Mayor John Lombardi III has removed two of former mayor Michelle Roman’s appointees to the city planning board.
Roman said Don Stevens and Dan Mullane were notified in writing last week that they were removed from the planning board, and she thinks Lombardi did not have the authority to do that.
“Stevens was kicked off because he had been absent from a few meetings,” Roman said. “Dan’s letter said the last appointee’s term hadn’t ended.”
Roman said she appointed Mullane, the husband of newly installed 2nd Ward Alderman Anita Mullane, to a three-year term on the planning board effective Oct. 14, 2023, the date Robert Bragg’s appointment ended.
The letter Mullane received from Lombardi said, “After a review of our records and according to the Common Council proceedings, dated January 20, 2021, the term for the Board member that you were appointed to did not expire until December 31, 2023, therefore your services as a City of Lockport Planning Board are not needed.”
The Common Council meeting minutes for Jan. 20, 2021 state that Robert Bragg’s three-year term on the planning board would expire Dec. 31, 2023. That was not accurate, however, Roman said. Planning board members’ terms of office typically begin Oct. 15 and end Oct. 14 three years later. Roman said she tried unsuccessfully to get the Jan. 20, 2021 meeting minutes corrected, as well as other documents referencing the effective dates of Bragg’s planning board term.
Whatever his justification, Roman said she does not believe Lombardi had the authority to remove any of her appointees to citizen-staffed city boards.
“I believed you could ask someone to resign, but you couldn’t un-appoint someone,” she said.
For her picks, Roman said, it seems there’s little that can be done short of filing suit against the city.
“I think it’s petty they’re doing this, but what can you do? Pay a lawyer? It’s just really sad,” Roman said.
Lombardi refused to answer this reporter’s questions about the planning board changes Tuesday.