Hempstead board replaces parks commissioner involved in controversial contracts

The Hempstead Town Board on Tuesday night replaced a department commissioner who extended a town contract that has drawn scrutiny from federal law enforcement.

The board voted 7-0 without discussion to appoint Frank Zangla, a park supervisor and the leader of the Elmont North Republican Club, as commissioner of the town parks department. He replaces Daniel Lino, who previously held the post.

Lino filed for retirement last week, with an effective date of Feb. 21, Hempstead spokesman Greg Blower said.

Lino was one of two department heads who signed an April contract extension for Dover Gourmet Corp. to run Malibu Beach Park, a town recreation facility in Lido Beach, although the company had gone seven months without paying the town rent on the property. Dover has disputed owing the unpaid rent. The company and the town are in litigation.

Former Hempstead Supervisor Laura Gillen, a Democrat, called in July for the contract extension to be annulled and for Lino to resign. In August, the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York subpoenaed the town for records on Dover.

Lino declined Monday to discuss his retirement plans, saying only: "Whatever happens, happens.”

Lino’s departure comes shortly into the first term of Republican Supervisor Don Clavin, who took office last month after narrowly defeating Gillen in November. Clavin called for all department heads to submit letters of resignation when he took office. Blower said Lino submitted such a letter, and Clavin accepted his resignation.

Clavin left the board meeting Tuesday night without taking questions. He did not answer a question Wednesday about whether he accepted Lino's resignation because of his role in extending the Malibu contract, saying instead: "He's chosen to retire, I want to thank him for his 30 years plus of public service, and we wish him well."

Clavin said he proposed appointing Zangla because of his decades of work in the parks department.

"He's a true nuts-and-bolts guy that has a lot of respect in the office," Clavin said.

A copy of Zangla's resume provided by the town shows that he has worked variously as a field worker, maintenance mechanic, park supervisor and supervisor since 1998. He will be paid $120,000 annually, according to a town board resolution. 

Lino is the second town official involved in the Malibu contract extension to retire since the controversy arose. Former Comptroller Kevin Conroy, who along with Lino signed the extension, retired in August.

Tania Lopez, a spokeswoman for the Office of the New York State Comptroller, said this week Lino initially submitted a retirement application Jan. 2, to be effective Jan. 29, but then withdrew it. Payroll records show he has worked for the town since 1984.

Newsday has also reported Dover paid Joseph Cairo, now the chairman of the Nassau County Republican Committee, and Cairo’s son more than $1 million for legal and project management work at Malibu. Cairo is a former Hempstead Town councilman.