Mount Vernon City Council Hits Snag in Attempt to Oust 5 Mayoral Appointees

MOUNT VERNON, NY — A state court ruling has temporarily stopped the Mount Vernon City Council's war on five of Mayor Richard Thomas's appointees.

During Christmas week, the City Council proposed and adopted a new ordinance declaring five key mayoral appointee offices to be vacated: the City’s Corporation Counsel, Assistant Corporation Counsel, Special Assistant to the Mayor, Commissioner of Public Works and Deputy Commissioner of Public Safety.

The council members argued that they were upholding a law requiring that those positions be held by city residents. They directed the City Comptroller to immediately terminate paying those five workers’ salaries, healthcare and other employment benefits.

The five sued on Feb. 15.

On July 5, New York State Supreme Court Justice Joan Lefkowitz granted a preliminary injunction enjoining the City Council and Comptroller from suspending, terminating or interfering with the five's salary, wages and employment benefits, and enjoining them from disrupting, obstructing or interfering with their ability to perform their employment obligations and the provision of municipal services.

"By making the legal determination that these positions were public offices subject to the residency requirement of the City Charter, the Public Officers Law and the case law decided thereunder, the City Council was likely improperly performing a judicial function since the Council purported to determine as a matter of law that the positions held by plaintiffs were vacant," the judge wrote in her order.

The five whom the City Council is trying to oust:

• Lawrence Porcari was appointed Corporation Counsel by the mayor. Porcari does not live in Mount Vernon.
• Joseph Spezio was appointed Deputy Commissioner of Public Safety. Spezio does not live in the
• city.
• Ralph Uzzi was appointed Commissioner of Public Works. He has since resigned.
• Maria Donovan was appointed as Special Assistant to the Mayor by the mayor. The record does not disclose where she resides.
• La'Teea Goings was appointed Assistant Corporation Counsel. Goings submitted an affidavit stating that she resides in the City of Mount Vernon.

The six who are being sued:

• Marcus A. Griffith, president of the City Council of the City of Mount Vernon;
• Council member Andre Wallace
• Council member Roberta L. Apuzzo
• Council member Lisa Copland
• Council member Yuhanna Edwards
• Maureen Walker, City Comptroller

The motion return date is March 21.

The lawsuit itself moves forward. The five are seeking to have the ordinance passed on Dec. 28 declared
null and void. They also seek a permanent injunction enjoining the City Council and Comptroller from terminating their employment, stopping their salaries and benefits and from interfering with the performance of their duties in their jobs.