February 13, 2009
Schroder Joseph, ZBA Attorneys submit $50,000 Bill to Town.
In other Town Board news of February Supervisor Balus announced that the Law Firm of Schroder, Joseph and Associates had submitted bills for attorney fees of almost $50,000 as representatives of the ZBA formerly chaired by Mike Hannon. The firm was hired when Mr. Hannon was chair. Hannon is Chair of the Sardinia Republican Committee which is also represented by Schroder and Joseph Associates. Hannon is husband of Sardinia Town Board member Mary Hannon.
The fees represent a $220 hourly rate.
Dave Malachowski, the new ZBA chair was asked by the Standard if he knows exactly what the law firm has done for the ZBA and who has approved their actions or the fees that have been charged to the town. “I am trying to get some answers, but haven’t yet, so I do not know." was Mr. Malachowski’s response, who was appointed Chair of the ZBA by the Town Board.
This week Schroder Joseph sent a letter to the Town defending the 2004 Town Board action that made the unusual Hannon and Markle appointments to terms of office that were contrary to NYS law, according to a resolution passed by the Town Board at the February 2009 meeting removing Hannon from the ZBA. (See posting "Sparks Fly at Sardinia Town Board Meeting" of February 11.) The letter was addressed to Town Attorney Tony DiFillippo and informed Mr. DiFillippo that “Mr. Hannnon should not be removed from the Zoning Board of Appeals any sooner than December 31, 2009. The letter went on to say “I would appreciate a response to this letter by the closer of business on Friday February 6, 2009 explaining the Town of Sardinia’s position on this matter and the masis of this position.” The letter was signed by Linda Joseph.
The Standard asked Mr. Malachowski, the ZBA Chair if he had approved of this letter from Joseph. He replied that he had not. He said that he had received an email from Linda Joseph informing him that the letter had been sent, but he had not communicated any consent to Schroder Joseph, and was not aware of any ZBA Board actions approving the the letter.
Malachowski was appointed as the ZBA Chair at the January 15 Town Board meeting.
