Hempstead Town Supervisor Laura Gillen says a recent vendor contract extension at the town’s Malibu Beach facility is “invalid” and is calling for disciplinary action.

News 12 reported last week that Hempstead's parks commissioner and comptroller signed off on a contract extension with Dover Gourmet Corp to continue to operate the town facility without the approval of the Town Board. 

Gillen says the extension, signed in April, was an improper sweetheart deal.

“It is not worth the paper it is printed on and it is invalid. Period,” she says.

Gillen argues that the terms of the extension are well-below market value and are costing taxpayers thousands of dollars. She now intends to hire an independent appraiser to review the contract.

“The vendor will have a choice – accept a fair, reasonable contract, or surrender the location,” says Gillen.

Butch Yamali, the owner of the Dover group, disputes the supervisor's numbers and says the contract is 100% legal. He questioned her motivation in the matter.

“Her lifeguard figures are wrong, her toll booth figures are wrong, her other figures -- her trash figures are wrong,” says Yamali. “This was 100% above board and by the book.”

Yamali says the original contract, which was signed off on by former members of the Town Board, allows the parks commissioner and comptroller to approve an extension without receiving new authorization from the board.

“She should get her information correct before coming forward,” says Yamali. “She's trying to make people look bad who are hardworking and doing what they're supposed to do.”

Republican board members Erin King Sweeney and Bruce Blakeman are calling on the town's compliance officer to review the contract. Gillen's fellow Democrat, Councilwoman Dorothy Goosby, is accusing the supervisor of "politicizing this matter by releasing erroneous financial information."