There’s turmoil on the Woodstock Town Board as lawmakers grapple with how to handle the town’s hiring of a Level 3 sex offender earlier this year. In an explosive meeting that put Supervisor Bill McKenna on the defensive, members of the board voted to fire the employee Tuesday night. A warning to listeners that this story discusses sexual assault.
Members of the Town Board say McKenna didn’t tell them that 31-year-old Michael Innello was a Level 3 sex offender when they voted to hire him for a maintenance worker position back in March. Councilmember Anula Courtis says they’ve received little to no information from McKenna, a fellow Democrat, ever since.
So as McKenna started Tuesday night’s agenda, Courtis stood up to introduce a resolution that would terminate Innello’s employment.
“Bill, before we proceed, I have a resolution that I’d like to introduce — and the timing matters so that the meeting doesn’t get shut down,” said Courtis, before launching into the text of the resolution.
Innello was convicted in 2020 of sexually abusing an unconscious woman. He was also convicted of possessing child pornography involving an 11-year-old girl. He was released on parole in December 2024 but will remain on the state’s sex offender registry for life, as New York considers Level 3 offenders to be at high risk for re-offending.
McKenna did not return a request for interview from WAMC, but he has previously stressed the importance of “second chances” in Woodstock, and that Innello’s criminal record was known during the interview process. The job is a union position that pays $21.35 an hour.
McKenna has also reportedly said the job would not put Innello near children, but at least one town employee disputed that Tuesday. Dahlia Boiardi, a counselor at the town’s youth summer camp, says she was not immediately informed about Innello, and later found out he was seen filling a pool near a work orientation on June 27, where both minor employees and campers were present.
“I emailed Bill, and I said, ‘You walk around talking about, ‘Well he’s not in contact with people.’ But I’ve had multiple coworkers tell me that he was there at our orientation,” says Boiardi. “And Bill said, ‘Well it was only for an hour, and he had two maintenance workers with him.’”
Courtis’ resolution to fire Innello was not received well by McKenna. In fact, he called it “illegal” and tried to ignore it, talking over the rest of the Board in an attempt to ram through the evening’s agenda.
They would prefer him to live under a bridge as opposed to having meaningful employment and a meaningful life. Just another group of Karens and another example of the “sex offense exception” to society’s rules.
What the article fails to state is that this man was convicted of one class D and one class E felony. This was in the same course of conduct so this is not a repeat offense. A class D felony in NY is on the lower end of felonies and Class E is the lowest. How many people work for this city who have convictions for Class A, B and C felonies. This man has convictions for low level felonies but he is too dangerous work for the city? The Karens have won another round.
First again, tell me how the registry is not punishment? He was hired fully, being known to be an PFR. He is part of the Union, will the Union fight for his termination? It’s interesting that McKenna pointed out that it was illegal to use the registry to harm a PFR. Maybe just a little bit of leverage in the lawsuit that’s going to be filed, hopefully. Interesting multiple women that were sexual assault survivors reported that they were “triggered” by the PFR being hired. There we go, more feelings. No facts! And then they were also upset about second chances? What about drunk drivers? Do they get second chances, third chances? What about bank robbers? Courtis and Ratcliff are going to go above McKenna’s head, and send letters of termination to the state. It is so nice of them to put themselves above the order of notification. I hope McKenna can handle the problem he has on his hands.
I’m sure Max Yasgur is rolling over in his grave. They need to rename this town to Karen, NY.
Notice that for all the complaints about the registrant, there is not one single allegation of him doing anything inappropriate.
I have some incredibly bad news for everyone on the registry. Trump has just signed an executive order on homelessness. Registrants are specifically mentioned twice in this order and a third part will adversely affect all registrants even though they are not directly mentioned in this section of the order.
The two sections directed towards registrants will prioritize federal funding to increase “tracking” of all people on the registry, whether they are homeless or not, and the second section bars registrants from being housed with women and children even if they are members of the registrants own family, even their own wives or their own children. It is clear that the goal is to increase “tracking” of all registrants which will most likely mean increased harassment of registrants and their family members. It appears that the goal of these two sections is to erode family ties of people on the registry by discouraging family members from living with them and increasing the social isolation of registrants.
The third section doesn’t explicitly mention registrants but could have devastating affects on the registrant community. This is the civil commitment of, not only the homeless, but societies undesirables even if they are not homeless. This section on civil commitment is not solely directed towards the homeless, so all registrants must be prepared to fight for their freedom in states that civilly commit people who have committed sex crimes.
Everyone needs to google this executive order signed on July 24, 2025 and read and understand it. This must be an action item on the agenda of all organizations.
Click here for PDF copy of executive order.
Click here to see executive order on White House dot gov.
Quite honestly I am tired of hearing about people’s triggers. I am sorry for harm done to anyone, but some people enjoy playing the victim card for decades as an excuse for why they cannot be accountable for their own lives.
“Multiple women who spoke before the Board testified that they were survivors of sexual assault, and that they were triggered by Innello’s hiring”
That’s why I continue to say that the registry gives aide and comfort to people that don’t even need it. These professional victims will always, always find the monster under their bed when view the registry. If something like this “triggers” them, then they need stronger anti-anxiety meds – not sitting in on council meetings spewing their highly speculative perpetual victim bias.
We should write letters of support to Bill McKenna (even though he isn’t running for another term), and write letters denouncing Anula Courtis, Maria-Elena Conte, and Bennet Ratcliff.
Why not just let the police do their job ( stupid though it is) and monitor him through the registry. Isn’t that what the … thing is for? The public screams for it as a method of accountability when in reality they only want to use it as an identifier in order to ostracize and harass.
I hope he files a complaint with the NYS Department of Human Rights Division. What occurred is against Correction Law and Human Rights Law that protects him. I know of one or two PFR who lost their employment or was not hired and successfully sued and won back pay. One guy one enough to pay his rent and food for several months. Unfortunately, it does not amend his lost of employment or his experience, but the NYSHRD does impose penalties. From my understanding NYS is suppose to be a fair and second chance state. They even post some state or city jobs that did not mind if a person had a felony. This is just unfair.
Says a lot about the hiring process in these cases. No background check, but suddenly panic when a person’s prior legal or employment history finely comes up. The guy could run for president, but they have an issue with him at this level. His offenses were easily enough found. He must not have given off “The Pervert Vibe” that they expected from PFRs. What’s that saying, “We sleep among you. You just aren’t aware of it”. 😴🤫😎