Daniel Zuckerman is reporting in The Daily Mail the case of Richard M. Surrano Jr. has divided the Athens Town Board. Surrano, a town board member, was accused of petit larceny and sentence earlier this month to a one-year conditional discharge. If he repeats the offense, he could receive a maximum penalty of one year in jail according to the terms of a plea agreement, special prosecutor Max Zacker said. Surrano was accused of burglarizing the home of his ex-girlfriend, taking $700 in cash, in August 2016. Bernard Skelly, father of the young woman, has demanded Surrano's resignation from the town board, but said he was silenced by Town Supervisor Robert Butler. Council member Mary Brandow said her attempts to get information on the case have gone nowhere. "We can’t say anything because it’s not been discussed," she said. Based on the allegations, Brandow said, Surrano should step down from the board. "I believe Bernie Skelly," Brandow said. "There are constituents that don’t want to see him [Surrano] there either." Council member Tony Paluch agreed with Brandow and said Surrano should not be enforcing the law if he is breaking it himself. Paluch said he is tempted to quit the board because of the situation. "It’s nothing personal — it’s just not right," Paluch said. Read the full story in The Daily Mail.