The former Saratoga Springs Public Works Commissioner and his deputy, who remains in the post, are being accused of official misconduct by the city police department.
Jason Golub left his role as head of the city’s second largest department in August for a position with the state Department of Corrections and Community Supervision.
Public Safety Commissioner Tim Coll issued a statement Thursday announcing the accusations against Golub and Deputy Commissioner Joe O’Neill.
Reached by WAMC, a lawyer for Golub said the allegation is “based entirely on a clogged sink, a jug of Draino and 8 minutes of assistance from a city DPW worker. Criminalizing this raises grave concerns regarding the motivation and judgement of those who decided to make this allegation.”
Other details about the incident in question were not immediately clear.
It was before Coll was elected to his first term last year when, in 2022, the retired FBI agent criticized Golub for comments he made during a discussion on an aggressive panhandling resolution. At the time, Golub raised concerns that city police might believe false testimony from a “rich white lady.” Coll complained about that comment.
“I did make a referral, because he’s a lawyer, to his place of employment. I made a referral to the Bar Association as well because no one, no lawyer, no law enforcement official, again, should be making comments on people’s status. And that did bother me quite a bit,” said Coll.
Coll says their relationship is now cordial and that his previous complaint is not related to the charges.
Coll emphasized that he did not direct the police department to bring the charges, saying the matter originated with the state comptroller. Golub and O’Neill were directed to appear in city court on November 21st to answer the misdemeanor charge.
Democratic Accounts Commissioner Dillon Moran says the charges “should be deeply troubling to everyone.”
“I said it, I’ll say it again, this is a new low, I cannot believe this is what’s going on,” said Moran.
Republican Mayor John Safford declined an interview request from WAMC.