Comments closedToday the Village of Mamaroneck Democratic Committee calls upon Christie Derrico to resign her position as Village Attorney. Ms. Derrico has recently announced her intention to run for Village Justice. Her candidacy poses conflicts with her staying in her current position. The position of Village Attorney requires that the attorney be a nonpartisan counselor who can give the Village Board legal advice without personal or political considerations coming into play.
Said Village Democratic Chair Elsa Puerto Rubin, “By appearing on the Republican and Conservative ballot with Trustee Ybarra and the other Republican/Conservative challengers, Ms. Derrico has put herself in a position that could create conflicts of interest as well as the appearance of impropriety which all lawyers are ethically bound to avoid.”
Ms. Dericco’s appointment to the position of Village Attorney created much controversy in December because it was a violation of Village law. The Board of Trustees had to amend the law in order to allow the hiring retroactively. Then the Village was required to pay $5,000 to the former Village Attorney to settle her claims against the Village.
“A well-respected and experienced lawyer was fired to put Ms. Derrico on the payroll. Now we find that the Village Attorney’s position was not the job Ms. Dericco desired after all. She can’t have it both ways, she must resign” stated Village Democratic Vice Chair Elizabeth Saenger.
If Ms Derrico doesn’t resign the Committee hopes that a majority of the Board will vote to remove her so that the Village legal matters can be handled in a nonpartisan, nonpolitical fashion.
Sorry, but comments are closed | | 16198