TONH Seeks New Highway Leader, Tables Controversial Hire: ICYMI

Editor's note: This article was posted on Wednesday, May 25, 2022.

MANHASSET, NY — The Town of North Hempstead has voted to table a resolution that would have rehired a disgraced official to a position he resigned from in 2016.

At a May 19 meeting, the Town Board decided not to immediately reappoint Thomas Tiernan as superintendent of highways. The move was passed by a 4-3 vote.

Once the highest-paid Town employee, Tiernan resigned from the position following probes into his overtime compensation. Relatives working for the Town were also embroiled in controversy and scandal, including his sister who was charged with embezzling $98,000 from the Solid Waste Management Agency.

Councilwoman Veronica Lurvey (D-District 4) first introduced the resolution to rehire Tirernan earlier this year. It was a move backed by the Town Board's Democratic majority, but rejected by Republican Supervisor Jennifer DeSena.

In pointed remarks earlier this month, DeSena said the majority councilmembers were "only working to preserve their political power" by trying to reappoint Tiernan as superintendent of highways. Going a step further, DeSena called out Lurvey for proposing the appointment, saying she made the "backroom" pick without prior discussion or any explanation.

In a statement to Patch, Lurvey commended Tiernan for his work as superintendent of highways and said he cares deeply about Town residents.

The highway superintendent is primarily responsible for overseeing the Town's highway department, which maintains and repairs 300 miles of roadway.

Tiernan first took the highway superintendent job in 2000.

Back in 2016, Newsday investigated Tiernan's overtime pay and found that he collected more than $134,000 between 2011 and 2015. He not only became the Town's highest-paid employee, but was the only highway chief on Long Island eligible for overtime pay.

"While this arrangement may not have been legally improper, because his title was part of the Town's union at the time, serious ethical questions were raised about the appropriateness of this," DeSena, a former attorney, said. "And in many people's opinions of this, there never was sufficient justification for this."

After Tiernan resigned in 2016, the Town hired former building commissioner Kevin Cronin to serve as acting superintendent. Richard Baker, a public works commissioner, took over the job in 2016, but resigned abruptly some months later.

Harry Weed became acting superintendent in 2021. A resolution to make his job permanent was tabled, however.

"It's just unfortunate that (the Democrats) decided to play politics," Weed told Newsday. "My idea was to do the best job for the residents and taxpayers of the Town of North Hempstead."

At last Thursday's meeting, Lurvey said the board would begin the search for a new superintendent, but hoped that Tiernan would be "given every consideration."

In a statement, DeSena said she was "glad that the majority Councilmembers (had) finally come to their senses" and decided to stop Tiernan's "handpicked appointment due to the lack of a competitive and transparent hiring process."

She also said she was disappointed with Weed's firing, as well as Lurvey's decision to only table the resolution that would rehire Tiernan. Choosing not to table the resolution, instead of withdrawing it entirely, means Tiernan's appointment could be brought to another vote, according to the supervisor.

"It shouldn't just be handed to the most politically connected one," DeSena said. "Now that my colleagues have finally committed to an open and transparent process, I will ensure that the Town publicly posts this position and aggressively search for someone who's not only experienced and qualified, but someone who shows the necessary integrity to be a trustworthy highway superintendent."