Fire Island Official Barred Business' Permit Over Nudity Tiff: Lawsuit

FIRE ISLAND, NY — A suit has been filed against the Fire Island National Seashore superintendent after a sanitation company owner claimed his business permit was temporarily suspended because he helped a ranger who lost his job — after enforcing public nudity laws against the official's orders.

Sam Wood, owner of Samuel A Wood & Co Inc, filed a claim on Aug. 18 for declaratory relief with the United States District Court, Eastern District of New York. The claim accuses Superintendent Alexcy Romero of illegally suspending a driving permit he needed to operate his private sanitation business for a month starting in mid-February, according to court documents obtained by Patch.

The claim states that Wood believes the act was retribution for his support of Chief Ranger John Stewart, after he was terminated from his role.

The Fire Island National Seashore declined to comment.

Patch also reached out to Neil Diskin and Timothy Sini, former Suffolk County District Attorney, who are representing Wood, for comment.

After Romero became superintendent, he "quickly disregarded the usual and customary practices of the Fire Island National Seashore" and instructed park rangers under his command to selectively enforce laws and give preferential treatment to specific groups on Fire Island, court documents said.

One of the accusations acts of abuse reportedly took place in 2019, when he instructed park rangers not to enforce New York State public nudity laws, specifically to the Fire Island Pines, Carrington Tract and Cherry Grove areas, the suit maintains.

At the time, the laws had been adopted by the Fire Island National Seashore pursuant to the Superintendent’s Compendium dated Feb. 4, 2013.

Stewart refused to abide by Romero’s directive, the suit said.

The superintendent then attempted to terminate Stewart; he and his family were then "forced to relocate from their housing in the height of the COVID-19 pandemic," the suit alleges.

Romero claimed that Stewart, who had been a ranger since the 1990s, misused his official vehicle for non-official purposes, and a unilateral determination that Stewart acted with a lack of candor, court documents said.

Wood, along with many year-round Fire Island residents, took a stand against Stewart's termination. He donated $2,120 — the fund’s largest single contributor, the suit said.

On Jan. 27, Wood was told his permit would be suspended based on three violation notices he wasn't able to challenge before his corresponding February court date, the lawsuit said.

The most recent of which was issued in Sept. 2020, according to the complaint.

When contacted by Patch, Stewart said that he is not involved in the lawsuit, and it is solely Woo'd case.

"I voluntarily retired in good standing after a 24-year career of faithful service with the National Park Service," Stewart said. "It was my privilege to protect America’s natural and cultural resources, safeguard park visitors, and work side by side with the community residents of Fire Island."