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Date Posted: Wednesday, July22, 07:54:am
Author: Say What
Subject: Misfit Mayor

Mayor blames councilwoman for Newburgh's woes
City's on the brink, Valentine says
By Doyle Murphy
Times Herald-Record
July 22, 2009 6:00 AM
CITY OF NEWBURGH — Mayor Nicholas Valentine said the city is headed for disaster and it's Councilwoman Christine Bello's fault.

The mayor blamed Bello for driving out acting City Manager Dwight Douglas along with a series of other city employees stretching back to former City Manager Jean-Ann McGrane, whom the Council fired in January. Douglas accepted the temporary job in March but announced Monday he would leave on Aug. 5. Douglas cited "personal criticism" and a divided council as reasons to go. The city's planning and development director had also recently resigned.

"She has basically set the record of getting rid of more department heads than anyone else in six months," Valentine said of Bello.

He said her criticism of Douglas was part of a plan to clear the way for former New Windsor Supervisor George Meyers to take the job. Meyers said Tuesday that's not true. Now, the mayor said, Newburgh heads into a brutal budget season with little hope to avoid extensive layoffs.

"Any jobs that are going to be lost this year, look at Christine Bello," Valentine said.

Bello hasn't backed down. If employees left because of her questions, so be it.

"Anyone that is resistant to oversight and accountability should never be in government," Bello said Tuesday.

She said she publicly criticized Douglas because he had refused to answer her questions or put issues on the council's agenda as she requested. For example, she had asked to discuss the city's Industrial Development Agency at a work session. Douglas, worried a public discussion would complicate pending litigation between the city and IDA, never added it to the agenda.

As for the mayor, Bello said he's trying to direct attention away from his own failings in leading the city. She pointed to contracts approved during his tenure — before hers began — that account for most of the city's spending.

"The financial condition that we are currently in did not happen overnight," Bello said.

The council is scheduled to meet next on Aug. 6 for a work session. With the time he has left, Douglas has said he'll continue to focus on the budget and a major sale of properties the city has collected for unpaid taxes.

The city hired a search firm to find a more permanent city manager but isn't expected to return any candidates until after the November elections.

dmurphy@th-record.com

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