COVENTRY – Grievance Day went on as usual Tuesday in Coventry, despite the efforts of Town Supervisor John Phelan to remove the two most senior members of the town’s Board of Assessment Review just moments before proceedings were scheduled to begin.

At 1:55 p.m. – five minutes before the five-member board was scheduled to begin hearing grievances from Coventry taxpayers about their property tax assessments – Oscar Lerwick and Wilbur Day were handed letters by Phelan notifying the men they were being placed on administrative leave, effective immediately.

“You have been removed from the board,” Phelan told the two. He offered no explanation why the action was being taken, saying he could not comment because it was a personnel issue.

Lerwick and Day, however, did not comply with Phelan’s directive.

“We have terms to serve and we’re going to do it,” said Lerwick, who said the supervisor had no power to remove him or his colleague, asking to see “the law” which allowed Phelan to take such action.

Phelan responded by demanding to see Lerwick’s proof that he did not have the authority. The verbal sparring continued until the supervisor threatened to have both men removed by the Chenango County Sheriff’s Office and left the room.

In his absence, the board organized itself, elected a chair and prepared to hear grievances. Phelan returned a few minutes later with Sheriff’s Deputy Ron Swislosky. Swislosky asked to speak to Lerwick and Day outside, but made it clear the two would be allowed to re-enter the building after the discussion. According to the deputy, he had no grounds to remove the men unless there was a “physical altercation” of some kind.

While they were outside, Phelan tried to persuade the three remaining members of the board – Donna Commesso, Scott Pornbeck and Jim Vance – to proceed without Lerwick and Day.

Commesso, who had been elected chair, declined.

Pornbeck questioned Phelan’s reasons for waiting until the last minute to serve the suspension and accused the supervisor of wasting the time of both the review board and Coventry taxpayers who were there to grieve their assessments.