County Exec. Candidates Trade Punches in Final Round of Campaign

Alleging a pay-to-play ploy, Democrat Maureen Fleming called on Putnam County Executive MaryEllen Odell to be investigated for accepting campaign donations from Motorola, which has business in front of the county Legislature.

In a press release, Fleming’s campaign stated donations to the Odell campaign from Motorola, a Poughkeepsie-based Motorola business partner, a top Motorola executive and that executive’s husband tracked closely to legislative committee discussions that moved forward a major project in which Motorola has a financial interest.

The county is looking to upgrade its low band emergency communications system across the county for first responders, which would include installing and replacing cell towers across the county to create communication linkages for all fire companies, ambulance corps and police departments.

Fleming’s campaign detailed instances when Motorola was mentioned by lawmakers on the protective services committee close to when Odell received donations from the company and connected parties. For instance, Odell received a $1,000 donation from Motorola Solutions on Feb. 15 and a week later business that involved Motorola was discussed in front of the protective services committee. Then, on May 14, a discussion that referenced Motorola was again brought up at a legislative meeting and three times following that Odell received donations from one business and two people connected to Motorola, according to the Fleming campaign.

“The legislative agenda of the Odell Administration has clearly been influenced by payments from and related to Motorola. It is a disgraceful betrayal of public trust, and calls into question the rhetoric around the proposed emergency radio upgrades,” Fleming stated.

Odell’s campaign hit back hard, calling Fleming’s “latest false attack” a “sign of a desperate campaign and one that is on its last breath.” Odell stated Fleming has engaged in a smear campaign to mislead voters and attack her integrity.

Odell said Motorola has been a county vendor for more than 20 years and she never requested any action be taken by the legislature on behalf of Motorola. She argued any business in front of the legislature has nothing to do with her office or her campaign.

“I have never engaged in pay-to-play and Maureen Fleming should be ashamed for even insinuating it,” Odell stated. “Throughout this campaign, Maureen has been devoid of ideas or solutions to address any of the issues that affect Putnam County, rather she has spoken in generalities, platitudes and insults.”

Earlier last week, Fleming faced questions over why a lawsuit leveled against the town that was lost has not been paid yet. In a letter to the editor written last month, Odell stated Fleming has cost the town close to $400,000 when she refused to settle a case in the matter of Merritt Construction vs. Town of Kent, which involved the sewer system along Route 52.

The letter from Odell claims Fleming advocated for a trial, which the town lost and then on appeal the town again lost. The town has yet to pay the money a judge order them to, Odell said, with interest growing.

During a town board meeting last Tuesday, former Kent supervisor Kathy Doherty, who is an Odell supporter, asked when the lawsuit would be paid out. Councilman Paul Denbaum, who was running for county executive but did not get enough signatures to get on the ballot, said the town was still negotiating during this juncture of the litigation and once it’s complete, the town board would inform taxpayers what the final outcome is “as soon as we can.”

Doherty stated the town was told by former legal counsel to pay the damages of the lawsuit, rather than going forward with more litigation, but Denbaum said that wasn’t the case.

“You need to pay the money and the interest needs to stop,” Doherty said.

Fleming didn’t speak on the subject during the meeting, but, in an interview, defended the direction the town has taken. She said she doesn’t personally make any decisions regarding litigation, rather the town board as a whole makes those decisions with consultation from legal counsel.

She also criticized Odell for settling the Don Smith lawsuit that former district attorney Adam Levy brought against the former sheriff for defamation. The county agreed to pay Levy $125,000, which received public backlash. Odell has argued that the legislature made the call to pay the settlement.

Election Day is next Tuesday, Nov. 6.