Wallkill Town Supervisor DenDanto Faces Criticism Over In-Person Work Hours

Frank DenDanto III returned to the Wallkill Town Supervisor's office after four years out of power, but his schedule since resuming the role has drawn sharp criticism: he has been working at town hall only in the evenings, while keeping a full-time day job during business hours.

Republican challenger Jill Wilkins went public with the complaint in the early months of the newly seated administration, arguing that DenDanto's arrangement is shortchanging the residents he was elected to serve. Wilkins said the supervisor is earning $122,000 a year and questioned whether taxpayers are getting their money's worth from a position filled only after the workday ends.

"The bylaws do allow him to do that and he stays within his right, but is it the ethical thing to do that? And it's not what we deserve. It's not what our taxpayers are paying for," Wilkins said. "They want somebody who is there. They can come to the office and have an appointment during business hours and not come during dinner time when they have to make a choice: supervisor or family."

Wilkins stopped short of calling his schedule illegal, acknowledging the town bylaws permit it, but framed the question as one of accountability and basic civic access.

DenDanto pushed back hard, saying Wilkins' criticism "shows her naivety to the job." He described himself as fully present in his role, just not in the way a traditional office-hours model demands.

"The reality is simple: I run this town wherever the work requires me to be, in the office, in meetings, on the phone, via email, and out in the community," DenDanto said. He added that leadership "is not confined to four walls. It is about accessibility, responsiveness, and results," and said he is "fully engaged in leading this town every single day. Leadership does not mean sitting behind a desk for a set number of hours to 'punch a clock'."

DenDanto said he remains committed to Wallkill residents "with integrity, transparency, and full engagement every day."

The dispute raises unresolved questions about what the town's governing documents actually require of an elected supervisor in terms of in-person availability, and whether the $122,000 salary figure Wilkins cited reflects DenDanto's current official compensation. Neither the relevant bylaw language nor independent confirmation of that salary figure was available at the time of publication. The town board has not issued a public statement on the matter.