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Parks committee chair says volunteer resignation followed unfair treatment; resident seeks confirmation of library capital fund
Summary
During public comment, Martha Lopez, chair of the parks committee, said a parks volunteer resigned following what she described as unfair and inappropriate treatment; a resident also asked the board to confirm that a library capital fund was properly created and funded.
During the meeting’s public-comment period, Martha Lopez, chair of the Town of Woodbury Parks Committee, said a recent volunteer resignation followed inappropriate treatment and urged the board to create clear procedures for handling volunteer-related disputes.
“Martha Lopez said Michelle has been an invaluable volunteer... she felt Supervisor Luciani’s attempts at using her as a pawn in his issues against Janine Cortese were to dissuade Janine from voicing criticisms against the board,” Lopez told the board. Lopez said surveillance footage exonerated the volunteer but that the volunteer resigned within two weeks of starting her term.
Lopez asked the board to develop “clear, consistent guidelines for handling volunteer related issues across all committees” so volunteers feel protected and supported.
Separately, a resident identified in the record as Maria asked whether a library capital fund—mentioned in library board minutes and described as originally intended to include $300,000—had been officially created in town records and properly funded. Maria asked the board to confirm the fund’s creation and the movement of the money into the fund.
The board did not take formal action during public comment but briefly acknowledged the remarks. Supervisor Keith Luciani noted ongoing committee work and other administrative items; the comments were recorded for the meeting minutes.
Ending: The concerns raised during public comment requested administrative follow-up; the board did not adopt any formal policy during the meeting but heard requests to create volunteer-handling guidelines and to verify library capital-fund status.
