The List, So Far

Where to begin?  It’s quite a list. 

According to 2001 reporting by Adam Stone in the Peekskill Star, GOP Mayoral candidate and local lawyer Frank Catalina copped a plea in 1994 to satisfy potential charges of perjury, violating election laws and submitting false petitions nominating him for mayor of Monroe, NY.  He got off with pleading guilty to one count of disorderly conduct and resigning his seat on the school board. 

In an equally unpleasant situation in 2001, he was asked to resign his position as counsel to the Peekskill Industrial Development Agency. In IDA Chairman Vesce’s own words the cause was “the lack of accurate and thorough resolutions, prepared in a timely manner."  In other words, he wasn’t doing the work for which taxpayers were footing the bill.

Mr. Catalina did not leave quietly.  After the Common Council also let him go, he made written accusations about improper, unfair, and potentially illegal decisions made by the IDA while he served as counsel.  If true, I would expect an officer of the court, which every lawyer is, to report such terrible, corrupt actions taken by a government agency.  But no, Mr. Catalina explained, "Several disturbing actions over the past several months, by you and the IDA have given me pause to reflect on my position as counsel to the agency."  Months? To think about how to deal with practices of the IDA which might best be described as corrupt?  And never reveal them until he got canned?

Mr. Vesce responded to Mr. Catalina’s letter, "You were at all times present in all meetings to which you allude.  As the IDA counsel, as well as that of the city, you were an active and supportive participant.” Vesce added that it is irrational of Catalina to attack the conduct of a body that he was a part of, and bring up complaints he did not voice previously.  Mr. Vesce concluded, "If I said the letter is hypocritical that would be a nice way of characterizing it.”

Finally there is the razing of the “Paraco” building, which our city had acquired.  A local couple in the business of restoring old buildings wanted to buy it.  Mr. Catalina was their lawyer, but he was also at that time Peekskill’s Corporation Counsel.  The coverage of this in the old Peekskill Herald is full of “he said/she said” and leaves a lot of questions open.  One thing seems clear, however.  From the Herald’s account Mr. Catalina was both advising the potential buyer and the City Manager(in essence, the seller) in this transaction.  That doesn’t seem right, somehow.

Mr. Catalina should not be our mayor.  The list is too long.