Two competing narratives have emerged from the East Hampton Town Tax Receiver’s Office after four of its five employees abruptly left the department a month ago.
The remaining full-time employee is Christine Schnell, who has served as the town’s tax receiver for a relatively short period of time, since 2023.
In one narrative, described by Ms. Schnell in an interview Tuesday and backed by Patrick Derenze, the town’s public information officer, who was present for the interview, the departures were ordinary.
Amy Rivera, the deputy tax receiver, who had been with the town for 33 years, simply retired.
Meanwhile, they said the department’s administrative assistant, Tricia Olszewski, left for another opportunity.
The other two employees were seasonal part-timers who had already retired from previous roles in the town.
“Things changed. Their lives changed,” Ms. Schnell said. “People move on for many reasons. I’ve moved on a bunch of times, mostly to take a better position. The ladies were very diligent, and I appreciate everything they did and all the things they taught me. I wish them well and hope they succeed and flourish in whatever their next chapters are.”
“The town board has my back completely,” she added.
Indeed, at the Aug. 19 town board meeting, Ms. Schnell’s weekly hours were increased from 30 to 35, raising her salary to $109,782.
The department is attempting to rebuild, this time without part-time help.
In a press release Monday, Supervisor Kathee Burke-Gonzalez announced plans to hire a new deputy tax receiver in early September and the creation of a new full-time position, senior account clerk. “We are also in the process of hiring an administrative assistant to support daily operations and enhance customer service. The office continues to fulfill all its duties,” she wrote.
“The town board agreed with my assessment that it’s a better use of our resources to have someone who is here year round who we don’t have to train and retrain,” Ms. Schnell said.
However, the positions have yet to be filled and with the unplanned departures, the Tax Receiver’s Office has been forced to cut back on hours.
That prompted criticism from Ms. Rivera, who was the first to leave, resigning on July 31 after nearly 23 years in the department. “Why are we increasing someone’s hours, yet the office is closed more now?” she asked.
In her version of events, morale dipped under the new leadership. She argued that Ms. Schnell often delegated her core responsibilities, wasn’t proficient with the office’s software, and often stepped away when it was busiest.
“Last year she took off Christmas week when you have a line out the door. The last straw for me was when she denied a time-off request I made this summer. She couldn’t accommodate my request by making a small change to her work schedule. To me that highlights the lack of respect that she shows her staff.”
Further pushing back on Ms. Schnell’s claims, she said, “I wasn’t looking to retire. Our administrative assistant felt like everything was getting dumped on her.”
In the days after Ms. Rivera announced her retirement, the rest of the department resigned, seeming to confirm, by their action, her rendition of events.
“Ms. Rivera retired after more than 30 years with the town,” wrote Mr. Derenze, who offered emailed responses to some questions raised by Ms. Rivera.
“Whether that decision came earlier than she originally expected or not, we acknowledge her service and wish her the best. Our focus now is on moving forward and rebuilding a strong team to serve taxpayers.”
Meanwhile, Ms. Olszewski was hired Friday by East Hampton Village as secretary to the chief building inspector, Joe Palermo, who himself left the town for the village in March. Her new salary, $60,000, represents nearly a 30-percent pay cut.
“In terms of compensation,” Mr. Derenze wrote, “while the East Hampton Town base salary for the position was $77,807 which is about $37.41 per hour for a 40-hour work week, the East Hampton Village salary of $60,000 is tied to a shorter workweek, which equates to about $38.46 per hour. So, while the annual salary is lower, the hourly rate is actually higher at the village.”
Ms. Rivera also said an interactive voice response (I.V.R.) system touted in a mailer last year, which cost the town nearly $10,000, wasn’t functioning. A security upgrade to the office, which has so far cost the town $53,164, was unnecessary and created an unwelcome atmosphere in the public-facing office, she alleged.
“It’s not people-friendly anymore,” she said. “You can barely hear people talking because there’s a glass wall up to the ceiling. I’ve worked in public service for 32 and a half years and I’ve never had any fear at all. How is all of this money being approved to be spent? It’s a waste of taxpayers’ money.”
Mr. Derenze said improvements to the office also included $41,078 for upgrades that will make the office A.D.A. compliant. “Suggestions that the office is less service-oriented are not accurate. These changes have improved service by ensuring residents with disabilities can access the office more easily, and by protecting taxpayers’ personal information and funds.”
“The I.V.R. system encountered compatibility issues that limited its effectiveness last year,” he continued. “The town invested $9,805 in the system, and our plan is to have it fully operational this year to provide taxpayers with another convenient payment option. We share residents’ frustration that it was not reliable last year, and that is why we are making sure the system works properly before relaunching it.”
For the 2024 to ’25 tax year, the town collected over $231 million. Mr. Derenze said the office provides “one of the most important functions of town government.”
