A governance crisis in Woodstock, NY, has come to a head with the official termination of Michael Innello, a Level 3 sex offender who was hired earlier this year as a town maintenance worker. His employment sparked weeks of public outrage, tensions within the town board, and widespread concern over transparency and safety.
Innello was hired part-time in March and promoted to full-time in June. His criminal record, which includes a conviction for rape and five years served in prison, came to light in early July. The revelation sent shockwaves through the community and led to an intense debate over accountability, public trust, and the rights of formerly incarcerated individuals.
“In March he was hired, and it turns out he has a personal relationship with the supervisor’s confidential secretary,” said Noah Eckstein, editor-in-chief of The Overlook, who broke the story. “In 2014, the Town of Woodstock—like many towns across the state—‘banned the box,’ meaning they no longer asked about felony convictions on job applications.”
Eckstein explained that while the town may not have broken any laws, the hiring process left many questions unanswered.
“I would say it’s not a breaking of any laws—it’s more an ethical thing. It’s a failure in transparency and communication.”
Board Action Ignored
On July 22, after the full extent of Innello’s criminal history became public, the Woodstock Town Board voted 3-0 to terminate his employment. Board members Anula Cordes, Bennett Ratcliff, and Maria-Elena Conte voted in favor of dismissal. Laura Ricci abstained, and Town Supervisor Bill McKenna refused to vote.
McKenna, whose term ends later this year, did not act on the board’s decision, prompting further outrage.
“He just stalled on that. He completely waited,” said Eckstein. “Tensions have been high. I’ve been covering local government for many years, and this was the only town in which I thought there would be some sort of physical violence.”
In the absence of action from the supervisor, Cordes—who is also the Democratic nominee for supervisor—took matters into her own hands. She signed the change-of-personnel order and submitted it to the Ulster County Civil Service Department. The county has confirmed that Innello is no longer employed by the town.
“We confirmed that Innello has been fired,” said Eckstein.
A Town Divided
The fallout from the controversy continues to reverberate through the community. A protest calling for Supervisor McKenna’s resignation is planned for Saturday on the Village Green. Public meetings have been packed, with emotions running high.
“The July 22nd meeting was completely packed—there were like 40 or 50 people there,” Eckstein said. “Some of whom were sexual assault survivors came in very, very impassioned by the hiring of Innello.”
The controversy also reignited debate over how society handles reintegration for people with criminal records. While some residents believe Innello deserves a second chance, others say that public safety and transparency must come first—especially when town employees work in proximity to children.
“It struck a nerve particularly because… he was seen sort of within 60 to 100 feet of the town pool near the rec camp,” Eckstein said.
Critics also noted that McKenna failed to inform other officials, including the police chief and the town library, about the hiring.
“It very much felt like a protection of Innello,” said Eckstein. “And I think it blew up because people want to feel safe and want to have as much knowledge about the people who are working in town as possible.”
What’s Next?
An upcoming town board meeting on August 12 is expected to be tense. Questions remain about Supervisor McKenna’s cooperation with the board and whether further actions will be taken.
“The supervisor’s not answering my calls,” Eckstein said. “It’s been hard to get him on the phone, but it’s likely to be a pretty contentious and just tense board meeting.”
Further coverage at The Overlook.
Image: Summer camp counselors Denise Gordon (left) and Dahlia Boiardi (right) during public comment at the July 22 Woodstock Town Board meeting. Both said they saw Innello working near children and expressed concern about the town’s lack of transparency. (Credit: Michael Sofronski/The Overlook)