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New Rochelle Mayor Yolanda Ramos-Herbert

Funding Legal Services for Settlement Between City and Kathleen Gill Approved

By Stephen E. Lipken

New Rochelle Mayor Yolanda Ramos-Herbert convened the July 17th City Council Regular Legislative Meeting, with Commissioner of Development Adam Salgado disseminating a Resolution creating the position of Office Manager, eliminating the position of Planner within the Department of Development. Thus was approved.

Next was a Resolution approving funding of $5,460 for legal services rendered for a settlement agreement between the City and former City Manager Kathleen Gill.

Councilman Albert Tarantino questioned Ramos-Herbert’s authority to sign the agreement to hire an outside attorney, saying that it required Council’s approval.  “In the agreement with Keane and Beane, on the page right before the signature of Principal Sharon Berlin it says, ‘If this agreement is acceptable, please sign and return the original of this letter and retain the signed copy for the City’s files and also attach a copy of Council minutes, containing a Resolution authorizing this retainer.’

“This retainer does not exist. How can we allocate over $5,000 to an agreement that does not exist? We are not following processes.  We should reach out to an outside counsel to move forward on this. We cannot move forward based upon what we have in front of us. It is not a legal document,” Tarantino averred.

“Under the Charter, I do have the authority to approve the retainer agreement,” Corporate Counsel Dawn Warren replied. “The mayor does have the authority to appoint Counsel.” The Resolution was approved by Roll Call Vote, with Tarantino dissenting.

Other Legislation included Resolution authorizing City Manager to submit grant applications to requisite state and federal agencies relative for Quaker Ridge Road Green Infrastructure Improvements (QRRGII) and Quaker Ridge Road for Complete Streets Project (QRRCS); and 6-month temporary moratorium to suspend building permits, land use approvals and certificate of occupancy for vape shops, smoke shops and tobacco or vape consumption businesses.