Spring Valley Mayor Demeza Delhomme Photo: Peter Carr The Journal News
“A nearly 2-year-old citizens’ legal action seeking to oust Mayor Demeza Delhomme from office on allegations of malfeasance goes before a hearing officer in 2017.
The Supreme Court’s Appellate Division in Brooklyn assigned retired jurist Nicholas Colabella to possibly hear testimony and then issue a report and recommendation. An appellate panel would then rule on the issue of Delhomme remaining mayor of Rockland’s largest village.
The appellate panel ruling released Wednesday found that if the allegations against Delhomme are true, they “rise to the level of justifying the extreme remedy of removal from public office” under the state public officers law.
Vojtech Bystricky, the current attorney for the three citizens, said Friday that he was pleased by the decision, calling a hearing before Colabella “akin to a trial.”
Delhomme’s attorney, Kevin Conway, said a hearing officer is standard procedure when allegations are contested. Conway, who served as village attorney for Delhomme’s predecessor, Noramie Jasmin, said he’s confident Delhomme will remain mayor after Colabella hears all the evidence.
The allegations against Delhomme include:
- 13 people were reportedly either appointed to village positions without proper process or discharged from their positions illegally.
- The mayor pressured Grossman to vote along with him, indicating that the entire Jewish community would be punished if he didn’t cooperate.
- Delhomme used the village’s credit card and E-ZPass for private trips and has encouraged frivolous litigation against the village.
- Delhomme misused his authority as mayor by allowing illegal soil dumping on village property.
• Delhomme reportedly failed or refused to follow village laws enacted by the board majority.”
Read the complete Journal News story here.