Officials Trade Public Letters Over Lawsuit, Town Governance
By JOSHUA YOUNGQUIST
HARTWICK
A public dispute between Bryan LoRusso, a Hartwick town councilman, and Cody E. Moore, the Hartwick town supervisor, has escalated with the release of dueling open letters addressing town finances, transparency and an ongoing legal challenge.
Although she declined to comment in an article on this topic published by AllOtsego on Thursday, September 17, Moore responded to LoRusso in a Facebook post on September 19 by defending her administration’s efforts to reform town operations and improve accountability.
“We did not vote for the same old way of doing things. We voted for accountability. We voted for transparency,” Moore wrote.
She said the town has been “working through accounting issues, correcting past mistakes, establishing better procedures, creating accountability, and trying to bring consistency and stability to Town government.”
Moore questioned the timing of criticism from political opponents, noting that it comes as election season approaches.
“The people of Hartwick are smart. We ask questions. We look at the documents. We go directly to the source,” Moore wrote.
The supervisor also challenged critics to seek higher office if they disagreed with the town’s direction.
“If you believe you can do a better job leading this Town, if you believe your ideas are better, and if you believe the people of Hartwick support your vision, why don’t you run for Town Supervisor?” Moore wrote. “Let the voters compare the records, the plans, the experience, and the vision, and let the people of Hartwick decide.”
In a Facebook post on September 20, LoRusso said he filed an Article 78 proceeding and declaratory judgment action against Moore and the Town of Hartwick on August 14, alleging violations of the Open Meetings Law, improper fund transfers, labor law violations, and financial mismanagement.
“The public deserves to know the facts, not a carefully spun political narrative,” LoRusso wrote.
He argued that questioning the administration’s actions is “my statutory duty as an elected Town Board Member to protect Hartwick from systemic mismanagement and unauthorized operations.”
Among the allegations outlined by LoRusso are claims that town funds were transferred without proper authorization, that financial reporting deficiencies have hindered the town’s ability to close its books, and that a highway employee was denied union representation during discussions about repayment of retirement contributions.
The dispute is expected to continue in court. According to LoRusso, the matter is scheduled to be heard in New York State Supreme Court in Cooperstown on October 30. The lawsuit comes as Hartwick prepares for the November election. Moore is seeking re-election as town supervisor and will face current Town Clerk Andrea Vazquez. She defeated Vazquez in last year’s General Election, 400 votes to 296.
