Vered Slapped With Fine, Left With Questions

By Debbie Tuma

Things have been fairly quiet in the art-opening scene in East Hampton since the Memorial Day Weekend brouhaha, when two neighboring galleries were given summonses for serving alcohol and having gatherings without the required one-day permit, and one of the owners got arrested.

On May 24, Ruth Vered, owner of Vered Gallery, was hauled away from her big opening day party in handcuffs, after she refused to shut down her bar and asked the police to leave her gallery. It was the opening reception for the work of celebrity photographer Steven Klein, and she was taken away by police as crowds pleaded for them to let her go. She had two sets of charges - a criminal one for violating the state liquor laws, and another for violating the village code that requires a gathering permit for over 50 people. She was scheduled for a June 25 court appearance, which was postponed until August 13.

The police also arrived at an opening party at the nearby Walk Tall Gallery owned by Wendy Wachtel, to present a summons for failure to have an alcohol permit. Because Wachtel was not present, police gave the summons to an assistant, Brittany Demmler, who has since left the gallery. Demmler's court appearance was also scheduled for June 25, but she was told to come back on August 13.

On that date she appeared and the case was adjourned "on contemplation of dismissal" for six months. If no other tickets are given during that time, the case against Demmler would be dismissed.

"I have been working with the police on this, and I'm hoping my landlord will give his permission for me to get an alcohol permit," said Wachtel. "But I'm glad it's over."

Last Wednesday, Vered sent her attorney, Stephen Grossman of Sag Harbor, to appear on her behalf. Grossman said he had previously been in discussion with East Hampton Village, which oversees the gathering permits, and the District Attorney's office, which oversees the alcohol permits needed for the state.

"They agreed that we could lower the criminal charge from a misdemeanor to a violation if we pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct, which we did," explained Grossman. "And once we did that, the village would also dismiss their charge."

Judge Cathy Cahill fined the corporation, Vered Gallery, Inc., $200. Grossman said he felt this was fair. But Vered had a different reaction. "They had to do something to save their necks, but they should have dismissed the whole thing, because it was embarrassing that no one had contacted the Chamber of Commerce to tell this to the merchants," she said, adding that, in more than 30 years that she had been operating her gallery in its present location, no one had ever before enforced these liquor laws.

"The police should have handled this in a more civilized manner. After all the years I've been doing business as a law-abiding citizen, you don't take me away in handcuffs," she said. "I deserve the courtesy, just like all the other business owners, to be told that they are now enforcing these laws. If it was the law, then where were the police for the past 30 years?"

Vered said after her incident on May 24, she has experienced an amazing show of support.

"I never knew I had so many supporters, but hundreds of people have been calling and coming into my gallery to ask if I need names on a petition or money to fight this," she said.

When she heard about the fine, Vered's partner, Janet Lehr, said, "$200? I think they owe us millions! You can never calculate the negative effect this has had on our business."

She added, "There's something illogical in a NYS law which has lain dormant for 30 years, being enforced only in one village."

When asked if they have obtained permits for other openings since this incident, Vered retorted, "Getting the permit still takes a while. We haven't had any public opening where we served alcohol, just a few private parties with a select group of people. In other towns, like Southampton, they don't bother the galleries or businesses that have openings. It's only in East Hampton."

But East Hampton Village Administrator Larry Cantwell said, "The police were verbally advising people about the state liquor laws last year. And in the village, any gathering over 50 people requires a mass assemblage permit. We've issued 300-400 of these gathering permits this summer since this incident took place, and we've included in every application requested by a commercial business, information advising them to be aware that they will need an alcohol permit as well." Cantwell said the village has been cognizant of informing as many businesses as possible since this incident.

Terry Wallace, owner of the Wallace Gallery in East Hampton, said, "People aren't coming because of the alcohol, they're coming because of the art." He said he has gotten a gathering permit for his next opening on August 23, but that he needs his landlord's signature to obtain an alcohol permit, which hasn't yet happened.

Sag Harbor artist Carolyn Beegan said, "I've been going to openings for many years, and people don't go there to get drunk - it's a social event, and doesn't do anyone any harm. I don't see a problem in my village. I think it's over-regulated out here."

Recently in Sag Harbor, trustee Tiffany Scarlato presented a first draft of a special events permit, which would apply to gathering of more than 75 people in private homes.

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