Some strange occurrences took place at Farmingdale Village Hall following the March 16 village board elections. After residents elected all three members of the Farmingdale Family Party - candidate for mayor George Graf and trustees Tom Langon and Joseph Rachiele - Village Clerk John Giordano was abruptly terminated and the door to the clerk's office was dead-bolted. Both of these actions were administered by current Mayor Joseph Trudden. The key to the clerk's office was returned to village hall Monday morning.

Trudden, who was defeated by Graf last Tuesday, could not be reached for comment as he was away on vacation, but according to officials at village hall, there was no explanation given as why the office was dead-bolted. Mayor-elect Graf said that Trudden's actions basically impeded the transition between the new administration and that he should have been consulted first. He noted that some reports stated Giordano was allegedly helping the Farmingdale Family Party team by procuring documents for them. Graf, however, said that Giordano was simply doing his job as records access officer and that the documents Graf acquired through FOIL requests are obtainable by any member of the public.

"The documentation in the village clerk's office is public record," Graf said. "The village clerk is mandated by law to provide people that come in with this information. I don't feel that he has done anything wrong."

Graf said that while these incidents have somewhat impeded the transition, he has met with some village officials in an effort to set up a smooth transition.

"This has been a major distraction during the first week of trying to put together not only a transition team but to gather the knowledge of the day-to-day operations in order to have a smooth transfer of local government," Graf said, adding that officials he's contacted, including Deputy Village Mayor Dr. Benjamin Giminaro and Deputy Village Clerk-Treasurer Barbara Canonico, have been very cooperative throughout the whole process. One of the biggest frustrations Graf said was the fact that all village officials are to be officially sworn in on April 5 and a budget for the following year is due by the 15th.

"By April 15, we're supposed to have next year's budget in place. That's not necessarily a problem if an incumbent wins, but it does become a problem when the incumbent loses and then fires the one person who's job it is to make sure this happens," he said.

Although the mayor could not be reached personally, in a letter sent to the Observer he vowed that a smooth transition would take place (see the mayor's letter on page 12 of this week's issue). Graf also said that the mayor called him earlier this week, wishing him and his runningmates luck and alerting him that the key to the clerk's office was returned.

As for Giordano, Graf said that there is a possibility that he could be reinstated as village clerk. "I will be considering Mr. Giordano based on his background, along with potentially any other candidates that would apply," he said.