BETTER THAN HEARSAY - Untangling the Chain

JEWETT - The unresolved legal situation in the town of Jewett, viewed from the outside, is a little bit like trying to untangle a chainsaw chain.

It looks easy and maybe it is for everyone except a doofus like me. But no matter which way I finagle the thing, it’s hard as heck to unknot.

Jewett officials, at a meeting last week, enacted 14 new Rules of Order that are generic in some ways and seemingly very pointed in others.

They were passed eight days after a contentious election with a last minute write-in campaign for town supervisor by councilman John Pumilia.

Greg Kroyer, the incumbent, handily defeated Pumilia who will be staying in office the next two years, regardless, and was the only board member to vote against the resolution containing the Rules of Order.

“We’ve had multiple disruptions of our meetings,” Kroyer said, offering the resolution. “This will go a long way toward keeping order. These are how the meetings will be conducted in the future.”

Seated in the back of the meeting room, as Kroyer spoke, was a Greene County deputy sheriff reportedly dispatched there by the sheriff’s office based upon what happened at the previous meeting, in mid-October.

That’s when Pumilia revealed his write-in bid amid nose-to-nose shouting and table banging and undeleted expletives being hurled by multiple officials. Perhaps it was all just good, old-fashioned political drama.

But it was written, in this column at that time, that Pumilia’s entry in the race came, “as mystery continues to enshroud the entire community following the execution of a search warrant by the Greene County Sheriff’s Office at the town hall in early July.”

Three sheriff’s investigators took over two hours to conduct the search, seizing “electronic devices, paper files and business records,” sheriff’s captain Joel Rowell stated in a press release at that time.

The warrant, “was the result of allegations of potentially fraudulent activity,” Rowell stated without offering specifics on what was being sought.

Town officials, on the advice of counsel, have not made the search warrant available for viewing or commented on the issue.

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Fast forwarding to today, nothing has been heard from the sheriff’s office on the inquiry that also involves the district attorney’s office.

Rumors are rampant about what the police were searching for and whether somebody has broken the law or not and whether this whole thing is just politics at its worst and will fade away now that the election is over.

Perhaps it is the same as the chainsaw chain, and the Rules of Order will smooth things nicely. But the tensions that overflowed at the October meeting had been simmering since the cops came a’ knocking.

Lines have been drawn and sides taken in what is a very clear split on the town council that overlaps to highway superintendent Bob Mallory.

Mallory is chairperson of the local Republican Party. Kroyer and Pumilia are both Republicans so if this is political, it is all nestled in the GOP family.

Ever since the police raid, it is safe to say Mallory has disrupted his share of meetings, partly because it is plain as day, sitting there seeing it, and partly because he makes no bones about doing it, and why. 

There is massive difference of opinion about Mallory’s motivations but in the past, he would generally give a monthly report on his department - culverts fixed and roads paved, etc. - and be done for the night.

Something has changed since the cops came knocking. Mallory, for years, has been seated at the head table with the five board members and town clerk, Maya Carl, but he will no longer be there as per the new rules.

Rule of Order #12 states that henceforth only town board members and the town clerk can sit at the main table while,“all other town officials and the public shall be seated in the audience area.”

It would seem to apply strictly to Mallory since he is the only other person seated at the main table besides the town attorney, although he isn’t mentioned and presumably will stay put whenever he is present.

Rule of Order #13 states that, “if necessary, the supervisor may retain/appoint a Sergeant of Arms to maintain the civility of the meeting, and have those interrupting or preventing the meeting from proceeding, to be removed from town property.”

Council members, at their November 12 session, also okayed a “Motion to Amend the Recording of Meeting Minutes,” a task performed by Carl.

Carl, since the police raid, has changed her methodology, saying she is writing the Minutes “verbatim” rather than the usual concise summary.

Those summaries were a page or two. Writing it “verbatim” takes as many as 13 pages, a style that four of the five board members have declined to accept, leaving Pumilia as the lone potential approver.

Carl said she is doing it to let the public know exactly what’s being said and by whom at the meetings, but councilman James Pellitteri said the Minutes are not word-for-word and verbatim as she claims.

“I did a lot of homework,” Pellitteri said, explaining that he listened carefully to the tapes and discovered “notable omissions, approximately twenty percent of the total content.

“If verbatim is used, it should be applied consistently,” Pellitteri said, more than suggesting that sections were inexplicably omitted involving Mallory raising his voice and the proceedings being disrupted.

Carl is the town GOP vice-chairperson. Asked about the alleged omissions, she said Mallory is not involved in voting or decision-making on any town board matters so he is not included in the Minutes in that regard.

Pellitteri offered the Motion to Amend the Recording of Meeting Minutes which was approved 4 to 1, with Pumilia casting the lone “no” vote.

“The town board moves that the recording of meeting minutes be amended to return to a summary format rather than a verbatim transcription,” the Motion states.

“The summary should capture the key points, decisions and actions from the meeting, while still recording any motions and votes verbatim. 

“This change aims to improve the accuracy and usability of the minutes, making them more concise and easier to review.

“Additionally, this approach will save time for both the [town clerk] and those reviewing the minutes.,” the Motion states.

“The recorded minutes will still be available for those who wish to hear the exact words spoken during the meeting, ensuring transparency and allowing for detailed review when necessary,” the Motion states.

“If you are looking for accuracy and details, then recorded audio and/or video will give the best of both. The recorded audio/video can be made available, posting it on the [town] web page,” the Motion states.