The last time I looked at the Constitution of this country, this was a DEMOCRATIC country. Hitler died many years ago. Laws, rules, and regulations guide government. How can a mayor think he can circumvent the City Council and the Charter of the City of Mount Vernon? Now, you have these new Probationary Firefighters, who left their jobs to work in Mount Vernon. What happens when the Council refuses to pay those additional NEW firefighters? Where does it leave their families? I guess Mayor Thomas didn’t think of those issues. What happens when his political world comes tumbling down? Mayor Thomas makes mention of the Contingency Fund. Well, what happened to the Mount Vernon Police retirees from 2015 when he told me he’d pay us? He has made no mention at ANY of his public speeches.
Taxpayers of Mount Vernon, Mayor Thomas is WASTING taxpayer’s money. I attended the City Council meeting this past Wednesday to attempt to resolve this Breech of Contract by the City of Mount Vernon. When two city council members and the city council president basically state that you will have to sue the City of Mount Vernon to resolve this matter, things are BAD. On October 16, 2015, then Councilman Thomas assured me that he would pay the MVPD retirees of 2015 their money. Since that time, he has not agreed to meet with me in regards to this matter. The face value of the suit is $465,000.00 plus $42,000.00 in interest as of February 13, 2016.. The interest is approximately $102.00 per day that is accessed.
If this matter goes to court, the taxpayers of Mount Vernon will be sued for attorney fees for each officer (8), approximately $20,000.00 per officer and the city will have to hire an attorney to represent the city at the cost of approximately $20,000.00 per officer. This is a suit the City of Mount Vernon cannot win. Corporation Counsel is not prepared for this suit. They don’t even have our Notice of Claims. How can they adequately defend the city in these lawsuits? The burden of an additional $320,000.00 for legal representation will be cast upon the taxpayers of Mount Vernon. The recent actions of Mayor Thomas are questionable. Should the taxpayers of Mount Vernon suffer due to this?
Mayor Thomas has alienated himself from those that backed him in his election, City Council, Mount Vernon Police Department, and many more. I see a RECALL ELECTION on the horizon. What former mayors Davis & Young allegedly did in 20 years, Mayor Thomas did in one month. God help the City of Mount Vernon!
– Retired Police Officer Don Moore
