By Sarina Trangle
Six ousted Queens Library trustees dropped their lawsuit against Borough President Melinda Katz, but maintained her view of the court proceeding should not be trusted.
Judge Frederic Block dismissed the former trustees’ case from Brooklyn federal court last week after the six filed a motion to drop proceedings.
“It was no longer in their interest as volunteers to spend personal money on litigation,” said a statement from Schlam Stone & Donlan LLP, which represented the ex-trustees. “As an attorney, the borough president fully understood that by signing the motion that the plaintiffs voluntarily filed, Judge Block was simply granting the plaintiffs’ request and was not, as her press release suggests, a decision by the court on the merits.”
The trustees took their bid to get their posts back to court this summer. The group maintained Katz dismissed them for standing by embattled Queens Library President Thomas Galante, who was put on a paid leave of absence in September.
Their case described Katz’s reaction to a series of reports alleging fiscal mismanagement and questioning Galante’s external income as “a brazen, and unconstitutional, power grab.”
The borough president welcomed the case’s dismissal.
“The court’s action underscores just how specious their claims were,” Katz said in a statement. “This lawsuit was a bitter attempt by the removed trustees at personal retaliation devoid of consideration for the public interest.”
Katz praised her collaboration with state Sen. Michael Gianaris (D-Astoria) and Assemblyman Jeffrion Aubry (D-Corona) to pass legislation in Albany that she said ensures the library is accountable to its patrons.
Under the new law, Katz and Mayor Bill de Blasio dismissed eight trustees in July.
In addition to giving the government more say on library trustees, the law requires the library to comply with Freedom of Information Law requests, to have its key staff members file financial disclosure forms and to set outside employment limits for employees, Katz said.
The trustees, however, contended the FOIL clause fell short.
“Both [Katz] and her newly appointed members of the Library Board are resisting FOIL requests regarding important board actions, including disclosure of the report prepared by former U.S. Judge Barbara Jones regarding a whistleblower complaint about the improper conduct of certain board members,” the trustees’ lawyers said in a statement.
Katz’s office directed FOIL inquires to the library.
Library spokeswoman Joanne King said the trustees’ FOIL requests were denied based on an exemption to the FOIL law.
Reach reporter Sarina Trangle by e-mail at strangle@cnglocal.com or by phone at (718) 260–4546.
