More calls for Westport Board of Health members to resign

A heated Westport Board of Health meeting Monday night lead to calls for Chairman John Colletti and member Karl Santos resign.

“You’ve allowed this to go on. And, you need to resign,” said Roxanne Houghton.

Anger bubbling over at the meeting, days after horrifying images showing emaciated and dead animals living in filth were released. Some 1,400 animals were found on the squalid American Legion Highway property this summer.

"I have been haunted by them since the moment I saw them,” said advocate Jodi Greenleaf.

At Monday’s meeting advocates shared evidence they say proves Santos and Colletti knew about the conditions at the tenant farm well before action was taken to deal with  it.

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

Chairman Colletti insisting he did not go to the property in the years leading up to the discovery.

"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.

Many in attendance not satisfied with the answers they heard.

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

As for calls to resign this is what Chairman Colletti had to say on his way out of the meeting.

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

Colletti says someone who he is choosing not to name did do inspections on the property.

He says that person will be held accountable.

Also at Monday’s meeting the attorney for the property owner said her client hired an exterminator to get rid of the rats and picked up trash.

The Board of Health will now schedule a time to go to the property to verify those claims.

(C) WLNE 2016