Mayor John Lombardi III says a “mismanaged” appointment by his predecessor led him to remove Dan Mullane from the city planning board last week.
Mullane, the husband of 2nd Ward Alderman Anita Mullane, was appointed to the planning board by then-mayor Michelle Roman last fall, specifically to the seat that had been held by Robert Bragg. Roman said she appointed Mullane effective in mid October, contending that’s when Bragg’s three-year term on the board expired, and contacted Bragg in November to let him know she did not reappoint him.
Mullane’s removal was prompted by a finding of new Corporation Counsel David Blackley that Bragg had been removed improperly. According to city records, specifically the Jan. 20, 2021 Common Council meeting minutes, Bragg’s term of office didn’t expire until Dec. 31, 2023, and Blackley said his removal ahead of that date was “without cause” and therefore illegal.
“Mrs. Roman illegally removed Bragg without cause in October of 2023 before his term ended and directly against her own resolution of January 20, 2021,” Blackley wrote in response to an article in Wednesday’s Union-Sun & Journal reporting on Mullane’s removal and Roman’s disagreement with that.
Planning board records show the board’s Sept. 11, 2023, meeting is the last one Bragg attended; and Mullane attended one meeting after being appointed, on Dec. 4.
Lombardi informed Mullane by letter dated Jan. 2 that he was no longer a member of the planning board.
“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 on the City of Lockport Planning Board are not needed,” the letter reads in part.
Roman told the Union-Sun & Journal earlier this week that the listed expiration date on those minutes was an error, and that Bragg’s end date should have been Oct. 14, 2023, mid October being the time when planning board members are appointed for three-year terms. In a follow-up interview Thursday, Roman said she told Mullane of his appointment in November, after informing Bragg that he would not be reappointed — and acknowledged backdating Mullane’s appointment to conform with what she said was the true expiration date of Bragg’s term.
Blackley said the city can only go by what’s on the record.
“Had (Roman) appointed Mr. Mullane to fulfill the unexpired term of Mr. Bragg ending December 31, 2023, we wouldn’t be having this discussion,” he said.
As for Lombardi’s removal of Don Stevens, another Roman appointee, from the planning board, Lombardi said Stevens’ absenteeism was the cause. Staff in the building inspection department, which works with the planning and zoning boards, pointed out Stevens had missed more than three monthly meetings in 2023, and city code says planning board members must attend at least 75% of all meetings during a calendar year.
Lombardi, who took office on Jan. 1, said he is not targeting any of Roman’s appointees to the city’s various citizen advisory or governing boards.
“If we see anything improperly done, we have to address the situation. But we’re not looking for anyone,” he said.