UPDATE: Clarkstown Official Calls Possible Legal Action "Frivolous"

Clarkstown Supervisor Alex Gromack issued the following release regarding statements made by Dennis Lynch, town attorney for the Town of Stony Point. Lynch is the attorney for a group of Clarkstown residents, Clarkstown Residents Opposing Patronage, which took legal action Thursday after their request for an independent external audit of the Clarkstown town attorney’s office was turned down.  They made the request following public corruption charges filed against Joseph “Jay” Savino, who had been hired in 2012 to handle tax certiorari matters for Clarkstown.

“This is in response to the erroneous statements made by attorney Dennis Lynch to the media. Mr. Lynch represents a group of three residents including the man I soundly defeated in the last Supervisor’s election. As the group’s attorney, Mr. Lynch served a Notice of Claim against the Town of Clarkstown, myself and the entire town board (both individually and as Town officials) challenging the integrity of the Clarkstown Town Attorney’s office.

Mr. Lynch and his firm also serve as the Town Attorneys for Stony Point.

On April 11, 2013 I called Stony Point Supervisor Geoffrey Finn as a courtesy to inform him that because of this Notice of Claim, I could no longer attend meetings of the Town Supervisors Association where Mr. Lynch or any member of his firm was present. This is because neither I nor the Town Attorney would be able to speak in their presence inasmuch as we could not be confident that what was said in this forum would not be manipulated or mischaracterized by the firm and then used against the Town if litigation ensues.

I also told him, as a courtesy, that if Clarkstown was forced to defend the work performed by its deputy town attorneys and the salaries paid to them, we would in turn be required to compare their performance and salaries to their counterparts in the other Rockland County Towns, including Mr. Lynch in Stony Point.   

The Town firmly believes that these claims are frivolous and lack merit. In the event litigation is commenced, the Town will vigorously defend this matter like it does all other lawsuits.”