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Tuesday, April 24, 2007

A Rubber Stamp


On the surface, he appears to be a soft spoken regular guy, not someone who makes people uncomfortable. Some in the North Greenbush town offices have thought of him as a “Columbo” type of detective, somewhat disheveled but with the eyes of a hawk and the instincts of forensic scientist.

That’s the gentleman form the New York State Comptroller’s Office who has been quietly reviewing town records for months in an effort to tell taxpayers and the Town Board, how their infamous Water District 14 got so overspent without the Town Board being told by town employees charged with administering the contract.

The North Greenbush Pipeline may have figured out the combination of political chemistry, ineptitude and malfeasance responsible for the over runs as documented in previous editions. The “Mike Miner Memo” which attempts to justify giving his favorite contractor who runs the Conservative Party all the money he wants so long as he doesn’t up the price of “pipe” or whatever else he uses to run water lines in a town where a contract price means absolutely nothing to town employees. And why should it when the Town Supervisor leads by example by giving out an $83,000 check to the same contractor behind the back of the Town Board and without the required legal approval of the Board. Lincoln would have called it “Government of, by , and for the contractor. We suspect the State Comptroller will use another term for it.

Apparently the State Comptroller has found other interesting explanations for why things get paid when they shouldn’t get paid. Auditors have been asking questions about the use and access to signature stamps going back several years. Town employees have been questioned about their knowledge of the use of the stamps which are routinely used by those who authorize checks and vender claims.

Now there’s a novel idea. Just give the contractor his own signature stamp and he won’t have to ask the Town Supervisor to write him an illegal check. He can just use his own rubber stamp of his signature. Of course lately, no one administering the contract for Water District 14 bothers to sign the “Applications for Payment” submitted by the contractor. They go to the Supervisor without the required signature which used to be from Michael Miner, that is until he got a little nervous about the conflict of interest apparent by him authorizing payments to a company that is run in part by his Conservative Party Chairman, Michael Casale. We said “his” Chairman, because Mr. Miner is one of Chairman Casale’s Conservative Committeemen in Election District 8.

So Mr. Auditor, be sure you notice that there are two ways to approve payments in North Greenbush. One may be the flippant use of a signature stamp on paperwork requiring a signature and the other is not to bother with any signature on paperwork requiring a signature. Either way, it’s taxpayers who take it on the chin. Why not take a few minutes to gather your thoughts today if you’re in Town Hall and take a ride in the Town’s fancy Fire Marshall truck. Be sure and bring the paperwork involved in its purchase because it was never budgeted. Two other vehicles are being discussed for purchase on this Thursday’s agenda and hopefully Board members will ensure the funds are budgeted and employees won't just order without Board approval.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Maybe now voters will understand why our majority on the town board tried to clean house in the building department and town hall once they took office? Unfortunately many of these employees were able to hide behind their union. Those involved in the corruption of this town should take heed to one of Tom Hank's movies, "Run Forrest, Run!" Sooner or later it always hits the fan.

Anonymous said...

hi, new to the site, thanks.