Islip councilman strikes back at Democrats over ballfield criticism

Islip Town Councilman Steven J. Flotteron said yesterday that calls by the Democratic Party for an investigation into a Central Islip Little League fields project were “inappropriate” and “political.”

“It’s inappropriate that they’re using this hard-hit community — with everything that happened with the gang shootings — as a political football,” the Republican said after a town board meeting. The comments were his first since Democratic candidates for town board Dafny Irizarry and Ken Mangan last week asked Suffolk County officials to investigate the project.

Yaphank-based developer Andy Borgia signed a deal in 2011 with the town to build a $45 million sports complex and agreed to construct the ballfields as part of the deal.

The Democrats also called for Flotteron to return $2,000 in campaign donations he received from Borgia. Asked whether he would return the donations, Flotteron said, “I’ll answer that on my own time, not because of their political games.”

Mangan disputed Flotteron’s claims that Democrats were politicizing the issue. “I have no political agenda when it comes to this,” Mangan said. “My only agenda is for the safety and well being for anybody using those fields.”

Questions have been raised about the quality of the work at the site — Little League officials have complained about water pooling and questioned whether there was adequate field drainage. Town officials also questioned the project’s viability after learning Borgia had failed to maintain bonding on the project. Last month, at the insistence of town officials, he put $125,000 in escrow to cover any needed repairs.

Flotteron, who is running for re-election in November, said town inspectors will ensure the fields are completed properly.