East Hampton council approves payout for town manager

East Hampton, Conn. (WTNH) - Embattled East Hampton town manager Jeffrey O'Keefe is out, after Town Council members voted 6-1 Friday to approve a separation agreement.

But folks around town are not happy with how it all ended, at least the folks who attended Friday's special town council meeting when they heard how much it would cost.

"The amount that Mr. O'Keefe will earn contractually for the rest of this calendar year is $123,600...
"Oh, you guys are just unreal."

That amount, plus $46,000 for 95 accrued sick and vacation days brings the total to $170,000.

"He deserves nothing," Angela Sarahina of East Hampton said. "He should have been fired with cause."

O'Keefe first came under fire after firing East Hampton police chief Matthew Reimondo. O'Keefe claims it was to save money. Reimondo called it retaliation for pursuing sexual harassment claims against O'Keefe.

Town councilor Susan Weintraub wanted O'Keefe fired for cause so he wouldn't receive any money.

"I believe that we should fire, terminate for cause," she said at the meeting, eliciting a round of applause.

"A lot of people wanted him to be fired with cause so he wouldn't have to have the buyout," said Town Council Chairperson Melissa Engel. "Our attorneys told us that that would not happen, that we had no just cause, we had absolutely no grounds for just cause. A lot of people disagree. Well, they can talk to our attorney about that. I mean, we went through that. I personally don't think there was any reason to fire the man."

No one answered at O'Keefe's condominium and he wasn't at town hall for the meeting. His resignation is effective immediately.

Robert Drury, who was the acting town manager before O'Keefe was hired, is the acting town manager once again. He is also a former public works director in East Hampton. The search will begin for a permanent replacement.

The next public hearing and public outcry may come when councilors vote on eliminating the police chief's position completely. Some say the charter doesn't allow for that.