Middleburgh Mayor Trish Bergan’s supporters filled the Community Center Monday to make sure she stays mayor.
But even the venue—a switch from the Village Hall so the crowd of 50-plus could attend—prompted pushback.
With little discussion, Mayor Bergan and trustees approved a resolution designating the Village Hall as their official meeting place; it can only be changed in an emergency “or with prior approval of the Village Board.”
But Deputy Mayor Tim Knight returned to that resolution—and Mayor Bergan’s “unilateral” decision to move Monday’s meeting to a bigger space--later when he asked if the audience had requested privilege of the floor a week before Monday’s meeting—village policy, he said.
“They requested it from me,” Mayor Bergan said.
When Dave Jeremenko called out from the floor, asking for clarification, Mayor Bergan offered it:
“He doesn’t want you to speak.”
“I say the mayor doesn’t follow her own policy,” Mr. Knight said.
In a special February 16 meeting called by Mr. Knight and Trustee Sheryl Adams, trustees unanimously voted “no confidence” in Mayor Bergan, largely over her handling of a FOIL request made by Mr. Jeremenko for Middleburgh Meadows records.
At the time, Mr. Knight called it “a polite way,” to ask Mayor Bergan to resign.
Other, stronger resolutions could follow, he said, if she didn’t.
Mr. Jeremenko and others who listened to the audiotape he’d shared of that meeting, disputed trustees’ depiction of events.
“It seems to me there are a lot of nefarious things going on,” said Eileen Laspaluto. “Two years ago, when Trish was voted in, I could see what was going to happen.”
Former Mayor Matthew Avitabile promised to help Ms. Bergan learn the ropes, Ms. Laspaluto said—but then didn’t show up at her first meeting.
“Tim Knight and the previous mayor work together [at the Mountain Eagle],” she continued. “He who controls the narrative controls the news.”
Joan Wissert, president of the Middleburgh Area Business Association, called the dispute a “huge black eye and an embarassment,” when groups like hers are working so hard to plan events.
And to trustees and applause she asked: “If Trish wasn’t doing her job, why couldn’t you sit down and talk to her?”
Mr. Knight’s fiancée, Courtney Mix, said she could agree—if the Mayor hadn’t “tossed a chair at my fiancée” at a meeting.
Mayor Bergan told Ms. Mix to “watch her words. You’re this close to a libel suit.”
“It wasn’t at me. It was at the board,” Mr. Knight said, warning Mayor Bergan, “Don’t you talk to my fiancée that way.”
Pattie Sainsbury offered a vote of confidence in Mayor Bergan and Ms. Laspaluto said no one wants her to resign.
“The way you’re seated”—the Mayor and trustees separated by empty chairs--“tells us everything,” said Nora Masterson.
Trustee Shane Foland said the dispute is overshadowing more important work the village has to tackle.
“We cannot do it divided,” he said to more applause.
Mayor Bergan agreed to Mr. Foland’s offer to “go to the table. Put everything out there and see what we can do. We did it before with Irene and we can do it again.”
Mr. Knight and Ms. Adams didn’t comment; Trustee Bob Tinker was attending over Zoom.