Butch Yamali gets new contract to run Nassau parks concessions

Nassau County legislators voted Wednesday to rehire Butch Yamali, the county's longtime parks and beach concessionaire, three years after the administration of former County Executive Laura Curran terminated his company for alleged nonpayment of bills.

The Republican-controlled Rules Committee, in a 4-3 party-line vote, approved the hiring of Yamali's Dover Gourmet Corp. to operate Nickerson Beach Park in Lido Beach, along with concessions at other county parks and beaches.

No further vote is required.

The contract is for 10 years, with an option for a two-year renewal.

Under the contract, Dover must pay Nassau 10% of gross fees charged, as well as an annual flat fee.

There is no flat fee this year and next. In 2024, the fee will be $25,000, and if a two-year contract renewal occurs it will be $65,000 in 2032 and $70,000 in 2033, according to county contract documents.

Also, Dover has to fund $2.95 million in capital improvements at Nickerson, and at least $100,000 in capital improvements over the 10-year period at various other county parks.

The approval follows a legal dispute between Yamali's company and Curran's Democratic administration.

On Wednesday, legislative committees also approved a legal settlement with Dover, "without further cost or expense to either party."

The Curran administration terminated Dover's contract in 2019. The administration said the company was in arrears to Nassau County, Nassau University Medical Center and Nassau Community College.

Yamali has denied claims of unpaid bills.

Yamali filed suit against Nassau County, saying he had two more years on his contract to service the parks.

He said former Chief Deputy County Executive Rob Walker, an appointee of former Republican County Executive Edward Mangano, had granted Dover a contract extension through 2021. The company's prior 10-year contract ran through 2019.

Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, a Republican, who took office in January, sought to rehire Dover Gourmet, and to settle the lawsuit. 

In April, Nassau's Office of Inspector General issued a report saying the "proposed settlement, as presently drafted, may erode public confidence in the County's commitment to a competitive process, and a level playing field, leading to cynicism and disincentivizing future proposers."

Members of the Republican majority and Blakeman administration agreed to table the contract, and rebid the work.

On Wednesday, county officials testified that Dover scored higher than two vendors who also submitted applications.

But Democrats on Wednesday objected to the county's decision to hire Dover again.

"Why are we hiring a vendor with a … history that is clouded with all kind of issues? Why are we giving them a 10-year contract as opposed to a five-year contract?" Nassau Legis. Arnold Drucker (D-Plainview) asked Nassau Parks Commissioner Darcy Belyea on Wednesday.

Belyea responded: "If for some reason he doesn't hold up to his end of the bargain, we can end the agreement. But right now, we need a concessionaire for our county residents. We need vending, we need food trucks … "

Belyea said her job was to "serve the masses of the residents to the best of my ability. Not having a concessionaire to serve those masses … is really me not doing my job to the best of my ability."

In his filings to the county legislature, Yamali disclosed a $1,000 donation to Blakeman's campaign on Jan. 26. He has contributed to Democratic and Republican campaigns in the past, according to his filings.

In 2019, Newsday reported that Nassau Republican chairman Joseph Cairo Jr. and his son, Joseph Michael Cairo, were paid $1.16 million over 10 years for legal work related to Dover's operation of Hempstead Town's Malibu Beach Park.

In his filings, Yamali also confirmed a federal investigation into his municipal contracts.

"In or about 2018, the United State Attorney for the Eastern District of New York conducted an investigation focused on our various contracts," the filings state.

"We understand that neither I or my companies were ever a target of the investigation, and we further understand that the investigation is 'closed' with no criminal or administrative action having been taken by any agency," the filings state.

Newsday reported in August 2020 that the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District had subpoenaed Hempstead for records related to Dover. 

John Marzulli, a spokesman for the Eastern District, declined to comment Wednesday.

With Candice Ferrette

By Scott Eidler

scott.eidler@newsday.com@ScottEidler

Scott Eidler is a deputy editor for the towns department at Newsday. Scott has worked at Newsday since 2012 and previously covered municipal government and education.