During public comment at Tuesday’s Town Board meeting, Michael Veitch, chair of Woodstock’s tree committee and a survivor of child sexual abuse, stood and read a prepared statement.
“I’m requesting that the Town Board act tonight to inform any parent whose child may be using town facilities or programs that they may come in contact with a pedophile and violent registered sex offender who is employed by the town,” Veitch said.
Shortly afterward, the Town Board ended the public meeting and entered executive session.
Board members said they were not informed that a man hired earlier this year for a municipal maintenance position is a Level 3 sex offender—the highest classification in New York state.
The hire, Michael Innello, was first approved by the board on March 11 for a seasonal position in the town’s maintenance department. On June 10, the board voted again to approve him as a full-time laborer at a rate of $21.35 per hour.
According to board member Anula Courtis, the Democratic nominee for town supervisor, the situation came to light at the end of last week, when the board received a preliminary agenda for Tuesday’s meeting that included hires for a town-run summer camp at the community center.
At the same time, board member Bennet Ratcliff was approached by Veitch and a former law enforcement official who asked why all the town board members voted to hire a sex offender. Ratcliff said he sent an email to the board shortly after.
“McKenna denied us knowledge he had,” Ratcliff said. “If the Town Board decides that it wants to help formerly incarcerated individuals reintegrate into our communities, the Town Board should make that decision together. Not just one person.”
Supervisor Bill McKenna confirmed he was aware of Innello’s criminal history prior to the board’s votes but did not disclose that information to other board members.
“Woodstock has a history of being a champion for second chances,” McKenna said. “In 2014, we eliminated the question from our job application as to whether you were a felon or not.”
Innello was arrested in February 2020. According to New York State Police, he filmed himself sexually abusing an unconscious victim and was later found in possession of child pornography.
He was sentenced to five years in Dutchess County Court in May 2021 and released on parole from Mid-State Correctional Facility in Marcy on Dec. 10, 2024. As required by state law, he was placed on the sex offender registry as a Level 3 offender, indicating a high risk of repeat offense and a threat to public safety.
Several board members said they were unaware of Innello’s status when they approved the hires and expressed frustration about the lack of transparency.
“I, like the other members of the Woodstock Town Board, was not informed about the Level 3 sex offender,” said Councilwoman Maria-Elena Conte. “The supervisor knew about this violent sexual offense and never disclosed this.”
Courtis echoed that concern. “This is a supervisor withholding critical information from the Town Board, undermining our ability to fulfill our duty,” she said. “The real questions might be, who knew? Did the youth director know? Did the police know? What mechanisms were put in place to protect Woodstock?”
McKenna pushed back.
“In his position, he [Innello] has a limited amount of time with the public. He is not working with children, not working with women,” McKenna said. “So, I feel that he deserved a second chance and a clean slate.”
“I would just point out that some of my board members are concerned about transparency, and from where I’m sitting, there’s been a lack of transparency from a number of them,” he said. “I don’t feel they’ve been totally honest with the voters when they ran. So it’s the pot calling the kettle black.”
Courtis responded: “I think that using this situation to try to harm people who are attempting to do the right thing for Woodstock speaks for itself. This situation is not even about [Innello], to some degree. This is about a supervisor who chose to withhold information from the Town Board elected by the people to help keep people safe.”
As of this week, Innello remains employed by the town.
This is a developing story.
Noah Eckstein contributed reporting.
Sophie Moos is an intern at The Overlook. You can reach her at reporting@theoverlooknews.com.