
Saratoga Springs Accounts Commissioner Dillon Moran’s belligerent and toxic behavior has been documented repeatedly in this blog over the past three-plus years he has been in office. Still, his out of control behavior at the June 16, 2025, City Council pre-agenda meeting descended to new lows.
The trigger for Moran seemed to be an item Mayor John Safford had placed on his agenda removing the language that authorized on-call pay for the city’s deputies. The on-call pay debacle has been documented in earlier posts. It involved among other issues allegations that city documents had been altered, a State Police investigation, and Moran hiring a lawyer for $1,250 an hour that he expected the city to pay for. Safford’s proposal to take on call pay off the books was something Finance Commissioner, and Dillon ally, Minita Sanghvi had called for months ago making Moran’s fury even more bizarre.
Moran: “I am Beyond Rage”
In this excerpt from the meeting Moran makes snarky and opaque references to some kind of collusion and other alleged grievances he suffered related to the State Police On Call Pay investigation. Don’t worry if you can’t follow everything he is saying.
Dillon Ain’t Sayin’
Resolutions and actions to be considered at City Council meetings are supposed to be posted on the city website the Friday before the Tuesday meeting. This is supposed to give both the members of the Council and the public time to read and digest the proposed actions to prepare for the Tuesday meeting.
Council members convene on the Monday morning before the Council’s Tuesday night meetings for a “pre-agenda” meeting. At this meeting, they are supposed to be prepared to answer questions about and/or clarify items they have placed on their agendas to further help members prepare for the regular meeting’s deliberations.
Moran has been a serial violator of this policy, presenting resolutions at the Council table that the public and his colleagues are unaware of til the last minute.
At the June 16 meeting, Moran taunted his colleagues (and, in effect, the public) saying that he will not reveal his plans for the regular Council meeting ahead of time. In his fury, he seems oblivious to his responsibility to be transparent so that citizens are adequately informed, and he has no concept of how important courtesy is in properly carrying out the people’s business.
The Unedited Dillon Moran
Here are the full unedited sections of Dillon Moran’s rants at the meeting.
Post Script
There were no fireworks at the Tuesday night, June 17, Council meeting.
At Moran’s request, Mayor Safford pulled from Tuesday’s agenda the resolution to remove On-Call. Moran has indicated for a year and a half that he would craft a repeal of on-call pay. He will get the opportunity to do that at the next Council meeting. Stay tuned.
do you think that Mayor Safford comes off well in this exchange?
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Yes!
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Dillon needs to focus on his upcoming trial for hiding public records. The word is that it’s expanded in scope.
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Did the city pay the lawyer who charged $1200 an hour?
Dillon always defends his Deputy. But there was testimony that indicated his Deputy saunters into City Hall after 10 am or later. On Call pay is absurd, especially for her. Dillon is a petulant child. Four months left for him, and he will be gone.
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No decision by Judge Walsh on the bills
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What extra workload does the Belmont put on an Accounts Commissioner?
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