Mongielo, Lockport Town Board resume conflict of interest feud
Updated: March 11, 2012, 7:19 AM
LOCKPORT— David J. Mongielo and the Town Board resumed their feud this week.
Mongielo, the unsuccessful 2009 candidate for supervisor who faces a potential 15-day jail sentence for violating the town’s sign ordinance, took to the microphone during the public comment period at Wednesday’s Town Board meeting.
Mongielo, a Republican committeeman, made an argument he’s offered before: that the practice of having town officeholders also serve as GOP committee members creates a conflict of interest.
Mongielo called the practice, seen not only in Lockport but in almost every other municipality, “corrupt,” because it means officeholders can take part in securing endorsements for themselves.
As the five-minute time limit expired, Supervisor Marc R. Smith warned Mongielo that his time was up. Mongielo kept talking, so after a second warning, Smith directed the technician producing the cable TV broadcast of the meeting to turn off the microphone.
“Communism in Lockport,” Mongielo said as he went back to his seat.
However, that wasn’t the end of it. Councilman Mark C. Crocker said he wanted to talk to Mongielo about a YouTube video Mongielo had produced, entitled “David Mongielo is Going to Jail For Helping Residents.”
This referred back to the issue Mongielo has with the town’s sign law.
Mongielo is awaiting a verdict March 20 from Town Justice Raymond E. Schilling, who conducted a nonjury trial Dec. 28 on Mongielo’s second alleged violation of the town’s law barring electronic signs that change more than once every 10 seconds.
Since the alleged violation occurred during the time of Mongielo’s conditional discharge for his first sign-law violation, Schilling could sentence him to 15 days behind bars.
A 9-minute videotape shot Aug. 25 by Donald J. Jablonski, town GOP chairman and Zoning Board member, showed the sign in front of Mongielo’s Robinson Road auto repair shop changing every two seconds.
Although the sign is usually used to advertise Mongielo’s business, it has been used on occasion to promote community fundraisers.
On Aug. 25, the video sign was promoting a fundraiser for Allen Gerhardt, a Niagara County sheriff’s deputy who lost both legs in a July 18 crash.
Wednesday, Crocker asked Mongielo, “How did you help Kayla Allen?”
“We help people dying of cancer,” Mongielo said. “I don’t know who Kayla is. She’s a girl who probably died, right?”
Crocker said his research indicated that Kayla Allen was murdered in North Carolina in 2003. In his video, Mongielo used a picture of that girl and her gravesite that he found on the Internet.
Crocker said that incident had nothing to do with Lockport and occurred years before Mongielo moved his business from Pendleton to Lockport.
“Don’t be dishonest,” Crocker told Mongielo. “Don’t use murdered children to further your political gains.”
“It just shows the dysfunction of local government,” said Mongielo, who provided The Buffalo News with a copy of an anonymous political mailing sent out against him in January.
At least one official reacted to Mongielo’s charges with sarcasm.
Councilman Paul H. Pettit told the audience, “I learned tonight I was corrupt and a Communist. I’ll have to keep that in mind.”
tprohaska@buffnews.com
While I may not always agree with Dave Mongielo's tactics, I do admire his persistence and passion! Hey, let's face it folks, any time you question the status-quo, the press and the people in power are going to paint you as some kind of lunatic or a sore loser. I, like Dave, am less concerned with the actual political views and ideals of a person, and am more concerned with the processes. Keep up the heat Mr. Mongielo, people are watching, listening, and learning!
LOCKPORT— David J. Mongielo and the Town Board resumed their feud this week. Mongielo, the unsuccessful 2009 candidate for supervisor who faces a potential 15-day jail sentence for violating the town’s sign ordinance, took to the microphone during the public comment period at Wednesday’s Town Board meeting.
Mongielo, a Republican committeeman, made an argument he’s offered before: that the practice of having town officeholders also serve as GOP committee members creates a conflict of interest.
Mongielo called the practice, seen not only in Lockport but in almost every other municipality, “corrupt,” because it means officeholders can take part in securing endorsements for themselves.
As the five-minute time limit expired, Supervisor Marc R. Smith warned Mongielo that his time was up. Mongielo kept talking, so after a second warning, Smith directed the technician producing the cable TV broadcast of the meeting to turn off the microphone.
“Communism in Lockport,” Mongielo said as he went back to his seat.
However, that wasn’t the end of it. Councilman Mark C. Crocker said he wanted to talk to Mongielo about a YouTube video Mongielo had produced, entitled “David Mongielo is Going to Jail For Helping Residents.”
This referred back to the issue Mongielo has with the town’s sign law.
Mongielo is awaiting a verdict March 20 from Town Justice Raymond E. Schilling, who conducted a nonjury trial Dec. 28 on Mongielo’s second alleged violation of the town’s law barring electronic signs that change more than once every 10 seconds.
Since the alleged violation occurred during the time of Mongielo’s conditional discharge for his first sign-law violation, Schilling could sentence him to 15 days behind bars.
A 9-minute videotape shot Aug. 25 by Donald J. Jablonski, town GOP chairman and Zoning Board member, showed the sign in front of Mongielo’s Robinson Road auto repair shop changing every two seconds.
Although the sign is usually used to advertise Mongielo’s business, it has been used on occasion to promote community fundraisers.
On Aug. 25, the video sign was promoting a fundraiser for Allen Gerhardt, a Niagara County sheriff’s deputy who lost both legs in a July 18 crash.
Wednesday, Crocker asked Mongielo, “How did you help Kayla Allen?”
“We help people dying of cancer,” Mongielo said. “I don’t know who Kayla is. She’s a girl who probably died, right?”
Crocker said his research indicated that Kayla Allen was murdered in North Carolina in 2003. In his video, Mongielo used a picture of that girl and her gravesite that he found on the Internet.
Crocker said that incident had nothing to do with Lockport and occurred years before Mongielo moved his business from Pendleton to Lockport.
“Don’t be dishonest,” Crocker told Mongielo. “Don’t use murdered children to further your political gains.”
“It just shows the dysfunction of local government,” said Mongielo, who provided The Buffalo News with a copy of an anonymous political mailing sent out against him in January.
At least one official reacted to Mongielo’s charges with sarcasm.
Councilman Paul H. Pettit told the audience, “I learned tonight I was corrupt and a Communist. I’ll have to keep that in mind.”
tprohaska@buffnews.com
While I may not always agree with Dave Mongielo's tactics, I do admire his persistence and passion! Hey, let's face it folks, any time you question the status-quo, the press and the people in power are going to paint you as some kind of lunatic or a sore loser. I, like Dave, am less concerned with the actual political views and ideals of a person, and am more concerned with the processes. Keep up the heat Mr. Mongielo, people are watching, listening, and learning!
Mr. Free Speech is against it if you don't like him. Just try posting something on his youtube channel that isn't 100% in agreement with him. He'll delete the comment and ban you.
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