Corporation Counsel Charlie Sarris has reportedly decided to resign his position as a deputy town attorney in the town of North Greenbush, according to City Councilman Bill Dunne, D-District 4.

Dunne said that he recieved a letter from Sarris today stating that he would soon be resigning from the position.

Sarris had received a memo from City Council President Clement Campana, D-At Large, last Thursday requesting that he provide his letter of resignation for his North Greenbush position prior to the council meeting later that night where councilmen had planned to vote on his official appointment to the position of corporation counsel.

During the meeting, Sarris had told the council that he was hurt by there request when two weeks prior, none of them had openly objected to his outside jobs during a Finance Committee meeting.

Dunne noted that the council will still need to vote on Sarri's appointment since the resolution was tabled during the meeting.

"We're going to have to (vote on his approval), but we do want to see the official letter of resignation to North Greenbush first," said Dunne. "It's not that we don't believe Mr. Sarris, but we certainly want all our T's crossed and I's dotted."

Look for further information on the matter over the next few days from Troy Talk and The Record.

During their Finance Committee meeting Thursday, members of the City Council were formally introduced to Charlie Sarris, who is currently serving as the city's temporary corporation counsel after Dave Mitchell's "service with the city of Troy concluded" at the end of City Hall business hours last Friday.

Tutunjian still would not say exactly what led to Mitchell's departure.

Sarris greet the councilmen at the start of the meeting and promised "nothing but cooperation" in working with them. And when later asked if additional legislation could be drawn up for the council's March meeting, he assured them that it wouldn't be a problem.

We've got to say it was quite a different atmosphere compared to past finance meetings where personal issues led to large shouting matches and the occasional threat of a lawsuit between Mitchell, Council President Clem Campana, D-At Large, and Councilman Bill Dunne, D-District 4.

We've heard that Tutunjian has 90 days to either name a permanent corporation counsel or go without one, but even if Sarris only serves on a temporary basis we think it will be interesting to watch how things play out in future meetings/discussions.

Dave Mitchell, who has served as the city's Corporation Counsel since Mayor Harry Tutunjian took office in 2004, is no longer employed by the city of Troy.

He has been replaced on an interim basis with Deputy Corporation Counsel Charles Sarris.

It is immediately unclear what prompted the conclusion of his duties with the city and officials are not commenting on the change, citing the fact that it is a personnel matter as their reason.

Below is the brief e-mail that was sent out only 10 minutes ago from city spokesman Jeff Buell:

“Effective with the close of business on Friday, February 13, 2009, Corporation Counsel David Mitchell’s service with the City of Troy has concluded.

No comments will be issued, as it is a personnel matter.

Deputy Corporation Counsel Charles Sarris will serve as the acting Corporation Counsel on an interim basis.”

According to past reports from the city's Law Department, the city had continued to lessen the amount it had to pay for civil court claims since the beginning of 2005 and had not lost a Supreme Court trial case or Federal trial/appeal case since 2004 with Mitchell in the position.

Further details were not immediately available.