Council members discuss chief privately, say statement may come today

UTICA, Jan. 20, 2001 -- Members of the Common Council said a statement may be released today regarding Daniel LaBella's standing as police chief after discussing the matter in a closed-door session on Tuesday.

The meeting came almost a week after the State Civil Service Commission ruled that LaBella's appointment should be rescinded based on him taking an insufficient test. 

Tuesdays discussion came at the back-end of a Public Safety Committee meeting. Members agreed unanimously to move the discussion into executive session, excluding members of the media and the public, on the suggestion of committee chairman James Zecca (D-2) and the advice of Common Council Attorney Anthony Garramone.

Zecca first suggested the meeting be closed because it was a personnel matter and Garramone agreed, adding that it had to do with pending litigation, which shouldn't be discussed publicly. No members present objected. 

After the meeting, Corporation Council Sullivan Fatata said she agreed that executive session was appropriate. 

"When you're discussing an employee and their strengths and weaknesses, the quality of their work and the future of their job, you owe it to that employee, whether it's the chief or anyone else, to respect their privacy," she said,

It was unclear at the meeting's conclusion what exactly was discussed, but Councilman Frank Vescera (D-1) and Zecca said the Common Council may release a statement tomorrow, when the body meets as a whole. 

"It's being considered," Zecca said of the council weighing in today. 

Eight of the nine members of the Common Council were there for the session.

Zecca said the discussion of the chief's status was added to the meeting's agenda because several members of the council had asked for it to be. 

Vescera, in a press release on Monday, suggested the issue be discussed. The release said that Vescera would suggest LaBella be made Public Safety Commissioner, an appointed, non-civil service job. The release added that such a measure would avoid problems with civil service requirements and relieve the mayor from the commissioner post, which he currently holds.

Vescera said he was pleased with the meeting and that his proposal, along with others, was discussed. 

"I'm very pleased with the meeting," he said. "A lot of things were brought up. My proposal wasn't the only thing that was discussed. There were a lot of ideas." 

Vescera added that any statement or decision based on Tuesday's meeting should first be released by the Public Safety Committee, which he is not a member of, because he said he believes in the committee system the city runs on.

Several members in attendance left the meeting and City Hall even though the meeting was never adjourned publicly. Therefore, Utica Daily News could not ask many of them, including Garramone, for comment.