The trustees of the Village of Corfu voted 4-0 on Monday to delay filing a petition with 4th Appellate Division of the NYS Supreme Court for the removal of Mayor Ralph Peterson from office.
Peterson is reportedly hospitalized and under observation by doctors. Peterson has reportedly told trustees and others that his undisclosed condition is related to stress.
After a closed session, Deputy Mayor David Bielec announced the board's decision to delay sending in the petition. The delay is intended to give Peterson time for his health to improve. The trustees want him to meet with Village Attorney Mark Boylan so Boylan can ascertain how Peterson intends to respond to the trustees' demand that he resign.
There was no response from Peterson to the board's demand for a resignation letter by 5 p.m. last Friday.
"We don't want to take any action until he's out of the hospital," Bielec said. "We want to discuss it within and get a firm decision before we go through the court procedure. It's a very expensive process and you can't know the outcome until you get there."
Trustee Art Ianni also asked the board to reconsider its aggressive approach to trying and recover more than $10,000 in missing court funds.
The trustees believe that regardless of how the funds went missing -- former court clerk Brandi Watts is accused of stealing it -- former village justice Robert Alexander is legally responsible to reimburse the village for the shortage.
Watts is the daughter of Alexander.
"Based on our budget, based on our court budget, this (the $10,000) is a small percentage of dollars," Ianni said. "I don't mind trying to recover it, but it's the kill zone we're looking at when it comes to the families and actions that might come out. I would like to ask the board to take another look at what potentially could happen from our actions. ... We could recover $10,000 and find out we destroyed two families. Is this something we could have some compassion about and say, 'Look, they've lost their jobs and their reputations?' "
When asked, though, Ianni said he would still vote yes on any motion trying to recover the funds.
I do agree with the boards
I do agree with the boards decision to get a firm answer from Peterson before they spend the funds to have him removed. I have a very deep issue with Trustee Ianni's statement about destroying 2 families. What about the court clerk and her family when she was being harassed. What about the Village Clerk and Deputy Clerk and their families when they were being harassed. What about former Mayor Skeet and his family when false charges and lies were told about him and what about my family when false charges and lies were told about me! What about the Town Board member that was attacked and told his F---ing neck was going to get broke! As far as Peterson being hospitalized for stress, The stress is caused by him being found out about all the crap he pulls and being exposed. Even at tonights meeting it was found out that he filed a insurance claim for a lawsuit the same day the letter came from the police atty without the board even knowing about it. The very same lawsuit that the board said tonight that they will not settle because of the lack of merit. The very same lawsuit that Peterson admitted he keeping info from the board because he wanted it to go thru. It might be me! but I think its a pretty big deal when your Mayor tries to get your village sued for his own personal agenda. So is he stressed! He better be!
2 families were "destroyed"
2 families were "destroyed" when $10,000 was stolen. The ones responsible for it should be held accountable, if not you're telling everyone it's ok to steal in Corfu because we don't really need all our money.
this is funny......
this is funny...... destroying a family? try and not pay a fine issued by the same court(alexander) and you'll have your license to drive suspended and a warrant for arrest will be issued.......now I wonder if this kind of action by the honorable (sarcasm) judge destroyed any families and their means to support themselves..
I remember sitting in his court, watching him act so cocky, talking down to people, smarting off to lawyers, I hope his ass is hung out to dry.....
mr. Ianni, do you know what $10,000 is? i'll tell you what $10,000 dollars is, it's 100 speeding tickets, pled down to a $100 dollar parking ticket.... better get the revenue raisers out....and say hello to bob and brandy for me...