By Joyce Kryszak
Buffalo, NY – A committee of Erie County legislators Tuesday began sifting through the stinging grand jury report on alleged gross mismanagement of the county highway division.
The Government Affairs Committee heard from the county's Public Works and Budget departments about a host of policy changes stemming from the scandal. Public Works Commissioner Maria Lehman says three more managers have been fired in recent weeks. Two other top level managers, who were previously removed, also face criminal charges of misconduct and theft.
Lehman says the actions have vastly improved morale.
"Productivity this summer has been fabulous," Lehman said. "We got over some of those humps, got some new people in place managerially and we're moving forward."
Legislature Majority Leader Lynn Marinelli is chairing the review. Marinelli says she's encouraged by steps being taken to restore the public's trust.
"We've heard several instances of certain approaches that need to be addressed that are being addressed," Marinelli said. "I give a lot of compliments to those managers and directors who have taken the grand jury report seriously."
Several accounting and policy changes were reported that officials say have improved accountability and deter corruption. However, computers were blamed with slowing the process.
Marinelli says the Legislature also has a role. The committee will continue its review at another meeting soon to be scheduled. And she says the Legislature may also need to make some changes to local law and the charter.
But Mark Sasha, who represented the District Attorney's office, says neither the computers, nor the charter, are the problem.
"The grand jury found that these violations were apparent," Sasha said. "The problem was dealing with these people. These problems were apparent to various levels of county government, not just in the highway department but in other departments."
Sasha says the grand jury emphasized the need for developing protocols to ensure complaints are properly and swiftly investigated -- no matter who the employee is.