East Hampton to honor late building inspector Sharkey

The flag at East Hampton town hall will be flown at half staff today to honor town chief building inspector Donald Sharkey, 46, who was found dead Monday, apparently of a heart attack, at his Amagansett home.

Sharkey, who worked for the town for more than 20 years, was responsible for enforcing the town's codes, a position that sometimes put him in conflict with the town's super-rich and super-famous residents.

"Its not easy to buck people when they spend a great deal of money on a home. He stood up for the town, he protected the town in many ways," Supervisor William McGintee said.

Sharkey was also a volunteer in the Amagansett Fire Department.

Still, McGintee added, what most impressed him about Sharkey was how well he got along with people. "I've known him for my full term [in office] and a long time before that. We would meet in a restaurant or play golf together . . . he was a nice, nice man. Always calm. I never saw him lose his temper or raise his voice . . . but he was always conscientious and not afraid to make a controversial decision."

Sharkey waded into a hornet's nest in 2005 when, after the town changed its zoning code dealing with commercial ice skating rinks, he closed down the Buckskill winter Club, an NHL-sized rink that was used for instruction and was popular with local parents, but did not meet town regulations.

Ultimately, lawyers for the town and the rink agreed, allowing it to operate with some restrictions.

For Sharkey, who lived alone, golf was an important part of his life.

East Hampton Town Police Chief Todd Sarris described him as "a very good man, a real good guy . . . fun to be around."

The Suffolk medical examiner is performing an autopsy to determine the cause of death, but Sarris said nothing suspicious was at his home when his body was found.

Sharkey was last seen on Thursday, when McGintee talked with him. "We chatted briefly. It was just before the Fourth of July weekend. He seemed fine, and in good spirits," the supervisor said.

But Sharkey missed a golf date on Sunday. That friend, whom police did not identify, went to Sharkey's home, but seeing nothing wrong, left a note on the front door.

His friend called the town building department on Monday, and learning that Sharkey had not come to work, went back to the house, where his body was found.

Sharkey's brother, a police officer in Washington, D.C., was to come to East Hampton to make funeral arrangements.