Mayor Apel's Monstrously Powerful Partisan Creature

At the last Vernon Town Council meeting, Mayor George Apel nominated “Hal” Cummings to be Town Attorney. Attorney Cummings is also Chair of the Republican Party in Vernon. Every Republican Town Councilor voted in favor of this appointment.

Attorney Cummings is now an immensely powerful individual. Cummings can attend and speak at the executive sessions of the Town Council, Planning and Zoning Commission, Inland Wetlands Commission, etc. He exerts considerable influence over Republicans as their Town Chair, and over everyone by using the deference given to the Town Attorney. He can exert this influence in absolute secrecy since no one can ever reveal what happened in executive sessions. He can also use the impenetrable cloak of lawyer-client privilege to shield his and the Mayor’s intentions from public scrutiny.

When I pointed out at the last Council meeting that, theoretically, Attorney Cummings could convince an Inland Wetlands Commission to reverse itself behind closed doors without the pubic knowing what was happening or having a chance to comment, Mayor George Apel stated; “All Attorneys are bound by rules of professional conduct…”

Reviewing the Rules of Professional Conduct for attorneys and the Town of Vernon’s ethic rules, in this case only illegal financial gain is prohibited. Anything else is fair game. Hypothetically, it would be legal for the Mayor to order Attorney Cummings to convince the Inland Wetlands Commission to reverse itself on development at Exit 67. Besides, no one would ever be able to find out if such an order was given due to lawyer-client privilege.

Mayor George Apel has given a fiercely partisan political creature monstrous powers.