July 31, 2024 — Town Board

Town Board Meeting

CivicClerk page

Agenda PDF

Timestamped Transcript

Click any timestamp to jump the video to that moment.

0:00Thank you.

0:30[transcription gap]

1:30Thank you, Chief.

1:37Okay.

1:38As we lead off our meetings, we do so with an invocation,

1:42and we thought it was fitting, and I appreciate him offering to do it for me,

1:46but Town Clerk Wooten, a former police officer himself with Riverhead PD,

1:51is also known as Deacon Wooten in some areas of town,

1:55so we've asked him to do an invocation today.

1:57Thank you, Supervisor.

1:59Good morning.

2:00Riverheads.

2:02Dear God, you wield great power over your world and people,

2:07and though many people need your loving care,

2:09let us ask that you grant our local police department

2:12and all those who wear the uniform and be with them

2:15and give them a personalized attention today.

2:19Those brave men and women keep our homes, our children, and our businesses safe.

2:25You are the Lord whose great power and eternal wisdom embrace the world.

2:30Please watch over our police officers and guide them from the danger.

2:35We especially petition you to be with Edward Frost as he takes on his new role

2:39as Chief of the Riverhead Town Police Department.

2:43Let your wisdom be his guide as he grows and shapes the community

2:47to the betterment of the town,

2:50and give him strength and resilience to perform his duty.

2:55And we ask that you be with David Hagemiller as he retires

2:57and moves on into a different role,

3:00and be with him and comfort him.

3:02And we ask all these things through Jesus our Lord.

3:05Amen.

3:06Thank you, Jim.

3:08Okay, now as part of our meeting, what we have to do is...

3:12Uh-oh.

3:12I remember those days.

3:14We have to open up for comments on the two resolutions that we have today.

3:19And first I'm going to start with anybody in the room.

3:21Does anybody in the room want to come up to the microphone

3:24and comment on either of the resolutions?

3:30Having seen nobody, I'm going to check online.

3:33Do we have anybody that would...

3:35A wave?

3:41Okay.

3:42Okay.

3:46Comments on just the two resolutions before us today?

3:55Okay, we have nobody online.

3:58Very good.

3:59Okay.

4:00Jim, you want to read the resolutions?

4:01And also I want to add Councilman Rothwell is presently,

4:06actually two minutes ago, landed at JFK Airport,

4:09and Councilman Kern is unable to be here today.

4:11He's away also.

4:13So otherwise they would either be here or be on Zoom,

4:16but they're unable to do that today.

4:18Go ahead, Jim.

4:18Okay, if we could move Resolution 678.

4:25678 accepts the retirement of the Chief of Police.

4:28So moved.

4:29Seconded.

4:30Seconded.

4:30Vote, please.

4:32Waske.

4:33Yes.

4:34Merrifield.

4:34Yes.

4:35Hubbard.

4:35Yes.

4:37Resolution is adopted.

4:40Resolution.

4:42I'm sorry.

4:43I had to get ahead of myself here.

4:46Jim, before you go to the next one,

4:48just a couple comments on the retirement of the Chief of Police.

4:5342 years, over 42 years here on the Police Department.

4:57The last 23 as Chief of Police.

5:00And I've said this so many times,

5:02but I think the Rivhead Police Department,

5:04I don't mean to insult any of our other agencies that are here,

5:07but I think the Rivhead Police Department is one of the finest police departments around.

5:11And that credit goes right to the top and it should.

5:15He was here a long time when we went through COVID.

5:19I had been retired.

5:20I was retired already from the Police Department,

5:22but he led this town through uncharted territory during the COVID days.

5:27And he really ran the town.

5:30He ran for quite a time along with running the Police Department.

5:34I will forever be grateful for him getting us through COVID.

5:37We didn't have to lay anybody off.

5:39We were able to keep people working at home.

5:42He scheduled vaccinations for our most important people,

5:47meaning our police officers, our EMS people.

5:49He got that all set up and squared away.

5:51So I have to get him credit where credit is due.

5:55So best of luck to Chief Hagermiller and enjoy your retirement.

6:00Thank you.

6:09Okay. Now the reason we're here.

6:11Resolution 679.

6:16Promotes employee to provisional title of Chief of Police.

6:19So moved.

6:20Seconded.

6:21Vote please.

6:23Waskie.

6:24Congratulations, Chief Frost.

6:28Congratulations to your team.

6:29Thank you.

6:29And congratulations to your family, Janine, Eddie, Garrett, Kyle.

6:34We're so happy as a police family.

6:36As everybody knows, I am part of the police family in more ways than one.

6:41And I know that you're going to do exceptional things.

6:44And you are going to be the leader that you've proven to be in the past.

6:49And savor this moment because I have never seen the morale that's in this room like it is today.

6:56And congratulations to you.

6:59Yes.

6:59Thank you so much.

7:01Congratulations, Chief Frost.

7:10You're absolutely a fantastic member of the police department.

7:14For my years in the district attorney's office, you always did exceptional work.

7:18I know you're going to guide this department in that same way every day.

7:21I couldn't be happier for you and the town of Riverhead today.

7:24Thank you.

7:31Chief Frost, well-deserved.

7:34Long time coming.

7:35You've been a dedicated member of our department for 31 years,

7:40and you've always worked your hardest at doing your job.

7:44And many of the men and women here who work directly underneath you were so ecstatic

7:49when they knew we were making you the next chief of police.

7:52And I think that's evident by the show of blue here today.

7:56Again, I'm worried about who's protecting our town, but this is awesome.

8:01Ed.

8:01This is really awesome.

8:02And I'm honored to be here to be part of this with you

8:04because I've worked with you a good number of years,

8:06and we couldn't have a better choice.

8:09So I appreciate it, and my vote is yes.

8:11That resolution is adopted.

8:13Congratulations.

8:14Thank you.

8:31Thank you so much.

8:32[transcription gap]

8:40Thank you so much.

8:40[transcription gap]

8:41Thank you so much.

8:41[transcription gap]

8:41Chief, give us a spot.

8:47Chief Frost, I would invite you and your family to come on up here.

8:54You can come right over here.

8:56Do you?

9:24Raise your hand.

9:25Do you, Edward?

9:26Do you, Edward Frost, solemnly swear that you will uphold the Constitution of the United States

9:35and the Constitution of the State of New York,

9:38and that you will faithfully perform the duties of the rank of Chief of Police

9:43for the Riverhead Police Department to the best of your ability, so help you God?

9:48I do.

9:49Congratulations.

9:56Thank you.

9:57Thank you.

10:27[transcription gap]

12:14Okay.

12:15Okay.

12:15Chief Frost is going to be coming back tomorrow already and meet with us at work session.

12:22And we're going to discuss a couple of things tomorrow.

12:24But he's also agreed to go around.

12:27to the community and set up three meet and greets of himself with community members.

12:33He's going to do one out at the Senior Citizen Center out on Shade Tree Lane.

12:38He's going to do one here at Town Hall and he's going to do one up at Riley Avenue School.

12:43It will be sometime early in September when we set the dates up for this and the community

12:47can come out, talk to him, get a feel for his ideas and his missions for the police

12:53department and we want to welcome Ed to the community.

12:57Ed is a very community orientated person.

13:00He does a lot of coaching with kids and stuff.

13:04Has been for years so I don't expect anything different and I think he's going to be very

13:08approachable and Ed we wish you nothing but the luck.

13:12Godspeed.

13:13Thank you very much.

13:14I'd like to have a motion to close our special

13:27town board meeting.

13:28I make that motion.

13:29Second.

13:30All in favor?

13:31Aye.

13:32All opposed?

13:33The meeting is closed.

13:35Thank you everybody for coming.

13:36Ed, nothing but the best to you.

13:38Everybody have a great day.

13:39Rivet is going in a new direction.

13:57Thank you.

Full Transcript

Thank you. [transcription gap] Thank you, Chief.

Okay. As we lead off our meetings, we do so with an invocation, and we thought it was fitting, and I appreciate him offering to do it for me, but Town Clerk Wooten, a former police officer himself with Riverhead PD, is also known as Deacon Wooten in some areas of town, so we've asked him to do an invocation today. Thank you, Supervisor. Good morning. Riverheads. Dear God, you wield great power over your world and people, and though many people need your loving care, let us ask that you grant our local police department and all those who wear the uniform and be with them and give them a personalized attention today. Those brave men and women keep our homes, our children, and our businesses safe. You are the Lord whose great power and eternal wisdom embrace the world. Please watch over our police officers and guide them from the danger. We especially petition you to be with Edward Frost as he takes on his new role as Chief of the Riverhead Town Police Department. Let your wisdom be his guide as he grows and shapes the community to the betterment of the town, and give him strength and resilience to perform his duty. And we ask that you be with David Hagemiller as he retires and moves on into a different role, and be with him and comfort him. And we ask all these things through Jesus our Lord. Amen. Amen. Thank you, Jim. Okay, now as part of our meeting, what we have to do is... Uh-oh. I remember those days. We have to open up for comments on the two resolutions that we have today. And first I'm going to start with anybody in the room. Does anybody in the room want to come up to the microphone and comment on either of the resolutions? Having seen nobody, I'm going to check online. Do we have anybody that would... A wave? Okay. Okay.

Comments on just the two resolutions before us today?

Okay, we have nobody online. Very good. Okay. Jim, you want to read the resolutions? And also I want to add Councilman Rothwell is presently, actually two minutes ago, landed at JFK Airport, and Councilman Kern is unable to be here today. He's away also. So otherwise they would either be here or be on Zoom, but they're unable to do that today. Go ahead, Jim. Okay, if we could move Resolution 678. 678 accepts the retirement of the Chief of Police. So moved. Seconded. Seconded. Vote, please. Waske. Yes. Merrifield. Yes. Hubbard. Yes. Resolution is adopted. Resolution. I'm sorry. I had to get ahead of myself here. Jim, before you go to the next one, just a couple comments on the retirement of the Chief of Police. 42 years, over 42 years here on the Police Department. The last 23 as Chief of Police. And I've said this so many times, but I think the Rivhead Police Department, I don't mean to insult any of our other agencies that are here, but I think the Rivhead Police Department is one of the finest police departments around. And that credit goes right to the top and it should. He was here a long time when we went through COVID. I had been retired. I was retired already from the Police Department, but he led this town through uncharted territory during the COVID days. And he really ran the town. He ran for quite a time along with running the Police Department. I will forever be grateful for him getting us through COVID. We didn't have to lay anybody off. We were able to keep people working at home. He scheduled vaccinations for our most important people, meaning our police officers, our EMS people. He got that all set up and squared away. So I have to get him credit where credit is due. So best of luck to Chief Hagermiller and enjoy your retirement. Thank you.

Okay. Now the reason we're here. Resolution 679.

Promotes employee to provisional title of Chief of Police. So moved. Seconded. Vote please. Waskie. Congratulations, Chief Frost. Congratulations to your team. Thank you. Thank you. And congratulations to your family, Janine, Eddie, Garrett, Kyle. We're so happy as a police family. As everybody knows, I am part of the police family in more ways than one. And I know that you're going to do exceptional things. And you are going to be the leader that you've proven to be in the past. And savor this moment because I have never seen the morale that's in this room like it is today. And congratulations to you. Yes. Yes. Thank you so much. Congratulations, Chief Frost. You're absolutely a fantastic member of the police department. For my years in the district attorney's office, you always did exceptional work. I know you're going to guide this department in that same way every day. I couldn't be happier for you and the town of Riverhead today. Thank you. Thank you.

Chief Frost, well-deserved. Long time coming. You've been a dedicated member of our department for 31 years, and you've always worked your hardest at doing your job. And many of the men and women here who work directly underneath you were so ecstatic when they knew we were making you the next chief of police. And I think that's evident by the show of blue here today. Again, I'm worried about who's protecting our town, but this is awesome. Ed. This is really awesome. And I'm honored to be here to be part of this with you because I've worked with you a good number of years, and we couldn't have a better choice. So I appreciate it, and my vote is yes. That resolution is adopted. Congratulations. Thank you. Thank you.

Thank you so much. [transcription gap] Thank you so much. Thank you so much. [transcription gap] Thank you so much. [transcription gap] Chief, give us a spot.

Chief Frost, I would invite you and your family to come on up here.

You can come right over here. Do you? Raise your hand. Do you, Edward? Do you, Edward Frost, solemnly swear that you will uphold the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of New York, and that you will faithfully perform the duties of the rank of Chief of Police for the Riverhead Police Department to the best of your ability, so help you God? I do. Congratulations.

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

[transcription gap]

Okay. Okay. Chief Frost is going to be coming back tomorrow already and meet with us at work session. And we're going to discuss a couple of things tomorrow. But he's also agreed to go around. to the community and set up three meet and greets of himself with community members. He's going to do one out at the Senior Citizen Center out on Shade Tree Lane. He's going to do one here at Town Hall and he's going to do one up at Riley Avenue School. It will be sometime early in September when we set the dates up for this and the community can come out, talk to him, get a feel for his ideas and his missions for the police department and we want to welcome Ed to the community. Ed is a very community orientated person. He does a lot of coaching with kids and stuff. Has been for years so I don't expect anything different and I think he's going to be very approachable and Ed we wish you nothing but the luck. Godspeed. Thank you very much. I'd like to have a motion to close our special town board meeting. I make that motion. Second. All in favor? Aye. All opposed? The meeting is closed. Thank you everybody for coming. Ed, nothing but the best to you. Everybody have a great day. Rivet is going in a new direction.

Thank you.