WAPPINGERS FALLS – The Wappingers Falls village board opted not to reappoint Police Commissioner Paul Italiano, whose term expired on April 1, 2024, at noon. At the April 1 meeting, the board of trustees failed to appoint a new commissioner, putting it off until April 10. Mayor Kevin Huber, following the April 1 meeting, issued a statement saying that he had informed Italiano that he was not being reappointed earlier that day.
On Wednesday night, the village board announced that longtime policeman Mark Liebermann, who serves as a deputy building inspector for the village, was being appointed police commissioner, replacing Italiano. Sources told Mid-Hudson News that Liebermann had already filed his oath of office with the village clerk earlier Wednesday.
The trustees heard from attorney Keith Byron, who represents the PBA for the village, who questioned if Liebermann met the minimum eligibility qualifications set forth by civil service law. He informed the trustees of the potential liability. “Appointing and paying people who don’t meet the minimum qualifications, could potentially result in personal liability for the board members.” Trustee Marshall, who campaigned on a platform of replacing Italiano doubted the advice offered by Byron, with decades of experience in labor law matters. “I seen it on a website,” Marshall said, maintaining that Byron was wrong.
Shortly after hearing from Byron, the board entered an executive session and invited their former labor attorney, who was present, to participate in the closed-door gathering.
When the trustees returned from the executive session, Mayor Huber entertained a motion to rescind Liebermann’s appointment until the next board meeting, which passed unanimously. Huber followed up by entertaining a motion to keep Commissioner Italiano on as a “holdover” commissioner until the next meeting.
