A bid by former Southold Town justice court clerk Christine Stulsky to receive continued medical coverage was denied.
Stulsky was sentenced this month after stealing over $230,000 from the town’s coffers.
According to Southold Town Supervisor Scott Russell, “The town’s decision to deny her medical claim for coverage was upheld.”
Earlier this month, a hearing took place at the Southold Town Hall annex, and after a lengthy debate between counsel for the town and the union, the independent arbitrator decided that press and the public would not be allowed to be present for the hearing.
“The basic position of the town is that we received a resignation for Ms. Stulsky,” Southold Town Supervisor Scott Russell said. “The contract only provides for continued medical coverage for vested employees who retire from service to the town. Per the contract, we do not believe she is entitled to medical coverage.”
Stulsky, a former Southold Town court employee charged with stealing $230,000 in fines, bail money and other revenue from Southold Town court coffers pleaded guilty in January to grand larceny during a court conference in Suffolk County Court in Riverhead, according to District Attorney Thomas Spota.
Stulsky, 65, of New Suffolk, was sentenced by State Supreme Court Justice John Collins, a new judge on the case, to six months in the county jail and five years’ probation with drug and alcohol conditions. Stulsky is required to pay the stolen funds back, Spota said.
Had she not taken the plea deal and been indicted, Stulsky would have faced five to 15 years in prison. Instead, she will do four of the six months at a Suffolk County Correctional Facility.
“We are relieved that this issue has come to an end,” Russell has said. “We look forward to implementing new policies and procedures to ensure that acts like these don’t ever take place again.”
Stulsky, who’d worked for the town since 1980 resigned as a senior justice court clerk at the time of her arrest in March, 2014. Her duties included the collection and deposit of fines and bail funds and reconciling court bank accounts. The investigation found that the thefts began in January, 2009.
Last March, Stulsky surrendered and was arraigned at Suffolk County criminal court, initially pleading not guilty to felony charges after an assistant district attorney said she stole “in excess of” $50,000 in bail and other fees from Town Hall to buy groceries, pet food, and cigarettes.
According to Spota, Stulsky, who was employed with Southold Town for 34 years before the town board accepted her resignation, was “suspected of stealing bail and other monies she was entrusted with.”
In October, months after Stulsky was arrested and charged with grand larceny after she allegedly stole bail money and other fees from Southold Town Hall, defendants were still waiting to get that bail money back.
Stulsky worked for Justice Rudy Bruer for many years before she surrendered.
Earlier this month, as her family wept in the courtroom, Stulsky was sentenced.
Stulsky stood before State Supreme Court Justice John Collins and was sentenced to a six month jail term and five years’ probation with drug and psychiatric conditions.
According to Collins, Stulsky paid $50,000 back to Southold Town after she pleaded guilty, leaving the amount she must pay back at $181,791; another $50,000 is due in September and the rest will be paid back in monthly payments after she is released from the Suffolk County Correctional Facility sometime in July.
When asked if she had anything to say, Stulsky said, “I am extremely remorseful for my actions and to the people I hurt, including the court, the town board, the taxpayers and my friends. I intend to pay every penny back.”
Stulsky’s attorney, John Strode, said there were mitigating circumstances that had been taken into consideration, including health concerns. He would not elaborate further, but said, “It has been a nightmare” for Stulsky and her family.
The judge said he and the prosecution believed that Stulsky was truly remorseful. “I don’t know when it set in, but I do believe it’s genuine,” he said.
Strode said he worked on financing with Stulsky’s family so that she could “pay back every penny.” The $50,000 was used to begin paying back bail to some defendants who have been waiting for months for their money.
Stulsky worked for Justice Rudy Bruer for many years before she surrendered.
