The Fair Media Council of Long Island, dedicated to promoting “quality local news,” has been asked to lodge a strong protest against press interference tactics of the Westhampton Beach village board and the WH Library.
The Council, headed by CEO and executive director Jaci Clement, is a 501/c/3 non-profit that had revenues of $252,060 in the year ended March 31, 2014. She was paid $133,102 according to the tax filing (EIN 11-2512139). Net assets were minus $117,217.
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Leaders and members of both boards never face the press in open session and limit remarks by reporters and the public at their meetings.
Remarks by Residents Are Limited
Remarks by this reporter were limited to five minutes at the Sept. 3 and Oct. 8 WHB meetings and subjected to comments such as “Address the board!” “Address the board!” by WHB lawyers Stephen Angel and Anthony Pasca while we were speaking.
Remarks by residents at such meetings are also limited to five minutes. Under New York State law, board members are obliged to listen but not to answer any questions or engage in dialogue with the residents at their meetings.
Both boards refused to put us on the agenda although we have shown them considerable research on issues facing the boards and described in detail what we wanted to say.
Speakers who are in support of WHB board policies and aims, such as outside legal counsel Brian Sokoloff, are placed on the agenda and allowed almost unlimited time to present their views. Sokoloff spoke for 35 minutes at the Sept. 3 meeting and took questions for another 20 minutes.
Suddenly Cancelled Meeting Irks Residents
The library board meeting set for Wednesday Oct. 14 was cancelled at such a late hour (9 p.m. the night before) that more than a dozen citizens showed up at the library at 9:30 a.m. expecting a meeting.
Those on hand included Southampton Press Reporter Greg Wehner who described the disappointment of the citizens in a story for 27east.com, and former WHB town attorney Hermon Bishop who has called on library board president Joan Levan to resign because she allegedly distributed political materials to library staffers.
Waskiewicz told the citizens who had gathered in front of the library that the meeting had been pushed to Oct. 30 so that Kevin Verbesey, director of the Suffolk Cooperative Library System (60+ libraries) could address it on the suggestion that the board switch from one that is appointed to one that is elected.
Emails have been sent to Clement and Verbesey asking for comment but neither had responded as of press time.
Fair Media Council Founded in 1979
The FMC, founded in 1979 as the Long Island Coalition for Fair Broadcasting, changed its name in 2004.
Clement told the New York Times Oct. 31, 2004 that the group would educate the public about the media and how it works and act as an intermediary with news organizations for those who wish to complain about how a Long Island story was covered.
Members are about 200 business and non-profit organizations. They would be asked to rate the media, explaining who they watch and what they read, Clement told NYT.
“We want the media to be the best it can be and be responsive to the community,” she said.
Clement is also “Mastermind and CEO” of Great Legs Media, Huntington, described as a “boutique media and communications firm” whose hallmark is “traffic-stopping strategy and storytelling.”
FMC has an office at Briarcliffe College, Bethpage.
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