Brockport passes resolution on terms, conditions of police chief employment

Brockport passes resolution on terms,
conditions of police chief employment

The Brockport Chief of Police was out of town when the village board passed a resolution that carried with it changes to the terms, conditions and salary of his employment with Brockport. The information was not released because the chief, who was on vacation, had not seen the new terms.

"The Brockport village board established new terms and conditions of the chief's employment and the resolution was passed," Mayor Morton Wexler said. "We gave the chief a memo on September 28 which spelled out the terms and that's what we voted on. We (the board) felt there were time constraints and that's why we voted."

It was at the October 17 meeting that the resolution passed by a three to two margin. Wexler, Trustees Maria Castaneda and Mary Jo Nayman approved the resolution while Trustee David Wagenhauser voted against. Trustee Carrie Maziarz abstained.

"I voted against this entire process from the beginning, back when it all started," Wagenhauser said. "Frankly, we had no opportunity to even read the entire resolution before it was given to us for a vote."

"Apparently," Wagenhauser said, "negotiations are over at this point."

Maziarz has decided, she said, to abstain from all motions on the police chief's contract issues. "Until this is permanently resolved, I will be abstaining," she said. "I didn't vote to disaffirm the contract and I didn't vote on Monday's (October 17) resolution."

The resolution was brought before the board and the public, following a 45-minute executive session to discuss the matter.

"The resolution was handed to us and I, and perhaps one of the other board members, had no prior knowledge of it even though it was drafted by the village attorney," Maziarz said. "The salary was contrived by the mayor without the board being informed of it."

Maziarz and Wagenhauser said even during the executive session no mention of the chief's salary or of the pending resolution was brought up. "There was ample opportunity for us to be informed of this," she said. "The way it was done is in violation of open government." With the passage of the resolution, Maziarz and Wagenhauser said, the theory of there being any negotiation on the terms and conditions of the chief's employment are moot.

Wexler said the terms, as proposed by the resolution, take effect immediately. Chief Dan Varrenti was unavailable for comment.