Hammond official charged with damaging sign

HAMMOND — A town planning board member was charged with a misdemeanor after admitting to urinating on a political sign Saturday at River Ledge Road near Dake Circle, state police said.

Crayton L. Buck, 78, was charged Thursday with fourth-degree criminal mischief. He is accused of damaging the sign and pulling it out of the ground after urinating on it. The incident was captured on a motion-activated trail camera that was set up by Guy W. Rosenbarker Jr. of County Route 6, troopers said.

Mr. Rosenbarker said the camera was installed because the wooden political sign had been vandalized previously. The sign notes endorsements by Concerned Residents of Hammond for Hammond Town Council seats.

"We found the sign about 20 feet away in a grassy area," Mr. Rosenbarker said. "The sign had been snapped off at its stakes and was lying in the grassy area."

Mr. Buck was issued an appearance ticket for Thursday in Town Court. Efforts to reach Mr. Buck for comment Friday were not successful.

In July, Mr. Buck criticized Concerned Residents of Hammond for its anti-wind law perspective and behavior. The comments were made at a hearing on local laws to regulate wind turbine construction in the town.

The group subsequently called for Mr. Buck's resignation from the Planning Board.

A few weeks later, a member of Concerned Residents was charged by state police with allegedly harassing Mr. Buck after the July hearing. Shane L. Marsaw, 33, of 1127 County Route 6, was charged with second-degree harassment.

The harassment charge was later dismissed because the St. Lawrence County district attorney's office declined to prosecute.

Mr. Rosenbarker, a Concerned Residents member, is the brother-in-law of Mr. Marsaw.