TOWN OF CHESTER – Town of Chester Councilman Giuseppe Cassara has requested that the Orange County District Attorney’s Office investigate whether Town Comptroller Neil Meyer used his town-issued laptop to perform volunteer work for the Town of Wallkill.
Last week, Town of Chester Supervisor Brandon Holdridge confirmed that the town is conducting an internal probe into the matter.
“I believe we have a fiduciary duty to safeguard assets entrusted to us by the residents of Chester, and that duty requires us to act promptly and transparently when questions like these arise,” Cassara, a Republican, wrote in a memo to Holdridge, District Attorney David Hoovler, and Councilmen Bob Courtenay, Thomas Becker and Stephen Diffley. “I ask that the investigation specifically examine the following: Computer Trespassing and Theft of Time.”
Cassara did not return a message seeking comment for this story, and Holdridge declined comment, pending the conclusion of the internal investigation. The District Attorney’s Office is not investigating Meyer at this time, but several sources have confirmed that the Chester probe is on its radar.
At last Wednesday’s Town Board meeting, Cassara made a motion to have the District Attorney’s Office investigate the matter and to place Meyer on administrative leave during the probe. Town of Chester attorney Elizabeth Cassidy then called the town board and Holdridge into an executive session behind closed doors.
The motion was not revisited during the meeting. Cassara later put his requesr in writing. The potential use of equipment issued by one municipality to perform work for other raises concerns about the proper use of taxpayer-funded resources, the security of municipal information, and whether any sensitive financial or personnel data could have been accessed or handled outside established procedures.
Chester’s investigation came after Meyer’s role in the Town of Wallkill was scrutinized. Republican officials have questioned why he allegedly had access to Town Hall and municipal computer systems despite not being a town employee. The State Comptroller’s Office is investigating the alleged Wallkill breach, and the Chester development could add another layer to the probe.
“An independent review will protect the Town’s finances and give residents confidence that these questions are being handles with integrity,” Cassar wrote. “It will also be fair to Mr. Meyer, since any findings will rest on a neutral, documented process.”
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