Calls For Resignation During Westport Board Of Health Meeting

During Monday night's Board of Health Meeting in Westport activists were demanding resignations from board members who they say they knew about deplorable conditions on an animal farm long before they took action to address it.

One exchange that was aired on ABC6 advocates shared evidence they say proves Chairman John Colletti and member Karl Santos knew about the conditions at the tenant farm long before they took action to deal with it.

"Your administrative assistant never gave you this information?" asked Roxanne Houghton.

"I'm not sure I'm going to have to discuss that with her this is the first I'm hearing of this,” said Colletti.

"Mr. Santos do you have a comment?" asked Houghton.

"I mean I don't remember seeing that letter,” said Santos.

Colletti told ABC6 that he never visited the property before the conditions at the farm were discovered.

"Like I said we never did any inspections. That was not my idea to do those. I don't know anything about animals,” said Colletti.

Barbara Pontolilo was among those in attendance at the meeting and says she was not satisfied with their response.

"I am just appalled that they denied that,” said Pontolilo.

Colletti said someone who he declined to name did do inspections on the property and that person will be held accountable.

Colletti didn't resign at the end of the meeting but he said he is thinking about it.

"Not tonight. I'm considering it,” said Colletti.

An attorney for the property owner said her client hired an exterminator to get rid of the rats and picked up trash and the Board will now schedule a time to go to the property to verify those claims.