$17,000 Spent Investigating Former McGrath’s Property in Pawling $20K Work Order.
Mayor Liffland under investigation ordered by Pawling Village Trustees.
by Karen Kelley
During the Pawling Village Board meeting of October 5, 2020 a quick agenda item was approved without further discussion. The “additional” $7,400 expense for “Investigation of Water Mains for 146 East Main” raised eyebrows during this otherwise normal meeting but the discussions in the Pawling community have continued.
No one other than the Board of Trustees know where this investigation has taken them but there are some controversial facts already revealed.
In the July 20 meeting a $10,000 retainer plus $450 per hour was approved by the Village Trustees for a special investigator. Kerry Lawrence, Esq., of the law firm of Calhoun and Lawrence, LLP was appointed to conduct the independent investigation of un-authorized water main work at “146 East Main Street”.
The confrontation between Village Trustees was first on display at the Village’s public meeting of July 6. Trustee Lauri Taylor expressed frustration and dismay at the unilateral decisions made by Mayor Liffland at the former McGrath’s restaurant property without consultation of the full board. A $20,000 invoice seemed to be what was at issue and any expense over $3000 requires approval of a minimum of 3 Village Board members. The $20,000 was spent by Mayor Liffland without any board discussion beforehand. The July 6 meeting podcast is still on-line and the discussion begins at 20:48.
Work to enhance the water main connection to the vacant property at 146 East Main street was allegedly completed on private property with taxpayer money and three village trustees asked how this could have happened, expressing frustration that more invoices may still be coming. “There hasn’t even been a building approved for that property “. . . “no permits and no health department approval”
Mayor Robert Liffland operates a plumbing business in the Village of Pawling, Fountain Plumbing, Heating & Cooling, Inc.. Although it is not alleged that Fountain Plumbing was involved in the water main work, the current owners of 146 East Main have multiple buildings in Pawling Village and have erected two new buildings in the last several years. Fountain Plumbing was contracted as the plumber for each building and Village residents are now asking questions.
“If you want to get the permits and finish your project in the Village of Pawling you need to hire the Mayor to do the plumbing or you will be delayed again and again” one Village business owner said while asking their name not be used for this article.
One twist in the story of 146 East Main Street (formerly McGrath’s) is the sudden demolition of the iconic building and efforts to quickly re-zone the property. The building was demolished by another Pawling business tied to local politics. Schmitt Excavating, owned by Town Supervisor James Schmitt leveled the building in a matter of hours and several days later returned to remove the stone chimney that greeted motorists for decades as they turned off RT22. The building and chimney were synonyms with Pawling Village and the important gateway to the business district from the state highway. Residents expressed sadness at this sudden loss of a Pawling icon on Facebook page “Past Pawling”
The Restaurant had many names over the years including McKeever’s, McGrath’s and The Monte Carlo. But this restaurant was also known as problematic for parking during busy times. A large dining area but small parking lot created challenges. A restaurant with frontage on a state highway with insufficient parking made for a dangerous situation as people needed to seek out parking on other nearby streets from a very busy intersection.
The new owners, The Tomasetti Family (Sarafino Realty, LLC), purchased the adjacent house at 140 East Main just a few months after the purchase of the former McGrath’s Restaurant and most neighbors believe the home on this abutting property will be torn down as well to create additional parking spaces.
However, this adjacent property had been owned by Mayor Liffland himself. According to Dutchess County records the house at 140 East Main Street (parcel 239724) was purchased by the Mayor and his wife on October 18, 2018 for $268,500.
Just 17 months after the purchase of 140 East Main Street the Mayor sold the house to the Tomasetti family (Sarafino Realty, LLC) for $405,000 according to County records. A $136,500 profit has neighbors asking even more questions.
It is not clear what is being investigated by Calhoun and Lawrence, LLP, how much longer the investigation will take and just how much information the Village Residents will receive. After paying $20,000 of Village taxpayers money on the private property and now an additional $17,000 to investigate the dealings of Mayor Liffland, residents are hungry for answers.
Pawling Village has it’s own government with a board of five Village Trustees. Voters are currently considering a consolidation with the Pawling Town Government and that vote will take place on Monday November 30.
