A Saratoga Springs commissioner has officially been censured by the city council after a judge ruled he intentionally withheld public information. Tensions flared during the Tuesday meeting when the measure passed.
On Friday, Accounts Commissioner Dillon Moran, a Democrat, was found guilty in a case that stems from three FOIL requests made by the city’s GOP committee chair Mike Brandi.
City Judge Jeff Wait found Moran had knowingly and willfully concealed documents from the public that should have been released through the FOIL requests made by Brandi last spring, and ordered Moran to pay a $660 fine.
While Moran intends to appeal the decision, Public Safety Commissioner Tim Coll, who was elected in 2023 with GOP backing, presented a last-minute addition to his agenda for Tuesday’s city council meeting – a censure of Moran.
After some contentious back and forth over introducing the resolution to Coll’s agenda, Democratic Finance Commissioner Minita Sanghvi stepped in.
“Ok, you know what, all of you guys have been acting like little kids! I’m just tired of this nonsense. Mr. Coll, just wait your turn, it’s fine, you’ll get your moment,” said Sanghvi.
“It’s not a moment, I’m trying to find out the correct process because people are here listening to—I’m trying to be respectful of people’s time,” said Coll.
“Oh, they’re here for this?” asked Moran.
“We don’t have a large audience, if they are very motivated, they will stay until your agenda,” said Sanghvi.
The resolution “rebukes” Moran’s “unlawful prevention of public access to records” and calls on New York Governor Kathy Hochul to investigate Moran’s conduct and “to take all actions deemed necessary and appropriate.”
Sangvhi also questioned Coll’s urgency in passing the ordinance.
“Why can’t this wait until the next September meeting?”
“Because I believe it’s our job as leaders when there’s conduct that’s egregious and misappropriate that we should call that conduct out,” said Coll.
The resolution passed 3-2 along party lines.
