Sparks fly at board meeting
As new member is welcomed, local businessmen take others to task on different issues
MILTON, N.Y. >> Ballston Spa police officer Scott Ostrander was sworn in Wednesday as a new Milton Town Board member, filling the seat vacated by Councilman George Couture.
More than 50 people turned out to see Ostrander take the oath of office administered by town Supervisor Dan Lewza.
Ostrander said his main goals are promoting local economic development and reducing the ill will evident at many board meetings, including Wednesday’s when local businessmen Tom and Bruce Boghosian took turns chastising board members Benny Zlotnick and Barbara Kerr, respectively, on different issues.
The Town Board approved the return of $14,000 to Boghosian Brothers Inc., an overpayment the firm made for sewer service. Tom Boghosian demanded a public apology and retraction from Zlotnick, saying he falsely accused the Boghosians of falsifying documents, theft of services and an accusation of malfeasance during their attempts to get the money repaid.
Zlotnick said, “This is a public comment (period), Mr. Boghosian. But I’m not gong to get into any give-and-take with you.”
“I trusted you to do the right thing,” said Tom Boghosian, adding “we will consider our options.”
After the meeting Zlotnick said, “I’m not going to apologize. I didn’t accuse anyone of anything.”
On a separate front, Bruce Boghosian accused Kerr of lying to the public about her recording part of a recent Town Board meeting, and for abstaining — for no apparent reason — on the vote to return money to Boghosian Brothers.
Kerr was critical of the process used to select a new Town Board member, saying it should be open to all residents, not based on the town Republican Committee’s recommendation alone. She
said she taped the board’s motion about how the position should be advertised, last month, in order to have an accurate record of it. Kerr said she’s never taped any Town Board proceedings other than this.
Ostrander’s appointment was approved unanimously, 4-0, by the all-Republican Town Board. The position pays $11,126 per year.
Couture resigned recently in order to run for village trustee in Ballston Spa. Ostrander will fill the remainder of his term, which expires Dec. 31. To stay in office, Ostrander would have to seek re-election in November for a new four-year term. He has been a Ballston Spa patrolman since December 1988 and before that was a Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office deputy for a little more than a year. Since 2010 he has also owned Saratoga International Group LLC, which provides personal security and protection to exclusive clients.
The firm, comprised exclusively of police and military personnel, has worked for Godolphin Stables owner Sheikh Mohammed of Dubai, during his visits to Saratoga Springs.
Kerr said she voted for Ostrander’s appointment because she was satisfied the selection process had been opened to all residents, regardless of party affiliation. A similar selection process is now under way for a vacant town justice position.
Bruce Boghosian also asked the Town Board to make town Planning Board member James Staulters apologize for alleged “rude, childish behavior” at a recent Town Board meeting.
“We need to set a standard of behavior we can all be proud of,” Boghosian said. Lewza, the supervisor, said the town plans to contact Staulters by letter, indicating that improper behavior by a town employee won’t be tolerated.
In addition to the Town Board incident, although Staulters was never charged criminally, he recently admitted under oath in a court deposition to allegedly shoving town Highway Superintendent David Forbes two years ago, Lewza said.
“He’s been warned a few times that his outbursts won’t be tolerated,” Lewza said. Staulters declined comment about the town’s warning, as he hasn’t received the letter yet.
“A few years ago I had an altercation with the highway superintendent,” he said. “It’s old news. There was never any charges. I’ve talked to him since. It’s water over the dam.”
In other action, town Ethics Board Chairman Ryan Isachsen said candidates are sought to fill two vacancies on that panel. The Ethics Board hopes to make recommendations to the Town Board before the Town Board’s next meeting on Wednesday, March 15, he said.