Friedland censured over phone bill flap --
Cummings threatens lawsuit

By TOM RUE

MONTICELLO - The Monticello village board voted on May 8 to formally censure mayor Robert Friedland for allegedly prying into confidential cellular phone bills of police chief Michael Brennan, in a measure put forth by fellow Democratic trustee Gloria Cahalan.

Brennan claimed the invasion of privacy could have endangered confidential informants whose numbers he said were on the bill. Friedland countered that he was investigating costs involved in a trip to Texas by Brennan and village manager William Cummings.

Friedland also faces heavy criticism for muscling Brennan, in a taped conversation, to give special hiring treatment to his son in his application to become a police officer.

The existence of the February 8 tape was anonymously leaked to The Times Herald-Record after the issue erupted between the two about the phone bill in April. The newspaper then obtained it under the Freedom of Information Law and published a transcript.

Friedland's lone supporter was trustee Michael Levinson. He and a visibly angered Friedland voted against the measure.

Applause came from a Wurtsboro resident in the audience, former village attorney Mark Schulman, as the vote came down against his former boss. No love has been lost between the pair since Schulman was fired last year after steering the village through numerous defeats in the infamous "musical chairs" case.

Over the past year Schulman has mounted signs outside his law office. One referred to "the village idiot." A current one reads, "Bye bye, Bobby," evidently referring to the mayor.

After being fired, Schulman changed political affiliations -- renouncing his former Democratic affiliation and enrolling as a Conservative. He cheered the appointment of Conservative party chair George Panchyshyn as interim village manager, after Cummings' recent resignation. Panchyshyn makes $52,000 as village director of public works and agreed to take no pay hike for the temporary boost in power and prestige.

In the same meeting, Schulman served officials with a notice of claim on behalf of Cummings, threatening suit for $45,000 over denial of $12,500 in severance pay and other perks. Cummings voluntarily quit after being asked repeatedly by the board to reconsider and not do so. He did not have a contract.

Cummings lives in the Town of Wallkill.