GREENPORT, N.Y. (WTEN) — Nearly a week after NEWS10’s story about the process of approving Flock cameras in the Town of Greenport, questions remain about how the town board approved the contract for the cameras. NEWS10 has obtained the contract signed by a town police officer in January 2025 but has not been able to find any record of the town approving the contract or reach town officials.
NEWS10 has reached out to the town supervisor multiple times and has not heard back. Tuesday, CEO and partner at Tully Rinckey Michael Macomber, said best practice for towns is to include a record of contracts.
“Town boards should be maintaining resolutions and documenting their decision making,” said Macomber. “That’s just good, best practices.”
Macomber said a contract such as the one with Flock Safety would typically be passed by the town board. Without a record of the contract being approved, he added the validity of the contract could be in question.
“There would be some sort of resolution binding the town at that point in time, or at least delegating that authority to a specific person,” said Macomber. “…Is Flock responsible or is the town responsible? And whose mistake was it? If it was a unilateral mistake versus a mutual mistake that can change the legality of — or the enforceability, I should say, of the contract itself.”
At the next meeting, Macomber said the board could clear up any confusion about the contract itself and show where approval exists. The town could also acknowledge approval of a contract with Flock Safety to get it on the public record. Macomber says that the Open Meetings Law could play a role in transparency requirements.
“There should be minutes. There should be a resolution. There should be some sort of municipal records basically documenting everything that we’re talking about today,” said Macomber. “So if that doesn’t exist, that is problematic.”
The next town board meeting is Wednesday, October 7, at Town Hall beginning at 6 p.m. NEWS10 will be there, and will continue to reach out to the supervisor and other elected officials.
