Crime & Safety

Dolan Case Legal Fees Cost New Hyde Park Fire Department Over $11K

Lakeville Civic Associations request information on sum thus far expended on legal actions.

The costs of the legal proceedings expended by the New Hyde Park Fire Department concerning fire commissioner Michael Dolan Sr. and his son, Michael Dolan Jr. is in excess of $11,000 according to information requested by the Lakeville Estates Civic Associations at the April 16 meeting of the fire commissioners board.

Fire commissioner John Waldron believed the number to be about $11,446 in expenses. Fire district attorney Joseph Frank stated that the amount relates to the cost of the stenographer, the attorney that was hired to present the case and the hearing officer.

“That’s all based on how many hours everything takes,” Frank said. “The law gives volunteer firefighters certain due process hearing rights so if charges are brought, they have the right to a hearing and in order to conduct the hearing, there are going to be expenses associated with it. There’s a cost of giving people due process.”

The information was requested by North Lakeville Civic Association President Marietta DiCamillo and Lakeville Estates Civic Association President Marianna Wohlgemuth in a letter dated April 8 concerning the case.

“It’s information that the community is entitled to,” Frank said, “they don’t need to give a reason why they want to know.”

The Dolans had allegedly stolen smoke detectors from the department in 2012. The Nassau County District Attorney’s Office eventually dropped the criminal charges. However, any member of the fire department has a right to have a hearing before an arbitrator. The charges were originally filed by New Hyde Park Board of Fire Commissioners Chairman Richard Stein.

A departmental hearing was held in January in which prosecutors said the senior Dolan obtained 150 smoke detectors from the Nassau County Fire Museum and brought 100 to the fire department “on the merits of the program,” in reference to a smoke detector program the board of commissioners was running. Ultimately the detectors were property of the department given by the museum. The program consisted of members of the department installing detectors for the elderly who may not have one in their home. The nature of the program was contested by the defense stating it was a program strictly for batteries for smoke detectors.

The prosecution stated at the hearing the senior Dolan then removed 82 detectors from a secured location, referencing a videotape marked for evidence. Dolan reportedly conceded he took the detectors in a board meeting, as previously mentioned. On behest of the commissioners he was asked to return them, but only returned 65 detectors. He reportedly again took the 65 smoke detectors and returned 36 to the fire museum.

The fire commissioners issued a decision to dismiss Michael Dolan Sr. from his duties as a firefighter, but voted to reinstate his son, Michael Dolan Jr. to the department.

“I don’t believe in hearing gossip, I like to hear it from the source,” Wohlemuth said when reached by phone and asked about her reasons for requesting the information, adding that she had received phone calls from members of the civics about the hearing. “I don’t know that it was necessary to pursue it to this level. You have to question motives. What is the purpose? You have a volunteer who is an active member being thrown out of the department. I just feel personally that the money was not well spent and there’s a black cloud over the department.”

The Dolans had indicated that they would pursue legal action against the department and the board against dismissal of Michael Dolan Sr.

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