Effort to unseat Friedland fails

By TOM RUE
MONTICELLO - A petition to remove from office the elected mayor of Monticello was thrown out by the Appellate Division of NYS supreme court this week.

Robert Friedland was the subject of a lawsuit filed by losing Republican mayoral candidate Shirley Feldberg through lawyer Mark Schulman. In the petition, Schulman cited improper efforts by Friedland to obtain a job for his son as a police officer.

Friedland was defended, at taxpayer expense, by attorney Gary Greenwald of Wurtsboro, who reportedly billed the village $4700.

In a memorandum and order issued by a panel of four judges and entered by clerk Michael J. Novack of Kingston, the court ruled that "his "Friedland's] misconduct does not rise to the level necessary to precipitate removal from office under Public Officers Law Sec. 36."

"In general, courts have been reluctant to remove public officials from office for acts not involving 'allegations of self-dealing, corrupt activities, violation of a public trust.'"

"Here, respondent's conduct, and his racial references, while disgraceful, do not amount to the sort of self-dealing or violation of the public trust contemplated by Public Officer's Law Sec. 36."

Plaintiffs were ordered to pay $100 court costs.

Friedland issued a brief statement: "I am delighted at the outcome of the case. The case itself was a frifolous [sic] lawsuit which was politically motivated. At this time I look forward and will continue to do what I was elected to do, govern the Village of Monticello."

Schulman could not be reached for comment but was quoted as urging voters to remove Friedland from office in next March's election. Friedland accused Schulman of engaging is on ongoing vendetta against him since he refused to appoint Schulman village attorney two years ago.

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