Supreme Court Justice to become top aide to Hempstead Town Supervisor

                                                                                 

Hempstead Town Board

                                                                      
                                                                                 
Staff changes that seem unexplicable to non-GOP insiders are underway at the Republican-controlled Town of Hempstead.

On the agenda for next week's town board meeting is the appointment of Jack Libert, a Nassau Supreme Court justice, as chief of staff to Republican supervisor Don Clavin. Libert would start Jan. 25 for an annual salary of $185,000, according to the resolution posted online.

Libert would replace Joseph Nocella, a former Oyster Bay town attorney appointed chief of staff by Clavin last year after Clavin defeated Democratic incumbent supervisor  Laura Gillen.

According to another resolution on the town board agenda, Nocella has resigned as chief of staff and will be appointed town attorney, for a salary of $193,000, effective Jan. 20.

Nocella will fill the vacancy created when longtime Town Attorney Joseph Ra resigned last March. Clavin had been skepticial of Ra's previous amiable relationship with Gillen and indicated he wanted a town attorney of his own choosing.

Ra took a job with Republicans at the Nassau Board of Elections.

Libert's move to Hempstead had been rumored late last year, but he still had a year to go on the bench for a salary of $210,900 before facing any certification issues.

In New York when judges reach 70, they can be certified to continue hearing cases for three additional two-year terms.

However, the state last year, in a money-saving move, refused to certify or recertify older judges, like Libert.

Court spokesman Dan Bagnuola said Friday Libert is retiring voluntarily.

"He had a distinguished career on the bench, presiding over several high profile and complicated cases," Bagnuola said.

In his last big decision, Libert on Monday handed down a  $131 million judgment against the city of Long Beach for stalling completion of a four-tower condominium project proposed by developer Sinclair Haberman in the 1980s.

Libert in the past was law partners with Jeffrey Forchelli, the Locust Valley Republican leader, and Armand D'Amato, brother of former U.S. senator Alfonse D'Amato. Libert is a former Woodmere mayor and also served as Oyster Bay Town public works and planning commissioner.

He comes from a family long active in Republican politics. His father. Herbert Libert, was Republican leader and director of the Nassau County Planning commission. His daughter, Rebecca Alesia, served nine years as an Oyster Bay Town Board member before being appointed in 2019 to the  the Oyster Bay Zoning Board of Appeals,

Nocella was a prosecutor in the U.S. attorneys office, served as counsel to Republicans on the Nassau County legislature and also as a counsel for former Republican Nassau County Executive Edward Mangano.



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