Poughkeepsie Common Council approves retainer to pursue action against Dutchess County

The Poughkeepsie Common Council voted on June 3 to approve, as part of its consent agenda, a retainer agreement with Wang Hecker LLP to commence and prosecute an action against Dutchess County.

The retainer was listed among five consent items read at the meeting and was approved by the council after a motion to pass the consent agenda. The roll call on the consent agenda was recorded as a voice vote: “All those in favor? Aye. Motion passes.” The retainer appears in the minutes as resolution R-25-54 (listed as the fifth consent item during the meeting).

Vice Chair Shook had earlier said the council would vote on a resolution to retain counsel to move forward with an action against the county and urged the public to read the resolution’s whereas clauses before the vote. The transcript does not include details of the firm’s retainer terms or the precise legal claims to be filed; the consent item’s caption reads as a resolution approving a retainer agreement for the purpose of “commencing and prosecution an action against Dutchess County.”

The motion was adopted as part of the consent package; the council did not record individual aye/no votes on the floor during the voice vote. The council did not announce implementation steps or a public timeline for the proposed litigation during the meeting.

Council members and staff present indicated further administrative follow-up is required to finalize the retainer paperwork and any next steps once legal counsel is engaged.