A meeting attended by about 250 residents of Frederick Shores in Babylon Village last month was the latest salvo in a legal war between the members of the Fred Shores Beach Club, and a resident there, Paul Palmieri. Michael Schulman, an attorney representing the club and its 140 members said that he is attempting to resolve the spate of lawsuits, some of which date back more than a decade. Thelawsuits deal with the activities at the beach, which was deeded to the homeowners in Frederick Shores by Cadman Frederick. Palmeri maintains in a number of lawsuits that the homeowners conduct activities down there that are noisy, disruptive and illegal. He charges that his property has been damaged and that the residents are operating outside of the limits of how the beach is supposed to operate. Residents, meanwhile, say Palmieri is using the court system and lawsuits to intimidate them into abandoning the beach and has been harassing them for years. There are at least four outstanding lawsuits against the beach club, its members and vendors, and another two against Lisa Ludwig, an officer of the club. But closing the club is not an option, according to the residents. "The last meeting shows that we have the support of residents, as well as the support of the Mayor, the Town and the County against this man who is doing everything he can to take over this property," said Ludwig. "Thathas helped us in this fight." "They (the members) are not the victims here," countered Palmieri. "I am the victim. I have had my property destroyed and my complaints bear that out." Schulman called Palmieri's charges against his client, "totally false." Themeeting was the first in a long time and one that seemed to boost the spirits of the residents. "It was a wonderful meeting," said Ludwig. "We had about 250 people and we are all working together to find out the best way to fight this because what is happening here is unjust."

In photo, S.C. Leg. Wayne Horsley, center and Babylon Village Mayor Ralph Scordino, right, monitor the meeting of the Fred Shores Beach Club. The standing-room-only crowd at last month's meeting allowed Schulman to give the beach club members an update on the legal status of the cases, most of which are ongoing. At one point, the meeting was interrupted when Uzo Akujuo, of the Coalition of Landlords Homeowners & Merchants Inc., a not for profit group based in Babylon Village, attempted to get into the meeting and police were called. Akujuo was denied access since the meeting was for Fred Shore members only, said Ludwig. Palmieri is an officer with the Coalition, and one of his attorneys in a suit against the Fred Shores Club, Judith Berger, works for the organization. Palmieri said Berger is representing him "personally," however and he declined to comment on whether he is paying her out of his personal funds or she is being paid by the Coalition, which could be a violation of state law.Palmieri did say, however, that he knows the law, and that he obeys it.

"If the beach club people would do the same, there would be no problems," said Palmieri. "But instead they have their rallying cry that I am a bully when they are the bullies."

Ludwig countered that every letter and other piece of correspondence the club gets from Palmieri is on Coalition letterhead, and the Coalition is listed as a plaintiff in the cases Palmieri brings against the club. "He can say what he wants, but the fact is that he is involving the Coalition in his personal lawsuits against me and the club," said Ludwig. Palmieri is well known throughout the Town through his organization, which has taken a stand on a number of controversial issues, many dealing with zoning. The Coalition opposed the Town of Babylon's efforts to establish a community court for such violations and "provides economical assistance to landlords, merchants and residential property owners in their defense of alleged violations of housing standards, ordinances, and statutes" according to its mission statement.