Frank Sammartano, administrative assistant to the Oyster Bay Town Board, resigned earlier this week after admitting that he accessed a computer disk containing a not yet released press advisory and circulated it without authorization. The disk belonged to Democratic Councilwoman Bonnie Eisler.

On Monday, July 28, Eisler held a press conference to address what she referred to as "the politically motivated theft and wrongful distribution of a nonpublic document from her office..." According to Eisler, Sammartano removed the disk from her secretary's desk sometime between 2 p.m. July 23 and 2:30 p.m. July 25. The disk contained a few drafted letters and a press advisory about an upcoming rally at the Woodbury Cove senior housing residence.

"I first learned of this incident Friday morning when I received a call from Kathy Wilson [communications director to New York State Senator Carl Marcellino] regarding a rally I planned for July 31...," stated Eisler. "I was surprised, to say the least, that Ms. Wilson was in possession of the press advisory since I had not yet released it ... In fact, I planned to release it on Tuesday, July 29."

According to Wilson, "The senator returned to his office on Friday afternoon and went through the papers on his desk. Amongst them was the press advisory issued by Councilwoman Eisler. [Since] it dealt with a state issue we were working on, I called the councilwoman to let her know the latest developments that were going on. About 10 minutes later she called me back and let me know that the advisory we were talking about had not yet been released."

Wilson added, "We just did what we would routinely do when we see something we were working on and contacted the person working on it. It wasn't anything out of the ordinary."

Following her conversation with Wilson, Eisler contacted the town's Deputy Supervisor Len Genova. On Saturday, July 26, Eisler received a phone call from Genova informing her that Sammartano had admitted he took the disk, opened it and printed out two copies before forwarding it to Marcellino and Republican Town Supervisor John Venditto.

Sammartano began working for the town's parks department in 1990 until being appointed secretary to the board in November 2002. As board secretary, Sammartano's responsibilities included "serving the needs of the council members individually and collectively in the performance of their duties." He did not, however, work with Eisler or her staff on the rally or the release.

"Thirty years after Watergate, it is unconscionable for the Democratic minority in Oyster Bay to be the subject of these unscrupulous political shenanigans," said Eisler. "Such an extreme breach of trust and invasion of privacy is unacceptable."

She added, "I have to be honest and say that when I brought this to Deputy Supervisor Genova's attention he got back to me very quickly, but I don't know if there is a conspiracy going on and this person is just taking the fall. I don't know if this was an independent action or if he was working with other people."

At press time, Eisler had filed a complaint with the 2nd Precinct of the Nassau County Police Department and contacted the United States Attorney General's office to open an impartial investigation. Eisler stated that she also plans to file a complaint with the Nassau County District Attorney's office.

What she doesn't understand, however, is what made this particular release so important. "The rally is very important to us, but this wasn't a hot button, top secret issue," said Eisler. "I don't want to say it's funny because it's not funny, but of all the things to be leaked it doesn't make sense. So many people already knew about it."

Venditto agreed, saying, "It is really hard to understand why Mr. Sammartano would have found any importance or reason to disseminate this information. It's got us all scratching our heads. It was just very bad judgement."

He added, "At the expense of sounding somewhat melodramatic, this is a very sad and tragic story. It is the story of someone who worked his way up the ranks and, because he handled himself well, got an opportunity to serve as administrative assistant to the town board. And because of his own omissions, got himself involved in some political shenanigans. [His actions] were a breach of his fiduciary duty to each member of the town board. From our standpoint, that is the problem."

According to the supervisor, the investigation has been referred to the Nassau County District Attorney's office and the Nassau County Police Department for their review. "They will review the whole situation from top to bottom," Venditto said. "The town is and will continue to cooperate fully with law enforcement agencies in their review. This type of behavior will not be tolerated in the Town of Oyster Bay."

Nassau Police Det. Sgt. Anthony Repalone said the Second Squad is currently investigating the case and will be conferring with the Nassau County District Attorney's office. "We have to determine whether or not there's any criminality involved," said Repalone.

Eisler stated that even before this incident, the relationship between Democrats and Republican town board members was not at its best. While the Republican councilmembers can lock their office doors and their secretaries can lock their desks, Eisler said that she and fellow Democratic Councilwoman Mary McCaffery do not have that option. She added that currently constituents who call into the town board's general phone number can only reach the secretaries of Republican board members.

"We have repeatedly asked for the number to go to our secretaries too so someone else can pick it up when they are not there, but have been denied that," said Eisler, adding, "We [also] can't get anything of ours to go out through public information [which is] why we write our own releases."

Venditto, however, has acknowledged that changes need to be made to the current phone system. "There has been some controversy over who answers the main number," said Venditto. "Every councilperson has their own telephone number and there is also a main line that rings in the council office. We have made a decision, and are in the process of implementing it as we speak, that the main number will be answered electrically and include a menu so that [callers] can select the councilperson they wish to speak with."

Despite all the controversy leading up to the event, the advisory regarding the rally was released on Tuesday, July 29 according to plan. On Thursday, Eisler, along with fellow elected officials, gathered at Woodbury Cove to lobby the state for a traffic light and a "No Turn on Red" sign at the southeast corner of Woodbury Road and Jericho Turnpike. According to Eisler, the rally was necessary because residents have petitioned the county and state for help, without success.

"Residents of Woodbury Cove risk their lives daily entering and exiting their complex," stated the advisory. "Accidents occur frequently from cars turning right onto Jericho Turnpike from Woodbury Road, resulting in serious injuries and death. A 'No Turn on Red' sign and a traffic light at the entrance of the development would significantly reduce the number of accidents."