Ex-official sues Williamsville for additional severance pay
The Village of Williamsville is being sued by its former administrator for additional severance money after the Village Board voted in September to give her more than $72,000 to end her employment with the town.
Sally Kuzon, currently an assistant city manager for the City of Batavia, had been the village’s administrator from 2000 to the end of August, when she and the Village Board failed to come to terms on a new contract.
“The contract . . . had some provisions that many members of the board felt were not in the public’s best interest,” Trustee Jeffrey Kingsley said.
Village officials describe Kuzon’s contract, which included a severance package, as generous.
When it came up for renewal last year, she declined to accept a new arrangement that would have reduced her benefits.
She subsequently informed the board that she expected to receive severance pay because her contract had expired.
In her letter to the board, she said she was entitled to payment equal to one year’s salary “in accordance with the agreement.”
At its first meeting following her departure, the Village Board voted 3-2 to pay Kuzon a lump sum of $72,875.
Kuzon, however, has taken legal action against the village, claiming the board failed to live up to the terms of the contract.
Kuzon could not be reached to comment Thursday afternoon despite messages left for her at work and at home.
No village officials contacted Thursday would discuss the suit or notice of claim filed against the village — including how much Kuzon is seeking.
Mayor Mary Lowther refused to confirm that the village is facing legal action, even though such information and documents are considered a matter of public record.
At the board’s Sept. 10 meeting, Lowther introduced the resolution to pay Kuzon the $72,875 lump sum, saying the village was contractually obligated to do so.
Trustees Basil Piazza and Brian Kulpa voted with Lowther to pay the amount.
But Kingsley and Brian Geary voted against making the payment, saying the board should take more time to review the figure and secure some legal promises from Kuzon before handing over the money.
“I’ve never seen government work that fast in my life,” Geary said Thursday. “It was ridiculous how fast they sent that out.”
Kingsley protested that the village needed to undertake more internal accounting of what it owed and should get advice from legal counsel before having the lump sum direct-deposited into Kuzon’s account.
He also said he wanted legal promises from Kuzon to ensure the village would not have to take up the terms of her separation again.
“I feel the board made a critical mistake in the handling of that matter,” Kingsley said, “in not getting any finality before that payment was sent out.”
