Turnover in the Town of Vestal: Sexton's Police Chief and Head of HR resign
The supervisor has no police chief.
After a month of tensions between vestal town supervisor Maria Sexton and the VPD, Sexton's second month on the job began Thursday with the resignation of vestal police chief Stace Kinter.
"Unfortunately the public reads into stuff, when they're just great people," Sexton said.
Events Sexton says the public have read into include Sexton making a traffic stop in her unmarked vehicle on a motorist going the wrong way on vestal parkway, as well as controversy surrounding her attempted block on two new school resource officers.
Alongside Kinter's resignation, Vestal's Head of Human Resources is also set to leave this month.
"And with any new administration, it is a getting to know you process for everybody," Sexton said. "But no, I only see good things going forward and I also saw only good things with him and his staff."
Not every vestal town officer is singing the same tune.
In wake of the resignations, Vestal Town Councilman Stephen Donnelly has come out and described the environment within Vestal's town offices as "Toxic".
In a statement, Donnelly wrote:
"As a member of the personnel committee, I can attest to the fact that the morale of town employees is the worst it has ever been (stated from town employees). They feel scared, lied to and bullied. Employees are leaving in droves."
The first public signs of tension between Sexton and Kinter came about in early January.
Sexton initially looked to block the introduction of new school resource officers in vestal, but Kinter stood behind the officers and his proposal. Eventually, with the overwhelming support of the public, Kinter would win the dispute.
Stace Kinter says: "We are going to have our officers as planned. They are in attendance tonight. I think it's only appropriate after the last couple of days, nick, but just stand and just stand on behalf of the men and women."
Now, with Kinter out of the picture, Sexton will have to win over those men and women with a new leader.