Carmel Councilman Pleads Guilty to Disorderly Conduct
Carmel Town Councilman Michael Barile has pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct after a local newspaper columnist filed charges against him following a scuffle that took place in the fall during a Town Board meeting.
Barile was originally charged with fourth-degree grand larceny, a felony; fourth-degree criminal mischief, a misdemeanor; and second-degree harassment, a violation. The felony and misdemeanor charges were dismissed. District Attorney Robert Tendy, who prosecuted the case, added the non-criminal charge of disorderly conduct, which Barile pleaded guilty to.
During the Sept. 18 Carmel Town Board meeting, Barile confronted The Journal News columnist David McKay Wilson, accusing him of biased reporting surrounding the unauthorized connection between the building that houses Blue at the Lakehouse, which Barile and a partner own, to the town’s sewer system.
This connection resulted in a septic violation issued by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, and a legal battle between Barile and the town and county that is still ongoing.
Barile also accused Wilson of approaching and questioning members of his family.
During the September meeting, Barile grabbed Wilson’s cell phone, opened the emergency door of the Town Hall meeting room, and tossed the phone out, cracking its screen. Town Supervisor Kenneth Schmitt pulled Wilson away from Barile and kept the men apart until they calmed down.
Wilson later filed a report with the Putnam County Sheriff’s Department.
According to The Journal News, Barile paid full restitution for the damage to Wilson’s cell phone.
