By Jeanne Sager
MONTICELLO — March 19, 2004 – The Town of Bethel is out a supervisor.
Ira “Moose” Liff pled guilty to two felony charges in Sullivan County Court Wednesday morning, forcing him, as a convicted felon, to give up his helm of the town.
Liff, a sanitation contractor, was facing charges of worker’s compensation insurance fraud.
According to the court, while collecting monies for an injury, he was also running his own garbage hauling business.
Liff’s guilty plea to grand larceny in the third degree and insurance fraud will likely earn him five years probation for each charge, to run concurrently.
He will also be required to make restitution to the state worker’s compensation fund, returning a total of $27,160.93.
Under the plea bargain arranged by the Sullivan County District Attorney’s office, Liff has had to forfeit all further rights to a worker’s compensation claim for his injury.
His actual sentencing will be held on April 28 at 9 a.m. in Judge Frank LaBuda’s courtroom.
Deputy Supervisor Vicky Simpson has taken over as acting supervisor, a position she held prior to the November election, after former supervisor Allan Scott had resigned his post.
The town board will discuss replacing Liff at its meeting on Thursday, she said.
The board will also discuss filling a council seat left empty by Linden Lilley, former councilman who was elected in November to the town highway superintendent’s position.