by Kristina Gabalski
Standing up for yourself is the American way, attorney Michael A. Burger says regarding Brockport Mayor Connie Castaneda’s intent to sue the village over her arrest by Brockport Police on charges of official misconduct and falsifying business records.
Burger has filed a notice of claim for the mayor which states the village violated the mayor’s constitutional rights and caused her to unnecessarily incur attorney’s fees.
“The Village of Brockport falsely, maliciously, unlawfully, for a purpose other than to see the interests of justice served and without jurisdiction, warrant, consent or probable cause, accused, summonsed, arrested and prosecuted (the mayor),” the document states.
Mayor Castaneda is claiming damage and injuries for false arrest, abuse of process, humiliation, defamation, attorney’s fees, out of pocket expenses, aggravation and the value of time wasted by this prosecution.
Unless the claim is paid within 30 days, the mayor intends to begin legal action against the village to recover her damages, the document states.
Mayor Castaneda is accused of illegally renting out an apartment in her single family home and has pleaded not guilty to 14 counts of official misconduct and two counts of falsifying business records.
Burger says the mayor is not only standing up for herself, but also for her constituents.
“If the mayor will not stand up, what citizen will?” he asks.
He calls the allegations personal in nature and political payback by Brockport Police Chief Daniel Varrenti because the mayor has been a proponent of making cuts to the police department – an, “unjustifiable tax burden on (the) citizens” of Brockport, Burger said.
“We’re going to stand up to this bully,” he said of Chief Varrenti. Chief Varrenti told Westside News Inc., “I believe it’s best for me not to comment relative to the mayor’s lawsuit.”
He has stated that the charges filed against the mayor speak for themselves.
Brockport Village Trustee Carol Hannan has been a strong supporter of the Brockport Police Department and Chief Varrenti.
She says she would like to speak about the mayor’s actions but hopes that residents understand she must remain silent so as not to give cause for additional costly lawsuits.
“It’s my privilege, however, to say that Chief Varrenti has my complete confidence and support,” Hannan notes, “not only as a highly trained and honored police chief but as an honest, ethical and compassionate person whose entire career has been dedicated to the highest standards of law enforcement. Our police department is a credit to the Village of Brockport and in my opinion, is second to none, largely due to his leadership. No self-serving, unproven accusations will change my opinion of Chief Varrenti or the Brockport Police Department.”
The investigation which led to the charges against the mayor was conducted by the Brockport Police Department, Brockport Code Enforcement Office, the Monroe County District Attorney’s Office and the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office.
Trustee Kent Blair says the DA’s office was involved from the very beginning of the investigation. “I can’t see how this is an issue about our police department. I will support our police department and the DA’s office and let the case speak for itself and not try it in the media.”
