Car Show, Text Message Increases Tannersville Board Hostility

By Max Oppen

TANNERSVILLE – The Village of Tannersville Planning Board is working to address business complaints concerning the closure of Main Street in the Village during events such as both Car Shows, Trick-or-Trunk, and others.

Trustee Gil Adler said, “For those that aren’t aware, it’s our job to listen to our constituents and to hear their issues, be it in a public hearing, be it via private correspondence, and take all these issues seriously. One of the issues raised to me anonymously… is: why are we closing Main Street so often through the year? Do we have to close Main Street for these events, or can we move the events such as the car show someplace else in the Village?”

Adler recently composed and posted a survey on Facebook asking the community about its thoughts on closing Main Street during events such as both car shows, Trick or Trunk, and other events, as well as seeking input from Village business owners.

Trustee Adler said that 20 out of 35 business owners responded to his survey. He said, “Approximately 20% of the respondents love the car show and make more money because of it; 10% love the car show even though they make less money on that day; 20% are agnostic… and the other 50% [of business owners] don’t like the closing of Main Street for the car show and make less money because of it.”

As for the community survey results, Trustee Adler said, "74% live either in the Town outside of the Village, or in the Village, and love the Car Show; 3% live either in the Town [of Hunter] outside of the Village, or in the Village, and don’t want a Car Show; 12% don’t care, and 11% other (write in response).”

Trustee Adler added, “Anecdotally and qualitatively, this poll has opened up a line of communication between the Village Board and business owners that hasn’t existed since the [Hunter Chamber of Commerce] ceased to actively meet and operate. Feedback such as the timing, logistics, and the reconciliation between businesses' target market and the Car Show’s target market are all aspects that require the Board’s attention so that we can continuously improve these events each year. The purpose for trustees is to engage with our constituents, to proactively (rather than reactively) pass and amend laws and policies to better the lives of those within our Village.”

Trustee Adler urged the public to use a smartphone application named SAVVY Citizen, which is currently utilized by the Village to communicate with the general public. Adler said Village residents and business owners are also mailed flyers twice, “Two weeks before and three days before the event, so there’s no reason why any business owner on Main Street is not aware in advance.”

Hostility between Village leaders has been steadily increasing ahead of the March elections. During the same meeting on October 1, Village Trustee George Kelly presented what he described as an official Village of Tannersville Board text message thread that appears to show Mayor Dr. Lee McGunnigle making disparaging remarks toward a local business owner, as well as the Hunter Foundation.

Trustee Adler then questioned Trustee Kelly’s knowledge of his constituents, whereas Kelly responded, “You want to challenge my 30 years in this Village?”

Mayor McGunnigle interjected, “You guys, this meeting has disintegrated. I make a motion to close [the meeting]. Either way, I’m leaving. Thanks to everyone for coming out. You guys can continue.”

There was no “second” to the Mayor’s motion to close the meeting, which allowed the meeting to continue without the presence of the Village Mayor and gave Trustee Kelly the floor to reveal the text thread and voice his opinion.

Trustee George Kelly said, “I’m going to read an open text thread from my Board. The Mayor’s response to the one complaint as of last Monday was ‘If it’s that dirty thieving grant receiving liquor b**** Who cares? If it’s the free rent Hunter Foundation people, who cares? If retail can’t figure out how to Market on the street next Sunday to get people to come to their stores, who cares? Just speaking the truth. I’ve earned my right.’”

Kelly said, “That’s the mayor’s response to the number one complaint. That’s why [the Mayor] walked out [of the meeting]. His language is disgusting. It’s abhorrent.”

Trustee Kelly then handed out screenshot copies of the Village Board text thread to the audience. Kelly added, “I will represent the Hunter Foundation, and anyone else that gets called a ‘filthy b**** by my Mayor. These are [the Mayor’s] words. The Hunter Foundation has put so much damn money in this community.”

The constituent referenced in the text thread by Mayor McGunnigle declined to comment, as did the Hunter Foundation’s Executive Director Sean Mahoney (also the Town of Hunter Supervisor).

When asked via email about the text message thread, Mayor McGunnigle replied, “If you are referring to a text message with Gil Adler, it was intended as a private conversation and was not directed at any specific individual.” 

This reporter’s follow-up email informed the Mayor that the text thread and the content contained within were not just sent to Trustee Adler, but to all members of the Board on the official Village of Tannersville text message thread, including the Court Clerk. This information has been verified by The Mountain Eagle.

Mayor McGunnigle declined to reply to this reporter’s latest clarification email.