The Clarkstown Town Board approved the return of tax certiorari cases to the town attorneys office along with salary increases for two deputy attorneys. Joseph “Jay” Savino had handled the town’s tax cert matters for 16 months until the town terminated his contract after his arrest by federal authorities on conspiracy to bribe and wire fraud charges.
“After some review I’ve recommended the matters be handled in-house,” Town Attorney Amy Mele told the board at Tuesday’s meeting.
Residents have questioned the process surrounding Savino’s hiring in January 2012 and depicted it as a patronage appointment which town officials disputed. Savino was retained for $87,000 after the board voted not to reappoint Deputy Town Attorney Marcia Coopersmith in December 2011.
Savino’s White Plains firm was reappointed in December 2012 for an annual fee of $88,740 to handle the town’s 800 tax certiorari matters.
On Tuesday, board members approved a salary increase of $25,000 for Deputy Town Attorney Paul Schofield who was assigned responsibility for tax cert matters. Schofield is a CPA and had previously served as the town’s comptroller. The New City resident’s annual salary increases to $125,243.
Deputy Town Attorney Keith Cornell will take over part of the Town Justice Court calendar, which had been handled by Schofield. The Valley Cottage resident’s salary will increase by $20,000 to $108,512.
According to the board’s resolution, Mele was asked to examine options for handling tax certs. The alternatives listed were retaining outside counsel, hiring additional staff or handling it in-house.
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