HomeMy WebLinkAboutB - 01 Town Board Minutes 08/07/2023
AUGUST 7, 2023 3:15 P.M.
SPECIAL TOWN BOARD MEETING
The Special Meeting of the Town Board of the Town of Cortlandville was held at the Peter
Alteri Jr. Municipal Garage, 3587 Terrace Road, Cortland, New York with Supervisor Williams
presiding.
Members present: Supervisor, Thomas A. Williams
Councilman, Jay E. Cobb
Councilman, David J. Donlick
Councilman, Gregory K. Leach
Town Clerk, Kristin E. Rocco-Petrella
Absent: Councilman, Jeffrey D. Guido
Others present: Town Attorney, John DelVecchio; Deputy Town Clerk, Abigail Albro;
Assistant to the Supervisor, Amanda Rainbow.
Supervisor Williams called the Special Meeting to order. He explained that he requested
the special meeting, that the appropriate notice was given, and that notice was posted in all the
required places. Public participation was also permitted, however there were no requests for
privilege of the floor.
Supervisor Williams explained there was one new business item. With the exception of
Councilman Guido who was excused from the meeting, the Town Board met with the Town
Attorney in an attorney-client meeting earlier today to discuss an ongoing situation in the Town
concerning the number of Town Justice positions. He asked Attorney DelVecchio to read aloud
what he prepared.
Attorney DelVecchio explained there was an attorney-client meeting today in which
several legal issues were discussed. One of which was to eliminate the position of second
Cortlandville Town Justice pursuant to Section 60-a of Town Law. Attorney DelVecchio read the
resolution aloud, which if adopted would be subject to mandatory referendum.
Supervisor Williams asked for a motion to adopt the resolution as read by Attorney
DelVecchio. Councilman Cobb made a motion, seconded by Councilman Donlick to adopt a
resolution to eliminate the position of second Cortlandville Town Justice pursuant to Section 60-a
of Town Law subject to mandatory referendum. No further comments or discussion was heard.
RESOLUTION #243 ELIMINATE POSITION OF SECOND CORTLANDVILLE
TOWN JUSTICE PURSUANT TO SECTION 60-a OF TOWN
LAW
Motion by Councilman Cobb
Seconded by Councilman Donlick
VOTES: AYE – Williams, Cobb, Donlick, Leach NAY – 0
ABSENT – Guido
ADOPTED
WHEREAS, by Resolution adopted pursuant to Section 60-a of the Town Law on February 6, 2013,
the Town Board increased the number of Town Justices for the Town of Cortlandville Local Criminal
Court from one to two; and
WHEREAS, since the adoption of that Resolution, the Court has incurred substantial financial losses
as a result; and
WHEREAS, the Court has decreased its arraignments pursuant to the centralized arraignment
program in the Sixth Judicial District as after hour arraignments are now handled outside the Town
Court; and
WHEREAS, the Town Board has determined that it is in the best interest of the Town to rescind the
Town Justice position created in the February 6, 2013 Resolution to improve efficient and effective
operation of the Court and to better serve the people of the Town;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, pursuant to Section 60-a of the Town Law the second
position of Cortlandville Town Justice is eliminated; and
IT IS FURTHER RESOLVED, that this resolution is adopted by the Town Board subject to
mandatory referendum as provided in Section 94 of the Town Law.
AUGUST 7, 2023 SPECIAL TOWN BOARD MEETING PAGE 2
Supervisor Williams instructed Attorney DelVecchio to email the information to the Board of
Elections Office today.
No further comments or discussion was heard.
Supervisor Williams adjourned the meeting at 3:19 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Kristin E. Rocco-Petrella, RMC
Town Clerk
Town of Cortlandville
*Note:
The draft version of this meeting was submitted to the Town Board for their review on August 8, 2023.
The final version of this meeting was approved as written at the Town Board meeting of , 2023.