Reports Indicate Growing Strain Inside Hartwick Town Government

By JOSHUA YOUNGQUIST
HARTWICK

Reports provided to AllOtsego indicate rising tension inside Hartwick town government, where concerns over financial procedures, communication lapses and labor‑law compliance have prompted scrutiny of Town Supervisor Cody Moore’s administrative practices. Multiple town officials and individuals familiar with recent proceedings describe a breakdown in coordination between the supervisor’s office, the Town Board, and department heads, culminating in a formal legal opinion that found the town acted improperly in a recent payroll matter.

The situation centers on the handling of retirement contribution arrears for Highway Department employee James “Jimmy” Croft. According to the labor‑law opinion issued July 2 by Roemer Wallens Gold & Mineaux LLP, the town deducted $584.92 from Croft’s paycheck without union involvement, advance notice or Town Board approval. The attorneys concluded that “the recoupment process used for Mr. Croft was procedurally improper,” citing violations of the Taylor Law, Public Employment Relations Board precedent, and New York Labor Law §193.

The opinion states that because Croft is a bargaining‑unit employee represented by Teamsters Local 317, the town was required to negotiate any repayment plan with the union before implementing a deduction. The attorneys wrote that “the Town should not have implemented the lump‑sum deduction…without first obtaining Union involvement and Town Board approval,” adding that the individual authorization Croft signed “does not cure that defect.”

Moore said she “received the legal opinion from Courtney Heinel of Roemer Wallens Gold & Mineaux,” noting that she had requested it at a town board meeting. She added that she found it “concerning that the attorney did not interview me during the preparation of the opinion.”

Moore said she is waiting for the appointed board members to meet with the union representative to determine the appropriate course of action, stating that “going forward, all retirement matters will be addressed collaboratively with the town board and the union to ensure consistency, accuracy and compliance.”

Sources familiar with the matter say the legal determination has intensified concerns about broader administrative practices. Reports describe repeated difficulties obtaining timely responses from the supervisor’s office on routine operational questions, including vendor payments and departmental requests. Individuals involved in town operations say these delays have affected the ability of departments to resolve outstanding financial matters and maintain communication with suppliers.

Financial oversight has also become a point of contention. According to multiple town officials, questions have been raised about whether certain accounts were overdrawn and whether the 2025 fiscal year was properly closed. One board member, Councilman Bryan LoRusso, has been outspoken about what he describes as systemic issues in the supervisor’s handling of financial responsibilities.

“Because you lack financial understanding and awareness of how the world works, you have now overdrawn two accounts,” LoRusso said in an e-mail to Moore provided to AllOtsego. LoRusso further asserted that the missed retirement contributions for Croft originated in the supervisor’s office, saying, “You blamed Connie [Haney] and Andrea [Vazquez] for James Croft’s error…when it was you in fact who missed the proper payments.”

Moore said the first incident involved the Water Fund on March 17, when the town’s USDA loan payment of $69,400.00 was processed. She said the payment “was not included in the March 9 abstract,” and at the time she “was unaware the USDA payment was due.”

Moore said she made “the executive decision to temporarily transfer funds from the General Fund to the Water Fund to ensure the payment was made on time,” adding that the town incurred no penalties. She said the board later agreed the Water Fund would reimburse the General Fund with interest. Moore noted she had been in office only three months and has since learned the USDA payments occur twice yearly.

She said the second incident involved “an error I made while transferring funds for the June 24 bills,” adding, “It was my mistake, and I take full responsibility for it.”

Moore said the bank contacted her immediately, the issue was corrected promptly, and “the town suffered no financial loss and all vendors were paid on time.”

Reports also indicate concern over the cancellation of certain checks, including a reimbursement intended for Croft. LoRusso stated that the cancellation occurred without proper authorization, telling Moore, “You cancelled a check intended for Mr. Croft, which he meant to cash…before getting permission.”

Councilman Thomas Murphy has also expressed frustration over the handling of Croft’s compensation. In a statement, Murphy said, “It is intolerable that Mr. Croft’s check was canceled. He has performed this duty for many years and utilizes his own money to purchase the flags.” Murphy said the situation should have been corrected immediately.

Moore said she has heard claims that vendors have gone unpaid but has not been provided specific names.

“Every invoice I have received at cmoore@hartwickny.gov has been forwarded to the clerk for voucher processing,” she said, noting that she has asked that any missing invoices be brought to her attention.

Moore added that the town clerk served as NYSLRS system administrator until March, and prior to that she “did not have full administrative access to the retirement system.” Moore said several payroll and retirement issues surfaced during Croft’s onboarding in December 2025, and while the process was not seamless, “the experience significantly strengthened my understanding of NYSLRS requirements and payroll procedures.”

The July 2 legal opinion has prompted the Hartwick Town Board to take several steps. Sources confirm that the board has directed Moore to return the deducted funds to Croft and has appointed Councilmembers JoAnn Gardner and Murphy as liaisons to negotiate a repayment plan with Teamsters Local 317.

LoRusso said he believes the town should consider covering the arrears itself, calling the situation “a learning experience for all involved that we cannot act unilaterally and we cannot treat our employees incorrectly.”

The attorneys also recommended that the town avoid making any further deductions until a full payroll audit is completed. The opinion advises the town to “negotiate a uniform recoupment procedure with Teamsters Local 317 before implementing any additional deductions for bargaining unit employees.”

Moore said she has discovered “significant accounting corrections that needed to be addressed from prior years” and has worked to learn the Williamson Law accounting system while administering a 2026 budget she “did not prepare.”

“I have made mistakes, acknowledged them, corrected them, and learned from every one of them,” Moore said, adding that leadership is “about taking responsibility, making informed decisions, and continuously improving.” She noted that this is an election year and said her focus remains “serving the taxpayers, improving town operations, and leaving the town in a stronger position than I found it.”

Beyond the Croft matter, LoRusso says he is preparing an Article 78 proceeding challenging what he describes as “unilateral actions” by the supervisor.

“Yes, an Article 78 is being drafted as we speak on multiple levels,” he said. “I will be suing Ms. Moore [for] the multiple laws she is breaking.” “You mark my words here, I am going to win in court,” LoRusso added.

Sources say the Town Board is expected to continue discussions on financial procedures, audit requirements and labor‑law compliance in upcoming meetings. The situation remains fluid, and officials anticipate further review of administrative processes as negotiations with the union proceed.

AllOtsego will continue to monitor developments as Hartwick officials work to address the issues raised in recent reports and the labor‑law determination.