October 1, 2009

Still waiting for a meeting

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The meeting has yet to happen.

Whitehall Mayor Francis “Fra” Putorti and his Granville counterpart, Jay Niles, said in August they planned to meet together sometime after the Labor Day holiday to discuss the situation regarding monies owed to Whitehall.

“I talked to Tony (Jordan) today and he’s is waiting to hear back from them,” said Putorti.

Whitehall is looking for just over $12,000 in funds under the General Municipal Law after Granville hired former Whitehall police officer Mark Morrill. Morrill had been a member of the Whitehall force for just over a year before leaving for Granville, and had completed his training.

Jordan, the Whitehall village attorney and New York state assemblyman, sent a letter to Granville officials in August informing them that Whitehall planned to file suit against Granville for monies Whitehall officials felt were owed to them under Municipal Law 72-C.

The law states that if an officer was trained by one municipality and leaves before the end of three years of service to a similar municipality, then the one that trained the officer can seek compensation from the other for the funds used to train the officer.

Putorti said he was told by Jordan that the village of Granville was looking into whether the law could be used in its favor, as well.

“I think that he (Granville village attorney Mike Martin) is looking into the fact about getting some money back from us on officers that we have hired from them in the past,” said Putorti. “My understanding on the law though, is that there is a three-year window that a municipality needs to make a claim under.”

Putorti said the hiring of any officers by Whitehall away from the Granville force happened longer than three years ago.

“I think these would go back to when Chief Rizzo was here,” said Putorti.

Putorti said he still wants to meet with Granville, but that Whitehall’s intentions remained the same.

“Right now, we’re just waiting for our money,” said Putorti.