Mangano seeks deal on oversight of contract awards

As County Executive Edward Mangano announced Monday he had reached a compromise with legislative leaders over the future hiring of outside counsel, his office disclosed that the law firm of Nassau Republican chairman Joseph Mondello had received a quarter-million-dollar county contract without legislative approval.

Mangano spoke with Presiding Officer Peter Schmitt (R-Massapequa) and Minority Leader Diane Yatauro (D-Glen Cove) to try to quell a rising controversy over the county attorney's awarding of legal contracts for more than $25,000 without getting approval of the legislature's Rules Committee, as required by a public referendum that amended the county charter in 2000.

In a meeting late Monday, Mangano and Schmitt said they agreed that all legal contracts of more than $125,000 will be sent to the legislature for approval. But several Democrats maintained that Mangano must abide by the charter amendment.

Earlier, County Attorney John Ciampoli added new names to a list of attorneys he hired without approval and, for the first time, included their contract amounts.

The law firm of Berkman Henoch Peterson, Peddy and Fenchel, where Mondello serves as counsel, leads the pack with its original contract priced at $250,000. The firm is defending the county in a civil rights lawsuit filed by former inmates of the county jail that allege a correction officer forced them to have sexual relations with him.

The politically connected firm Sinnreich Kosakoff & Messina has been authorized to be paid another $350,000 on top of its original $25,000 contract. The firm replaces legal counsel hired by the former administration to press Nassau's $30 million lawsuit against New York State and its subcontractors, alleging shoddy construction at the Nassau Aquatic Center.

Mondello said he played no part in winning the county contract and would not benefit from it, pointing out that he receives a salary from his firm.

"I think it's good for the taxpayers because the firm is going to do a good job," he said. But, asked his opinion of the current controversy, Mondello said, "Without having studied the entire matter thoroughly, it's my opinion that the contracts should be given to the legislature."

Meanwhile, Republican Comptroller George Maragos said he would not pay attorney fees for contracts over $25,000 without legislative approval until the dispute was resolved.

Mangano and Schmitt said the deal they worked out would provide oversight by the legislature while also allowing the county attorney's office to move quickly to hire counsel in emergencies.

Mangano said he had decided it would be less costly to hire outside counsel with expertise in areas being litigated, rather than pay the salaries and benefits for dozens of lawyers in the county attorney's office. He added that all the contract information would be made public.

But while Mangano and Schmitt said Yatauro was on board, her staff said she agreed only to talk to her Democratic caucus while she sought a legal opinion about whether the terms of a public referendum could be changed this way.

Several Democratic legislators said they still expected Mangano to comply with the 2000 referendum. "We shouldn't allow the county executive to change a voter referendum," said Legis. David Denenberg (D-Merrick).

"That's repeal by any other name," added Legis. Judy Jacobs (D-Woodbury), who was the presiding officer in 2000 when voters gave the legislature the authority to oversee contracts that the county executive historically awarded without bids or legislative approval. Mangano, then a Republican legislator from Bethpage, supported the referendum.

Some lawyers and law firms hired as special counsel in Nassau and their contract amounts.

*Edward Ambrosino, Republican Hempstead Town Board member and former counsel to the Nassau legislative Republican majority $25,000
*Rivkin Radler, County Executive Edward Mangano’s former law firm $25,000
* Berkman Henoch Peterson, Peddy & Fenchel, which includes former Republican Hempstead Presiding Supervisor Gregory Peterson as a partner and Nassau Republican Chairman Joseph Mondello as counsel $250,000

* Dominick Minerva, former Republican Valley Stream mayor $10,000
* Lally & Misir, which includes former Republican candidate Grant Lally, the son of Republican Supreme Court Justice Ute Lally $25,000
* Jaspan Schlesinger, which includes Democratic Party lawyer Steven Schlesinger and Lisa Cairo, the daughter of Nassau Republican Committee vice chairman Joseph Cairo $25,000
* Sinnreich Kosakoff & Messina, which includes Jonathan Sinnreich, husband of Suffolk State Supreme Court Justice Emily Pines, and Vincent Messina, former Islip Town attorney and former election lawyer for Suffolk GOP $25,000
Additional amount for subsequent work $350,000

* Bee Ready Fishbein Hatter & Donovan, which includes Peter Bee, a longtime elections lawyer for Nassau GOP $175,000
* Tom Sofield, a Long Beach councilman and registered Democrat who ran as a Republican $25,000