(Town of Lebanon, NY – March 2013) Lebanon town officials appointed Brian Forsythe of Lakeshore Drive, Hamilton, as interim town justice effective May 1 at a special town board meeting Saturday.
Forsythe, a retired state trooper with 27 years of law enforcement experience, will attend training in Albany April 8 through 13 and, if certified, will take office as interim justice May 1 when the term of appointed visiting Judge Ron Hailston of Georgetown, who was given that assignment by the state Office of Court Administration, will expire.
The Town Board, according to Supervisor Jim Goldstein, took action on the justice appointment, in accordance with the directive of the state OCA and in consultation with town attorney Steven Jones, to appoint Forsythe to be eligible to assume office and duties.
OCA officials indicated there was a possibility they could assign Lebanon cases to other courts, rather than extend Hailston’s term if Lebanon had not found a local appointee by that time.
Lebanon town board members interviewed Forsythe at the Town Board meeting March 11. Other residents expressed interest in the position, but one withdrew from consideration and the other did not attend the interview, as he was unsure he could make time to attend the April training.
The Town Board also authorized Forsythe’s attendance at training, with the expectation that he will be certified to sit as town justice until Dec. 31, when the successful November election candidate will assume duties.
Hailston was appointed by the OCA after former Justice John Bartlett resigned March 1 following an investigation by the OCA, Office of the State Comptroller and Commission on Judicial Conduct. Hailston is attempting to organize and process current cases and pending cases, as well as cleaning up old cases.
Goldstein said at the March 11 town board meeting that OSC will be continuing its audit of the justice records and that a recent justice check provided to the town supervisor bounced due to insufficient funds in the town justice account.
The position of Lebanon Town Justice will be on the fall ballot for a four-year term, and the current appointment will not extended beyond the end of this year. The candidate elected to the position in the fall would serve from Jan. 1, 2014, through Dec. 31, 2017.
Town officials held the special meeting due to the narrow timeline between registration for training and the next town board meeting. Justice training for new Justices will not be available again until December of this year after the fall election.