Vatter
NEWBURGH – Amid federal allegations that he illegally collected
$95,000 in state pension money, Newburgh Fire Chief Michael Vatter has
resigned.
Mayor Judy Kennedy said Thursday that Terry Ahlers has been appointed
acting chief and the department will move forward in an orderly fashion.
“The city will continue and the responsibilities will be covered
and as far as Chief Vatter is concerned, time will tell the story. Everyone
is presumed innocent until the process is complete,” she told MidHudsonNews.com.
City Councilwoman Jeannie Abrams said the council was “devastated”
when they heard the news, but she noted that people are innocent until
proven guilty.
Last week Vatter told City Hall he would be taking a leave of absence
for an unspecified time period.
Officials had been looking into the matter of the pension funds for close
to two years.
Vatter had served as fire chief previously and when he retired, began
collecting his pension. When he was rehired by the city in 2009, it is
alleged that he never informed the state pension system and continued
to collect his full amount. Persons who return to public service cannot
earn more than $30,000 a year and retain their pensions.
