Monticello approves new law to extend residency requirement for Associate Judge

MONTICELLO — Despite several voices in opposition to the Village of Monticello’s Local Law #1, the board of trustees unanimously voted to enact the legislation last month.

“Why do you want to take a village job away from the village and give it to someone from maybe Roscoe, or Livingston Manor…?”

Leo Glass, Associate Village Justice

MONTICELLO — Despite several voices in opposition to the Village of Monticello’s Local Law #1, the board of trustees unanimously voted to enact the legislation last month.

The new law will extend the residency requirement for the Acting Village Justice to include the entire County of Sullivan.

Previously, all “Acting” and Associate Village Justices had to be a resident of the Village of Monticello.

The first to speak at the public hearing preceding the vote on Local Law No. 1 was village resident Leo Glass, who is the current Acting Village Judge.

“I paid school taxes, village taxes, county taxes, and sales taxes and have done business in this village,” recalled Glass. “In 25 years I can state unequivocally, that all the cases that have ever been appealed from my court [only] once, in 25 years, was a decision overruled. So I couldn’t have been doing a very bad job.”

“Why do you want to take  a village job away from the village and give it to someone from maybe Roscoe, or Livingston Manor, or Wurtsboro, who knows nothing about this Village and has no feel for the Village?” said Glass.“I’d like to know whose toes I stepped on for this to be brought about.”

Next to speak was a village resident who told Mayor Rochelle Massey her name was Nicole.

She said she agreed with Glass. She reasoned that this was the case because, as someone who lives in the village, she stated that village residents are more familiar with what is happening than outside appointees.

She said village residents would have a deeper understanding of all concerns and challenges within the village.

She explained that she understands that if there is nobody within the Village that’s qualified, then the Village must look elsewhere.

Another Monticello resident, Glenn Bernardo, spoke. He said he could understand both sides of the coin.

At the same time, he stressed that as residents and taxpayers in the village, they have to realize sometimes hiring someone you know that’s local sounds like a “very positive thing”.

He said that having someone from the outside looking inside could make a very clear decision that a judge would make based on the law.

“You don’t want that to be swayed, that’s why we have a Justice System,” said Bernardo, “so when we look at this, it’s not about personalities, ‘I like the guy, I don’t like the guy. It becomes “Who’s going to best serve the Legal System, the Justice System of New York State as a whole.”

He said he thinks such a person is someone the Village Board and residents  should look at.

He said although liking the person and understanding the culture of the Village is important, that’s not New York State Law “let’s be clear on that”.

Bernardo said he really does believe that as one takes a step back and looks at the situation, finding an Associate Village Judge from outside the village could be a positive thing.

“I’m not saying Mr. Glass is not qualified in the least, I’m sure he is, but the point is you have the ability to open up your horizon to other people that may be able to serve this Village in a very positive way.” suggested Bernardo.