🏛️ Board of Trustees
Albion Board Places Village Employee on Administrative Leave, Hires Outside Counsel
The Village of Albion Board of Trustees convened a brief special meeting Tuesday evening to address an undisclosed personnel matter, voting unanimously to place a specific employee on administrative leave. The board also authorized the retention of outside legal counsel to assist with the ongoing issue.
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Key Actions & Decisions
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Board voted 3-0 to place an unspecified employee on administrative leave with pay.
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Authorized Village Attorney John Gavenda to retain outside legal counsel for a personnel matter.
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The meeting lasted approximately 23 minutes, entirely within an executive session.
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Mayor Angel Javier was absent from the proceedings; Deputy Mayor William Gabalski presided.
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Trustee Greg Bennett was excused from the meeting.
The Albion Village Board moved swiftly into a closed session during a special meeting Tuesday, Feb. 3, to address a sensitive personnel issue that resulted in an employee being placed on leave.
Deputy Mayor William Gabalski presided over the brief gathering at Village Hall, 35 East Bank Street, with Mayor Angel Javier absent and Trustee Greg Bennett excused. With Trustees Joyce Riley and Tim McMurray present, the board focused almost exclusively on the personnel matter, convening and concluding the public portion of the meeting in under half an hour.
The board voted 3-0 to enter executive session at 5:27 p.m. specifically to discuss personnel issues. Under New York State law, public boards are permitted to meet privately to discuss the medical, financial, credit, or employment history of particular persons, or matters leading to the appointment, employment, promotion, demotion, discipline, or dismissal of a particular person.
Following roughly 20 minutes of private deliberation, the board returned to open session and took immediate action.
Trustee McMurray moved to place a particular employee on administrative leave with pay. The motion was seconded by Trustee Riley and carried with a 3-0 vote. The minutes of the meeting do not name the employee or the department in which they work, nor do they specify the reason for the leave.
Administrative leave is a standard procedure used by municipalities to remove an employee from the workplace—often with pay maintained—while an internal investigation or review of conduct is pending. It ensures the integrity of the investigation while protecting the due process rights of the employee.
In a related move, the board also authorized Village Attorney John C. Gavenda to secure outside legal assistance. Trustees McMurray and Riley successfully moved to allow Gavenda to retain outside counsel to handle the personnel matter on behalf of the village.
The decision to hire outside counsel suggests the village may require legal expertise beyond the scope of routine village attorney services, possibly to ensure impartiality or to navigate complex employment regulations. The specific law firm retained and the potential cost to taxpayers were not disclosed during the brief public session.
The meeting, which started with the pledge of allegiance at 5:27 p.m., was adjourned at 5:50 p.m. No other village business was discussed during the special session.
Further updates regarding the personnel matter are expected to be addressed in future board meetings should the investigation conclude or require further board action.
Coverage of the Board of Trustees meeting on 2026-02-03,
Village of Albion, NY.
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This article was drafted by AI (claude-sonnet-4-20250514) from the official meeting transcript and reviewed by a human editor.
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Related Board of Trustees Meetings
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Albion Board Schedules Tax Levy Hearing, Adjusts Water and Sewer Fees
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Accepted 19 applications for the Water Treatment Plant trainee position.
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Parking Fine Increase: Fines for parking violations will rise to $40 if paid within 7 days, $50 if paid within 30 days, and $65 after 30 days (5-0 vote).
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Water and Sewer Breaks: Denied a water break request for William Wittman; granted a sewer break for Aaron Pappalardo.
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Personnel Matter: Rescinded a Feb. 3 motion regarding administrative leave for an employee; the employee will use PTO while unable to work.
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Key Actions & Decisions
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Historic Preservation Repealed: The Board voted 4-0 to remove Chapter 173 and Section 173-2 from the Village Code, effectively dissolving the Historic Preservation Commission.
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2026-03-19
Albion Village Trustees Place Employee on Administrative Leave During Brief Special Session
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Key Actions & Decisions
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Administrative Leave Approved: Voted 3-0 to place a specific employee on immediate administrative leave pending further review.
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Executive Session: Board met behind closed doors for approximately 7 minutes to discuss the personnel matter.
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Leadership Present: Deputy Mayor William Gabalski presided over the meeting in the absence of Mayor Javier.
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