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Lesko & Kepert: Destroying Our Town’s History Through Mismanagement and Passing the Buck!

10/08/2009


"The Mott house is emblematic of Mark Lesko and Connie Kepert’s time on the town board," said Republican Supervisor Candidate Martin Haley, “A disaster that lacks accountability, lacks responsibility; finger pointing and laying blame away from their own failings, neglect and consistent failure defines Mark Lesko and Connie Kepert’s time on the town board. "

Haley was joined by Council Candidate Rick Cunha and Legislative Candidate Carol Bissonette, who also serves as deputy commissioner of parks and is a well renowned preservationist of historic structures, took exception with how the issue was handled by the incumbents.

Since the Town of Brookhaven purchased the Mott house in 2002 as open space, there has been no effort by Mark Lesko or Connie Kepert to repair and renovate the Mott House or other historic structures. The Republican candidates also released a detailed time line which outlined a continuous series of mismanagement by Democrat administrations and Kepert’s tenure on the town board as it relates to the Mott House.

"Mark Lesko and Connie Kepert should be ashamed for blaming a female town employee who played no role in this matter to cover up their own mismanagement," said Haley "The community should be outraged by the Lesko/Kepert mismanagement that led to this situation. If Lesko really cared about the Mott House don’t you think he would have added some funds in his 2010 budget for it?

“The people deserve elected officials who are accountable. What they got in Lesko and Kepert is more mismanagement; more political posturing; and a complete lack of responsibility. There are abandoned structures throughout this town, and Lesko’s budget is not only out of balance, but his mismanagement will lead to this happening again,” Haley added.

Lesko, who just released his budget for next year, did not include any dollars for the Mott house restoration. In addition, the Democrats current capital 2009 budget also did not include any funds to preserve the Mott House. Funds allocated for the Mott House in the 2006 and 2007 capital budgets were never spent by the Democrats in control of Town Hall.

“This is a tragedy for our community, a disaster that should never have happened. Under Connie Kepert’s watch, our neighborhoods are collapsing one by one; foreclosures are skyrocketing; families are losing their homes and their jobs," said Cunha, "As I walk door to door hundreds of voters have shared with me their stories of Connie Kepert being unresponsive to their basic needs. It’s clear, that the people of the fourth district are not better off today than they were four years ago."

“For almost two decades I have dedicated myself to the preservation of historic structures in Brookhaven and throughout Long Island. I’m devastated that these people would destroy my reputation,” said Bissonette. “I have repeatedly called for more money to preserve these structures and have had roadblocks placed in my way at every turn.”

Mott House Time Line
1. The Mott House is situated on a 1.84-acre parcel that originally was part of a 30-acre parcel and the house was built in 1824.
2. The Town acquired the property in 06/11/2002 and it was boarded up and secured.
3. November of 2005 $25,000.00 was allocated in the 2006 Capital Funding to be available in 2006. Commitment made by former Supervisor John LaValle and Councilman Jim Tullo for repair and maintenance to the building. This prospective restoration was published in the Fall 2005 SPLIA (Society for the Preservation of Long Island Antiquities) “PRESERVATION NOTES NEWSLETTER”.
4. March of 2006 it was declared a Town of Brookhaven Landmark. As a Town landmark now comes under Section 85-185 through 85-192 of the Town Code and requires that the Town maintain the building in accordance with all provisions of the code.
5. 2006 – NO maintenance done, violates Section 85-190
6. 2007 - NO maintenance done, violates Section 85-190
7. 2008 – NO maintenance done, violates Section 85-190
8. 01/01/09 – late August 2009, NO maintenance done, violates section 85-190.
9. 2006 rear addition collapses, revealing south elevation is wide open. Debris from collapse removed and ½” plywood used to secure south elevation.
10. November 2006, $120,000.00 allocated in the 2007 Capital Funding.
11. NO additional funding allocated 2008, 2009 or proposed for 2010 in the Capital Funding line.
12. NO requests, discussions, proposals regarding restoration or use 2006, 2007, 2008 for the first 7-1/2 months of 2009.
13. NO funding can be spent from the $125,000.00 in capital funding without the approval of the Town Board and NO requests for work and resolutions sponsored by the sitting councilperson received.
14. 01/01/06-10/08/09 NO Supervisor or Councilperson asked for a tour of the property and building. Parks Department invited the Councilperson’s aide to visit the site in early September when the building was opened up for the first time in 7 years to assess internal conditions.
15. 2006-Late August 2009 NO requests for report on structural integrity and overall condition of house.
16. 07/22/09 email received in Parks regarding possible future use by local civic/chamber of commerce.
17. August 2009 request to open the house, clean it for possible use by local community group. Estimate received from KBG to clean out the building received. Submitted for Purchase Order issuance on 08/18/09. 09/01/09 Purchase Order still in purchasing waiting for approval.
18. Late August LKMA called in to assess conditions, provide report and prepare construction drawings for work to be done. Detailed points of the work they will be retained to do provided to them via e-mail 09/02/09.
19. KBG retained to clean all debris and refuse out.
20. Exterior conditions reveal trees/vines growing from inside to out of the house; grade collapses on west, south and east elevations.
21. Property is mowed and vines and trees removed from where they were growing from inside out and from the attachment to the modern west chimney.
22. 09/23/09 all exterior boards from securing removed and house is opened up and cleaned up of all debris, including significant animal excrement begins to be removed. Basement reveals ALL locust posts for support had been removed completely, NO support for the first floor. Framing exposes reveals modern saw-cuts, removals with NO replacements of sills and headers, windows and doors “floating” with no framing, headers or sills to keep them in place. PERVASIVE infestation and damage from wood bore beetles and termites. Floor joists on first and second floor significantly damaged and compromised.
23. KBG is told to stop ALL work and emergency stabilization to be done immediately the following morning.
24. Building collapses and Fire Marshall condemns it, remains to be removed as soon as possible due to obvious dangerous conditions.