Brockport mayor, police chief discuss contract

It was a meeting demanded by resolution when the Village of Brockport mayor and chief of police sat down last week to discuss the chief's disaffirmed contract.

Mayor Mort Wexler said he and Chief Dan Varrenti, accompanied by Village Manager Ian Coyle and Gates Chief of Police Thomas Roche, met and he presented the village's concerns and are now waiting for the chief's response.

"The chief's primary lawyer was out of town and he is supposed to be getting back in touch with us soon," Wexler said.

Wexler said the board will sit down and see if it can get the process resolved without it going to court.

"We put our proposal out there on the table and are just waiting to receive some answers," he said.

When the board voted, by a three to two margin, to disaffirm the police chief's 10-year contract with the village, Wexler said it did so in order to "put time constraints on the process." Trustees Maria Castaneda and Mary Jo Nayman supported the contract's termination while Trustees Carrie Maziarz and David Wagenhauser vetoed the motion. Wexler broke the tie and the contract, that had been approved by the prior board, was canceled. Wexler, who was part of the board that previously approved the contract, said it "was a mistake" that he is now trying to rectify

Varrenti signed his 10-year contract with Brockport in 2002 at an annual salary of $94,366. Varrenti's only comment when asked was that the two sides did meet and that he is waiting to discuss the matter with his attorney.

There are no formal dates or timetables that have been set forth, Wexler said.

"I hope both sides want to get this resolved. The chief has our offer and the ball is in his court and he has to decide what he wants to do," Wexler said.

The issue of a court battle and subsequent legal fees, Wexler said, cannot be a factor in the village board's decision to pursue this matter.

"We are representing the taxpayers and the cost of the police chief's contract was a primary concern for me and the taxpayers," he said. "We need to do what we have to in order to reduce the cost of the police department."