Village of Montgomery Mayor Stephen Brescia last Friday accused Donald Berger, candidate for trustee in the Village of Montgomery, of violating campaign finance law by failing to fill out a financial disclosure form in the 2017 trustee elections.

Under New York State election law, a candidate for office is required to file a financial disclosure form when the candidate spends more than $1,000.

Berger said he filled out a CF-01 financial disclosure form and submitted it to the village clerk in the 2017 election, as instructed by the village clerk. He said he spent approximately $600 in the 2017 election, and the financial disclosure form from the 2019 election reveals he spent only $165 this year.

Village clerk Monserrate Rivera-Fernandez could not fulfill a Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) request for the 2017 financial disclosure form because she was out of the office Monday and Tuesday of this week. A search in the New York State Board of Elections financial disclosure records did not yield any results for Donald Berger.

The village elections will be held on March 19. Polls will be open at the village senior center, 36 Bridge Street, from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.