Election commission Norm Green says Carmella Cantanese, the Republican candidate for Falconer mayor, and Timothy Wright, the Republican candidate for Carroll town justice, have each submitted withdrawal notices to election officials.

Both withdrawals are due to conflicts with each candidates respective jobs. Cantanese works as a secretary for Judge Stephen Cass and Wright works for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. According to Cantanese, a court employee can not engage in political activity so she was withdrawing from the Falconer Mayoral race. Wright said his election effort would be in violation of the Federal Hatch Act.

Despite withdrawing from their respective races, the candidate names will remain on the ballot pursuant to county election board policy, as there is no mechanism in state Election Law to remove a candidate’s name other than death or dueling nominations.

According to the Buffalo News, the state Supreme Court awarded former officer Timothy Wright a total of $172,681 in damages stemming from a violation of the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994.

Wright, who no longer serves on the JPD and is currently the Town of Carrol police chief, was serving as an Army Reserve officer and had come off a 2004 deployment in Iraq when he first filed the claim in 2007, and then he served two six-month deployments to Afghanistan, beginning in 2009.

In 2014, a Supreme Court jury in Chautauqua County decided against Wright’s claims regarding the promotion but also ruled the vacation time was unfairly calculated. The city and police department moved to appeal the decision but then dropped the action.

On July 17, State Supreme Court Justice Frank Sedita awarded Wright $44,656 in compensation, an additional $44,656 in damages and more than $83,000 in attorneys’ fees and costs.

It’s not yet know if the city will file an appeal against the decision.

Timothy Wright

FREWSBURG – The embattled police chief for the town of Carroll who faced domestic-violence related charges is now back on the job.

On Wednesday night the Town of Carroll town board voted to end Chief Timothy Wright’s period of unpaid leave and return him to his position.

Wright was arrested following an alleged domestic dispute with his wife while driving through the Town of Leon in Cattaraugus County in April. A state police investigation found that Wright allegedly struck his wife several times causing injuries.

However, the assault charge was recently dismissed in Leon town court.

As a result, the town board voted unanimously to return Wright back to the position of Police Chief.

Timothy Wright

FREWSBURG – The embattled police chief in the Town of Carroll will continue to remain on administrative leave while he deals with a domestic violence assault charge.

According to a recent article in the Post-Journal, the Carroll Town Board last week passed a resolution extending Tim Wright’s administrative leave by another 60 days. However, unlike previous months, the latest administrative leave will be unpaid.

Wright was charged in July with 3rd degree assault following a State Police investigation into an alleged domestic incident with his wife that occurred on April 5, 2015 as the couple was driving through Leon in Cattaraugus County. At the same time he was charged with assault, the town board placed him on 60-day paid administrative leave. The paid administrative leave was extended another 30 days in September.

James Curtis, an investigator with the Carroll Police Department and 20-year member of the Ellicott Police Department, is currently serving as Carroll’s interim-police chief. Wright is also still assisting with some administrative duties.

FREWSBURG – The embattled police chief of the town of Carroll will continue to receive pay while his domestic violence case continues.

The Jamestown Post-Journal is reporting that the Carroll Town Board voted Wednesday to extend Chief Tim Wright’s paid administrative leave for another 30 days.

The extension was granted to accommodate Chief Tim Wright’s upcoming court appearance on Oct. 8 in Leon Town Court.

Wright was charged in July with 3rd degree assault following a State Police investigation into an alleged domestic incident with his wife that occurred on April 5, 2015 as the couple was driving through Leon in Cattaraugus County. At the same time he was charged with assault, the town board placed him on 60-day paid administrative leave.

James Curtis, an investigator with the Carroll Police Department and 20-year member of the Ellicott Police Department, is currently serving as Carroll’s interim-police chief.

Timothy Wright

LEON, NY – Embattled Town of Carroll Police Chief Tim Wright has pleaded not guilty to a third-degree assault charge.

Wright – who is currently on administrative leave from his position – made his plea Monday in town of Leon Town Court. He was charged earlier this month with 3rd degree assault following a State Police investigation into an alleged domestic incident with his wife that occurred on April 5.

The case is being handled in Leon, a township in Cattaraugus County, because that is where the alleged incident took place as the couple drove through the area. Wright, a former Jamestown Police Department officer and detective, is on a paid two-month leave of absence while he answers to the charges.

Meanwhile, the Post-Journal is reporting that town justice Ashley Milliman has delivered complete “stay away” order of protection against Wright, meaning he cannot go near his wife nor have any contact with her.

Wright will appear in Leon Town Court with his attorney and the assistant district attorney on Aug. 13 at 5:30 p.m.

Long-time Ellicott police officer and Carroll detective James Curtis was named interim-police chief.

Timothy Wright

LEON, NY – The embattled police chief of the town of Carroll is set to appear in court at the end of this month to answer to an assault charge.

Chief Tim Wright, who was charged earlier this month with 3rd degree assault following a State Police investigation into an alleged domestic incident with his wife that occurred this past spring, will is appear July 27 in the Town of Leon court to answer to his charge.

The case is being handled in Leon, a township in Cattaraugus County, because that is where the April 5 incident allegedly occurred, as the couple drove through the area.

Wright,  a former Jamestown Police Department officer and detective, is on a paid two-month leave of absence while he answers to the charges.

On Thursday jurors found that Timothy Wright was not denied a promotion or annual compensatory time by the city because of his extended military leaves. However, the jury did determine that Wright should receive lost vacation pay on four separate occasions, based on the fact that any withheld vacation pay was in violation of the city’s collective bargaining agreement.

According to the Post-Journal, Detective Timothy Wright is suing the city and the police department for allegedly violating the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act.

According to the article, Wright is claiming that the JPD prorated his vacation and leave time, basing his entitlements on the number of days he worked the year of his deployment. Since he was absent, he received little to no vacation time. The detective is also claiming he was unjustly denied assignment opportunities and promotions because of his military absences.

The case is being argued in front of a six person jury. A verdict is expected to come as early as this afternoon.