It began last week with a citizen complaint to the City Manager’s office. The caller, a Boat Basin member, reported that a piece of City equipment from the Boat Basin had slipped off the City boat — which was on its way to Hen Island — and fallen into the Sound.
By Robin Jovanovich
It began last week with a citizen complaint to the City Manager’s office. The caller, a Boat Basin member, reported that a piece of City equipment from the Boat Basin had slipped off the City boat — which was on its way to Hen Island — and fallen into the Sound.
It wasn’t just a matter of pulling the equipment out of the water, but rather that the equipment hadn’t been declared surplus and was AWOL.
After further investigation by City Manager Scott Pickup, Boat Basin Supervisor Peter Fox was put on 30-day paid administrative leave. “We have to look at financial transactions and the propriety issue,” said Pickup.
According to Corporation Counsel Kristen Wilson, Fox hasn’t been charged with an offense. “All City-owned equipment must be declared surplus and approved as such by the City Council,” she said in a phone interview. “City equipment for personal use must be authorized, and, in this case, it wasn’t.”
Rumors have been swirling that the piece of equipment in question had been sold or given to Hen Island resident Ray Tartaglione, who keeps a boat at the marina. The rumor remains just that at press time.
With the Supervisor on leave, Pickup said he is working on an interim coverage plan of the Boat Basin.
Fox, who has worked for the City since January 1990, is the second City employee to be put on leave in the last week. Rye Golf Club Manager Scott Yandrasevich was the first. The City is looking into his ties with a small staffing company that has provided over $1.5 million in staffing to the club so far this year. Both employees have civil service protections.
The Boat Basin and Rye Golf are Enterprise Funds, which were set up to be run independently, but with City oversight. A storm cloud is brewing over both.
