Yorktown Board Cancels Contract Behind Closed Doors

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 3, 2023

Yorktown Board Cancels Contract Behind Closed Doors

At 9pm Last night, Supervisor Tom Diana appeared on News 12 and told residents that he and the Town Board had ‘released’ Competitive Carting from their contract during a closed session meeting on Friday. This announcement came after nine months of unanswered questions, abrupt policy changes, and - according to Supervisor Diana - missed pickups for more than 40,000 residents.

Supervisor Diana’s previous message to residents, issued Friday at 9:45pm, indicated that the company’s workers were striking because they had not been paid.

The New York State Open Meetings Law requires any expenditure of money to be done in an open session of the board. As such, if Tom Diana and the Town Board canceled the contract in closed session, the legality of this action may be in question. With the Town already engaged in multiple other lawsuits regarding the award of the contract, a closed-door contract award could bring significant consequences.

Without an open meeting, the award of a new contract could also place the Town in legal jeopardy over the new contract.

Mirchandani said, "Once again, Tom Diana and the Town Board are playing fast and loose with Yorktown’s finances - and they’ve told residents nothing. If Competitive was fired on Friday, then why were they still doing pickup? How much have these emergency haulers cost the Town? Tom Diana and the Town Board managed the Town into a 9% tax hike just to keep the lights on: Now they’re nine months late to fixing their own mistake, and all of us are going to have to pay.”

Marron said: “Look, Yorktown hired Competitive before, back in 2012 - before it went bankrupt under a different name. They had the same problems! Missed pickups, sketchy finances… and they treated their workers like dirt. Tom Diana and the Town Board knew this: Councilman Ed Lachterman even said he had more confidence in Competitive because they went bankrupt. They hired Competitive anyway, and kept them afloat for nine months. Now they’re closing contracts and spending money where we can’t watch?"

Shaw said: "Tom Diana and the Town Board are just irresponsible. They waited nine months to do the right thing for the people of Yorktown, but they have continued to show a lack of leadership. For nine months, we’ve had no answers: Competitive’s sketchy finances, how the Town’s projects are progressing, what’s happening to our tax dollars. Where are we now? Tom Diana and the Town Board have either put us all in jeopardy, or they’re lying to make themselves look good.”

Election Day is on Tuesday, November 7th. Yorktown is fed up with an unaccountable, irresponsible Town Board that makes obvious mistakes and works behind closed doors. Residents want open government, new ideas, and solutions - not excuses. Support is growing for a government that puts Yorktown first: A New Day for Yorktown stands ready with solutions.

Learn more about our slate at anewdayforyorktown.com.

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