I attended the Huntington Town Board meeting Tuesday night (May 21) to voice my opposition to the proposed KeySpan/LIPA power plant in Melville. I went there to exercise my freedom of speech. What I discovered was total arrogance on the part of several town board members.

I was shocked to see a citizen of Huntington treated with such disrespect. In a totally unprofessional outburst, Town Supervisor Frank Petrone lambasted Patty Hsu-Park who actually was thanking the board for the town lawyers stating that the KeySpan application was, in fact, in violation of many of the town's zoning ordinances.

Petrone yelled at Ms. Hsu-Park (a resident of Huntington and, also, the director of communications for SHARED), stating that he was tired of people coming to Town Hall in opposition to the plant, that it was worthless for them to come, and that he found it "annoying." He owes both Ms. Hsu-Park and area residents an apology for his conduct.

He said the town board was advised by their attorney not to say anything about the project, and that they could not take a public position. Maybe the town attorney should read the Article X statute as the law provides for the town to state its position on KeySpan's request to override local laws.

It is sad that Petrone and his buddies won't stand up for their own citizens. It is even worse that they treat citizens with such contempt. His actions, attitude and conduct were disgraceful for an elected official. I guess he is just a real town bully.

Mike Grello

President, Concerned Citizens Association of Farmingdale