By: Karenlyn Barone
Tonight I am resigning the Unity Party and enthusiastically joining the Pride Party, said Carrigan to the applause of the 40 residents at the meeting on Oct. 22.
Stating that the current leadership of the Unity Party has ignored the bylaws and principles and turned it into a family operation, Carrigan signed on the dotted line and joined a roster of members that already includes many prominent residents and former Unity Party members.
Nobody wanted to walk away if there was a way to make it work, said Meagher, who was one of the Unity Party's founding members in 1996. The Village Pride Party is not only needed, but vital to this village. This is my community.
Romano said that he was looking to the future of East Rockaway by joining the new party. My hope is to resurrect a people's party once again, he said.
Founders Francis Lenahan and Bob Keon were happy to welcome the newest members to their fold. They bring the membership count to 170, they said.
Lenahan addressed those gathered in what he called an attempt to clear the air. Financial records were not disclosed, he said, referring to the Unity Party. There were gross violations of the bylaws, and you wouldn't be here tonight if something wasn't wrong.
Lenahan said the impetus for starting the new party was to return a party to the people, based on integrity and open communication. No one person is greater than the whole, he said. This is not about me or us, this is about East Rockaway.
Unity Party president Missy Pagliaro said that the defections did not come as a surprise, considering that she called for Carrigan to resign from Unity last month. "It's not surprising, because I asked him to resign from our party," she said. "He no longer represents what Unity stands for."
Tensions have been mounting between Unity Party leadership and the mayor for several months, based on a rift over ownership of a banner and the mayor's decision to put volunteers on "pleasure of the board" status, among other things.
Pagliaro stressed that the Unity Party was going full steam ahead. "We will be here to make sure taxpayers get their full share of services," she said. "We will be watching very closely."
The mayor and the two trustees now shift the majority of the village board to the Village Pride Party. The two members not accounted for are Edward Sieban and Andrew Pagliaro. Sieban reportedly has intentions of joining the Village Pride Party as well. Trustee Andrew Pagliaro, the son of the Unity Party's president, will stay with Unity. He is running for re-election in March, and the Village Pride Party has not declared who, if anyone, will run against him.
The next general meeting of the Village Pride Party will be Nov. 25 at 7:30 at The Commuter's Club on Ocean Avenue.
