: Have you asked for their help?

MAYOR GLACKEN: I’ve already answered your question.

MR. LILKER: You didn’t ask for their help, either?

MAYOR GLACKEN: It’s their responsibility?

MR. LILKER: And it’s not your responsibility to ask for help?