Somers Judge Appointed New Town Attorney in Yorktown
For the first time in six years the Town of Yorktown will have a new town attorney after the Town Board appointed a longtime Somers Town Justice to the position last week.
During a work session, which is not televised, the Town Board voted 4-1 on January 12 to have Michael McDermott replace Jeannette Koster at an annual salary of $113,000, which is $6,000 less than what Koster earned. McDermott also earns a salary of $36,247 as a judge in Somers, where he has served since 2000.
Yorktown Supervisor Michael Grace said talks of replacing Koster began last August and noted McDermott was the only person considered.
“Mr. McDermott expressed an interest in the position and his past experiences and qualifications made him an excellent candidate,” Grace wrote in a detailed email. “I have known Mr. McDermott professionally for many years. I have the utmost respect for his professionalism. The town is fortunate that Mr. McDermott’s career choices at this time made him available for the position.”
In the past. McDermott, who did not return a phone message placed at his law firm last week, served as deputy corporation counsel for the City of Peekskill, village attorney for the Village of Mamaroneck, chief deputy corporation counsel for the City of Yonkers and senior assistant Westchester County attorney.
Last year, McDermott’s law firm made a $100 campaign contribution to Grace’s successful reelection bid. Grace also revealed that McDermott presided for a period of time over criminal proceedings regarding his son, Henry, after Grace brought charges for which his son was arrested. McDermott was assigned to the case, according to Grace, after Yorktown town justices Sal Lagonia and Gary Raniolo recused themselves.
“The assignment of Judge McDermott to my son’s case was done by the administrative law judge,” Grace explained. “Nonetheless Mr. McDermott recused himself from those proceedings in early 2015, long before the town was considering a change in the town attorney’s office. My experience with Mr. McDermott within those proceedings proved that he conducts himself with the utmost integrity.”
Councilman Vishnu Patel, who voted against McDermott’s appointment, said Grace should have recused himself from the vote because of “a personal connection” with McDermott.
“I voted against the appointment because the proper process was not followed,” Patel said. “The Town Board should have advertised the position and interviewed several candidates. This wasn’t done. Instead, the board interviewed only one person and that was the person brought to the board by Supervisor Grace. As board members we had no choice.”
Koster said her ouster was somewhat of a surprise since she had no major differences with Grace or the rest of the board, but she maintained “I don’t take it personally.”
“It was a great experience. I’m very comfortable the way I left the office,” Koster said. “I left it in better shape than when I found it. It was a good stint. It’s an amicable split. I wish my successor the best.”
Koster, the mother of 17-year-old triplets, said she would be fulfilling a goal of opening her own private law practice in Yorktown, in the building of former town supervisor Al Capellini on Front Street.
“I’m very excited about it,” the Pleasantville resident said. “I like Yorktown a lot. I’ve met a lot of phenomenal people. I have a lot of friends there.”
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