Poughkeepsie Common Council and Mayor Sue One Another

POUGHKEEPSIE – The Common Council in Poughkeepsie has filed a lawsuit asking a Supreme Court Judge to overturn a veto issued by Mayor Rob Rolison. The lawsuit was filed on behalf of the council on December 29, 2020.

The council is represented by Lamb and Barnosky, a Long Island law firm. The lawmakers argue that Rolison exceeded his authority when he vetoed an attempt by the council to hire an outside law firm to review the Local Waterfront Revitalization Program (LWRP).

The council voted to hire an attorney to review plans for the LWRP at their August 24 meeting. Rolison vetoed the $15,000 proposal on September 3, saying in part, “I have been informed by the Director of Planning and the City Administrator that this resolution would authorize the expenditure of taxpayer funds in a manner inconsistent with good governance and fiscal prudence.”

A statement issued by Council Chairperson Sarah Salem on December 31 addressed the council’s lawsuit, saying in part “It is unfortunate that the Council had to take this step, but the Mayor’s repeated attempts to prevent the Council from performing its statutory duty have left the Council with no choice but to ask a neutral third party to resolve this dispute.”
Meanwhile, Rolison has filed a counter suit seeking an order to stop the council’s “absurd and costly bid to overturn the long-standing responsibilities of the mayor, the common council and the administration, as set forth in the city’s charter.”

The mayor said he has been willing to meet with the council to discuss and resolve the differences. “Unfortunately, the council’s actions have shown they have no interest in such dialogue, and their decision instead to take this matter directly to court will result in longstanding consequences to the city and the taxpayers who will have to foot the bill,” he said.

Eighth Ward Poughkeepsie Alderman Matt McNamara has weighed in on the common council’s lawsuit against Mayor Rob Rolison.

The council sued the mayor for his veto of their attempt to hire an outside lawyer to review the Local Waterfront Revitalization Program. Mayor Rob Rolison filed a countersuit.

Now, McNamara said the “lawsuit, allegedly filed by the entire Common Council, is completely improper and will likely be dismissed before our holiday decorations are put away. In order for the Council to commence an action against the Mayor of our City, there first must be a vote of the Council, taken at a properly noticed public meeting. That didn’t happen.”

McNamara said a “generic, non-specific motion to hire an attorney most definitely does not satisfy these important requirements. Furthermore, the manner in which this lawsuit was initiated leaves little doubt that work was underway to prepare it for some time, all without any discussion by Councilmembers sitting in their official capacity.”

He said there was no public comment, “zero transparency – nothing but a press release written by Councilmember Brannen which improperly alleged to be an official statement of the Common Council. Like the lawsuit itself, that press release was not authorized by the Council and I want my constituents of the City’s Eighth Ward to know I had nothing to do with it.”

Meanwhile, Brannen fired back on Facebook. “There was a vote by the common council. It was unanimous – meaning you voted for it. Also, the statement was drafted by our attorney, Rich Zuckerman.”