Outgoing Plattsburgh Mayor Chris Rosenquest’s call for an investigation into what he calls “an undercurrent of manipulation and deceit” over police department affairs has set off a political firestorm in the Lake City just days before the election to replace him.
On Friday afternoon, Plattsburgh’s outgoing Democratic mayor issued a six-page memo that calls on the Common Council to approve a formal investigation into what he calls inappropriate influence by a city councilor over the police department.
Mayor Chris Rosenquest cites a September 8, 2024 email from Ward 3 Councilor Elizabeth Gibbs. He characterizes the contents as “making fantastical claims...” and containing “unfounded, fabricated and defamatory claims” about members of the police department.
“Why I’m calling on this investigation and I’m calling for an investigation, is to finally shed light on it. Rather than sending messages of innuendo and accusations, you know, I’m clearly out here in the public making these claims because I know it’s the truth and I know it can be proved,” Rosenquest contends. “But, again, I’m now saying and asking for this Council to step up and address these issues and address all of the issues, not just the ones that Miss Gibbs has claimed against me, but all the issues that I’m addressing here in this memo.”
Gibbs fired back, questioning his criticism of her September email, the timing of the mayor’s memo, and his suggestions of “a nefarious connection” between retired Police Lieutenant Jarrod Trombley and current Democratic mayoral candidate Wendell Hughes.
“I don’t think that there is any possibility of any fair and reasonable and just investigation while this mayor is a part of it. I think absolutely everything should be investigated in January when we have a new mayor. But not right now,” insists Gibbs. “He has 60 days left in office. He would be the point person for any investigation because employees work for him. His corporation counsel works closely with him, labor attorney works basically for him. We don’t direct the labor counsel to do one thing or another. It would be impossible for an investigation to be done fairly and with justice in mind while this mayor is still in office. So, I think that would be an excellent idea when we have a new mayor.”
Gibbs defeated Rosenquest in June’s primary for the ward seat.
Gibbs had advocated to promote former Police Lieutenant Jarrod Trombley to chief, but according to the mayor’s memo, an investigation determined that Trombley drove around the city without a clear assignment, parked at personal locations and used a city-issued cell phone while on duty to make personal phone calls. He faced disciplinary charges and signed a settlement admitting neglect of duty and retired.
Republican mayoral candidate Don Kasprzak, a former longtime mayor, says an investigation is warranted.
“The mayor has some good points regarding the lack of cooperation by some council members because they themselves had made up their mind they wanted Jarrod Trombley to be their choice for probably a couple years now and that didn’t happen,” noted Kasprzak. “So it was a very challenging situation if you were a mayor to try to get somebody that’s very qualified without the votes.”
Among the personal calls former Lieutenant Trombley made, according to Rosenquest, were to Hughes, who questions the timing of Rosenquest’s memo.
“There was nothing inappropriate about our conversations and it didn’t say there was anything inappropriate. I do support a complete investigation as mentioned just to clear up these wild accusations that were made. I don’t have a problem. I’ll show anybody my text messaging with Jarrod Trombley,” Hughes says. “But it’s just, the timing of is what I question. He’s had this phone for two months now. Why wait until the day before early voting?”
Gibbs also criticizes the timing of the mayor’s memo.
“It’s just a carefully timed decision to try and derail Wendell Hughes’ campaign because he wants Don Kasprzak to be the next mayor.”
Kasprzak chuckles over that.
“Quite frankly the Mayor and I don’t know each other that well. For her to tie me into this I think is pretty humorous. Talk about trying to help another candidate: all six councilors have endorsed Wendell Hughes,” notes Kasprzak. “So I would try to reverse that and say I think that she and her colleagues are trying to help Wendell.”
Rosenquest insists the timing of the memo is not politically motivated.
“One of the reasons why I’m calling on this investigation primarily is to address the concerns that Miss Gibbs has against me and my office along with a number of other things that we have found into the actions of this former police officer. But no other particular timing other than this is when the memo’s been sent,” explains Rosenquest.
Rosenquest plans to put a resolution before councilors at their next meeting on November 7th to approve an independent investigation.
Text of Councilor Gibbs' email responding to Mayor Rosenquest's memo:
In response to Mr. Rosenquest's 6-page manifesto, please accept this as my official response:
"The timing of Mr. Rosenquest's 6-page manifesto to the media is all about timing: early voting for the City of Plattsburgh Mayor begins tomorrow, Oct. 26, 2024.
By making claims and accusations of wrong-doing against Councilors who support the candidate who won the Democratic Primary in June--and even suggesting a nefarious connection between retired Lieutenant Jarrod Trombley and that same candidate--Mr. Rosenquest seeks only to further his vendettas and abuse the power of his office to do so. He wants to harm Wendell Hughes' candidacy for his own benefit.
I have been the most vocal, fierce, and unrelenting critic of Mr. Rosenquest during his entire administration. He has proven over and over that he will bear a grudge and hurt anyone who gets in the way.
Let's start in reverse: the Sept. 8th email Mr. Rosenquest references was addressed to Council to provide context and truth to what happened in the Executive Session where we discussed a matter of employment. There is no expectation of privacy on City email. Therefore, communicating on that platform is open government. If I had wanted to hide my communication, I would have done so on private email or text messages.
What happened in that Executive Session was a confidential matter. In his manifesto today, Mr. Rosenquest violates the confidential nature of the meeting, reveals confidential elements of Mr. Trombley's settlement, and attempts to draw a nefarious relationship between Lieutenant Trombley and Mayoral Candidate Wendell Hughes.
In that Executive Session, I asked Chief Mitchell one simple question: at any time, did you direct Lieutenant Trombley to stop doing these things. Chief Mitchell's response was clear: no, he never did.
Mr. Rosenquest goes on to vilify retired Chief Racicot and make ridiculous claims of a nefarious relationship that was formed. Let's set the record straight on that, too.
In 2019, then Mayor Colin Read invited Chief Racicot to become a consultant for Public Safety. Mayor Read held many meetings, inviting Chief Racicot to advise on police, fire, and code enforcement matters. His involvement helped provide real solutions for the problems and even helped shape the rental registry law that was passed later. When the Butchino incident became public in 2020, Chief Racicot was asked to advise by Mayor Read. But let's be clear: the incident happened, Chief Racicot was not in charge of the police department at the time, and the officers involved were disciplined. Chief Ritter's removal was not a witch hunt: what I brought to the Council in 2020 as concerns were NOT fabricated. They were met with a unanimous vote from every Councilor present to conduct the investigation. The investigation happened and action was taken.
Mr. Rosenquest also received advice from Chief Racicot during the early part of his tenure. But, Mr. Rosenquest doesn't want the public to know any of those facts.
Another lie Mr. Rosenquest makes in his manifesto is his statement about trying to mend our working relationship following a very public confrontation, to which Councilor Jeff Moore was witness. That confrontation happened exactly as I stated in 2021. His attempt to wave the incident away as trivial or small does not hold up to the facts: putting his finger in my face, using the 'f' word repeatedly, and yelling at me because I was asking for budgetary information that he refused to supply. After that, we were supposed to have a mediator work with us, to which I only agreed if the meeting would be recorded. The individual who was supposed to do that for us would not participate if it were recorded. He offered to find another mediator to do that work but never followed through.
I have defeated Mr. Rosenquest in the Democratic Primary, which clearly has eaten at him, and I have continued to be an outspoken critic. He takes aim at me as another way to silence me and--by association--derail Wendell Hughes's campaign. I am confident the public will see this for what it is: a carefully timed attack to derail Wendell Hughes's campagin to favor Don Kasprzak."
Thank you, Elizabeth Gibbs
