Cicero Town Councilor Mike Becallo is claiming that other members of the town’s administration have made threats against him.
Becallo walked out of an executive session the town board called during its Jan. 28 meeting to discuss a compliance report from the Department of Labor, claiming that Councilor Mark Venesky had “threatened [his] life.” Becallo said Venesky and Town Attorney Robert Germain had also made threats to him during an executive session held Dec. 10.
“I refuse to participate in this executive session alone. I have no help,” Becallo said.
Becallo also objected to Town Clerk Tracy Cosilmon not taking minutes during the executive session. Cosilmon said that was up to the board.
“I don’t trust anybody. Everybody’s all in this together,” Becallo said.
Supervisor Jessica Zambrano directed Parks and Recreation Superintendent Jody Rogers to call Police Chief Joe Snell to return to the town hall to sit in on the meeting for Becallo’s sake. Becallo balked but then agreed to rejoin the rest of the board in executive session with Snell present. Snell also joined the board for its second executive session during the regular town board meeting later that evening. Zambrano said his presence was for “security.”
Becallo would not elaborate on what comments Venesky supposedly had made, but he did say that at the Dec. 10 meeting, Germain told him to “take it outside” three times.
“When I asked him if it was a threat, he didn’t deny it,” Becallo said.
Becallo declined to say whether he was keeping a log of the incidents or whether he had taken action against Venesky and Germain.
Venesky and Germain had no comment. Zambrano weighed in, however, saying she was “surprised” by Becallo’s comments.
“I’m really not sure exactly what he is referring to,” she said. “He has concerns, apparently, about how executive sessions went. He’s never discussed it with us.”
On Jan. 29, the town board — minus Becallo — issued a statement addressing Becallo’s comments from the night before.
“We were shocked and alarmed by the behavior and statements made by one of our members,” the statement read. “We consider the confidentiality and sanctity of executive session to be absolute, and any breach of that duty to be an ethical and potentially criminal violation. Accordingly, we will not issue any comments or statements regarding what may or may not have transpired in an executive session. However, in response to the false statements made by Councilor Mike Becallo outside executive session, we believe it is important to state no member of the town board was ever threatened with physical harm or otherwise intimidated.
“We recognize the political process can be contentious,” the statement continued. “However, we do not believe it should reflect upon the integrity of the other members of the town board or Cicero as a whole.”
Highway garage in bad shape
Despite the disruption, the town board still had business to carry out. Among the topics discussed was the task of the recently formed Buildings Advisory Committee, which is responsible for evaluating all of the town’s buildings to determine what repairs and replacements are needed.
“Our buildings are old, and if they are not old, they are in poor condition,” Zambrano said.
The committee presented its initial impressions of what to do about the leaking highway garage roof at the Jan. 28 meeting.
Committee co-leaders Bob Smith, chair of the planning board, and Don Snyder, a member of the zoning board of appeals, told the town board that the highway garage has bigger problems than just the roof.
Smith called the highway garage “operationally deficient” in a number of ways. In addition to the leaks, chunks of ice are falling off the roof, which are a hazard to town employees and the public. Smith said heat that escapes when the doors are opened melts snow on top of the roof, which then freezes at the bottom of the roof and falls off.
The garage’s 200-amp electricity service is inadequate as well. Snyder said that system is comparable to one that a small residence would use.
Also, there are areas with standing water in the highway garage, which could cause dangerous shocks coupled with the electricity problems and the road salt in the building.
Finally, the highway complex is not large enough to allow snowplows to turn properly. Snyder said the committee had a list of 13 or 14 major fixes needed at the highway garage before the town even considers work on other buildings.
The committee urged the board to fix the safety and statutory liability concerns before looking to further repairs.
“I don’t want a quick fix just for the sake of fixing it,” Zambrano said.
Highway Superintendent Chris Woznica said there is a written safety policy for employees, as well as signs warning of falling ice at the highway garage.
“The fact that Chris has made do [in these conditions] … is remarkable,” Smith said.
Smith said Snyder has developed a form to evaluate each town building’s components, and the committee will survey department heads to find out their building needs and challenges. The committee will have a more comprehensive report in 60 days and plans to report back to the town board regularly.
Road repair bond referendum in March
The town is also looking to address other pieces of failing infrastructure. The town board voted to hold a state-mandated public referendum on a bond for road repairs March 31. The town intends to borrow up to $5 million for road resurfacing, using the Cornell Roads Study as a guideline.
Woznica said the study recommends making roads that are already in good shape a priority before tackling heavier repairs. He said that is what the town has been doing, but he has mixed a few “really bad” roads into the repair schedule as well.
Woznica raised concerns about the date of the referendum, as most contractors have set their spring schedule for work by February or mid-March. Zambrano told him to continue pursuing contractors on his schedule, regardless of the March 31 vote.
“We’re doing roads this year, one way or another,” she said.
The referendum will be held from noon to 8 p.m. Tuesday, March 31, at the town hall on a paper ballot.
Cushman appointed
In a special meeting held before the regular meeting, the board welcomed Richard Cushman to its ranks. Cushman was appointed to fill the unexpired term of former deputy supervisor Tim Burtis, who was appointed to the Onondaga County Legislature Jan. 23.
“It should be a rather exciting year,” Zambrano said after Cushman was sworn in.
“I hope so,” Cushman replied.
