In the wake a Suffolk Times investigation which revealed last month that Greenport Mayor Kevin Stuessi’s driver’s license has been suspended for failure to respond to traffic summonses issued on Shelter Island last year, the embattled first-time politician appears to continue to drive.
Over the weekend, three people independently contacted this journalist to report seeing Mr. Stuessi driving a black Volvo on the North Fork. One of them captured the incident on time-stamped video of what appears to be the mayor driving in Riverhead on Saturday, and shared it (see below). A DMV records request fulfilled on Monday confirmed that the mayor’s license remains suspended.
This morning, a clerk at Shelter Island Justice Court confirmed that Mr. Stuessi has not appeared in court, as is required when you’re deemed a scofflaw, to mitigate traffic violations that include aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle and driving an unregistered vehicle. Also this morning, a black Volvo whose license plate matches the one captured in the video was parked in the mayor’s driveway (see below). It’s the second time in six years that Mr. Stuessi’s license was suspended for failure to respond to summonses, according to DMV records. Mr. Stuessi did not immediately respond this morning to a request for comment.
The same Suffolk Times investigation determined that the mayor is also facing possible eviction from his village home for failure to pay nearly $30,000 in mortgage and other payments. While foreclosures are common in the current real estate market, Mr. Stuessi is required by state law to maintain a residence within the village to serve as its mayor. Last month, Mr. Stuessi’s mortgage company filed for a final judgment of foreclosure and sale, which would grant it the right to sell the home to recover the debt. Records show the next court date set in the case is April 15.
‘I’m not happy’
The reports of Mr. Stuessi being spotted driving over the weekend follow on the heels of a tumultuous Greenport Village Board meeting late last month, in which the board met for the first time in public since a series of Suffolk Times articles detailed allegations of financial and municipal mismanagement among its members. The allegations included a surprise announcement last month by Mr. Stuessi on the eve of a village election that veteran trustee and deputy mayor Mary Bess Phillips and her husband owe the village about $100,000 in back taxes and utilities. Ms. Phillips was subsequently re-elected with the highest vote count of any of the candidates. Mr. Stuessi was elected two years ago to a four-year term and was not running in the race.
During the sometimes-heated, nearly four-hour session, village trustee Patrick Brennan blasted Mr. Stuessi and Ms. Phillips for what he described as grave breaches of the public’s — and the board’s — trust.
In some of the most forceful language he has used publicly since taking office two years ago, Mr. Brennan told the community at last month’s meeting that he is “deeply concerned about what’s transpired over the past few weeks and many months and really several years.
“I think our residents trust in this board is kind of hit a new low,” he said. “I’m embarrassed for myself and my colleagues. I think you all deserve better. I only have two priorities right now, and I’d say the number one priority is to try to restore the public’s trust in the village government. My second priority would be to ensure that village hall is fully functional, fully staffed, and capable of meeting your needs. All other initiatives, in my mind, are a distant third.”
Mr. Brennan said that Village treasurer Adam Brautigam learned about Ms. Phillips’ outsized debts when he took the position about a year ago.
“He began by notifying Trustee Phillips with some disconnect notices, and then trying to reach agreement on multiple occasions by executing payment plans … which were all subsequently voided because of failure to pay,” Mr. Brennan said. “I believe the treasurer tried to resolve this matter within his office over a few months during the summer of 2024 but I think he was just unable to compel trustee Phillips to catch up on her many accounts.”
Mr. Brennan went on to say that by last fall, Mr. Brautigam had turned the matter over to the village’s legal counsel, who “decided to forgo the opportunity to use electrical disconnect as a tool to compel payment, and then embarked on the many months negotiation with trustee Phillips.
“It decided to keep the matter mostly private, I believe, between counsel, the mayor, and Trustee Phillips,” Mr. Brennan continued. “This incurred a significant expense for legal services, for collection, my understanding, to date, the tally is about $10,000. Counsel also decided not to inform the trustees, which I’m not happy about.”
Mr. Brennan said that he and other trustees only learned of the debt on March 11. It was on that morning that Mr. Stuessi was notified by The Suffolk Times that after a week of ignoring deadlines set by the newspaper to answer several pages of written questions, publication of the story could go forward without his input.
On March 13, his mortgage company filed for the final judgment of foreclosure and sale. On March 14, four days before the election, the mayor posted a letter on the village website, revealing Ms. Phillips and her husband’s tax and utility debts.
Mr. Stuessi said he had asked Ms. Phillips to resign as deputy mayor, explaining that he “felt it necessary after I became aware of significant indebtedness to the village,” and noted that he “immediately notified counsel to work with the treasurer to collect.” The mayor later acknowledged that he had known about Ms. Phillips debt since “late last year.”
Mr. Brennan criticized the mayor for incurring legal costs and keeping the information secret from the rest of the board.
“He decided not to inform the trustees until about five months later … days before the election. I’m really confounded by the mayor’s poor judgment in the handling of this matter, and I can’t see the timing of this release of information as anything other than a political matter. If that’s the case, I think that’s conduct really unbecoming of mayor, but also conduct inappropriate for someone who’s operating as a village administrator, fulfilling the role of the village administrator.”
Former and current village officials have been urging Mr. Stuessi without success to fill the administrator role since Paul Pallas retired more than a year ago.
Mr. Stuessi seemed to acknowledge some regret when he told the community earlier in the meeting that “what is important to me, and I know to the rest of the board members as well, is that we not only earn your trust, but we keep your trust — and in many ways there have been some failings recently that we have taken steps to address.”
The mayor went on to say that he would appoint a new deputy mayor, make changes to some village committees and fund “an administrative position … that really focuses on infrastructure.”
Despite saying that “I want to make sure that we are as transparent as we absolutely can be on anything and everything, even when it’s awkward and uncomfortable,” Mr. Stuessi declined to address some of the many controversies swirling around him.
The Suffolk Times investigation included allegations by recently-terminated village building inspector Alex Bolanos of mayoral overreach and selective enforcement, including the claim that Mr. Stuessi allowed Sterlington Deli to reopen after the inspector shut the business down over safety violations following a late-night kitchen fire in 2023.
On March 18, a day after the investigation was published, village officials were served with grand jury subpoenas seeking records related to the deli fire and its aftermath, according to two sources with direct knowledge of the situation. Mr. Bolanos, who said he has been meeting with investigators from the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office, also alleged in the article that the mayor targeted restauranteur Zach Erdem with punitive and unnecessary violations which shut down his restaurant twice in four days over a spring weekend in 2023.
When a resident mentioned the subpoenas at last month’s meeting and asked “we’re not going to talk about that?,” acting village counsel Jared Kasschau said that grand jury subpoenas are secret under law, “so my recommendation to the board is — if a subpoena exists — I should not comment on it, because it’s secret.”
‘Sense of entitlement’
Mr. Brennan reserved his harshest criticism for Ms. Phillips, saying her unmet financial obligations, over years, is “disqualifying as a fiduciary” officer.
“Trustee Phillips has exhibited a really troubling pattern of behavior over several years,” he said. “She has repeatedly either ignored or delayed personal financial obligation to the village. I believe she’s taken advantage of her position and title for her personal benefit. I see that as conduct on becoming an elected official, showing poor judgment, poor leadership. I think it came from a sense of entitlement, seeking advantage and being given advantage.
“More troubling to me is the fiduciary responsibility of a trustee. I feel like this conduct is disqualifying as a fiduciary … I’m deeply troubled by Trustee Phillips conduct. I feel that she has failed to meet her responsibilities as trustee, and I’m concerned that she’s lost the ability to distinguish between what’s in the public interest and what’s in self -interest.”
“We’re talking about something in excess of $100,000 that’s the equivalent of one for almost 1% of our village annual budget. That’s probably two times the average village resident’s annual income. It’s also about the annual compensation the village would need to hire full-time building inspector. It’s similar to the cost that the fire department would need to buy two automated stretchers for the two ambulances … These are village resources.
“These are your funds,” he said, gesturing to the community. “So we have to make a decision to try to recoup as much money as quickly as possible, even if the village is not whole. Here, I I want to make clear that the village is not a bank. So New York State prohibits municipalities from acting like banks, and there’s a reason for that, because they do a terrible job in it, and they get taken so as a village, we don’t have the ability to lend gift, extend credit or allow for forbearance, we can’t forgive a debt.”
Ms. Phillips said she regrets her debt but rejected Mr. Brennan’s characterization of her as “entitled.”
“I have apologized. I have worked out for the last year and a half refinancing things and … there [are] funds that are now coming in that weren’t available … And as I said, I have given my heart to the village of Greenport, along with my family, we are trying to stay here. But as far as feeling entitled, I don’t think so. I think I’ve done a lot to do in keeping things moving forward and doing checks and balances within the village. But I do not feel entitled. I feel part of a community that’s trying to stay here, and my family and I are committed, and always have been to working towards keeping our home here.”
‘Debtors’ prison’
For months, Mr. Stuessi has been under fire for his alleged mismanagement of the village building department, which hasn’t had a full-time inspector since Mr. Bolanos went on medical leave last summer.
At last month’s meeting, village planning board chair Patricia Hammes read a prepared statement.
“Our village has endured a tumultuous couple of weeks… Recent press stories have alleged ethical breaches, selective enforcement, preferential treatment… Additionally, we just experienced our second consecutive election marked by drama and political intrigue… This is overwhelming.
“Two years ago, when the mayor and several board members were elected, many in the community hoped for a course correction… increased transparency, improved communication, and fair, unbiased administration… Unfortunately, instead of progress, we now face a crisis of confidence,” she said.
“Our village, which spans just one square mile … is facing serious infrastructure, demographic, and economic challenges … We cannot successfully address these issues if residents lack confidence in the board or if the mayor and trustees themselves fail to align on a common purpose…
“It is now imperative that this board take decisive action to hire a professional city manager or administrator… Such a manager would provide crucial expertise in budgeting, project management, and oversight of day-to-day operations… ensuring code enforcement in a professional and unbiased manner…
“Equally vital is the urgent need for at least one full-time code enforcement officer… The recent allegations … demand a dedicated individual who understands both our community and our code … We should reinstate the monthly report required under the Village code… Hiring a village manager and full-time code enforcement officer, along with reinstating the building department report, is essential to restoring public trust…
“I am calling on each of you to take necessary actions to ensure appropriate postings for these positions… and provide at least monthly updates on hiring status.”
Greenport resident Dave Murray, owner of Murray Design and Build on Main St., castigated the mayor over the state of the building dept., saying he has had to stop work on two projects after unsuccessfully seeking village building permits since last fall and claiming that Mr. Stuessi has been ignoring his pleas for help for months.
“It’s costing me and everybody here a fortune … You have no building department, Kevin. Nut up. Call me. I had all approvals from historic, zoning. Don’t even go there, Kevin. You are so wrong, it’s not even funny, and you’re treating me — as a village resident for 22 years, a business owner on Main St. for 14. Treat me with a little respect. Give me a call.”
Leueen Miller, owner and innkeeper at Harbor Knoll Bed & Breakfast, said she is “appalled, embarrassed and shocked by what has been going on recently with the Village Trustees.”
Mr. Bolanos contended at the meeting that “I was wrongfully terminated while on medical leave because I tried to expose everything they’re trying to cover up … I worked with them,” he said, referring to some village officials. “I was here before them, and I’ll be here after them.”
He went on to allege that properties Ms. Phillips and her husband own in the village are littered with dangerous code violations that have gone unaddressed for a long time, including “so many life safety issues.
“Counsel, I’m looking forward to working with you, not against you. There’s a lot of fire safety issues …”
Resident Paul Livesey described recent events in Greenport as “problematic.”
“This isn’t a personal attack … I just think we elect you as officials [and] you should hold yourself in higher regard as we expect you to. You all have personal issues that you have to deal with, whatever it may be. If it impacts the village, I think you shouldn’t be serving as trustee … if I have to come up here and seek approval for something and I have to listen to comments from someone who isn’t abiding by what I’m supposed to abide by, that’s a very difficult situation to be in.”
Resident Isabel Osinski seemed to be only half-kidding when she offered an unorthodox solution to the village’s money problems.
“On the matter of fundraising, you have a Greenport jail that you could turn into a debtors prison for our officials and raise funds there: they could go into the debtors’ jail and people could pay money to see them in jail, and it could be very therapeutic for us as a community to get through this …. And make money with our officials.”
The suggestion was met with a hearty round of applause.
