Two residents are suing the city of Plattsburgh after the Common Council approved a controversial police chief appointment and failed to release two consultant reports on the department.
Attorney Frank Zappala stood across the street from his law office with the two plaintiffs filing the civil lawsuits against the city.
“The first lawsuit is challenging the release of the two consultant reports that the mayor is refusing to release to the public. The second lawsuit challenges the appointment of the new chief of police and the procedures that they used to advance that,” Zappala announced.
City resident April Wood is seeking the release of the consultant’s reports on the Police Department. She has been unsuccessful in her attempts to obtain the documents through the state Freedom of Information Law.
“Despite the mayor publicly acknowledging the existence of the report, the city of Plattsburgh repeatedly denied to me that any such report existed," Wood relates. "Only after the lawsuit was filed did the city finally admit that the report does in fact exist. The findings must be made public. This is not just a transparency issue, it now appears to be a deliberate coverup.”
Meanwhile, resident Joan Janson is challenging the process used to appoint Jarrod Trombley as the city’s new police chief. Last year, former Mayor Chris Rosenquest, a Democrat, placed then-Lieutenant Trombley on administrative leave for misconduct, falsifying records and other charges. Trombley signed a settlement and retired in September. The agreement stated that if Trombley ever returned to the department, he could only be appointed as a lieutenant. Mayor Wendell Hughes, a Democrat who took office in January, rehired Trombley.
Janson says records obtained through the Freedom of Information Law show the mayor subsequently did not follow proper procedures to appoint Trombley as Police Chief.
“This past May, Mayor Wendell Hughes asked the Clinton County Department of Personnel whether Trombley could be promoted to chief. But he did not disclose the settlement agreement. Relying on incomplete information the personnel department approved the appointment on May 13th. On May 14th the mayor modified the settlement agreement. The next day, on May 15th, the Common Council voted 5 to 1 to appoint Trombley chief of police," Janson outlined. "This raises serious legal and ethical concerns.”
Janson says a key factor leading to her filing the lawsuit was the May 15th Common Council meeting.
“April was the first to speak and they threw her out.”
During that meeting, Wood and Mayor Hughes had a tense exchange.
“That’s warning number one,” Hughes told Wood.
“You know what the problem is? You don’t like what I have to say about your candidate!” exclaimed Wood.
“I’ve heard what you’ve had to say," Hughes countered. "You’re directed to leave the podium and exit the room, please.”
“I’m not leaving the room,” Wood declared.
Hughes motioned to a police officer, “Lieutenant.”
At City Hall Thursday, Mayor Hughes refused – through his assistant – to comment, citing pending litigation.
The lawsuits, filed in Clinton County Supreme Court, ask for the release the consultant’s reports and to nullify the Common Council’s vote and the appointment of Trombley as police chief.
Calls to the Mayor Pro-Tem and the city’s corporation counsel were not returned Thursday.
