Rochester Borough Mayor Keith Jackson alleges the town’s other officials have been illegally preventing him from carrying out his duties since taking office two years ago.
Jackson claims the borough’s council, solicitor, and manager are hampering his efforts at overseeing the town’s police department. He invited several media outlets in the region to attend the borough’s Jan. 21 meeting where he intended to address the issue.
But the mayor’s plan to confront council was thwarted Tuesday night when only two members showed for their scheduled public meeting, failing to achieve the necessary quorum to proceed.
“I’ve never disrespected anyone in this room,” Jackson told a gaggle of reporters who had gathered in a council chambers notably absent of council members. “If I ask a question, a smart remark comes out. I don’t need that. All I want to do is make this town better than what it has been.”
Borough Solicitor Bernie Rabik held an impromptu press conference in place of the public meeting, insisting the ongoing issues involving Jackson had nothing to do with council members failing to show.