Niagara County lawmakers are slated to receive an update in private this week on the recent decision to place two public defenders on paid administrative leave.
Niagara Falls Legislator and Democratic Minority Leader Chris Robins said he’s expecting to receive more information about the forced leave for public defenders Nicholas Robinson and Vince Sandonato during today’s legislature meeting in Lockport. He said he’s been told the update will be held behind closed doors in executive session.
Public officials are allowed to convene in private during executive session under a limited set of exemptions covered by New York state Open Meetings laws. One of those exemptions involves matters related to the employment or conduct of public employees.
Robins said members of the legislature’s community safety and security committee received a brief update on the situation last week from County Manager Richard Updegrove.
Robins requested a more detailed update because he wants to know how the changes in personnel may be impacting services provided by the public defender’s office which provides legal counsel to residents accused of crimes who are unable to afford their own private attorneys.
“I want to make sure they are getting the best representation,” Robins said. “There are a lot of people from Niagara Falls that have to, unfortunately, use the public defender’s office.”
Robinson, a North Tonawanda city attorney who serves as the county’s chief public defender, and Sandonato, the former chairman of the Falls Republican Committee who serves as Robinson’s second in command, were both placed on administrative leave last week.
County Public Information Officer Kevin Schuler refused to disclose any reason behind the personnel moves, saying only that the county cannot comment on the situation because it involves personnel matters.
Robinson and Sandonato were included in a human resources department review of the operation of the county public defender’s office last year. The review was prompted by concerns raised in an anonymous letter sent to county officials and local media outlets, including the Niagara Gazette and the Lockport Union-Sun & Journal. The human resources department determined that allegations contained in the letter concerning the public defender’s consuming alcohol while on the job and conducting private legal and political business on county time were largely unfounded.
The newspaper has learned that the current review of the office stems from a more recent complaint that was signed by an as-yet-identified individual. The nature of the complaints referenced in the letter has not been disclosed.
County officials confirmed Monday that the county retained a private law firm, Bond, Schoeneck and King of Erie County, to conduct what Schuler described as an “independent, third-party review outside of county government” of the public defender’s office. Schuler confirmed the law firm’s review is ongoing.
While the external review plays out, Schuler said the office is being temporarily overseen by assistant public defender David Blackley.